Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 26
However, they couldn’t reveal to people that Ga-eun was an illegitimate child.
That would tarnish their family’s honor.
The arrows of mockery would obviously point at her too, who had pretended to be real sisters for years.
So So-yeon took out all her anger on her half-sister.
Physical violence and verbal abuse had no effect.
But they’d lived together for years now.
So-yeon knew Ga-eun’s weakness all too well.
“How old was your aunt again?”
Seeing Ga-eun’s pupils shake at the mention of her aunt, So-yeon smirked.
It was moments like these that made living with this cursed illegitimate child bearable.
“Mr. Yang Si-mon, I mean. Isn’t he close to your aunt’s age? No, maybe closer to your dead mother’s? How old was your mother when she had you?”
“…Don’t talk about my mother.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ga-eun clenched her teeth.
Sure enough.
Slap-!
“What did you say, you worthless bug?”
Her head turned. Her cheek burned.
A few strands of hair fell, splitting her vision into pieces.
“Ga-eun. When I ask, you answer. Don’t talk back so arrogantly. Understand?”
“…”
“My mother and I took in bugs like you and your aunt. Not only took you in, but pay expensive hospital bills every year. In a private room, no less.”
They had to keep Eun Seon-mi hospitalized despite their complaints because they needed her alive to use Ga-eun.
If Ga-eun’s looks hadn’t been useful, they would have driven her out or gotten rid of her long ago.
“We’re spending expensive money to hide the existence of bugs like you. At least answer properly when asked. Can’t you understand that?”
So-yeon would become hysterical like this just from seeing Ga-eun’s face.
Just as So-yeon hadn’t chosen to be born this way, neither had Ga-eun chosen her birth.
At least, she hadn’t wanted to be born as the child of Gye Young-cheol , who had approached her mother pretending to be unmarried.
“I’ll tell you inside.”
“What, your aunt’s age? That there’s barely any age difference with Yang Si-mon?”
“…About the blind date results.”
“I already know. You’re getting married, right? How nice for you. Even born like that, you get to live comfortably by snagging a rich man.”
So-yeon spoke with a malicious smile.
“Dad said that man is almost like a second-tier chaebol with his real estate holdings. How could someone of your level even cross paths with a man of such status?”
She wanted to ask why So-yeon herself didn’t marry him if he was such a great catch, regardless of whether he was near-chaebol level or not.
But today too, Ga-eun swallowed her words, pushing them down deep inside.
“…Let’s go in, unni.”
“Don’t call me unni, it’s disgusting.”
So-yeon glared at Ga-eun and deliberately shoved her shoulder hard as she opened the door to the house.
Ga-eun followed So-yeon inside, used to this treatment.
“Is that my daughter?”
“Mommyyy.”
So-yeon threw herself into Woo Ji-hyang’s arms with an affected cute voice.
Ji-hyang, who had been smiling at her daughter adoringly, immediately hardened her expression upon seeing Ga-eun enter behind So-yeon.
“Why are you coming home together? I thought that one wouldn’t come home today.”
“Right? I thought she’d be spending her wedding night. Or maybe they already did it? He is getting on in years after all.”
“Well, he is in his fifties. His stamina must be declining.”
Even as she watched the mother and daughter making crude remarks while snickering, Ga-eun’s face remained unchanged.
She was used to it.
Everything they said about her was like this.
Vulgar, or base, or crude.
Ga-eun spoke without changing her expression.
“I have something to tell you.”
Ji-hyang cut her off as if she already knew what she would say.
“I’ve already finished talking with Director Yang before the blind date. They’ll take care of all the wedding preparations. I’ll choose the dowry, so you just pick out your dress. And don’t complain.”
Ji-hyang looked Ga-eun up and down with a disgusted expression.
“What an easy life. Just because you were born somewhat pretty, men do everything for you. Thinking you just need to lie down.”
“…”
“I wonder if you can maintain a proper marriage with that mindset. Get your head straight. Don’t bring shame to the family.”
“…I will get married. But to someone else.”
