Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 54. Thank You. And I’m Sorry

Chapter 54. Thank You. And I’m Sorry

He had vowed never to do it again. But he kept repeating the same mistake. Lee Joon couldn’t control his emotions and excitement whenever he held Eunchae in his arms. 

Even at this moment, despite all his promises to himself, he had failed. He lost his mind and indulged in her body like an animal in heat. 

His movements became more intense, his thrusts faster, until Eunchae cried out.

“Hnng…! Ahh-!”

Eunchae clung desperately to Lee Joon’s neck, her body shaking as she let out a pained scream. The sound of her voice was intoxicating to him.

“Ha, damn.”

He cursed under his breath, savoring every moment. Even when she whimpered and begged him to stop, he teased her, staying inside her as deeply and as long as he could.

Lee Joon only stopped when his phone rang – it was Mr Lee calling to remind him it was time for dinner.

***

Woo-sung sluggishly lifted his hand to unlock the apartment door. *Beep beep beep*. The electronic chime played, and as he opened the door, he was startled by the sight of the lit-up living room and the sound of the TV playing in the background.

“Finally home?”

A middle-aged man sitting on the living room sofa, watching TV, acknowledged Woo-sung as he entered. It was his father, Kim Seok-hwan.

“What brings you here?”

Woo-sung was taken aback by his father’s unannounced visit and the way he had made himself comfortable in his home.

“You didn’t come to see me, so I had to come to you.”

Seok-hwan picked up the remote, turned off the TV, and gestured for Woo-sung to come over.

“Sit down. We have a lot to talk about.”

His father’s stern command was in stark contrast to the kind and gentlemanly image others knew him by. Behind his mask, Kim Seok-hwan was arrogant and oppressive, and Woo-sung felt nothing but disgust for the man’s true character. Going abroad to study was not only a way to forget Eunchae, but also an escape from his father.

“I have nothing to discuss.”

“You little brat!”

At his son’s disrespect, Seok-hwan’s face twisted in anger.

“Are you going to oppose me? Huh?”

Seok-hwan shot up from his seat, pointing his finger at Woo-sung and raising his voice.

“You think you’re too grown up now to disrespect your father? Where did you learn this disrespectful behavior?”

“It’s not about disrespect, father. I can’t just stand by and watch you go on like this. How long are you going to live like this?”

“What did you say, you little -!”

Angered by his son’s criticism, Seok-hwan threw the remote control he was holding at Woo-sung. Fortunately, Woo-sung quickly avoided it.

*Smash!* The remote control missed its target and shattered against the living room wall.

“What’s gotten into you lately? Why do you keep ignoring me and twisting everything I say? Is it because of Eunchae? Are you acting like this because of a woman?”

“Father!”

“Wake up, you fool! Of all the women out there, you choose a divorced one?”

Seok-hwan clicked his tongue in disbelief. His frustration was obvious.

“Let’s face it – if Eunchae’s family were still well off, or if she had at least gotten a decent settlement, maybe I’d understand. But all they have left is a failing business…”

“And whose fault is that? It’s your fault, father!”

Woo-sung shouted, his voice filled with fiery anger.

“If you hadn’t stolen that technology, Seongwon EDP would have become a company with the most advanced technology! If it wasn’t for you, Eunchae…!”

His words trailed off as he bit his lip, shaking with anger he could barely contain. His eyes were bloodshot as if they might burst from the tension.

The truth about his father, who ran a software company, was much darker – he was an industrial espionage broker. Woo-sung only discovered this when he returned from university earlier this year. He also learned that two years earlier, his father had bribed a researcher from Eunchae’s company to steal critical technology.

Woo-sung was shaken when he heard this.

When Woo-sung first learned the truth, he was so shocked that he couldn’t eat for days. It wasn’t just the discovery of his father’s true identity that devastated him, but the realization that his father had directly caused the downfall of Eunchae’s family. 

Now, just as he was finally getting close to Eunchae again, the fear of his father’s actions being exposed loomed over him. If the truth came out, everything would be ruined. 

Even though his conscience told him to leave her, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He told himself that as long as he didn’t get caught, all would be well. And so he continued to hover around her.

But fate wasn’t on his side.

Lee Joon had returned, not only to take Eunchae away from him but also to make things worse. On top of that, his father was pressuring him to steal the battery technology he was developing, making his life even more unbearable.

“If it weren’t for you, Eunchae’s father wouldn’t have collapsed! How can you call yourself human? You visit him, pretend to be his lifelong friend, comfort him without a hint of guilt. Aren’t you ever ashamed? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?”

“Why should I be afraid?”

Seok-hwan yelled back, veins bulging in his neck, his voice rising in defiance.

“Let’s be real. Is it the thief’s fault, or the fool who couldn’t protect what was his?”

“What did you just say?”

Woo-sung was so stunned by his father’s shamelessness that he couldn’t even bring himself to laugh. His father’s brazen attitude left him speechless.

“Jeong-ik is an idiot, plain and simple. He married into a chaebol family and ended up like this. And Eunchae? She’s just as stupid. She divorced her husband just because he had an affair? In the end, she just made it easier for someone else. This whole family is full of idiots! They lose everything because they’re not smart enough to keep it!

Seok-hwan’s shameless rant continued, devoid of any sense of embarrassment or remorse.

“And you – if she hasn’t given you her heart by now, it means she doesn’t see you as a man. What’s wrong with you that you’re so attached to a woman like her?”

After his face turned red from his angry outburst, Seok-hwan calmed down and took a softer tone. He needed Woo-sung’s help for his plan to succeed.

“Forget about Eunchae. She doesn’t care about you. This is your chance to make some real money and find a better woman. There are plenty of women out there.”

“Son,” Seok-hwan pressed, “aren’t you just a little bit resentful? After all these years of waiting for Eunchae and she still doesn’t understand your feelings? Doesn’t that make you bitter?”

“——“

“Think carefully. The stakes are high this time. You could earn enough money to travel abroad and live comfortably for years.”

When Woo-sung didn’t respond, Seok-hwan, barely able to contain his growing anger, tried to persuade him once more.

“Life is long. You have to have foresight, the ability to look ahead,” he said and patted Woo-sung’s shoulder. But then his tone darkened and he ended with a thinly veiled threat.

“I can’t wait forever. If you continue to be uncooperative, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.”

With his last words, Seok-hwan left the apartment, his face filled with dissatisfaction. As soon as the front door closed, Woo-sung let out a heavy, agonizing sigh and collapsed to the floor.

There was no need to imagine hell – he lived in it.

***

The early summer sky was a brilliant blue, high and clear. The vibrant greenery and refreshing breeze filled the air with a sense of calm and renewal.

“Vice President Yoon.”

At Lee Ki-sung’s call, Eunchae quickly looked away from the window. She had struggled throughout the meeting to make eye contact with Woo-sung, and her mind had wandered. Now she was being called on it.

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? What’s your decision on Hanseong Motors’ battery order proposal?”

Lee Ki-sung tapped his pen against the meeting papers, a slight furrow forming between his brows. Embarrassed, Eunchae lowered her head and apologized.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I got distracted for a moment…”

“What’s wrong with everyone today? Even Team Leader Kim Woo-sung seems completely out of it,” Lee Ki-sung said sharply, his gaze now shifting to Woo-sung, who was staring blankly at his desk.

“Just because we secured the funding, does that mean you all think you can relax? The real work begins now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry, Vice President.”

Both Eunchae and Woo-sung bowed their heads in apology, stung by Lee Ki-sung’s stern reprimand.

“We will proceed with the order requested by Hanseong Motors.”

“Understood. Let’s call it a day.”

Lee Ki-sung said, his expression softening slightly as he left the room.

Even after he left, Eunchae and Woo-sung remained in silence, avoiding each other’s gaze, lost in their thoughts. It was Woo-sung who finally broke the silence.

“About yesterday… I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

“No, it’s OK. You were just worried about me.”

Eunchae tried to see Woo-sung’s apology from his point of view. Instead of being angry or upset that he had followed her, she was more concerned about how much he had suffered and worried alone.

“Nothing happened yesterday, right? Lee Joon said you two talked it over and parted on good terms.”

“Yes, nothing happened.”

Woo-sung’s calm reply made Eunchae sigh with relief.

Even though she trusted Lee Joon not to lie, there was always a difference in the way things were expressed. The fact that Woo-sung claimed that nothing had happened probably meant something much more intense than what Eunchae had imagined.

“Do you want to live with Lee Joon again? In your old marital home of all places – the one you couldn’t stand?”

“Yes.”

Eunchae’s firm reply made Woo-sung study her face very carefully. It didn’t make any sense. It was clear that she was hiding something, but since she denied it, he felt unable to push her further.

“Alright. If that’s really what you want, then I have no choice but to accept it. But… what will you tell your parents?”

At the mention of her parents, Eunchae’s body tensed, a visible shudder running through her.

“I’ll tell them… slowly when the time is right. So, Oppa…”

“I understand. I’ll keep it to myself for now.”

Before Eunchae could finish her sentence, Woo-sung had already promised. Only then did the tension finally leave her face.

“Thank you, Oppa. And… I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? I was the one who like you alone, worried and tormented for nothing.”

Woo-sung sighed deeply, his words laced with bitter self-mockery. He felt pitiful, unable to even properly confess his feelings before having to let them go. The unspoken emotions weighed heavily on him, leaving him feeling sad and dejected.

Woo-sung couldn’t help but feel a pang of resentment at Eunchae’s firm rejection, cutting him off before he even had a chance to confess. Her decisiveness hurt.

“Are you sure you won’t regret this? It’s not easy for a divorced couple to reconcile.”

“I’ll have to try.”

The more they talked, the heavier Eunchae’s heart became. The conversation was neither completely true nor completely false, which made it all the more difficult.

“Yes, it’s the only way. I’m off to the lab. Have a nice weekend.”

With that, Woo-sung left, leaving Eunchae feeling conflicted and weighed down by the complexity of their exchange.

Woo-sung said a polite goodbye and left the meeting room. Left alone, Eunchae sighed deeply and rubbed her chest, as if trying to relieve the weight pressing down on her. She needed something – anything – to give her a moment of relief.

Just then, her mobile vibrated on the table. The caller was Lee Joon.

“Hello?”

“Can you leave work a little early today?”

“I probably can. Why?”

“Yes, I’m here. Take your time, get ready, and come down. I’ll be waiting.”

“You came to pick me up?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Okay. I’ll be down soon.”

After ending the call, Eunchae quickly left the meeting room and headed to her office to gather her things, her heart feeling a little lighter than before.

***

After finishing her work and preparing to leave a little earlier than usual, Eunchae made her way to the company’s underground car park. As she looked around, a car horn sounded – “honk”.

“Oh, there it is.”

“What brings you here? What about work?”

“I left work early too. I want to take you somewhere.”

Lee Joon leaned in to fasten Eunchae’s seatbelt, his faint smile lingering. The closeness made her instinctively aware of his scent.

“Where are we going?”

As he started the car, Lee Joon looked over and said, “The ocean. Let’s go see the night sea.”