TDLWFJ 02

Chapter 2

Six months ago.

Hari was Hari—but she wasn’t.

What that meant was, she wasn’t Ahn Hari of the Joseon era, but Jung Hari from modern-day Korea.

At the time, Hari was falling.

From South Korea’s top divorce lawyer… to the disgrace of the legal world.

It started with a colleague’s betrayal.

While handling a high-profile divorce case involving an enormous alimony settlement for a chaebol family, her office manager—someone who had worked with her for over ten years—took the evidence and defected to the opposing side.

He falsely testified that Hari had collected evidence illegally. On top of that, he spread rumors that she had violated confidentiality agreements.

Every claim he made was a lie—except for the parts where he gossiped about her private life. But people, blinded by even a sliver of truth, began to accept all of his lies as well.

Hari’s reputation plummeted. She was forced to withdraw from the case for failing to properly secure the evidence.

“Because of you, companies are turning their backs on our firm one after another. We can’t protect you anymore. Leave Kang & Kang.”

As the situation escalated, even her trusted superior abandoned her.

That part was fine.

If you fall, you just climb back up.

Hari had grown up in a violent household—her mental resilience was stronger than most. Something like this couldn’t break her.

What did break her… was something else.

“You’re the reason my child’s father died! Bring him back, you murderer!”

The very woman who had once begged for a divorce now blamed Hari—after receiving alimony and custody from her cheating husband.

It would’ve been better if it had ended there.

“You bitch! You think you can ruin someone else’s family and live happily? Die!”

Even the man who had been divorced for abusing his stepdaughter came to harass her.

If there’s a god, this isn’t right. I’ve tried to live a decent life—so why is everything collapsing like this?

For the first time since becoming a lawyer, Hari resented the heavens as she fell asleep.

And the next day, she woke up inside a fictional novel set in a Joseon-like era, titled “To Love and To Resent.”

In a life where she didn’t believe in gods, something else intervened—possession.

It was shocking… but not unwelcome. Because…

Before she knew it, Hari and Maldong had arrived home.

She had a house in Hanyang now.

A large and impressive tiled-roof residence—the kind you’d see in historical dramas belonging to a noble family.

The kind of house where, if you called, “Is anyone there?” a servant would come running, bowing, “Yes, my lady.”

Just looking at it was enough to make her feel full.

If I convert this into modern Korean real estate prices… how much would this be?

Hari chuckled to herself when a maid ran up and bowed deeply.

“My lady, you’ve returned? Please come inside. The master has asked to see you.”

“My father?”

Hari’s eyes widened as she turned to Maldong. Maldong drew a hand across his neck in a slicing gesture.

Over the past six months, Hari had done many things that a Joseon noblewoman absolutely shouldn’t do.

She walked around without a veil, skipped lessons meant for noble ladies—like embroidery and painting—and even ran away from them.

But the worst of all…

She had been offering divorce consultations and acting as a legal advocate.

No matter how fictional the world of “To Love and To Resent” was, it was still Joseon. There were values that had to be upheld.

Male superiority, class hierarchy, strict social order, Confucian ethics…

In short, meddling in other people’s marital affairs was forbidden.

Women gossiping while doing laundry was acceptable—but formally advising them and pushing matters into legal disputes, like Hari did, was practically a provocation against the entire system.

And she wasn’t just anyone—she was a noble lady.

Moreover, her father was the Chief Inspector of the Office of Censors, and once the Crown Prince’s teacher.

In other words, the ultimate Confucian scholar.

Of course, he disapproved of her actions. It was surprising enough that he had endured it for six months.

He must’ve thought I’d gone mad.

There had been a time when she couldn’t accept her possession and wandered in confusion—calling her father “mister” and acting completely out of place.

Just seeing her return to normal had made him grateful.

But six months had already passed.

It’s about time his “just stay alive” mindset changed.

Bracing herself to be severely scolded, Hari took a deep breath and headed toward the men’s quarters.

A shadow crossed her face.

It was darker than just not wanting to be scolded.

“Father, your daughter Hari has come.”

“Enter.”

At the permission from inside, Hari glanced at Maldong. He clenched both fists, silently cheering her on.

I’ll prepare your favorite sweets.

Reading his lips, she slipped off her shoes neatly and stepped inside.

As she opened the door, she saw a scholar as serene as an ink painting.

Sitting upright before a worn desk polished by years of use, he exuded quiet dignity. Just seeing him calmed Hari’s restless heart.

Her father, Ahn Jung-ho, looked at her.

Soon, his stern eyes softened like snow melting in spring, and his lips curved into a smile.

For a moment, it felt as though plum blossoms were scattering behind him.

“Flower-like middle-aged man.”

A phrase she had once seen in an online article came to mind.

She had thought it sounded strange—flowers and middle age didn’t seem to match.

But looking at Ahn Jung-ho, her mind changed.

Some people truly defied age.

“Hari, come sit.”

Snapping out of it, Hari sat down.

“I heard you went to the magistrate’s office today.”

He spoke the moment she sat.

“…Are you angry?”

She asked cautiously. From his tone alone, she couldn’t tell.

“Do you think I would be? Why?”

“…Because I’m a woman.”

Ahn Jung-ho gave a bitter smile.

“Then do you regret what you did today? If I tell you to stop, will you?”

Hari fell silent.

She could lie and get through this.

But she didn’t want to.

Because she knew how much he loved his daughter.

Memories from when she first woke up in Ahn Hari’s body surfaced.

Ahn Hari had originally been destined to die young.

She wasn’t even mentioned in the novel—a complete extra—but the moment Hari possessed her, she somehow knew.

Her fate had been short-lived.

But Hari’s presence changed that.

When she had been burning with fever, her father stayed by her side day and night, whispering endlessly into her ear.

“My precious daughter… my beautiful daughter… please just wake up. I’ll do anything for you.”

His love had seeped into her again and again.

He was a good father.

One who loved his daughter dearly.

So much so that during the chaos of war, he sent her away to the countryside with her brother rather than letting her be taken as a hostage.

A man who had always put loyalty and country above all else—yet for his family, he could cast aside even his beliefs.

That was Ahn Jung-ho.

Which was why she didn’t want to lie.

Her very existence, from his perspective, was already a lie.

“So you insist on continuing this legal advocacy? Even taking on divorce cases?”

At her silence, Ahn Jung-ho asked with a pained expression.

“…Is it not allowed? If what I’m doing harms your future or my brother’s…”

Then should I stop?

Both of them loved and cherished her.

Her father had abandoned his principles for her, and her brother had taken an arrow in her place during the war.

It hadn’t been fatal, but he had suffered for a long time—and even now, his arm hurt on rainy days.

Wow… Ahn Hari was really loved.

Her life was completely different from Jung Hari’s.

“Hari.”

Seeing her bite her lip, Ahn Jung-ho spoke.

“Do you not know what you should do?”

“I do. I should give up this work. Stay quietly in my room, study under the teacher you’ve arranged, read proper texts… and then…”

The longer she spoke, the darker his expression became. He even frowned, as if it was painful to hear.

“Enough!”

At the sudden shout, Hari flinched.

She stood as he approached her.

And when he raised his hand—

“Ah!”

Hari shrank back, clutching her head.