Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 23: I Want You to Cry
Chapter 23: I Want You to Cry
After finishing the signatures in just a few minutes, Eunchae suppressed a sigh and set down the pen. It was hard to grasp that this brief process marked the end of their two-year marriage.
Feeling empty, Eunchae glanced at Lee Joon, who had finished signing slightly earlier. He sat there, head tilted, absently tapping the table. It was such a typical Lee Joon thing to do.
When their eyes met, Eunchae did not look away. She faced him directly. His eyes, smooth and polished like pebbles, gazed at her quietly. His gaze swept over her face, calm and still.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
Eunchae’s eyes wavered slightly, puzzled by the intensity of his lingering gaze. It wasn’t the indifferent expression and eyes he had just moments ago.
Just as Eunchae was swept up in a strange feeling,
“It’s done. Thank you for your time.”
“Thank you.”
With the lawyer’s words signaling the end of everything, their locked gazes naturally broke away. Lee Joon’s expression also returned to its usual coldness.
“Thank you all for your efforts.”
Lee Joon politely said goodbye to Eunchae’s lawyer and then put his hand on Tae-kyung’s shoulder, thanking him for his hard work as well.
While Eunchae’s lawyer responded with a silent nod, Tae-kyung didn’t reply at all. He was in no mood, having taken on his closest friend’s divorce case, especially one stemming from infidelity.
Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t help but mutter sarcastically,
“I’m not sure there’s anything to thank me for. I feel embarrassed to even take the legal fee.”
His words weren’t just a sarcastic remark; they held a grain of truth.
Because the divorce had been settled amicably between the parties, the two attorneys found their work remarkably straightforward. It was a complete departure from their initial expectations of a messy, contentious battle.
“I think I’ll get going now.”
Feeling uneasy about facing Lee Joon any longer, Eunchae stood up. Lee Joon followed suit, and the two ended up walking side by side out of the lawyer’s office.
“So, this is the end?”
After they went down the stone steps of the building, Lee Joon turned to Eunchae and broke the silence.
“Yes, it seems so.”
Eunchae replied calmly, but since it was the end, she decided to confess her true feelings.
“I want you… to cry.”
At Eunchae’s curse-like words, Lee Joon’s eyes narrowed slightly. Standing with the sunlight at his back, shrouded in a veil of light, he still managed to leave a deep impression, his presence magnetic even in this moment.
Looking at Lee Joon’s face, which looked even more masculine with the subtle shadows cast on it, Eunchae continued her cursed wish.
“I want you to regret every cruel word and action, every time you trampled on my heart and betrayed me, leaving me with nothing but scars… I want you to cry.”
“….”
“One day, when you suddenly realize your mistakes, from that moment on, I want you to suffer every single day… clawing at your chest, shedding tears of blood. And I want you to hurt even more than I did.”
Her words, spoken in a calm, steady voice without any emotional fluctuation, cut deeply. They were painful and unbearable. The curse she directed at Lee Joon seemed to come back to her, intensifying her suffering. Like sharp shards, they tore into her already battered heart, which was still bleeding profusely.
Because…
“But of course… that will never happen. You’re Tae Lee Joon—selfish, heartless, and without a shred of compassion.”
A faint smile appeared on Eunchae’s face as she made this declaration.
Watching that sorrowful smile, Lee Joon’s Adam’s apple bobbed visibly. A mysterious emotion filled his deepening eyes, subtly altering his otherwise impassive expression.
“I don’t even want to wish you well. So, this is it.”
Without a glance back, Eunchae turned and walked away without hesitation. Lee Joon stood there, watching her retreating figure for a long time.
It was an early summer day in July, with the sunlight shining exceptionally bright and beautiful. On that day, the bond between them as husband and wife came to an absolute end.
***
Two years later.
Sitting by the sunlit window, Eunchae admired the view outside, a clear smile spreading across her face. The sight of pink petals falling like rain from the cherry trees lining the streets was truly breathtaking. It was a scene that was beautiful and heart-warming no matter how many times she saw it.
“No wonder they say spring maidens fall in love with the breeze.”
Resting her chin on her hand, Eun-chae smiled softly to herself. She wished she could go to a spring picnic nearby, but considering her current situation, it was a pipe dream.
“Sigh…”
As she let out a sigh and brushed her hair back, the afternoon sunlight fell gently on her face. Enjoying the warmth, she closed her eyes and a pleasant drowsiness washed over her, a result of the restless nights she had endured over the past few days.
“Ma’am, exposing your bare face directly to the sunlight is dangerous. It’s like inviting the UV rays to come and get you,” came a teasing scold from nearby.
Eunchae’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why are you scolding her and dampening her spirits? She wants to enjoy the sunlight for once.”
Eunchae pouted at Seong-ah, who sat across from her, refilling her glass—now filled with nothing but ice—with more coffee. Seong-ah wasn’t just the owner of this café; she also owned the entire building. In short, she was the illustrious landlord.
Seong-ah was five years older than Eunchae and operated the café near Eunchae’s workplace. They initially knew each other merely as café owner and customer, but an unexpected night of drinking brought them closer together.
One evening, while Eunchae was drinking with Yoo-rim at a street food stall, they ended up sharing a table with Seong-ah, who was drinking alone. Surprisingly, they had a lot in common, and, with ‘divorce’ as their shared experience, they quickly became like close sisters.
Seong-ah had also divorced her husband due to infidelity. Occasionally, she and Eunchae would share a drink and open up about the stories that weighed heavily on their hearts.
“At least put on some proper makeup before you bask in the sun, you fool. Do you want to ruin that beautiful skin of yours?” Seong-ah scolded, her voice rising as she pointed out Eunchae’s nearly bare face.
“I did put on sunscreen,”
Eunchae replied, awkwardly smiling as she rubbed her cheek.
Since the divorce, Eunchae has lost almost all interest in dressing up. She had grown tired of it during her marriage, having spent too much time on her appearance, partly by choice and partly by obligation.
Every day, she would wake up early, put on a full face of makeup, do her hair, and pick out her clothes, taking into consideration both Madam Kang’s and Lee Joon’s preferences. It was a never-ending cycle, like a hamster on a wheel, and she hadn’t missed a single day of it.
Sometimes, when Eunchae looked in the mirror, she felt like a porcelain doll sitting in a display case—beautifully adorned, smiling gracefully for her husband and in-laws.
Maybe it was because that period had been so exhausting for her. Since then, Eunchae has limited herself to simple skincare and minimal makeup, mainly as a formality for work. She only went all out when she had to go out.
Her hair, once styled in loose, voluminous waves, was now tied back in a simple ponytail, and her outfits had become much more modest.
The more accurate reason, though, was that she simply didn’t have the time to doll herself up. She was deeply involved in developing new technology, to the point where even meal and sleep times had to be carefully managed.
“At least your face looks a bit better today. You’ve looked like death warmed over lately,” Seong-ah remarked.
Seong-ah subtly tried to gauge how things were going, but Eunchae’s expression instantly darkened, followed by a heavy sigh.
“Sorry, my big mouth always gets me in trouble,”
Seong-ah said, lightly slapping her mouth when she saw Eunchae’s shoulders slump in defeat.
“No, it’s okay. I know you’re just worried,” Eunchae replied, forcing a smile. But deep down, she felt overwhelmed. It was all because of the research funding they still hadn’t secured.
Right after the divorce, Eunchae joined her father’s company without a second thought. At the time, the company was staking everything on the development of next-generation batteries.
Despite the separation of her personal and professional life, the dissolution of Eunchae’s marriage to Lee Joon indirectly impacted her father’s company. Since Seongwon EDP had been primarily supplying batteries to Geumyoung Group, there was an unspoken risk that if Geumyoung decided to terminate their contract, it would be like a bolt from the blue for Seongwon.
To address this, just before Lee Joon left for the U.S. branch, they renegotiated the contract, removing the exclusivity clause. This change allowed Seongwon to supply batteries to other companies as well.
Meanwhile, the global interest in environmental sustainability was growing, leading to major changes in the automotive industry. As companies rushed to develop electric vehicles, large corporations began to heavily invest in battery technology.
Seongwon EDP, determined to keep up with the times, aimed to develop not only batteries for laptops and smartphones but also cutting-edge technology for electric vehicle batteries.
The problem was funding. After suffering losses from the technology leak to Geumyoung and trying to develop new technologies, Seongwon EDP was short of cash.
Honorary Chairman Tae Moo-jin, out of a sense of responsibility, had invested a substantial amount in their research. However, that funding had run dry some time ago.
But the issues didn’t end there. Earlier this year, Eunchae’s father, who had been deeply stressed by both his daughter’s divorce and company matters, suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.
Fortunately, Eunchae found him quickly, and his life was saved. However, the right side of his body was paralyzed, leaving him with severe mobility issues.
Eunchae couldn’t shake off the guilt, feeling that her father’s illness was somehow her fault.
“Isn’t there anything else you can sell?”
Seong-ah cautiously asked Eunchae, who was reflecting on the harsh storms she had weathered.
“There’s nothing left. I already sold the house,”
Eunchae replied, a bitter smile on her face as she slowly ran her hands over her face in a weary gesture.
“Not joking here, but the only thing left to sell now is my organs. Even bank loans are out of the question. Investment would be the quickest solution, but that’s not easy either.”
Hearing the grim reality, Seong-ah hesitated, her lips twitching as she struggled to find the right words. Finally, she spoke up with difficulty.
“Can’t I help out a bit? You know, all I have is money. You know that, right?”
Seong-ah wasn’t just saying it; she was sincere. After her parents passed away early, she inherited a building and some land at the age of 22, making her quite wealthy in her own right.
“No! Don’t even suggest that,”
Eun-chae said, waving her hands in refusal. Even if Seong-ah were to offer her money, she had no intention of accepting it. Besides, the amount needed was far beyond what Seong-ah could realistically provide.
The amount needed immediately was at least 3 billion won. Unless Seong-ah was willing to invest her entire fortune, it would barely make a dent. Things had become so desperate that Eunchae had even considered swallowing her pride and asking Tae Moo-jin for help.
“It’s fine, please, don’t bring up the investment again,” Eun-chae pleaded.
Just then, her phone rang. The caller ID displayed the name, Kim Woo-sung.
“Yes, oppa. It’s me.”
As soon as Eunchae answered the call, an excited voice came through from the other side.
“Eunchae! Come to the company right now! An investor has shown up!”