I'm Going Independent

Jin-sang raised his hand high once more, murderous intent blazing in his eyes, ready to strike again—but Hye-won did not dodge.

No matter how hard he pushed, this marriage was already water under the bridge.

A wedding that had already collapsed once—Jae-mun's grandfather, who had opposed it fiercely from the start, would never permit it again. What could a family of that stature possibly lack that they would take her back after enduring something like this?

It was a situation where even if she wanted to go through with it now, she no longer could.

Which meant Jin-sang's rampage was useless. That was enough.

This was exactly what Hye-won had wanted.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Still clinging to the marriage with Jae-mun, Jin-sang felt as if he were losing his mind.

He ought to be crawling to Jae-mun on his hands and knees, begging forgiveness until his hands became feet—yet Hye-won was still refusing point-blank without the slightest grasp of the situation, driving him utterly insane.

The small construction company Jae-mun had promised to hand over at year's end as a wedding gift, and the hope of using it as a springboard for a comeback—all of it was vanishing in an instant.

He had waited for this day alone, only for it to turn to foam in a single moment.

"I'm going independent now."

"You little bitch!"

This time a yellow kettle came flying from the side. Mo-wol, who had stepped out holding it to refill the water, had thrown it the moment she saw Hye-won.

Her head was struck so hard that stars flashed before her eyes, yet Hye-won did not so much as flinch.

She wanted to show them that she was not someone who would cower and collapse over something like this—not the way she always had.

"No matter how much you hit me or curse me, my mind won't change. Why do I have to marry a man I don't even want? I'm going to live my own life now."

"Ha! So after everything we've done raising you, you're just going to go off and live well on your own?"

Jin-sang let out a hollow laugh as if he could not believe it.

"I think I've done enough myself all this time. Rent, living expenses, even Hye-ra's academy fees—I've earned and paid for all of it for five years. I can't do it anymore. No—I won't."

Even as blood trickled from her forehead, Hye-won spoke firmly, her spirit unbroken.

"You're not seriously going to ignore my academy fees too, are you?"

"From now on, you handle that yourself."

"Are you crazy? Don't you know my exams are coming up soon?"

Hye-ra, who had been watching from the sidelines as if it were a fire across the river, jumped up in agitation the moment the sparks flew her way.

She was not even studying hard enough to worry about academy fees, yet she felt as if she were suffering some enormous loss.

The fees had never once been late. That had only been possible because they came from Hye-won's pocket.

If Hye-won washed her hands of them, they could not even guarantee this month's payment.

"I need to save up for tuition if I'm going back to school."

"Are you in your right mind? I'm a high-school senior. Does a senior have to worry about academy fees?"

Hye-ra frothed at the mouth as if she had entrusted money to Hye-won, acting thoroughly entitled.

"I started working part-time from the third year of middle school. I never once went to an academy all through high school because I was paying the living expenses."

"Who told you not to go to academy? You just didn't go. Why are you blaming us for that? Your personality is really weird. And my academy fees—you gave them to me. If you started, you should take responsibility to the end!"

Hye-ra argued with shameless logic without so much as changing her expression.

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm your lit—"

Hye-ra nearly blurted out "little sister" without thinking, but swallowed the words at the last moment.

"Are you putting on airs just because you paid a little for your sister's academy fees?"

Seon-sim, who had rushed out while making rolled omelets, raised her voice while still gripping the spatula.

Only at times like this were they sisters. Normally, even when Hye-ra called Hye-won "hey, you, crazy bitch," Seon-sim had never once said she shouldn't speak to her older sister that way. And now she was suddenly going on about sisters in a way that did not suit her at all, making Hye-won feel nauseated.

"How much is that supposed to be that you're making a big deal? Anyone listening would think you brought home a fortune."

When Seon-sim sneered, Hye-won shot back.

"Exactly. Since it's not much, you can just handle it yourselves from now on."

"Are you trying to play word games with me right now?"

Hoisted by her own petard, Seon-sim trembled her eyebrows, veins standing out on her neck.

Hye-won's words were not wrong, so her pride was mortally wounded.

Moreover, she was worried that Hye-won might actually leave the house.

In a few days the monthly rent was due.

Thinking they would cover it with the wedding-gift money after the ceremony, they had already spent even the rent Hye-won had prepaid.

"What is it with you? Did you get a man or something? Is that why you're like this?"

Finding Hye-won's changed appearance strange no matter how he thought about it, Jin-sang asked with suspicious eyes.

"It's not that."

"Why didn't I think of that sooner? I knew something was off. It's a man. That's it."

"I said it's not."

Hye-won got goosebumps at the way Jin-sang's eyes were turning like a madman's.

"You ran away from that mountain because you were head over heels for some guy. Who is he? What kind of family is he from? Better than Managing Director Kim?"

No matter how much she denied it, his expression was convinced she had a man. He even seemed to be hoping for it.

He looked like someone ready to switch to anyone, anytime, as long as they became a sturdy lifeline for him.

"Well, Managing Director Kim fell for your pretty face too. Guys' eyes aren't that different. Who is the bastard? Don't tell me he's broke? Even if he has no conscience meeting a twenty-year-old, he should at least have money."

"Please! Just stop."

Jin-sang's appearance—obsessed with money and thinking only of using his child for a big score—was disgusting.

She truly doubted whether he was her real father.

"I won't be getting married or anything like that in the future either. Don't think you can control my life as you please, Father. I'll pack my things and leave."

"I thought you came for the phone."

Mo-wol pulled Jun-seo's phone from her pocket as if revealing a secret weapon.

She believed the reason Hye-won had come home was obviously for the phone.

"Please take good care of that. I'll come get it soon."

The moment she saw the phone, Hye-won's heart sank, but she tried hard to look nonchalant.

She did not want to show even a hint of anxiety in front of them.

"Who said I'd give it? Is this yours?"

Mo-wol laughed as if it were absurd. It was a leisurely laugh, as if she held Hye-won's leash.

"Grandmother, you're doing this because you think it's mine, right?"

"Look at the way she talks. I'll pull out that tongue and kill you. Why don't you hurry up and apologize!"

Mo-wol had planned to subdue Hye-won with the phone as hostage, but when she did not even blink, she grew irritated.

"Grandmother will never throw that away. You know that without it, I have no more reason to come to this house. I'll save up ten million won and buy it. Take good care of it until then."

Hye-won went into the room. In her heart she wanted to kneel and beg to take the phone, but the fierce Mo-wol would never hand it over easily. She also knew Mo-wol would not throw it away. It was her grandson's only keepsake. And with it, she could control Hye-won.

She hurriedly began packing her things into an old school bag.

Her belongings amounted to nothing more than clothes for all four seasons that fit in a single drawer, a wallet containing her ID, and a few simple items.

Thinking she had to escape this hellish place at once, she hastily zipped the bag and turned around.

Suddenly her hair was seized hard—and then snip, a lock was cut away.

"Aah—what are you doing?"

A clump of hair fell to the floor.

"Where do you think you're going? This is your home."

Holding scissors, Jin-sang grinned like a madman and cut Hye-won's hair again.

"Stop it!"

Watching the arbitrarily severed hair fall, Hye-won grabbed Jin-sang's wrist, but the more she did, the harder he gripped.

"You think you can leave looking like this? You're pretty, though. Since your face is nice, you're still pretty even like this. Hahaha."

Madness swirled in the eyes of Jin-sang as he snipped away recklessly. He laughed, turning Hye-won's head this way and that as if pleased with his handiwork.

"I said stop!"

Screaming, Hye-won shoved Jin-sang's chest hard with both hands.

"Aagh!"

Drunk as he was, Jin-sang momentarily lost his balance, staggered, and toppled backward.

"You dare hit your father? You damn bitch who deserves to die—you want to die so bad you're going crazy? Fine, I'll give you what you want! You're really dead today."

As Jin-sang tried to rise, Hye-won snatched his phone from the living-room table.

"Just try coming closer! I'll call the police."

Hye-won shouted, showing the screen with 112 already dialed.

"What? Call the police? Huh! Has this bitch gone mad? After feeding and raising you all this time, you stick a knife in your parents' backs? You ungrateful bitch!"

This time Mo-wol scolded with veins bulging at her temples. Unable to do anything about Hye-won, she kept shouting "insolent bitch" while her hands trembled violently.

"Hye-ra, hurry and snatch the phone!"

Seeing Hye-won backing toward the entrance while holding the phone, Seon-sim grew frantic and shouted at Hye-ra.