Divorce in Bed – Chapter 38

Author: nicotine

“Ooh.”

“After Chairman Seong was diagnosed with dementia, it’s said Gye Sanghun conspired with a private lawyer to forge a will and seize the estate, but was discovered. A physical struggle ensued at the time, and Gye Sanghun was arrested after suffering severe injuries.”

At those words, Do Jingyu’s eyes glistened.

A man who betrayed Seong Yeohwi from his closest circle. And a man who was ruined because of that betrayal.

To Seong Yeohwi, he would be a terrible trauma, and to Gye Sanghun, Seong Yeohwi would be an enemy he wouldn’t feel satisfied even if he ground him up and drank him.

“Where is he now?”

“After being released from prison, he drifted through gambling dens before going into hiding to escape private loan debts. He’s the type who will do anything as long as you put money in his hand.”

“Perfect. Bring him in immediately.”

Do Jingyu flicked cigarette ash over the photo.

“Tell him I’ll pay off all his debts and give him enough money to live on for the rest of his life. Since he has experience serving Chairman Seong for a long time, he’ll be delighted if I tell him to serve a new master. Bring him under me and turn him into a loyal human slave who barks when I tell him to bark and bites when I tell him to bite.”

After briefly scanning Gye Sanghun’s file, Do Jingyu wore a sinister smile.

“If that brat Dowon tries to strangle me by making a noisy racket outside, I suppose I’ll have to quietly burrow into his house and stab him in his vitals…”

The rain outside gradually grew heavier.

While the trap for Do Jingyu was meticulously tightening, Do Jingyu also prepared to thrust his fangs forward, harboring deadly venom.

‧₊˚🍊༉‧₊˚.

Between urgent investigations by financial authorities, the pouring spotlight of the media, and the need to appease agitated shareholders, Dowon had to move as if twenty-four hours in a day weren’t enough. Moving between a hotel near the company and his office, he was fighting a literally bloody war. Rest was a luxury, and of course, he had no time to return home.

Thus, Yeohwi was left alone in the masterless mansion, waiting for Dowon. His only comfort was the intermittent exchange of text messages.

I saw the news. How is the situation over there? Is there anything else I can help with? Mister Dowon, contact me whenever you need me.

To be honest, I can’t sleep lately… because I know Mister Dowon isn’t getting a wink of sleep either T_T. So it doesn’t matter if it’s dawn. Contact me whenever Mister Dowon has a spare moment! Send replies whenever too. Think of me as a 24-hour convenience store and stop by. I’m waiting!

Welcome. This is 24-hour Seong Yeohwi. How may I help you?

Dear Customer, are you very busy? Right… of course I know you’d be busy, but I’m just so worried T.S. I’m dying to know how Mister Dowon is doing… It feels like a family of four Jirisan Cheonwangbong black bears are sitting snugly around my chest… Are you eating your meals regularly? It would be really bad if you collapsed from starving like I did…

No, ha, if I knew it would be like this, I should have ordered a ton of room service in Switzerland and told you to eat a lot. The cod pilaf there was really delicious.. Mister Dowon, or should I pack a lunch box and bring it to you? You probably can’t let people in because of security.. but you’d let me in, right? It’s a good idea, isn’t it?

I’m going to change business sectors. I’ll be 24-hour Delivery Seong Yeohwi. Taking menu orders now. Please pick a lunch menu.

Hanwoo Bone Rib Soup
Ginseng Pork Bossam
Oyster Seaweed Abalone Pot Rice
Grilled Eel Set Meal
Duck-Samgyetang-Octopus Haeshintang

Can’t you just take one picture for me?

Your face…….

I want to see it………

So…..so, so much………

Dowon

Mister Dowon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s Mister Dowon!!! Mister Dowon!!!! I’ve already rewatched that news 13 times. I saw the whole interview. The visuals are crazy. You looked like a celebrity. Mister Dowon, you’re so handsome. But the dark circles under your eyes make me worried because you look so tired T_T. Are you getting any sleep? Are you sleeping today? You really can’t come home? Today too?

I really miss Mister Dowon so much. Really, really. If you could just take one selfie…

Can you talk on the phone by any chance?

Dowon

Call again.

Short, dry, business-like replies.

Yeohwi stroked those parched characters with his finger, trying to read Dowon’s fatigue hidden between the lines. He was out there swinging a sword right now. Therefore, it was right for Yeohwi to stay here quietly with bated breath.

He endured the long, lonely, and anxious nights by soothing himself that way.

Perhaps as a substitute, Dowon started picking up Yeohwi’s calls, even if only very occasionally. The voice he heard through those brief gaps set his heart on fire even more desperately.

Whenever he missed Dowon, he played the recorded voice from their calls, listening to it repeatedly until his phone battery ran out.

‘If I had known it would be like this, I should have taken some photos of Mister Dowon.’

Is it said that regret is always late, no matter how early? Yeohwi looked back on the honeymoon they spent in Switzerland and kept regretting. He should have taken at least one photo of Dowon’s face back then. Though he hadn’t dared to even think of such an attempt at the time, the current Seong Yeohwi was different.

Dowon wouldn’t budge anyway. It would never happen that he would step forward and reach out first; he wouldn’t move even if pushed or pulled like a great mountain. So, to reach Dowon somehow, Yeohwi had to climb the cliff himself, driving his pickaxe into the rock. Desperately, by any means necessary. Only then was there a ghost of a chance of getting even a little bit closer.

‘I don’t care what Mister Dowon says. When we meet again, I’ll take tons of photos, hug him a ton, cling to him, sleep in the same bedroom no matter what, and use the same bed.’

The miraculous memory of sleeping together in the hotel suite had grown so distant. Now it felt like it had turned into a shimmering, hazy memory. He didn’t know if it was something that actually happened or if he was believing a delusion to be reality. It was a result obtained by throwing a tantrum, but regardless, there was a moment when Dowon accepted Yeohwi. Because that felt like such an old story, he felt regretful and anxious.

‘I’ve had enough! I’ll just crawl into Mister Dowon’s arms at dawn or something. If I get kicked out, I get kicked out. I’ll just keep trying until he accepts me.’

Yes. He wouldn’t act naive anymore.

What was the point of waiting nicely? He’d probably just end up getting divorced.

‘But, still…’

I miss him.

‘I miss Mister Dowon…’

‧₊˚🍊༉‧₊˚.

Time passed in the blink of an eye.

Dowon waited carefully until Do Jingyu’s pockets were empty. Only after his personal safe was hollowed out from spreading money to the prosecution and the media would notifying him of the ONE Fund’s loss of time benefit exert the maximum effect. Furthermore, it was advantageous for securing shares to buy up as much stock as possible while KD’s stock price was falling due to suspicions of Do Jingyu’s corruption.

Everything was going according to plan. There were no variables.

However, one afternoon as autumn rain pattered down. On that day when the leaden sky reflected darkly in the mansion’s floor-to-ceiling windows and the sound of rain was bleak, the doorbell of Dowon’s mansion rang sharply.

“Delivery.”

What Mrs. Park brought in was a crude kraft paper box with no shipping label attached.

Sender unknown. Recipient Seong Yeohwi.

“It came for you, Young Master. Is there something you ordered?”

“No? I didn’t…”

“That’s strange. Just in case, don’t open it. I’ll check it.”

The box was light. Yeohwi tilted his head, then called out to Mrs. Park as she turned away.

“Wait a moment. Maybe Mister Dowon sent it.”

A problem might have arisen that couldn’t be publicized. Especially regarding the ONE Fund—since it would be disadvantageous if information leaked outside, he might have used such a covert method.

Going up to the bedroom, Yeohwi cut the tape with a utility knife and opened the box.

“…?”

Tucked among the cushioning material inside the box sat an old smartphone.

A worn, crude black machine that was turned on despite having no charger.

To anyone’s eyes, it was not an object that arrived through normal channels. It was a burner phone.