Once Love Begins - Chapter 18. Part 3

Chapter 18. Part 3

Without another word, I made my way up the stairs, each step heavier than the last. All I could think about was getting to bed and blocking out the world, if only for a little while.

I could feel his eyes looking into my back as I climbed the stairs. I knew he was watching, but I refused to turn around.

Once inside the room, I fell onto the bed, pulling the covers over my head. Exhaustion washed over me, dragging me into a deep sleep as if something was pulling my eyelids toward the bed.

I slept for what felt like an eternity.

Occasionally, I would stir, momentarily waking up to remind myself where I was before slipping back into sleep. The blinds were drawn, casting the room into perpetual darkness, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night.

I drifted in and out of consciousness, fully embracing the rest that had eluded me for so long. At times, I felt a soft touch on my cheek, like someone was gently caressing my face, but I was too tired to open my eyes and see who it was.

I had no idea how much time had passed when I finally woke up, my body sore from lying in bed for so long. I stretched out and felt the tightness in my muscles begin to ease.

“Ah!”

I yawned, feeling the weight pressing down on my mind lift slightly. The memory of him baring his teeth at my relatives resurfaced, causing my mood to sink. I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away.

A shower – that was what I needed. I walked into the bathroom and let the warm water wash over me, rinsing away the last remnants of sleep. As I shampooed my hair and scrubbed my body, the lingering tension of the past few days seemed to wash away, leaving me feeling lighter and more refreshed.

I dried my hair and headed downstairs, only to find him sitting on the sofa, working.

The sight of him working after a year stirred something bitter in me. As I descended the stairs, he slowly lifted his head, his dark eyes trailing up from my legs, across my chest, and finally settling on my face.

“You’re up?” he asked, his voice even.

“…Yes,”

I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.

“Let’s eat,” he suggested.

The smell of food filled the house, and only then did I realize how long it had been since I’d had a proper meal. I hadn’t eaten much at the funeral, and after I got home, I’d slept through meal after meal.

My stomach growled loudly, and I felt a flush of embarrassment. It was loud enough that he heard it too.

Pretending nothing had happened, I walked toward the kitchen, sensing him following behind me.

When I reached the dining table, I stopped. The table was loaded with food, so much that it seemed it could barely support the weight.

Tears welled up in Mrs. Kim’s eyes, the housekeeper who had been with us since I was a child. She must have felt pity for me, seeing me like this.

“Please, eat,” she urged softly.

“…Thank you,”

I whispered, grateful but overwhelmed by the effort she had put into preparing the meal. I sat down, feeling a mix of emotions as I looked at the table before me.

I sat across from him, holding my spoon. I wasn’t sure where to start. My hand hesitated, and then I heard Mrs. Kim’s voice. 

“Since he insisted on preparing only your favorite dishes, please enjoy them.” 

I didn’t need to ask to know that he was the one who requested this, so I nodded. It had been a while since I last had Mrs. Kim’s cooking, and I couldn’t stop eating. Suddenly, I felt a sharp gaze and looked up. 

“……” 

Our eyes met. He wasn’t eating; instead, he was just watching me as if he was observing something. 

“Hurry up and eat.” 

I put my spoon down on the table. I didn’t avoid his gaze and looked straight at him. I asked with my eyes why he wasn’t eating. 

“Thank you for helping me. And… I’ll be leaving tomorrow.” 

“Where are you going back to?” 

He looked completely puzzled. 

 “I don’t want to stay in Korea. I’m going back.” 

Once his curiosity was satisfied, his expression became stiff. He sat up straight and drank his water in large gulps. 

“Stay here.” 

“No!” 

I shouted, almost in a panic, and stood up. 

“…Stay here.” 

“I said no!” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Sorry for what?” 

Suddenly, he was apologizing. I looked at him, breathing heavily. 

“What are you sorry for?” 

“…….” 

I marched up to him as his lips began to move, and before he could say anything, I shouted, 

“What are you sorry for?” 

“Everything. I’m sorry for everything. There’s so much I’m sorry for… I don’t even know where to start. I know you don’t want to stay here, but your relatives won’t leave us alone. They’ll file every lawsuit they can. Until it’s all sorted out, stay with me.” 

“Then you leave. I’ll stay here.” 

“…I’m sorry. Truly.” 

He shook his head, indicating that wasn’t an option. 

“Are you sorry? For everything? You’re saying you’re sorry for everything?” 

“Yes.” 

I couldn’t understand why he looked like he was about to cry, so I chose my words to hurt him even more. 

“Are you sorry for coming home with that woman’s perfume on you all the time, or for having lipstick marks on you? Or maybe for spending countless nights out with her? How about letting her answer your phone when you are on a business trip? Or making sure I heard that you were in the shower?”

As I spoke, breathless with anger, his eyes widened, making me even more furious as if he had no idea. 

“Taking me to the places you went with her? Rushing to the hospital because she fainted? What exactly are you sorry for?” 

“…Yeonwoo.” 

“I don’t love you anymore! My feelings for you ended a long time ago.” 

“I… I…” 

He tried to say something, but suddenly he clutched his chest and bent over, his face turning pale as if he were about to collapse. He stumbled and leaned on the table for support. 

“Let’s talk later. Later,” he managed to say, heading toward the living room. 

I spoke clearly to his retreating back, 

“I have a boyfriend.” 

He paused mid-step. 

“Don’t lie.” 

There was a time when his deep voice was something I loved, but not now. Our relationship had already ended.

“You know him too. You’ve seen his face before.” 

“…Get some rest. I saw you up, so I’m heading to work.” 

“I’m leaving tomorrow.” 

His back flinched slightly. 

“…Do whatever you want.” 

I expected him to say no, but his calm response left me feeling uncertain. However, I let go of my suspicions. Since I left all my things at the house in New York, all I needed to do was go. 

I went upstairs and sat on the balcony chair. It had been a while since I last saw the garden, and it made my eyes sting with emotion. 

Then I remembered the envelope of documents my grandfather had left behind. I went into the room and opened the envelope. For some reason, I felt nervous as I pulled out the papers. What had he left behind? 

As I started reading the contents, my eyes began to tremble. The message was incredibly simple.

[“If Cha Kang-Jae and Ha Yeon-woo divorce, the company will be handed over to a professional manager, and all remaining assets will be donated to the society. However, if Cha Kang-Jae and Ha Yeon-woo remain married for five more years from this point or have a child, all authority will be transferred to Cha Kang-Jae as stated in the will.”]

“This can’t be real.” 

I bit my lip hard. He must have received the same document, so he would have already read it. I couldn’t understand what my grandfather saw in him to trust him with this. 

He used to say that broken ties should never be mended.

Annoyed, I pushed my hair back. I just had to leave tomorrow. Once I left, I wouldn’t return to Korea again. That way, I wouldn’t have to see him or deal with those bothersome relatives ever again. I just had to endure one more day. 

I spent almost the entire night awake, worrying that despite his words of letting me go, he might try to stop me. But when I arrived at the airport without any issues, it seemed my worries were unfounded. 

Even without my grandfather’s wealth, I had enough money from what my parents left me to live comfortably for the rest of my life. I had my scuba diving certification, and I had learned through traveling that I could handle whatever came my way, so I wasn’t afraid. 

However…

“You’re on the no-fly list. Could you please come with me for a moment?” 

The words from the airport staff made my vision go dark. Me? Why? 

I had been waiting in line to go through security when the staff member checking my passport looked puzzled and confirmed something over the radio. Then they told me I was on the no-fly list. It was absurd. As if it wasn’t bad enough that people were already whispering because they recognized me from television, now they were openly staring. I felt my neck shrink as I bowed my head to hide my face. 

As I followed the staff member weakly, I realized who was behind this when I saw the person who appeared at the airport. 

Cha Kang-jae—it was him. 

He walked toward me in a spring coat, and seeing him approach quickly with a slightly urgent and anxious expression made me hold my breath. He stopped right in front of me.