Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 58: Please Save My Baby.

Chapter 58: Please Save My Baby.

Silence fell over the bedroom. Lee Joon was shocked and both Eunchae and Mrs Kang were speechless. The only sound in the quiet room was the heavy breathing of the three of them.

“Eunchae.”

Lee Joon managed to call out as he approached Eunchae. To his surprise, she didn’t back away but took another step towards him.

“Say it again. The conversation you had with your mother.”

“Eunchae…”

The coldness in Eunchae’s face reflected the shock in Lee Joon’s eyes, her voice trembling with disbelief.

“Is it true? Lee Joon, did you really… not cheat? Was it all a lie?”

As she continued to press for answers, her expression grew increasingly hardened. She took deep breaths, attempting to suppress the rising anger, but with each inhale and exhale, her body trembled, her chest swelling like a balloon about to burst.

In this tense, ticking time bomb situation, Lee Joon decides to reveal the truth.

“…Yes, it was all a lie. I never cheated from the beginning. In my life, there’s only ever been you…”

Smack!

A sharp sound interrupted his words, causing Lee Joon to turn his face to the side, his expression frozen.

“Lee Joon!”

At Mrs. Kang’s horrified scream, Lee Joon straightened his face, feeling the sting of pain spread across his cheek. As he realized what had just happened, his eyes met Eunchae’s, whose expression had turned icy and unyielding. 

The electric tension in the air intensified as Lee Joon faced Eunchae’s trembling eyes, filled with betrayal and shock, against his calm gaze.

“You bastard. There’s a limit to deception. Every time you open your mouth, it’s a lie, and you’re just playing with people! Do you even know what the truth is? How could you…!” 

“Hey, you crazy girl! What have you done? How dare you lay a hand on my son…!” 

“Mother!” 

As Mrs Kang rushed towards Eunchae in a rage, Lee Joon stepped in front of her and grabbed his mother’s hand as she reached for Eunchae.

“Mother, just stay back.”

“I can’t just stand here! How could I? That girl dared to lay a hand on your face!”

“Well, I guess it was justified! Honestly, I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on even if I was treated worse!”

“Lee Joon! You fool!”

Mrs Kang, furious that her son was defending Eunchae, shouted and began to slap his arms and back. Seeing her in such a rage, Eunchae could only let out a hollow laugh.

“Have you lost your mind? You’re not thinking straight! What’s so good about this… this woman?”

Losing her composure, Mrs Kang began to hurl insults at Eunchae.

“You, you little brat! I won’t let this go. I’ll report you for assault and you’ll go to jail, so get ready!”

“I’ll be the one to file a report, mother.”

Eunchae’s cold response made Mrs Kang’s eyes narrow dangerously.

“What? The nerve! Why would you…”

“I’m going to sue him for a fraudulent marriage. Did you know that your son had a vasectomy before we got married?”

“What… what nonsense are you talking about? Who did what?”

As Mrs Kang stared at Lee Joon with a dazed expression, Eunchae continued.

“Your accomplished son had a vasectomy at the age of twenty. He hid that fact and married me.”

“What did you say?”

Mrs Kang’s voice dropped to barely above a whisper as she struggled to comprehend the situation. Her expression was blank as if she might break down at any moment.

Eun-chae glanced at the nearly catatonic Mrs. Kang before shifting her gaze to Lee Joon. His eyes, devoid of any sparkle, reflected overwhelming confusion and fear.

Seeing Lee Joon in such a state made Eunchae smile wickedly.

“Explain yourself, Lee Joon. Why did you do something so outrageous? No! Why did you hide it after doing something like that?”

“Eunchae…”

Lee Joon could only call out her name and felt completely lost. All his hidden secrets were laid bare before her and he had no idea how to make things right.

Panic crept into Lee Joon’s face as he turned pale. He felt like a condemned prisoner staring down at his impending death. The fear of being abandoned by Eunchae consumed him.

“How… did you find out?”

The words that came out felt pathetic even to him and Eunchae let out a dry laugh in disbelief.

“Is that really what’s important at this moment? In this situation?”

Her voice rose sharply and Lee Joon fell silent, unable to respond. Eunchae stepped closer, her eyes wide with intensity.

“More than any evil thing you’ve done, it’s the fact that you hid this from me that fills me with rage… and makes me feel utterly miserable.”

Struggling to breathe through the pain, Eunchae’s lips quivered as she spoke.

“When I was struggling to have a baby, enduring harsh words and scorn from your mother, how did you feel? Did you find it amusing? Did you find it amusing to watch me try the impossible?”

“No! That’s not it, Eunchae!”

Lee Joon shook his head vehemently as he approached her, but she stepped back, her tear-filled eyes warning him not to come any closer.

“Just listen to me, Eunchae. There was a reason for everything. Please…”

“No. I don’t want to hear it. No matter what reasons you had, your actions are unforgivable.”

Eunchae refused him firmly. She couldn’t forgive Lee Joon; he had never treated her with true sincerity. He had always lied and deceived her.

She could no longer believe his words about wanting to start over. She suspected ulterior motives.

“I have nothing more to say to you.”

As she turned away, a tear caught on her eyelashes and fell. Seeing her in such a pitiful and wounded state tore at Lee Joon’s heart. It felt like a sharp knife slowly carving out his soul.

“Eunchae, please…”

Lee Joon’s voice trembled with desperation and his eyes were red and watery. The fear of losing Eunchae drove him to beg.

But even at the sight of his tears, Eunchae remained unmoved. She looked at him with an indifferent expression.

“Just let me talk for a minute. No, just thirty seconds. I can explain everything…”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

Her firm words cut him off as she picked up her fallen bag. Wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, she felt it was a waste to shed tears for a man like him.

“Never show your face in my presence again. If I could, I’d go back to the moment before I met you so that I could prevent this toxic relationship from ever beginning!

Eunchae got frustrated and stormed out.

“Eunchae!”

“Lee Joon!”

“Let me go!”

Shrugging off his mother’s grip, Lee Joon followed Eunchae.

“Eunchae! Wait, Eunchae!”

“Don’t follow me! I said I have nothing to say!”

Their voices echoed through the house as they descended the stairs.

Feeling the urgency of Lee Joon’s quickening footsteps behind her, Eunchae’s heart raced. If he caught up with her here, another fight would break out, and she found the thought repulsive. So, she quickened her pace down the stairs.

In the middle of her hasty descent, disaster struck. Eunchae’s foot slipped and she tumbled down the stairs.

“Eunchae!”

With a piercing scream and Lee Joon’s urgent cry, Eunchae’s body tumbled down the stairs like a rag doll. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her stomach even in that chaotic moment.

“Ugh…!”

With a thud, Eun-chae’s body fell on the floor. Groaning in pain as her body felt like it was breaking, she scraped the floor with her trembling fingertips. Her vision went white and all she could hear was a ringing in her ears.

‘My baby… my baby.’ 

All she could think of was the child. The thought that the tiny life she had only hours before confirmed was in danger filled her with fear and dread. 

“Eunchae! Are you okay?” 

“Ma’am!” 

Lee Joon’s eyes trembled with fear as he checked for injuries. The shock made him feel as if all the blood had been drained from his body. 

“Lee Joon… I… have to go to the hospital…” 

Eunchae groaned in pain, her breath coming in short gasps. 

“My baby… my baby…” 

“…What are you talking about? baby?”

Lee Joon stared at Eunchae’s face and then at her arms wrapped around her stomach, struggling to comprehend the situation. Eunchae, tears streaming down her cheeks, tightened her grip on his arm as the pain gradually increased. 

“My baby, please… save my baby… Ah!” 

With a sharp pain, Eunchae curled up and screamed. It was then that Lee Joon finally came to his senses. 

“Eunchae, are you pregnant?” 

“Oh! It looks like it, yes, sir. You need to take her to the hospital right away.”

Seeing the desperation, Manager Kwon urged Lee Joon in a scolding tone.

“An ambulance has been called, it should be here soon.” 

“Yes. Ah… I understand.” 

Lee Joon replied, half out of it, as he held Eunchae in his arms. Her forehead was now covered with cold sweat. 

“Eunchae, just hold on. I’ll… I will protect our baby.” 

‘It’s not our baby, it’s my… baby.’

Dazed, Eunchae couldn’t bring herself to say the words that lingered on her lips. As her consciousness began to fade, all she could hear was the rapid beating of Lee Joon’s heart and his labored breathing.