DH ✦ Ch 39

✦ Chapter 39 ✦

Cha-hee listened intently as Se-jung quietly laid out the information.

“According to the fortune told by the shaman Grandma believes in, Oppa’s destiny says he won’t have any children, while that woman’s destiny says she’ll have three. Apparently, the shaman said that if they put that woman together with Oppa, her fortune for children would somehow transfer to him.”

“No way…”

“That’s definitely what happened. So I think Grandma came up with this plan to drain that woman’s child fortune. It wouldn’t hurt if she had a child using Oppa’s blood, either. Even if only the fortune of having children transferred to Oppa, that would be good enough.”

“You mean Grandma intends to make Oppa a divorced man?”

“Uh…”

Se-jung couldn’t answer immediately and rolled her eyes to the side.

Cha-hee suspected that there was some exaggeration mixed into what she was saying. But it probably wasn’t entirely a lie, either. Se-jung’s personal feelings were undoubtedly coloring her interpretation, but given the woman’s lowly background, her theory was plausible enough.

Cha-hee urged her to continue with an expectant look.

Se-jung hurriedly gathered her thoughts and spoke.

“Grandma absolutely adores Oppa. There’s no way she’d genuinely accept someone like that as her daughter-in-law, right? For someone like Oppa, having a divorce on his record wouldn’t even be a blemish. I’m sure Grandma will kick her out within a year at most.”

Their meeting ended around there.

After getting into the car parked in the hotel garage, Cha-hee remained lost in thought for a while. The thoughts filling her mind drifted toward unpleasant memories.

Shin Hyun-jae had been the man she had secretly loved since middle school.

She had fallen for him at first sight when, as a high school student, he accompanied Chairman Kwon Sun-jin to a family event.

After that, she had deliberately cultivated a friendship with Se-jung in an attempt to get closer to Hyun-jae.

But even when she visited the GB family’s main residence, he treated her as though she were invisible.

For an adolescent Cha-hee, who had only ever seen boys treating her like a princess, it had been an experience that wounded her pride deeply.

By the time she helplessly watched Hyun-jae leave for the United States to study, she had given up on him.

He was an exceptionally outstanding man with an immensely powerful background, so she hadn’t been able to erase her lingering feelings completely.

Then, three years ago, an unexpected blind date with Hyun-jae was arranged.

Her mother had contacted her to tell her that Hyun-jae would be stopping in Germany for a business trip and had agreed to meet her.

She had been ecstatic.

But the timing was terrible.

She had just graduated from a German music university and graduate school and had recently joined the Heimbach Symphony Orchestra as a cellist.

There had been an improper shortcut behind that appointment.

She wasn’t talented enough to cross the threshold of such a prestigious orchestra on her own, so she had seduced the orchestra’s conductor.

The German man, whom she had become involved with while attending graduate school, was also famous as the husband of an actress who had won an award at Cannes.

In other words, she had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a married man.

Thanks to that, she had acquired a career that more or less satisfied her parents’ expectations.

She had expected to enjoy herself for a year, build up her career, then return to Korea and walk a smooth path as a cellist.

But the blind date with Hyun-jae that took place during that period had cost her far too much.

How had Shin Hyun-jae figured out that she was secretly involved with a man who was supposed to be only a close friend?

When she met Hyun-jae in Munich, he had remained polite from beginning to end while tightening the noose around her neck.

“How difficult it must be to love someone the world would condemn.”

He had dressed up her position as the other woman in elegant words.

“I have no intention of condemning you either. Unless your love is nothing more than a sordid game of exploitation.”

He had elegantly criticized her for taking advantage of a married man.

And then Hyun-jae had made her an offer: a fake engagement.

“I want to avoid marriage, and you want protection from the risk of being condemned by society. We can be each other’s shield, so we both benefit.”

There had been two conditions in the contract.

They would remain formally engaged for two years before breaking off the engagement.

And including the engagement period, Cha-hee would not return to Korea for at least three years.

She had been unable to refuse because he held her weakness in his hands.

She had stamped her seal on the contract, and because breaking the agreement would inevitably bring disastrous consequences, she faithfully fulfilled it.

They had broken off their engagement a year ago, and she had also honored her promise to stay out of Korea for three years.

During the engagement, Cha-hee had calmly accepted the reality that she and Hyun-jae probably weren’t destined to end up together.

But when she heard that Hyun-jae had gotten married, it felt like a bolt from the blue.

Wasn’t he a confirmed bachelor?

Had Shin Hyun-jae actually gotten married?

Cha-hee immediately submitted her resignation to the orchestra, wrapped up her life in Germany, and returned to Korea.

She had an insane amount of lingering attachment.

She wanted to find a way to undo the marriage.

She was even prepared to cling to Hyun-jae’s legs and beg him to look at her again.

“There’s no need for me to beg.”

A smile appeared at the corners of her lips as she murmured to herself.

A temporary marriage meant to drain a young woman’s fortune for children.

Before the engagement, Cha-hee had her own fortune read, and it indicated that she would have two children.

She knew that Chairman Kwon had confirmed that point before finally deciding on the engagement.

Therefore, there was a very real possibility that Shin Hyun-jae’s next wife could be Gong Cha-hee.

No matter how extraordinary Shin Hyun-jae is, someone with my qualifications would hardly be too much for him as a second wife.

It was uncomfortable that her past affair with a married man had been discovered, but Hyun-jae had been married once as well.

Now they would both have a blemish on their records.

But she couldn’t simply sit around and wait.

If the woman happened to have a child in the meantime, Cha-hee would have to raise someone else’s child.

No matter how good the bloodline was, poor soil remained poor soil.

She didn’t want to accept a child born to an orphan as her own.

“Can’t she be kicked out sooner?”

If Chairman Kwon was the one who had put that woman together with Hyun-jae, then he should also have the authority to separate them.

After all, the love between the two people involved was meaningless.

Wasn’t the essence of an upper-class marriage a transaction that solidified wealth and power?

If she could move Chairman Kwon’s heart, she could break up that marriage immediately.

Having sorted through her thoughts, Cha-hee finally started the car.

“I’d like a natural makeup look, as though you’re wearing makeup without actually looking made-up.”

Ga-young, seated in the salon, conveyed her preference to the makeup artist.

Gil Byung-soo’s reflection appeared in the mirror directly in front of her.

Watching from behind, he gave Ga-young an approving OK sign with his fingers.

Although the place was unfamiliar, having him there made her feel at ease.

Thirty minutes earlier, Ga-young had arrived in a car Hyun-jae had sent to the annex.

The building housed both a luxury select shop and a hair-and-makeup salon.

Soon, she would be attending an event at the GB Conrad Hotel together with Hyun-jae as a married couple.

When Hyun-jae had suggested that she attend, he had only described it as a private alumni-style gathering that wasn’t open to the public.

She had accepted without hesitation.

But after receiving the event materials, she realized his explanation had been somewhat misleading.

It was actually the regular Korean gathering of the Young Global Leaders selected by the World Economic Forum.

There was even an academic forum on environmentally friendly management.

For a while, Ga-young had wondered whether she should say she couldn’t go.

But she changed her mind.

Since she had already decided to attend, she would do her best.

She sternly reminded herself that her duty was to conduct herself properly, avoid casting a shadow over Shin Hyun-jae’s name, and prevent anyone from becoming suspicious of their marriage.

“Miss, we’re finished.”

Before long, her natural makeup and half-up hairstyle were complete.

She then changed into the clothes brought from the luxury select shop.

Ga-young had chosen a beige dress and a navy linen jacket.

After carefully considering her options, she had selected an outfit that would work equally well for both the academic forum in Part One and the dinner in Part Two.

When Ga-young emerged from the dressing room, Byung-soo applauded.

“Our Executive Director is going to be walking around with his shoulders puffed out today.”

Ga-young waved her hands, denying it, but she also liked the reflection staring back at her in the mirror.

Her expensive styling gave her the refined atmosphere characteristic of high society.

It didn’t look vulgar or as though money had simply been thrown at her.

Instead, there was a subtle elegance to her appearance.

After leaving the salon and taking her seat in the back of the car, Ga-young checked the time.

The opening time listed in the event materials had already passed.

“Secretary Gil, aren’t we late?”

“The first part is the forum, so you don’t actually need to attend it. You only need to arrive in time for the dinner. You could even have a cup of tea at the lobby café before going in.”

“I heard Executive Director Shin is giving a presentation during the first part.”

“That’s right.”

“Then I’d like us to hurry a little so I can arrive before it’s over.”

“Oh, certainly.”

Understanding that Ga-young wanted to see Hyun-jae’s presentation, Byung-soo readily stepped on the accelerator.

The event was being held at the main GB Conrad Hotel, a GB Group affiliate.

Byung-soo, who had responsibly guided Ga-young there, stopped at a side entrance beside the Grand Ballroom.

Judging by the firmly closed doors, the event was already well underway.

Byung-soo peeked inside the venue before turning back toward Ga-young.

“The host is in the middle of some remarks. It should be okay to go in now without disrupting the proceedings.”

“Do I have to go in alone?”

“I’m not allowed inside. There’s a name card for Executive Director Shin at the third round table from the left, in the second row directly in front of the stage. You’ll be able to find it, right?”

Ga-young was actually quite nervous, but she forced herself to smile confidently.

“Yes. I’ll find it. Thank you for everything.”

Byung-soo smiled warmly and opened the door for her.