When Seo-young looked at the cake, it seemed like the happiest moment in the world, but it was merely an illusion. She tidied up the scattered tables and placed the leftover cake back in the refrigerator. Prior to hearing Seo-young’s words, she had never once considered it, but the empty fridge seemed to reflect the desolate atmosphere of the house. She let out a sigh of resignation and was about to close the door when the sound of the front door opening and a loud shout struck her ears.

“Seo-young!”

It was Sunwoo. In the face of his menacing voice, which she had never heard before, Hae-gang froze in place, unable to move a muscle. Why would someone who should be at work come at this hour? The sound of footsteps, perhaps due to not taking off his shoes, resonated with a hard thud against the floor. For some reason, that sound brought about an indescribable tension, causing Hae-gang to silently close the refrigerator door she had been holding.

“Where are you hiding, Seo-young? Come out right now!”

The Sun-woo she had seen at her family’s home was always gentle and considerate, an ideal husband who took care of Seo-young first. But now he seemed like an entirely different person, to the point where it would be appropriate to say that. Hae-gang secretly hoped that Seo-young would continue to pretend not to hear. However, it was impossible for Seo-young not to hear the terrifying shout calling her. And as expected, Seyoung’s bewildered voice reached her ears.

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

“Do you know what I received today? If not for your madness—”

“Just a moment, Mr. Sun-woo. Right now—”

“Do you think this alimony makes any sense?”

Whether Seo-young was conscious of it or not, her attempt to dissuade Sun-woo abruptly came to a halt. Hae-gang couldn’t grasp how to intervene in this blatant marital dispute. Going outside was not appealing, as the atmosphere out there was too harsh, and staying put made her feel like she was eavesdropping on a private conversation. Following her hesitant thoughts, she repeatedly moved her feet towards the door and then returned to her original position.

“It doesn’t make sense. I understand that too. But even if I say I won’t get a divorce, he doesn’t listen, not even a word,” Seo-young replied.

“Hmm, Seo-young, I’m not the type to back down here. I’ll put that arrogant Yoon Geon-hoo in his place! I have to stand my ground!” Sun-woo’s voice grew more heated, and Hae-gang had a strong intuition that this situation wouldn’t end quickly.

Standing there awkwardly, Hae-gang finally made up her mind to go outside when Se-young’s voice, filled with a scream-like outcry, reached her ears this time.

“Lower your greed! That place is not yours!”

“What do you know?

The desire to leave abruptly stopped as the terrifying voice, as if Seo-young could devour her right away, made Hae-gang freeze in fear without even considering fleeing.

“Do you know how Yoon Geon-ho sees me? He looks at me with eyes that seem to see the dirtiest thing in the world. Do you know how I feel every time I face the intense disgust reflected in that bastard’s eyes? I feel like I’ve become a filthy worm.”

Sun-woo seemed to have regained his composure as he no longer shouted, but each word he uttered, like chewing on them, was undeniably frightening.

“Mr. Sun-woo, that’s—”

“I will never let Yoon Geon-ho have the upper hand. Even if I have to kill that bastard.”

The words coming from outside were all incomprehensible. The Geon-ho she knows may have rough edges, but he is a wonderful man with kindness in his heart. The person Sun-woo was accusing of being Yoon Geon-ho seemed unfamiliar to Hae-gang.

Hae-gang pressed her chest tightly due to the tension. She couldn’t even breathe properly amidst this harsh atmosphere, yet Seo-young, who was facing Sun-woo, responded calmly, as if she weren’t afraid.

“No matter how much I say, it seems you won’t listen. I have nothing more to say. If you’re not going to give me the money, don’t bring up the topic of divorce either.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Why are you like this, really?

Seo-young’s voice and the sound of something tumbling and breaking followed one after another. Hae-gang thought it might be better to go out and witness everything with her own eyes. The endless stretch of imagination only added to her fear, as if she would go insane. Feeling that this couldn’t go on, Hae-gang tried to call out to Seo-young, but before she could finish calling her name, a low and hoarse voice reached her ears.

“Well, then you should die first. Can you handle that?”

“Sun-woo,”

Before Seo-young’s call could even finish, what on earth was that sound that reached her ears? It seemed like something was cracking, but it also sounded like the scraping of something soft. At the same time, she could hear the sound of liquid being poured. In an instant, a chilling sensation ran through her body, and she felt goosebumps all over. After those sounds were heard, the outside became quiet, as if the previous chaos had been a lie, as if time had stopped. Haekang felt like the temperature in the house had dropped by about 2 degrees.

“Ah, I’ve killed her.”

Sunwoo’s voice, sounding somewhat empty yet indifferent, made Hae-gang’s eyes widen. Her body trembled uncontrollably, beyond her own will, as she realized the situation. Hae-gang quickly covered her mouth, afraid that even a scream might escape her lips. Taking a step back, she bumped her back against the sink. There wasn’t a loud noise, but she couldn’t be sure if it didn’t reach outside. Her face turned pale, and she slumped against the wall. 

After Hae-gang collided with Seo-young’s body, she couldn’t hear any sound from outside, which made it even scarier. But that didn’t last long. 

The floorboards made a steady sound. Startled, she squeezed herself between the sink and the kitchen island with clumsy steps. Hae-gang covered her nose and mouth with both hands and tried to suppress her breathing as much as possible. 

She hid her face between her folded knees and prayed desperately for this dreadful time to pass quickly. However, Sun-woo’s footsteps not only didn’t head towards the entrance but grew closer and closer. As a result, the sound of her heart pounding also grew louder. Hae-gang’s heightened sense of hearing didn’t miss the footsteps approaching this way, and a moment later, when she heard a voice right above her head, Hae-gang thought her breath would stop right then and there.

“Someone has been here all along,” Sunwoo said. 

To her, the person who just killed his wife with her own hands seemed too calm. Hae-gang lifted her heavy head and saw a pair of polished shoes step in between her disheveled hair. The shoes themselves looked black, just like usual, but the footprints behind them were red. Only then did she notice the dark bloodstains beneath the shoes, which she had seen many times before. 

As Sun-woo came closer with another step, there was a hallucination that the blood was spreading viscously. 

“So you’ve seen it since it happened? he said, bending his body to meet her gaze. 

Sun-woo’s face, met with trembling eyes, was unbelievably clean. The splattered blood on his gray jacket was the only evidence of what had happened outside. 

“Yo-you killed her?” Hae-gang stammered. 

“I did,” he replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

 A face without any hint of remorse. It looked as if it had resolved a long-standing problem and even seemed refreshing. Straightening his previously bent waist, Sun-woo looked around and picked something up. It was a very small object. 

“Seo-young could kill with just a fragment of a porcelain jar, and this should be enough for a sister-in-law like you.” 

Hae-gang wished she could faint right then and there. If she did, Hae-gang wouldn’t have to witness this situation anymore, whether she regained consciousness or not. This time, Sun-woo properly knelt down and intertwined his gaze with mine. 

“Sister-in-law,” he said, and even though she tried to respond, her voice barely came out. 

Sun-woo pushed aside the strands of hair that covered her face. “Don’t be too frightened. I’m not going to pity you anymore.” 

With her head-turning deathly pale, Sun-woo’s words didn’t register in her ears at all. Recognizing Hae-gang’s state, he put down the knife and held her face up. The face she had forcibly met was now chillingly cold.

“I have no intention of killing you, sister-in-law. I can’t handle it if Yun Geon-ho goes wild,” Sun-woo said, thinking that her own relief at the words was selfish. 

The person who had just been laughing and chatting with her had turned cold outside, and here she was, relieved to be the only one left alive, still sucking her fingers. This was truly something she couldn’t do to Seo-young. 

If she went outside, she promised herself that she would report everything and expose his atrocities. However, Sun-woo didn’t allow even that. 

“If you expose this, sister-in-law, I will kill Yun Geon-ho.” 

At that moment, Hae-gang couldn’t immediately comprehend the words she had heard. She looked at Sun-woo with a naive expression, forgetting the situation I was in right now. What could be wrong with that person? Sun-woo lifted the corners of his mouth as if he could see through her thoughts. 

“The first time is always difficult, but it gets easier from the second time on.” 

As Hae-gang imagined the horrifying scenario of Sun-woo laughing while taking Seo-young’s life, a shiver ran down her spine. Despite Yun Geon-ho’s unquestionable power and influence both within and outside the company, she couldn’t ignore the fact that Sun-woo was a cold-blooded murderer.

Logic and reason seemed to hold no sway over him. With these thoughts weighing heavily on her mind, Hae-gang nodded without a moment’s hesitation. She couldn’t even contemplate what the right course of action should be. 

All her fears and the presence of the lifeless body outside faded from her consciousness as she clung to Sunwoo, desperately pleading her case. 

“I won’t say anything. I promise not to utter a word to anyone, not even Geon-ho.” 

Sunwoo, with an air of satisfaction, straightened his knees and rose to his feet. The partially coagulated blood on the floor stuck and made a squeaking sound as it peeled away with each movement.

If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

Browse our table of contents or Become a patron now!