Chapter 9
A-ram quickly reacted to the rustling movement. She put down the food she had brought and gently woke me up.
As I stared blankly, A-ram bowed her head politely and introduced herself.
“Let me formally introduce myself. I am Shin A-ram, and I will be serving you from now on.”
“Yes, please take care of me, Ms. A-ram.”
It didn’t feel unfamiliar. My heart didn’t race with anxiety. Even though it was clearly the first time I had seen her, I felt at ease.
“Madam, are you uncomfortable?”
But why am I so dizzy?
As soon as I raised my upper body, my vision blurred.
I let myself lean into A-ram’s support.
“I’m okay, it’s fine. But…”
I looked around. The calming scent still lingered, but he was nowhere to be seen. My eyes wavered.
“Sir is in a meeting.”
Even with A-ram’s explanation, my fingertips went cold. Every time he wasn’t around, I felt anxious. Could it be that I was left behind by him? He wouldn’t just leave me in this hospital room and never come back, right?
Absurd thoughts piled up one after another. As I looked around, A-ram cautiously spoke.
“Shall I call him?”
“No… It’s okay.”
I shook my head in refusal. If I wait, he will come. He is a busy person—he can’t always be here. I can’t keep calling him just because I feel uneasy, just because this inexplicable anxiety is eating me up.
I kept repeating those facts to myself, but my stomach began to churn, and nausea rose. Covering my mouth with one hand, I leaned into A-ram’s careful support.
I buried my face in the toilet, but nothing came out. After struggling for a while, I slumped down, completely drained.
“It wasn’t like this even when I was in Ganghae…”
The weak grumble faded like smoke. I couldn’t tell if morning sickness was really setting in or if my confusion was just manifesting as nausea.
“Madam, are you okay?”
I grabbed the sink and pulled myself up at the sound of A-ram’s calling from outside.
“…Yes.”
After rinsing my mouth and washing my face, my already pale complexion became even more ghostly. My hands felt weak as I tapped my cheeks, trying to shake off the dizziness.
As soon as I opened the door, A-ram was right there.
As soon as I sat down on the bed, she offered me food.
With over seven side dishes and even samgyetang, the meal looked luxurious enough to belong to a hotel, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat.
Thump, thump.
The baby’s heartbeat suddenly came to mind.
Thinking of the baby, I have to eat something.
Determined, I lifted the clear soup to my lips.
But the moment I swallowed a sip, my stomach revolted. The broth came back up, spilling onto the bed.
“…Ah.”
I was about to say something when A-ram suddenly stood up.
Sseureuk.
The door opened, and the person who entered was Lee Hyun.
He walked towards me with heavy steps, his gaze fixed on me as I covered my mouth with one hand.
Lee Hyun frowned at the untouched meal, then grabbed a tissue and carefully wiped my mouth.
“Mr. Lee Hyun…”
“Clean this up.”
Without hesitation, he ordered A-ram to remove the food.
I shook my head, still holding onto the spoon.
“I can eat it.”
“Stubborn as always.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the familiar sight, but he didn’t smile.
“This is abuse, Seo hee. Why are you forcing yourself to eat something that makes you sick?”
He coaxed me gently, prying the spoon from my hand before lifting me into his arms.
“Mr. Hyun…”
“Your favorite bakery is open.”
The hotel policy and any complaints didn’t matter to him.
As he carried me away, we entered another space. Unlike the room where he had dried my hair before, this area had a large sofa and a table hidden behind a wooden partition.
Soon after, Seungho and his secretaries arrived, carrying small boxes in a row.
“What is all this?”
As I blinked in confusion, Lee Hyun opened the boxes himself.
“These are the things you like. I ordered them just in case, but I wonder if you can eat any of it.”
He muttered as he continued unpacking.
Inside were an assortment of cakes—strawberry, chocolate, mango, cheese, and blueberry—as well as macarons and éclairs. To the side were an array of fresh juices: apple, orange, grapefruit, strawberry, blueberry… a seemingly endless variety.
I reached for the blueberry-studded éclair, drawn to it instinctively.
Without a word, Lee Hyun slid the box towards me, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
I plucked a blueberry from the éclair and popped it into my mouth.
Lee Hyun frowned slightly but said nothing.
He adjusted his posture so that I could lean against him more comfortably and silently noted each thing I reached for.
“Is it working?”
I slowly nodded.
The meal that started with a few blueberries didn’t last long. I ate half the éclair before reaching for the fork again, but I hesitated.
Strawberry cake, chocolate cake, mango cake—I couldn’t bring myself to eat any of them.
I picked up the strawberry juice, thinking I might be able to drink it, but in the end, I couldn’t even take a sip.
My stomach churned.
I bit my lip, and his gaze naturally followed the motion.
Stubbornly, I tried again, pressing the fork into another piece of cake, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.
‘This isn’t going to work. If I leave her like this, she’ll sit here all day, picking at food but never eating.’ Lee Hyun thought.
With a small sigh, Lee Hyeon sat up and turned to me.
“Seo hee.”
Then he cupped my chin and lightly bit my lips.
“Let’s stop eating.”
He kissed me once, then twice—soft and coaxing.
And slowly, I nodded.
Just as I put the fork down, a knock cut through the silence.
“Director Song has arrived.”
When Seungho entered and spoke, Lee Hyun brushed back Seohee’s flowing bangs and murmured,
“Hmm.. I guess you have to legally call her your mother-in-law.”
He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, but no answer felt quite right.
“…Mother?”
So, it’s Lee Hyun’s mother?
Seo hee asked with wide eyes. As her small shoulders trembled slightly, Lee Hyun pressed them down gently, steadying her.
“Yeah, she is the person who treated you like a daughter-in-law.”
His voice was cynical, as if there was no better way to describe it.
‘You don’t acknowledge me as your son, but you treat my wife as your daughter-in-law? Even you must know how ridiculous that is.’
Was what he was silently screaming within him.
Lee Hyun lightly rubbed Seo hee’s cheek. Her eyes were clouded with the thoughts…
‘But, his mother is still my mother-in-law.’
As Seo hee fidgeted with her fingers, Lee Hyun leaned in and whispered in her ear,
“She hates me.”
It was as if he were reassuring her.
She really, really hates me, honey.
Seo hee let out a small laugh at his sly tone.
“Do whatever you want.”
“Don’t worry about me, Seo hee,” he murmured, resting his forehead against her neck.
“She’s here.”
Seungho’s voice was followed by the sharp click, click, click of high heels against the floor.
Seo hee gently pushed against Lee Hyun’s chest, and he moved away without resistance. Still, he draped an arm around her shoulder and sank back into the sofa, while crossing his legs.
“You were hospitalized for quite some time….”
Song Yoo-seon, who had just stepped around the partition, trailed off.
She froze under Lee Hyun’s intense stare, which was sharp despite his relaxed posture.
“…Are you fine now?”
Yoo-seon finished her sentence smoothly, her composure unshaken. Her gaze flicked over Seo hee from head to toe.
“Oh, yes.”
At that moment, her grip on her handbag tightened.
Suppressing a scoff, Yoo-seon observed Seohee’s calm face, her expression unreadable.
‘Oh? Look at her attitude…’
Instead of sitting down, Yoo-seon remained standing, towering over Seohee.
Normally, she would have immediately stood up and said, “I am okay, Mother. I’m sorry for worrying you.” She should be flustered, trying to say something conciliatory. But now…
Seo hee blinked, glancing between Lee Hyun and her mother-in-law.
‘I guess she knows—did Yoo-seon know that I have lost my memory? Or was she oblivious?’
Lee Hyun, however, had no intention of telling her. He merely pressed Seo hee’s shoulder as if to reassure her.
When Seo hee stole a glance at him, he patted her shoulder lightly.
“I didn’t even know that she was hospitalized. I searched for her desperately.”
Yoo-seon masked her rising irritation and spoke in an elegant tone, making sure to glance at Seo hee with an expression of feigned concern.
“…You were looking for me?”
Seo hee’s wide eyes made Yoo-seon falter for a moment.
Her gaze was so clear, so unguarded—it was as if she was genuinely asking, Did you really look for me?
“Of course. I searched for you so desperately.”
Yoo-seon leaned forward slightly, but before she could close the distance, Lee Hyun, who had been lounging on the sofa, suddenly straightened.
His black eyes gleamed as he stared her down, silently asking, What are you doing?
“I didn’t know you and Seo hee were so close.”
When Yoo-seon glanced at him as if something was off, he bit the inside of his lip.
“You must not be seeing things clearly.”
At his words, Yoo-seon’s expression hardened.
“That’s right. I am upset that I found out quite late that Seo hee was hospitalized at Gayoon.”
Lee Hyun’s face was indifferent, almost bored, as he clicked his tongue.
Yoo-seon clenched her teeth, recognizing the subtle shift in power. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, but her fingers trembled slightly.
Forcing a composed smile, she said,
“I have something to ask to Seo hee so can you go out for a bit, Lee Hyun-ah.”
Her tone was sweet, but the message was clear: Stop hovering like a guard dog and leave.
At that, Lee Hyun let out a soft chuckle.
“Please, go ahead in my presence, Manager Song. I am not stopping you from it.”
What’s stopping you?
His lighthearted response made Yoo-seon tighten and loosen her fist in frustration.
How on earth is this working in his favor?
She couldn’t understand.
Her position at Gayoon Hospital was slipping before her very eyes, and there was nothing she could do.
Why is he at Gayoon Hospital? Of all places, why here?
Did she already tell Lee hyun about the hidden hospital room?
Where is the card key to the special ward?
There were countless things she wanted to ask, but at that moment, the most aggravating thing of all was that Lee-hyun was sticking close to Jin Seohee.
