Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 36. After Everything We've Seen
Chapter 36. After Everything We’ve Seen
Could it be that we have to sleep in the same bed?
Rushing to the bed, Eunchae felt her mind go blank. Just then, she heard footsteps behind her as Lee Joon entered the bedroom.
“What are you doing just standing there? Shouldn’t you be unpacking your things first?”
“Um, Lee Joon…”
“Yeah?”
Lee Joon responded as he took off his suit jacket.
“There’s only one bed.”
“And?”
His nonchalant reply caught Eunchae off guard, and she couldn’t hide her confusion.
“You’re not saying we have to sleep in the same bed… right?”
“Why not?”
When Lee Joon responded dryly, Eunchae struggled to find her words. Loosening his tie, he asked another question.
“Aren’t married couples supposed to sleep in the same bed?”
“But we’re not a married couple. And it’s common for wealthy families to have separate beds.”
Lee Joon smirked slightly at Eunchae’s awkward smile.
“You say that sometimes.”
As he stepped closer, Eunchae flinched at his commanding presence, feeling small next to his tall frame.
“You’re clever, yet strangely naive, Yoon Eunchae.”
“What do you mean?”
Eunchae lifted her eyes and met Lee Joon’s sideways tilt of his head, feeling a bit defiant.
“If we set up separate beds, wouldn’t Grandpa be suspicious? It might be common for wealthy families, but it certainly wouldn’t be for him. It would look like we were living as separate couples.
“That’s true…”
At his pointed remark about her shortsightedness, Eunchae felt embarrassed and nodded. She hadn’t had a chance to think that far ahead, especially with the way he was pressuring her.
The bed hadn’t even crossed her mind while she was packing or when she returned to this house.
“The bed is wide. Much wider than the one we used to have. So unless we’re rolling around and thrashing about, we won’t even touch.”
Even though Lee Joon tried to reassure her not to worry too much, Eunchae’s expression remained tense.
“Still… we have to sleep in the same bed.”
“Do you really hate the idea of sharing a bed with me that much?”
Eunchae looked up at the sound of his deep voice, only to be caught in the grip of Lee Joon’s intense gaze. He slowly started unbuttoning his shirt, his eyes fixed on her, silently waiting for her answer.
As the collar came undone, revealing the sharp ridge of his throat and the defined line of his collarbone, a wave of sensuality washed over her. It felt as if his question wasn’t just about the bed – it dug into something much deeper.
“Is that what you’d prefer? Sharing a bed with a man who divorced you because of an affair?”
Eunchae’s sarcastic reply only made Lee Joon’s eyes darken further, a storm brewing behind his calm facade.
“Well, what can you do? If we signed a contract, we’ll just have to live with it.”
As she entered the dressing room, Eunchae let out a sigh of resignation. The room was spacious and perfectly organized, lined with rows of Lee Joon’s suits and clothes, all neatly arranged by color and style.
After a quick look around the room, she opened the luggage that the hired servant had moved. Just then, Lee Joon entered the dressing room, taking off his watch as he spoke.
“I will be working late in the study room. So don’t worry about me; just get a good night’s sleep.
Eunchae’s fingers froze as she opened the luggage. Her eyes shifted to Lee Joon who was putting his watch into the suitcase. Was it just her imagination? Despite his expressionless face, there was a hint of thoughtfulness in his tone.
‘It can’t be.’
Though she convinced herself otherwise, her eyes remained glued to Lee Joon. He, too, was staring back at her. Their gazes locked together like the opposing poles of a magnet, drawing them closer.
The mood between them changed in an instant. A thick silence settled over the room, heavy and suffocating, pressing down on both of them.
Suddenly, Eunchae felt a thirst rising within her, and she unconsciously licked her lips. The familiar sensation heightened her awareness, making her feel acutely attuned to the moment.
Overwhelmed by the tension, Eunchae subconsciously licked her lips just as Lee Joon chuckled and unbuttoned the last button of his shirt.
“You’re being so obvious, I feel like I should give you something to expect.”
Before his words had even settled, he quickly took off his shirt. Eunchae, startled, turned her face away.
“Lee Joon! You can’t just take off your clothes like that!”
As she protested and partially turned her head, Lee Joon dryly instructed,
“Don’t turn your head just yet. I’m going to take off my pants too.”
She quickly turned her face back, but soon the sound of the zipper being pulled down reached her ears, leaving her speechless. Perhaps it was the heightened sensitivity of the moment, but the sound of him changing felt unusually loud.
“Why are you so surprised? We’ve seen it all before,” he teased, his tone laced with amusement.
As soon as Eunchae heard him say he was dressed, she whipped her head around, eyes wide.
“That was when we were married! But now it’s different! We’re not a couple anymore.”
“Not a couple, huh…”
Lee Joon tilted one corner of his mouth, reciting the precise definition of their relationship.
“Just be careful moving forward.”
Eunchae gave him a cold glare, firmly putting him in his place. Lee Joon, who had been watching her with a calm expression, simply smirked.
“Sure.”
Nodding, he instructed Eunchae to use the bathroom in the bedroom before leaving the dressing room. As soon as she heard the bedroom door close, Eunchae exhaled the breath she had been holding.
“Hah…”
Eunchae plopped down on the floor, covering her face with her palms. Her mind was a complete whirlwind, and she felt utterly disoriented.
“What am I even doing here?”
It hadn’t even been half a day since she returned to this house, and she already felt exhausted.
“How am I going to endure a whole year? Especially sharing a bed with Tae Lee Joon.”
With a groan, Eunchae tugged at her hair in frustration. But she couldn’t just sit there and complain; she forced herself to move and quickly tidied up her clothes.
Afterward, she headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. She felt utterly exhausted and just wanted to rest.
A little while later, dressed in a comfy nightgown, Eunchae stared at the enormous king-sized bed. Lee Joon was right; it was spacious enough for four people to sleep comfortably.
After a moment’s hesitation, she pulled back the blanket and curled up.
“Hah…”
As she sank into the plush bed, a deep sigh escaped her.
Lying back like a corpse in a coffin, she placed her hands over her chest and stared blankly at the unfamiliar surroundings and high ceiling. Then, her eyes fell on the pillow at the far end of the bed.
Eunchae turned onto her side and stared at Lee Joon’s pillow for what felt like an eternity. It was the most familiar sight in this strange room.
During their time together, Lee Joon had nearly always worked late. Weekends and holidays were no exceptions.
In the early days of their marriage, Eunchae waited endlessly for him to come out of his study and into the bedroom, her eyes fixed on his empty spot. It was only after a year of marriage that her waiting turned to resignation.
“It feels like we didn’t really get divorced but just took a break before getting back together.”
With a hollow laugh, Eunchae closed her eyes. She had hoped to fall asleep before Lee Joon returned, but it seemed impossible.
As she tossed and turned with only the mood light on, her phone on the nightstand rang. Startled, she quickly answered.
“Hello?”
[Is our daughter asleep?]
“Mom!”
Eunchae shot up in surprise at her mother’s call.
[You surprised me! Did I wake you?]
“No, I was just about to sleep.”
Feeling a pang of guilt, Eunchae answered, realizing how anxious she sounded.
[Oh, is that so? Then I should hang up.]
“No, it’s fine. Is there something you need?”
[It’s not about work. I just wanted to hear from my daughter.]
Her mother’s voice was soft and filled with warmth. But it felt strangely melancholic to Eunchae, making her heart drop.
[Eunchae, I’m always on your side. Whatever decision you make, I support you unconditionally.]
“Why are you saying this all of a sudden? Is something wrong?”
Eunchae felt puzzled by the unexpected conversation.
[Everything’s fine. Your dad and I are doing well. I just… always feel sorry for you.]
As her mother’s voice wavered and grew shaky with emotion, tears welled up in Eunchae’s eyes.
“What do you have to feel sorry for? Honestly… I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
[Why should you feel sorry? Where can you find a kind and beautiful daughter like you?]
At Eunchae’s self-reproach, her mother reacted sharply.
“I’m sorry for everything. I just wish I could have been a smarter and more capable daughter. If I had been…”
Then I wouldn’t have to be living in a contractual arrangement with my ex-husband because of money.
Eunchae swallowed her self-reproach along with the hot tears that threatened to spill. Receiving her mother’s call made her feel small and inadequate.
[Eunchae, we will always be proud of you. You’re always kind and admirable. So just trust yourself and live as you are now. If things get tough, you can come to me anytime, okay?]
“Okay… I will.”
Her mother’s comforting words warmed Eunchae’s heart. They also filled her with the courage to endure in this house.
“Mom, I’m going to sleep now. You should get some rest too.”
[Alright, I will. Sleep well, my dear.]
“Okay. You sleep well too, Mom.”
After saying her goodbyes, Eunchae took a deep, shaky breath to compose herself. Thinking of her parents gave her the strength to face anything.
She decided not to regret her choice, especially for the employees who were working hard.
“Stop crying and just go to sleep.”
Reassuring herself, Eunchae lay back down, trying to drift off. She whispered a mantra that everything would turn out fine.
***
Standing by the window of the study room, Lee Joon lost himself in thought before turning to his desk. As he sat down and checked the time, he realized that it was already past 11 pm.
“Hah…”
He sighed heavily, opening the bottom drawer of his desk and pulling out a diary. It belonged to the person who had once turned his life upside down, a life he had finally managed to regain control over.
As he looked at the diary, his eyes flickered with a mixture of anger, relief, and faint pity. After staring at the diary for a long time, he looked at his watch again.
Eunchae had fallen asleep comfortably, but Lee Joon found he could no longer wait. He left the study room and made his way to the bedroom.
As he walked briskly down the hallway, his expression grew more intense. Stopping in front of the bedroom door, he took a moment to steady his breath before knocking.
He knocked twice gently but received no response. Finally, Lee Joon opened the door and stepped inside.
Following the soft light of the mood lamp, he walked over to the bed, his gaze locking on Eunchae, who was lying on her side, asleep.
As he observed her peaceful form, he suppressed his presence and climbed onto the bed. Once settled, he slowly reached out his arm towards her.
With his fingertips hovering just above Eunchae’s face, Lee Joon lingered at a tantalizing distance.
His eyes were filled with longing as he hesitated for a moment. Then he gently brushed her long hair aside with his hand.