Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 68: The Dog Chasing the Chicken

Chapter 68: The Dog Chasing the Chicken

Eunchae covered her open mouth with her hand. The afternoon light illuminated her soft brown eyes, which were trembling fiercely.

“Daniel! Come over here!”

“Yay Hahahaha!”

‘I wish you would cry.’

The laughter of Lee Joon and Daniel bathed in the afternoon sunlight, echoed in Eunchae’s mind, intertwining with the curse she had whispered to Lee Joon.

‘He cried every night.’

The fact that Alice revealed lingered in Eunchae’s mind like an echo, and transparent tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes, which fluttered nervously.

The curse had become a reality. Just as Eunchae had wished, Lee Joon cried out every night, tormented in his heart.

“oh my god…….”

As Eunchae mumbled in despair, Alice continued.

“At first, I thought Joon was crying for a combination of reasons, and in truth, he was. The grief and loss of losing his cousin, the misery of having to part from his beloved wife in the worst possible way, and the fear of not knowing when he might die.”

The fact that Alice revealed lingered in Eunchae’s mind like an echo, and transparent tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes, which fluttered nervously.

The curse had become a reality. Just as Eunchae had wished, Lee Joon cried out every night, tormented in his heart.

“…”

“But the underlying reason was another fear.”

“Another… fear?”

“Yes.”

With a faint smile, Alice looked at Eunchae, who was trembling and crying. Margarita sat quietly, as if she were not there, listening to their conversation.

“The fear that if he dies… he will no longer be able to see you, Eunchae.”

“Hah…”

Eunchae let out a deep sigh, biting her lip tightly to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. But the more she tried, the more her vision blurred, and her whole body trembled.

“That fear can only be understood by those who have experienced it. There’s nothing as cruel as knowing you can never see the person you love more than yourself again.”

Alice’s eyes glistened with moisture, reflecting her shared empathy. Today, she missed her late husband intensely.

With eyes full of scars, Alice looked up at the sky.

“Whenever I miss my husband, I look up at the sky like this, and it brings me some peace. It makes me feel as if he’s watching over me and Daniel.”

“Of course, he’s watching over you. He must be proud of you for living courageously with Daniel.”

“Thank you.”

Alice smiled softly with tearful eyes at Eunchae’s comfort.

“It’s truly a blessing that Joon was able to reunite with you.”

“That’s all thanks to you. It was possible because you found Michael’s diary.”

“Perhaps that’s fate. They say those who are meant to meet will always find their way back to each other.”

Alice smiled at Daniel, who was waving and calling for his mother, then turned to wish Eunchae well.

“I truly hope that only happy things fill your life from now on. And… if you’re okay with it, can Daniel and the baby grow up like siblings?”

“Of course. That’s fine.”

“Thank you, Eunchae.”

When Eunchae readily permitted her, Alice beamed with genuine joy, her smile radiant. Margarita, watching from the side, wore a contented smile as well.

As the three of them sipped tea, wiping away their tears and collecting their emotions, Lee Joon walked over to the tea table with Daniel in his arms.

“This little guy has incredible stamina. He’s been running around, and he doesn’t look tired at all.”

Lee Joon shook his head in amazement at Daniel’s energy. Even he, who was confident in his stamina, found it hard to keep up.

“We need to bathe him. He’s a sweaty mess.”

After handing Daniel over to Alice, Lee Joon gulped down a glass of cold water.

“My son is quite a handful, isn’t he? He’s always full of energy. And I’m grateful for that. It’s a sign of good health.”

Lee Joon wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at Alice as she spoke.

He had heard that the chances of the genetic disease skipping a generation were very low. But Alice didn’t lose hope; she showed her determination and courage to raise her son well.

“Indeed, it’s something to be grateful for.”

Lee Joon responded with a look that conveyed his unwavering belief.

“Let’s head back then. Daniel needs a bath and a nap, and Margarita has other plans for the evening.”

“Oh, is that so? Then let’s get going.”

Eunchae, feeling the fatigue creeping in, followed Lee Joon’s lead.

“I also have to go to the hotel to rest a bit and change my clothes.”

Margarita yawned and stood up.

“I’ll invite you to our house next time. Well, it’s my parents’ house,” Eunchae said as she walked out with Alice, suggesting they have dinner together soon.

Eunchae had decided that after Hope was born, she and Lee Joon would stay at her parents’ house until Hope turned one. They planned to visit Lee Joon’s parents every two weeks. Both Tae Moo-jin and Tae Seong-yeol agreed without hesitation. Eunchae felt it would be more comfortable to stay at her parent’s house, as only two men were living at her in-laws’ home.

“It would be my honor. Please invite me anytime. I’ll be in Korea until autumn.”

“Of course, I’ll invite you before that. I’ll let you know once the date is set.”

Eunchae felt her heart lift at Alice’s enthusiastic response.

“You must come too, Margarita.”

“It would be my honor.”

Margarita accepted with a bright smile.

“Then, see you again.”

“Take care.”

After exchanging warm farewells, Eunchae and Lee Joon got into the car.

A moment later, Alice continued to wave until their car had left the alley. Daniel, who was feeling sleepy and sucking on his fingers, tilted his head, then smiled broadly and waved his hand like his mother.

***

Woo-sung stared at the woman sitting in front of him with a look of uncertainty. She introduced herself as So-hyun, the CEO of Dongyang Wool, and her sophisticated appearance exuded an air of arrogance.

“I’m curious why you asked to see me…”

As he trailed off, his sharp gaze studied So-hyun closely, sensing her visit wasn’t for a pleasant reason. That smile, especially—her practiced, calculated expression—made him uneasy. Just as he suspected, still smiling, So-hyun began to speak, ready to say something that would catch him off guard.

“Looks like we’re both just like dogs chasing chickens, staring at the roof in frustration. Don’t you feel wronged or upset?”

“Excuse me?”

“If we join forces, we could really give Yoon Eunchae and Tae Lee Joon a taste of their own medicine. What do you think?”

‘Give them a taste of their own medicine. Does she mean revenge?’

Woo-sung remained silent, unable to grasp the meaning of her words fully. As he stared at her, So-hyun smiled and raised her teacup.

“I have been following Tae Lee Joon for more than ten years. The year I started university, I met the Crown Prince of the Geumyoung Group for the first time, about whom I had only heard rumors at family gatherings.”

As she mentioned her first meeting with Lee Joon, So-hyun took a sip of her tea.

“I jokingly say that I fell in love at first sight the moment I saw him. That was the beginning. From then on, I was blindly focused on him.”

“Are you admitting that it’s blind devotion?”

Woo-sung couldn’t help but laugh at the candid remark.

“Yes. I tend to be honest about my feelings. And I believe I should open up everything to someone I might be in the same boat with.”

“I see.”

With a smirk, Woo-sung lifted his teacup, but his gaze hardened, turning cold. Seeing that he still hadn’t given much of a reaction, So-hyun pressed him further, tightening the reins.

“Aren’t you a little bit resentful, Kim Woo-sung? Like me, you were the first to meet Yoon Eunchae. You were the one who stayed by her side when she was struggling. From developing the technology to taking care of Eunchae, it was all you. Isn’t that right?”

Though Woo-sung couldn’t deny the truth in her words, he remained silent. He hadn’t done any of it expecting praise, but the more he listened to So-hyun, the more something deep inside him began to simmer.

“I won’t let Tae Lee Joon have Geumyoung. If I can’t have it, neither will Yoon Eunchae. Tae Lee Joon, and the position of Geumyoung’s mistress, will both be out of reach for her.”

“That’s quite the grand plan.”

Woo-sung’s lips twisted into a crooked smile, bordering on mockery as if doubting whether he could pull it off.

As much as he longed to bring Tae Lee Joon down, he had no desire to get caught up in someone else’s petty jealousy and make a rash move.

So-hyun, who had accurately read his feelings, lazily smiled.

“I think it takes at least that much to consider it proper revenge.”

“Don’t you think so?” she added, looking at Woo-sung with confidence.

“I’m not the only one planning this. I’ve decided to team up with Tae Seong-min, the CEO of Geumyoung Construction.”

“Tae Seong-min…?”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s Tae Lee Joon’s uncle. To be blunt, it’s probably the best thing for that family. When I hinted at it, he was eager to jump on board.”

“Is that so?”

Sensing that his ally was no easy opponent, Woo-sung recalled the story that Mrs. Yeosu had inadvertently shared with him while drunk.

“She asked me to go grocery shopping and then stepped out for a bit, but I accidentally left my wallet behind. So, I tried to sneak quietly into the house, and the vice president was kneeling.”

“And then?”

“I was so surprised that I almost turned around and left, but the vice president said he had a genetic disease and didn’t know when he would die, and that he had to divorce Eunchae for her sake.”

“Was there a genetic disease in that family?”

“Of course not!”

“But why…?”

“Well, get this. The arrogant and pretentious lady of that family has been cheating, which led to the vice president’s situation.”

“Really? Is that true?”

“Yes! The vice president said it himself. Our president and his wife were just as shocked. I was so scared I left quickly without staying any longer.”

Woo-sung was equally astonished. His mind, stunned at first, gradually became sharper and more incisive.

And yet… a coward, acting so superior? All the while condemning me as the worst kind of villain?

Woo-sung remembered the humiliation he had suffered at Lee Joon’s hands and the bitter feelings of defeat he had felt each time. The painful memories of being consumed by his insecurities suddenly turned into a mixture of indignation and emptiness.

As he sat there, stunned, forcing out a hollow laugh, Mrs. Yeosu suddenly seemed to realize her mistake.

“Oh no! My big mouth! What have I done? Young Woo-sung, you must never let Eunchae find out about this. Do you understand?”

Mrs Yeosu held Woo-sung’s hand and begged him earnestly. Her nervous behavior made him agree for the time being.

But right now… he wasn’t sure if he could keep it a secret until the end. Perhaps sensing his uncertainty, So-hyun began to push him even harder.

“How did it feel to see Yoon Eunchae get proposed to? Just seeing it in photos makes me want to go crazy.”

“Did you hire someone to keep an eye on her?”

At Woo-sung’s displeased question, So-hyun laughed slightly and crossed her legs.

“Yes, no matter how important the contract is, isn’t it natural to be concerned and watch over my man when his ex-wife is around him?”