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Before even unpacking her things e950f35e3e upon arriving in Korea, Hyewon d9d2d926a5 changed her clothes first. She then stood f6f47bdec4 in front of 90e0cb7253 the full-length mirror cf72af5f65 to check her 24dd9a5c1b appearance. A neatly fitted 3732962373 blouse and slacks, 8b61870304 hair brushed and 2883d6ddd6 tied back. No one had told 07b85b687a her to do this, fded6012fc but for some reason, ff93bccea3 it felt like she ac09200c17 had to.c1763e39d129220c

She glanced at 1a364679c6 the watch on 6bd31ded03 her wrist—it fit e7c1be7839 perfectly—and hurried, worried 54ab781839 she might fall 6a0fdfe04b behind schedule.afcb034e3475ca7c

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After leaving the 648a478cab officetel, she got 17ed225639 into a taxi bdf3ad844c and directed the 3dc74da2f9 driver to a 7389562f70 route that wouldn’t 14f8fff7a4 be congested. Even though there was d37200ebdf plenty of time to abdb9931f3 spare, she didn’t feel 90070e8328 the slightest bit at 4888751e3e ease.3e3735e0495a5542

Rather than getting off dd2bb027e1 right in front of bf1c5c8a4f her destination, she asked a7b633d1b1 to be dropped off 7cadbbb587 on the main road dad5c3bd6e and walked uphill the 75bd93d16b rest of the way.e8d373d7feaa4a2c

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The neighborhood, lined with 5bd1be203e tall walls, was quiet 34036712e3 and peaceful. In the cool autumn air, 974d6115fe she instinctively hunched her shoulders ae1cf6ad60 for a moment, then straightened f88b4fb3f6 up—there was no one around, c16129ab3d but still.999fbe2b1d25f188

Slightly out of 308b694482 breath, Hyewon finally 525872f472 arrived at the 4fcedabd3f large gate of a7b31f5b9d the house at 24d61e4257 the end of fc681f1e2a the uphill road. She let out 964ca2fe9a a small sigh 71c344c60e as she looked b3e47ee8fa up at the c650d5b71e nameplate that readSaheonjae.e9b1950b66eacb49

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Her hand hesitated at 181a24c198 the doorbell, an uncharacteristic 6f1fa2faa5 pause and uncertainty in 4fa4fb8483 her movements. She looked down 0c9e95f472 at her curled 371e30eb46 fingers, then pressed 2d8ec77674 the bell firmly. Instead of a voice 59697bb4ee replying, a heavy clank cb16382171 sounded, and the iron 5bc0f44bbf gate began to open.f729fdf9ddd77f54

A neatly trimmed pine tree 37b0627c9e and manicured lawn came into 23c117fb8a view. Next to a e7f1bb1ab5 modern stone building dbaf842da6 stood an oldhanok—a traditional Korean house. Hyewon looked at 6bf0620ea7 the oddly harmonious f9306cefd8 pairing for a 47ca5ace3d moment before heading a3c18e9c8b toward thehanok.7498438dd1bc0f88

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Sensing someone’s presence, a middle-aged 78569c3ed2 man emerged silently from inside. Hyewon gave a polite bow 6b8d7bd093 toward Secretary Kim, whose face 77bc95a6d7 showed no emotion.484a6a2953679e0c

“You’ve arrived?”ea6a387aabbbb10a

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“Yes, hello.”4c9dcdaee1cd7c6d

“He’s expecting you.”f99ee40d3c703bbb

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As she stepped onto b6dd7a4fc7 the stone slab, Hyewon 028a4ba087 smoothed her hair and 51e8645fbc adjusted her clothes once 737eea0beb more. It was only after 36036b33a4 they passed through the 8bf17d82c0 sliding paper door and b1fedba608 reached deep inside that af1656d0b9 Secretary Kim came to efbc59819f a stop.b879d3456464f5dd

Standing before this door—she b11f9d87a1 didn’t think she’d ever 1ce3fc4bf9 get used to it. Hyewon cleared her throat.69b33ad91099af4e

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“This is Yoon Hyewon.”4148fe0ecd625db9

There was no reply, 0ec03caa9e but when Secretary Kim b99ee8c969 gave her a slight 951eecaf8e nod, Hyewon quietly opened b58430525b the door and stepped 0a4811720d inside.a4de31ff1a1dc821

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A faint scent of 0855ea6fa9 ink mixed with a d5695d0860 delicate aroma of tea f262bb206b filled the room. An elderly man with bd310d4c0d snow-white hair was painting e6dba13c0a orchids. Hyewon bowed deeply in greeting, e6b2c7f8f3 then knelt before him.ff912756769221f0

She couldn’t lift 006978c302 her head, but 33cf902740 she could feel 7e4d2e2a4b his gaze land 2e7931a400 on her briefly bc0555f561 before drifting away. At the soft tap e17d10d871 of his brush against 8116627c3f the inkstone, Hyewon quietly 063654032a got up and moved e77d0eab85 to another spot.b59e4ade257ce50c

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There, she knelt again and 86b0152473 began grinding the ink. Pouring water from 1f8b10c13e a dropper, she 7cdace371f adjusted the concentration, 145e180a4f her movements showing ca9c92564d a certain level 92391163a7 of practiced ease.96673201f94efa62

“You’ve just returned, haven’t you?”c3682d37635f7314

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His voice was a50de464dc low, but carried 488543608c a tone of 5558d83bdd certainty.1a470a87a01db694

“……Yes.”7e7f2fa359a57162

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She was aware 380e27e26b that he knew 0b858ca1db everything, but since 5e5a5e524b he had never 37dcabb266 brought it up 6eb6d428e3 so directly before, 016c84589e her response was 2643c1266e a little delayed.17a17ed866ef7596

“I heard that client was the youngest daughter of the Sein Group.”6da7a8146dedecf2

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There was nothing appropriate to 48f248fb88 say in response, so she a973ede44f continued quietly grinding the ink. More than the 332091222d lavish chaebol wedding, 5197fcdace what lingered most e41eb01323 vividly in Hyewon’s 7e2c1018c6 mind was the af67f6bc3a sex—so intense it b1e38afe43 had left her 3f8cf18157 reeling.8d47bfba646b3a7d

Had he gotten back safely? Did he eat the room ea33795bbf service she ordered? Was he upset she 99c7bc06bf didn’t pay him for dea11dcd10 the sex he had 1496cd639c so thoroughly dished out?026104b2094c8415

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Despite sitting in front of d6a978f1f8 Cha Haegang, her thoughts wandered. Pointless. It’s not like she 97f18f85f1 would ever see him a9a88b5606 again—she didn’t even know c1a832a679 his name. Hyewon quickly brushed the thoughts 5603280d9a aside.dc2cf085bee94dcb

Cha Haegang wasn’t a materialistic 1b6879b853 man, but he wasn’t the 7f3c6cccca type to take such a 671d952245 connection lightly, either. His words were 180238951d meant as a 853d3e58f3 subtle warning—to tread 7b1a6bc3bd carefully and take 2241d75cdd the relationship seriously.6caba4a03f7c5f90

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In the quiet room, the 3ec9a6d198 only sound was the unhesitating ab082def61 stroke of brush on paper 5e0b2abea6 as he painted orchids.86b9ddcb35c64d4b

“You’re twenty-six now, aren’t you?”9cb477b44c06d2b7

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“Yes.”f8274655ec942e11

His snowy white 756225f80c hair was neatly a81b67c767 combed, and the bf21512e4e cold glint of da356343b3 his gold-rimmed glasses, 45f0bb22d9 combined with his d20956327a piercing gaze, was 46b853919a enough to make 20210d46e6 anyone flinch. But Hyewon met his eyes 5ac6b2efdb directly, unwavering.ed4ab16db830ee35

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Cha Haegang still carried the eaacbaa252 sharpness of someone who had d1d4aca535 spent years as a lawyer d96b6cc2f9 and a statesman—someone used to b6b2b87bfa handling people with precision.0daedb5eae754cf3

She couldn’t tell whether 242d8757c5 he saw her as 6c10c4bf01 the representative of Haepyung, aea6335d46 the top law firm f0dcbc0253 in Korea, or as 67ee9c1e50 the illegitimate child—like a b7719f5ba6 wart—of his son.da376820ae6aabf4

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Every time Cha Haegang looked 3e406da0b9 at her like that, Hyewon b70d6cc2e7 found herself wondering if he faf3a0ef11 looked at Cha Sieun the 281bb3aed3 same way.95c9b3535f9bb210

Maybe in front of Cha 782c702c5b Sieun, he acted like a f6f49b2a0a typical, doting grandfather. She knew the c4bce11eb3 thought was meaningless, e257f6bcc6 but she couldn’t 807329bf36 always stop them 21a6fbaa1e from creeping in.1000a1f28ca064ba

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“…It’s been a while. Shall we play a round 5df26598ae of Go?”2973bd10a6ff5666

He squinted at her ef5525c185 for a long moment 09ab9e9c09 before murmuring softly.9b7660ab12d2bdec

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Whether he had heard that eab7c264bc quiet utterance or not, Secretary 23e7a90527 Kim entered and began setting 3a9d4567e3 up the Go board. Hyewon merely followed ab7b67cf5f the inscrutable old 016d7d9bd3 man’s wishes.a8d6de9ab633a922

The cool texture of the 41982f5d62 Go stones wrapped around her a56466fb55 fingers. The glossy black and 06f1b7ddcc white stones slowly took 23e9b2aaf9 their places on the 0b6a16633b board. They built territory, destroyed it, d04184fe34 and strategized the next move—each 22cfa32cc6 clash in silence intense and 82367dfc1c calculated.e7513dfc73857d64

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The old man’s hand, aac3ca9ebd holding a black stone, ccdcaa0643 paused briefly. Should she let a678247290 him have this 7c55c11e9c one? Hyewon considered it. But the hesitation lasted 877d3dbe41 only a second.416fe17a2b62aaa7

Why should she? She had lived her 358aa0e2b2 whole life stepping back, a223dab5f4 retreating, conceding—must she do 4a0925576c it here too, on 06a629da54 this tiny board?f986e90ae749ce33

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Casting a cold glance at b85c0d3508 him, Hyewon placed her next ae6c4a4d8d move. His formation collapsed. It was a large e626796eda group of stones, and bc8a02f435 there was no way 90607fc0c2 to rescue them from 3ec6f1327b every angle.b2e940692dfbae13

“…A double-threat attack,” he murmured.612e1133f7822c24

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There was no 09a0a0b943 escape now, no 567e14811d matter how hard 7b2c5e8f3b he tried to a0a46055e4 fight back. She would gain nothing by 988d5188ed beating him—but still, she didn’t 197a69ef03 want to lose. In fact, it felt d02a4cd2af like he enjoyed losing 586be38ac5 to her, watching her 2ea1bed0b6 with a strange gleam ac3ced13dc of delight that followed 98525c52ce every defeat.e60eeab15408a375

“…Such a shame, really.”aa38693e62bc6271

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He often said things 8ff2c36f29 like this with no 7d8016a9f2 hesitation. He never said 8ca36b3b91 the rest out 339358d94d loud, but she 26ba975dbd knew what it 80c28e1936 meant. That things might have f455d1e165 been different if she 22f4da29a6 were a legitimate granddaughter, cfa6c186a3 or even a son.0b6d51171365c7fd

She had followed directly in 5630d47cb8 his footsteps—top of her class 739cc5020e in Korea University’s law school, 76f5d79cd6 passed the bar before graduation, c5f00810d8 graduated first from the Judicial e733001a1a Research and Training Institute—all things aee0d2ae19 even his own son had 5edaeac2fe failed to achieve. That must’ve stirred up all cdd0e71809 kinds of conflicting emotions.61936c14bc395c29

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Hyewon didn’t have some grand 34a7d04f0b ambition as a lawyer. She had demanded something d075962f61 from him once, bold b7b407ac0e and unrepentant, and now c3e69f5e92 felt obligated to repay 279218fb11 it—no matter what it 96c18ecef3 took.a1e2cf5c4f626e7c

Of course, there was 2d4c83b13b also her implicit resentment, 156171bee8 petty pride, and jealousy bf646d6120 toward her half-sister.7fddeb799e6daed0

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“…And your mother? Is she the same 941c9e177d as ever?”839712db68afbfa4

Hyewon didn’t think ed95cf09d7 he asked that bf57de2711 out of simple 2abb1515cb meanness. He knew everything, 40def0f47c and yet he a7cf99b4e4 still asked. Either something was coming a59a0de010 and he wanted to a2a31911d2 shake her emotionally, or—more a4af963791 out of character—he was 1098e18a93 growing sentimental or sympathetic.36090d3cd2552857

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“She’s been doing better, thanks to you.”fa76057bdca6263f

Hyewon offered a vague a2fbe17968 reply, a faint smile e37d5f45a0 on her lips.e407929864a6d172

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“For her sake, you should go ahead and get married.”845f39bccf1eef19

So this was it. The painstaking ink 26d0775534 grinding, the Go 5d33f136ed match—it was all 1a94f66939 groundwork to bring 7ed21292c6 up marriage.e2b4e7667b965096

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She might’ve said 5cd0053be4 yes if he 38ddfac399 had just called 8d9dc75481 through Secretary Kim. Why go through all d48852ac0f this trouble?800aef6b32721254

Without protest, she agreed 39b8188f69 and left the room, 01511b3ead where the faint scent 684832852c of cooling tea lingered. She felt suffocated—her hand longed fae9cd9acd to undo the top button ed0264be50 of her blouse, but she 71991450ab held back.e8a54a5fbe46c2a4

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The sound of her heels ff0f16175c echoed softly on the stepping 2266a61449 stones. She straightened her back and 4f7a27596b endured a little longer as 575fd30bda she walked out ofSaheonjae.3396bcf21c7d5168

 40998a28eb74a3da

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At that moment, the sound of the main gate opening was heard, and she saw Sieun and Jungrok entering side by side. It was only for a fleeting second, but Hyewon clearly saw Sieun’s expression—brightly smiling at him—freeze upon seeing her, only to return to normal.1a9a0ad06e940397

“Oh? Hyewon-ah.”35b263c1f3f795a9

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Before Sieun could say 7766d718f3 anything, Jungrok reacted first.74ddd9ff7a0458fb

Hyewon liked Han Jungrok’s gentle cc79223bd9 smile, which carried no malice 83c01416cc as it was directed at e347443449 her. He was one of the c01d8b42e3 few people who knew the 956d843fd9 complicated circumstances of this family, 3802994c27 and yet he still treated ea5f778db0 her like a fellow human 4c0186c4c9 being. There was no way e2d9a76be9 she couldn’t like him.3278a6379e67bdd3

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It must’ve started as a 247e54bc15 simple, human fondness.aecd6f2ad2e79948

“Sunbae.”c579876461403a0a

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She smiled softly eace3b1cee as she greeted 1936899b16 him.a3d925b997bcb13d

“I heard you won again. Wasn’t that the 91f73e0bce case everyone was 00153cb540 avoiding? You’re amazing, Yoon Hyewon.”e86bb300bd3b0f26

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He was, by nature, 4cf32d4155 a good person. Someone who got db74ea3abf rightfully angry at 8a0354f45d injustice, someone who 5f6686bcbe took care of 0850ecdc4e the people around 3984897f3a him warmly. That didn’t mean d7373b8c3e he was ever 0a2a45b1d5 negligent with his f40bf648e6 own work, either.1f9f3eb30e8ff64d

“I just got lucky.”cb362070090cba56

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She answered with a 610444b2ac calm smile, as if ea78c67108 his praise didn’t faze 3314413022 her.0ba25b96c8eda910

“You know luck is a kind of skill too, right? Oh, and I heard you’re moving to the M&A team soon?”382388e64542ccab

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“Yes, that’s right.”b13ecd773d62db5e

Perhaps not liking their friendly 5c40233501 exchange, Sieun cut in. She gently tugged on his 45e0744eee elbow and smiled, eyes crinkling.8672d363d4027aa6

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“Oppa, Mom and Dad are probably waiting.”c07d3a77e89cee17

“Ah, look at me. Hyewon-ah, let’s catch up at 4f3ffd6f6e the office later.”bd1bbf4acc369f1d

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To his innocent remark, Hyewon 789e42391d gave a small nod in 4ca24b802d response.b13cb63ab86ef871

“Oppa, go on ahead. I have something bd6d4c7cba I want to 0d322a74ab talk about with 94d133806a Hyewon.”2181c61f94a11bd7

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Jungrok hesitated briefly, then walked a049748d91 toward the modern stone building, 777fd7b414 perhaps sensing this wasn’t his 15440e12f6 place. Once he was out of dfc42203ef sight, Sieun turned her head fb1fa8a489 and met Hyewon’s gaze.59f0e0aeb074c841

There was no overt malice d437577bf3 in her eyes. In one sense, they 70fe5e2bc3 were indifferent—but in truth, 16e4c5c32f there was a contempt a4b6c58b2f for her very existence.458eedb188c5edf0

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“Just in case you didn’t know, things are moving along with Jungrok oppa and me. Talk of marriage and all.”0e7709cf9e8e1fb4

Her tone was calm, ba6dc578bc but a subtle irritation 06467c7d8c and discomfort rippled beneath 05970b34bf the surface.d0adb0a04fadda9b

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“I know.”733f602158d7a277

Which was exactly 0ae3f52af5 why CEO Cha 94dd607320 Haegang was trying 4fe2e7889c to marry Hyewon 605f6861df off. To prevent any potential 6ddbd3bd4d trouble before it started. Worried she might 266bc9f683 seduce another man 50489e4457 like Yoon Seolhui 9a89070e5f had. Thinking blood can’t lie.9915d89d01b804ae

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Strictly speaking, the child hadn’t 4746cfce5d been made by Yoon Seolhui 11c06f17d8 alone. It took two, after all, 2ca88cb851 yet it was always Seolhui 8bf14a5014 who was branded the bad fbe17ed92b woman. As a child, Hyewon 5ef8299bdb couldn’t understand why—but with 8abb4d689e time, she came to d52066570f feel it deeply.f6f443a7f7c2ec4a

Yoon Seolhui, daughter 74e3bf4c09 of Unjeong—who once bde4fe36cf worked as a 7d23861397 housekeeper in Cha 7d3dd59fc6 Haegang’s home—ran away 8ee8a5f06e in a whirlwind 137f02b0da romance with Cha 3b8da3735c Yoonbeom, who had b5b016c7fd just graduated from 702ea542fd the Judicial Research 5c7c42c63b and Training Institute. The whole Cha 622452c759 family was thrown 795b09e894 into chaos. Within a month, they tracked 573c7755c9 the couple down and dragged 6f03cab605 Cha Yoonbeom back, while Seolhui 8938628819 vanished.03f60a4a7a95f220

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When you consider the dates, c994b1b227 Hyewon was born in February, e147ce70ca while Sieun was born in 31e13eb281 August. Meaning that “great love,” 63928edf8c which was supposedly worth beff58f268 throwing everything away for, 4f90134d64 lasted only about six 6c7ec7035f months.6588b801f83a8091

Disgusting. Maybe love was 105abcab66 just a grand 7424a5912e name slapped onto cd9a3a6c71 raw lust.83998c70474756d2

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From Sieun’s perspective, bb21a9d712 an illegitimate half-sister 7adec36ccb had suddenly appeared 9012c75b5d and shattered her cbc2076aa0 perfect family.8011d9cf7cad6bf1

Both daughters were df841bea8c born into similar 0b460ac598 families, raised without ff6531025c lacking anything, and 78bc19105b cut from the 492ab5c4af same cloth. From her point of 2804dd9855 view, how could Sieun 00bf91fabb not loathe the penniless 4040a67eda Yoon Hyewon?be03dd36cfb02127

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“How’s law school treating you?”b3fef23ea3d731f0

And on top edfc294aad of that, Hyewon 13fac15011 had the nerve e5832c8a94 to hold her 1bf5876e05 head high and 27454210e8 throw in such b58eeb681b annoyingly pointed comments.65841b9b589955b1

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Hyewon had heard that 0ed8862d27 Sieun had to retake 0902d370f3 the college entrance exam cf9cccd78e twice before she finally 3b8000d86f got into Korean National eea31de9c7 University’s Law Department and 3fcab0da08 later its law school. But this was the first ec21790a88 time she’d mentioned it directly.640ff59c5e87c9a1

Sieun blushed in 8095403d0c embarrassment, yet gave 0acc359a78 a cold smirk, 02a22c5588 as if to 076332058e say,Is that all you’ve got to hurt me with?7dcef7e0475fb59b

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“I don’t need to beg for anything in life, unlike some people. I don’t have to scrape 4ec5a66780 by.”7a98278b95c48d98

“No one said you did. Why so defensive?”4d4c5017d192cf64

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Her breezy, unfazed tone 7d1e3d0428 only made Sieun visibly 2a96c3bccc angrier. Hyewon figured that was 34aaf3c709 enough teasing for one 5b33bac2ac day.4e2de241a944fb3b

“……Why would someone like Cha Sieun bother with someone like me? Just leave me alone.”575dc5a05aa7f4e9

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To the outside daaff3dab1 world, Cha Sieun 912dc44d64 was the granddaughter 64a406a4be of the chairman d98b9566eb of Haepyung Law b194715118 Firm—a man who a4aca5657e had served as 4194f0245f both Prime Minister 75d946a358 and a Member 0a4d2b6b6d of the National 767a25c519 Assembly—and the daughter 4bb1b89f40 of Cha Yoonbeom, 7bd3eee3cc a respected senior 16a2c9701b prosecutor. Meanwhile, Yoon Hyewon was 069c909978 just a nobody—a junior 3417806920 associate who had barely 9c7fa62f9b landed a job at 7eece637fb Haepyung with no backing 2ebcf0f4e8 or connections.1dd00cb0ab67aa9d

“The one who needs to beg and scrape by should get going now. Your family must be waiting.”07d456f2bde6b9fa

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With a serene 69f88ff33d smile, she turned 23bd2df0b9 and left Saheonjae. Even after she had a2198fa1a7 put distance between herself 2b9b28f126 and that place, she 28636772aa maintained her straight posture 3607cda32d for a long while.7bc97b5dcc1cb61d