As I leaned on the dining table and lowered my head, I saw the wedding ring Ji Han had put on my finger sparkle.
It was a designer piece with intricate diamond cutting that was said to be one of a kind in the world.
I remembered Ji Han putting this ring on my finger in my previous life.
The image of me being consoled while looking at this ring overlapped with my current self.
“Why did I believe… Why…”
The memory of my past self made my heart ache so much.
Why hadn’t I recognized his hypocritical behavior that was so obvious?
The brilliantly shining ring was now nothing more than shackles on my finger.
As I looked at the wedding ring that seemed to say, ‘you will eventually let go of everything,’ a moan escaped my lips.
Not the anchor position, and not the W Group. There was no room for concessions to the two in this life.
“I won’t let things go the way you want.”
The screen of my phone on the island dining table lit up brightly with vibrations.
“Hello.”
It was Jae Ha.
He had read my message saying I wanted to see him and called me first.
“I didn’t expect you to contact me suddenly. You want to see me now?”
“Yes. If possible, I’d like to see you today.”
There was no response from him on the other end for a moment when I mentioned today.
“Have you eaten?”
“No, not yet.”
“Then, would you like to go out? Let’s have a meal.”
I heard Jae Ha’s low voice from the other side of the phone.
I wasn’t in the mood to eat, so I sat on a stool and stared at the wine bottle in front of me.
“I don’t need food.”
Even though I had drunk enough for the bottom of the bottle to be exposed, I didn’t feel intoxicated.
I wanted to get drunk enough to forget everything.
I stared at the unusually beautiful wedding ring and took it off my finger, placing it on the table.
“Shall we have a drink?”
Without a word, Jae Ha’s car seemed to have arrived at the destination as it began to slow down.
‘A hotel?’
I looked at Jae Ha as the car slowly stopped in front of the hotel entrance.
However, he nonchalantly got out of the car and came to the passenger side, knocking on the window.
“Get out.”
“Are we having a drink here?”
I rolled down the window and pointed to the hotel behind me, asking him.
With a leisurely smile at my pointed question, Jae Ha lowered his head through the open window.
“So, what are we doing?”
I pointed at the hotel while looking at him, who was giving me a meaningful gaze.
“No, the place is just…”
“The atmosphere here is good. Get out; it’s time.”
It was a five-star hotel, so the atmosphere was bound to be nice.
In the end, I followed him into the hotel without anything more to say.
It was an oddly prepared spot for a sudden appointment.
“Did you make a reservation?”
There were quite a few people sitting in the bustling lobby during dinner time.
I looked around and casually asked Jae Ha, who was walking ahead.
“Of course, I made a reservation. You can’t come here without one. Besides, look at the time.”
Jae Ha turned around with an expression that said I was asking the obvious.
“It’s peak hours.”
“You’re thorough…”
“That’s how I am.”
Although it was true.
I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh at Jae Ha’s nonchalant agreement without changing his expression.
With a faint smile, Jae Ha approached the wine bar staff.
“Are you Seo Jae Ha?”
“Yes.”
I followed the guiding staff and then stopped in my tracks.
There was a table right in front of the floor-to-ceiling window with the word ‘reserved’ on it.
Small candles lit up the table with their faint glow.
“This is the reservation for Seo Jae Ha. Have a great time.”
Beyond the large window, the lights of cars running along the Han River created a beautiful view.
Only after ordering wine and a simple starter did Jae Ha shift his gaze toward me.
Soon, two glasses were placed in front of us along with the wine.
“Ah, just one glass is enough.”
With that, he extended one of the glasses back to the server.
“I don’t plan on drinking.”
“…You’re not going to drink?”
“Yes.”
I was taken aback by his firm answer.
I had come here with the intention of drinking together.
As I was considering whether to change seats now, I heard Jae Ha’s voice.
“I have a car, and I can’t send you home alone late at night.”
His casual remark, accompanied by a gesture pointing at me, made my heart flutter.
As the server left, his silent gaze seemed to be asking what was going on.
However, seeing him not bringing up the subject first felt like he was being considerate, so I smiled faintly.
“Actually, I was drinking wine alone at home today.”
“…?”
“I wanted to regain a certain position, but it didn’t work out.”
Was it because of the atmosphere here? Or was it because we were facing each other with a single candle glowing dimly in the darkness?
I found myself telling my story without realizing it.
“Why?”
“They said there’s already someone in line for it.”
Picking up the water glass, his expression changed subtly upon hearing the words “someone in line.”
“Do you want to return to work?”
Jae Ha, who asked in a calm tone, put the cup he had taken a sip from back down.
I was surprised that he asked about my intention to return to work before I even mentioned it.
“How did you know…?”
I looked at him with wide-open eyes.
As Jae Ha was about to continue speaking, he suddenly erased his smile while looking at something behind me.
As if he had discovered something, abruptly.
“What’s wrong? Is there something?”
“Seo Ji Han.”
Following Jae Ha’s gaze, which was staring intently at something right behind me, I turned my body.
At the end of his gaze, there was a very familiar man staring at us.
It was Ji Han. For a moment, our eyes met as he looked bewildered, squinting.
Behind him, a woman’s voice could be heard, and the hidden figure appeared.
“Oppa, where’s our table?”
With a feeling of disbelief, I turned my head.
In the crowded bar, the only reservation card on the table next to us came into view.
‘Ah.’
“They said it was by the window…”
Her words were abruptly cut off as she seemed to have finally noticed me sitting at the next table.
Seo Rin, not knowing what to do with her flustered face, hurriedly let go of Ji Han’s sleeve that she had been holding.
‘Say something, Seo Ji Han. An excuse or an explanation.’
Ji Han’s eyes, which had initially widened in surprise, slowly calmed down.
No, instead, he straightened his head more boldly and looked straight at me.
He didn’t have any common explanations or excuses.
I almost unwittingly burst out with a harsh curse.
To suppress it, I clenched my fist and curled up my trembling lips.
“You two, why are you together?”
Pretending not to know, I asked my fiancé, who was standing still.
“What are you doing here?”
Despite the forced smile I tried to maintain, my eyes grew cold.
I already knew from the pictures and reports, but facing the two of them directly was hard to bear.
The feeling of betrayal towards my ex-husband, and the endless wave of humiliation.
In contrast to Seo Rin, who seemed very flustered, my fiancé, who faced me with a calm expression, remained silent.
The image of him putting the wedding ring on my finger vividly surfaced, and a sense of disillusionment welled up.
‘Did you really come to the hotel after saying that to me?’
“We came to have a drink and talk.”
After a while, Ji Han finally opened his tightly closed lips.
He pointed to the reserved seats with his chin while giving a concise explanation of the situation without any unnecessary details.
Then, a tiny crack appeared in his gaze as he looked at Jae Ha, who was sitting in front of me.
“I’m the one who wants to ask. Why are you here with my brother?”
This time, he asked.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
