Chapter 30
Have a safe trip. Don’t skip your meals.”
“I will. You take care too, Ms. Bora. Please look after Grandpa.”
Bora nodded as she watched Kang Yoon press a kiss to the back of her hand.
The two of them, who had been wrapped up in each other all night, only reluctantly separated when morning finally came.
Leaving someone as pretty and lovable as Bora behind made Kang Yoon’s steps feel heavy.
“If Han Gang-moon tries anything funny, don’t hesitate—call me right away. Got it?”
“Okay. Don’t worry.”
“Then I’ll head in. I’ll contact you as soon as I arrive.”
“Alright. Ah, Kang Yoon?”
“Yes?”
Bora called out to him just as he turned to board the plane.
Peck—
“I-I’ll get going too! Have a comfortable flight!”
She had been the one to kiss him first, yet her neck flushed red as she quickly turned and strode away. The sight of her shy retreat made Kang Yoon scrunch his nose and smile, belatedly savoring the softness of her lips still lingering on his own.
“Wow…”
The day had finally come when Yoon Bora kissed him first.
It was a deeply moving moment—but it was also truly time for him to board.
He wanted to chase after her and shower her with kisses, but he had to settle for watching her small figure grow distant. Kang Yoon’s face turned resolute as he vowed that when he saw Bora again in a few months, their conversation of bodies would be far hotter than last night’s.
Meanwhile, Bora, having left the airport, was startled by her own impulsive kiss.
“Wow, Yoon Bora… You’re getting pretty bold with the skinship now, huh?”
She was relieved that Kang Yoon hadn’t seen her burning face. After reaching the parking lot, she got into the driver’s seat of the car she had parked.
“Alright… Kang Yoon’s gone far away now, so pull yourself together and work hard. You can do this, Yoon Bora.”
Lately, her mother hadn’t been calling to ask for money, and the center was gradually stabilizing, which eased Bora’s mind.
Chairman Han’s surgery had also gone well, and he was expected to return home soon.
“First, I should go see Grandpa. If he’s being discharged soon, he’ll need to pack up.”
The sports car Kang Yoon had given her sped smoothly down the road.
“Perhaps… it’s about time I go…”
Though the surgery had been successful and the doctor had said he only needed proper aftercare, Chairman Han’s heart felt heavy.
For several nights in a row, he had been plagued by unpleasant dreams.
His wife, who had passed away long ago, looked at him. The son he had buried in his heart stared at him as if he had much to say. Last night, he dreamed of his estranged daughter, Se-eun, backing away from him with resentful eyes.
Waking with a heavy heart, Chairman Han smoothed the rough hospital gown and muttered,
“Before I go… would it be better to reveal everything and set things in order? Or… should I let it all flow as it is?”
No matter how much he thought about it, no clear answer came.
He had lived fiercely, always choosing what was best for the family over himself.
Was that the problem?
Were the choices he had made for the sake of the family and the business wrong?
Chairman Han stared blankly at the cloudless blue sky beyond the polished hospital window.
“Grandpa! I’m here!”
Bora’s bright voice snapped him back to reality. He took a sip of water and slowly sat up in bed.
“Bora, you’re here. Did Kang Yoon leave safely?”
“Yes. I saw him go in to board the plane.”
Bora hurried over and showed him a photo she had taken at the airport with Kang Yoon.
Dressed casually in jeans and a knit sweater, Kang Yoon had one arm wrapped around Bora’s shoulders, looking at ease.
“That’s good. With his lovely wife seeing him off, he must have left with a light heart.”
“Hehe… He told me several times to take good care of you, Grandpa. I told him not to worry, so for my sake at least, you have to regain your strength. Okay?”
“Yes. I will.”
“Oh, I just spoke with the doctor—they said you can be discharged today. You just need to diligently come in for weekly outpatient treatment.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful news. I’ve been so restless staying in this hospital…. So can I go right away?”
“Yes. The butler said he’ll be here soon to get your things. I’ll go settle the bill and pick up your medication.”
“Alright. Go ahead.”
After Bora left the room, Chairman Han let out a long sigh and stood before the mirror for the first time in a while.
His white hair was dry and brittle. The wrinkles etched across his face and the faint but unmistakable age spots made his ninety-plus years painfully evident.
“I’ve grown old. Truly old.”
His heart still felt youthful, but merciless time had aged his body day by day.
He stared into the mirror for a long time, as if the answer lay within it.
After completing the discharge procedures and asking the butler to take her grandfather home safely, Bora went straight to work at the silver town.
There were three new contracts with companies scheduled for next month, and time was tight for final reviews.
Kang Yoon had cleared the silver town’s debts and invested the necessary funds, bringing new vitality to the business.
Bora wanted to work hard—truly hard—to prove that Kang Yoon’s investment had been the right choice.
While she was deeply focused on work, she received a call from her mother for the first time in a while.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Bora, did Mr. Han leave for Dubai?”
“Oh, yeah. He left this morning.”
“Oh my, you should’ve told me earlier. My son-in-law is going so far away, and I couldn’t even say goodbye.”
“Well, it’s not like he’s leaving forever. He said he’ll come back briefly in two months.”
“Then… will it be hard to contact him during those two months?”
“Huh? Why? We can still call and message. There’s just a time difference.”
“Oh, right. That’s good then.”
“What’s up, Mom? Since when do you care about things like this?”
At her casual question, her mother’s flustered voice didn’t sound unfamiliar.
“Mom. Something happened, didn’t it?”
“What? N-No? What could have happened?”
“Your voice sounds weird. You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
“No? No?”
“Hmmm… If there’s something, tell me honestly now. Don’t make me angrier later.”
“You… Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“I am. Mom, you’re really suspicious.”
“Then work hard! Mom’s going golfing! Bye!”
Click.
The abrupt hang-up made Bora’s long eyes narrow slightly.
“What was that? That’s suspicious…”
Thinking she’d stop by her mother’s house after work, Bora refocused on her documents.
Hours later, Bora left work feeling lighthearted and headed to her mother’s house for the first time in a while.
She bought plenty of cookies and cake from her mom’s favorite bakery. When she arrived, however, no one was home.
“Did she go out to dinner after golf?”
After putting the desserts neatly into the fridge, Bora went into her old room and flopped onto the bed, letting out a satisfied groan.
“Ahh, this is nice….”
No matter how well Kang Yoon treated her at his house, she couldn’t relax this defenselessly there.
She must have been more tired than she realized, always being careful and mindful.
After rolling around on the bed for a while, her gaze drifted toward the desk.
“…Why is that out?”
A chill ran down Bora’s spine.
She jumped up and rushed to the desk. Seeing the marriage contract scattered on top of it, her mouth fell open.
“Did Mom… see this? Is that why she called?”
Clutching her pounding heart, Bora hurriedly checked the contract—and her face went rigid.
Beneath the printed text in neat Ming-style font was a familiar handwritten signature in pen.
It was unmistakably Kang Yoon’s handwriting.
“Kang Yoon… made a contract with Mom?”
