Ch#60
60. My Woman
Kang-woo clenched and unclenched his fist on his knee. An aura entirely different from usual hung in the air.
"Mother."
His voice carried a deeper chill. As Kang-woo opened his mouth to speak, Kyung-hye cut in first.
"Son. Don't say the rest."
She scolded sternly with a cold face, and Kang-woo met her heavy gaze.
"Do you know what I'm about to say?"
"Yeah, I do. That's why I'm telling you not to say it."
"Mother."
Kang-woo gritted his teeth and called her again. Kyung-hye spoke first.
"Do you think I'm an idiot? Bringing Teacher Han Na-eun to the annex from the start was because you had feelings for her. I had no idea and just opened the fish shop for the cat like a fool."
I thought there'd be no issues living together in the annex. She's a woman with a child, and even if I didn't know she'd be that pretty, how could she have time with two kids to look after? Above all, I trusted you. I never imagined you'd fall for an unwed mother with a child—
Kang-woo shot back without yielding.
"That's the problem. Did you do the same to hyung? Belittle and disregard your daughter-in-law?"
His words cut sharp. Kyung-hye's face stiffened, her lips pressing tightly. Her eyes wavered slightly, revealing discomfort.
"What?"
The quiet office air grew heavy in an instant. Kang-woo lowered his head slightly, eyes flashing.
"Mother. You think I don't know? Hyung's divorce was because of you."
His voice was low but resonant. Kyung-hye's face paled, freezing in place. She shook her head in disbelief and shouted.
"Kang-hyeok said that? That it was my fault."
Kyung-hye shot up from her seat. Anger and confusion crossed her eyes. Kang-woo sighed wordlessly at her reaction.
"No, I don't need to see it. You never liked sister-in-law from the start. And you urged the divorce at the end. I heard it clearly with my own ears. You called sister-in-law to your place and said to divorce amicably before things got worse."
That day, Mother had handed sister-in-law an envelope of documents. Kang-woo remembered it vividly.
[This should be more than enough alimony for you. So start a new life. Kang-hyeok and Min-ho will start their own and live well. You don't love the child much anyway, do you?]
Sister-in-law had cried quite a bit then.
[Mother, I was wrong. I'll just raise Min-ho. I won't do it again.]
[No. I can't trust you. And I don't want to leave my son and grandson to someone like you. Don't do this—check what's in this envelope. It's more than you think. If you cry like this, maybe I can give a bit more?]
Back then, Mother had spoken so heartlessly. Of course, he wasn't just disappointed in Mother. Sister-in-law had checked the envelope without a word, said okay, greeted, and left—that was disappointing too. And right after the divorce, sister-in-law remarried and had two kids the same age, which was even more shocking. But that came after the divorce. Urging the divorce was definitely Mother.
He opened his mouth.
Kang-woo waited for Kyung-hye's response, his eyes cold. Tension filled the room tautly, and though her face seemed expressionless, her eyes flashed sharply. Kang-woo inhaled and exhaled slowly.
"I'm different from hyung. I'll protect my woman."
His voice was resolute, and the room's air grew colder.
Kyung-hye furrowed her brow and turned her face slightly. As if hearing something unexpected, she narrowed her eyes at Kang-woo.
"...Your woman? Are you seriously saying in front of me that Teacher Han Na-eun is your woman?"
Her tone held sharp ridicule and cynicism.
Kang-woo nodded slowly, lips pressed tight.
"...Yes. I like Teacher Na-eun. We're dating. I'll leave home with Teacher Na-eun. Taking Min-ho and Ji-ho too."
Kyung-hye's face hardened instantly at his firm declaration. Her fingers gripped the teacup until they whitened.
The heavy silence shattered with Kyung-hye's low, chilling voice.
"You think Kang-hyeok will just let that happen?"
She whispered, eyes narrowed.
"You don't get it—Min-ho is Kang-hyeok's son. You can't just take him."
Kang-woo faltered momentarily. Her words were reality, weighing on his chest. As defeat flickered on his face, Kyung-hye drove the wedge deeper.
"Even if you like Teacher Han Na-eun, just leave her be!"
Kyung-hye closed and opened her eyes slowly with a firm face.
"In my view, remarrying a man like Kang-hyeok would be striking gold for Teacher Han Na-eun too. Everyone would think so. I treat those I like well. I like Teacher Han Na-eun. So don't get in between."
Fire seemed to ignite in Kang-woo's eyes. He ground his teeth and spat each word clearly.
"You're the one getting between us right now, Mother!"
Kyung-hye looked startled at first, then anger gradually colored her face. She forced a smile to hide her trembling fingertips and glared at Kang-woo.
"What did you say? You really going to act like this?"
Her voice was sharp as ice shards.
"I won't give up on Teacher Na-eun."
His calm words carried weight.
Kyung-hye narrowed her eyes at Kang-woo. Unable to quell the anger rising in her chest, she closed and slowly opened her eyes before finally speaking.
"You'll regret it. You have much to protect from your current position."
"I can protect her by my side too."
Kang-woo stood unyielding like an immovable mountain. Pressed by her son's resolve yet continuing, Kyung-hye said.
"No. You can't discard marriage like that."
To Kyung-hye, marriage was a crucial card for business. It had hurt deeply not using it for her eldest son Kang-hyeok, but she thought Kang-woo could use it on the best terms anytime.
Kang-woo sneered coldly at her words.
"So you're saying use marriage for business?"
Kyung-hye said pityingly.
"Why can't you understand?"
Kang-woo stood toward the door with a stiff voice.
"Enough. Please leave. The executives are waiting outside. I have a meeting."
"Fine? Then have a good meeting."
Kyung-hye rose and headed out. The wind was quite cold. In the car driven by the chauffeur heading home, Kyung-hye pressed her forehead. It had become more headache-inducing than expected.
"No matter how affection grows from living together, there's a level. How could Choi Kang-woo and an unwed mother like Teacher Han Na-eun..."
Should she send the teacher away again? Then what about Min-ho? Her worries deepened.
Kang-woo's last schedule was inspecting the travel channel station. The newly acquired travel channel wasn't gaining much attention since launch. There had been several director-level meetings, but no sharp solutions. The conclusion was to spend more money on famous celebrities and programs. It was regrettable there wasn't something more original.
As he walked the station hallway, Ha-young emerged from the waiting room and greeted Kang-woo.
"Hello, President. We meet often."
"Yeah. Intentional?"
Ha-young's eyes widened at Kang-woo's sudden remark.
"Ah, I do feel close to you, President. Since my little sister gets along well with your nephew."
"Hmm."
Undeterred by Kang-woo's curt reply, Ha-young continued.
"Does our Na-eun take good care of the kids?"
"Yes. Very well."
Ha-young smiled quickly.
"I like kids too, so I'm really close to Ji-ho. A few days ago, I even went to the kindergarten and gave him a toy."
"Did you?"
Ha-young brazenly pressed on with a straight face.
"It was great living with Na-eun, but I'm so busy now that I thought I'd be a bother to the kid, so we don't live together."
Kang-woo barely responded to Ha-young's words.
"President. Shall we have a meal together next time? With Ji-ho. And Min-ho too. Ji-ho and Min-ho seem really close."
Ha-young wanted to capture Choi Kang-woo's attention somehow.
