EBT Prologue

You may think of fbd3d1e686 me as a stranger, e3e0000c3d but I know everything 0eeee31281 about you.b4f915c20b961df4

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 829d325820 might as 6e15d0ebaa well become d9c1294aa2 a shaman.8933f46374208d15

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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.fe66c05629e025fb

Rather than spouting such 6110672e36 nonsense as if I bddf2b95a8 were crazy,f1df332e5767439d

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“Haha, you’re too kind. I’m glad you enjoyed the food.”5dfd7c9df819b6a8

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.10cf7d9f5e20a61c

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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.5170b5a5e93df0d5

Far away, I 79f485582d could see Chairman f122ea4c09 Kang Joon-il, whose e467fd97d0 broad shoulders seem 3c085e09d4 even more pronounced 510982041e today. The owner of 40b216af32 the Hansung Group 1ea01e3881 and the head 95cef8f2c2 of a chaebol b9c4244de6 family – my 726adc191f father. He seemed 5540e87919 pleased with 813ab7fde7 the compliments 6821d30afc about his 577ac3cc3b youngest son e75eee9216 finally throwing bcf9f01e23 a proper 9011e7a12b party, beaming 5c28b158cc with joy.ecf7de66d6908151

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Next to him stands Kang Haein, 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.ff6e2bd2dec35b3c

…I hope that gift they casually tossed to the part-timer isn’t a car key this time.51d0254ae125178f

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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.584c5f8cc8017059

‘Phew…’c093fab670f9fd44

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The party 324db148bb was absolutely b16d06d13a perfect.ff42704f6bcd100f

The weather was ec51b8c6e0 optimal with not 32ae4d69c7 a cloud in 0ba7d1e478 sight, warm sun 45c0024239 and no wind, b6a1f0e3a1 the desserts with 84c3f9f80d macadamia nuts instead 3772709cd8 of peanuts were 1beb9795be selling well, and 7aa3f14855 the staff I 5663d7a271 had specially trained 1a94efdcd0 were quick and 5ad2d5e838 efficient. I had 10e5723d34 carefully checked da6b5921ea all the ee3819df70 ingredients in b4e535b44f every dish 2e8492f1b4 and the 69dfb3786e guest list ccfe86140d weeks in 18ae8ffcaf advance, so cc3b40e18c no one ce0560d64c had to 6613dd125e endure foods a5eeeb695e they disliked 7e05a022f3 or face f734b61284 uncomfortable encounters. Everyone was smiling. Even the notoriously 3bb1879d5e picky madam seemed 4cd759e732 satisfied with her 885f06bb9e table placement, decorated 662899b3d2 with her favorite 9d54524f87 flowers in full 9dab9aac6b bloom.398b6f766a6ebd64

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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.’9cc429fe949c426c

“I had no idea Mr. Hae-ah was this meticulous.”c1f11eeedeefc413

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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.0bd73e2d973c4f78

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.36e66c3dfd8297d1

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“Is the food to 50011d0432 your liking? I don’t 8d8d1dcc67 drink much, 8a5344d963 so I 6d65ccfd66 boldly left 4d00d51d7e out the b7840a933a alcohol, but 23037c23e1 if you’d dce7d7dea8 like a 90be9df67b glass, I bef4d3e40c can have de41e4f5e8 some wine b72b16286e brought over.”fc0761102c80838b

I deliberately asked, a014f8de39 knowing he detests c569cae731 even the smell 818ba65f4f of alcohol. The offer 3d28db9344 of wine 369585d025 was just 40a091a381 a formality; 209d5a8ecc what I b0f4b1bb48 wanted to 4ab57a2a06 convey was, d5056bc234 ‘I don’t 3cf94e7807 like alcohol 3315ea780b either.’ My 1c36e0e70f father-in-law only 27e949aebb wets his 20cc5077f3 lips with 166e8f0b00 alcohol twice 3d3eb69d03 a year, 19a7a8cbe5 during ancestral a8acfe4354 rites. His response fc6ec8b29e was predictable.ce54e0fad93a5c86

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“It’s fine, this is more than enough.”26ad83392ed927cb

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.’5f7cc90e50f178b5

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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…b123ca0cad4a18d0

“You must have been busy after returning from your honeymoon… When did you prepare all this?”1ced154fae64ebd5

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“Ah, you’re here?”28fb07a5b2af6cca

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.a1a83402d443c8cd

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“I am.”df9afaad5061fffa

And this lanky man sticking close to them as if he were part of the family…0713e9243f39a00b

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“Long time no see, Mr. Hae-ah.”023081c54f996cb1

Is Shi Euncheol.bb69106af3e584b4

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When he abruptly cut f4c0493f76 in, my in-laws naturally 58bc1c7502 linked arms and drifted 6f7b994e11 away. I wanted to f2eeef7678 exchange more greetings 43d647a38b with my mother-in-law, 6a14d1d395 but Shi Euncheol ffeae17a9b blocked my view.1867b6f96b56fa28

“How didn’t I know you have such skills? Taerim never told me about this side of you.”9b6406c95be2feb1

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“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.”0ee1acfd7b1b6abe

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…Here we go c87f07d623 again, the subtle 964ed0f983 jabs and displays b7705ccdc2 of closeness starting 0747c7f2ac with ‘Taerim.’a2071dbb551f4526

“Mr. Hae-ah, feel free to ask me anything about Taerim. No one knows him better than I do.”07bd3d3f3fbe128c

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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.fec2c3040bbd685a

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.099fc8544a9386c2

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Later, I felt a 745e228ed2 burning sense of betrayal… 7b12ca9337 but this time was 2f56b03fd8 different.b31299381a236f32

“Did you specifically prepare f9bc0e837c that line just for aa54f912d2 me?”a958b776c02d93fe

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This time, I 7e93328f55 was merely surprised. That sentence Shi Euncheol a5e4fc64a0 just uttered was word b145c6399d for word the same 9c4a12b366 one I had heard 85c99cd4fe last time on my 12266357c6 wedding day. I was amazed that b6847be910 he had prepared that 4cef42323a line, and honestly, it 32104c18d4 was funny that he f7cad6bf67 was making a second bfe7197f25 attempt today, perhaps because 2be1670213 he had missed the 2c9c196521 timing at the wedding.7d2ddcbc5e2fecf7

“…What did you just say, Mr. Hae-ah?”ccce60f511da924c

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Shi Euncheol was, 97e880b732 in some ways, 2c2214f54f quite an extraordinary c0631f6243 person. I respected his character 9db94eda84 and even liked it. I even wanted to 4e5e26ba32 preserve Shi Euncheol as 124f0b74b7 a work of art 9bc4ec9edc on my canvas, even 74e8099456 if I had to 4150fee86a pay him modeling fees.745469ef93523a42

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.5602c70adc02d120

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Ah, if only I 3bb58d0f76 had drawn it before 5570ac7b7a being reborn… What a fb61ff514c shame.c19a3f9866b606ee

“Mr. Kang Hae-ah.”6ef4dc548182b8a0

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Shi Euncheol called 082a705457 out to me af286f9a56 as I was f1d21890be lost in thought.5f22871d9da91100

“I asked what you just said.”33c001eb41c938a5

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His voice grew quieter 7e268934bf and his tone changed dbbe0d0b1a instantly. Wow, look at those a4751d8ac5 eyes. I had cd5508d2e5 never glared 6315a40732 at anyone 04dec581ac with such fe9250ee94 fierce eyes, 17a5150d06 it was 41f9a43e26 truly fascinating.c85dd44086b25262

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.’30c2bd61c7d4e070

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“What did I say, Mr. Shi Euncheol?”fab0038a0244fa43

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.6e633357a47afda4

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“Mr. Hae-ah, I’m a bit worried. To take my advice in such a way…”e836572438dbe654

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.b0b367113a773908

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“Yeah, I c3c49b8480 guess I’m d43e49a08c just a 25e46c70c7 twisted person.”847f7a9201149b81

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.’1cf436a05b11edb7

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Of course, this timewillbe different andhasto be different.af1a0704fe34dc4b

“So, Mr. Euncheol, don’t be too casual with me. I don’t care whether you’re friends with Mr. Taerim or whatever.”c07d4a66d4539163

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Standing with 17ae0606ce my chin f1872f34b6 held high 66ed9fbbd9 and glaring, 57c0dad6e2 I felt 56144ba6bc a bit c889fb2038 like my 588271140b older sister. Fortunately, no 566a735517 one paid 579c3f7ffb attention to 8db97fd01e us arguing f95c8dec4f in front 982c9317c9 of the 6f492ee200 corner table.5333694fc78d610a

Except for the 1c0a8fb9da only man who 53e3876c17 would look for 2bea5e11bb both me and a970b5a754 Shi Euncheol at 22835c3a5d the same time, 38b67db903 Cheon Taerim.65ba3c5148aa04b3

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“Euncheol-ah².”014a90f287773186

The man who 26155b4023 had made me d8a29553d1 pace anxiously since f1ac8a3e4f 6 AM this 56c17cfa29 morning, the reason 151ccb404c for the existence 7e7d429a3b of everyone gathered 5120f24a07 here and everything 00f5aa64a3 I had carefully 2cb0ab688a prepared. Cheon Taerim 7c48e9cc69 stood between 91f5d72b01 me and 27a1f61e32 Shi Euncheol.6e69b38decccee86

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No matter where or f18c420475 when you placed him, 747dd917e9 Taerim always became the 70b4e6a01e center of attention. In many ways, cf43d7c8e8 he was a 55f5649f17 shocking presence.ab0f5bc7637c0c06

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.8e04066c63365132

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But now when e0217a8c04 I see that ff601e28a8 face, my mind 3823e001ab goes blank and 9ceb4df433 I become anxious 7df6372929 waiting for the bf3d9df705 next words to 66d730adfc escape his lips. My legs 16a017b44c go numb, e55001f0dc and sometimes 102bbf049e even my f5e99bac5b abdomen aches.25f4bbf3bd83d022

“Enough.”9a3d32e5001ad8dd

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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.faf819f88512e362

“Don’t do this to someone who worked hard to create a nice event.”63efd70311a880ec

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Though he just 7dd597228d put his arm 0ad6f02afa around one of 13fdb53fed my shoulders, I 4066a834b5 felt like I ae698c3406 had completely melted 33601dd7c6 into his embrace. I had never thought 58000cfdff of myself as short, a18dd90cd4 but when standing next a23a9d5e07 to Mr. Taerim, I instantly became ab5f283f5e a puppy. In contrast, Mr. Cheon Taerim, ff9370e425 when he 58f0504d73 had me 248f4ed852 by his f24956052e side, sometimes c07ff458e6 seemed like 7d045166ab a tiger 9c4efc387c with fierce bc5f5699b8 eyes and a221e61d3c sometimes like cc5057fc64 a huge, 4768207c26 sturdy bear.d4e73b8a79b7fa1a

His hand slowly stroked d07cd1b294 my shoulder. His four stiff 3633caac62 fingers tapped my 53bcc48e0b arm like piano 0593e008b6 keys, and his 548edd441b thumb slowly brushed c2e0d0c9e0 my skin twice be62593669 over my jacket. The small 9bcdbe4628 gesture sent 8e3c6cc1d0 heat through 80f8b26ca3 my heart. My heart warmed at 4e5a6a4d4f the small gesture. My insides squirmed, and 273125d50f strangely, my knees felt ccbc08e80b numb.2d10ab464c533138

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Being in Mr. Cheon Taerim’s embrace, receiving d1c8652917 his comfort, was scary.9c6a7c568a256716

‘Who would believe this feeling if I tried to explain it in words?’959d9cea6f6dda2f

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Slowly, I 006fa9dd75 turned to 1f52458e64 face the b8235c536d guests gathered 0445ccecbd at the bd87db0e5e garden party c3b1d9f535 and smiled. Surrounded by countless 764ba11985 eyes, some familiar, d4e8c1f9fe some not, I 4c3aac6a1e was a natural 42ccb8019d actor.80464fb1a7c20705

I was c5be97600b the youngest 3601fed3ca son of 5f07e93cc0 the Hansung f66a7ba29e Group chaebol aabc0defbd family, raised e166ea9d24 on praise 2dd94ed375 and recognition. A genius painter, bright, 03ba0488a8 healthy, and cheerful newlywed.7f9aecebb20fef43

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…A flawless Omega who possessed the perfect dominant Alpha Cheon Taerim.4cb3c75743640044

‘Who would know… that this man knocked me out with his fist five years ago and would do it again a year later.’adc0005a66ba996f

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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.bb5a5be47d6c48ad

Instead, I recalled my aa97af5f97 husband as I knew e316e9e2a9 him and the horrific 815761e2b4 six years of married f4a85ec6a5 life we spent together. The love that b33fb40904 made me choose 518e556e31 death over facing 0e78e82a88 him again. The Alpha who b394940592 was never truly 7a35525bf9 mine.74933dac51a4a19d

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2380fd05200d6fd6