OD Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Okay. Is your stay in the hospital comfortable?”

Yoo-seon asked casually, masking her true emotions. Seo hee rolled her eyes slightly before answering.

“Yes, of course.”

At those words, Yoo-seon’s face darkened.

‘Are you provoking me?’

‘Soe hee knows that Yoon Lee-hyun’s biological mother is just a few floors down. She wants me to tremble in fear, wondering when she’ll expose that truth. So that’s why she got admitted to this hospital…’

Yoo-seon’s thoughts spiraled. She couldn’t figure out how far Seohee’s clear, unshaken gaze was deceiving her.

“When do you plan on returning to work at the art museum?”

It wasn’t just the issue of Yoon Lee-hyun’s biological mother—Jin Seo hee’s art transaction history was also an headache to her.

‘In so many ways, she wears people down. This bitch Jin Seohee!’

Yoo-seon chewed her name over and over in her mind.

“The art museum?” Seo hee’s voice echoed.

“Yes. Things aren’t going well because of the leaves that you have taken.”

At that, Seo hee met Yoo-seon’s gaze directly.

“Then that’s a big problem, Director… Song.”

Her voice was full of genuine concern. She had hesitated, as if choosing the right title, before finally calling her Director Song.

Yoo-seon let out a long sigh.

Who does she think she’s fooling?

Suppressing the urge to snap that delicate, pale neck, Yoo-seon tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“She is not going to go back to work at that art museum.”

The statement came from Lee Hyun, even though no one asked him for his opinion.

“What?”

“I told you—she is not going back there,” he repeated.

When asked again, Lee Hyun raised his eyebrows, visibly annoyed, and slowly got to his feet.

Under his piercing gaze, Yoo-seon hesitated. Then, she further lowered her upper body closer to Seohee and murmured,

“Seohee, your opinion is important.”

Her voice was gentle, but her eyes were sharp. Then she leaned in, whispering that she would wait for her answer.

As soon as Yoo-seon left, Seo hee let out a small sigh.

Lee Hyun quietly observed her expression.

“I worked at an art museum?” Seo hee asked, confused.

After a moment of thought, Lee Hyun nodded.

“To be exact, you helped Director Song with her work.”

“…Why?”

That obvious question momentarily left Lee Hyun speechless.

He had to answer—but what could he say?

Seo hee was waiting for his response, and no excuses came to his mind.

Damn it.

Lee Hyun swallowed the curse that was threatening to slip out.

Even though he had told her not to get involved with anything related to his family, she volunteered to work with Director Song.

So he hadn’t stopped her.

He hadn’t even asked why.

He just let her do whatever she wanted.

“I don’t know.”

“…What?”

Seo hee blinked at the vague response.

At that moment, Lee Hyun cupped her cheeks with both hands, meeting her gaze head-on.

“Why did you help Director Song at her work?”

Seohee was taken aback.

After staring at her for a long moment, as if searching for an answer, Lee Hyun finally buried his face against her shoulder, unable to bear it anymore.

In the end, he couldn’t answer.

Why had Seohee endured his disapproval and stubbornly helped Song Yoo-seon?

Knock, knock, knock.

Accompanied by her secretaries, Yoo-seon opened the door to the hospital director’s office at Gayoon Hospital.

“Secretary Park. Go and bring the hospital director.”

“He’s currently attending a seminar overseas,” Secretary Park reported nervously.

At that, Yoo-seon let out a short laugh, pushing her hair back.

“A seminar? That too on the exact day I have come? And everything aside he went to attend an overseas seminar?”

Secretary Park swallowed hard.

Even he found it suspicious.

The hospital director wasn’t the type to enjoy seminars. In fact, he usually avoided overseas academic conferences altogether due to his fear of heights—and of flying.

There had even been times when he had skipped conferences that were practically mandatory.

As these thoughts ran through Secretary Park’s mind, he glanced cautiously at Yoo-seon.

“Then bring the vice director here. Right now.”

Yoo-seon absently rolled a golf ball in her palm, it was a habit of hers whenever she was deep in thought. She spun her chair around slowly.

Not long after Secretary Park left, the vice director entered the office, calm and composed.

“It’s been a while, Madam.”

“You think I called you here just to exchange pleasantries, Vice Director Lee Ju-yeop?”

Yoo-seon’s voice was casual, but when she deliberately emphasized the word vice director, Ju-yeop’s expression stiffened.

“While CEO Yoon was hospitalizing his wife, what exactly was the hospital director doing? He didn’t even bother to report it to me.”

Ju-yeop frowned slightly, though he didn’t let much emotion show on his face.

“I haven’t seen or heard anything.”

“Oh? You haven’t seen or heard anything?”

Yoo-seon’s eyebrows knitted together.

“The VIP ward isn’t my responsibility. You know that.”

‘Who put you on this position? And now you’re arguing against me?’

Ju-yeop met Yoo-seon’s gaze without backing down.

“Then our CEO Yoon’s wife—no, my daughter-in-law’s medical records—should be completely inaccessible to you as well, right? Then you might just be a hospital Vice director, who’s lost all his control. Is that correct?”

“You seem to know very well.”

At Ju-yeop’s resentful tone, Yoo-seon smirked, curling one side of her lips.

“Well then, I’ll give you an opportunity this time. Dr. Lee Ju-yeop.”

She dragged out his title mockingly.

“The position that you are on, there are many people who can replace it.”

Ju-yeop’s eyes wavered slightly.

“Prove it. That great ability of yours.”

“I’ll think about it,” Ju-yeop said stiffly.

“You must take it into Consideration.”

‘I was already discarded once, what’s stopping me from being discarded again?’

Ju-yeop mulled over Yoo-seon’s offer, unable to give an immediate answer. In the end, he turned and left without another word.

‘What’s there to hesitate about? If someone offers you something, you take it. Seriously, they’re all so pathetic.’

Frustrated, Yoo-seon slammed the golf ball against the desk.

* * *

Seo hee sat blankly on the bed, staring out the window. The sky, seen from the high floor, was so clear and bright that it was almost blinding.

“Embodied memory…?” she muttered to herself.

Since she was in the early stages of pregnancy, they had decided against performing tests like CT scans or MRIs. Instead, they conducted basic assessments—question-and-answer sessions and simple memory tests. The doctor concluded that there would be no major disruption to her daily life.

Although she had no recollection of certain people or situations, her basic knowledge and common sense remained intact. Things she had already learned weren’t completely erased, meaning she could still react instinctively in various situations. Her muscle memory—such as navigating familiar spaces or using objects—was unaffected. Even her feelings toward people might remain the same, so there was no need to worry too much.

I guess that’s a good thing…

Seo hee pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her hands.

The doctor had told her not to be impatient or frustrated, but things didn’t go as planned. Sometimes, she couldn’t help but feel discouraged.

“I worked at an art museum?”

Director Song had definitely said that.

But when she asked Lee Hyun if she had majored in art, he said no.

Then what on earth did I do?

A sudden wave of fear gripped her. What if I did something bad?

The mere thought made her chest tighten.

What if there’s something about me I don’t even know—something terrible?

The way Song Yoo-seon looked at her was unsettling. It was as if she was searching for something desperately, yet at the same time, she seemed angry.

“…I am so scared.”

Sometimes, it felt like fear was going to consume her entirely.

As a wave of dizziness washed over her, her vision blurred.

“Seo hee.”

The familiar, low voice belonged to Lee Hyun.

She didn’t lift her head. She liked hearing his worried tone. Then, she felt the bed sink slightly as he sat down beside her.

A unique, cool scent—neither herbal nor woody—tickled her nose.

Her rumbling stomach seemed to settle just a little.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

As she stared blankly, Lee Hyun quietly placed his hand on her forehead.

“You have a fever. What is that Secretary Shin doing outside?”

His furrowed brow and darkened eyes revealed his anger, but his voice remained gentle.

“I told her to leave. I wanted to be alone. Did I do something wrong?”

Lee Hyun shook his head.

Then, while cupping Seo hee’s face with both hands, he leaned in—so close that their lips almost touched. His voice was precise, unwavering.

“No. Do whatever you want.”

‘Whatever, you can do whatever you want.’

He soothed her gently.

By now, he had noticed the changes in Seo hee’s behavior. At first, she had kept her distance, uncertain of how to approach him. But little by little, she had started to express herself more.

It was the result of his patience—of constantly reassuring her that she could act however she wanted, that she didn’t have to suppress her emotions.

If it had been the Seo hee before her memory loss, she would have bottled up her fears and anxieties.

But now, she allowed herself to show it to him.

And to Lee Hyun, that was a big progress.

“Want some food?”

Seo hee shook her head.

Lee Hyun let out a deep sigh.

Everything was fine—except her eating habits.

No, it wasn’t just a decrease in appetite. She had always had a small appetite, but lately, she wasn’t eating even a single proper spoonful.

It was driving him crazy.

“I don’t want to eat.”

At first, she had forced herself to eat. But after the obstetrician explained that morning sickness was a sign of a healthy pregnancy—and that the baby would still grow even if she struggled to eat—she had stopped trying.

And the one who was growing more anxious because of it was Lee Hyun.

What’s wrong with her? She looks like she’s about to collapse.

Her pale complexion now looked almost colorless. Her lips, once flushed with red, were dry and cracked. Her already large eyes seemed even more sunken.

“Seo hee.”

Lee Hyun gently wiped her eyes.

“Yes.”

Even though she had no energy, she still answered properly.

“Would you like some water?”

He turned his head slightly, gesturing to the water bottle on the table.

When Seo hee had started vomiting water, he had ordered every possible type of water—brands from the market, specialty bottled water, even rare imports.

Now, the hospital room looked like a water fair.

Seohee, staring at the bottles, shook her head again.

Ha.

Lee Hyun let out a sigh.

It was frustrating—among all those options, not a single one satisfied her.

What’s the point of bottled water companies if they can’t make one that she can drink?

He swallowed his irritation.

“I want to go for a walk.”

Lee Hyun’s ears turned red.

At first, he was delighted thinking that he Finally got to do something for her.

But then he hesitated.

Instead of eating, she wanted to take a walk?

Did she even have the strength?

His expression must have shown his doubt because Seo hee smiled.

“I’m okay.”

Lies.

Who would believe her with that pale face?

Still, without another word, he grabbed her outerwear and draped it over her shoulders.

‘Should I carry you?’

He asked with his eyes rather than his words.

Seohee shook her head.

Even though he was irritated, he gently helped her to her feet.

“The garden right next door—”

As he naturally guided her toward the VIP ward’s private outdoor garden, Seohee suddenly stopped walking.

“I want to go downstairs and take a look.”

Being cooped up in the hospital all this time had made her feel trapped.

She felt so suffocated, she thought she might never be able to eat again.

Lee Hyun immediately led her to the VIP elevator and gestured to the bodyguards behind him.

Several of them followed, but only two stepped into the elevator with them.

“You can go down right away.”

The private elevator was designed to reach the basement level directly.

“How about the third-floor garden?”

Judging that the outdoor garden on the first floor was too dangerous, the bodyguard behind him relayed instructions through his earpiece.

They would likely clear out anyone already there and restrict access before Seo hee arrived.

“…Okay.”

As Seo hee answered, Lee Hyun pressed the button for the third floor.

When the light blinked on, she quietly stared at the elevator panel.

“There’s no button for the fourth floor?”

At her question, Lee Hyun glanced at the panel again.

“Nowadays, people don’t care as much, but in the past, they avoided making fourth floors in hospitals because it was considered unlucky.”

His voice was calm, matter-of-fact.

Indeed, the hospital elevator only displayed the third and fifth floors—there was no button for the fourth.

Seo hee’s eyes remained fixed on the panel.

Her fingertips grew cold. Her vision blurred.

Suddenly, her knees buckled, and she grabbed the bar beside her.

Alarmed, Lee Hyun immediately wrapped his arms around her.

“Seo hee.”

“I feel a little dizzy…”

Something’s wrong.

And then, without warning, she collapsed into his arms.

Panic-stricken, Lee Hyun pressed the button to return to her room.