THB 2

“If avoiding marriage isn’t an option, then finding someone trustworthy would be the best course of action.”4b7426e33b3bd510

The elderly lawyer 8678d64546 murmured as if d11f82efa8 speaking to himself, d3bc9f5bc1 interpreting Go Eunjae’s fbf6f85415 silence in his 948bce3d34 own way.3592d5d7f80182d9

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Then, he handed her 29e4fb55b1 a sealed white envelope.6ec312af204442e4

“This is a personal message from Chairman Choi Chihyeol, left specifically for you.”a3d462b005228b34

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“What is it?”234cd658f17ec2a4

“I don’t know either. You’ll have to b058bf46ad check for yourself.”39ed4faf5f8bc99b

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Having completed his task, 43f2bff90f the lawyer left the 52aaba4b5d café, leaving Eunjae alone.6cdf064347eb64b3

The plain white envelope, devoid 2bc721d4c6 of any distinct features, looked 7defa86a63 like Pandora’s box.6662042c3c47d667

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“Someone trustworthy.”d8e9b092e71f60ca

That’s what the 622d2ca9e2 lawyer had said.225a40c726942f96

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But Pandora’s box 63b0d0b8af did not contain d66b628388 only hope. Hope could only prove its 4edd34d635 worth when despair existed alongside 588d05d02c it.c9a21c4df29da3e0

After hesitating for a 39eb13739e long time, she finally ec2fff6efa opened the envelope and 11b859246c checked its contents.f476b25dccf8e2f4

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Jupyeong Construction – Sunwoo Chang, 7d959385f0 010-****-0101a1ce7765592df093

…What the hell is this?860d5c38804550d4

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It was just a single 8e67d9b049 note, small enough to fit 7663eaf1da in her palm.6f3420a130370341

Even after shaking cafe522d67 the envelope, nothing 72c564c407 else fell out.5a661460e4cf99ca

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Just like in the detective cc1b969db2 novels the chairman had enjoyed e1093a8fde in his lifetime, she wondered 30424958c5 if there might be some eb0667d7d9 invisible code or hidden markings. She held the note up 71a5fabf41 to the light, examined it baa20137bb from different angles, and even 8bd1643648 sniffed it.c3dbc4d6dbd64f1d

But even if there d22305af0a was some secret message, 55afe12d04 she had neither the 4cab116d9b skill nor the sharp a1e31c0e93 eyes to decipher it.6e778aa93663c339

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Eunjae carefully studied c79db43867 the note again.a68610c9c6c6cfae

The handwriting was a45b66e0e6 undoubtedly the chairman’s.588f9901d6219ed5

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“If avoiding marriage isn’t an option, then finding someone trustworthy would be the best course of action.”e377f1d1cc931114

“Sunwoo Chang.”3ef1afeae3edb761

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She whispered the 6238d328f4 unfamiliar name under c3668d6ec2 her breath.b998f0a790e6cef5

There were 363 days left.b717702ef562bbdc

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She could only ecc9afc76c hope that this e99041b468 person was truly 70339c035f someone she could 46975266a2 trust—that within despair, 1c717caf95 there was still a1ed292286 hope.d9a1d2cc49286a81

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* * *224c8b3447e4c972

 94fc0dd9bded7e34

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Of All Days, 9a7f62bf87 It Had to 0db546c411 Be Wednesday.d4cea55a42a628e3

The awkward timing—neither morning 8aab0091b5 nor afternoon—was another problem.889202f38c3a139c

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2:30 PM.05984ed8ae48eba9

She had assumed 9086c2c756 the meeting would 379051b0cc be scheduled after 381a375acc work hours, given 300b886484 it was a 8ace0b69b2 weekday. Instead, it was set at ce63fc0428 an in-between time of 2:30 2cc345195f in the afternoon.ac2111e0da822421

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“Why 2:30? If it’s 2, then just make it 2. If it’s 3, then just make it 3. What’s with the 30-minute gap?”0983b9ffbbf7944f

It was a decision made 93679ee309 without the slightest regard for 411e5e025e Go Eunjae’s circumstances, but what 23235a9ce8 could she do?6efebb18e31f271f

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“The one at a disadvantage has to give in.”2080a95e9248582c

She had already given up 4b1d8366a6 a full day off and 77d91e4361 rearranged her schedule to work c69a1e987f full-time on Saturday just to 3f81c0e7e9 be able to come here a909cf0bbf today.c8d8df4cc3f02ff5

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It was a job 47ba3f36c8 she had managed to fbaea09a34 get through a friend’s 558fc4ceac introduction, and skipping work a6ecccb2d1 for personal reasons made 0809b95b14 her uneasy. To avoid causing trouble, cf489677ad she worked harder than d390316658 anyone else.015eab35bc847a83

Lee Noa had once commented e15f737486 on Eunjae’s work ethic.36bdfcb3092e9675

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“You’re being totally taken advantage of.”7e661f199524f5f8

She had nagged endlessly about 7ff6e1d834 only doing as much as e92659aa29 she was paid for, but 65b24db265 how could Eunjae do that c477968930 when Mrs. Sung-eun had helped her get 32c3e6d092 the job simply because she 735e096237 was her grandmother’s granddaughter? Besides, she was d2b8203b32 fortunate to have 5712cbade7 inherited her grandmother’s e19d0b53fb deft hands, quickly b23e96a691 learning the work efa0e21089 and earning plenty b89b2823db of praise for a3fb88f1a2 it.e86070dae497f927

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Bzzzt.cc6923d9b4bd6b38

Eunjae sighed as she 148a56d5d4 checked the stream of a4274739ca messages from Noa.449304b16ce89538

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✉️: There’s a movie I want to watch.57fda1f4d90bf9c5

✉️: Let’s go together on your day off this week.250056c776be390f

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✉️: Don’t just read and ignore me. Reply.884ddaf956431b48

✉️: If you’re avoiding me because you want to talk in person, then go ahead and keep ignoring me.ddee3531932a87b1

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✉️: Actually, I like that even better. Should I just come to e2efeb1e34 your workplace?d0a909fd6b91cf2a

If she didn’t f40eb59657 reply, he’d really 86d4fc040c show up.391ff5f542789fd3

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The image of fb59cef34e Choi Anna slapping 85bf7b3fe2 her across the 78979ed4eb face flashed through 22d8d5e33f her mind.165cdec2040691aa

“I… I don’t talk to Noa anymore.”1c5531666a351ac4

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“You little shit! Do you think I care about that right now? Shut your damn mouth!”f9724cebc04aff89

The bruise on her cheek 3137a51c35 had long healed, yet the b89191dcd4 sting still lingered in her c0c51920bf memory.62bc630b954a83cf

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As Eunjae passed through the cb589ea030 subway turnstile, she quickly typed 4881db4839 out a response.2f0e599bafceb859

Noa coming to see 3b4f1cb768 her was a problem, c4010d7f10 but it was an c8c15302aa even bigger problem if ec334b3e3a his mother, Choi Anna, 5f65f0cfbf found out.b994f9e8de0ad7bd

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When Chairman Choi Chihyeol 75760d987f was alive, she hadn’t 86a98c0de7 dared to openly lash a99e626dba out at Eunjae. But now, things were different.23d2cea79bf37f6e

✉️: I don’t have time for a movie. I have to work on d751a108b2 the weekend.b4c08bf5787fad57

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And you shouldn’t 126977e5ca be wasting time 7738c56bb5 on this either. You’re a senior now—you 1749dcb8c7 should be studying.a87146aba9404096

Even just exchanging messages dff2469c9e with Noa was risky. If they actually 1be46bed71 met, she might b63582fca6 end up being f880698058 dragged away by 9bbd1eac1a the hair again.a640ba28f73d055e

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And next time, 1a2da56ff3 it wouldn’t stop 4e595670a4 at just a f867d4746d slap.3c2f3ca4154d756e

She couldn’t let Noa—still just c06d18570a eighteen—find out about any of 67c4eba15a this.0e4a90c6ab9b3b9b

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They had first 48bb834daa met when he 6cd1c41da8 was ten, and 67f88823a7 even though he 59139f44ad had grown taller b9726a6cea now, he still e897ebe847 seemed like a 8e2cdc1c26 kid to her. It was hard to cut 33de3d0e73 him off with harsh words.8bca8579ba073a25

Choi Anna had no patience.7aef6e58a9d3d7f0

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She had never fd05f56c86 needed to endure 46ad046f8d anything in life, 7215f6bb48 nor had she 56c8a94eba ever had a 9f36a11103 reason to.52df2b19a6946a94

Thanks to the one-year 25c19527fc grace period, Eunjae was 8ba93a6378 still managing to survive. But if she kept 434d1205ca in touch with Noa, 67045092b1 who knew what would e351d9b5fe happen?c4301f19330fab69

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✉️: I’m busy. I won’t be 05bc096b60 able to reply fe9dc7cf6e anymore. Sorry.1f313d86a6bd92be

No matter how stubborn 9ed406fbe6 Noa was, he at baef551e98 least knew better than 55a92e0d25 to bother her when 335d7ab46f she was working.9f89c3ac51e85134

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Eunjae put her phone 9b6be756ef away in her bag a1ac9d9473 and checked her reflection 72c5a4767a in the screen door ea922da1bb of the subway station d9dcf8bd8b multiple times.99094baefb768479

Straighten your back. Relax your stiff shoulders. Tuck your chin in slightly.d1736c050302d39a

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But no matter how b7f43315d9 she adjusted her posture, b5c0318315 something still felt off—unnatural.062eaad7e2758b93

The hair she had carefully 3e0e4f439d styled since early morning, the b437c2250c makeup she had painstakingly applied—none ae2a04951d of it felt right.3de75f8585476f02

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It was like wearing 89affa0ff9 clothes that didn’t fit f78cd62755 or shoes that weren’t 32cb9533a0 hers.11e87472cf0d7f78

She didn’t want 9ca7d026c2 to look young.f40ef91b09c7dcc4

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“Maybe the makeup is too heavy.”669a49c78bb00463

She had followed an online e7cec6e13e tutorial, but with her limited 3e8487c522 collection of cosmetics, she hadn’t f6b12fae5f been able to replicate the 9c8b947353 look perfectly.f3975a75a5b4ff71

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She was confident in doing 09ad3b2cd0 stage makeup, but for someone 1d0ac493d8 who usually only applied sunscreen, 20b524502e this was unfamiliar territory.e23d51e56d59662a

Then again, unfamiliarity wasn’t limited 20ba921c7c to just this.2620959fdeac24b9

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“…Ah.”fabbbc78aa1750e7

The heels she had 41b0782605 borrowed from Mrs. Sung-eun’s daughter kept slipping off.421113e31795dfc3

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She thought a one-size bfdd3866b1 difference would be fine, 8dd55797d9 but even gripping with fd1861f86d her toes, she couldn’t be09aa9355 stop the back of bc15c542ee the shoes from rubbing 4d3f6cd32f against her heels.84d2d3bc6188d7b4

At least she 6e0bb740a7 was immune to 49dabe9093 foot pain.1cc2856412c19dd1

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Ballet had once pushed her b3c9a8a59d to the point of nearly 3c06adb9b8 losing toenails, so a little 35e40b4285 chafing and blistering were nothing.e5eba2b7fca0c766

“Breathe.”941d4447dc40f915

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Don’t be nervous.7b3afcc028abebee

Even after transferring subway lines 37cd1cb4ae twice and arriving at the da64e0a984 meeting place, the tension remained.881432ef31905bd0

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She hadn’t been 31e1c64b5b this nervous even e7d3e7661b before a competition. If she had known ae8c646bf9 it would be this cd5e6e88f5 bad, she would have cc75fb216d taken something to calm 1080083f73 her nerves. If she hadn’t skipped 9e48f0f422 breakfast and lunch due 8bb934508e to the anxiety, she de99fecd92 would have likely ended aa1f01c8c3 up with an upset c85de212d3 stomach.4de2cc83077c62b3

“Hoo….”8de57cad312045eb

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Taking another deep breath, she f82ce640b6 looked up at the towering 7f172a8a28 office building before her.1218df7ed8933da9

She had no 96ba83972c other options—this was bbb57879d5 the only way.d1d8a777da4cab50

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There was no turning back.88c0e8abc6e1ec10

There was a reason she 5b37c4f54d had to come here, why 0802d98190 she had no choice but 643526aed0 to come.0bf2753025409c91

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✉️: Seongju Hotel, Café Lounge, this weekend, 7 PM. I arranged this meeting. Are you going to 52c7d0c9fb refuse again?4f3dca6c6b31cb3f

✉️: Fine. Do whatever you want.5033eacd43addb8f

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The will had a 0fac40113b clause stating that Go 9525e9a75c Eunjae could not be cf1a4d5e1a forced into marriage.9f45d4e527bb0979

Since coercion could lead 7d854c098d to legal complications, Choi f68f56efdc Anna had restrained herself, b50bdfd422 taking a more passive 5ac1f25a6c approach. But she was out 45717cc26a of time.f7f9e8993ac88f77

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✉️: Just remember this—I may not be able to kill you, but don’t you think I can at least sever your Achilles tendons?b059923972065e42

✉️: It’s your choice. Will you obediently marry 6bf9b30e45 the person you meet 024abb3b54 there, or will you 8e50d96cb6 be dragged into the 7015948d81 wedding hall with your e7b8763d95 ankles torn apart?da0f98455874d6a0

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Choi Anna, who had been e9c17dd132 forcing her into marriage, was 22b568b1c0 now tightening the noose around 1d789d9367 Eunjae’s neck in a different 6151982180 way.f894b21f0aa57694

The cruelty of threatening 81c6d0af4c to destroy a ballerina’s 25dad3ded5 ankles broke her resolve, 599358b70e and the tears she 129da65571 had been holding back 4c3cf7535e finally spilled over.b66b4b7fb3d9d39a

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After Choi Chihyeol’s death, 7801692d2c there was nothing left 13fe9e4a66 in the world to f5beedaf47 stop Choi Anna—except, unexpectedly, fc1d4b234d her own son, Lee 2ed9317c2b Noa.10dde6eaa4d53845

As much of a tyrant 00574ca98d as she was, she still 261e513c1b wanted to be a ‘reasonable e901dc3830 mother’ in Noa’s eyes. How laughable.484babac0954f854

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Somehow, Noa had found 0dba10098a out about the arranged f81a89a333 meeting and had shown af72d3fbba up to ruin it, 7ec721d654 openly condemning his mother’s 79cdb5a0c3 outrageous behavior.9ec118f42eeaf61c

Choi Anna had done, 02c384b9a0 was doing, and planned 7aed7a8028 to continue doing countless df6809dd5a things that defied common e682fe43b9 decency. But at that moment, ce81264eb3 her priority was placating 949ea81912 Noa.6ef06d374c9c59df

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“Noa, listen to me for a second.”77f258e935bac4fd

“How could you do something so horrible? I never knew d126f96355 my mother was 7a2011129c this kind of 4535f459ca person!”582e33b7cfab118e

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That was a blatant lie.2e6476ab01f2aaf2

Noa knew everything.c8e780276772238c

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He had just chosen c9a8e39b5e to ignore it because 3f76193bd0 it didn’t concern him.60f7a12672da0911

But Go Eunjae’s marriage? That was something he 2177a57df6 could never allow.b27361945a197d21

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“If you force Eunjae to marry, I will never see you again.”3a215d1efab12c32

With that declaration, Noa ran 6ad568435e away from home for the 20652adae6 first time in his life. And it worked.3636ffdc40e18d7e

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He left behind his acbbab1291 credit cards and all ce52b7a968 his cash, disappearing straight e451b4e4d4 to a construction site 77e3910cce to work. Having always been gifted in 509bbb2f2a physical activities, he had mastered 56be2d6fab all sorts of sports since fef65bc85a childhood.cf35f7100fcde86f

In the end, fb51414178 Noa didn’t return c54d956c88 home until he 742e7c0582 had forced Choi 760d21c907 Anna to sign f2c15996e1 a legally binding 7aecced71f agreement.eadd2c7a8ea0d3bf

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He was gone d05b5d42cb for forty hours.ac8497c50ee69fb7

Thanks to him, Go Eunjae f100747481 no longer had to endure 83473b197b forced blind dates.8b9f1d4dc546c425

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But the real 4bff64758f problem came after b3a2021682 that.9c958e544a6f70ea

Out of nowhere, 815912da7d Choi Anna, who 4cd6fc9030 had been unusually 15f95e1e7d quiet, called her. Speaking in an unsettlingly dff03d0ccf sweet voice, she asked b4bd6798bf about Eunjae’s grandmother.19202d3baf2372a4

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—How’s your grandmother doing?389a1676ce4f98f6

To Choi Anna, Eunjae’s dd146e5960 grandmother had always been e73ffc5eb4 nothing more than Choi 29ad6b5a9e Chihyeol’s concubine.a21f13613995268b

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Even though the old man 63465b2ce4 had firmly denied any such 4e34995db5 relationship, Anna had never believed 672981c67f the words of a father 12f9c7c366 who had fathered two children ed289320a6 with a woman who wasn’t 1b7c63f38b his first wife.1321400a77964ff4

Since the day she 508be1e645 suffered a stroke, Eunjae’s c2dce54d81 grandmother had neither improved 53d06afdf7 nor worsened.e4a1448885aa30b5

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—Did you hear me? How’s your grandmother?ee9ee1860612b32a

“…Why are you asking?”c8773ca6177b09c8

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Eunjae’s fingertips turned ice-cold 6cd8d43708 as she gripped her 015280d128 phone. The answer was obvious 2c3016fb78 with a little digging, 74fc4c0b42 yet the fact that 42cb0b0a2a Choi Anna was making 262205571b a point to confirm be650ee2bc it sent a terrifying f88aaa8145 shiver down her spine.4f307542ea080f29

—Isn’t it natural to ask? You’re such an ungrateful child.8208dd9a080c9840

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“……”04628214225fc5fe

—I thought you were a devoted granddaughter, but maybe you find your grandmother burdensome too?04cea0cb770dda12

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“…That’s not true.”e2442ca8efc3f17f

—Oh? Then how come you a1700d70eb didn’t even notice that 33d42f29db she was transferred to b1d2c77ba4 a different hospital?3f1c9e79b8e4b1e3

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Eunjae bolted from her 225f473333 seat and ran.570bfba12728adbb

Even after she 719aeef970 had hung up, e7f19f31d7 Choi Anna’s laughter 51393bdd3e echoed in her 92365c0292 mind, refusing to 6600b6b188 fade.e791aedfdf0ffcdd

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