The Wound Compensation
Startled, Tae-yeon bit her lip. Her cheeks flushed red, but she forced her breath to steady. Yun-woo, who had been sucking on her empty breast for so long, began to whimper, then cry in earnest.
Hearing that sound behind her, Oh Jin-hee clicked her tongue.
“Ugh, as I suspected. The milk supply is low. Look at him crying while sucking.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Icheon-daek immediately went to prepare the formula and took Yun-woo into her arms. As soon as the nipple was placed in his mouth, the baby began to swallow with loud gulping sounds.
Watching her grandson eat so well, Oh Jin-hee smiled. Her face clearly showed what a grandmother’s love for her grandchild looked like. The only one left out in this scene was Tae-yeon, who sat pretending to be fine.
Once more, Oh Jin-hee clicked her tongue at Tae-yeon.
“What are you going to do about the milk that isn’t there? You still have to try. From now on, I’ll send some pig’s trotters that are especially good. Chew them thoroughly and eat them, understand?”
“Yes.”
“Nothing beats pig’s trotters for increasing milk. I also ate a lot when feeding Hyun-seo. But even so, nothing beats a mother’s own milk for a child. Since it won’t come out at all, you have to force him to suck.”
“Yes. I will remember that.”
Watching Tae-yeon answer with such humility, Oh Jin-hee sighed with disappointment but said no more. She doted on Yun-woo for a long time before leaving. When her mother-in-law turned to go, Tae-yeon let out a long sigh. Then Icheon-daek came over and spoke.
“The great madam isn’t the type to give things easily. Still, since she loves Yun-woo like this, of course the madam must be pretty too.”
Something could not be covered no matter how hard you tried to cover it. What was more terrifying than not saying a word or giving even one glance was that expression.
“Yes, she must be pretty.”
But Tae-yeon showed no reaction. After all, she was just the madam. Her husband wasn’t hers either. What could she possibly do about the mother-in-law? She was simply the chairman’s wife who was like the sky to her. A single publicity team deputy. A person she would never even face. So there was no reason to feel hurt.
Around eleven at night, Choi Hyun-seo entered the bedroom. Seeing him, Tae-yeon shot upright.
“Good evening, Director.”
“Didn’t you say the same thing in the morning? Is that all you know how to say?”
Choi Hyun-seo’s lips curled up in mockery. Tae-yeon lowered her head.
“Yes. I will correct that.”
“Correct? It’s not like you’re in the army….”
Choi Hyun-seo laughed out loud. Tae-yeon turned her head, embarrassed. She had spoken with such restraint, yet he was mocking her. Her heart ached. It seemed there really was too wide a gap between them.
“Um, Director, what brings you here?”
He had never entered the bedroom before. Being alone with Choi Hyun-seo, the man she had secretly loved for so long in this highly private space, made her heart race wildly. Standing opposite him beside the bed and looking up at him, the dim bedroom lighting made him appear even more mysteriously handsome.
It seemed love itself was cruel, or perhaps it was simply addiction. The heart that habitually and repeatedly jumped toward him could only be made to stay still with a sharp rebuke.
The heat rising to her cheeks made her shoulders want to press against her ears. Just as he said,
“Are you feeling feverish? Your cheeks are a bit….”
His gaze fixed on her cheeks. Tae-yeon shook her head vigorously. Then he shifted his eyes to her own. Their gazes locked deeply. Her heart began to race even more, but his calm, dry voice pulled her back to reality.
“I heard Mother was here and gone today.”
“Yes. She came and went.”
“She was worried because I had made a rude request and asked her to see your chest a little. She was afraid you would be upset.”
He was referring to asking her to show her chest so her breasts could be seen a little. Recalling the situation that was hard to put into words brought a wave of shame. Tae-yeon answered with a firm expression.
“Yes.”
“Did it hurt?”
“No. I’m fine.”
She had no desire to bring it up again. The red face of Yun-woo who had been sucking on her empty breast flashed before her eyes. He had sucked hard, but nothing came out, so his face turned bright red and he wailed in distress.
“Why? Say you were hurt. If I say you were hurt more severely and more, the compensation could be larger.”
“Compensation?”
“You don’t understand what I’m saying?”
Tae-yeon had never imagined that compensation would include such a thing. She simply stared at him without reacting.
“It’s in the original contract terms. If you’re hurt because of our family members, we’ll compensate.”
“Oh, yes. I’m fine. It was bearable.”
“Did you really live like that, enduring everything?”
“Don’t endure it. Make the claim.”
What exactly was he asking her to claim? How could she convert being ignored into money?
“Is that possible?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Can you convert being hurt into money?”
“That sounds like you’re saying it’s very expensive.”
“Just calculate it yourself. I don’t know how much it would be to turn the act of ignoring and neglecting the milk cow raising my grandson into money.”
“I’ll calculate it properly and deposit it into your salary account.”
He drew a clear line and spoke.
She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him to comfort her. Her deep heart was surely saying all that. But Tae-yeon turned her gaze away and said something else.
“Will you be sleeping in the study again?”
“The study seems fine. The bed isn’t that small either.”
“Yes. Then good night. Sleep well.”
Cutting the situation short, Tae-yeon’s greeting made him nod silently and leave the room without hesitation.
Was she really so unattractive as a woman that he hadn’t even given her a glance before leaving? In truth, considering what had been done, the chairman’s wife who had come and gone today was probably less than Hyun-seo.
After all, everything was a contract. Was he all right? Was Yun-woo’s real mother still alive?
She could not ask, but she would find out a few days later that Yun-woo’s mother had died. He came to work wearing a black tie, and a few days after that the tie had changed. Yun-woo’s mother had died.
***
Rain was falling. A rain that added to the heat. If this rain stopped, many rose petals would fall.
Tae-yeon stood by the window holding Yun-woo and watched the rain come down. The roses were being drenched by the rain.
“How pitiful.”
Watching the expensive Juliet roses standing in the rain as they were, Tae-yeon stroked Yun-woo. Immediately after, Icheon-daek came over and expressed concern.
“Little madam, if you hold him too long your wrist might not work later.”
“I’m healthy.”
“Don’t be so confident in your health. Well, you’re young, so it makes sense. But if you keep holding her because she’s pretty, it will be hard. It looks like nothing special when babies are held, but it isn’t.”
Yun-woo, who had been born too small to complete her pregnancy, had become a healthy baby who surpassed the average by her first month. Now at three months, he was a heavy baby with chubby cheeks.
“I have to burp Yun-woo. Let me have him, Little madam. You should rest a little too.”
Icheon-daek took Yun-woo, burped him, and carried the child back to the room.
Nothing had changed as time passed. Still, once a day she would feed her empty breast, raise Yun-woo with Icheon-daek, travel between households, and show Yun-woo to Chairman Choi and Oh Jin-hee.
To produce milk, we eat pig’s trotters, but even the smell of them makes her vomit. Still, Tae-yeon tried to eat them diligently. Their family relationship without noise was a contract matter, and Oh Jin-hee was obsessed with pig’s trotters. The only reason Yun-woo was growing so well was perhaps because she had continued to drink her own milk.
Wedding preparations had begun. Everything proceeded according to Oh Jin-hee’s wishes. The only choice she had was the dress.
“Today we’re going to try on the dress.”
“Will Director come with me too?”
“If there’s a groom who doesn’t go to try on the bride’s dress? We must remember that we’re outwardly a loving couple.”
“Yes.”
Tae-yeon had thought choosing a dress would be simple. After all, it was a fake one; she could wear anything. But unexpectedly, he was picky about the dress.
Thanks to that, Tae-yeon had to try on and remove the dress many times. Some had necklines that didn’t suit her, some were too loose, some too tight, some had too much exposure. For countless reasons, Choi Hyun-seo rejected the dresses.
She had never imagined such a demanding man existed. As time went on, Tae-yeon’s rebellious spirit rose. Was he doing this just to torment her?
“Director, almost everything looks pretty.”
“Almost?”
His eyes narrowed. He came closer and whispered in Tae-yeon’s ear so the shop staff nearby could not hear. Anyone would think he was whispering love. But the content was far from love.
“This is the Miwoo Group’s signature performance. Have you seen the guest list? Do you know how many people are working hard to carry out the wedding properly? Do you not know that the highlight of a wedding is the wedding dress?”
How could she not know? It seemed this man had no understanding at all of why she was making it so difficult. It was an unavoidable thing if she had to work under a boss who lacked empathy.
“Yes. I understand.”
He looked her over carefully in the tube-top dress and pointed his chin toward the sofa.
“Sit down. You must be tired. But since we can’t do it halfway, come and sit.”
“Yes.”
He told the staff.
“My beloved bride seems tired. Let’s take a short break.”