Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 5
SCREECH-!
The black sedan came to an abrupt stop on the shoulder.
Her body lurched forward, but a thick, strong arm blocked her protectively, preventing any injury.
“Kwon Si-heon-ssi, are you alri—”
“What did you just say?”
How strange. To think this man could show this much emotion.
“I’m asking you. What did you just say?”
The brief contemplation ended as Ga-eun spoke while looking at Si-heon’s handsome but deeply furrowed face.
“Let’s stop living together.”
“…Why so suddenly?”
“I heard it. Your recent conversation with the Chairman at Jeongsimwon.”
Si-heon’s pupils dilated instantly.
Was Ga-eun at Jeongsimwon then?
Grandfather hadn’t mentioned seeing her.
“You called me insomnia medicine, didn’t you?”
Si-heon’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, veins bulging.
“You went on a business trip recently. You said you slept well because the hotel bedding was comfortable. Seems like you’re cured.”
“…”
“It was our condition, wasn’t it? That the contract would be terminated once you got what you wanted.”
Si-heon thought.
About wanting to silence those cruel, red, sensual lips.
Like that time.
“Let’s get divorced, Kwon Si-heon-ssi.”
* * *
6 months ago.
It was raining that day.
Si-heon was in the worst mood.
The doctor who had been prescribing his anxiety medication had leaked confidential information.
If his insomnia and trauma became public knowledge, it would weaken his position within the group.
He’d been especially careful since his uncle’s faction had been watching him warily after his complete return from the U.S. branch to Korea.
The shock and damage were even greater because this doctor had been treating him since he was twenty, since the day that incident occurred.
“Didn’t they say not to take in black-haired beasts?”
“Pardon?”
But Dr. Yu had gray hair.
Even old sayings couldn’t be trusted.
“Like a dog.”
At Si-heon’s words, both Chief Secretary Noh Man-su in the passenger seat and Kim Jun-min at the wheel pressed their lips shut and stared ahead with tense expressions.
“Who found out?”
“It seems it was passed to the chief secretary of Hwanhee Chemical Representative Kwon Jae-sung.”
“So Uncle found out.”
“…My deepest apologies, Director.”
Si-heon opened the center console box in the back seat, took out a cigarette pack, and put one between his lips.
He didn’t light it.
Just held it there, chewing.
“…”
At this sight, Noh Man-su and Kim Jun-min held their breath even tighter.
Si-heon took out his oil lighter from his jacket’s inner pocket and fidgeted with it.
So Uncle found out, huh.
Kwon Jae-sung had married off his cousin Kwon Si-jung, who was a year younger than him, early on and recently had a grandson.
The conservative old men, including Chairman Kwon Soon-yeol, still believed that having a family meant stability, and strongly insisted that such a person should lead the company.
What era did they think this was? Only ability should matter. This was exactly why they were called old-fashioned.
Even his relatively progressive grandfather, who tried to support Si-heon more, couldn’t completely ignore the opinions of Hwanhee Group’s founding members.
Si-heon wasn’t opposed to marriage itself.
He had long ago decided that when the time came, he would marry a woman from a family beneficial to the group.
Since childhood, he had agreed with his grandfather’s words that “the privileges enjoyed by the Hwanhee Group family come from fulfilling their responsibilities.”
But after that incident at age twenty…
Si-heon became unable to get close to women.
“I’ll kill you, no, I’ll die!”
“Save me, help me, oppa!”
Whenever any woman came close, a strong revulsion would rise and choke him.
Then the insomnia came.
At first, his head just felt fuzzy. His eyes were heavy. But he could endure it.
Being physically strong, he pushed through the first week with willpower, and after that with sheer spite.
But at some point, his mind started breaking down.
He became hypersensitive, as if nerve cells were sticking to the ends of every hair.
People’s voices would buzz in his head like noisy drums, his ears would feel blocked, irritation would build, and then rage would surge.
It took an extremely long time to calm down.
As days, weeks, months, and years passed in that state, his personality turned vicious.
He hadn’t been particularly pleasant before, but at least he knew how to smile sometimes.
But now he was just barren, like a desolate city.
