TPYH 07

Chapter 07

“What are you standing there for? Wash the rice immediately!”

As soon as she stepped down to the first floor, Choi Mal-ja shouted at Ha-ryeong without preamble.

It was as if she were retaliating for the slight she had just suffered upstairs.

Her gaze was sharp, not like that of a grandmother looking at her granddaughter-in-law, but more like a mistress scrutinizing a servant.

“Listen carefully. At Baekya, we never let outsiders in without knowing their background. So don’t think about asking for someone else’s help—you’ll have to prepare every meal yourself. And make it a proper 12-dish meal each time.”

Choi Mal-ja’s hands rested firmly on her hips as she continued issuing orders.

Her pride and arrogance over her domain overflowed from her petite, sturdy frame.

Even at nearly ninety, Choi Mal-ja’s back was as straight as her unyielding personality.

“And all laundry must be done by hand. Our family members have sensitive skin, so only careful handwashing will make the clothes wearable. Cleaning should be done every morning after breakfast, from the first floor to the third, leaving not a single windowsill untouched…”

One after another, Choi Mal-ja rattled off a list of household chores as if reciting them by heart.

Bathroom cleaning, flowerbed maintenance, grocery shopping, kitchen organization…

These were all very familiar tasks for Ha-ryeong. She had done them almost daily.

“Have you finished speaking?”

Taking advantage of a pause, Ha-ryeong cut off Choi Mal-ja mid-sentence. Then, in an extremely gentle voice, she politely contradicted her.

“Grandmother, I think you might be mistaken.”

“Mistaken? About what?”

“You have a granddaughter-in-law now, not a live-in helper.”

“What?”

Choi Mal-ja’s eyes widened in surprise, unprepared for a rebuttal. Meanwhile, Ha-ryeong smiled even more confidently.

“Think about it. Father and Joo-heon rarely eat at home. Do we really need to prepare a full 12-dish meal for just you and me? It would only waste food.”

It was true. The two men of the busy Baekya Group often skipped breakfast, and if they did eat, it was always something simple. Lunch was handled at the office, and dinner often involved business meetings or entertaining guests outside.

Even if they ate at home, there was no need for Choi Mal-ja’s extravagant 12-dish meals.

“And if anyone has sensitive skin, handwashing laundry is even worse. What if detergent residue remains on important clothes like suits? My grip isn’t strong enough to make it perfect anyway.”

“Are you talking back to me, your grandmother?”

“Of course not. I’m just stating facts. You’re older, and it would be dangerous if you developed an allergy. Nowadays, washing machines are very advanced, so there’s really no need.”

Choi Mal-ja glared at Ha-ryeong with burning eyes.

Ha-ryeong, however, remained unfazed, carefully rebutting each remaining item on the list. By the time she finished her final remark, Choi Mal-ja’s expression was truly a sight to behold.

“Above all, my father said that once I marry, I don’t need to lift a finger. Just being treated well at Baekya is enough.”

Of course, Ha-ryeong’s father would never have said anything so kind. Yet the mere utterance darkened Choi Mal-ja’s face noticeably.

“Treated well? Did you just say ‘treated well’?”

“Yes.”

Choi Mal-ja’s eyes widened in shock, but Ha-ryeong didn’t avert her gaze.

She hadn’t realized before, but in this marriage—arranged as if she were merely being sold—she had actually held the upper hand.

Her father, indifferent to Ha-ryeong, had never explained how he had secured the marriage by exploiting Baekya Group’s weaknesses. Ha-ryeong had learned the truth only because of Choi Mal-ja, who had growled and snapped at her as if ready to devour her.

Yet Ha-ryeong bowed politely to her grandmother, like a doll conditioned to obedience.

The one who should have been bowing was this cunning old fox.

“You impudent child! Coming into this family and immediately acting so high and mighty! How dare you speak of being treated well in front of your elders—treated well!”

Choi Mal-ja’s furious hand shot into the air, higher than before, ready to strike Ha-ryeong’s cheek.

But this attempt, too, failed.

“What are you doing right now?”

“…!”

Baek Joo-heon, dressed impeccably in a suit, was standing before them, his face showing obvious displeasure.

The tip of Choi Mal-ja’s hand froze as his cold gaze landed on her. His eyes showed no emotion, yet Choi Mal-ja recoiled and lowered her hand.

“…I just thought this ignorant child needed a little lesson.”

It was a flimsy excuse.

Yet Joo-heon, without even asking further, shifted the topic casually.

“Breakfast isn’t ready.”

Choi Mal-ja’s eyes lit up, as if finally finding an ally, and she turned her gaze to Ha-ryeong, ready to berate her again. How could a wife not prepare her husband’s breakfast?

But Joo-heon’s words were completely contrary to her expectations.

“Since you’re married now, you’ll eat breakfast before going to work. Hire a helper to assist with household chores, Grandmother.”

“…What did you say?”

“At the very least, she should be able to eat on time before leaving. You know how busy I am.”

Joo-heon glanced at the empty table, then looked at Choi Mal-ja, as if blaming her.

“I said no outsiders in the house…”

“So you mean she should just go hungry?”

“No, from now on, she will…”

“I don’t want to force her to eat a hastily made meal at home. Either you make it yourself, or hire someone else.”

Choi Mal-ja, lost for words, nervously twitched her lips. Her pale, thin lips wriggled like a dying worm.

Beyond her cooking skills, she simply didn’t have the warmth to make breakfast for this granddaughter-in-law. Ha-ryeong felt the same. It was uncomfortable for both.

Reluctantly, Choi Mal-ja pretended to step back.

“Fine. I’ll take the time to find someone trustworthy…”

But Joo-heon’s next words crushed even that tactic. His gaze, lacking any trace of affection for his grandmother, cut sharply through her.

“No. Find someone today.”

After a brief, awkward silence, Choi Mal-ja finally nodded.

Joo-heon silently put on his coat and left the Baekya residence, ignoring Ha-ryeong entirely.

Perhaps not wanting to see her face, Choi Mal-ja went straight to her room after Joo-heon left.

Baek Il-hwan had already left early for a business trip outside the city.

It was fortunate. If he had seen his granddaughter-in-law being harassed just after the wedding, Choi Mal-ja certainly wouldn’t have relented so easily.

Baek Il-hwan…

Ha-ryeong recalled the last time she saw her father-in-law. Before fainting at Do-yoon’s funeral, he had tried to restrain the furious Choi Mal-ja who was thrashing around.

Although he was the head of a major Korean conglomerate, that power applied only to business.

In reality, everything—becoming the company head, getting married, making any choice—was controlled entirely by his mother, Choi Mal-ja.

Raised from childhood to obey her like he had been brainwashed, Baek Il-hwan could never go against her will. That’s why, despite knowing what Ha-ryeong endured, he never stepped forward, only helping her from behind.

He had been the only member of the Baekya family to treat Ha-ryeong with any humanity. But now, Ha-ryeong intended to see him without any emotional bias.

As long as he was Joo-heon’s father,

She could not allow herself to weaken.

In her sparsely furnished room, Ha-ryeong thought desperately, over and over.

Earlier, Joo-heon hadn’t even glanced at her face when leaving for work.

How could she make that haughty, cruel man, who saw her as less than furniture, kneel completely before her?

How…?

Then—

A clear ring of the doorbell cut through her thoughts from downstairs.

Followed almost immediately by the sharp sound of footsteps rushing toward the front door.

Ha-ryeong snapped to attention.

The day after the wedding, someone had arrived unhesitatingly at their new home.

Ha-ryeong already knew exactly who the visitor was.