Chapter 17
Ju-ok was extremely displeased that So-eun had come to live in their house, and Min-cheol resented his father for dumping So-eun onto him.
As Ju-ok and Min-cheol fought day after day, Hye-in and Mi-in gradually became more sensitive as well.
“Hey, Yang So-eun! Because of you, our parents’ relationship is getting worse!”
“Yeah, exactly! Ever since you came into this house, it’s been noisy all the time. You curse.”
“Are you trying to ruin our family completely? Just looking at your face puts me in a bad mood. Ugh, you’re bad luck.”
“I’m worried our parents will collapse from fighting every day because of you. Hurry up and get out. Leave our house the moment you become an adult.”
Hye-in and Mi-in poured out cruel words.
But So-eun couldn’t say anything back.
Because none of what they said was wrong.
Her parents had died and she alone survived. Because of that, Jusan Foods lost the eldest son who was supposed to inherit the company.
After Chairman Yang Byung-hoe collapsed, her uncle’s family had known no peace since she was forced upon them.
“You nuisance girl!”
“Our house never gets a moment of quiet because of you!”
“Don’t you think she has some kind of bad energy clinging to her?”
As her uncle’s family pointed fingers at her, So-eun’s self-esteem and confidence shrank lower and lower, and her head drooped more each day.
‘It feels like everything is my fault. Like everything went wrong just because I was born.’
For two years, So-eun experienced how hellish it was to live with people who hated her.
And how much that situation gnawed away at her and destroyed her self-worth.
She had been holding the warm teacup in her hands for so long that although the tea inside had gone completely cold, the cup itself was still warm from her body heat.
“Should I ask my brother-in-law to take a selfie with me later? Isn’t he practically a celebrity? It’s a feast for the eyes—how can I not take a picture? Right, Mi-in?”
“What’s there to even say? He’s eye candy, and on top of that, the heir of the top conglomerate in the country. I want a man like that too. Looks like Yang So-eun may not have been lucky with parents, but she sure got lucky with a husband.”
At that, Ju-ok lightly smacked her two beloved daughters on the shoulders.
“You idiots, please shut your mouths! Sit quietly like Yang So-eun and act modest, giggling ‘hohoho.’ There are still two more brothers in the GH Group, you know. Under Jeon Hyun-jun, there are two younger brothers. What were their names again?”
“Mom, I know! Jeon Hyun-min and Jeon Hyun-ho! I happened to see them somewhere before and fell in love at first sight. But still, Hyun-jun, the eldest son, is the most handsome.”
“You can’t even address him properly! Handsome or not, does his face really matter right now?”
“Mom! A man’s face is super important!”
“Does a face put food on the table?”
“Yes! When you fight as a couple, if the husband is handsome, you get less angry. And even if something bad happens outside, just seeing his face makes you feel better.”
“Stop with your childish nonsense. Yang Hye-in, Yang Mi-in, you two! Now that son-in-law Jeon is here, behave well and get yourselves set up on blind dates. We need to become double in-laws with the GH Group heirs. Since Yang So-eun married the eldest, you two need to catch the second and third sons. That’s the only way our family survives.”
As Hye-in and Mi-in began bickering loudly with Ju-ok again, Cheol-in closed his eyes as if he had a headache.
It was always like this.
Ever since childhood, his sisters Hye-in and Mi-in had been full of jealousy.
And even worse were Ju-ok and Min-cheol, who were filled with endless greed.
Their constant noise and selfishness left Cheol-in exhausted and overwhelmed.
According to the housekeeper who had worked here for many years, So-eun’s late mother had been extremely beautiful.
So-eun was the only truly pretty one in the family.
Hye-in and Mi-in strongly resembled Ju-ok, and no amount of plastic surgery could fix their wide, plain faces.
Cheol-in simply felt sorry for So-eun.
Caught between three jealous women and subjected to endless scolding, she always looked small and discouraged.
At some point, So-eun stopped eating meals with them.
She skipped breakfast and went straight to school, and when she came home late at night, she would shower and immediately shut herself in her room.
Even on weekends, she left early saying she had to study and wouldn’t return until almost midnight.
Watching her, it was obvious she was avoiding the family.
“Yang So-eun. Don’t you think so too?”
“…Yes?”
Suddenly Ju-ok threw a question at her.
So-eun, who had been silently holding her teacup, jumped in surprise when attention turned to her.
“Why are you so startled? You flinch every time someone talks to you. It’s annoying. What, do you think I’m going to hit you?”
“S–sorry.”
“Never mind that. We’ve raised you for two whole years, haven’t we? Fed you and put a roof over your head. You need to repay that kindness. You should persuade your husband and arrange blind dates for Hye-in and Mi-in with his younger brothers. Got it?”
“…What?”
“Why are you so shocked? If Jusan Foods becomes double in-laws with GH Group, that’s good for you too, isn’t it? If your cousins become your sisters-in-law, wouldn’t that be nice?”
“……”
So-eun couldn’t answer.
She had barely seen her husband again, and their relationship was still awkward. How could she dare suggest something like that?
Frustrated by So-eun sitting there silently like a mute, Ju-ok turned to Min-cheol.
“Dear, I have to say, it really was a good thing Yang So-eun married into GH Group. How reassuring is that? Now Jusan Foods can easily attract investment.”
“That’s true. Now we have someone reliable to lean on. Whenever we need something, we can just ask son-in-law Jeon. Isn’t that why father arranged her marriage with GH Group in the first place?”
“What? After father passed away, wasn’t it GH Group that proposed the arranged marriage first?”
“Oh, right. That’s true.”
“Still, why did father only promise marriages for the first grandchildren? If only he’d arranged matches for the second and third too. Because Yang So-eun monopolized his affection, our Hye-in, Mi-in, and Cheol-in got less love. Honestly, father was so unfair. He could have loved our children more too. My poor babies.”
Ju-ok sighed dramatically.
In that moment, So-eun felt like a criminal.
“By the way, I heard Vice Chairman Kim Eun-hyeop, the heir of NM Construction, will be entering the country soon. They say he’ll attend social gatherings too. I’m thinking of taking Hye-in and Mi-in along somehow.”
Kim Eun-hyeop of NM Construction…
So-eun tilted her head.
It was a name she had heard at her in-laws’ house just yesterday.
He had originally been another possible arranged marriage candidate alongside Hyun-jun.
Mi-in spoke excitedly.
“Mom, that sounds great! If we go, I’ll dress up perfectly. I can’t wait.”
Then, with jealousy and envy, she glared at So-eun.
“Hey, Yang So-eun. Since you married into GH Group, behave carefully and watch yourself. You have bad energy that causes fights wherever you go. Don’t bring bad luck to GH Group too. Keep your mouth shut and live quietly, okay? We need to marry into GH Group and get investments. Got it? Hahaha.”
“GH Group having bad luck? D–don’t say that.”
So-eun could endure insults toward herself, but she couldn’t tolerate anyone speaking ill of the in-laws who treated her kindly.
“Why can’t I say it? It’s true, isn’t it? Your parents died early, your grandfather too—because of you. You came into our house and made our parents fight all the time. You really do have bad energy!”
“What’s going on here?”
At that moment, a deep, calm voice cut through the air.
Everyone turned in surprise toward the living room door.
There stood Hyun-jun, having just finished a phone call.
He moved slowly and confidently, like a predator returning to its den after surveying its territory.
Overwhelmed by his presence, Hye-in, Mi-in, and Ju-ok froze stiff.
Did he hear what I just said?
No, he couldn’t have. He just walked in.
Be quiet! Don’t let him notice.
The three exchanged frantic glances.
Hyun-jun looked at them indifferently, then turned his gaze to So-eun.
Her thin body looked especially small and shrunken today.
“So-eun, let’s go.”
He held out his hand to her.
“Ah…”
So-eun stared blankly at him through her slipping glasses.
“What are you doing? Get up. Let’s go.”
As So-eun hesitantly lifted her trembling hand to take his, Ju-ok jumped to her feet.
