DH ✦ Ch 11

✦ Chapter 11 ✦

It was easy to predict where Kwon Sun-jin would stand.

She was morally strict and thoroughly calculated when it came to gains and losses. More than anything, she took immense pride in her family lineage.

To her, Ga-young’s circumstances could never measure up to the standards of someone born with a silver spoon like herself.

She would never accept it right away. I could already picture her throwing them out and sprinkling salt behind them. Judging by the look on her face now, it seemed like my prediction was spot-on.

So what could be done? All that was left was for Yoon Ga-young to receive the inevitable decree of exile—and for me to be exiled with her.

Hyun-jae spoke nonchalantly, exactly as planned.

“From the moment I first met her, I was completely smitten and pursued her aggressively. Whenever I had the chance, I sought her out. It was a long-distance relationship where we’d meet for a day and then spend months yearning apart.”

He had gone on business trips to North America six times over the past year. Since each trip had included a weekend, there was enough circumstantial evidence to back up his claim.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. The anxiety was unbearable. So I begged her to marry me. Ga-young eventually accepted, and we held a private wedding ceremony—just the two of us. As you saw in the photos we sent you.”

Kwon Sun-jin let out a startled gasp. Unbothered, Hyun-jae continued his explanation.

“I knew that our marriage would cause conflict because it deviated greatly from your plans. But I was so certain about this marriage that I didn’t want to put Ga-young through unnecessary stress. That’s why we got married first. I sincerely apologize for not discussing it with you in advance.”

He finished with a tone of unwavering confidence.

Kwon Sun-jin was so dumbfounded she forgot to be angry. She grabbed the back of her neck and turned her head in an odd direction, sighing repeatedly from her wrinkled lips.

After a while, she straightened up and turned slightly toward Ga-young.

Her gaze rested briefly on Ga-young’s lap—specifically, on the wedding ring adorning her neatly clasped hands.

In response, Hyun-jae made a show of placing his own left hand on his knee. He quietly enjoyed the way a faint crack appeared between Sun-jin’s brows when she spotted the matching couple ring.

Her regal eyes slowly rose to Ga-young’s face.

“I apologize for getting married without your permission.”

It wasn’t necessary, but Ga-young offered a polite apology. Hyun-jae appreciated that her voice held respect rather than fear.

This wouldn’t open Sun-jin’s heart, of course—but it seemed she had at least decided to get to know Ga-young.

“Nice to meet you.”

That part went well—until she suddenly dropped a painfully outdated question.

“What does she do?”

Though the question was directed at Ga-young, Hyun-jae jumped in with the answer.

“She’s a student.”

He couldn’t lie about that. So he recited the profile he knew by heart.

“Junior at Columbia University, majoring in Business Administration. She’s the niece of the couple who manage our vacation home in Gangwon-do. That’s where I first met her. Aside from that, all I can tell you is that she’s an orphan.”

“You call that an explanation?!”

Kwon Sun-jin exploded with rage, cutting him off.

Her normally composed and graceful wrinkles contorted in displeasure. Her anger was peaking visibly.

Though Hyun-jae hoped she’d hide her fury with her usual elegance, it was clear she couldn’t. Her twisted lips finally erupted with unfiltered contempt.

“After all I’ve done to raise you, how could you marry someone like that on a whim? Do you have any idea how significant your marriage is to the GB Group? Do you think marriage is some kind of joke to you?”

“It’s not a joke, of course.”

“You’re the one carrying the future of this group! And yet you do this without any sense of responsibility? I can’t believe this. Did you do this just to rebel against me? Because I pressured you to get married? So you picked some random girl out of spite?”

“She’s hardly random.”

“She’s a third-year college student—so what, twenty-three? Unbelievable. What have you done to that poor girl?! You seduced a naive young thing who doesn’t even know how the world works and married her? What is this—some sick fetish for younger women?!”

“That’s a rather unbecoming thing for you to say, Chairwoman.”

Hyun-jae responded coldly to her vicious tirade.

He was not usually a cold grandson to his grandmother. If anything, he felt a filial affection that many children would show to their parents.

But now was the time to create distance.

He planned to use this fight as a turning point to leave Kwon Sun-jin’s shadow and become independent. It was bad enough he’d made Ga-young a married woman; he couldn’t stand by and let her be verbally abused on top of it.

His aloofness only fueled Sun-jin’s anger.

“Unbecoming?! You ungrateful little bastard! You’re worse than an animal, you—!”

“I—I love him!”

A sudden outburst cut through the room.

Both Hyun-jae and Kwon Sun-jin turned to look at Ga-young with wide eyes.

She looked startled by her own words.

She shrank a little under their attention, her gaze falling shyly. The nervous flicker in her eyes made her seem almost pitiful.

But then, Ga-young straightened and met Sun-jin’s eyes with calm maturity. Her full, rose-tinted lips released measured words.

“I wasn’t seduced. I love the Vice President. I chose to be with him of my own free will. I’m not too young to understand what marriage means. As far as I know, you were married at my age as well, Chairwoman.”

It was true—but it wasn’t in the materials Hyun-jae had given her. He was slightly impressed by how cunningly prepared she had been.

“I’m well aware that I’m not someone who meets your standards. I never aspired to become your family’s daughter-in-law. I only want to be his wife—nothing more. You may scold me or even slap me, and I’ll accept it.”

If this were an exam, it would’ve earned a perfect score.

Hyun-jae had to bite his inner cheek to keep himself from smiling like a proud professor.

“But please, I ask that you not blame the Vice President.”

She bowed her head firmly after her earnest plea.

With interest gleaming in his eyes, Hyun-jae turned to Sun-jin.

Her face showed utter disbelief, mouth agape, as if to say: What kind of girl is this?

❦

“You know how to play the game.”

After leaving the main house, Hyun-jae smirked as he spoke. Ga-young lowered her gaze in quiet embarrassment.

“I love you,” she had said…

She’d never even said those words to her aunt and uncle before.

It had pained her to watch Hyeon-jae get insulted over their marriage. He had saved her twice from hopeless situations. This contract marriage had begun because she’d begged him for a loan.

She couldn’t just stand by and watch him be called trash by his own grandmother.

“I just…”

Ga-young spoke with difficulty.

“I was trying to keep my promise—to do my best in this role.”

A quiet puff of breath escaped Hyun-jae’s lips.

It sounded like mockery, making her shrink even further. She followed him but didn’t dare walk too close.

Then came his amused voice, eyes still fixed ahead.

“What, not doing your best anymore?”

“Huh?”

“Link arms. Or should I wrap my arm around your shoulder instead?”

“…?”

“The Chairwoman’s watching from the terrace. We’re supposed to be newlyweds, madly in love, remember?”

Given the circumstances, such an act was necessary.

Suppressing the urge to look back, Ga-young stepped toward him hesitantly. Hyun-jae tucked his hand into his pocket, making it easier for her to hook her arm through his.

She lightly grabbed his sleeve with her fingers, but he chided her casually.

“Put your arm in. Rest your head on my shoulder.”

Ga-young obeyed his directions. Her heart thudded wildly as she leaned into his firm arm.

It felt like the world had flipped upside down. A newlywed couple taking a romantic stroll… and Yoon Ga-young was part of that scene.

As they slowly walked along the stone path cutting through the lawn, Hyun-jae explained:

“We’ll stay here for two days. I rushed to sign a lease on a new villa, but I need to get at least the basic furniture in place.”

So this mansion wasn’t his intended marital home.

Ga-young wasn’t sure if that meant she could relax. It was good to be out of the Chairwoman’s sight, but the idea of living alone with him was strangely nerve-wracking.

“That guesthouse over there is where I’m staying. Can you hole up there for two days? If it’s uncomfortable, we’ll head to a hotel. Just say the word.”

She followed his gaze.

The house was about 50 meters from the main building—one of three structures on the property, and the second-largest, with two stories.

“No, that’s fine.”

She replied readily.

She wasn’t in a position to be picky about hot or cold rice. She didn’t even have the mental energy to weigh the pros and cons of the location.

Her mind was already overloaded with anxiety about spending the night with the man she now clung to.