Chapter 131
Her hand trembled as it gripped the phone.
She had expected this. Known that someday, she would hear these words.
After all, this marriage had begun with divorce as its premise.
But she never imagined it would come this quickly.
She thought it would take at least a few months.
The path to divorce was proving as swift as their marriage had been.
[Just like the wedding, we’ll take care of everything. You won’t need to worry about a single thing.]
“…..”
[By the way, I didn’t catch how much you overheard.]
Ga-eun, her eyes darting aimlessly, cleared her throat before barely managing to speak.
“About the… insomnia medication…”
[And?]
“That Si-heon… wasn’t so out of it that he would spill things…”
[And?]
“…And that the hotel bedding was comfortable. That’s what I heard.”
[Nothing after that?]
“Si-heon…”
Ga-eun cleared her constricting throat once more.
“I heard until Chairman’s words about how Si-heon was ready to soar now.”
[Hmm, I see.]
Kwon Soon-yeol muttered softly, as if talking to himself.
She could vividly picture the elderly man nodding his head.
“I’m looking for those wings now. Si-heon agreed.”
“…”
“Remarriage will be those wings.”
Thud.
Ga-eun could hear her heart making a deafening sound as it plummeted mercilessly.
“Are you saying… Si-heon agreed?”
[Why? Did you think he wouldn’t?]
“No… Of course… he would.”
[My grandson has excellent judgment. So quick to understand, so proper in his conduct. If only your family background had been better, I would have entrusted you with a business or two. I mean it.]
She wanted to say, “Thank you for those kind words,” but her voice refused to emerge from her throat.
[There’s a gathering, isn’t there? With Si-heon. Don’t act distant just because the end is decided. I trust you’ll do your best until the day you part.]
The choice was easy since there was only one answer she could give, one she had to give.
“…Yes.”
With that, the call ended.
Ga-eun looked down at her phone, then suddenly raised her head to look in the mirror.
A pale-faced woman stared back at her with eyes full of despair.
‘What did I expect?’
All of last night – him holding her close without letting go, embracing her while she slept, kissing her the moment she closed her eyes.
“Look at me properly.”
It was just because I was his insomnia medicine.
“Don’t avoid my eyes.”
I was merely a tool to satisfy his desires while I was around.
“Ga-eun.”
Unlike usual, she had foolishly imagined emotions in his steady gaze.
The way he called her name so tenderly.
How he would gently embrace her and kiss her forehead when she struggled.
The way he stroked her back until she fell asleep.
‘Was it his final act of charity?’
Her chest ached.
To buy time to collect herself, Ga-eun went out and asked an employee for sanitary pads.
They would understand if she said her period started suddenly. If needed, the employee could serve as a witness later.
‘…No. Perhaps he won’t even care that much anymore.’
After receiving the pads, Ga-eun returned to the bathroom, closed the toilet lid, and sat down.
She lifted her head to look at the ceiling.
It was a method her aunt had taught her as a child to hold back tears.
‘Aunt…’
Yes, I have my aunt.
No need to be sad. It just means the days of living with my aunt are drawing closer.
That’s all it is.
Thinking this way made the heart-shattering pain seem somewhat bearable.
Ga-eun desperately tried to focus on the thoughts of her aunt.
But she couldn’t block out Si-heon’s penetrating gaze, his voice, his touch that kept seeping through.
***
When she returned to her seat, Si-heon, who had been listening to others with an expressionless face, immediately lifted his head to meet her eyes.
Ah, truly a man who excelled at everything.
Anyone watching would think he was a husband who only had eyes for his wife.
Yet here he was, already thinking about remarriage before divorce had even been discussed.
“Ga-eun.”
Soon, there wouldn’t be many days left to hear him call her name like that.
Deliberately ignoring the hollow feeling opening in her chest, she sat beside Si-heon.
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