Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Special Side Story 3

Strangely, from the very first moment they met, Kwon Hee-sung hadn’t made her feel any aversion.

Kwon Hee-sung resembled the men who had kidnapped her more than anyone else.

His tall stature, imposing build, and the icy gaze that stared out from behind silver-rimmed glasses—cold enough to send chills down one’s spine.

If not for the fact that, as her friends put it, he was “so handsome it made your head spin,” he would have looked exactly like someone from that world.

And yet, when she was with Kwon Hee-sung, her heart pounded not with fear but with excitement—and she never fainted.

Serious and taciturn, he never once let a curse word slip past his lips, nor did he ever behave crudely.

Despite his cold and intimidating exterior, he was always affectionate and considerate.

And so, Han Yu-ae believed it was fate.

The reason she had suffered until now was so she could meet this man.

There was nothing she wouldn’t do to stay by his side.

She would rather die than leave him.

That’s what she had thought—

“……’’

“This is… your house, sunbae?”

A tall, massive wooden gate.

An imposing wall stretching so far she couldn’t even see where it ended.

She had never even imagined that such a hanok—surrounded by a forest in the heart of Seoul, so vast it could almost be called a village—could exist.

Then, Han Yu-ae silently read the characters inscribed on the wooden plaque.

Jungshimwon.

It sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it…

The moment the thought crossed her mind, the gate swung open, and men in black suits bowed deeply toward Kwon Hee-sung.

“Welcome back, young master.”

The butler at the front, Hwang Tae-ju, stepped forward to greet him.

“We prepared refreshments in the pavilion, as you mentioned you would be bringing a guest.”

“No.”

Kwon Hee-sung tightly grasped Han Yu-ae’s hand, interlacing their fingers.

“We’ll be going inside the inner pavilion.”

Then, Kwon Hee-sung suddenly turned his head.

Han Yu-ae’s body was trembling violently as she stared at Hwang Tae-ju and the men of Jungshimwon.

“……Yu-ae.”

But she couldn’t even muster the focus to meet his eyes, let alone respond.

“Hey, is your name Han Yu-ae? Is your father Judge Han Seong-beom?”

The terror of that day coiled around her throat once more.

And then, it finally dawned on her.

Jungshimwon.

That was the name of the mansion where the head of the Hwanhee Group and his family resided.

She faintly remembered her parents mentioning how, back then, they had summoned the most renowned master carpenters from across the country to build it.

After construction was completed, it became a hot topic that every single worker who had participated in the project had emigrated overseas with their families.

The towering walls ensured no outside whispers could seep in—and no inside secrets could ever leak out.

No one could ever know what truly happened within.

And the foundation of the Hwanhee Group was none other than the Hwanhee faction—the syndicate that had unified the underworld.

“…….”

The strength finally drained from Han Yu-ae’s trembling body.

Kwon Hee-sung hastily caught her as she swayed.

“Yu-ae.”

“You… you’re part of the Hwanhee Group’s founding family?”

Kwon Hee-sung said nothing. His silence was answer enough.

“How… how could you…?”

Han Yu-ae’s face paled.

Not just because he was part of the Hwanhee Group’s inner circle—

But because she already knew.

That she could never leave Hee-sung.

Yes, she couldn’t bring herself to walk away from this man.

Even if he was the son of the Hwanhee faction’s leader.

Even if she had to live surrounded by men just like the ones who had once kidnapped her……

She couldn’t live without the person she loved.

After fainting several times, Han Yu-ae clenched her teeth and barely managed to step into Jungshimwon.

Kwon Hee-sung’s father, Kwon Soon-yeol, wasn’t pleased with the frail Han Yu-ae, but he ultimately gave in—threatened by his son’s ultimatum that he would never marry anyone else.

After all, Kwon Hee-sung was currently the only suitable successor to lead the Hwanhee Group.

And so, Han Yu-ae entered Jungshimwon.

Days passed in constant tension, surrounded by men dressed in black, her nerves always on edge. But with sheer determination—to stay by the side of the man she loved—she endured, gritting her teeth through it all.

Her already weak body withered day by day, but she could bear it because her husband treated her more preciously than anything else in the world.

And when the stress reached its peak, she found herself carrying their child.

For the sake of the baby, she resolved to push through no matter what.

I’ll shower this child with love.

I’ll become a strong, dependable mother.

Compared to that, this is nothing.

She drilled those thoughts into herself.

The compulsive self-conditioning continued even as her pregnancy advanced.

If she felt even the slightest discomfort or anxiety, she suppressed it—over and over—terrified that it might harm the baby inside her.

She smiled and attended every Hwanhee Group event without fail.

Kwon Hee-sung strongly urged her not to push herself so hard, but he couldn’t sway her resolve.

“I can’t bear the thought of our child hearing harsh words because of my behavior.”

“Yu-ae…”

“It’s okay. I can endure it. For you and our child, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

And finally, she gave birth.

A baby boy who looked exactly like Kwon Hee-sung in his childhood.

Kwon Soon-yeol was overjoyed, but Kwon Hee-sung wasn’t.

After childbirth, Han Yu-ae’s body weakened at an alarming rate.

Soon, she couldn’t keep anything down—barely managing to swallow even the thinnest porridge.

Her face grew gaunt, dark circles deepening under her eyes, but she forced herself to smile and endure, pretending everything was fine.

If she showed any sign of weakness, it wouldn’t just affect the Hwanhee Group—most of all, it would hurt her husband and son.

“Yu-ae. You don’t have to force yourself. If you want, the three of us can leave and live separately. That’s an option.”

Even at Kwon Hee-sung’s earnest plea, Han Yu-ae shook her head.

“I know this is a crucial time for you and the group. I can’t ruin everything just because of me.”

“I don’t care what happens to the group’s reputation. You’re the most important thing to me.”

“Hee-sung, we have a son now. For Si-heon’s future, I’ll endure.”

Watching his wife’s feeble smile, Kwon Hee-sung forcibly suppressed the heat rising in his chest.

Every time he saw her faint or tremble uncontrollably at the sight of men in black suits, he wanted to turn his back on this household and leave.

But he couldn’t.

Because his wife didn’t want that.

Especially after Si-heon’s birth, Han Yu-ae walked a precarious tightrope every moment, enduring through sheer willpower.

But even that had its limits.

Living as the wife of Kwon Hee-sung, heir to the Hwanhee Group, was far more grueling than she had imagined.

She could never show weakness in front of anyone—even at home, where she should have been able to rest, she was constantly surrounded by watchful eyes, forced to maintain a flawless facade.

Just the thought of her father-in-law’s piercing gaze sent a chill crawling down her spine.

She was already an unwanted daughter-in-law due to her frail health—she couldn’t afford to further tarnish her husband’s standing or the group’s reputation.

As Si-heon grew, Han Yu-ae’s struggles grew more desperate.

And then, at some point, she began relying on alcohol.

At first, she sipped secretly, telling no one.

The sensation of her mind growing hazy, her body light—it made her giggle helplessly.

That was how she endured moments, hours, days.

But addiction always reveals itself eventually.

“Honey, please… just once… I feel like I’m dying…”

Kwon Hee-sung gripped the shoulders of his trembling wife, forcing her to meet his eyes.

“Yu-ae… let’s stop all of this. Let’s just think about us, okay?”

“How can we?! What about Si-heon?! Do you know what it takes for me to endure every single day for him?! Just kill me instead, okay? A mother like me is better off dead—please, just kill me… I can’t take it anymore…”

“It’s all my fault. I knew how much you were suffering, yet I couldn’t leave this place. What does any of this status even matter…?”

His wife, her rationality shattered, sobbed uncontrollably.

“I should’ve… I should’ve never given birth… If I hadn’t, it wouldn’t have been this hard…”

They didn’t know.

That their son, who had come to show them his new middle school uniform, quietly turned away at those words.