PD Ch7

“I can go alone. Go inside.”5c56b1b37515696a

“You don’t know Seoul very well. I’ll take you.”2167ac679948685c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“It’s okay. I can take a taxi.”4b8a7628a6c01f03

“Why take a taxi when there’s a car? Get in. I have to go too. It’s on the way anyway.”c81e5134fb1a5241

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

If I dragged the 6b245f59ca conversation on any longer, 6866aeb621 my mother would notice 9ea627b021 something. I had 02df5f5964 no choice 6ff1b5e2e3 but to 538784182a close the f3c34e5fef door I a5bbe98bc5 was about e3c7955e78 to get 0c1360fda7 out of cb9b2fe0cd and lean 47349b0bd3 back uncomfortably a835128e24 in the 47abcbfec4 back seat. My mother 07f918876f looked back eb1bbae571 at the e2a80e14fa man with 2daa1ed79f a slightly 2e5a2f22a1 regretful look, 46b24187de kissed him 341685adc7 on the 9fa2c819ac cheek in 2c8a7a36d0 the American 4133eba755 style, and 3de7cf3c8c got out 8b84118bc3 of the 0bfc244b5a car. She waved 75d083a9f4 her hand a72d1b04e2 confidently and e0f682ac3c beautifully, like ba9ee4591c the mistress 561fda0fe3 of this 08e2694ab3 hotel, and 18c4aa3a97 disappeared into 5111568d77 the hotel 0cd9858f34 lobby.eafa68325323d308

“Sit in the front.”6da7e35d63d03024

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”4b48c2a7a014ef99

“Let’s talk for a bit. Huh?”0872aeed673b9083

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…”9261f7948e5e3daa

The man sighed lightly at me, who was only looking out the window and not saying anything, and then started the car as if he had given up. The sedan smoothly circled and exited the hotel’s main gate, entering the road.32ec40d0402d3318

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Perhaps because of 5dcfbd3671 the high density 96fdc1b8ef of people and 54b3c99d74 buildings, the night d1481030c7 view of Seoul ef01f16347 was splendid. I sat gloomily, b584bd9c5c looking at the 8ee5fb775e burning night view. Colored lights f7a8100a17 passed over 4be9ed6362 my face 37289d4cc7 as if f3269fe6ec brushing against 626737f0de it.2412f9019d60ae1f

“I’m really grateful to Grace.”5a0ffd875ac33e33

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”887af88e157f2d65

“Because she let me meet you. When I first saw you, Junghyun…”7333df508940d958

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Stop it.”30cf08737ac0941c

I cut off the man’s words like a knife with a cold voice. The man swallowed hard and stared at my face in the rearview mirror as if stealing glances. Even though I wasn’t making eye contact, I could feel his gaze so clearly that it was almost blatant. It felt like a bug with many legs was crawling on my face.733c2884aa2e1717

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I was tired. I was so 3392c8a6c7 exhausted that it c76ff5c708 was hard to 69e13cb1d8 even speak. I was drained of 81a7596795 energy, and my voice 9ea8feac8e had no strength.97ced7beae6683f4

“…Mom wants it. I’m enduring it because Mom wants it, because she likes it. Our mom is so snobbish and calculating that even I, her child, am ashamed. She doesn’t like you; she needs your money. So, deceive her well. If you ever look at me with those dirty eyes again, I won’t go into that house.”7ebed784b1cbf3dc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was a sound that was unclear to whom it was directed. It seemed like I was saying it to myself to rationalize my actions of allowing their marriage, and it also seemed like I was saying it to the Father in heaven, who no one could ever know but who was silently watching all of this. Even as I opened my mouth, rolled my tongue, combined words, and led out the words, it didn’t feel like I was speaking, and it didn’t sound like my voice.2301015d30508253

“I’m sorry.”1677bcf4a87a20e9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“If you know you’re sorry, don’t act like a crazy person.”09e9fd34a138c418

“…”dee7ed03d6f06abf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He didn’t answer. It seemed like he meant that he would take any gesture I wanted without hesitation.bd5c1fcb290e22d1

“It feels disgusting to do this.”5119fbe9fc9f09ed

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was a complicated cce42bc274 feeling. A man 19a8a20811 who wanted 841643f8fa to keep b421f35eb8 me close, ce30001ce1 so he cb8f71c145 was deceiving bb6d39fbb6 my mother 2ef591ce2f and trying 9e3a264b60 to remarry. It felt like a 6b510d46b1 stepfather and stepson having e77642efbe a secret rendezvous in 11af3e0626 a dark place, leaving 6b0057a003 the woman out of 5c193da643 the picture.2dfeb617429b10aa

The man didn’t say anything more. The sedan sped along at a steady pace on the road, past rush hour, and arrived at my friend’s officetel where I was currently staying. As I got out of the car, the man quickly followed, calling my name as if desperately trying to catch up.eda28d534ab770c2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Junghyun.”3b3731cbff90a3a6

“…”98f9971455ca4596

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’ve never felt this way as a man before.”b2dfe3b1652be8d7

A cold laugh escaped 8355814abd me. Without even turning baa0630cc1 to look at 56ea01082d him, I said 0d0c21b0b5 quietly.64ef54b233fc3eb3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Is that so? I’m flattered. Should I spread my legs for you?”23e0747d81058cd5

“Just know that. That’s all I need. Because she’s your mother, I will do my best for Grace. Just stay close.”9ded636e19cb526f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”ff7db7148f4c63df

His eyes were 43a91d1cc5 full of adoration, 076afd153d as if just 7cb21f0c9f breathing the same 3d5a976671 air as me 5901235ce8 in the same 4a4301cafc space was an 6b5953bf1b honor. It was the d761cb7fb6 recklessness of my ac192faebf stepfather that frightened 7167f61936 me.4a36d8d413ab04e2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As if I hadn’t heard anything, I bowed my head politely, like greeting someone I had just met, and went up to the officetel. Arriving on the ninth floor, I looked down from the hallway window. The man’s car was still there. The man, now the size of a fingernail, was standing there as if rooted to the spot, craning his neck and staring blankly up at the officetel. A cold, icy sensation ran down my spine.448a5257d6483567

I entered the 3bc6386508 code into the 497f12e0a7 officetel door lock 5f8f5ae99e and went inside. A desolate 61f0f41d2f and gloomy 78a9e758bf darkness welcomed ab45e9f426 me. I leaned 7ab66e1f09 my back ff1eae2ea4 against the 1c4f128097 wall. As the 103a4ecaf5 tension released, 1668a68bf3 my body d9abffc58e slid down. I collapsed to 8a1caf5090 the floor. My head was c3717d15f2 a mess. Dirty, disgusting, and terrible, 5c4cef7d0c like hair tangled in 45cbe8e946 a drain.0457400b18320308

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I took out my cell phone. As I unlocked it, a blue light poured onto my face. I selected my mother’s phone number and stared at it for a long time.70cc7d15a6b784fe

It’s not too late yet. I have to stop her, even now.7aafb2e1481562e2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Knowing this, I just stared blankly at the phone screen, but I didn’t make the call. As I didn’t do anything, the light on the screen automatically went out, and darkness fell.827017450c0ea5e9

If you hated me so much, why did you raise me all this time? Why didn’t you just abandon me at an orphanage?9ad93af1c91c29dc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Then I wouldn’t have to hate Mom so much.ab7c8145813a470a

It would have been better if Mom wasn’t around.ed2d1b68f2efc866

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I buried my face 2e9485a191 in my knees and 5b0f048987 dropped the phone on d22d41f5d7 the floor.648a18b1bb6a8ea9

“What am I doing right now…”fddf711e0ade370e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I sat there without moving from my crouched position. The darkness slowly encroached on my curled-up body. It felt like I was barely clinging to an unstable slope, and my closed eyes felt dizzy. It felt like I was about to plummet into a bottomless abyss. My head and chest couldn’t rest, even hidden in the darkness. My whole body trembled anxiously, inside and out.2199a0d2028eec7b

Why did you e5d872974b give birth to 91fdb58437 me?59917e0bcf44fc35

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I’m your child, so why did you try to kill me?d4f1ff20b4acbe99

Just abandon me. Just abandon me…9420612aabba3cdc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

***551d1dff313a911f

They said they wouldn’t hold a separate wedding ceremony. The man and the mother exchanged platinum rings. It seemed the man had a widowed mother. They planned to keep the wedding simple, combining it with a meeting between the man’s mother, who relied on a wheelchair, and the maternal grandparents.da46dc85a01f0e1c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I didn’t go to the meeting between the families, using the work I received from Senior Hwang as an excuse. I read the book I received from Senior Hwang. No, I was supposed to read it, but I couldn’t focus at all.a7c233d9a1d04f18

I had to stop this marriage. The man, the woman, and myself. It was as if everyone was determined to be ruined. But I didn’t move an inch. Lying face down on the floor of the studio apartment, I just let things fall apart, frowning as I tried to cram unreadable characters, perceived as a combination of sequences and precise symbols, into my head. While listening to the quiet sound of destruction, I didn’t take any action.3a78f794e0353bed

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Time left 214c22e164 me alone 8f14e83f75 and ran 65aba33e7d on. When I looked 43bd83afa1 up, thirty minutes 1636ad68e6 had passed, and 57c1893be2 when I looked 8cb3b01665 up again, an 6c1eef2f6a hour had passed. I spent that time, 499c8a6987 when the man and aeb5eca4b6 woman announced they would d30417e3d1 live together in lieu 80cfcec566 of a ceremony, so a75b4d859a meaninglessly. All I did 07ad31480d was struggle tediously 656919e2c0 with the book d99fdef0ed and then doze 5b799068b4 off in the f5f5fad037 languid winter sunlight. When I finally answered 8cd78a2c83 the phone, feeling heavy 200df3abcd as I lifted my d90b002849 upper body at the 4c4853b988 sound of the vibration, e7107de441 it was already dusk 0075d69067 outside the window.098a2bfc00eb855d

“Yes…”9aa2715265c2b461

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

My heart sank that d8e80d62f3 I had answered without 05528a17e4 checking who it was. Fortunately, it was 4044f544be Senior Hwang. I sighed in e1a2cc05d4 relief and swept e61723e3e6 back my disheveled 0c34b343f9 hair.df4d7d583d4e8b72

“Yes, senior. I’m just here. No. I haven’t read many pages. I can’t focus.”18b0a6399e057e38

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Looking at the 76a1965e73 darkness outside the e79e860b08 large window of 1ec0383db6 the studio apartment, 926c7396e8 I trailed off. Senior Hwang f2badbc17b urged me c6160479a4 to come a26104fbf3 to his 950f50f411 new home, c95c8ad396 saying he d58e3d553d had a 03438b0adb room ready 4d8a2466b2 for me f7b14b4052 and not 446bd8cff9 to worry.2b9e849e188ad3c7

He must 35cccaefd5 be concerned b2c872cf6d about me. Someone was eager to 15320d26d8 kill me, but at b2f4a01668 least one person in b01fd0ce95 the world was worried 63115153d8 about me. I was grateful.ffc423a79614bde6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m really okay. Yes… actually, my mother remarried. I’m moving into that house.”fe292c57ca54b907

To be precise, my mother was getting married for the first time. She gave birth to me as a spinster and never married anyone. Or rather, she couldn’t. She was a virgin on paper too. I was registered under my maternal grandfather’s name when I was young. She was a single mother. I didn’t want to explain all that in detail, and my mother also naturally used the word “remarriage” in front of me as if she had been married once before. I also used the word “remarriage.” So, I and my mother were at the point of being confused whether this was a first marriage or a remarriage.aabe2373a99815c9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Unaware of the hidden, secret details, Senior Hwang thought my wavering was due to my mother’s remarriage and, with a relieved voice, chided me for being so upset over just that.eb3e33931b87650c

—So, you were down in the dumps because of your mother’s remarriage. What’s your new stepfather like? Do you know him?b91ad65c62cb20b6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I don’t know him well. And I don’t want to know.”8d303494fc4e996f

When I replied coldly, 56170f1eae he laughed loudly.0dd9fe33fa57cfb9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

—What is this, a teenage rebellion? Why don’t you want to know?7b395645740b0358

He teased me for being childish, taking my mother’s remarriage so poorly. I blinked slowly. The dark sky of Seoul was reflected dully in my eyes.69cd968e100533ce

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Because no one can replace my dad.”8bf0f4855ac11379

I said nonchalantly. Senior Hwang was silent d855d6d709 for a long time.b2c06321d0106478

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Hello?”539ed0f3f9be2fd2

Thinking the call had been disconnected, I looked at the screen of my phone. The seconds showing the call duration were steadily accumulating. I put the phone back to my ear and called out to him, “Hello?” Senior Hwang let out a shallow sigh.77ded2586fe18e20

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

—You know, you’re kind of hot when you talk like that.d24479e476afd430

“…Senior.”88abdd723ac1ef47

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

—I’m not kidding. I suddenly felt a little turned on.ef0b64f256e76272

“Senior.”642ed14b4aac0c0b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

When I a2974ece15 shouted at e1eec0af63 him not b63e198ae5 to joke 88df4a66f8 around, he 2e72d4cc98 just laughed, e101c0b7ba embarrassed.9c7a43ab0c842f06

—You really can’t do the job? Just read the book. It’s a good piece of work, you know?fc04f411c8fb27fc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At his question, which changed the subject, I looked down at the original text that I hadn’t even managed to turn a few pages of yet and sighed, inaudible to him.816586118bc1bdd6

“I’ll just try reading it. I haven’t decided yet. I haven’t signed a contract, have I?”9c4bb4b1043cbd5c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His continued urging felt like he was really eager to sign a contract with me. Whether it was genuine or just his overly kind consideration, I didn’t feel bad about the fact that my talent was being recognized to some extent. Rather, I was too shy to immediately say yes. I vaguely said I understood and would try, and then hung up. I put down my phone. My gaze was already fixed on the clock on the wall.2bf8de9feac4cd37

It was 54b254b266 all over 3ed17db418 now.f1d3ad08d3af55af

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator