Chapter Thirty-four: A Mother's Ultimatum.

The next morning, Kang Min Jun woke to a dull ache in his chest, the remnants of last night's turmoil still lingering. He hadn't slept much, his mind racing with thoughts of his parents and the decision he had made. He had hoped the new day would bring some clarity, but instead, it brought more uncertainty.

 As he prepared for work, the sound of his phone buzzing on the bedside table made him pause. He hesitated before picking it up, already dreading the conversation that might follow. When he saw his mother's name on the screen, his stomach twisted in knots.

 With a deep breath, he answered. "Hello, Mother."

 "Min Jun," her voice was cool, almost distant. "We need to talk."

 Min Jun's heart sank. He could tell from her tone that this wasn't going to be a simple conversation. "What is it, Mother?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

 There was a brief silence on the other end, and when his mother spoke again, her voice was laced with an edge that sent a shiver down his spine. "You need to understand that what you're doing—refusing to marry Ji-Eun—is not just a choice you can make without consequences."

 "Mother, I've already explained—"

 She cut him off sharply. "Enough, Min Jun! You've always been a good son, and I've always supported your decisions. But this... This is different. You're throwing away everything we've worked for, everything we've planned, for a woman who isn't right for you."

 Min Jun's jaw tightened, but he remained silent, letting her continue.

 "You're putting your own desires above the family's needs," she went on, her voice growing colder. "You're risking our reputation, our standing. And for what? A fleeting romance? A woman who doesn't even understand our way of life?"

 "Mother, that's not true," Min Jun interjected, his frustration rising. "Soo Jeon loves me for who I am. She— 

 "She is not Ji-Eun!" his mother snapped, her anger barely contained. "Ji-Eun is the one who can give you the life you deserve. She's the one who fits into our world, who understands our values. If you don't see that, then you're blind."

 Min Jun's grip tightened on the phone, his heart pounding in his chest. "I'm not going to marry someone I don't love, Mother. I've made my decision."

 There was a long, tense silence on the other end of the line, and Min Jun could almost feel the weight of his mother's anger through the phone. When she spoke again, her voice was eerily calm, but it carried a threat that sent a chill down his spine.

 "If you refuse to marry Ji-Eun, Min Jun," she said slowly, "I will do something drastic. I won't stand by and watch you throw your life away. I will make sure that Soo Jeon is out of your life, one way or another. I will use every resource, every connection I have, to make sure she's no longer a problem."

 Min Jun's breath caught in his throat, a cold wave of fear washing over him. "Mother, you can't be serious," he whispered, disbelief and dread filling his voice.

 "Oh, I'm very serious, Min Jun," she replied, her tone chillingly resolute. "You may think you're in control, but you're not. You will marry Ji-Eun, or you'll lose everything, including that woman."

 The call ended with a cold finality, leaving Min Jun standing there, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and anger. His mother's threat echoed in his mind, a cruel reminder of the power she held over his life. The walls of his apartment felt like they were closing in, the weight of the situation pressing down on him from all sides.

 He sank onto the edge of the bed, his mind racing. How could he protect Soo Jeon from his mother's wrath? How could he keep his love for her alive in the face of such overwhelming pressure? He knew he couldn't let his mother control his life, but the thought of what she might do terrified him.

 Min Jun clenched his fists, determination rising within him. He wouldn't let his mother's threat break him. He wouldn't let her destroy the one thing that truly mattered to him—his love for Soo Jeon. But he also knew that he couldn't fight this battle alone. He would have to find a way to protect Soo Jeon, to shield her from the storm that was coming.

 As he sat there, the weight of his decision pressing down on him, Min Jun realized that the fight for his happiness had only just begun.