Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I was amazed by how he effortlessly steered the conversation and had an excellent sense of humor.

“How do you speak so well?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“I wasn’t always talkative,” he replied.

“Really?”

“Yes. I was the only Asian and got bullied. Even if I wanted to talk, no one would talk to me.”

That was similar to me. I also needed someone to talk to, but no one was willing to. So, I naturally became less talkative.

“How did you become such a good speaker?” I inquired further.

“Thanks to Meat. To get investments, you need to be a good speaker to gain trust. I practiced with James every day.”

James, as I knew, was Meat’s co-founder.

“It’s hard to imagine you like that now, Mr. Jang.”

“There’s a first time for everything. Despite those firsts and failures, I didn’t give up, and here I am.”

I saw him in a new light. He seemed like an admirable person.

—

When we arrived home, it was dark. He got out of the car and opened the door for me.

“You must be tired today. Take a bath and get some rest,” he suggested kindly.

“Thank you. I had a great time,” I replied.

I felt incredibly light and grateful. He looked surprised and then smiled broadly. “I’m glad. Rest tomorrow, and I’ll see you at the office the day after.”

“Yes. Take care,” I said as his car drove away. I went inside, only to find my ex-husband standing at the top of the stairs, arms crossed and a cynical look on his face.

“Had a great time, huh? You look radiant,” he sneered.

I didn’t want to engage, so I walked straight to my room. I could hear him grumbling behind me.

“Oh, look at that. She’s not even worth a fistful.”

The comparison between him and Mr. Jang was stark. I wanted to shoot myself in the foot for even marrying such a man. From now on, I decided to ignore him completely. You converse with humans, not animals.

I entered my room, and Mr. Jang was right: I was beyond exhausted. My feet were aching. Looking down at my shoes, I smiled. I even forgot to change into my shoes. These sneakers were far more comfortable. Should I just wear them to work? Do I really need to wear heels? The idea tempted me.

I changed clothes and filled the bathtub with water. Sitting on the edge, watching the water ripple, I thought of Jang Doha. Today had been full of surprises. The most shocking was the discussion about donations.

My family donates, too, but it’s all for appearances. Unlike Jang Doha, it’s not from the heart. Could I live like him? It would be difficult. Even if I made Yena the head of the family, that wouldn’t change.

“The head…” I mused aloud.

To make Yena the head, I’d need Jang Doha’s help… Would he help? This isn’t about romance; it’s about interests. I got inside the tub while my thoughts were absorbed with the future. The warm water made me sigh with relief.

“I really need to exercise,” I admitted to myself.

My stamina was worse than his. I wasn’t in great shape, but Yena was in terrible condition. What exercise would be good?

‘I like basketball and jogging,’ I remembered him saying.

Maybe I should try jogging too. The property is big enough. Yes, I decided. I’d start tomorrow morning. As my body relaxed, I drifted off.

—

Thanks to a good night’s sleep, I woke up at 4 AM. As I got up, my legs felt heavy.

“This is killing me…”

Climbing Hwadam Forest had been a challenge, and the result was disastrous. I barely managed to get up, change into workout clothes, and put on the sneakers Mr. Jang gave me. I resolutely dragged my heavy body outside. Seeing the lit street, I started to move.

The early morning air was cold. I pulled my hood up and tried to jog but quickly gave up and walked slowly. Yena’s stamina was truly terrible. But if I kept at it, one day I’m sure I’d be able to run. As long as I didn’t give up.

“Despite those firsts and failures, I didn’t give up, and here I am.”

Mr. Jang’s words echoed in my mind. They were impactful. Never give up—the words gave me a refreshing jolt. I walked slowly, savoring the unique experience of wandering the deserted streets alone at dawn.

Sundays were usually quiet and uneventful. But that afternoon, an incident erupted. At Housekeeper Ahn’s urging, I rushed to the sitting room and was shocked.

There she was—Jung Jinyoung, my ex-husband’s mistress. I wanted to scream at her to get out of here, but I was in Yena’s body now.

“How can I help you?” I asked, keeping my composure.

“Oh my! You must be Miss Yena. You’re even more beautiful than I heard.”

She was a top actress in Korea, renowned for her acting skills and beauty. But to me, she was just the mistress of a married man who was currently pregnant with his child.

She smiled sweetly, but I found it nauseating, especially given her boldness. How could she dare to come here? I felt a surge of anger. Just then, my husband’s panicked voice came from behind.

“Hey, I told you not to come yet!”

I glared at him as he approached her.

“Why can’t I come? I need to greet Grandfather.”

“Are you crazy? I told you it’s not time yet.”

“Then what about my growing belly? I’m an actress. It’s only a matter of time before people find out.”

Their conversation was absurd.

“Did you come to greet Grandfather?” I asked her.

“Can you help me, Miss Yena? He keeps delaying things, so I decided to come myself.”

“He’s got a lot of nerve. How long has it been since my sister-in-law passed away?”

I tried to remain calm, but it was difficult. Their faces hardened, clearly not expecting such open contempt. My husband stepped in.

“Namgung Yena, don’t push it. I’ve been tolerant enough.”

Rage bubbled inside me.

“You’ve been tolerant? That’s news to me. If you have less shares than me, then just stay quiet.”

My husband’s face turned menacing as he approached. Fear gripped me—an ingrained response from years of abuse. But I clenched my teeth. He couldn’t intimidate me now. I glared at him.

“Are you going to hit me? Go ahead.”

I offered my cheek to his raised hand. It was a tactic I used with my mother-in-law, but he wasn’t her. With a loud smack, my face and body twisted, stars dancing before my eyes. Jung Jinyoung screamed in shock.

“Honey!”

My body trembled. Violence is a learned behavior. My body and mind were out of control, overwhelmed by fear. Just then, a thunderous voice boomed.

“What is going on here?!”

I turned to see Grandfather standing there, trembling with anger.

“Not only did you hit your wife, but now you strike your sister?”

His words brought tears to my eyes, but I held them back. I would never cry in front of this man. I glared at my husband with venom. Grandfather’s face was pale with fury.

“No, Grandfather. She started it,” my husband stammered.

I screamed in frustration.

“How could you bring a woman into the house so soon after my sister-in-law’s death?”

“Do you want to die?” he shouted, raising his hand again, but he glanced nervously at Grandfather.

“Grandfather, Jinyoung is pregnant. She needs to be taken in. If she has the baby outside, what will that do to our family’s reputation?”

The commotion drew my father-in-law and mother-in-law into the sitting room. My mother-in-law turned white at the sight of the mistress.

“Father…”

Grandfather’s rage was palpable as he looked at his son and daughter-in-law.

“How did you raise your child? Not only does he have an affair, but he also strikes his sister and wants to bring his pregnant mistress into the house so soon after his wife’s death?”

My father-in-law’s face hardened. No matter how much he loved his son, this scandal was too much. Grandfather’s voice was stern and authoritative.

“Namgung Muyeol, if you must live with that woman, leave this house. If you truly love her, I won’t stop you. But you’ll leave everything behind. You’re no longer welcome here.”

Grandfather gestured for me to follow him.

“Remember, if you lay a hand on Yena again, you’ll no longer be my grandson. Don’t take my words lightly.”

Strangely, Grandfather directed this warning to my father-in-law. As we left the sitting room, I struggled to contain my emotions. The fear from being struck lingered, making my body tremble. Grandfather put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t forget today. You were struck because you were underestimated. Gain strength. Never let anyone look down on you again.”

His voice was firm, but his eyes were kind. I bowed my head.

“I will remember.”

As Grandfather entered his room, I started toward my own, but curiosity led me back to the sitting room. I stood outside, listening.

“Why did you come and cause all this trouble?” my mother-in-law scolded.

“Mother, I had no choice. My belly will soon show. What am I supposed to do?”

“Is that child really Muyeol’s?”

“Mother!”

“You’ve upset Grandfather. You won’t be allowed in for now. Have the baby, and we’ll see about a test then.”

“Mother! You can’t do this! Should I hold a press conference?”

“What?”

As I listened from outside, it felt like I was hearing a scene from a soap opera.