TKFT 08

Chapter 08

“Yes, Director Choi. My wife will be transported there by ambulance right now. Please be ready and provide immediate care without any delay.”

After ending the call, Yoo Geon turned to the paramedics and Sejun.
“Go to the nearby S Hospital. The patient is registered there as a VIP. Director, you’ll act as Jian’s guardian for a little while. I’ll head there right away too.”

Yoo Geon emphasized the words “for a little while.” The hospital could verify his relationship with Jian.

Sitting in his car, Yoo Geon anxiously watched the back of the ambulance.
“Damn it…!”

His fists slammed down on the car door, veins bulging.
Jian’s face—pale, as if dead—kept replaying in his mind.
He wanted to jump into the ambulance right now, shake her shoulders, and wake her up.
“Eun Jian, wake up. Please, open your eyes.”

The same anxiety and despair that had gripped him when his mother was dying long ago surged up uncontrollably.
Cold sweat ran down his forehead. His heart thumped wildly, threatening to burst from his chest.

Yoo Geon’s sedan and the ambulance arrived at S Hospital at the same time.
“Director Cha! You’re here!”

Director Choi of S Hospital and the medical staff waiting at the ER entrance greeted Yoo Geon.
CH Group was a major donor to S Hospital, so Yoo Geon and other members of the CH family were registered as VIPs and received special treatment. Jian, Yoo Geon’s legal wife, was included.

“We’ll take the utmost care of your wife. Director, our staff will guide you to the VIP guardian waiting room. Please wait there for a moment.”

After explaining, Director Choi led the medical team toward where Jian had been taken.

Sejun, who had observed everything, spoke to Yoo Geon.
“So Jian really is your wife. I apologize if I offended you earlier.”
“…No. From the perspective of a company director, there would have been principles to uphold in an employee’s emergency. I understand.”

Yoo Geon’s anger subsided, but his wariness of Sejun didn’t disappear entirely. There was still a possibility that the man who had sheltered Jian in the rain with an umbrella might be the one she loved.

Yoo Geon took out a business card and handed it to Sejun. Sejun’s eyes widened as he read it:

[CH Construction CEO Cha Yoo Geon]

Even the texture of the card was far from ordinary. CH Construction was one of the nation’s largest conglomerates and owned a premium apartment brand every Korean dreamed of living in.

“If anything like this happens to Jian again, please contact me. I love my wife dearly, and if anything happens to her, I cannot bear to live.”

Yoo Geon emphasized his words in a staccato, his gaze tender and desperate, like a devoted husband issuing a warning: Eun Jian is already my wife. Even if she loves you, nothing will change.

“To fulfill my grandmother’s wish, Jian must remain by my side.”

“Yes. That’s the only reason. Nothing more.”

“Please contact me. That way, I can take swift action just as I did today. I know it’s troublesome, but please do so.”

Leaving Sejun behind, Yoo Geon followed a staff member to the VIP guardian waiting room. Even after warning Jian’s company representative, he couldn’t sit still. He paced anxiously, unable to remain calm.

“Eun Jian… please… you can’t really stay unconscious, can you?”

He stopped, covering his mouth at the ill-omened thought. Fear gripped him: what if his words became reality?

He slumped onto a sofa.
“Eun Jian, no….”

It felt as though his heart’s blood was draining away. Memories of Jian in the ambulance overlapped with those of his late mother. Was it fear of witnessing death again? He didn’t know exactly. But one thing was certain: he wanted Jian to be safe.

“Please… no…”

Yoo Geon jumped up again, ready to leave the waiting room for Jian.

“Ah, Director, is something wrong?”

A staff member entered first.
“Your wife’s tests are complete, and we were about to inform you.”

“Alright. Let’s go. Immediately.”

Timing was perfect. Yoo Geon followed the staff to the VIP hospital room, adjacent to Soon Young’s.

Inside, Jian lay on a spacious bed with her eyes closed, surrounded by medical staff.

“What’s my wife’s condition? Why is this happening?”

Yoo Geon asked sharply, bending toward the staff.

“Currently….”

A dry swallow went down his throat. What if it’s serious? She’d collapsed, so it must be severe. What if her organs are damaged…?

The staff explained:
“The test results show low hemoglobin, suggesting anemia, and sleep deprivation is observed.”

“Anemia and sleep deprivation?”

Yoo Geon’s heart sank. Memories of yesterday, when he cursed her in a dream, flashed through his mind. Could it have really affected her?

“…And?”
“Excuse me?”
“Tell me everything that’s wrong.”

The staff, clearly nervous, began:
“Well, that’s about it. Once she receives fluids and wakes, she’ll get iron supplements and can be discharged…”

“Are you kidding me? She collapsed! She nearly died! Shouldn’t you monitor her more closely to manage her health properly?”

The doctor broke into a cold sweat. Yoo Geon’s outburst was harsh, but the doctor tried to explain:
“She likely collapsed from stress. If managed well after discharge, she’ll recover. She’s asleep now due to lack of rest…”

The word stress reminded Yoo Geon of her anger during the diary incident. He closed his eyes tightly.

“And…?”

The doctor, exhausted from overwork, replied awkwardly:
“Well… she’s also slightly underweight. Ensuring proper nutrition and avoiding stress is recommended…”

Yoo Geon staggered at the words. Her frail body—her malnourishment—shocked him. The disaster was self-inflicted, a result of his neglect of her well-being. He felt utterly ashamed.

“I suppose she’ll need at least three days of inpatient care for proper attention.”

“Excuse me?”

“Three days won’t be enough? A week?”

“No, three days… yes….”

The staff withdrew, having failed to discharge the overbearing VIP, leaving Yoo Geon beside Jian. Her complexion, after receiving fluids, looked much better than when she was loaded into the ambulance. Still, Yoo Geon’s heart ached.

He let out a deep sigh. He looked at Jian’s hand on top of the blanket. White, long, delicate fingers. He had always wanted to see her sculpt pottery with those hands.

He held her hand carefully, as if handling a tiny, fragile animal.
“Fool… what have I been doing all this time….”

Regret spilled from his lips. Only now did he realize the most urgent thing he needed to do.

Two hours later, Jian woke up.
The first thing she saw clearly was Yoo Geon.

“Eun Jian! Are you awake?”

Even now, she wondered, Why does he look so worried?
She couldn’t help but feel a little flustered, even without understanding the situation.

The medical staff soon arrived and explained what had happened.

“Three days in the hospital? If it’s not serious, can’t I just do outpatient treatment? I have so much work at the office…”

“No.”

Yoo Geon cut her off firmly.
“Stay admitted and receive treatment.”

“But…”
“Do you want to collapse again while working? Just stay in the hospital.”

His tone left no room for argument. Jian, slightly puzzled by his insistence, realized he genuinely seemed concerned. Perhaps it was just a silly misconception on her part.

Still, she gave up and agreed to be hospitalized.

Shortly after, the staff left, and Yoo Geon retrieved Jian’s vibrating phone from her bag, which had been brought from CERA.

“Ah….”

He muttered, seeing the caller ID.