EBT Prologue

You may think of me as a stranger, but I know everything about you.

Whether you like me a lot or hate me to death, what your name is and what your family relations are, whether you have a dog or are a cat person, your alma mater and major, what foods you’re allergic to, and even trivial information like your preferences for peanuts and sparkling water. There’s really nothing I don’t know. To exaggerate a bit, if I could just perform a jakdu¹, I might as well become a shaman.

I’ve memorized the information of you, you and you gathered at today’s garden party, so I’m the ultimate party planner. I’m bound to satisfy all of you, dear guests.

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Rather than spouting such nonsense as if I were crazy,

“Haha, you’re too kind. I’m glad you enjoyed the food.”

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It was better to act shy, pretending it was beginner’s luck. There was no need to worry about being criticized for being a man pretending to be a devoted wife. After all, there wouldn’t be any particular expectations for Kang Hae-ah who had become an Omega.

While having what my older sister described as a smile eerily identical to our late mother’s, I was surrounded by guests who adored me. Even though I felt like breaking out in hives from pretending to be innocent and bright, I had to endure it. In my mind, I was busy scanning everyone’s profiles as if wearing special glasses like spies in movies.

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Far away, I could see Chairman Kang Joon-il, whose broad shoulders seem even more pronounced today. The owner of the Hansung Group and the head of a chaebol family – my father. He seemed pleased with the compliments about his youngest son finally throwing a proper party, beaming with joy.

Next to him stands Kang Hae-in, my eldest sister, known as the second face of Hansung, with perfect posture. Beside her is Kang Mihae, my second sister. The two of them never let go of each other’s arms.

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…I hope that gift they casually tossed to the part-timer isn’t a car key this time.

And standing far from my sisters is an immaculate man – our family’s eldest son, Kang Ilhae, my brother. He must be complaining about the lack of alcohol despite squeezing time out of his busy schedule. I should send him a drink separately.

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‘Phew…’

The party was absolutely perfect.

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The weather was optimal with not a cloud in sight, warm sun and no wind, the desserts with macadamia nuts instead of peanuts were selling well, and the staff I had specially trained were quick and efficient. I had carefully checked all the ingredients in every dish and the guest list weeks in advance, so no one had to endure foods they disliked or face uncomfortable encounters. Everyone was smiling. Even the notoriously picky madam seemed satisfied with her table placement, decorated with her favorite flowers in full bloom.

By this point, a small peace had found its way into my heart. The old melancholy seemed to clear in the bright sunlight. When was the last time everyone liked and acknowledged me like this…? At least, it didn’t happen in the ‘first round.’

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“I had no idea Mr. Hae-ah was this meticulous.”

A sudden deep voice called out to me. Quickly fixing my expression as I turned around, I was met with a smile from the most handsome man in his 50s that I knew. The most difficult – and the one I felt the most guilt toward – person for me to face: Prosecutor Cheon Heejung.

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Speaking of him, he’s the Chief Prosecutor of the Eastern District of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, the person responsible for ensuring there was no alcohol at today’s party, and Cheon Taerim’s father… my father-in-law.

“Is the food to your liking? I don’t drink much, so I boldly left out the alcohol, but if you’d like a glass, I can have some wine brought over.”

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I deliberately asked, knowing he detests even the smell of alcohol. The offer of wine was just a formality; what I wanted to convey was, ‘I don’t like alcohol either.’ My father-in-law only wets his lips with alcohol twice a year, during ancestral rites. His response was predictable.

“It’s fine, this is more than enough.”

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The ‘it’s fine’ from Prosecutor Cheon was very different from the casual ‘it’s fine’ others might offer. At least towards me, this was the very first time he had offered such an ‘it’s fine.’

It made my heart unexpectedly flutter. Even though I knew this wasn’t the ‘it’s fine’ for the bad things that had weighed so heavily on my shoulders…

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“You must have been busy after returning from your honeymoon… When did you prepare all this?”

“Ah, you’re here?”

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This beautiful madam here is Kang Miyeon, the chief prosecutor’s wife who will turn 56 in a month. Seeing her pretty smile made my head spin. She’s the eldest daughter of a steel business magnate, the person Cheon Taerim loves most in the world, my mother-in-law.

“I am.”

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And this lanky man sticking close to them as if he were part of the family…

“Long time no see, Mr. Hae-ah.”

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Is Shi Euncheol.

When he abruptly cut in, my in-laws naturally linked arms and drifted away. I wanted to exchange more greetings with my mother-in-law, but Shi Euncheol blocked my view.

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“How didn’t I know you have such skills? Taerim never told me about this side of you.”

“Is this all the food though? Even though it’s lunch, it would have been nice to have some meat. Haha, not that I want it, but Taerim really likes meat.”

…Here we go again, the subtle jabs and displays of closeness starting with ‘Taerim.’

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“Mr. Hae-ah, feel free to ask me anything about Taerim. No one knows him better than I do.”

Ironically, I was the one married to this ‘Taerim’ he kept talking about. It was ridiculous how Shi Euncheol’s attitude seemed to claim some sort of priority rights over my husband, like a dog marking its favorite tree. It was so ridiculous and suffocating that it became almost laughable.

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I used to not understand Shi Euncheol’s intentions before. Even that statement ‘no one knows him better than I do’ was technically being said for the first time today. When I ‘truly first’ heard those words, I had just been grateful.

Later, I felt a burning sense of betrayal… but this time was different.

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“Did you specifically prepare that line just for me?”

This time, I was merely surprised. That sentence Shi Euncheol just uttered was word for word the same one I had heard last time on my wedding day. I was amazed that he had prepared that line, and honestly, it was funny that he was making a second attempt today, perhaps because he had missed the timing at the wedding.

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“…What did you just say, Mr. Hae-ah?”

Shi Euncheol was, in some ways, quite an extraordinary person. I respected his character and even liked it. I even wanted to preserve Shi Euncheol as a work of art on my canvas, even if I had to pay him modeling fees.

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The composition would show both his bottom and chest at once, with the background densely filled with the three words – Cheon, Tae, Rim. The tiny letters would be placed like pointillism so that any viewer who looked closely at Shi Euncheol would realize that the important thing wasn’t his smug face or emphasized pose, but those three words spelling Cheon Taerim.

Ah, if only I had drawn it before being reborn… What a shame.

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“Mr. Kang Hae-ah.”

Shi Euncheol called out to me as I was lost in thought.

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“I asked what you just said.”

His voice grew quieter and his tone changed instantly. Wow, look at those eyes. I had never glared at anyone with such fierce eyes, it was truly fascinating.

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Who could possibly hate someone with such a massive ego and overflowing jealousy? That’s the kind of person Shi Euncheol was. Someone who drained the energy from even those who hated him, making everyone laugh helplessly and say ‘there he goes again.’

“What did I say, Mr. Shi Euncheol?”

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When I answered using his full name, Shi Euncheol’s expression grew even more hostile. Although he wasn’t as big as the men in the Cheon family, he was still somewhat larger than me. I was just an artist with poor stamina who had only ever held paintbrushes, and Shi Euncheol went to the same gym as Taerim… Yes, if we were to fight, I would clearly be the one taking a beating and losing.

“Mr. Hae-ah, I’m a bit worried. To take my advice in such a way…”

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Luckily for me, this man was more skilled in verbal abuse than physical violence. While I wasn’t immune to taking beatings, when it came to verbal attacks, they could hardly hurt me. No matter what was said, well, there was no reason to feel hurt at the truth.

“Yeah, I guess I’m just a twisted person.”

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There was nothing good to gain from trying to look good to Shi Euncheol. Rather, he was an even worse person when I had tried to build a friendship and got close to him. There was even a time when I had prepared dinner and invited him over, only for him to leave with Taerim saying they were ‘going for round two.’

Of course, this time will be different and has to be different.

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“So, Mr. Euncheol, don’t be too casual with me. I don’t care whether you’re friends with Mr. Taerim or whatever.”

Standing with my chin held high and glaring, I felt a bit like my older sister. Fortunately, no one paid attention to us arguing in front of the corner table.

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Except for the only man who would look for both me and Shi Euncheol at the same time, Cheon Taerim.

“Euncheol-ah².”

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The man who had made me pace anxiously since 6 AM this morning, the reason for the existence of everyone gathered here and everything I had carefully prepared. Cheon Taerim stood between me and Shi Euncheol.

No matter where or when you placed him, Taerim always became the center of attention. In many ways, he was a shocking presence.

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I still remember the first time I saw that tall height, those rigidly broad shoulders, that body that made you think of sex, and that face that held it all together. I thought this was exactly what you’d get if you molded the words ‘dominant Alpha’ into a person… That’s what I used to think, and my heart fluttered.

But now when I see that face, my mind goes blank and I become anxious waiting for the next words to escape his lips. My legs go numb, and sometimes even my abdomen aches.

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“Enough.”

However, a miracle happened today. Mr. Taerim, who I thought would stop me and pat Shi Euncheol’s shoulder, instead stopped Shi Euncheol and wrapped his hand around my shoulder.

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“Don’t do this to someone who worked hard to create a nice event.”

Though he just put his arm around one of my shoulders, I felt like I had completely melted into his embrace. I had never thought of myself as short, but when standing next to Mr. Taerim, I instantly became a puppy. In contrast, Mr. Cheon Taerim, when he had me by his side, sometimes seemed like a tiger with fierce eyes and sometimes like a huge, sturdy bear.

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His hand slowly stroked my shoulder. His four stiff fingers tapped my arm like piano keys, and his thumb slowly brushed my skin twice over my jacket. The small gesture sent heat through my heart. My heart warmed at the small gesture. My insides squirmed, and strangely, my knees felt numb.

Being in Mr. Cheon Taerim’s embrace, receiving his comfort, was scary.

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‘Who would believe this feeling if I tried to explain it in words?’

Slowly, I turned to face the guests gathered at the garden party and smiled. Surrounded by countless eyes, some familiar, some not, I was a natural actor.

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I was the youngest son of the Hansung Group chaebol family, raised on praise and recognition. A genius painter, bright, healthy, and cheerful newlywed.

…A flawless Omega who possessed the perfect dominant Alpha Cheon Taerim.

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‘Who would know… that this man knocked me out with his fist five years ago and would do it again a year later.’

Mr. Cheon Taerim’s examining gaze felt like a spark. The fine hairs on my left cheek stood on end, and my skin felt a stinging pain, but I pretended not to notice it.

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Instead, I recalled my husband as I knew him and the horrific six years of married life we spent together. The love that made me choose death over facing him again. The Alpha who was never truly mine.