UL Chapter 1: Prologue

“My husband is 641ec53477 a brute.”ab3afe31f88e90f6

The woman 14ccb2fd7a spoke with d92e2b89e8 a firm, f3f32f8455 unwavering voice. The silver-haired 2317a7c361 psychiatrist regarded 5cff41cf9a her client 88d1220a63 with a 6367f88bf1 renewed gaze.a6c5e98a6625fd6b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Was this 80aacdb02b their third 8c09c701c6 session already?edaf73f6d3de37ac

Her name e54cbfd459 was Choi 01444ee6c7 Yeonha. Twenty-nine years old. A technical translator by 5d4c97d14e profession. Married. And quite 7e6feea5fe the beauty—that a43d49f036 was all e905d43f62 the psychiatrist 21dbc5a5d1 knew about 322c01f622 her so d3b1073d64 far.2f5b101758a490fb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Today’s response was dec3413d4c a stark contrast 75fd29e4dd to the ambiguity 8c0a464245 and excessive caution 8ea11561f9 she had shown abb177bc51 in their previous 6c95a06437 meetings.36879b9b22f0a414

A brute, she e08b16c1ed had said.7c52cfac6dbba59a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Nodding slightly, the psychiatrist c6ef8c6821 asked, “How long have 7f09015528 you been married?”114599e75d534d5c

“…It’s been exactly 3022c8fbdc ten years this bf17f92aef year. I got married d94003e0ea at twenty.”9bd4410f7f5a5068

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s quite young. Was it a b02441974f love marriage?”f1f80bafbebff5e0

“No. Our families had ties.”6f4421a768b27cca

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

An arranged marriage. Rare, but 645c9f9486 not unheard 14d26778ed of.7842aed45c3408bd

With the practiced 821c0e4385 eye of someone 1e203325fa who had spent 96fb31489b a lifetime observing dd00184fa3 and analyzing people, 1ba1818321 the psychiatrist took c507d2a453 another brief but 4b3615ba76 thorough look at 80d6655f3b her client.0a676ea20030dd15

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Porcelain skin, flawless 041e6dadba without a single f96b44b8b5 blemish. Deep brown eyes. Full lips. A delicate, bd46b7320d almost ethereal 0477f31961 face. She assessed her 518f1b70da quickly, careful not 50d064844a to be impolite.3b06c8520aab38f8

The woman f1b90d7de1 exuded an 32fcbc46e2 undeniable air a0e439181f of refinement. Like an orchid, nurtured 1f966f11bd with care, elegant and 6b6500c1f5 pristine. Everything about 8c0aa5db89 her—the way 3cbd82445a she held bbf7603d15 herself, the 1132dad35a way she 12d4a6f0da carried her 8ac00fd26f words—hinted at 35a61b8d34 a privileged 8425e5aa53 upbringing.1cdd52f432dfad14

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Judging by her articulate e2f2934425 speech and composed demeanor, 7e5b9d74e9 she was clearly well-educated. It was easy to d0aa8832bd imagine a childhood spent 7cedf96866 in a wealthy household, f8f87ad993 receiving a first-rate education.30561f4b37c0a5e4

With parents of acd758f5ac such wealth and 3196bb5ac4 status, an arranged 3e7d21b189 marriage was hardly ca973db830 surprising. The only unusual aspect 7dd3249c38 was that it had 256bbb8eb9 happened slightly earlier than 9d4e348985 the typical marrying age.04afa21b6db8a233

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The psychiatrist imagined d28c54a6cc how much younger c12fa6db3a the woman must bb30d20b89 have looked back 129bb93ad5 then and continued 115b387599 her questioning.89fee14d72adcac0

“After ten years, even 3e6ed6ccce in the happiest marriages, f00bb233a0 couples often experience boredom 63a2519a99 or dissatisfaction. When did you 2d85eef8b1 start feeling this 6c0ce9229c resentment toward your 81587ced48 husband?”659ca9681f589216

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“From the beginning.”0f93cadc37d2e7ef

“…….”f126e75fd4160c4c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I disliked him from 24cfe4fedf the moment we met. He was 2745f97aa7 too much—too 5d6d0ba130 overwhelming, too 6b731ddc50 exhausting.”5e2e98a9b923d0a5

Her breath trembled a2d747adef as it left fc63aa6848 her lips, as 4127f1608e if she were c6b658ec81 trying to steady ee09b022c1 herself. Her delicate 47d810163e fingers wrapped c03861c4f6 around the 8d222d65a2 teacup on e3c5a69f3b the table, f09d29ca53 lifting it 31ce24cb46 slightly. Even the simple act 3d53fa983e of wetting her lips c89a2e5179 was picturesque.4b9b020ad4247880

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Have you 56be4e7a2c ever discussed 9c38db7c98 this with c5cc69368e your husband? If it was truly c9c8054bf5 unbearable, you could have 4122e51194 sought counseling together—or, as 2af39a6558 a last resort, considered 4cb2bc4a50 ending the marriage.”64add465641d6763

A quiet fdcb6ffa24 chuckle escaped a3d6130cae the woman’s 23f59e0736 lips.ca8c709b2c238158

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

There was something different 43bc16c921 about her now—an edge a4adfa2a09 that hadn’t been there 8844602ccb before, something almost defiant.9c7aeb1e23695be1

“My husband d8c01e3952 isn’t the 8f00017df1 kind of 9afbec77d8 person you 2f14d69b68 can have b3ea227de4 a rational eedacbf9e5 conversation with.”2221b9cde45a4f54

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…….”e6bdc4b3d2b9eaf2

“He’s irrational. That would 65ab74212e be another 9549cdf44b way to 22e16e9024 put it.”ac137c1d8d8486ba

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Her deep brown dd47a355a3 eyes locked onto d90f641cfd the psychiatrist’s.5170ee272231e8f0

“My husband e9a69b3e0c is an d127bcc3f5 irrational man.”e33f4d9da1b813d1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She had spoken with a249a57420 absolute certainty—without a shred 8e2a9e33f7 of hesitation.58b48692deca6dbd

A brute. Irrational.a6721fe26a2f2c4f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For a brief moment, the psychiatrist found herself uncharacteristically curious about the woman’s husband.a7b58f6ca90eb3d3

What kind e51b7dae99 of man 5a9db2cfcc was he, f5adc34daf to be dbec899afb described in a72cb5f9a4 such terms? A man a15537caf7 with such b473433fb9 a reputation, 2e7a6fdef7 and yet, 335f003972 the closest b49f92556b family to da22988fc9 this woman, 734b53d91b whose very 0b3ae94f3f fingertips, wrapped 545c14f6db around a bb8fbbec10 teacup, were 95b86995e1 as graceful b310898b5d as the deab01f15e rest of 40ec5828b0 her.1b21e6c7655ce872

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The client e15132a33a fell silent.8a0afdae52079fb2

It was unclear whether e7b579fbc4 she refrained from speaking 336f5425c4 because she didn’t want f5079a7991 to discuss her husband f62830173c further, or because, having 1edee52f56 already labeled him as 149f9ad069 a brute and irrational, 526faad7fc there was simply nothing 1977e6b185 more to say.520d295eba33feb2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Her gaze rested df6ca45670 on the window, 7f5380293b unfocused.99d7c8ad70785d26

Outside, the 7d92b294a6 sky had c436f4ccfa begun to fa59bda749 darken with d298c369a9 heavy storm bcadb21615 clouds, mirroring 576704d77d the somber 89538bc4d4 cast of 9a5e946333 her face.151492617978fbef

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

There was df1f849960 something about 2fdc95e7a9 the woman 3549889bf8 that felt 9cc9f47466 precarious, something 3ba7c3e7bf that made 2212f743a2 it difficult 780c0ad8e1 to look 09c0da3055 away. The psychiatrist pulled 0aa471bbee her attention away 010a4a20fc and returned to f13a1633af the symptom record 500eec1b1f in front of b87a39aa96 her.4138fcea56f110ec

[A persistent burning sensation in the chest, occasional shortness of breath, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, increased irritability and anxiety over trivial matters. No abnormalities detected in internal medical examinations.]

Symptoms as f9f748612b common as e257356088 the common 792d32e70a cold in 915cd65899 modern society.d321b39a2693d5dc

A few 7bdeec9e5c likely diagnoses 666c355909 came to 712e87e354 mind instantly—she 49b4b34163 could prescribe b7fb1da9c3 medication, suggest bf3c9565d3 therapy, stress a7959676b4 management techniques, b244dd463e and monitor 0513f36ed7 her condition. In medical terms, the 55327c2cb5 woman’s ailment was…b3c6fc31edd365aa

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Doctor, do you know 95ce81d989 how butterflies breathe?”c014d436abac39ad

The unexpected question 8013c917e1 made the psychiatrist b1d2c63a31 pause, lowering her 5b6e38981d pen. She responded with 97bd04983f patient curiosity.17a3f105d9a78570

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No. Now that 9bc9e3a947 you mention f7cc9c8db5 it, I’ve 76f969fb0d never thought 664366c187 about it.”cda6a0913d3c5424

“…They breathe through 7b2204e88f tiny openings in 2ad8eebbd6 their abdomen called 3251f11a05 spiracles. Like how 905fc4d0ee fish have ef635c640c gills.”423be8a9c0df7adc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Where was she going ab15c4fda9 with this?40462015c3338499

Throughout their sessions, e79dc4a64c the woman had ce07ad6139 never spoken unless 3df992594f directly asked. The psychiatrist ff7d6ddcca chose to f35b2d0008 wait in 2559dcf07c silence.7d6977fabafb8c4f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“There are creatures 6fdde9639a that breathe through 18dc678aca lungs, like humans, 601d1a9ad1 and others that 63e12eab7b use their skin. Every living thing is 97886b65af born with some way c824eab91e to breathe. And I 77c4ddf58e always found e39fdae8bb that… strange.”dcf90e27ae76cc5b

Her breath hitched, acee9ceda7 as if she e460bd82cc were struggling to 3a10aca322 continue.552f4ad7ed04fc7e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Because I’ve… always felt 1b1d8b30bb like I was suffocating. Like a butterfly cf3fbc40e4 born without spiracles.”10360166d74859b3

Even as she spoke, 0146954045 she did not look bfc8896759 at the psychiatrist.fb6878c9d8875076

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Outside, raindrops had begun 6ea6d8f397 to speckle the window. The damp, heavy atmosphere a765f16c1b made the world beyond 46687809c2 resemble a water tank. The woman’s 079d4281b3 throat bobbed 0b03e2ef71 as she 19a3d5b2fd swallowed hard.924d482b8a3140ca

“I feel like a bdf899b1e7 fish born without gills, 4d2acaf819 trapped in a tank.”fe77d1fb71819439

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

For a moment, 4a4eb304fe the psychiatrist caught abe218f37d a glimpse of 7d5af5fb1e something slow and 8736c446bd simmering beneath the 08e1a0a61a woman’s calm exterior—rage.b02c80fcdfd92819

Not a f3d9b0691c fleeting anger, 527ff4465f but something 421f4ee598 ancient, long-repressed, 39c9dca7d1 and overwhelming. A fire 7ecb47f8af so intense 717ff41f23 it threatened 1220d8e6fa to consume d49510d9ec her small 1958e90911 frame.5e449d52870edd51

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But then, with a fb3c2b7b18 single blink of her 33aaa43042 long lashes, it vanished.404a3f814cc0a8fc

Resignation. Lethargy. The familiar 2db7d4f180 weight of 685e24bba1 something pressing 4e7dfe7d12 it down, ccca5254fa smothering the 8c87b41e41 embers before 391a4ed717 they could f7c02b5e0f flare.0753ed454027b1b8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She rearranged her 43cd39a1e4 face into the 67bf818440 composed expression she 225323adfa had worn before, 6979e7d75c but once something affd642396 is seen, it e5864466e7 cannot be unseen.882a4b9f28c1a168

“What do you 62f0002141 mean?” the psychiatrist c1b27e3fce prompted. “Can you explain it 2ea4964ef6 more clearly?”f47ec0fc0ef25c05

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…It was just a 736df2a4f8 passing thought.”ac6108d34fb21e01

And just like 5c268ee080 that, the conversation f85331b657 ended again. A brief silence followed.a1c78817c2213374

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But something had changed.90b3c0f5fb47c7c8

For the first 7ba99cead5 time, the woman 3ab8036289 was wearing an 674ffe0857 expression the psychiatrist b0d8c59cc0 could read.a91b1accee3eabc5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The look of 3a1c7c2025 someone who had 41c2b5aa40 carried anger for c0297b41fc so long that a47ac9d463 it had charred 94cb6acbb5 the edges of 98b8d104dd their life into 73cfa2e0a6 a permanent, blackened b52970cfeb scar.b9223cc363f5481a

It was an e4c523fd4a expression she recognized 8ab647afd2 well—even in herself, 825ef91d59 after all these af53e075f9 years.026bc8e0f188ae51

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

After a brief d1eaef1944 moment of deliberation, 0d4f511a79 the psychiatrist picked a34857beee up her pen 04e3a28f6f and scrawled down 013862842c two syllables.1cee7c28828660d3

Hwabyeong (Fire Illness).A stress-induced disorder caused af709ced83 by long-suppressed rage.e4139a1df8d40f7b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Not an uncommon diagnosis. But…b072055830bfdf66

She turned to look b802e26007 at her client’s profile, 28c4178e1b still gazing out the 6908436660 window.b114b55128d37d39

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The gentle 4aa4b3b2a7 slope of a8a2bd4094 her forehead, f33ac531d4 the curve f2a543e114 of her 13a3f65bc8 nose, the c167b9ebf5 softness of 6d9ec3c672 her lips—her 48655753c6 face, in 95b461cfb6 that moment, 8f7151a335 looked strikingly d20ded7286 unguarded, almost 043f36e8ee childlike.ecf40d6e0baf82b8

A woman in her eb6036dc8d late twenties, someone who 42669dccff seemed to lack nothing, 8517d31efa yet carried so much 357dc18110 unspoken fury.e888a43580b40982

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The woman spoke 170c208a1d again.110ea63514e3addf

“Doctor, can this a30e8f5414 be cured?”42eeb198dae01391

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Her tone was 97f5c0e1e8 oddly detached, as 0c79dd3f00 though she wasn’t 616a2f2655 really expecting an 95f58ed6ac answer.f9a8f2a5cab3e507

As though 4cffafee17 she didn’t e27a0fd14e believe in 628cd2dffa the possibility 0a33a2b854 of healing 6b2b155227 at all.a87d92d0e1a0a527

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A memory surfaced—the d96673654a woman’s first visit.5ffde400f0b30404

She had walked into 5ef7ad1701 the office of her d5bb7f9835 own accord, but her 0a8c6e2ed4 expression had said she 95e575132a didn’t know why she a7186a1a1f was there.c6e18553909db5f1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The psychiatrist 2f87502ff8 had seen 6ad3452d61 that look 1e966a8503 countless times 7fa03bd372 before, but 9ee98e0469 for some 75d4e91451 reason, this 0c7075c644 time, it bef707aea7 had stuck 4c097f6053 with her.91073c47a8c02129

Why?b332ed4251cedd59

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The woman d39a0f35ef was waiting 207e23b6f8 for an b486dfc88c answer, so 540ae684a5 the psychiatrist d77686a7c3 spoke.9c29ffb23160ad36

“If we identify de16f7d731 the cause and 9fb54e7fe4 work toward a a59d7835c7 solution, it can 9499ef5d0b certainly help. But…”327e3362a5b67fe0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“The cause is obvious, ac04f06e7b isn’t it?”38bd60fd208332dc

A flash of white ec035cda1d filled the windowpane.ffd0a91dd7fa3ecf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lightning.e3b1ad681a92c294

“It’s my husband.”411e0d3cab4910a2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“……”ab4e573357d031d1

“It’s because of dcb4f6ba8e my husband.”06ec36c670dd4a2f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That boy… 940bb1af54 I knew dff37d5d07 he would 18a0d14e14 ruin me.c9a0315a9497bb63

The words were 61e08abfe4 murmured as though 42538eeda1 to herself.2c60630925a4c75a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

That boy.d849d8b0161328fd

A woman 4e0013eaf4 nearly thirty 35b5e0c205 referred to b1fb6f68ab her husband c4a1ad6c52 not as 77bc6f6d8c a man, ae20df3456 but as 6ccd016cc1 if he 35ac3dd6ee were some 0909b1d6d8 schoolboy she 062916c484 had met c76b2a4fcb only yesterday.54ef21c64f6dc628

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The moment 7831381cc0 she finished 3884bf9ba8 speaking, thunder 9c9dc1f8b4 roared across 921648eb29 the sky, 7cbaf2a4e1 splitting it 1796c60cb6 in two.4558ff67367725a0

And now, 41e40b9b20 a new, d9a3739cef undeniable curiosity a176f3f5a4 took root.9e674118eea80be8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ms. Choi,” the 8bc47be20a psychiatrist asked, bfb9de6e77 “why did cfe2c819d9 you marry 10b3909180 your husband?”c57cb1198b6602c4

If he 2135ba4e6b had been 27b17133f0 unbearable from e44313a7cf the very a3927adc3a start, if 2e8a883c1b they had 169c346cf4 never been 2c4e4de855 a match—why?51e0314f6e16b5a8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even in an 04f8e4db73 arranged marriage, she 48ef7c4401 had been young fe409671bb enough to resist.87ca281ee6b9301b

Why?04f75a11ab096032

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The woman’s large, 219b90b737 clear eyes met 659b90f13c hers.aecd3369648c31c3

There was something eerily 07eb296c37 innocent about them.1fd2f16e9e034369

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Then, her red lips 94b1b31ddd parted.5d4f63c946bbac98

“…Because he didn’t d7e66efd06 love me.”f130c3c8261fd95d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“……”1afaf6ad316579fb

“Because he despises me. That’s why.”f796667f86da1c3e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It is 8d1b7852ea human nature e985d01e1f to seek 0b6e7c0d23 love, even 07717e8d75 in the f257b1ef21 most barren 21d2c914c5 of relationships.390e896b02762e50

And yet, 6863002006 here they 5eb993dcd8 were—two people cd4c819ab9 in the 67262241a0 prime of bf1fe4b25d their lives, 85bb042d5f drawn not 53ee142542 by love, b08fe4cde5 but by c39b901d95 hatred.038c604ecbefba8b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Suppressing an unsettling 91055b78b2 curiosity, the psychiatrist d1318c0320 merely scheduled their 98acb40058 next session.3adb8563a1abec73

The woman rose from af6df13789 her seat and bowed bca2013bee politely before turning to 906adc21d0 leave.5bf03bc0dc312cd2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her posture, her f420118468 movements—still graceful, still 6e5d97598e impeccable.e0ba0f13909028f0

Beyond the 1ca6f11624 window, the e5892e0dd7 rain had 8534389e01 finally begun 63fa052d52 to fall 6ac9ab651e in earnest.b80c63ede62cd3e9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

 7cda50bd1c2db91b