Chapter 14
Sehee, with neatly trimmed brown bobbed hair and a tidy two-piece outfit, bowed politely as she greeted them.
Doyeon noticed her and smiled warmly, her eyes curving.
“Oh my, Sehee. What brings you here?”
“Mother, you don’t have to speak so formally,” Sehee said sweetly.
As Sehee spoke in a friendly, charming way, Doyeon felt pleased and introduced her to the others.
“This is Ji Sehee, daughter of Assemblyman Ji Hobum.”
“Oh! So you’re the congressman’s daughter? Nice to meet you.”
At the word congressman, everyone’s attitude instantly changed.
“Hello. I hope I’m not disturbing your meal,” Sehee said politely.
Someone, looking curious, asked Doyeon what their relationship was.
“We met through connections, and she’s seeing our Hwido.”
“Oh my—then are you already talking about marriage?”
Doyeon looked a little uncomfortable at how fast the words came out and smiled awkwardly.
Sehee answered instead, smiling shyly.
“We’re meeting with good feelings. I hope we get along well in the future.”
The women who had been quietly looking down on Doyeon just moments ago suddenly changed their expressions.
Seeing the corner of Doyeon’s lips lift slightly, Sehee let out a small smile to herself.
* * *
In the middle of a traffic jam during rush hour, Hwido was hearing news more suffocating than the traffic itself.
The man on the phone was Han Youngho, the chairman’s closest aide. He had handled even the private matters of the Daebok family for thirty years.
[It’s a daughter. She was born this afternoon at an obstetrics clinic in Incheon.]
“You reported to the chairman first, of course. What about my mother?”
[The chairman said he would tell her himself.]
“I understand.”
He had a new sibling.
A half-sibling.
Hwido’s father, Lee Taegang—the only son of Bokcheol—was vice chairman of the Daebok Group in name only.
Bokcheol had grown up poor and suffered greatly, so he raised his only child without lacking anything.
But instead of becoming responsible, Taegang turned into a useless man who liked meeting people and drinking.
Relying only on his father’s power, Taegang spent money carelessly. If that were all, it would have been fine.
But he drank, chased women, and even gambled. No matter how much Bokcheol warned or threatened him, it was useless.
With his tall build and smooth talk, Song Doyeon—who came from a good family—must have married him without knowing how pathetic he really was.
After Hwido was born, Taegang began wandering around even more and eventually had children with other women.
This wasn’t even the first time.
He had a son from another woman who had entered college this year.
Without knowing he would gain so many younger brothers and sisters, Hwido had grown up treasured as the only heir.
Hwido gave a bitter smile and clicked his tongue.
He could imagine the mood at home without being told.
No wonder his mother had asked him to come home early today.
“I guess I need to keep Mother happy tonight.”
He opened the car window, then quickly closed it again because of the dust and exhaust fumes, letting out a heavy breath.
* * *
“Hahaha.”
“Hoho.”
Hwido had expected a cold atmosphere, but this was unexpected.
As soon as he entered the house, cheerful laughter reached his ears. Feeling like something annoying was coming, he sighed inwardly and walked into the dining room.
Bokcheol, well over eighty but still large and strong, was smiling broadly.
Doyeon, who must have heard about Taegang’s other woman giving birth, was calmly dressed up and greeting guests as if nothing had happened.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome back. I went to the department store today and happened to meet Sehee. She said you canceled lunch, so I invited her to dinner.”
“It’s fine, Mother. Work comes first,” Sehee said gently. “Hwido, it’s been a while.”
He had canceled the lunch appointment because a morning meeting ran long. He didn’t expect it to turn into this.
Ji Sehee.
Her father was a congressman.
Doyeon clearly liked her.
Every time she heard news about Taegang’s children growing up elsewhere, Doyeon became anxious. Once Hwido finished his studies, she pressured him to marry quickly.
Hwido refused firmly, saying he needed to focus on work, and at the time, she backed off.
But last year, when Taegang’s other woman got pregnant again at forty-two, Doyeon said it could no longer wait and rushed Hwido toward marriage.
Since then, Hwido had been dragged to blind dates every weekend.
Doyeon carefully selected daughters from elite families—corporate executives, ministers, judges.
They all seemed trained the same way.
A shy smile, slightly lowered head, quiet pride, refined manners.
When he said honestly that he wasn’t interested, another woman appeared the next week.
To end these endless blind dates, he needed to present someone to his mother.
She’s not bad.
He had chosen Sehee casually, just to avoid trouble.
“This braised fish is really delicious,” Sehee said politely, smiling softly.
She listened carefully to Bokcheol and Doyeon, responding just enough without crossing boundaries.
Not only Doyeon, but even Bokcheol seemed to like her.
As dinner ended, before Hwido could change the topic, Doyeon spoke first.
“It’s late. You should take Sehee home. You two haven’t had time to talk alone.”
“Thank you so much for inviting me. I really enjoyed myself thanks to Grandfather and Mother,” Sehee said.
While Sehee went to the restroom, Hwido quietly complained to Doyeon.
“Are you enjoying this because it’s what you wanted?”
“Yes. I like her.”
“If you’re happy, that’s enough.”
Doyeon shot him a look.
“You said you liked her. We’re already moving toward marriage. Are you changing your mind now?”
Hwido smiled at his impatient mother.
“I said she’s not bad. When did I say I liked her?”
“You said you weren’t interested in women and would marry whoever I chose as long as she wasn’t troublesome.”
“If you want, sure. But not yet.”
“For me, now is the time. Please, grant my wish.”
Hwido was about to reply when Sehee returned.
“Oh—were you waiting for me? I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’ll be family soon. Hwido, take Sehee home safely.”
Doyeon pushed Hwido toward the door.
Once alone, Sehee’s face turned red.
Hwido asked for her address in a flat voice and started the car.
Sehee sat in the passenger seat, glancing at his profile with a shy smile. Her top was modest, but her skirt was short, showing her legs.
She crossed her smooth legs deliberately, but Hwido didn’t even look.
The silence grew awkward, so Sehee spoke first.
“You must be very busy.”
“Yes. I’m preparing a new business, so things are hectic.”
“I heard from Mother. If you’re busy, we can skip dates. The adults said they’ll handle the wedding preparations too.”
She spoke as if she were making a big sacrifice.
Hwido frowned slightly and let out a silent laugh.
They had attended a few light public events together.
One golf meeting arranged through mutual acquaintances.
That was all.
Their conversations were nothing more than “The weather is nice” or “The food is good.”
Yet she was already imagining herself as his wife.
Had he led her on? No. His mother had.
Marrying Ji Sehee wasn’t a bad deal. It was a strategic marriage.
Having grown up watching a father who fell out of love and a mother who stayed strong despite betrayal, Hwido had no illusions about marriage.
He had thought so until recently.
But Ji Sehee didn’t feel like a woman to him. He felt nothing.
That had been normal—until he met her.
A bare-faced girl with big eyes staring up at him kept coming to mind.
Hwido let out a long breath.
Even though rush hour was long over, the roads were still packed.
Then a notice appeared—an accident ahead, detour required.
Hwido turned the steering wheel sharply.
