Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 1
Click.
The metallic oil lighter’s lid shattered the silence.
Yet no smoke rose into the air.
The man only held the flickering flame before him, without lighting anything.
He merely chewed ruthlessly on the white filter.
The meeting place was a rectangular concrete building. Supposedly a place where industrial interior design stood out.
Just as he was thinking how they dress up something like an abandoned factory with such fancy words,
He heard them talking about his wife.
“You know what? Kwon Si-heon’s wife is just like wallpaper at our gatherings.”
“Wallpaper? The Hwanhee Group’s daughter-in-law?”
“Like a stone by the roadside. A doll shoved in the corner. A sack of barley borrowed for show. That’s exactly what she’s like, they say.”
“What? Why?”
They continued talking, never imagining someone might be right there, behind the bent wall they were leaning against.
“They can’t openly ignore her because of Kwon Si-heon and the Hwanhee Group. But they don’t want to associate with her either. She’s not on their level.”
Park Ju-seong smirked.
“But Kwon Si-heon, that bastard, he has no idea.”
A pause. Si-heon’s eyes narrowed.
He closed the oil lighter.
The sound was masked by Park Ju-seong and Jin Wu-hyeon fumbling in their pockets for their own lighter to smoke.
“Just recently, you know. Ju-yeon pretended to accidentally bump into her hard while turning a corner. Kwon Si-heon’s wife fell and sprained her wrist.”
“Hey, isn’t that a bit dangerous?”
“Ju-yeon thought she was done for, but she just said it was fine and left. Kwon Si-heon still doesn’t know.”
Ah. So that’s what happened.
Si-heon thought as he slipped the lighter into his pocket.
At that moment, what did Ga-eun say again?
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your wrist.”
“Ah… I sprained it when I caught myself wrong on the floor. It’s nothing serious.”
Huh. He let out an empty breath.
His wife hadn’t lied.
She just hadn’t told the whole truth.
Looking back, she had always been like this.
Not exactly hiding things, but not revealing everything either.
Just… that much.
Just like their relationship now.
“Look at today too. How quiet that bastard Kwon Si-heon is. You think he’d stay quiet if he knew?”
“True. He absolutely hates when people touch his things without permission.”
“Speaking of which, don’t you think it’s strange? He was like a germaphobe, pushing away all women, then suddenly marriage? And with someone from a family we’ve never even heard of?”
Click.
The sound of a lighter was followed by wisps of gray smoke rising in the air.
The acrid smell of tobacco filled the space.
Si-heon was still just chewing on the filter.
“There must be something going on.”
“Well… the marriage was unexpected.”
“Honestly, what does she have going for her besides looks?”
“I heard she has a good educational background? Though, it’s not like there aren’t other women with that level of looks, education, and family background.”
Park Ju-seong took a deep breath. The ember made a sizzling sound as it burned.
“I smell something fishy here.”
Jin Wu-hyeon doubled over laughing at Park Ju-seong’s words.
“Heh heh. Park Ju-seong, you bastard. I knew you’d be like this.”
“What do you mean, bastard?”
“Si-heon’s wife is exactly your type, isn’t she? An innocent face, elegant manner, but a seductive figure.”
Park Ju-seong didn’t bother to deny it. Instead, he exhaled deeply.
The smoke drifted through the air like morning mist.
“She is the type you can’t help but mess with. But this time, it’s not going to work. Given who we’re dealing with…”
Ju-seong’s voice rose with irritation.
“You always have to say things in such an annoying way. What’s so special about Kwon Si-heon?”
“Heh heh. Look at Park Ju-seong putting on airs. Hey, haven’t you seen that guy’s body? His shirts are crying for mercy. His arms and chest are massive. One punch from Si-heon and we’d be out cold.”
Unable to argue, Park Ju-seong just muttered curses.
“He’s not even a fighter. Why maintain such a body? That bastard makes the rest of us look puny.”
“Remember when we saw him at our hotel’s jazz bar? He looked more like a gang successor than the Hwanhee Group’s heir.”
“Can’t tell if he’s a chaebol or still a gangster.”
“Anyway,” Park Ju-seong spat.
“That bastard Kwon Si-heon definitely has something up his sleeve.”
“You’d better drop your interest in Si-heon’s wife. You’ll end up dead if you’re caught, you fool.”
“Dead? I bet they’ll divorce soon.”
“Si-heon’s complexion has improved since marriage. His condition too. And his performance? That already talented bastard grew wings. Maybe his wife’s giving him some advice or connections we don’t know about.”
“What else could she possibly give him besides one thing?”
Si-heon smirked, putting both hands in his pockets.
So, this is how they act behind my back.
