chapter 17

Jaewon scoffed, though his smirk was strained. He crossed his arms, trying to mask the discomfort Heeseung's presence brought him. "Your wife, huh?" He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as if the idea itself was ridiculous. "Get real, hyung. She only married you to get back at me."

Yuna's stomach twisted violently at his words.

How dare he? How dare he belittle my choices, my pain, my marriage—as if I'm nothing more than a woman scorned, incapable of moving on from him?

Her hands balled into fists, nails digging into her palms. The accusation burned her like acid, and the sheer arrogance in Jaewon's voice made her blood boil.

Heeseung let out a sharp exhale through his nose, as if trying to keep himself from doing something he might regret. His fists were already clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white. "You're pathetic," he finally said, his tone laced with disdain. "You think everything revolves around you, don't you? That Yuna's entire existence is still about you? You lost that right the moment you betrayed her."

Jaewon's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly masked it. "You really think she loves you?" He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. "You're just a rebound, hyung. She doesn't love you. She never will."

Yuna felt something snap inside her.

She stepped out from behind Heeseung, her eyes blazing with fury. "You don't get to decide what I feel," she said, her voice sharp and unwavering. "You don't get to stand there and act like you know me, Jaewon. Not anymore. That right was ripped away the moment you decided I wasn't enough for you."

Jaewon stared at her, momentarily at a loss for words.

Yuna took another step closer, her heart pounding against her ribs. "I didn't marry Heeseung to get back at you. You're not worth that kind of effort. I married him because I wanted to, because I was given a choice—a choice you never gave me when you decided to sleep with my best friend behind my back."

Jaewon's expression darkened, his lips parting as if he wanted to argue, but Yuna didn't give him the chance.

"You cheated on me," she continued, her voice strong despite the tremor in her hands. "You humiliated me. You shattered every ounce of trust I had in you. And now, you think you can just waltz back into my life and say you love me? That's not love, Jaewon. That's guilt. And I refuse to let you drag me back into your pathetic, selfish mess."

Silence filled the room.

Jaewon opened his mouth, then closed it again, as if finally realizing that he had no excuse, no defense.

Heeseung let out a small scoff, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "She couldn't have said it better," he said. Then, his smirk vanished, replaced by something colder, deadlier. "If you ever lay a hand on her again, Jaewon, I won't be so forgiving next time."

Jaewon swallowed hard. For the first time, he looked uncertain, as if he truly realized the weight of his actions. His eyes flickered between Yuna and Heeseung before he finally took a step back. "This isn't over," he muttered under his breath before turning and walking out of the kitchen.

Yuna let out a shaky breath the moment he was gone, her legs suddenly feeling weak.

Heeseung turned to her immediately, his sharp features softening. "Are you okay?" His voice was gentle, the fury from earlier gone in an instant.

Yuna hesitated for a moment before nodding. But the truth was, she wasn't sure. The encounter had left her rattled, emotions crashing over her in waves—anger, hurt, exhaustion.

Heeseung seemed to sense her internal turmoil because, without another word, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

The warmth of his embrace was unexpected, but it was exactly what she needed.

Yuna let herself sink into it, her face pressed against his chest as he held her close. Her heart was still racing, but for the first time in a long while, it wasn't out of fear. It was something else—something she couldn't quite name yet.

And for now, that was enough.

The morning air was crisp, but inside the grand dining hall of the mansion, the atmosphere was anything but refreshing. The clinking of silverware and the soft rustle of newspapers had filled the room—until Sohee shattered the fragile peace with her venomous words.

"You marriage breaker… what were you doing with my husband yesterday?"

The accusation came out sharp and cutting, like a blade slicing through the stillness of the room. It was so sudden, so abrupt, that even the maids standing by the walls exchanged nervous glances. Yuna, who had just gracefully pulled out a chair to sit beside Heeseung, froze mid-motion. The words slammed into her like a physical force, making her heart drop to the pit of her stomach.

For a split second, she didn't react. She merely blinked, her fingers still resting on the chair's carved wooden back, her mind racing to process what had just been hurled at her. The dining table, which had been buzzing with casual morning chatter, fell into a suffocating silence.

Heeseung, seated beside her, stiffened. His grip on his coffee mug tightened, and a flicker of irritation flashed across his sharp, sleep-heavy features. His jaw clenched ever so slightly, but he remained composed, watching the scene unfold with careful patience.

Yuna's eyes, wide but unreadable, slowly turned toward Sohee, who sat smugly at the other end of the table, arms folded across her chest, chin tilted high with an air of fake confidence.

"Who? Me?" Yuna finally asked, her voice calm, but there was an underlying sharpness to it.

Sohee scoffed, leaning back in her chair. She crossed one leg over the other, tapping her manicured nails against the rim of her coffee cup, the picture of false nonchalance. "Don't play dumb," she sneered. "I saw you last night in the kitchen with Jaewon. I saw everything."

At the mention of his name, Jaewon, who had been quietly stirring his tea, froze. His fingers tensed around the spoon, but he didn't lift his head. Instead, his jaw tightened, and his eyes remained trained on the steaming liquid in front of him, as if hoping that by not reacting, he could somehow disappear from the conversation.

Yuna inhaled slowly. Of course.

Of course, Sohee had seen them. And of course, she had conveniently twisted the situation into something far more scandalous than it really was.

How predictable.

Sohee wasn't done. "Why can't you just be happy that your ex has moved on?" she continued, voice laced with mock pity. "Jaewon and I are married now. We're going to have a family soon." She placed a possessive hand on her stomach, though there was no visible bump yet. Her lips curled into a satisfied smirk. "So do us all a favor and back off."

Yuna's breath caught for a fraction of a second.

A family?

She hadn't expected those words.

A dull ache pressed against her chest, an old wound threatening to reopen, but she swallowed it down before it could show on her face. It shouldn't have mattered anymore. It didn't. Not after everything that had happened.

And yet, something inside her twisted painfully.

She hadn't cried the day she found out about Jaewon and Sohee's betrayal. She hadn't even allowed herself to grieve properly, refusing to waste her tears on people who had never truly loved her. But now, sitting across from them, seeing Sohee look so victorious, so smug, something dark and bitter simmered beneath her calm exterior.

Wasn't it enough that they had broken her heart? That they had shattered the life she thought she was going to have?

Why was Sohee still trying to hurt her?

You won, didn't you, Sohee? You have him. You have everything. So why do you still feel the need to taunt me?

The silence stretched unbearably. Even Heeseung, who was normally indifferent to family drama, looked like he was barely holding himself back from saying something.

Yuna exhaled slowly, steadying herself. She would not let Sohee see her falter.

Finally, she met Sohee's piercing gaze and spoke with quiet but firm resolve.

"I don't know what you think you saw, Sohee," Yuna said, her voice unwavering, "but let me make something clear—I have no interest in your husband. I was in the kitchen to get a glass of water. That's all."

Sohee's eyes narrowed, her expression hardening with barely concealed rage. She wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Then why was he holding your hand?" she shot back.

Yuna clenched her fists under the table.

"He wasn't holding my hand," she corrected, her tone sharper now. "He grabbed me, and I pulled away. I told him to leave me alone. You'd know that if you had actually watched the whole thing instead of jumping to conclusions."

Sohee's nostrils flared. For the first time, her confidence wavered, flickering like a dying flame. She had expected Yuna to crumble, to look guilty, to stammer out an excuse. Instead, Yuna had met her head-on, unflinching, and thrown the truth right back in her face.

Jaewon finally spoke, his voice low but firm. "Sohee, drop it."

She whipped her head toward him, eyes widening in disbelief. "Drop it?" she echoed, her voice shrill. "You're seriously defending her?"

Jaewon let out a slow exhale, rubbing his temples. "I'm not defending anyone," he muttered. "I just don't want to deal with this right now."

Yuna almost laughed. Typical Jaewon. Always taking the easy way out.

Sohee, however, looked livid. "Unbelievable," she hissed.

Turning back to Yuna, she gave her a long, seething glare. "Just stay away from Jaewon," she snapped. "Unlike you, I actually have a man who loves me."

Yuna finally let out a dry, humorless chuckle.

"You sure about that?" she murmured, just loud enough for Sohee to hear.

Sohee stiffened.

Her lips parted as if she wanted to retaliate, but before she could, Heeseung, who had remained quiet until now, finally spoke.

"Enough."

His voice wasn't loud, but the weight of authority in it was undeniable. His gaze, cold and sharp as a blade, flickered between Sohee and Jaewon before settling on Yuna. He placed his coffee cup down on the table with a quiet but firm clink.

"If you're done with this childish argument," he said coolly, "we have work to get to."

It wasn't a suggestion. It was an order.

Yuna stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress as she reached for her handbag. She turned to Sohee one last time, offering her a small, almost pitying smile.

"You already won, Sohee," she said softly. "Maybe you should focus on being happy instead of obsessing over me."

With that, she turned and walked toward the door, Heeseung following beside her without another word.

And as they left, Yuna could feel Sohee's burning glare drilling into her back.

But Yuna didn't care anymore.

Because deep down, she knew one thing for sure—if Sohee were truly secure in her marriage, she wouldn't be acting like this.

And that thought?

That thought was more satisfying than any argument she could have won.

The bodyguard swiftly stepped forward, pulling the sleek black car door open. Yuna slid inside first, followed by Heeseung, who settled into his seat beside her with a composed expression. As the door shut behind them, sealing them in the quiet interior, the engine hummed to life, and the car smoothly pulled away from the grand estate.

Yuna leaned back, exhaling slowly. The morning had been exhausting. The weight of Sohee's words still lingered in her mind, like a bitter aftertaste she couldn't quite wash away. She wasn't one to let petty accusations get under her skin, but something about this entire situation left an unsettled feeling in her chest.

"You barely ate anything back there, Yuna," Heeseung remarked, his deep voice breaking the silence.

She turned to him, surprised at his observation. He was looking straight ahead, his fingers lightly drumming against the leather seat, but there was a hint of concern in his tone.

Yuna forced a small smile. "Thanks for your concern, sir, but I wasn't even hungry."

Not after Sohee's public spectacle. Not after Jaewon sat there silently while his wife hurled baseless accusations at her.

The car continued smoothly down the road, the cityscape coming into view in the distance.

Heeseung glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Would you like me to order breakfast for you?"