THICA 3

Chapter 3

“I’m proposing a marriage that benefits us both. For you, it would help you win the succession race, and for me, it would allow me to live the life I want.”

“Then you could achieve that by entering a political marriage with anyone. There’s no reason it has to be Han Ye-seo.”

“If things continue this way, there’s a chance the pottery workshop will be absorbed into SH Group. If that happens, I’ll no longer be able to protect it with my own hands.”

I need to convince Do-gyeom now.

She remembered the final moments before the pottery workshop closed. It was the place where her maternal grandfather had made pottery at the wheel, and where traces of her mother still remained.

Yet only a few months after the workshop came under SH Group, the process of shutting it down had begun.

Ye-seo had been unable to protect Yunseak Pottery Workshop once it was out of her hands.

She bit her lip.

“That will never happen. Not under any circumstances.”

Ye-seo spoke firmly.

Hearing her words, Do-gyeom took a short breath.

But soon, he turned his gaze away as if he had lost interest.

“You’re being emotional. Do you really think you can convince me with that attitude?”

“I’d say I’m being realistic rather than emotional.”

Ye-seo refused to back down.

“That still doesn’t give me a reason to marry you. I’m disappointed I even made time for this meeting.”

Do-gyeom’s response made Ye-seo grow desperate. She needed to offer him something that would benefit him.

“I’ve attracted attention by running my pottery workshop, but many people assume that after I get married, I’ll hand it over to a professional manager.”

“That sounds like you intend to keep running it yourself even after marriage.”

“Yes. And that could benefit you. A husband who supports his wife’s career would help build your image as an egalitarian leader.”

In wealthy families, wives often gave up their careers after marriage to support their husbands. As a result, only a handful of women continued working after getting married.

“Do you really think that will help me become the successor?”

“It would create the image that you value equality in business because you practice it at home. That kind of image-building could help you in the succession race.”

Her commitment to equality would set an example and give him a better public image. That alone could make Do-gyeom, who seemed so distant, feel more approachable to the public. It could also help people relate to him more easily.

Even now, wouldn’t people see him as someone who listened to others’ opinions when he made time for her and heard her out, despite his intimidating image? If this side of him attracted attention, he could become a more approachable leader whom people would want to follow.

“What other advantages do you offer? The person who made me a similar proposal recently had connections in politics. You’ll need to offer something comparable.”

“My connections as the eldest daughter of SH Group and the granddaughter of Seo Ju-seon, a former holder of a National Intangible Cultural Heritage designation, are not insignificant.”

“That’s a similar advantage, but I don’t think it offers enough merit to make me reject other proposals.”

“Besides that, I have a desperate need to protect my pottery workshop.”

This might have been exposing her weakness, but she felt that convincing him had to come first.

“Both groups would benefit from this marriage, but I desperately need a marriage that allows me to keep my pottery workshop independent.”

“Are you revealing your weakness to me?”

“Please see it as proof of my sincerity. Someone who is desperate will try to seize an opportunity even if it means accepting a loss.”

Do-gyeom had been listening with his chin resting on one hand. When Ye-seo finished speaking, he finally turned his gaze toward her.

“Even if it means accepting a loss?”

The corners of his lips slowly curved upward, as though he had finally found something interesting.

“As long as my conditions are met, I’ll do everything I can.”

“Even if that means betraying SH Group?”

“If you’re asking whether I’m prepared to do that, then yes. Even so.”

She had long since lost any affection for her father as family. He had already treated her as a discarded replacement and allowed Yunseak Pottery Workshop to disappear. Now, she wanted to put herself first for a change.

“You seem more determined than I expected.”

“Is there anything else you want?”

She felt she had offered every condition she could. Now, all that remained was Do-gyeom’s decision.

“I dislike false pretenses.”

Do-gyeom looked at Ye-seo with cold eyes.

His words left Ye-seo with a complicated expression.

Seeing her reaction, Do-gyeom chuckled.

The people who had first approached him about arranged marriages had gradually begun demanding emotional commitments. They wanted him to put them before everything else. During a succession race, such emotional demands were a luxury he couldn’t afford. That was why those relationships had ended in disaster.

Do-gyeom slowly tapped his fingers against the table. To him, an arranged marriage was a type of business deal that had to bring benefits with minimal risk. This meeting was nothing more than a negotiation to achieve that goal.

“Even if your desperation is genuine, it means nothing if it ultimately causes me a loss.”

“There must be a reason you mentioned false pretenses.”

“Even an arranged marriage can end in disaster. I have no desire to take on that kind of risk.”

“That sounds as though there’s a way to eliminate that risk.”

She carefully studied Do-gyeom’s expression, watching his reaction. She needed to find even the smallest hint.

“Whether something is fake ultimately comes down to sincerity. Even if the marriage is established by contract, it means we must become a genuine married couple.”

“That’s an odd choice of words for a contract marriage.”

“A marriage meant to help you win the succession race must be flawless. In that sense, an arranged marriage involving two families and a contract marriage intended to serve an individual’s interests are bound to carry different weight.”

From Do-gyeom’s words, Ye-seo could tell that he viewed marriage as a strategy in the succession race. He seemed to believe that a marriage tied to the future of the company couldn’t be left to personal feelings or trust.

“Then let’s include that word in the contract, too. If it gives us a standard we can both trust.”

“You mean… the sincerity of a married couple?”

“If it can serve as a sign of trust.”

Hearing this, Do-gyeom raised one hand and began running his fingers over his lips. He made a thoughtful sound as he considered her proposal.

“I need a wife who can act naturally in any situation. Can you meet that requirement?”

“I told you how desperate I am. I’m prepared to accept anything.”

“An arranged marriage still requires us to act as though we have feelings for each other. So, rather than relying on a contract, I prefer to verify things for myself.”

“What exactly do you want to verify?”

“Let’s test whether you can act like a wife.”

Do-gyeom took a step closer.

As Ye-seo’s breathing grew shallow, his fingertips brushed against hers ever so slightly. Yet that brief contact spread up her arm like a spark. She flinched without realizing it, but there was no time to hesitate.

Instead, she took his hand.

Do-gyeom’s hand was warmer than she had expected.

“It seems you can hold hands.”

Do-gyeom slowly withdrew his hand, then pulled Ye-seo toward him.

Caught off guard by his strength, Ye-seo lost her balance and leaned forward. At that moment, a cold hand wrapped around her waist.

She instinctively drew in a breath, but Do-gyeom didn’t move at all.

Held securely in his strong arms, she quietly blinked.

“Is the next test about how close we can get?”

“That’s right. This seems to be within the acceptable range, too.”

As Do-gyeom’s body heat drew closer, Ye-seo worried that he might hear her heart pounding.

She had thought she was prepared, but he had come much closer than she had expected. Still, she couldn’t back away.

In her previous marriage, there had been no such intimate contact. She had been nothing more than a trophy wife meant to attract investment for the company.

This time, she was taking the initiative herself to bring about a different outcome, but she couldn’t help feeling awkward with something so unfamiliar.

“Then, shall we see if you can handle the next step, too?”

Do-gyeom lowered his gaze and slowly leaned toward her.

As their faces drew closer, the space between them gradually disappeared. They were so close that it felt difficult to breathe.

His sharp eyes became clear for a moment, then blurred, as warmth surged toward her like a fire burning through the air.

At that moment, Do-gyeom’s warmth drew even closer.