IMRMH :11

CHAPTER :11

Summoned to Seong-jae’s office, Hyuk-joon stood frozen, unable to even sit down in the heavy, suffocating atmosphere.

“…Director Kwon Hyuk-joon.”

*Crash!*

Chairman Kwon Seong-jae, his face twisted in fury, hurled a glass right past Hyuk-joon’s side.

“Yes, Father…!”

At his age, he still hadn’t pulled himself together. He was Gwansung’s biggest “owner risk,” constantly trailed by scandals.

His one and only son, trembling like a leaf just because his name had been called.

Chairman Kwon looked at Hyuk-joon as if looking at a piece of filth.

“The semiconductor joint development deal. I heard we lost it. Why hasn’t a report landed on my desk yet?”

“…!”

At some point, Chairman Kwon had stopped calling Hyuk-joon “son.”

It was because calling Hyuk-joon his “son” was too embarrassing to bear.

“Director Kwon. You have to deliver results for me to keep you by my side. It’s not just because you’re getting married now, or because you’re the only son I have!”

He had grown complacent, assuming that as the only son, the position of next successor would naturally fall into his lap.

“How is it that I never see a single performance report, yet day in and day out, I’m flooded with scandals too filthy to even speak of?!”

“F-Father…”

“How long are you going to disgrace this family?! Just how much longer?!”

Seong-jae let out a long, heavy sigh of frustration.

Because of his lack of achievements and precarious standing, Hyuk-joon remained stuck as a mere director despite being the chairman’s only son.

“Sigh…”

Seong-jae couldn’t help but sigh again at his disappointing son.

Hyuk-joon, who had been anxiously reading the room, cautiously spoke up.

“Actually, I do have a project I’ve been working on.”

“What is it?”

“Father, have you by any chance heard of ‘Rex’? The famous figure in Silicon Valley.”

One of Chairman Kwon’s eyebrows arched up. It was a sure sign that his interest had been piqued.

Hyuk-joon swallowed hard and rushed to explain.

“About the semiconductor material development deal—instead of the company we originally had in mind, I’m planning to get some advice from him and obtain a list of promising prospects.”

“So you have no intention of pounding the pavement and finding them yourself?”

Just as the conversation seemed to be taking a turn for the better, it veered off course again.

Hyuk-joon barely managed to suppress the irritation rising within him.

“Oh, come on, Father. That’s on a completely different level than me blindly running around. His experience and network are in a whole different league.”

“Just how incredible is this person?”

“Every single semiconductor material startup he made early investments in has hit the jackpot. The companies we put on our shortlist earlier? They were all funded by him.”

“Hmm…”

“Instead of going with established companies, we target innovative startups. What do you say, Father? Shouldn’t we look at the long-term picture?”

Hyuk-joon flashed a broad grin.

“We must see the forest, not the trees.”

“Rex,” the anonymous venture capitalist whose every single investment turned to gold.

Because he was shrouded in mystery, tracking him down was like finding an oasis in the desert. But as with anyone famous, rumors abounded.

Among those rumors, what had caught Hyuk-joon’s eye was Rex’s net worth.

His net worth was estimated to be a staggering four to five hundred million dollars—equivalent to roughly six hundred billion won.

It was higher than the market cap of Shinyang Corporation, making him essentially a walking, talking mid-sized enterprise.

“Tsk. Do as you please. If you manage to find this *great* person, introduce him to your father as well.”

“Yes! Of course, Father. Once I track him down, I’ll find out everything—his name, age, and where he lives.”

With Seong-jae’s reluctant approval secured, Hyuk-joon cheered inwardly.

It was working. Now, as long as he tracked down this “Rex,” he would win back his father’s trust.

Hyuk-joon closed the office door behind him, a smug, toothy grin spreading across his face.

***

“Mmm…”

Yoo-sung’s eyelids fluttered. The first thing she registered was the cozy, warm sensation of bedding enveloping her.

“Awake at last?”

Opening her eyes, she saw Soo-hyuk, dressed in a casual T-shirt, looking down at her.

Noticing her frown, he dimmed the lights.

“Where… is this?”

“It was an emergency, so I brought you to my place.”

“Ah, I see…”

*No wonder. It’s far too luxurious to be my place.*

“You’ve been out for exactly three and a half hours. Out cold, like a kindergartener taking a nap.”

“I slept that long…?”

“Yeah. It’s not right to leave your husband waiting like this, is it?”

When Yoo-sung tried to sit up, Soo-hyuk naturally reached out to support her shoulders.

“First… thank you so much. You saved my life.”

“Sweeter than I thought. Look at you, knowing how to say thank you.”

*Pat.* A large palm gently patted the top of her head, as if praising a puppy.

Yoo-sung self-consciously smoothed the hair where his hand had touched, only to realize she was now wearing a black silk shirt.

“My clothes…”

“They’re in the wash. They were too dirty, so I had you changed.”

“…You didn’t change me yourself, did you?”

Met with her wary gaze, Soo-hyuk, who was sitting with his arms crossed, gave a slight tilt of his head.

“Why so shy? We’re a married couple.”

His ambiguous reply made Yoo-sung’s heart leap into her throat.

It wasn’t out of embarrassment or shame, but because the scars from the beatings she endured in high school were still vivid on her skin.

Her chest, waist, stomach, arms, and legs…

Ugly, mottled scars covered every inch of her body.

“Ugh! Gross! Why is your body in such a hideous state?!”

The memory of Yu-na walking in while she was changing and throwing those words at her was still fresh in her mind.

If this man had seen her scarred body…

“…Did you really change my clothes yourself?”

Seeing her reaction, Soo-hyuk clicked his tongue.

*Does she hate the idea that much?*

In truth, a female doctor had changed her, examined her, and put her on an IV drip before leaving.

He knew she had her own personal physician, but since he couldn’t invite them to his home, he had summoned a reliable doctor who could make a house call right away.

“There’s nothing seriously wrong; it seems like a simple case of fainting. She should be fine after some rest. And… I’m not sure if you’re aware, but her body is covered in scars.”

The doctor had relayed this to him with a worried expression after changing her clothes.

Soon after, Soo-hyuk had gone into the bedroom and gently peeled back the sleeping Yoo-sung’s shirt.

And he saw them.

Every single scar this woman had hidden so deep.

On her shoulder next to her collarbone, near her chest, on her flat stomach.

Soo-hyuk’s eyes had lingered on the marks left on her body for a very long time.

*…You’re quite something, Shin Yoo-sung.*

It wasn’t pity he felt, but a profound sense of respect.

She had been in so much pain, yet she had never once asked for help. It was foolish, desperately so.

At the same time, a burning rage flared up like oil on fire toward the bastard who shared his blood—the one who had left those horrific marks on this fragile body.

Feeling this angry on behalf of someone else was a first for him since reaching adulthood.

“Then… did you see them?”

“What?”

“…If you saw, you know what I mean.”

Yoo-sung snapped her head away, avoiding his gaze.

Staring intently at her chest as if trying to peer beneath the fabric, he suddenly let out a low chuckle.

“Your taste in underwear is pretty childish, though.”

Polka dots? Seriously?

At his teasing, Yoo-sung practically leaped out of bed.

“A-Are you crazy?! Why are you looking at my underwear so closely?!”

“Seeing how snappy you are, you must be fully recovered. Get up. Let’s get some food and sign the contract.”

Staring blankly at Soo-hyuk’s retreating back as he walked out of the room, Yoo-sung muttered to herself.

“He already has the contract ready? In that short time?”

Following him out, Yoo-sung gasped in awe.

Beyond the massive panoramic windows, a breathtaking view of the Han River stretched out before her.

*Wow…*

The ceiling height was staggering. The apartment had to be at least four thousand square feet.

Even though she had grown up in a wealthy family, this penthouse was on an entirely different level from any home she had ever seen.

“Careful, your jaw is going to hit the floor.”

Stepping into the living room, she saw two copies of the marriage contract laid out neatly on the long kitchen island.

Yoo-sung ate the porridge Soo-hyuk had prepared while thoroughly reading through the contract.

*There’s nothing problematic here. It’s clean.*

She particularly liked the clause stating: *’The terms of this contract may be amended upon mutual agreement.’*

After all, there was no telling what variables might pop up once her revenge got underway.

She was about to sign when she froze at the clause regarding marital relations.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah…”

*The contracting parties shall have no marital obligations to one another.*

Noticing her eyes lingering on that line, Soo-hyuk teased her.

“Why? Want me to change it to ‘obligated’?”

“What?! No!”

“…”

*He’s like a mind reader. How did he know I was looking at that clause?*

Yoo-sung quickly signed her name and slid the contract over to him.

“Everything is fine. Here, I’m done signing too.”

“So we’re officially a married couple now. No backing out.”

“I guess so. We really are married.”

*Ahem.* Feeling a sudden wave of awkwardness, Yoo-sung looked away and noticed a wine cellar in the distance.

“Mr. Soo-hyuk. Why don’t we have a toast to celebrate our marriage?”

“Alcohol? For someone who just fainted? Stop trying to act like an adult.”

“Excuse me, I’m twenty-five. A quarter of a century old! I’m way past the age of being treated like a kid.”

“Right, of course. My apologies, *noona*. Wine will do, I assume?”

His face practically screamed, *’You’re still a kid to me.’* Yoo-sung pouted before letting out a soft laugh.

*Well, nothing beats alcohol when it comes to breaking the ice. Having a drink together will surely ease this awkwardness.*

Exactly one hour later.

The atmosphere had loosened up. In fact, it had gotten a bit *too* loose.

“You said I was a kid. Is it really okay… to do this to a kid? *Ah.*”

“Shall we… reconsider that marital obligations clause?”

Quite unaware of what was about to happen to her, Yoo-sung smiled innocently.