Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 42. Spring Night Flower Viewing

Chapter 42. Spring Night Flower Viewing

Taekyung, feeling frustrated, tried to change Lee Joon’s mind. However, Lee Joon remained steadfast.

“No matter what hidden reasons I had, what I did to Eunchae is unforgivable.”

“But, Lee Joon…”

“Do you think I came up with this petty plan all along? No.”

Lee Joon cut off Taekyung’s words, reflecting on everything that had happened.

“Do you know how I felt when I read the diary Alice gave me and learned the whole truth? Shock, relief, anger, fear – I felt it all at once.”

As the horrible memories came back, Lee Joon’s brow furrowed deeply.

All the misfortunes began with his mother’s indiscretions, and the resulting blade of revenge was unexpectedly aimed at him.

For nearly 15 years, the shame of being the product of an affair made Lee Joon see himself as nothing more than a cuckoo’s offspring. This was why he never formed a close bond with his grandfather and father.

“As if that wasn’t enough, I was constantly terrified of that cursed hereditary disease. Even while loving Eunchae, I had to push her away. No one understands how that felt.”

The more he spoke, the more his anger flared, sharpening the look in his eyes.

“Despite everything, I was grateful to Michael. Because, in the end, he told me the truth.”

Lee Joon let out a bitter laugh at the absurdity of his reality.

He had instilled the fear of an uncertain death in a perfectly healthy person, only to later confess that it was all a lie. Yet, he felt grateful, because the diary Michael had left behind had allowed him to reenter Eunchae’s life.

The truth he hadn’t known—or rather, the ugly lie that had deceived him—was the one thing he clung to as he tried to return to Eunchae.

But before he could even explain, his last shred of hope vanished like a bubble.

*”Death is not an excuse for forgiveness, is it?”*

When he heard those words, it felt like someone had struck him hard on the back of his head. It was only then that Lee Joon realized just how cruel he had been to Eunchae. Along with that came the harsh awareness of how selfish he had been.

“I was only thinking about myself. I thought that because of my situation, Eunchae would naturally understand and accept me.”

Lee Joon mocked himself for thinking so naively.

That day, when he couldn’t even bring himself to ask for forgiveness, his mind went completely blank with despair. As he floundered in the depths of hopelessness, something suddenly struck him.

It was the remarriage prohibition clause that Eunchae had insisted on during their divorce. Fortunately, it hadn’t been three years yet, so Lee Joon decided to bet everything on that.

After all, he was a selfish bastard. Knowing full well that Eunchae would resent him for it, he was determined to use any means necessary to bring her back to his side.

“Telling her the truth won’t change anything. I have no intention of doing that.”

“So you’re just going to let Eunchae continue to misunderstand you? She might never forgive you easily. And let’s not forget, you never planned to cheat from the start. Your mother is the one who twisted things that way.”

Despite Taekyung’s continued attempts to persuade him, Lee Joon remained unyielding.

“Even so, in the end, I went along with it. I didn’t tell Eunchae the truth and let her believe the worst.”

“…”

“I think the truth doesn’t matter much anymore. No matter how you look at it, the fact remains that I hurt Eunchae.”

Lee Joon expressed his thoughts calmly, signaling the end of their conversation.

“The documents?”

“Oh, right. Here.”

Taekyung, now with a serious expression, set aside his worry and sympathy as he handed Lee Joon a file folder.

“The U.S. branch has been tidied up. Alice has stepped down as co-CEO, and the funds will be gradually transferred to Sungwon EDP.”

“Good work.”

Expressing his gratitude, Lee Joon carefully reviewed the documents.

“Oh, by the way, I spoke with Alice briefly yesterday about the branch closure. She said she’ll be coming to Korea soon. It’s Jae-han’s memorial soon, and she seemed quite excited about showing her child the Korean spring.”

“Really? Ji-ho must have grown a lot since then.”

Lee Joon smiled warmly, picturing the face of Ji-ho, who had just turned three.

“Alice is truly impressive. That must have been a tough choice for her.”

As Taekyung expressed his respect for Alice, Lee Joon added,

“Jae-han was no less remarkable. Unlike me… he was incredibly brave.”

With a respectful nod to the memory of the late Jae-han, Lee Joon finished reviewing the documents and placed them back in the envelope.

“I think this should be good. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Then how about we go out for a drink?”

As Lee Joon offered his thanks once more, Taekyung smiled and suggested going for drinks.

“Sorry, let’s do it another time. I have dinner plans with Eunchae tonight.”

“Oh really? Then, of course, I should step aside. Go ahead.”

“What do you mean, go ahead? It’s still lunchtime.”

Lee Joon laughed at Taekyung’s teasing and proposed having lunch together.

“Let’s go out. We can save the drinks for another time and have a meal together instead.”

“Sounds good.”

Taekyung readily accepted and left the office with Lee Joon, silently hoping that Eunchae would soon recognize Lee Joon’s sincerity and love.

***

Right after work, Eunchae arrived at a Michelin 2-star French fine dining restaurant, riding in the car Lee Joon had sent.

The place was run by Chef Choi Hong-ik, who had risen to stardom through media exposure, and the cost per person for a meal was in the hundreds of thousands of won.

The jaw-dropping price was partly due to the chef’s reputation, but also because of the restaurant’s unique operating style. They accepted reservations for only one lunch and one dinner table each day.

As Eunchae stepped into the sleek, white-toned building, a staff member approached to greet her.

“Yoon Eunchae?”

Since there was only one reserved table, the staff member quickly confirmed her name.

“Yes.”

At Eunchae’s brief reply, the attendant nodded with a smile and led her to a window seat with a clear view of the garden.

“Welcome.”

Lee Joon was already there when Eunchae arrived. This situation no longer felt unfamiliar to her. The first time is always the hardest, but with repeated experiences, you eventually get used to it.

“You won’t know about the food until you try it, but what do you think of the ambiance and the wine for now? Do you like it?”

As the staff filled their glasses with wine, Lee Joon asked for her opinion.

Eunchae took her time to look around the elegantly understated interior.

The high ceilings and open layout created a spacious feel, yet the overall ambiance was warm and cozy, enhanced by the charming decor scattered throughout. It resembled the fine dining experience she had once hoped to share with Lee Joon.

But what came out of Eunchae’s mouth wasn’t a gasp of admiration; it was a hollow laugh. Because of that, Lee Joon’s hand, which was reaching for his wine glass, paused.

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

He maintained a neutral expression to hide his feelings, focusing intently on Eunchae’s reaction.

He had reserved this place, hoping it would be the one she had mentioned as her favorite, but her lukewarm response made him tense up.

“No, I like it. I do.”

The superficial compliment only made Lee Joon feel more disheartened. Trying to appear unfazed, he took a sip of his wine and asked directly,

“Your reaction seems a bit off, though?”

“Oh, it’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just… this situation feels a bit funny.”

“What part feels funny?”

Lee Joon furrowed his brows, trying to make sense of it. He felt as if the blood was about to drain from his face, yet she found the situation amusing. He couldn’t understand Eunchae’s feelings at all.

“Well, think about it. The gifts, the restaurant, the flowers—all of this. It feels strange to be experiencing what I once longed for while we were married, only to finally get it now, after the divorce and in this contract marriage.”

“…”

“It’s like the partnership feels more familiar and accommodating than the love between a husband and wife.”

Eunchae let out a wry smile at the ironic situation she kept finding herself in.

Understanding her reasoning, Lee Joon felt a wave of relief wash over him. The lesson of being mindful of their relationship hit him hard.

Throughout their marriage, Lee Joon had lived every day in a state of uncertainty, not knowing when it would all end. But Eunchae kept digging deeper into his heart.

He was afraid of this. The more he loved her, the more he knew he would become possessive and obsessed.

To cope with this, he deliberately treated Eunchae coldly. Sometimes, he even wished that she would let go first. But in truth, he did not dare to let her go himself.

The more he distanced himself, the more it hurt. The harsh words he had thrown at Eunchae pierced his heart even more, and the colder he acted, the more his own heart grew dry and barren.

*“I’m paying the price for acting cowardly and petty…”* he thought.

The unbridgeable distance between them sent Lee Joon’s mood spiraling down. Every effort he made to get closer to Eunchae seemed to lead to more misunderstandings.

He couldn’t even bring himself to take out the small box from his pocket—a decision he had wrestled with for days.

The neatly tied tie felt like it was choking him, making it hard to breathe. As he sipped the wine, trying to wash away the bitter taste in his mouth, the food was served one dish after another.

“Try it. How does the food taste?”

“Okay.”

Eunchae responded with a faint smile as she cut a piece of the potato purée topped beef tenderloin and took a bite.

“How is it?”

Lee Joon eagerly waited for her feedback, hoping she’d enjoy the meal.

“Mmm… it’s delicious,”

Eunchae said, beaming with satisfaction. Only then did Lee Joon feel a sense of relief as he picked up his fork and knife.

***

After sharing some light conversation and finishing their meal, the two walked out of the restaurant and made their way to the parking lot.

“Get in.”

When they reached the car, Lee Joon opened the door for her.

“Thank you.”

Feeling more accustomed to the gesture, Eunchae smiled as she got into the car. Lee Joon closed the door for her and then walked around to get in on the other side.

Eunchae assumed they were heading home, but to her surprise, Lee Joon told the driver a different destination.

“Let’s go to Yoonjung-ro.”

“Huh? We’re not going home?”

“I thought we could walk for a bit to help digest and sober up.”

“Oh… okay. That sounds good.”

Eunchae agreed readily, finding Lee Joon’s suggestion reasonable. Soon, the car set off, and they both stared out the window, lost in their thoughts.

It wasn’t far from the restaurant to Yoonjung-ro, and they reached their destination quickly.

“We’ll take a taxi from here. You can head home now,”

Lee Joon said as they stepped out of the car.

“Yes, Mr. CEO. Understood.”

The driver nodded and bowed in response to Lee Joon’s instructions before driving away, leaving the two of them behind.

They turned away from the direction the car had gone and began walking through the bustling Yoonjung-ro.

“There are so many people, even at night.”

Lee Joon frowned at the crowded street, realizing that today was the first day of the spring flower festival.

“Walking along the cherry blossom path is much more enchanting in the evening, anyway.”

Eunchae defended the evening flower viewers, saying, “Is that so?”

“Really?”

Lee Joon asked, genuinely curious. As Eunchae answered, she watched the excited faces of the people enjoying the evening flower viewing.

The further they walked, the more her feelings became mixed. It was true what they said – you couldn’t predict the future. Not long ago, she had complained that she wouldn’t be able to see the cherry blossoms this year. She never expected to be here enjoying the blossoms with none other than Tae Lee Joon.

It would be a lie to say that she didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Lee Joon’s presence was so noticeable that passersby kept stealing glances at him. Eunchae noticed that she was getting attention as well.

However, perhaps thanks to the unique excitement and warmth of the spring night, walking side by side in the crowd gradually eased her feelings.

Maybe it was that sense of ease? Without realizing it, Eunchae brought up a memory from the past.

“Do you remember? We came here once because I nagged you about it. It was also at night.”

“I remember.”

Lee Joon replied in a low voice.

“You have no idea how stubborn you were that day. You only agreed to let us walk for a bit after I asked you. Do you remember that?”

Eunchae pouted, revealing her lingering disappointment. But then, he gave an unexpected response.

“It was because the heels on your shoes were so high.”