chapter 18

The offer caught her off guard. It was unexpected—gentle, even.

Her lips parted slightly, but she quickly shook her head. "Oh no, no, I'm good. Thank you." She tried to sound lighthearted, even flashing a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Heeseung studied her for a moment, then simply hummed in acknowledgment. "Hmm. Okay."

Without another word, he reached for his phone, answering an incoming call. His expression turned businesslike, his posture straightening as he listened intently. It was about a meeting—one that seemed important enough to occupy his thoughts completely.

Yuna turned her gaze toward the window, watching the blur of cars and towering buildings pass by.

Her mind, however, wasn't on the scenery.

It was still stuck back at that dining table.

Why is it always the woman who gets blamed?

She wasn't the one who had reached for Jaewon. She wasn't the one who had spoken to him first. And yet, in everyone's eyes, she was the villain. The one who couldn't move on. The one who was apparently desperate for a man who had betrayed her.

Ridiculous.

Did they think she had no self-respect? That she would still love a man who had so easily replaced her?

Yuna scoffed internally.

But what truly burned inside her wasn't just Sohee's words—it was Jaewon's.

"Yuna is still in love with me, but because she's married to Hyung, she's trying ways and means to come closer."

The audacity. The sheer arrogance.

Yuna clenched her hands into fists on her lap.

Jaewon had always been selfish, but this? This was low, even for him. He was spinning a completely false narrative to save face, painting her as some desperate woman who couldn't let go.

And Jisoo—his mother—had been all too eager to believe it.

"I'm sure Yuna threw herself at Jaewon. Besides, some part of her still loves him."

If she had any lingering feelings for Jaewon, they weren't love. They were regret—regret that she had wasted years of her life on a man so spineless that he couldn't even admit his own wrongdoing.

And now, as the car continued toward her workplace, she could only wonder—

How much further were they willing to go to tear her down?

Sohee stood just outside the study, her hand frozen on the doorknob. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop—at least, that's what she told herself—but the loud, angry voices spilling from inside had caught her attention immediately.

Inside, Min-jae's voice thundered through the room.

"You still go around harassing your brother's wife?" he barked, the sheer authority in his tone sending a shiver down Sohee's spine.

She could already picture Jaewon standing there, arms crossed, a sulking expression on his face, trying to weasel his way out of yet another mess.

"Stop shouting at my son!" Jisoo snapped back defensively. "You don't even know what happened! I'm sure Yuna threw herself at Jaewon!"

Sohee's breath hitched.

Jisoo's words were music to her ears.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Jisoo was already twisting the narrative, and Jaewon—her foolish, weak-willed husband—was about to back her up.

"Yes, Father," Jaewon chimed in, his voice carrying that usual smugness. "Heeseung is just trying to cover it up. Yuna is still in love with me, but because she's married to Hyung, she's finding ways to come closer."

Sohee's lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile.

That was exactly what she needed.

The more Jaewon pushed this idea, the more blame fell on Yuna.

And if Yuna was the villain in this story, that made Sohee the poor, innocent wife—the one who had been wronged.

Straightening her shoulders, she finally pushed the door open and stepped inside, her expression carefully crafted into one of hesitant concern.

"Is something wrong?" she asked softly, tilting her head just slightly, as if she had no idea what was going on.

All three of them turned to look at her.

Min-jae, still scowling.

Jisoo, looking furious but determined.

And Jaewon, his lips pressed together in that all-too-familiar guilty smirk.

"I just overheard raised voices," she continued, taking small steps toward Jaewon. "I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Jaewon immediately softened, his defenses lowering in her presence.

"It's nothing, sweetheart," he assured her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Just my father misunderstanding things again."

Min-jae scoffed. "Misunderstanding?" His sharp gaze flickered toward Sohee before returning to Jaewon. "You were caught harassing Yuna. How exactly am I misunderstanding?"

Sohee's grip on Jaewon's hand tightened.

"Father-in-law," she interjected sweetly, her voice laced with just the right amount of sadness, "I think you're being too harsh on Jaewon. I trust my husband." She turned to Jaewon with soft, devoted eyes. "I know he would never do anything to hurt me."

Min-jae looked unimpressed. "And yet, you didn't deny that he was with Yuna last night."

Sohee's smile faltered, but only for a fraction of a second.

She needed to play this right.

Letting out a small, fake sigh, she lowered her gaze, as if she were holding back tears. "I know Yuna and Jaewon have history," she said quietly. "And I know it must be difficult for her to move on. But I don't blame her. I just… I just hope she doesn't let old feelings cloud her judgment."

Min-jae's eyes narrowed.

Jisoo, on the other hand, looked positively delighted.

Jaewon pulled Sohee closer, as if she were some fragile, heartbroken woman who needed protection.

And just like that, the room shifted.

The seed had been planted.

Yuna was the problem.

And Sohee?

Sohee was the poor, loving wife who had done nothing wrong.

The sleek black car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the towering glass building, its polished surface reflecting the morning sunlight. The company's emblem gleamed proudly above the entrance, a symbol of power, prestige, and wealth.

Before the vehicle had even fully stopped, employees passing by had already turned their heads, their eyes fixating on the two figures inside. Anticipation buzzed in the air like electricity.

The driver stepped out swiftly, making his way to the back door, and with a respectful nod, he pulled it open.

First, Heeseung emerged, tall and poised, his presence commanding as always. He adjusted the cuffs of his crisp suit, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings as if he were completely indifferent to the stares directed at him.

Then, Yuna stepped out after him.

And that was when the whispers began.

The moment her heels touched the pavement, she felt it—dozens of eyes locking onto her, watching, assessing, judging. It wasn't just curiosity; it was something more invasive, something suffocating.

Her fingers instinctively curled around the strap of her handbag, her posture stiffening as she followed closely behind Heeseung.

God, this is awkward.

She could feel their gazes crawling all over her, whispering voices swirling around like a storm she couldn't escape.

"That's her…"

"The woman who changed grooms at the last minute."

"She was supposed to marry Jaewon, right?"

"And now she's the CEO's wife? Talk about a scandal."

"She must be lucky… Heeseung is way more powerful than Jaewon."

"Or maybe she planned this all along…"

The words weren't loud, but they didn't need to be. Yuna didn't have to hear every syllable to know exactly what they were saying. The weight of their judgment pressed heavily against her chest, making every step feel heavier than the last.

She wasn't used to this.

She wasn't used to being the center of attention, to having people analyze her every move like she was some sort of rare specimen on display.

I just want to disappear right now…

As they stepped through the grand glass doors, the atmosphere inside the company wasn't much different. The moment they entered, the open lobby, filled with employees heading to their departments, went almost unnaturally quiet. Conversations died mid-sentence, and people subtly turned their heads to steal glances at the pair.

Some were bold enough to outright stare.

Others leaned toward their colleagues, whispering behind carefully placed hands.

Yuna swallowed, resisting the urge to tug at the hem of her dress, resisting the urge to shrink under their scrutiny.

"Good morning, sir," the employees greeted Heeseung, their tones formal, respectful—almost rehearsed.

"Good morning, ma'am," a few others added hesitantly, their voices carrying a mix of curiosity and uncertainty as they directed their greetings toward Yuna.

She barely managed a polite nod in return, her lips curving into a forced, tight-lipped smile.

This is so awkward… she muttered under her breath as she kept her gaze down, her steps quickening to keep up with Heeseung.

Her husband, on the other hand, seemed completely unbothered by the attention. He walked with his usual air of authority, his long strides confident, his expression unreadable.

If the whispers annoyed him, he didn't show it.

If he noticed the way the employees' gazes lingered on Yuna, dissecting her every move, he didn't react.

And somehow, that only made her feel even more alone.

As they approached the elevator, a group of employees instinctively stepped forward, ready to enter—only to immediately freeze in place the moment they saw Heeseung heading in the same direction.

The doors slid open with a soft chime.

Not a single soul dared to move.

It was an unspoken rule in the company: if the CEO was taking the elevator, you waited for the next one.

Yuna stepped inside after Heeseung, and as the doors began to close, she caught a glimpse of the expressions on some of the women outside.

Cold.

Judgmental.

Envious.

Some of them weren't even trying to hide it.

Because now, Yuna wasn't just anyone.

She wasn't just an employee.

She wasn't just Jaewon's ex-fiancée.

She was the wife of the most powerful man in the building.

And to them, that meant she was an enemy.

The moment the doors slid shut, sealing them in the quiet space, Yuna let out a slow breath, willing her racing heart to settle.

But no matter how hard she tried to push down the discomfort clawing at her chest, one thought remained persistent in her mind.

How long will it take before they stop looking at me like I don't belong?

As the elevator ascended, an uncomfortable silence settled between them. The soft hum of the machinery was the only sound filling the space, but Yuna's mind was far from quiet. Her thoughts raced, tangled in the web of whispers, glances, and judgments she had faced moments ago.

Her heart still pounded from the suffocating attention. Did I walk weird? She replayed every step she had taken through the lobby, the weight of a hundred eyes analyzing her every movement. Did I look too nervous? Too stiff?

The moment of self-conscious reflection was broken by Heeseung's voice.

"It looked like your walking patterns changed," he remarked with a slight chuckle, his deep voice carrying an amused lilt.

Yuna snapped her head toward him, eyes widening slightly. "What?"

A smirk tugged at the corner of Heeseung's lips as he glanced at her. "You weren't walking like that yesterday. It was... different. Stiffer."

A sigh escaped Yuna's lips as she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why wouldn't it be?" she muttered, shaking her head. "I'm now the wife of my boss. People are staring at me like I'm some kind of—" she paused, searching for the right words, "—like I dunno... a circus act or something."

She exhaled again, this time heavier. "Of course my walk patterns would change."

The moment the words left her mouth, Heeseung burst into a series of deep chuckles. It started as a quiet rumble but quickly grew into full-blown amusement, his shoulders subtly shaking with laughter.

Yuna turned to glare at him, her brows furrowing. Is he seriously laughing right now?

"Sir, this isn't funny!" she protested, her lower lip jutting out into an unintentional pout.

But Heeseung's laughter only deepened, his sharp eyes crinkling at the edges. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth, as if trying to suppress his amusement, but failed miserably.

Yuna huffed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her face heating up in embarrassment. "I mean it! It's not funny at all! You don't know how weird it feels to have everyone looking at me like I don't belong here. Like I'm some outsider who forced my way into your world."

Heeseung finally calmed his laughter, though his smirk remained. He tilted his head slightly, studying her. "And why do you care so much about what they think?"

Yuna parted her lips to answer but hesitated. Why do I care?

She wanted to say that it wasn't about caring—it was about being uncomfortable. About feeling like an intruder in a place she had once belonged to as an employee but now stood in as something entirely different.

She didn't say that, though. Instead, she lowered her gaze and mumbled, "It's just... difficult to ignore."

Heeseung hummed in response, his gaze still fixed on her. Then, with a casual ease, he slid his hands into his pockets and leaned slightly against the elevator wall. "You're overthinking it."

Yuna turned to him with an incredulous look. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one being stared at like you just stole the crown jewels."

Heeseung's smirk widened. "No, but I am the one they fear."

She blinked. "Huh?"

The elevator chimed, signaling their arrival, but before stepping out, Heeseung leaned in slightly, just enough for his next words to be spoken directly in her ear.

"If anyone dares look down on you... remind them exactly who you're married to."

With that, he stepped out of the elevator, leaving Yuna standing there, speechless. Her heartbeat picked up for an entirely different reason now.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?