Se Ah removed her navy blue trench coat and put it in the cabinet. She immediately cleared the porridge bowl from the bedside table and folded up the dining table. She also moved the IV stand to make it easier for Hyun Sook to move.

“Did you eat the porridge?”
“Yes. The caregiver requested nutritional porridge because I had difficulty swallowing rice. She’s very wise, so you don’t need to worry, and you don’t need to come from tomorrow.”
“Okay. But where did the caregiver go?”
“Taking care of patients is tiring, even if you get paid for it. I told her it’s okay and to take a break.”
Hyun Sook was sincere and generous to everyone. Having married at an early age, she was still in her early fifties, and her eyes were still sparkling.

Se Ah took Hyun Sook’s right hand, the one not attached to the IV. Then, Hyun Sook’s gaze gently dropped from Se Ah’s face to her beige dress.

“Although it’s always the case, my daughterinlaw is very beautiful. Your pretty dress can’t keep up with your beauty.”
“Mother, really.”
She felt shy when receiving compliments, perhaps because she had lived a parsimonious life.

“So, how is Kang Woo? Is he still busy with work?”
“He seems to have a big business deal. But he’s been coming home early these days.”
She stammered towards the end of her sentence, unable to meet Hyun Sook’s eyes. It was true, but because Hyun Sook, not knowing the reason, smiled in relief.

“But, Se Ah.”
Hyun Sook cautiously lifted Se Ah’s chin.

“You look pale. You’re not sick, are you? You should get checked while you’re here. I hear a lot of young people get sick because of stress these days.”
“That tickles, mother.”
Se Ah burst into laughter at Hyun Sook’s touch on her chin.

“You’re finally smiling. You look even prettier when you smile.”
Would all normal mothers be like Hyun Sook?

Sometimes when she called out “Mom” to herself, she quickly became bittersweet, filled with a strange warmth. Not just her, but the other kids who grew up in the orphanage seemed to avoid the words “Mom”, “parents”.

Suddenly, she envied Kang Woo.

“Father is……”
Se Ah stopped talking and closed her mouth. She was worried that she had upset Hyun Sook with unnecessary words.

“Your fatherinlaw is busy with national affairs. What’s so serious about this illness? It’s a good thing to rest in this spacious and comfortable hospital while avoiding your fatherinlaw’s nagging, isn’t it?”
Hyun Sook leaned in close to Se Ah, smiling like a girl with many secrets.

“The doctor actually said I could be discharged tomorrow and receive my test results at home. I told him I’m fine. What’s that thing these days? Going to a hotel for a rest, Ho……”
“Hocance?”
“Ah, yes. Hocance. Something like that.”
Hyun Sook clapped her hands and laughed. Always a positive person, she made Se Ah smile too.

“There… don’t worry about what your fatherinlaw said during dinner.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The talk about the baby.”
“Ah”
Se Ah’s mouth dropped open.

“He’s just blunt. He probably meant not to feel pressured.”
“Yes.”
“How pretty would it be if you two had a baby? Even if it looks like Kang Woo, it’ll be handsome, and if it looks like our Se Ah, it’ll look like an idol.”
“Idol, what are you talking about? If you say that anywhere else, you’ll be jinxed.”
“Let them jinx me. I’ve never seen a prettier girl than you at any social gathering. Our Se Ah has natural charm.”
It was far from the words she used to hear, whether it was from behind or in front: a poor child without a mother, a pitiful angelic orphan.

Even more so from the gaze of Nam Tae, who treated her like a nobody.

Tears welled up foolishly. She bit the inside of her lip until it bruised, trying not to burst into tears suddenly and surprise Hyun Sook.

“Babies come when it’s time. You have to be relaxed. Babies come when you’re relaxed.”
Finally, the sadness she had suppressed erupted. As the tears flowed, Hyun Sook looked surprised, then slowly turned her lips upward.

“It’s fall, our Se Ah must feel empty.”
“Uh…… uh. Uh……”

Even when she tried to swallow it, the sound of weeping squeaked out. With her head down, Se Ah held onto Hyun Sook’s hand.

“Don’t cry, child…”

With her gentle consolation, if anything, more tears flowed out. Numerous buried sadnesses and sorrows. As if the times she had endured pain were being ripped away.

Hyun Sook continually comforted Se Ah’s back. With the warmth spreading over her back, finally, Se Ah stopped crying.

After coming to her senses, it was awkward to lift her head. After sniffling, she hastily lifted her reddened face. Even as Hyun Sook smiled lightly, her eyes were somehow filled with worry.

“…Perhaps, is Kang Woo angry?”

Slowly, Se Ah shook her head.

“Well, I should know my son’s temperament. He occasionally speaks coldly. He’s rather curt.”

She didn’t mean to, but inadvertently, she showed signs of disapproval of her husband. Se Ah’s expression was ambiguous, neither affirmative nor negative.

After a moment of silence, Hyun Sook reluctantly opened her lips.

“A while ago, Kang Woo told me to divorce him.”
“Divorce? Why…”
“Maybe he didn’t like seeing me groveling to my father. If I can’t divorce, live separately? Without stress.”
“…”
“He said he’d buy a house. He knows that no one has less money than me.”
She stopped her disapproval, and Hyun Sook’s expression was as if she found it cute. She knew that she was worrying about her son, but it was surprising.

“It’s not because I gave birth to him, but Kang Woo does have affection. I guarantee that, so just wait a bit, okay?”
While Se Ah hesitated, biting and releasing her lip, Hyun Sook narrowed her eyes like a flounder.

“Seems like Kang Woo is completely smitten with Se Ah. He doesn’t know how scary a gentle wife can be when she gets angry.”
“That’s really not it.”
Hyun Sook held Se Ah’s shaking hand.

“That’s what marriage is… Everything will pass.”
At her tender look, Se Ah nodded her head.

“By the way, Se Ah. Your phone kept ringing earlier.”
“Yes, mother. I’ll step out for a bit.”
Se Ah entered the bathroom in the hospital room.

She placed her phone on the sink and wiped her hands. She stared at the water, now murky with soap suds, for a long time.

Even after a good cry, her heart felt heavy. It was becoming increasingly difficult to meet Hyun Sook’s eyes. The guilt of deceiving the woman who was treating her with such sincerity.

How hurt would Hyun Sook be if she found out about the divorce with Kang Woo?

When they suddenly decided to get married, Hyun Sook didn’t oppose at all. She might have been dissatisfied with the daughterinlaw who wasn’t up to her standards, she might have felt betrayed when, despite sponsoring her, she and her son got along.

Se Ah asked Nam Tae to let her continue living with Kang Woo not just because she loved Kang Woo, but because she didn’t want to let down Hyun Sook’s expectations.

However, when Nam Tae decisively denied her desperate request, she wanted to quickly wrap everything up and leave. That would be for the best for Kang Woo and Hyun Sook.

She composed herself and looked in the mirror. She removed the clumps of mascara smudged around her eyes and was about to leave, when her phone vibrated loudly.

It was Lee Seok, Nam Tae’s secretary. Se Ah’s hand, holding her phone, trembled.

[Have you checked the deposit? Due to the first contract’s expiration, I deposited 500 million. After renewing the contract, I’ll deposit another 1 billion. There’s one day left until the promised date. Please come to the main house.]