The New Groom Chapter 28

Lee Jeongrok stroked his wife’s shoulders and comforted her for a long time. It seemed he had trusted Joo Seungchan quite a bit, as Hwang Imin appeared severely shocked. She didn’t even ask for further details about that day’s events. Leaning into Lee Jeongrok’s embrace, she only offered tender comfort, asking how much it must have hurt him.

In that moment, Lee Jeongrok felt a heart-tugging affection for her as a spouse. For the first time, he truly realized and understood that Hwang Imin was the partner he would spend the rest of his life with. His eyes welled up with tears, and he felt a violent impulse to confess even what Joo Seungchan had done to him. But the moment he remembered what had occurred on the bed where they were sitting—this pure bed where they had never once done anything appropriate for a married couple—that impulse vanished instantly.

Having barely regained his composure, Lee Jeongrok finally brought up what he had intended to say from the start.

“That’s why I’m saying, I’ve been feeling uneasy since Saturday, so I’d like to replace the entire security detail. In particular, I’d really like for Manager Joo to be replaced by someone else.”

Having learned his lesson from the previous night’s cold war, he proposed changing the bodyguards rather than getting rid of them entirely. Hwang Imin agreed immediately.

“Of course. I can’t leave you in such an absurd situation. I’ll talk to Dad first thing tomorrow morning and have it handled well. I won’t tell him the deep details and will make up a suitable excuse, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you. I’m embarrassed to even tell you this.”

“Really, don’t say such things. Please, make sure to tell me if anything happens from now on. We are a married couple.”

Hwang Imin, holding his hands tightly, smiled affectionately. Deeply moved, Lee Jeongrok gripped her hands firmly in return.

That was it.

The two were a married couple.

Lee Jeongrok had a weapon called Hwang Imin. A grateful and useful weapon that had saved him from the brink of becoming a beggar before marriage, and from the hands of a hooligan after marriage. The most valuable and shining trophy among any award Lee Jeongrok had ever held in his life.

“I’m glad I met you.”

Lee Jeongrok said with sincerity.

That night, Lee Jeongrok slept soundly for the first time in a while. It was a sweet sleep without a single dream. When he woke up well-rested, his condition was perfect. The muscle aches that had plagued him for days were gone, and his knee joints felt smooth as if they had been greased. His bottom didn’t feel sore either. His stomach, which had refluxed food multiple times, was also feeling a pleasant sense of hunger. Perhaps thanks to the good sleep, the swelling on his cheek had almost subsided, allowing him to barely regain his usual face.

While preparing for work, Lee Jeongrok hummed to himself without realizing it. He put on his favorite diamond cufflinks and wore a priceless watch worth hundreds of millions of won. Being well-dressed made him feel secure, as if he were wearing armor.

Especially that morning, Hwang Imin, who had woken up early for some reason, came out to see him off. Hwang Imin stared intently at each of the security personnel waiting for Lee Jeongrok and whispered that she would have them replaced at least within this week. Joo Seungchan, knowing nothing, just stood there blankly with the car door open.

Within this week meant at most three or four days, or as soon as a day or two. If he could hold out for just those few days, he would be saying goodbye to that rude, trashy bastard forever. The only remaining problem was how to avoid Joo Seungchan during that week.

“…”

On the way to work, Joo Seungchan was, as expected, deep into his trashy soap opera. In the past, he would have only gritted his teeth and endured it in silence (or perhaps wouldn’t have dared to point it out), but today was different. Armed with a reliable backer, Lee Jeongrok regained the arrogant expression befitting a “Seoul Young Master.” Slightly lifting his chin, he called out to Secretary Yoon, who was sitting stiff as a wooden puppet in the passenger seat.

“Secretary Yoon. Connect me to Team Leader Park.”

“…T-Team Leader Park? Right now… Ah, yes, yes, I understand.”

Since it was his first time giving work instructions on the way to work, over the noise of the soap opera, Secretary Yoon scurried about. After making the connection, he handed over the phone. Team Leader Park had just arrived at work. Lee Jeongrok opened his mouth with dignity.

“Come up by 8:50 AM with the preliminary field survey materials, including the site plan for the Mihang-dong power plant project. It has been decided that we will inspect it with the President once the rainy season ends, so align the schedule and once again…”

[What do you have to be so resentful about? You still don’t know? It’s a boomerang. It’s all a boomerang. You killed my father, you tore my family to pieces, and you… this is the price for ruining my life!]

“…We will review the overall plan.”

Ignoring the screams of the soap opera protagonist, Lee Jeongrok gave his orders in a business-like manner. After finishing the call, he crossed his arms and looked out the car window. The rain, pouring down tiresomely, hit the ground, pooled, and flowed away, disappearing somewhere. Suddenly, he wondered where all that rainwater vanished to.

Lee Jeongrok spent the entire day badgering and tormenting his team leaders. Under the Eco-Friendly Energy Management Headquarters, the task teams were called into his office in turns for continuous meetings. The teams that couldn’t answer his questions properly were saddled with a massive amount of work. It was work Lee Jeongrok had forcibly conjured up by racking his brain.

People were constantly in and out of the office. The team leaders occupied the office sofa altogether and continued their meetings. He even had lunch delivered to his office to eat with the team leaders. It was effectively sealing off any gap for Joo Seungchan to squeeze in.

Because he had left his office door wide open while working, Lee Jeongrok was able to spot Joo Seungchan as soon as he showed up at lunchtime. Joo Seungchan looked over the employees buried in piles of documents, clicked his tongue, and turned away. Lee Jeongrok had been worried that because of the irrational behavior he had shown over the last few days, he might try to force his way in, but his reaction was surprisingly plain. After having coffee and department store desserts (it was crème brûlée again this time) sent up as snacks, he didn’t even show his face again until clock-out time.

He was practically moved to tears at how peaceful the day was after such a long time. That didn’t mean he attempted to work overtime, however. Working alone in an empty company at night was the environment he needed to avoid most in his current situation.

The operation was valid.

It worked incredibly well.

It was such a brilliant plan that he felt regretful he hadn’t thought of it on Monday, which would have saved him from being subjected to that act even in his office.

On his commute, the driver and Secretary Yoon always accompanied him. During travel time, he would incessantly discuss work with Secretary Yoon, leaving no room for Joo Seungchan to babble unnecessarily. When he arrived at work, a subordinate waiting in the office would be wobbling under a mountain of data. Lunch was handled while conducting meetings in the office or by going to the company cafeteria with the staff.

He stayed stuck with several people throughout work hours like that, and when it was time to leave, he shut down his computer earlier than anyone else. Upon arriving home, he didn’t go up to the second floor but spent his time in the parlor. If Kim Soohyun or Hwang Imin were there, he would chat with them; if no one was there, he made sure to be exposed to as many people’s gazes as possible by pretending to attend to minor tasks.

By then, Joo Seungchan had also figured out Lee Jeongrok’s scheme.

On Thursday evening, Lee Jeongrok returned from work and noticed that no one else in the family was home. He immediately sat down in the parlor. There were a few gangsters (whose exact jobs were unknown) lounging around in the parlor, and even if they weren’t there, there was a guard stationed on the terrace facing the parlor, and there were employees constantly coming and going while doing household chores.

Even so, when Joo Seungchan sat squarely on the sofa opposite him, Lee Jeongrok swallowed hard without realizing it. He figured there was no way that crazy bastard would pounce on him with so many eyes watching, but on the other hand, he was deeply worried, remembering the bizarre and shameless acts he had committed nonchalantly in the past. Fortunately, Joo Seungchan didn’t take his pants off and pounce in front of others. Instead, he smiled broadly, his eyes gleaming viciously.

“I’ve been dying of heat (sexual frustration) all week because of you, Young Master. Do you know that?”

At the crude words blurted out, Lee Jeongrok jumped in his seat. He hurriedly looked around his surroundings. Fortunately, there was no one close enough to hear those words. Lee Jeongrok glared at him and growled.

“Watch your mouth, Manager Joo. Just where do you think you are…”

“My temper is a real piece of work, so I really hate it when people intentionally make me suffer and play hard to get. But when I imagine how good it will feel to finally have sex after enduring and enduring like this, damn it, I feel like I’m going to wet myself.”

“You crazy bastard…”