A few days later.
Kook-Hwan’s expression as he left the hospital office was bitter.
This moment of withdrawal, without any reward for his efforts, couldn’t be more empty.
While many words circulated about his sudden retirement, the board recognized his past contributions, allowing him to retire quietly.
Kook-Hwan stood in front of the window where the sunlight was most prominent for the last time.
In the empty office, devoid of all belongings, his eyes wandered vacantly.
From the desk to the bookshelf, even the cabinet filled with various achievement plaques.
As he let out a hollow breath, a knocking sound was heard, and the door opened promptly.
It was So-Ri who revealed herself.
“Why did you come?”
“…I came to see you off.”
It was Kook-Hwan’s last day, a day he never thought he would let go of everything.
“Hyun-Woo didn’t come, so I came on his behalf.”
So-Ri’s hesitant pause and Kook-Hwan’s gaze intertwined.
“I didn’t hate you.”
“Yes. You hated me. It was pitiful and resentful.”
“Honesty is good.”
“But why did I… follow your intentions, do you know?”
Although So-Ri was pledged as collateral, it was a question about why she chose to follow Kook-Hwan’s wishes to give up on Hyun-Woo.
“I don’t know. You were always good at listening to adults.”
“No. Because you’re the one who gave birth to Hyun-Woo.”
“…”
“Of course, you’re also the one who gave birth to Ji-Woo, my favorite.”
With a sigh, Kook-Hwan turned away and smiled with a sense of emptiness.
“When I let go, I realized why I was holding on. I just wanted recognition, even at the hospital.”
“So, thank you.”
As if an unexpected word, Kook-Hwan looked at So-Ri’s face. So-Ri, as if sincere, curled the edges of her lips.
“For following Hyun-Woo’s intentions.”
“I don’t know if that’s the case. I just didn’t want to be abandoned. I feel like there will be nothing left in my life.”
“Yes. Whatever the reason.”
Surrendering between parent and child also meant relinquishing one’s pride, whether voluntary or involuntary.
If they had persisted until the end, the two would have eventually drifted apart.
“When Hyun-Woo comes, the hospital will continue to be noisy for a while.”
People seemed to think that Professor Seo Hyun-Woo’s condition was tied to Kook-Hwan’s retirement.
Hyun-Woo intended to cover up his father’s faults in this way.
In the end, Kook-Hwan left, unloading all burdens onto his son, Hyun-Woo.
“I hope you help a lot by his side.”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
Although there was a period of going back and forth for the trial and time to explain, Kook-Hwan felt more indifferent than he thought.
Fortunately, there was nothing privately useful. There were no unjust gains.
Hyun-Woo covered all the losses, and what remained unpaid, he agreed to compensate by working at the literary agency while reaching an agreement with the board.
The hospital board hoped that Kook-Hwan would work as an unpaid researcher, but Kook-Hwan flatly refused.
“I don’t recognize you. I’m sorry.”
Bowing his head, Kook-Hwan offered an apology and passed by So-Ri.
Although it was late, he pledged to become a father acknowledged by his family.
The scorching summer had quietly faded away, and a cool breeze began to blow on a late summer evening.
At So-Ri’s round dining table, a total of four people gathered.
So-Ri, Hyun-Woo, Ji-Woo, and Kang-Woo.
“Tell us. Noona, who among us should choose the kidney?”
“My kidney. Whose kidney do you think it is? It’s our mom’s, right? Isn’t that right, So-Ri?”
“So-Ri, I probably have the healthiest kidney, don’t you think?”
What a scene, everyone barging into the house at once like this.
So-Ri’s eyes and mouth met awkwardly, sensing the throbbing in her head.
“Do we easily say something like there’s at least one unnecessary organ among us? And Professor, I said it’s not feasible, so why are you repeating the same thing?”
With a sharp jab accompanied by a smile, the three people were taken aback simultaneously.
Observing So-Ri’s usually sharp tone, the three were convinced that So-Ri was uncomfortable.
All three rushed to So-Ri like this because it was decided that So-Ri’s test results made transplantation impossible.
So-Ri didn’t show it, but there was a strong sense of disappointment. Hence, they all came running in an emergency.
“I didn’t know. I didn’t know our mom was so generous.”
So-Ri asked, her head fluttering, looking at Ji-Woo whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.
“But Ji-Woo, when did you come back from the U.S.?”
Whether Ji-Woo and Kang-Woo can stay at our house became a belated concern.
“It’s dangerous with this combination. We should be careful when we go out separately.”
Having both a top star at home. It was quite a situation even if reporters flocked in.
“If our house becomes a secret meeting place or something, I’ll be in real trouble if a news article comes out.”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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