Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 0. Prologue

Prologue.

Sunlight poured into the greenhouse, painting the plants in vibrant hues. However, Eun-chae felt none of its warmth. She shivered, clutching her cardigan tightly, her body consumed by the cold. She held onto her teacup with trembling hands, craving any sign of comfort. A stoic figure waited across from her.

“Please, say it again,” she demanded.

Eun-chae struggled to hold back tears as her voice trailed off. She bit her lip until it bled and looked into his eyes.

“I asked for a divorce,” he replied, his words heavy with emotion.

Lee Joon raised his teacup and spoke fiercely as he crossed his legs in slow motion. Eun-chae couldn’t help but laugh at his casual behavior.

Lee Joon was proud of his love affair. He sipped his tea gracefully and replied in a dry tone.

“Do you realize how shameless you are? How can an unfaithful husband ask for a divorce?” she said

“This is what I am, a cold, selfish as$hole. Please don’t accuse me of anything,” he responded.

Lee laughed. Eun-chae was left speechless by his response. He sounded cold and blunt, but he was a man of dignity. He had never acted so ungraciously.

Eun-chae was so shocked that it felt like a terrible nightmare.

“I can’t get a divorce. I won’t, I won’t.”

She vigorously shook her head in refusal.

“No, you have to,” he replied.

He looked Eun-chae in the face, was pale, and spoke coldly.

“I don’t need your doctor, I’ll do it.”

Eun-chae was shocked. Her face showed no signs of laughter or tears. She told herself that she could only laugh if it was too ridiculous.

“Is it because of her?”

Eun-chae wanted to die at that moment. It was so painful to mention her husband’s betrayal in her own words.

Eun-chae felt angry with herself for being annoyed. Her husband, who was at fault, seemed unconcerned. Eun-chae was filled with anger and resentment.

Her nose ran constantly, and her eyes watered. She spoke with a trembling voice, sounding almost like a goat’s bleat.

“Is she asking you to divorce me? she asked.

Lee Joon struggles to answer. She recalls the woman’s face in the photo of her husband and their affectionate behavior. The woman was beautiful.

Lee Joon’s behavior towards Eun-chae deeply hurt her. He rarely smiled at her, and when he did, it seemed forced. Meanwhile, he showered his mistress with affectionate looks, leaving Eun-chae feeling neglected and unimportant.

He treated not only his wife unkindly but also the women who pursued him. They were like moths drawn to a flame, seeking his attention only to be met with his indifference.

However, this woman was different. She possessed a delicate and sweet appearance as if she were a precious being. The man, who had previously been like a winter wind, now resembled a warm spring breeze. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

The lingering effects of the ritual sank what was left of Eun-chae’s pride and self-respect to the bottom of her stomach. She clutched her cooling teacup and stared at Lee.

“It’s not about her.”

“Then… what is it about?”

Eun-chae’s eyes blinked rapidly. She questioned why. Tears shone in her eyes as they flickered with weakness.

When the light from the greenhouse window hit her pupils, they sparkled like the surface of a finely scaled water surface. Lee Joon looked at her with a puzzled expression and spoke calmly.

“It’s because you love me, Yoon Eun-chae,” he said.

Eun-chae’s eyes widened in surprise at his response. A heavy silence filled the air, so quiet that the sound of light could almost be heard.

“What do you mean?”

Eun-chae struggled to speak, stuttering in shock. Her tongue and lips were not cooperating.

Meanwhile, Lee Joon dealt him a blow.

“I wish you had never found out. If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t have had to get divorced. We could have had a happy life together.”

Lee Joon’s words were like a bruise to Eun-chae, who barely regained her composure. She protested with a look of hurt on her face.

“This doesn’t make sense! How can a wife’s love for her husband be grounds for divorce?”

Eun-chae panicked as a loud voice erupted. Lee Joon had not only discovered her love for him, it was even more shocking that they were getting divorced because of it.

A wave of despair, shame, and misery washed over Eun-chae. She felt like she was caught in a fierce whirlwind, being pushed towards an endless abyss.

“It’s not wrong to love your husband!” she exclaimed desperately.

“Of course not, for normal couples,” Lee Joon agreed, his expression troubled. “But we’re not a normal couple, so it’s annoying.”

“Annoying?” Eun-chae’s echoed, feeling confused by his words. Refusing her love hurt, but it stung even more.

“Yes, it’s annoying,” Lee Joon replied. He then went on to explain the reason behind his words.

“It is annoying that you stare at me with love in your eyes. It is also annoying that you crave affection, most of all,” he said

He leaned back with a hint of arrogance and locked eyes with Eun-chae, who was on the brink of tears.

“Your eyes are full of anger, wondering why I don’t love you or pay attention to you. It’s truly annoying and unpleasant,” he said sharply.

Eun-chae asked, “So, you’re divorcing me because I love you?” Her voice trembled as tears streamed down her face. The fear she had held since discovering his affair had become a harsh reality.

Lee Joon casually glanced around the greenhouse before shaking his head.

“Yes, file for divorce, get yourself a lawyer. It’s easier for you now that I’m the one to blame,” he said casually, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

Eun-chae shivered. Lee’s tone was cold, even for someone as distant as he was.

“I’ve said all I need to, and my decision won’t change,” he stated, rising from his chair. Eun-chae was unable to look away from him. She was frozen by his cold stare.

“If we end up in court, things will get messy. Let’s settle this amicably,” he continued, his words carrying a threatening edge.

“So… you threaten legal action?” Eun-chae was surprised by his harsh words. She hadn’t expected him to be so ruthless. Could he be capable of throwing out his wife, who had shared their home for two years?

“I’ll stay at a hotel for a while. It’ll be awkward for us to be around each other,” Lee stated calmly.

“You’re leaving?” Eun-chae’s voice quivered with emotion, her eyes widening in disbelief.

“I can’t stay here,” Lee replied tersely.

“We need to talk,” she said.

“I have nothing to say,” Lee Joon responded, his voice wavering.

“You should find somewhere else to stay too. It won’t be comfortable for you to live with soon-to-be-divorced in-laws.”

Lee Joon turned away from Eun-chae without looking back.

“Lee” she began to call out, but Lee didn’t respond, leaving her alone in the greenhouse.

She reached out to call him back, but he didn’t turn around. He simply walked away, leaving the greenhouse behind.

Exhaling heavily, Eun-chae’s arm dropped to her side. Tears streamed down her cheeks, staining her white skirt.

Alone and devastated, she sobbed uncontrollably. The harsh reality of her situation overwhelmed her.

After two years of marriage to Lee Joon, she divorced, not because of his affair, but because of her love for him. It was a painful realization that tore at her heart.