SDMT 06

Chapter 06

From the moment Eunjae discovered her mother’s unforgivable wrongdoing, every single moment became hell.

O Hyeju, Wookyung’s stepmother and Doyoung’s lady of the house, had been a deeply kind and generous person.

“Is it because Eunjae is the same age as my daughter? She’s so diligent and smart—so admirable. She’s beautiful. I just want to treat her well.”

Occasionally, O Hyeju would bring clothes or food. Back when Eunjae was a student, she even paid for the expensive school trips under the guise of a scholarship. She worked to ensure that Eunjae could receive the astronomical tuition for law school through the Doyoung Welfare Foundation’s scholarship.

Even more astonishing, she overlooked the fact that Wookyung and Eunjae were deeply involved with each other.

It should have been a situation where she was right to be angry—after all, a mere employee’s daughter had dared to pursue her stepson—but she didn’t.

“I’m not that old-fashioned, am I? I’m actually supportive of the two of them.”
“Chairman….”
“You know. Our Wookyung is practically a son I bore myself. As long as Wookyung’s happy, that’s all that matters.”

Instead of anger, warmth and consolation came through. She told Eunjae there was no need to bow her head for something she hadn’t done wrong.

“I respected Wookyung when he gave up succession of the group to go to law school. If his choice this time is Eunjae, I respect that too.”

O Hyeju became Eunjae’s protective fence. Thanks to her, even living a poor life in a detached house didn’t feel lacking. The consideration O Hyeju had shown was a debt that Eunjae could never fully repay in a lifetime.

And yet, the father and mother of the person she loved—the man she cherished—were involved in an inappropriate relationship. Not just once, but for years, all while deceiving everyone.

It was almost impossible to believe, and despair came crashing down.

Should she have been suspicious when her mother suddenly started spending more? When her mother began buying earrings, wearing necklaces, and dressing up, Eunjae had even cheered her on—foolishly.

After the shock came an icy, painful despair.

On the day she dropped out of the law school she had longed for, Eunjae cried so hard she could barely breathe. She resented herself for not being shameless enough to accept the Doyoung Foundation’s scholarship quietly.

The prosecutor she had dreamed of becoming—her ultimate goal—was gone. Just like that. So easily abandoned. It was hollow, futile.

But no moment of despair could compare to the pain of letting go of the most precious thing she had.

“Let’s just stop here.”

Her first love, sparkling and bright.

A crush so natural she didn’t even know when it began, like breathing.

A man whose heart somehow mirrored hers, who became her partner like a miracle.

The most beautiful and valuable thing she possessed. Her everything.

“I don’t love you anymore, oppa.”

She had to sever ties with Baek Wookyung.

Forcefully. Painfully. Desperately.

Her family had destroyed his. Her mother had hurt him.

She could not smile and hold his hand. She could not allow herself to cling to him. That was wrong.

After unilaterally ending things with Wookyung and fleeing the Doyoung household with her mother, despair was all that remained.

No sooner had they started fresh than her mother got scammed.

Persuaded by an acquaintance to start a side dish store, she co-signed a loan and ended up shouldering a huge debt her acquaintance had borrowed from a loan shark.

When her mother, who had been struggling in silence, tried to act maliciously, Eunjae managed to stop her—but not even tears came.

To repay the debt, she took on every odd job she could find and even attempted a prosecutor’s investigator position with just the knowledge from her single semester in law school.

One misfortune after another left Eunjae drained. Living through each dry, burdensome day became exhausting.

“…Let’s stop talking about it, Mom. I’m tired.”

Eunjae exhaled first, letting go of the pain of revisiting past wounds. There was no point in recalling things that only hurt.

“I’m sorry, Eunjae. I won’t fight with you again.”

Her mother hunched her shoulders, disheveled and pitiful, which made Eunjae’s heart ache even more.

No matter how badly her mother had acted, Eunjae could never abandon the one family she had.

The mother who had raised her stubbornly, even while being pointed at as the mother of an unknown child, could not be left behind.

So she chose to be the gullible daughter who simply covered for her mother’s faults. Since leaving Wookyung, her mother was the only one left on her side.

“Ah, tomorrow we’ll have to find jobs immediately. Mom has to pay off all the debts and get our Eunjae married!”

Watching Eunjae’s slightly softened expression, her mother quickly linked her arm with hers.

They walked deep into the alley and stopped in front of a small silver gate.

Behind that gate and a short flight down lay the modest home they shared.

“Ah, home is the best.”

Her mother flopped onto the bed as soon as they entered, clearly tense from the police station earlier.

“…Mom.”

Eunjae lay beside her, staring at the yellowed ceiling.

“Once we pay off all the debts, should we live abroad?”

“I’d love that! Where should we go? Which country?”

Hearing her mother’s cheerful chatter about hope, Eunjae covered her eyes with her arm. It had been an excessively exhausting day.

A week had passed since she applied for a department transfer, but no news had arrived.

Since the elevator incident, Eunjae had had no personal contact with Wookyung, which was a relief.

In fact, it was a peace she had earned through tremendous effort. She did her best to avoid him during commute hours, in hallways, or outside conference rooms.

Inside the office, she worked silently to avoid disturbing him in any way.

Even today, she spent the better half of her day carefully avoiding Wookyung.

But the last task of the day required her to work with him.

It was the criminal team’s entire investigation report meeting, conducted under the Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

“Eunjae!”

A familiar voice called as she walked toward the conference room.

“Ah, this… We’re at work. Investigator Jeong Eunjae, long time no see.”

From across the hall, Prosecutor Ahn Jinhyuk approached, smiling brightly.

“Hello, Prosecutor. How was your business trip?”

“Don’t even mention it. A long trip over a month—it’s not something humans can endure.”

Jinhyuk, a senior from university and law school, glanced around before switching to polite speech.

“Just the two of us. Let’s be comfortable.”

He adjusted his silver glasses and noticed the portable cart Eunjae was pushing.

“Meeting materials? Hand them here.”
“I-I’ll do it, it’s fine.”

Jinhyuk refused her refusal and took the cart handle from Eunjae.

“But why didn’t you answer my call? I deliberately matched Korean time.”
“Ah… I’m sorry. What happened?”
“I heard Baek Wookyung came to our district prosecution office. And as your direct superior.”

He lowered his voice, moving close.

Jinhyuk didn’t get along with Baek Wookyung from law school. Wookyung had never missed the top position, leaving Jinhyuk always in second place.

“Are you okay? How are you handling that crazy guy?”

Jinhyuk had no idea Eunjae and Wookyung were close, so he could comment nonchalantly.

“I’m fine.”

“That jerk should’ve stayed in the U.S., why did he suddenly come crawling here? Do you know?”

Eunjae knew he had been in the U.S. as an exchange prosecutor and was planning to pursue a Ph.D. at law school. Why had he returned to Korea?

It was a question she had forgotten amid her mother’s recent incident.

“I… don’t really know either.”

“Sure. What conversation could that stiff block of wood even have with you?”

After that, the conversation moved to other miscellaneous topics, mostly Jinhyuk talking while Eunjae listened.

Turning the corner, fatigued by the endless chatter, she came face to face with Wookyung, standing like a massive wall.

“Oh? Perfect timing. Hey, Baek. You came to Criminal Division 1, right?”

Dressed perfectly in a dark gray suit with a vest, he alternated his gaze between Eunjae and Jinhyuk.

Normally, his expression would be emotionless with a faint arrogance, but today, his dark eyes were threatening.

“At least greet your colleague-.”
“What is it?”

Ignoring Jinhyuk’s complaint, he gestured toward the cart piled as high as Eunjae herself.

His narrowed eyes and displeasure were clear.