On Bended Knee

"This isn't what you promised me."

The next day, Eun-jae went to Mi-jung's room.

She had even turned down marriage to Cha Mu-yeol, believing Mi-jung's word that she would let her leave this house. And now she wanted to marry her off into another family? It struck her like a bolt from the blue.

"I was going to. But what am I supposed to do? It's the chairman's will."

"Mother."

"I've been wanting to say this for a while. Stop calling me that. What kind of mother am I supposed to be to you?"

Mi-jung's face twisted with genuine revulsion as she spat the words.

A sigh slipped through Eun-jae's lips at the sight of her—Hong Mi-jung, who had now stripped away even the last remaining mask.

As if anyone wanted to call her Mother.

But she could hardly address her as "ma'am" or "Mrs. Hong," either.

"Well, now that I think about it, it might not be so bad. I'll look into a match with a family that could be of use to the chairman."

"Please, just let me leave. I'm begging you."

Eun-jae lowered her head and pleaded. This house was already suffocating enough; she had no desire to be bound into a political marriage between families. Now that her true circumstances had come to light, she wouldn't be able to connect with any respectable household anyway—just as Mi-jung had said.

If I had known it would come to this, I would have simply closed my eyes and married Cha Mu-yeol. Regret washed over her in a wave.

"That's no way to ask for a favor. You'd have to get down on your knees and beg before I'd even consider listening. You bow your head once and expect me to grant it? How shameless you are."

The eyes of Eun-jae, her head still bowed, trembled violently.

She bit down hard on her lip, hesitating for a moment.

All she needed now was to get out of this house.

If she thought of it as the final step, there was nothing she couldn't do. Slowly, Eun-jae rose and knelt before Mi-jung.

"I'll live quietly. I won't be of any use to you anymore, anyway..."

A surge of emotion caught in her throat, and her words trailed off. After steadying her breath, Eun-jae flattened herself even lower at Mi-jung's feet—hoping, at least, that it might improve Hong Mi-jung's mood even a little.

"Haa, this is such a headache. I don't even know if the chairman will allow it."

She could hear the delight ringing through Mi-jung's voice. Eun-jae's hands, planted on the floor, curled into fists.

"Still, you ought to pay back what it cost to raise you. The money spent on you is enormous. Food, piano lessons... Ugh. I can't even calculate it all. Thinking of that, shouldn't you at least be of some help to the chairman by getting married?"

"......"

She had even gotten down on her knees. It was utterly despairing.

As she listened to Hong Mi-jung, Eun-jae realized the truth. It had been her own delusion. From the very beginning, Hong Mi-jung had never intended to grant her request.

"Still, I'll take your admirable devotion in kneeling into consideration. Since you even came back after refusing CEO Cha. I'll make a very spe.cial. exception."

Deliberately breaking the syllables apart, Mi-jung drew her lips into a satisfied smile.

Looking at Go Eun-jae kneeling before her filled her with vicious satisfaction. The girl had been a thorn in her side, and watching her plunge into the abyss like this was the perfect cure for ten years of pent-up bile.

"But you should go on a few matchmaking meetings. I need some pretext to take to the chairman, don't I? I have to show that I arranged the introductions. Go to them and refuse. After you've turned down a few more, you can say you really can't do it, and I'll let you go. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

At last, a tear fell onto the back of her clenched fist.

Eun-jae bit down on her lip, struggling to swallow her tears.

"Haa."

Mu-yeol furrowed his brow and let out a sigh.

He was already swamped beyond measure when a call had come in yesterday afternoon from Seon-ju, who had been in America.

Seon-ju, who had gone to visit her younger sibling in America, had sounded like she was dying. Or rather, she had been putting on a dying voice. It had been closer to a decree than a request. Mu-yeol knew perfectly well what this was. Ever since that marriage-related incident, his own chilled attitude toward her had been eating at her, and now she was throwing a tantrum like a child.

"What a headache."

As Mu-yeol muttered, leaning his head back against the headrest, Seung-yu, who had been watching his expression, spoke up carefully.

"Shall I get you some headache medicine?"

"Yeah."

"One moment, sir."

Seung-yu took advantage of a stop at a traffic light to open the glove box and take out the painkillers. Then he hurriedly unscrewed a water bottle and held it out toward Mu-yeol.

"Here you are."

Mu-yeol took it, tossed the pills into his mouth, and swallowed a mouthful of water.

He was on his way out, having postponed a scheduled meeting because of Seon-ju's tantrum.

He had things he needed to say to her, besides.

"I'll wait up ahead."

A short while later, upon arriving at Incheon Airport, Seung-yu quickly got out, opened the door, and bowed respectfully at the waist. Mu-yeol stepped out of the car, fastened the button of his jacket, and walked slowly toward the gate.

"CEO Cha!"

Seon-ju, who was already waiting, spotted Mu-yeol and raised a hand over her head to call him.

"Sir, you've arrived."

The secretary standing beside Seon-ju with the luggage greeted Mu-yeol. He gave a perfunctory nod, then took the bag from Seon-ju's hand.

"Why are you so late? Mom waited thirty minutes."

"The meeting ran long. You have Director Choi with you—you could have ridden with him. You know perfectly well how busy I am."

Even spoken in a rather chilly voice, Seon-ju paid it no mind. Linking her arm through Mu-yeol's, she pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.

"I told you. I'm not well right now. The entire time I was in America, my stomach was so upset I couldn't even eat."

He had already confirmed everything through Seon-ju's secretary.

Sightseeing. Restaurant-hopping. She had been having a wonderful time.

Watching Seon-ju put on an act right in front of him, one corner of Mu-yeol's mouth twisted up at a crooked angle.

"So, CEO Cha. Um..."

Seon-ju drew out the end of her words. She had called him over and over despite how busy he was, laying the groundwork—and now it seemed she was about to bring that subject up again.

"Your father called again. He's been saying for a long time that he'd love to become in-laws with KH. Of course, Mom told him you don't want that."

Just as he'd expected. Not a single one of his predictions had missed the mark. Mu-yeol listened to Seon-ju in silence.

"But he just keeps bringing it up."

Mu-yeol lowered his gaze, a chilling light in his eyes. At her son's abruptly iced-over expression, Seon-ju gave an awkward laugh and opened her mouth.

"Then there's no problem, is there? You're becoming in-laws with KH Group either way."

"That's just you. Go Eun-jae turned you down, didn't she?"

"How did you know that?"

"Huh?"

"I don't believe I ever told you that Go Eun-jae refused."

Dismay spread across Seon-ju's face in an instant.

After meeting Go Eun-jae, Mu-yeol had not mentioned a single thing. What conversation had taken place. Whether Go Eun-jae had refused. Whether the marriage was off.

The fact that word had reached Seon-ju was proof that she had been in contact with that side again.