Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 36
“Your father personally sourced these at dawn. They’re large and wonderfully sweet.”
“Yes, Ga-eun. Try some. Mother will remove the stems for you.”
It was her first time experiencing such nice treatment from her father and Ji-hyang. The first time Gye Young-cheol and Woo Ji-hyang had called her “Ga-eun” so affectionately.
The unfamiliarity left her paralyzed, unable to react.
They too seemed no different from Ga-eun, wearing awkward smiles with forcefully upturned lips.
“Ha, seriously.”
Only Gye So-yeon remained unchanged.
Watching this amateur theatre performed by three—or more accurately, two—people left her too dumbfounded even to curse.
Since yesterday, her parents had become hostages to this illegitimate child whose very existence was impure and offensive.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand.
Father’s company was currently facing financial difficulties, and their breakthrough would be the Hwanhee Group—soon to be Gye Ga-eun’s in-laws.
Ha, the Hwanhee Group as in-laws? Was this even real?
It was infuriating. Her parents groveling before someone they’d ignored their entire life, all for something that wasn’t even confirmed yet.
“She could be running a scam.”
So-yeon’s blunt words brought an instant silence to the room.
“…What are you saying? Why would Ga-eun lie about something like that?”
“What if she’s putting on an act because she doesn’t want to marry Mr. Yang Si-mon? What if she hired a man who looks similar to make that call, and even staged those flowers?”
“…”
“Gye Ga-eun is smart, you know. Cunning, gloomy, and has lots of men following her. Maybe that’s how she got the hotel membership too?”
So-yeon spoke excitedly, watching her parents’ attention fix on her.
“Rather than living as that man’s second wife, wouldn’t she want to prevent it even if it meant doing something outrageous with unmanageable consequences?”
There was no need to explain what ‘something outrageous with unmanageable consequences’ meant.
It was about invoking the Hwanhee Group.
Yes, thinking about it, this would be Ga-eun’s best and most effective way to avoid marriage to Yang Si-mon.
“Mom, you kept her under strict surveillance. Saying her value shouldn’t drop by meeting just any guy.”
“…That’s right.”
“We only let her loose from a week before the matchmaking until the day of it. Could she really have fallen in love with the Hwanhee Group heir and promised marriage at that time?”
Young-cheol expressed his discomfort with an “Hmm.”
Perhaps… So-yeon might be right. No, she probably was right.
Yesterday, he’d been too mesmerized by the spectacle of endless flower arrangements to think it through.
‘An act? Hiring a man with a plausible appearance? Arranging the flowers herself?’
It wasn’t entirely impossible.
Turning to examine his wife’s face, he could tell Ji-hyang was thinking the same thing.
‘If that good-for-nothing girl fabricated lies to save herself…’
Young-cheol shook his head lightly.
“He said he’d come to greet us.”
“Dad!”
“When he comes, we’ll know. Whether it’s real or not.”
The situation was too desperate to blindly take So-yeon’s side as usual.
‘If it’s real…’
He found himself clinging to that slim possibility.
Besides, Ga-eun had never caused trouble before because of her aunt.
Surely she wouldn’t do something so outrageous.
‘Not when she knows what would happen to her aunt.’
Though momentarily swayed by So-yeon’s words, Young-cheol quickly collected himself and clapped his hands. “Come, come.”
“Let’s eat breakfast first. The food’s getting cold.”
“Dad!”
Ji-hyang silenced the agitated So-yeon with a look.
She shared her husband’s thoughts.
‘Let’s wait and see.’
If it proved false, there would be time enough for punishment then.
With Sun-mi in their grasp, surely she wouldn’t try to escape on her own.
Ji-hyang asked with affected kindness:
“When did Director Kwon Si-heon say he could come greet us?”
“I’ll discuss it with him today.”
“You’re meeting today?”
“I can’t meet him today. We’ll talk by phone.”
“By phone…”
Could So-yeon be right—had she hired someone with a convincing voice? Ji-hyang’s eyes flashed with lingering suspicion.
“We’d like to meet as soon as possible. Wedding preparations are no small matter.”
“Yes, I’ll talk to Si-heon about it.”
Ga-eun deliberately said “Si-heon,” using the familiar form.
Now, as doubt spread like wildfire in their hearts, she needed to remind them of her closeness to him.
As expected, Young-cheol and Ji-hyang’s expressions softened slightly at the intimate way she addressed him.
So-yeon’s reaction was the opposite, but there was no time to worry about that now.
“The strawberries look delicious.”
Because her marriage to him was real.
“It would be nice if Si-heon could eat them with us.”
Seeing So-yeon trembling and biting her lower lip at her words brought an involuntary smile to Ga-eun’s face.
“Have some too, sister. They’re fresh.”
Thanks to Kwon Si-heon, for the first time, breakfast with these people might not be nauseating.
* * *
Ga-eun headed to the garage.
Having just experienced the most satisfying and delicious breakfast since entering that house, she was in quite a good mood.
If only Ji-hyang hadn’t called out to her, she could have maintained this feeling.
“Hey, Ga-eun.”
