Chapter – 08
Turning around in surprise, Haena found Nanny Eui-ryeong standing right there.
“Young Ladyā¦.” “Oh. T-thatās not what I meantā¦!”
Haena almost blurred out an explanationāthat she wasn’t missing that heartless Managing Director, but rather her real mom and dadābefore hastily shutting her mouth. No, wait. A child muttering about missing her mom and dad is completely normal. There’s zero need to explain myself.
“Iām sorryā¦. I was justā¦ talking to myselfā¦.” “No, Young Lady! Why on earth are you apologizing!”
Eui-ryeong rushed over and pulled Haena into a tight embrace. Haena was briefly caught off guard by the sudden warmth, but she soon reached out and wrapped her arms around Eui-ryeong in return.
“I understand your heart completely, Young Lady. How could you not desperately miss your mother and fatherā¦? At your age, your parents are supposed to be your entire worldā¦.” “ā¦.”
Haena offered no response. In truth, even when she was thirty-two years old, her mom and dad had still been her entire world. They likely always would be.
“The Managing Director might seem incredibly indifferent to you, but that isn’t his true heart. It’s only because he’s constantly prioritizing your well-beingā¦. Could you please wait for him just a little longer, Young Lady?” “Father is?”
He didn’t look like that kind of person at all. He looked like the type who would bleed pure gold instead of red blood if you pricked him with a needle.
“Yes. He may be terrible at expressing it, but he is someone who does nothing but worry about you, Young Lady.” “ā¦Really?” “Of course. He does all of this strictly so you can grow up healthy and avoid getting your feelings hurt. The Managing Director truly does.”
At Eui-ryeong’s words, a small sprout of doubt bloomed in Haenaās mind. To Haena, Eui-ryeong didn’t seem like someone who would lie. It was plain to see that she was the solitary source of warmth in this sterile, frozen Hong family mansion.
But stillā¦.
What was up with his attitude earlier then, seriously?
If she only possessed the actual memories of the original Hong Haena, understanding the dynamics of this family would have been infinitely easier. In <The Chaebol’s Love Way of>, the descriptions surrounding Hong Haenaāwho was a mere villainessāwere painfully sparse. Naturally, this meant she had absolutely no knowledge of any painful memories or deep-seated family secrets Haena might be harboring.
Haena let out a soft sigh and nodded her head. Well, nothing in life ever comes easy.
“I understand, Nanny. I’ll wait.” “Yes, Young Lady.”
Eui-ryeong gently patted Haena’s hair before squeezing her hand warmly.
“Ah, right, Young Lady. If you feel up to it emotionallyā¦ I heard the Managing Director and the Chairman are having dinner together tonight. Would you like to join them?”
Hmm.
Haena mulled it over for a second before asking a counter-question.
“Nanny, in your opinion, if I don’t show up to that dinner, will Grandpa and Father grow to dislike me?” “What?! No, Young Lady. That would absolutely never happen!” “Then, is there any chance our relationship will get slightly worse if I don’t go?”
Faced with Haenaās continuous, bizarre questions, Eui-ryeong began to sweat profusely. At the same time, a wave of profound pity washed over her toward the young girl.
Young Ladyā¦. Though you never voiced it, just how much have you been walking on eggshells around your own family all this timeā¦?
Even in Eui-ryeong’s eyes, the men of the Hong family were exceptionally blunt, stern, and difficult to approach. They were certainly not the type of family to openly shower Haena with endless affection and warm words. Yet, that didn’t mean they disliked her, or were even capable of disliking her. They cherished and loved Haena deeply in their own unique, quiet way.
ā¦At least, that was what Eui-ryeong firmly believed.
“Then I’m not going.” “!”
Haena flashed a brilliant smile.
Because the clock had officially ticked past 6 PM, which meant any further activity was strictly classified as overtime.
I politely decline unpaid overtime. I also politely decline unscheduled corporate dinners. Unless, of course, it is absolutely non-negotiable!
Haena was strictly operating on the mental framework that Chairman Hong and Managing Director Hong were merely a pair of tedious, high-maintenance corporate superiors.
“ā¦Haena said she would have her dinner in her room?” “Yes, Chairman.”
Eui-ryeong spoke while carefully scanning Chairman Hong’s face, worried she might have inadvertently ruined his mood. True to form, Chairman Hong looked deeply slighted, but he snapped his head away without voicing his disappointment further.
“Then I guess it’s just the two of us for dinner.” “It seems so.”
A brief flicker of sorrow and dejection crossed I-doās eyes as well, but he quickly masked it. It was completely obvious to Eui-ryeong that his internal monologue was along the lines of, ‘Ah, as expected.’
“You brat. Did you at least greet the child when you arrived?” “Yes.”
Chairman Hong clicked his tongue as he looked at his agonizingly stoic and blunt son.
“Did she suffer another fit or get frightened? Did she cry, or anything?” “She did neither today.” “That is a relief, then. It seems her mind stabilized a bit while you were away.”
Chairman Hong took a spoonful of rice, looking slightly mollified. This had been a source of constant, underlying anxiety for him as well. The fact that Haena would dissolve into hysterical sobbing until she collapsed from exhaustion the moment she looked at her father was the single greatest headache plaguing the Hong household.
“It seems I should continue to make myself scarce as often as possible.” “If that is what keeps the child stable, then you must.”
Chairman Hong nodded, treating it as an absolute matter of fact.
“She certainly does seem to have brightened up immensely these days.” “ā¦Is that so.” “She keeps mimicking this bizarre, precocious way of speaking. I brought in a child psychologist for a consultation, and they suggested sheās just copying the speech patterns from television dramas since sheās been cooped up inside the house lately. Children her age love to imitate adults, so they said it isn’t a completely abnormal phenomenon, though we should observe her carefully.”
A precocious way of speaking. It sounded incredibly endearing.
I-do couldn’t entirely conceal the deep sense of longing and disappointment swelling within his chest. Why couldn’t Haena show that cute side of herself to her own father? Did she truly despise him that muchā¦?
“Her mind hasn’t been right ever since her mother passed away like thatā¦ Well, if mimicking things like that helps her snap out of it, we should leave her be.” “ā¦Yes.”
However, I-do quickly steeled his heart. Haena was under no obligation to act cute around him. Her solitary duty in this world was simply to grow up healthy and happy.
“Though it seems she still acts entirely reckless and unruly around children her own age.” “Did something happen?” “The grandsons of the Cheongyeong Group dropped by for a visit, and Haena apparently made their grandson weep hysterically once again.” “ā¦.”
Hong I-do merely let out a quiet chuckle, offering no further comment. True to inheriting his DNA, it seemed his daughter refused to be pushed around by anyone.
“It’s a worry, honestly. Making every single boy she encounters weep like that. I wonder if she’ll ever manage to get married off anywhereā¦.” “Haena doesn’t necessarily need to get married.” “What? What kind of nonsense is that? Naturally, she must meet a good husband and establish a stable, secure household! That is the fundamental destiny of any human being. Whether man or woman, one is meant to build a family.”
Faced with Chairman Hongās incredibly rigid and traditional outlook, I-do let out a quiet sigh and elegantly dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
“I do not share that view. Surin and I built a family exactly as you desired, Father, but you know better than anyone that we were never truly happy.” “ā¦.” “A person does not automatically become happy simply because they build a family. True happiness comes from living exactly how one wishes to live.”
I-do slowly locked eyes with Chairman Hong, his gaze unswerving.
“And I intend to ensure that Haena, at the very least, gets to live her life exactly how she desires.” “With whose permission? I will absolutely not allow such a thing. If a human being lives strictly according to their raw whims, they inevitably become decadent and foolish!” “Haena is allowed to be exactly that.”
I-do spoke with a colder, more unyielding conviction than he had ever displayed before.
“Haena is permitted to do whatever she pleases. As long as it brings her happiness. Because I will be the one shielding her from the consequences.” “You insolent bratā¦.”
Chairman Hong scowled, his face twisting into deep disapproval.
“You think that’s the correct path right now, don’t you? You think a child’s fleeting happiness is all that matters? It isn’t. An adult must guide their path to a certain degree, raising them with strict discipline to forge them into a proper human being.” “You raised me exactly in that manner, Father.”
I-do acknowledged the point with total detachment.
“Yet, it did not make me happy.” “!”
But it was far from an agreement.
“I desire absolutely nothing else from Haena as long as she remains healthy and happy. I will allow her to do everything her heartĀ desires, right up to the boundary where she might cause harm to herself.” “Hong I-do!” “Therefore, do not interfere with Haena, Father. Do not attempt to dictate or control her life.” “Do you have even the slightest inkling of just how dangerous that line of thinking is? If Haena turns out crooked, do you know how catastrophic a menace she could become to countless people? Think about the sheer magnitude of the influence that child will wield!” “Other people are of absolutely no concern to me.”
I-do slowly rose from his seat.
“When Haena practically crossed the threshold of death because of me and barely managed to survive, I made a sacred vow to myself.”
Looking at his son who was openly rebelling against him for the very first time in his life, Chairman Hong was struck with an overwhelming sense of bewilderment, rendering him completely speechless.
“No matter what happens in this world, Haenaā¦ I will protect you.”
The room fell into a heavy silence, because the absolute, unwavering sincerity burning within I-doās eyes was undeniable.
