Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 69
“Oh my, it’s time already. Sad to leave, but we must go. Director Woo, you have to bring me here again next time, okay?”
“…Alright.”
Mrs. Kim and Woo Ji-hyang left the Black Lounge for their appointment.
Woo Ji-hyang was undoubtedly the star of today’s gathering in the private room of Youngso Hotel’s Chinese restaurant.
“My goodness, becoming in-laws with the Hwanhee Group. It is that Hwanhee Group, right? Not some company from the provinces?”
“Oh please, you think Director Woo would lie about something like this?”
“Right, I can prove it. I was just in the Black Lounge with Director Woo.”
Mrs. Kim’s words drew gasps from all around.
“Goodness! Someone from our group has made it into the Black Lounge!”
“Director Woo, take me next time, okay?”
“Oh my, are we forming a line now? I’m next after her!”
“Oh please, we’re not children. Fine, fine. I’ll give out tickets, so go in order then.”
Woo Ji-hyang’s words sparked peals of laughter.
“Ah. How wonderful it would be to have a daughter like Ga-eun.”
“Indeed. A well-raised daughter is worth ten children—no, a hundred. To think she’s marrying into the Hwanhee Group.”
“Ga-eun grew up so well. She must have been easy to raise?”
“No, not at all. It was really difficult. So-yeon was easy to raise, being cute and affectionate, but Ga-eun was so cold and aloof…”
However, everyone seemed to dismiss Woo Ji-hyang’s words as mere modesty.
“No need to be so humble. To be honest, there’s quite a difference between the sisters. Director Woo was really concerned about that.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. That happens in many families. Mothers worry when the younger one outshines the first, but what does it matter? It’s good when anyone excels.”
“That’s right. Both of mine are hopeless. Ah, how wonderful it would be to have a daughter-in-law like Ga-eun…”
The praise and admiration for Ga-eun continued.
So-yeon was occasionally summoned only to serve as a foil to make Ga-eun shine brighter.
Though Woo Ji-hyang smiled as she received congratulations as the object of envy, she was seething inside.
Particularly unbearable were words like.
“You both raised your daughter so well? So well-mannered, such elegant bearing. You can tell she received proper home training from a young age.”
“…”
“Actually, I’m curious about something. Did you send So-yeon somewhere when she was young? Study abroad, or something like that? It’s just that, even for sisters, they’re so different.”
Woo Ji-hyang clenched her fist under the table. Her hand trembled with rage.
Good home training? Gye Ga-eun? That illegitimate child?
Meanwhile, her own daughter, born legitimately and raised with the utmost care, was being ruthlessly criticized as lacking compared to her younger sister and seemingly neglected in her upbringing.
“Actually, I was so shocked last time. You know, during our bazaar. When So-yeon suddenly complained about her leg hurting and threw her bag down, demanding a chair.”
“That, that was because So-yeon wasn’t feeling well! The day before, climbing up and down ladders preparing for the exhibition…”
“Oh please, I heard Ga-eun did all that preparation. Whenever anyone asked questions, So-yeon knew nothing while Ga-eun had all the answers.”
“I told you So-yeon wasn’t feeling well! Why won’t you listen to what I’m saying!”
The atmosphere froze when Woo Ji-hyang shouted.
“Director Woo, why are you being so scary?”
“Do I look unreasonable? What’s wrong with my So-yeon! It’s all because of that Ga-eun…!”
Seeing people’s eyes and mouths widen in shock, Woo Ji-hyang closed her mouth with an ‘oops’ expression.
“We, we were just praising Ga-eun because she grew up so well…”
“Right, praising Ga-eun is praising you. It means you raised her well. Besides, Ga-eun is today’s star.”
That’s when Song Hyeon-ok spoke up primly.
“But isn’t Director Woo’s favoritism a bit too extreme?”
