Chapter 45
by GideonMin-suk’s gaze turned to Yundo. Her son-in-law seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown. Though she was furious at Chairwoman Kang’s slip of the tongue, she couldn’t bring herself to direct her anger at Yundo.
Yundo was a husband who had lost his child and was waiting for his wife to wake up. Perhaps he was in even more pain than Min-suk. After all, Min-suk’s own child was still alive.
“Son-in-law Cha, are you alright?” Min-suk asked softly, gently taking his arm. “The chairwoman is right. At least you’re safe.”
Hearing her sincere, warm words of comfort, Yundo felt a crushing desire to die.
“…I’m sorry.”
Min-suk’s lips trembled as she saw the blood splattered across his shirt. Her hand, cold with fear and dread, touched him.
“It’s okay. Everything will be okay.”
“Mother…”
Min-suk’s warm words caused his frozen body to tremble slightly.
“My daughter and son-in-law are more precious to me than a grandchild I’ve never even seen. I know this sounds cruel, but there’s nothing I can do. So you need to steel yourself too.”
“I’m so sorry. I should have been more careful. Because of me… I should have been the one hurt…”
Yundo’s voice choked up, and he couldn’t finish his sentence. He clenched his teeth, swallowing back his tears. But Chairwoman Kang showed no consideration for anyone.
“Yundo, what are you talking about? Do you really think your body belongs only to you? Why aren’t you thinking about the company’s stock price?”
Madam Park grabbed Chairwoman Kang’s shoulder as she pointed a finger at Yundo. She had to end this commotion somehow.
“Mother, come with me.”
Chairwoman Kang shook off Madam Park’s hand.
“Let go of me!” Madam Park shrieked.
“Please, let’s just go!”
Yun-woo, who had been watching the situation warily, suddenly grabbed Chairwoman Kang’s arm. No matter how frail he was, he was still a nineteen-year-old boy. Chairwoman Kang couldn’t shake him off.
“Grandmother, let’s go. Driver Kim, please help.”
Driver Kim quickly grabbed Chairwoman Kang’s other arm.
“How dare you touch me? Let go of me this instant!”
“I’m sorry, Chairwoman,” Driver Kim apologized repeatedly as he dragged her away.
Once Chairwoman Kang was gone, Madam Park bowed deeply to Min-suk and Gyeong-ae.
“I am truly sorry. I have no excuse.”
Gyeong-ae started to say something, but Min-suk stopped her.
“Please don’t worry about us.”
Min-suk gently stroked Yundo’s back.
“You don’t need to feel guilty, either,” Min-suk said. “None of this is your fault. So don’t apologize. Everything will be okay.”
But Yundo couldn’t find the words to speak.
Dong-yeong arrived shortly after. An hour later, Bora appeared, her face ashen.
“Mom!”
“Bora!”
Min-suk, who had been holding back her tears for Yundo’s sake, collapsed into Bora’s arms and sobbed. “What are we going to do…?”
Bora had called Hyewan to discuss the gender reveal party, only to be stunned when Dong-yeong answered. The moment she heard that Hyewan was seriously injured and Haetsal was gone, she sank to the floor. She knew better than anyone how much Haetsal meant to Hyewan and Yundo, and the shock hit her all the harder.
Bora patted Min-suk’s back with a trembling hand. “Mom, Hyewan will be okay.”
Yundo looked completely shell-shocked.
“Yundo, are you okay?”
His white shirt was stained with blood in several places. But that wasn’t all. Every time the light hit his dark jacket, a large, dark stain became visible.
That’s all Haetsal’s blood. The blood shed when Haetsal died.
Bora felt a chill seep into her bones.
The blood was already dry.
Bora, still waiting for Hyewan to come out of surgery, looked at Yundo, who remained as motionless as a statue. After a moment’s hesitation, she approached him. She knew Hyewan would have to tell him eventually. She just wanted to ease her friend’s burden, even if only a little.
“Haetsal… was a boy.”
Bora resented herself for speaking in the past tense.
Yundo flinched, his hand instinctively clenching into a fist.
“She found out during the prenatal screening a few days ago. She saw it on the ultrasound. But Yundo didn’t notice… Hyewan was so excited to throw him a surprise party tomorrow…”
Bora’s voice finally choked. For the first time, she understood what it truly meant for your heart to break.
The surgery didn’t end until dawn. When Hyewan was wheeled out on a gurney, she remained unconscious. Yundo was the first to check on her.
“Hyewan.”
Though he knew she couldn’t hear him, Yundo kept calling her name.
“Guardian of patient Ko Hyewan?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
Yundo looked up.
“The surgery to set the fractures went well, but there were complications with the OBGYN procedure. We were delayed due to uterine bleeding during the operation. We’ll be monitoring her in the ICU until she regains consciousness.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thank you.”
Yundo and Min-suk bowed repeatedly.
Meanwhile, Chairwoman Kang was dragged into the mansion by force, and only then were her arms finally freed.
“Chairwoman!”
Chief Ma, who had been waiting in the living room, rushed over to support the staggering Chairwoman Kang.
“Those ungrateful brats!”
Still seething with rage, Chairwoman Kang slapped Yun-woo and Driver Kim across their faces.
“Mother, what are you doing!”
Madam Park, startled, stepped in to stop Chairwoman Kang. Though she had always been a cruel woman, she had never resorted to physical violence before. Chairwoman Kang glared at Madam Park, her eyes gleaming with a strange intensity.
“You’re no different!”
Just as Madam Park was about to be struck, Yun-woo stepped in front of her.
“Don’t you dare touch my mother!”
Yun-woo had never dared to defy Chairwoman Kang, nor even his own mother. Now, the young man who had always found it difficult to even look the Chairwoman in the eye shouted at her, his eyes wide with defiance.
“Grandmother, you’re the one who did wrong! Why are you taking it out on us?”
“Y-You little—!”
Stunned by the unexpected attack, Chairwoman Kang recovered for a fleeting moment before she began striking Yun-woo with whatever was within reach.
“How dare you stand in my way? Have you lost your mind?”
“Mother, stop it! Don’t touch Yun-woo!”
“Chairwoman, please calm down.”
Madam Park and Driver Kim threw their bodies in front of Yun-woo to protect him. Jinju-daek dragged Chief Ma away, who had been trying to side with Chairwoman Kang.
Realizing she was powerless against them, Chairwoman Kang roared.
“Everyone, get out of my house!”
With strength unbelievable for a woman over eighty, she shook off the arms holding her.
“Chief Ma, throw them all out! Right now!”
After glaring at each person in turn, Chairwoman Kang spun around and stormed into her room.
“As the Chairwoman ordered…”
“Chief Ma, that’s enough. Go to the Chairwoman,” Madam Park interrupted, her voice laced with an unusual authority.
Chief Ma couldn’t ignore her. He cleared his throat a few times in annoyance before turning to head toward Chairwoman Kang’s room.
Madam Park sank onto the sofa.
“Mom, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Driver Kim, is your face alright?”
“Yes, ma’am. Please don’t worry.”
But despite his words, Driver Kim’s cheek was swollen.
“Jinju-daek, please get Driver Kim an ice pack.”
“Yes, ma’am. Come with me.”
Jinju-daek led Driver Kim away to the kitchen, leaving only Madam Park and Yun-woo in the living room.
“Are you alright?”
Yun-woo nodded. “Will my sister-in-law be okay?”
“Yes, she’ll be fine. She will definitely be fine.”
Madam Park patted Yun-woo’s shoulder, trying to soothe her own anxious heart in the process.
Inside the room, Chairwoman Kang was far from calm.
“How dare they? The nerve! They’ve all gone mad! They’re out of their minds!”
“The people outside have always been on the same side. What power do they really have? Tsk. So, Chairwoman, please calm down. Your blood pressure will only cause you trouble.”
Chief Ma poured chrysanthemum tea, catering to Chairwoman Kang’s every whim like a tongue in her mouth. After gulping down the tea she handed him so casually, Chairwoman Kang fumed over another realization.
“What kind of birthday disaster is this?”
Setting down the teacup, Chairwoman Kang called Kang Deok-ho.
-Yes, Auntie. Happy birthday.
Hearing his voice, so calm and unbothered as if nothing had happened, Chairwoman Kang’s face twisted in a scowl.
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