– We have decided to endure it for now.
3 days later, President Min called his daughter. Lisa’s hand trembled as she held the phone up to her ear.
“What?”
The unusually heavy spring rain had stopped, and she could see the large, white birch tree standing outside her window. It looked like it was painted on canvas with a brush. The warm days had passed by, and the spring weather looked beautiful today. The wind already felt different.
– HyunJin made a deal.
Deal? What did this mean? When it came to money, her father-in-law only knew how to hold it close to his chest. R&K had dealt an unforgivable blow to HyunJin, so why did they offer up a deal? It didn’t make any sense.
“A deal?”
– They must have felt responsible for all this.
Felt responsible? What nonsense.
“What…”
President Min lightly cut Lisa off.
– Wasn’t it your wedding anniversary not too long ago?
Lisa bit her lip. After her husband had said those unsettling words, she was feeling on edge. She looked down at the drawing she had been working on.
In a dark forest, a lost girl was looking up at the sky. She had been working on this drawing for 3 days. The branches were tangled like spiderwebs. Lisa felt the hidden monsters suffocating her.
“…Yes.”
Even though the branches were on the paper, she felt as if they were reaching out and strangling her. Crack. Would her neck make that sound when it finally broke?
– The gift that I sent Son-in-law Jeon will arrive there soon. Give it to him properly and make sure he’s not disappointed.
Lisa clenched the hand that was holding her cellphone. She couldn’t believe that her plan hadn’t worked.
“…I understand.”
– Another thing.
Even though Lisa wanted to hang up the phone, it looked like she couldn’t just yet.
– Isn’t it about time we have a grandchild from you?
What?
Lisa was so shocked that she lowered her phone and looked at it.
“That…”
– I trust you to get it done.
I trust you.
With only those words, the call ended. She blankly looked down at her phone and pressed her lips together. A child from her and Jungkook? What nonsense was this? Up till now, Jungkook had never forgotten to put on a condom.
Lisa was also taking measures. Every 3 months, she took a contraceptive shot. She still had two months left before the dose wore off. She wouldn’t be able to have a child within that time.
So HyunJin had made a deal. What did that mean? She pressed the pager and got up from her seat. She couldn’t leave things like this.
“Did you call for me?”
With a strange look on her face, Secretary Kim received the call and hurried over. Lisa walked into her closet and took out a thin coat before putting it on.
“I need to go out.”
“Where are you going?”
To the department store. What should she buy there?
“Anniversary…”
Without thinking, the words left her mouth.
“I haven’t prepared an anniversary present for Jungkook -ssi yet.”
“Ah, okay. I will call for the car.”
At Lisa’s words, Secretary Kim lowered her head.
Lisa barely managed to calm her thoughts and tightened the belt of her coat. Once the car had arrived, Lisa got in and closed her eyes.
Outside, it was a gorgeous April day, but Lisa had a horrible headache. She felt as if the sun was boiling the blood behind her eyes.
“Don’t cry, Lisa.”
A cold voice rang inside her thoughts.
“If you cry, I’m going to gouge out your eyes.”
The terrible images flashed through her head.
“No!”
“What?”
Lisa immediately recovered her senses. She realized that she was sitting in the backseat of the car. Through the rearview mirror, Secretary Kim questioningly gazed at Lisa’s complexion.
“I-It’s nothing.”
Lisa barely managed to respond calmly. However, her heart was beating rapidly inside her chest. Dread and terror. These emotions were rumbling inside of her. Lisa grit her teeth and looked out the window.
The car was headed to Cheongdam-dong. Just like last year, they didn’t ask for her opinion of where to go to get Jungkook ’s anniversary present.
“Are you not feeling well?”
Secretary Kim asked softly. Lisa looked back at her through the rearview mirror and managed to reply with a chuckle.
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
A person’s voice could be so skilled at lying. Secretary Kim was watching her as if she was worried for her. Lisa’s answered calmly as she regulated her breathing. They were all skilled liars.
Lisa turned her head and looked out the window. They were on the bridge passing over the Han River. The car made thumping noises as it crossed the bridge. She felt as if she was the young girl looking up at the sky as she looked through the beams of the bridge. Running as fast as she could in her bare feet over the bridge… Lisa quickly tilted her head back and closed her eyes.
She entwined her fingers on her lap. How many years had it taken to get to this point?
Suffocating in suffering and rage, searching for an exit that wasn’t there… How long had she endured it?
That’s enough.
Lisa laughed bitterly. Emotions wouldn’t help in any situation. Anxiety, sadness, dread, and even suffering. They didn’t help her at all. They only hindered her. She didn’t need something like that.
“Young Madame?”
Lisa raised her head when she heard Secretary Kim’s voice. All traces of worry had left Lisa’s face.
Lisa lightly got out of the car and entered the luxurious entrance of the department store. The bodyguards had already gotten out of their car behind her. Lisa didn’t look at them at all, but they were already looking around at her surroundings naturally.
As if they were already alerted of her arrival, the best brand-name watch store’s doors were open. It was customary for this store to only allow one VVIP customer in at a time. As soon as Lisa entered, the shutters of the shop entrance lowered, and the store manager came up and politely introduced herself.
Lisa wordlessly looked at the woman. The woman would already know what she came here to buy and what she was looking for.
“There are only two new watches that we can present you this year. The other one was taken by Director Jeon when he came by last time because he found it to suit his taste.”
Behind her, two people were holding up the watches as if they were precious jewels. As they should. A watch here would cost 100 million won. They even had watches that went up to 600 million won.
Lisa picked the most casual-looking watch of the two. Suddenly, Secretary Kim spoke up.
“Director Jeon already has a watch similar to this, Young Madame.”
A prickly feeling shot through Lisa’s chest. It was like a violent rage. Lisa was surprised by it herself. She was unable to block the poisonous displeasure that was overwhelming her. Just what do you think you’re doing, Yeri? Are you showing off that you know my husband better than I do?
Yeri often did things like this. In a way that wouldn’t catch anyone else’s eye. Cleverly, she would let slip the fact that she knew Jungkook better than Lisa did.
It felt like shit.
However, in this situation, Lisa couldn’t continue with her choice. But she didn’t want to let Secretary Kim pick the watch either.
“Is that so? Truthfully, I don’t really like either of these choices. Could you show me your other watches?”
Lisa spoke coldly. She felt Secretary Kim’s eyes on her back. Even though Lisa didn’t explicitly say it, the message had been received loud and clear.
Don’t interfere.
Anything that had to do with Jungkook first went through Secretary Kim. The woman knew Jungkook’s preferences and his current interests. She was the most experienced when it came to him. The types of presents he’d like, the style of clothing he preferred, even the subtle details of his relationships with other people. When it came to all these things, Lisa had to ask for Secretary Kim’s advice.
Why was she so annoyed?
Lisa blankly watched as the employees left to return the watches back to their places. They returned with one watch.
“This is something we…”
“I’ll take it.”
Lisa cut off the manager and got up from her seat. It didn’t matter what she picked. The anniversary present could go to hell for all she cared.
Lisa wanted something else.
“I need to go to the restroom for a moment.”
“We’ll go to the VIP lounge on the 3rd floor.”
At Lisa’s words, Secretary Kim alerted the bodyguards.
All this chaos for one person. It was cumbersome and a bit laughable, but Lisa didn’t express these thoughts. These people were just doing their work.
Lisa followed them into the elevator. While she was in the elevator, no one else would be able to get on. Everyone looked at them with curious glances, but Lisa wasn’t affected by it because she had gotten used to it.
To others, it looked like a young madame of a chaebol household was just flexing her influence. Before someone could take a photo with their cellphone, the bodyguards cleverly hid her behind them.
Did they know?
Lisa wondered.
That she didn’t like this either… Even though she was walking around as if she owned the place, she wasn’t even in charge of her own life. Even though it looked like she was being protected by a lot of people, she was actually being watched by them. Even though it seemed as though money would bring freedom, it was actually a restraint.
They won’t know.
She was jealous of them. She wanted more than anything to live a common life like them. She wanted to be a lovable daughter of a family. She wanted to laugh, cry, express her anger, and love according to her will. She wanted to know what it was like to live in peace.
“This way.”
The carpeted lounge was spacious. It didn’t look any different from an apartment living room. The fact that it was a restroom was almost unbelievable.
On one side, there was a sofa and armchair. The other side had a line of vanity mirrors. Further inside was the bathroom. Since this space was only used by the elite ladies, everything was luxurious and clean. More importantly, no one was here.
Even Secretary Kim couldn’t enter. When Lisa was inside, she quickly put her bag on the table and hung her jacket on the chair.
•••
T/n: According to IST, I'm so early. It's around 1:15 a. m. in the morning, it's Friday already.
Anyway, good morning, good noon, good evening or good night, according to wherever you live and what time you read. ♡♡♡