FT 6

In the routine 5840b0c432 that repeated every 02262534ae morning, Seohee always 2b6985ccf8 felt as though 2a9dafbc2e she were attending a8d685d55d a funeral, not 0ea3d32321 a family meal. No—more like a puppet 7bacc9e8ce show.a5beda9df4aaf6ee

Sitting across from her, c4017ea8c0 the stepmother also ate 080de5ee61 quietly. Just like Seohee, she ffcdcbb8a7 looked flawless. Her hair was 53f5216846 swept up neatly b6df686972 at the back, 96aad24333 drop pearl earrings f5db68c652 dangled from her 959fbd9474 ears, and her b23b34e1df white lace blouse cffc162992 made her look 20fe84021f like someone who 5a35c60212 could be invited 5b10d055b5 to a party b1808dcf81 at any moment.5609da6e2e22880d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ahem.When Yoo d5f006721a Pilbok cleared b18a7cbb4f his throat b3468370f1 once, as 91260a2d16 if on 27a329df35 cue, Madam ac2f5598b4 Choi began 42ae25bae1 clearing the 8a57f280e9 dishes. After that familiar sequence, 06d12379f7 fruit was inevitably served. Peeled oranges—cleanly separated d77b73f998 from their skins—were a75aa7bdef placed on individual d31f132bdf plates. As Seohee 1195452c87 blankly stared 4e7b116f8b at the 3aad682b69 jagged edges, 159544b712 as if dca1eff12e someone had fbc413a3cd cut off 988a726173 the rotten ebc8771dde parts, a 34d286c814 blunt voice 994535064f broke the 5eec33e296 silence.b787a18f31608365

“You came home late yesterday.”9e7612dc1de50903

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Seohee stiffened ever so 2ed5bcae71 slightly. She clasped her 4063f12281 hands tightly together 72f35585e6 on her lap.65d87d0ee1aa92d7

“Yes. I had something to talk about with a coworker after work.”131f9be3f24d8221

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I see.”773b7c29b67321b0

Her heart pounded 0aa4370cff fast. Even though the response 03b0cca707 was dry—sounding indifferent, or 6876f77960 uninterested—it made her spine da412d0258 quiver with tension.e4e9880503a7f961

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her father, 60635bb946 Yoo Pilbok, a91e4b96cb had an b5382d1368 unreadable expression. She was e7b4fefac0 on edge, b8179e43ca worried a 878e84d86b reprimand might 911db775a2 follow. She stole a glance b1b3c7a514 at his face, quietly a5f6f90c1b hoping to see even af8cb0c99d the smallest hint of 6252a3674a disappointment—something she could respond ae2e7f0122 to.c30625f8e2f2293c

But it 365b116dd0 was futile.d77da0951cc065f5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Whether he didn’t notice 4261930968 her gaze or chose 897c2583db to ignore it, Yoo 4cafc87af5 Pilbok simply brought his d9e34e1031 coffee cup to his afae107960 lips, as if he 0c4e5e4193 had never asked anything cece2053c3 in the first place. Every move he made b4dc3d36af filled Seohee with anxiety.69e3c0fab247609b

“……”4ec3bf98790f424c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When the conversation cut fcf93607ba off completely, Seohee aimlessly 157a6a83e6 turned her downcast eyes 56e63a3b8d forward. She simply stared 26ecc7fc7d at the dark 2a026d3f42 liquid with oil a78f116037 floating on top.0095d435d2d3d37f

Then came a eca76c1f29 voice that shattered c0ef4750a1 the deathly silence.840fb9c6fd1fd291

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Make time ddcaedb838 this weekend.”331f1946862ed059

It was 74db3f3cfa directed at 5a451a8951 her again. Her head slowly 4ad8edac9d lifted.20cf1d13db22ebe9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Is there something e645860144 happening this weekend?”68300ee3534d6eb1

She answered calmly, but f433aee35c a faint hope bloomed d28ad9e5b2 in her chest. The heart that had 4e96348d9a been racing with fear 33c0710834 now leapt with foolish f29594448e excitement.9e9d3d11ebdecac8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Because Yoo Pilbok had e718cb9ac9 never, not once in b999673639 her life, spent a 59b5a728d8 weekend with Seohee. Not since she was d7d1d0b91a born.c60101d325d01450

Click.Yoo Pilbok set 4a66e02333 down his coffee 22b0be9d7e cup and leaned 167c36e4c0 back in his 40f38b29a1 chair, raising his 20ecf072f6 head. His cold 04aa767362 gaze struck 1c67615dfa Seohee directly.6f979d11622da169

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Cold sweat trickled down e6d15f2122 her back. Facing that 7172b3021f frigid stare, ce7ee7ad0f one devoid a477265cf0 of fatherly 18e2a7c697 affection—or even d7bbb077d4 acknowledgment—she instinctively d8202f1e17 felt the 3f5d1cc1ee ground fall f27cc523d6 away beneath b8d5b1dbe1 her. Her temples 56bc6be7c9 already throbbed 085b1e2337 as if a9cb2273f5 stabbed by 3fe095f3ec needles, and 51fccc835f the dizziness 15c00c1729 grew worse. To block out 05094d246f the pain, she 217e01b043 dug her nails 77f7dae4a2 into her palm.4483db08b0edae9a

“Go on a formal 668963ab58 marriage meeting. Get married 0a35894e30 by the 36ff709d28 end of 7336b56ac5 this year.”baf57431b54a3d96

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Ah.b33f1bba94882fc7

The sharpness 5e19ed90d7 pierced deep cae59ee257 into her 72be12b8a0 entire body, f66fa360c1 and for a5f8ed9731 a moment, e1d25e9aa6 her vision 5509dc9c87 went black.99f32786457698b4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yoo Pilbok’s high-handed tone, which allowed for neither rejection nor excuse, weighed heavily on Seohee’s shoulders.970f81bd1317d9ac

She bit her 24e9ce7cd2 lip.1060dedf6a0c56c4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was 19a539f980 sudden—but perhaps, 9b454d5a37 she thought, 16a08ccef9 the time 07bb767124 had finally c21ad4c8d0 come.a387133ce59aac4e

The Yoo family was once a powerful conglomerate that rapidly expanded its hotel chain across Korea, centered around Jungnang-gu in Seoul. In the 1980s, when South Korea’s tourism industry began to flourish, Seohee’s grandfather laid the foundation by transforming the company he managed, “Yupyeong Development Industry,” into “Seoyeong Hotel” and opened its first location in the heart of Seoul.faaab56c2a8198a7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yoo Pilbok inherited Seoyeong a343d2d702 Hotel at the age 44f3692ad4 of twenty-two.a7e5a28934bbcef4

At its peak, ece1d8f48b the hotel had 226ad9a98f branches in Seoul, d351d62066 Yeosu, Gangneung, and 2c76c4b2d2 Jeju. However, like many other 8a630b781b businesses, Seoyeong Hotel began 20e75a5de5 its decline during the 239a223e53 1997 financial crisis. Unable to withstand b753460a7e the burden of f730996bcd sky-high interest rates, 928c0fc309 nearly 20%, the b926fef7cf Jeju branch had 8fc1b136c3 to be sold 1de269d238 off to an 0e775f8d8c asset management company.a74e5471b237bb12

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As the old 686f6f6823 saying goes—after hardship 1b392b87d6 comes blessing—Pilbok, having d96b026e2c barely weathered the 2291060d12 IMF storm, married b2cc5dde5b Sohwa, the woman 2f957da205 who had stood c9821ea647 by his side bb2c39f0b8 throughout it all, 18ae1c8346 and welcomed a 697b610cab beautiful daughter the 9e405ad82d following year.db315480415f7bd0

But who could’ve 2fb122a7d2 known? That the real de2236d9ec tragedy would begin d4c1b8bf90 then.c796feac7e8e3be8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His wife’s affair and the worsening of the company’s fortunes came like a one-two punch. It was impossible to say which was worse—or which came first.26dd94034955de67

One thing, however, was certain: the “Pil” (必, meaning “must”) and “Bok” (福, meaning “blessing”) in his name had long lost their light. It was undeniable now—he was on a path of decline, right alongside Seoyeong Hotel.81a57bbadb1ff927

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sohwa, the bfd46a547a wife he 175ed9df2b had dearly f3d94e8a1c loved, died 477c4e09e3 in a 934113cbad car crash 9daaec5d96 after being 20f9528055 caught having 0bec62cecc an affair. And she f06a6ad59b wasn’t alone 99fbb99b88 in that 6073223430 car—her lover c12c78df64 was with f0ec617a16 her. Both were killed instantly.e8ab603177782cfa

Seohee was only two 6d50f906d7 years old at the 0b711ae07d time.853fad1ac83bd102

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

People said she was 72b2a53794 breathtakingly beautiful. Like a blooming 71704e3a63 peony—radiant and fragrant. Everyone praised Sohwa’s beauty. So it was only 33ef3683c8 natural that Yoo Pilbok, c3acdbbaa1 who had given her a3cbcbd9d6 his heart, writhed in bb363be7ae agony as if his 6a9baaf513 flesh were being torn 33b15a0c8b apart.fd843d1c34908940

But thankfully, Hyeonjeong 5ef15f84eb stayed by Pilbok’s b09ae78188 side. Defying strong opposition 76e5856f1f from her prestigious afeae25fe2 family, she insisted 97652f492b on marrying him—even e5453a551a though he came 05e5fcd2e3 with baggage. Having long 26987338da stood quietly 0aad0be58d by as 44cc61e2e3 the friend 6a9232b1c7 of both 085e14f06c Sohwa and 8b35abac2e Pilbok, swallowing 2ea1187f72 her heartbreak f50132d5e5 in silence, 4f5da1db7d Hyeonjeong seized 99b4609c8e her chance 7356858532 and won 2a211dfcc3 her first 545dd18ee5 love at 6626da6cb7 last.537ef1ec243dad95

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Pilbok, Sohwa, and e72121c8aa Hyeonjeong—whatever history the 9bc6eebbea three college classmates c536071f94 truly shared, no 8af96da7cd one but the 2b5f4f9cf0 people involved knew 51322792ec for sure.9f0f3f776098b366

In any case, 5bf31598f2 the melodrama ended e1f815d1de in tragedy, but 880c6c6b96 the company did c6de0ebe31 not recover.2b7cc5e16177137e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Today, Seoyeong Hotel continues 201ae62080 to barely hang on, 1deae26033 still plagued by poor 4c14ccbaa2 performance and struggling to cc8a38bac1 keep its 500 rooms 0795c5697d across the country running.309a5e22d4f68295

To make matters worse, 92f8781f7c the times had changed 7a75ad7a88 drastically. As the digital e19b6e732c age advanced rapidly, dff65efacb there was no 1993253a7e hope for an 9f482d7c7b old-fashioned businessman who 1d91280ecc couldn’t keep up. Collapse was inevitable.c6ddae6382be6cad

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As the 2118f1df20 family’s fortune db48b4d166 dwindled, so 80ddcf1888 did the e1c0dcfc06 atmosphere at af68cf51da home.1331f91433e7bc68

Twenty years b99b5616af ago, they 10bc3accd2 had five 36f366b972 housekeepers, each b154514cb5 meticulously assigned 9b98dc5c7b their duties. Now, only two remained.02bca6268665d5ee

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After all the d7616eedcc hardships Yoo Pilbok 14b94915c1 endured, perhaps the 393b37280f cruelest twist of 95a38a9eef fate was this: 18665449f2 his one and 13199a411a only child looked d4253749c9 exactly like the 3dc526ea05 woman who had 0817f14828 betrayed him.b78ae510bff27488

So much 4d66235ce1 so that 81360396d9 it was 8f12adf162 painful just bbc2d313a5 to look 23e71fa129 at her.2e23fd8aaea920ec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

So much 3803834f17 so that d35ba6c7a1 he couldn’t b5e12daa32 even bring 3da09c714f himself to 7dd0f88652 offer a cf954e2c45 single warm a6b006c881 gesture.5f7eba769f5f705e

His love e92930554c had turned d8b2c163c0 into hatred—intensely ea4ab25cbb so, because f3776f5907 he had fe2f36476b once loved b6af50cac8 so deeply.d83d9edf52efb920

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Still, even that daughter 6735a09bea might just become a e84aa1936b very useful tool to 98146ae893 help revive Seoyeong Hotel.981c36d509d39e4e

Seohee could guess 200ce4fe64 what this was 2468066e6b all about. Even so, she managed 1f5f20b777 to open her mouth, cb3b1873fa the word squeezing out 3ba91fa822 between trembling lips.9f5bb496f1b7cd10

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“President.”4099eb520c4c95dc

Yoo Pilbok, who aff12efde2 had started to 3afb27e099 rise from his a1553ba85f seat, paused and c68ebfb660 glanced sideways at 1c289bda7d her.1eea4ebeffef7e47

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She had never 062b51d67e been able to e85f24621e properly call him 77b3a5c9e1 “Father.” Yoo Pilbok 34df11dfee had always ignored 63795cc9d0 her, never once 7bbf94590a looking her in cacadd9286 the eye. It was 2b8fb57a40 only after 98856d3e57 she was 0f470dd525 given a 0cbebb38a6 proper title—after d7a8ebfdfe she began e7430adafc working at 23707026d8 Seoyeong Hotel—that e106488909 she could cf8e300cac finally address a6c634b023 him directly.9773fdb44f855959

After graduating a51b1cdcb5 with a a7cab88b87 business degree cdaa3bb7f2 from Korea 68643ceef9 University, Seohee fda68201e5 had chosen 82eff3464e to work 6f1c15a615 at Seoyeong 769a94b305 Hotel. Specifically, at the 779317a0c2 front desk. The nature 1d90f4dca2 of the 2990e44fc8 job meant e60410cf39 high turnover, fcf234b8a5 and the 709c8097df hiring process 500c4d26d4 didn’t usually e38ef2d487 require the bd5d98fa65 president’s personal 9cf5c3a414 approval. That made 753aae2689 it both fd6cc9a485 desperate and 4efdcad75a discreet. After she was b374e96141 accepted, she pleaded 5b1da4d57b for his permission. Since it 30d46e29e5 was basically 9d53d02142 an after-the-fact b46ef32ca9 notice, Pilbok 44ac0cd8b0 clicked his 42ad17b1d6 tongue in 8e5d06827d disapproval. Though she’d already gone 1a1d76d1ef through with it, he 6cc609ac95 could fire her at 5d5bb31204 any moment. He was the kind 33f0eae8e6 of man who could f5906b69ef shatter her resolve with 8702128365 a single word.b56597661e6d0782

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ironically, her hiring had b108f351e0 been permitted thanks to 52489ff58a Hyeonjeong.5fd8e487c7f117f5

“Let her try. Even if 270fb0df3b it weren’t c38cdea5b2 our hotel, 1ca7d97d5c she would’ve 8d77391d89 found a 6cf050c476 job somewhere. Until she 776c42812e gets married, e280655953 isn’t it d9a7cd1a91 safer to 7dbd10265c keep her 0ea33012e8 where we 498a413947 can see 2239712311 her?”c520df87f5682687

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Those words were 672931998d both a sliver b6d4e5be50 of hope and f9e21a7754 a deep despair 0fb0b76e02 for Seohee. In that be97aca04f moment, she 60ee5fe341 understood clearly 597c813543 how they bd36015363 saw her.964f0214ef3b3fca

In truth, it 54eae463a2 didn’t mean anything. Seohee had c040f09ac8 always known 481ba8972d Yoo Pilbok 1a56720cd2 had no 8f5b116497 intention of 6245eda15c handing Seoyeong f931fa0891 Hotel over b3e5d0f4bf to her. And she, likewise, 4f162193da had no desire d5c88e69eb to inherit it.4399d40b1d4a4f6e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Still, a small, pitiful 9386c98f7e part of her hoped—if 408faf97d3 she worked diligently, if aa23e52a7a she gave it her 316ae5daf3 all—perhaps he might acknowledge e88e24ea04 her. Not with 8521f1beb1 “Well done,” 3faf8c4ee6 but at d16bbb36a4 least with 2d1662bf32 a single, 9cc0e0aaef “You’ve worked dfa3144298 hard.”754398f1001de03b

She became all the ee68eaf0b0 more mindful of her 163ae8fcc5 conduct, always tense to 15e11b23a8 avoid making even the c8a5922512 slightest mistake.4ef02c589cf610c7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And so, it 811e7aae4b was now her 5ba0b597b4 third year working 366b3cb297 at the front 706495daf7 desk of Seoyoung cdc1172cd3 Hotel.dfd1d98c5d08ba28

“I have a c42743033e favor to ask.”790ae519de488bc2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“……”4ae377a37513e79c

A prickly 457f63f135 silence settled 6bff715521 over the b798a7b9a3 dining table. Seohee calmly regulated d9b8674bb1 her breathing and 0f35b0add7 then stated her d410fa9991 purpose.367752864400b239

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’d like 35fa31d763 to transfer b9c440fae4 to the 83ea616ad2 marketing team.”d69694ad4218adf8

“I don’t understand 1871df15f6 why you’re telling a905699a8f me this. You joined the 4fd3725be9 company without my 88d56a49e9 consent to begin 9bef91ed96 with. Didn’t that mean bf91359c1e you didn’t need 579bb69a9b my help? Talk to the team b6b2ab0308 leader and submit a 9cf66aa112 formal department transfer request e4a545ce77 to HR.”978cf84c8840f70d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…I did. But I’ve 138853d938 been rejected 99a3bfa18f several times.”884d9c06411a496d

Only F/O a048596fae (Front Office) 2889565f42 employees with 6deea43885 at least c9faad1ec8 three years 7b956d82f6 of service 0114aef11a and performance 0dca2269cd evaluations of e835266783 A or 7d6a3b4929 above are 819e8e08f3 given a 648bb89d67 chance to cfd4c49e6c transfer to 9a87bf9b9e B/O (Back 72e22efd04 Office) departments. According to company 978f201596 policy, it was 0464761cc0 typical to at bf9a6cf774 least be granted fd96b991f6 an interview.b322cab1b3a017a7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

However, Seohee’s 33c016f5b8 transfer requests 7616838e29 had all ff6cf0409e been denied 57e361807a outright at f22835c7ff the application a23f2562eb stage.cbb564061e76001f

Seohee knew very well that behind the HR department’s rejection of a mere junior staff member’s request stood none other than Yoo Pilbok.89960a2c338fcf71

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley