Young Wife and Bad Things

**Chapter 4**

[Don’t forget our lunch tomorrow, oppa. I’ll wait for you at the restaurant. I have something to tell you.]

As Seo I-jae read the message, disappointment flickered in her eyes.

It was from Jung Woo.

He was the son of a local politician and had been visiting her house frequently since they were kids.

He was the only one among their guests who treated her like a real person.

[Okay. See you tomorrow.]

Seo I-jae sent a short reply and sighed.

For a moment, she felt foolish for hoping it was a message from Beom Do-geon.

—

The next day.

Seo I-jae entered the hotel lobby for her lunch meeting with Jung Woo.

On the phone, her friend Areum was ranting non-stop.

—You know Seo Hyo-won stole your spot, right? Using her dad’s connections.

“…”

—Ugh, don’t even get me started. She’s such a joke. No talent at all, and now she’s throwing money around for favors.

Seo I-jae had originally been chosen for the main role in the upcoming performance.

But after she injured her ankle, Hyo-won took her place.

—I-jae? Are you even listening? Did you hang up on me?

Hearing that her role had ultimately gone to Hyo-won made Seo I-jae pause for a moment, holding her breath.

Her reflection in the glass—limping—looked worse than usual today.

It had been six months since she injured her left ankle.

During a performance, a stage light had fallen toward her.

The heavy piece of metal, weighing over 100 kg, narrowly missed her head, but it left her left ankle badly injured.

She had visited countless hospitals, but every doctor shook their head, unable to help.

—Are you still talking to I-jae? What’s she even doing these days?

—Probably about to marry into some family. She’s so pretty, but being broke really ruins your luck in life.

—True, she is gorgeous. But so what? My dad says I-jae might end up as some rich old guy’s mistress.

The mocking voices of her old friends from their school days echoed in her head.

—Hey, stop talking bad about I-jae. You want to die?

—I’ve hated her since we were kids. She’d wait outside restaurants while we ate, just because she couldn’t afford food. So annoying.

—I hated how she always won competitions too. Like, is she the only talented one or what?

—That’s not her fault. She’s just that good. Why are you blaming her?

Hearing Areum try to defend her, Seo I-jae ended the call.

Her hand, holding the phone, dropped weakly to her side.

She stared at her left ankle, which felt unusually heavy today.

Her chest ached strangely.

And to make matters worse, she’d been feeling sick all morning.

It seemed she had caught a cold.

The storage room she stayed in was freezing during the winter, with no proper heating.

Even wrapped in a coat, she’d shiver all night.

“I-jae!”

As she approached the restaurant, Jung Woo came into view.

With his gentle, smiling eyes he always had a kind demeanor.

“I-jae, it’s been a while.”

“It’s only been a week since you came to my uncle’s place.”

“Really? It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever. Let’s eat something nice today. I’ll treat you.”

“What is it you wanted to talk about?”

“I’ll tell you over lunch. But are you feeling okay? You’re sweating.”

Jung Woo softly brushed away the hair stuck to her damp forehead.

*Ding!*

The elevator arrived, and the chime echoed.

As the doors opened, a strong musk scent filled the air.

Seo I-jae turned her head without thinking.

The elevator doors slowly opened, and the moment her eyes met someone else’s through the gap, her heart dropped.

It was Beom Do-geon.

Yesterday, he had worn a lazily unbuttoned dress shirt, showing off his broad chest. But today, his shirt was neatly buttoned, giving him a sharp, clean look.

“…U-Uncle,” Seo I-jae stammered, her voice shaky.

Her eyes widened when she saw Professor Seo standing behind Beom Do-geon.

Beom Do-geon’s polished shoe was the first to step onto the marble floor.

Behind him followed high-ranking politicians, trailing like shadows.

Assemblyman Park noticed his son and asked, “Jung Woo, what are you doing here?”

Beom Do-geon cast a disinterested glance in their direction.

His gaze briefly touched Jung Woo’s hand, which was gently brushing Seo I-jae’s hair, before shifting away.

“I have a lunch date with I-jae,” Jung Woo replied.

At his words, someone spoke up loudly, “Assemblyman Park, why not join your son for lunch? Besides, isn’t there something we should celebrate with Prosecutor Park?”

—

In the end, Seo I-jae had to join the politicians for lunch.

She had insisted they not worry about her and even said she would go home, but both Jung Woo and Assemblyman Park refused to let her leave.

Reluctantly, she found herself sitting at the table with strangers, looking visibly uncomfortable.

What made it worse was the presence of a man she had secretly met on a blind date yesterday—Beom Do-geon.

However, the man sitting at the head of the table didn’t seem to remember her at all.

He sipped his drink occasionally, never sparing Seo I-jae a glance.

She was the only one feeling tense, recalling their dramatic encounter.

As she had noticed yesterday, Beom Do-geon’s presence was extraordinary, even among the seasoned politicians.

It was clear they were all carefully gauging his mood.

“She’s so pure and beautiful,” one politician said. “She’s Professor Seo’s niece, right?”

“Yes,” Professor Seo replied. “She grew up alongside Prosecutor Park here, like siblings.”

“Haha, well, Prosecutor Park is an outstanding man. No wonder he won the heart of the Seonhwa Group’s only daughter.”

“Prosecutor Park, congratulations on your engagement!”

Jung Woo awkwardly accepted the congratulations, glancing at Seo I-jae.

“I-jae should follow her brother’s example and get married soon,” another person said. “Our Hyo-won seems to be doing well.”

Professor Seo smiled with satisfaction as he glanced at Beom Do-geon.

He had big ambitions to enter politics and knew that aligning with Beom Do-geon was key to achieving his dreams.

“Now, who would be a good match for her?”

Seo I-jae quietly rolled her rice around with her chopsticks.

Jung Woo intervened.

“Professor Seo, I-jae is still young. She’s only twenty…”

“Yes, you’re right,” Seo I-jae cut in, stopping Jung Woo.

It wasn’t wise to go against her uncle’s wishes in such a formal setting.

If she did, her life would become even harder—she’d be confined to the storage room for days.

Jung Woo looked at her with a mix of shock and concern before downing his glass of wine in one gulp.

“If any of you gentlemen are interested in my niece, do let me know,” Professor Seo said with a smirk. “She’s young and innocent, after all. She’d make an excellent companion. There’s a charm in teaching someone from scratch, wouldn’t you agree?”

His crude joke drew laughter from the table.

Seo I-jae’s hand, which was holding a knife, trembled slightly.

She felt a sharp gaze land on her.

Startled, she quickly placed the knife back on the table.

Drawing attention from Beom Do-geon wouldn’t do her any good.

If he found out she had taken his daughter’s place at yesterday’s blind date, Professor Seo would be furious beyond imagination.

Even now, Beom Do-geon’s mere presence felt suffocating.

“Vice President Beom,” Professor Seo said, “this is your first time meeting my niece, isn’t it? She’s my family. Since you might be family soon too, it’s good for you to meet her.”

Professor Seo continued with a satisfied smile.

“Well? What are you waiting for, I-jae? Introduce yourself. This is Vice President Beom Do-geon of Mujung Group. He’s the one who had a blind date with Hyo-won yesterday.”

Seo I-jae’s hands, resting on her lap, trembled faintly.

Forcing a calm smile, she said, “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Seo I-jae.”

“Nice to meet me?” Beom Do-geon repeated, his tone low.