If You Love Me

28: Don't Turn Your Back

"So why don't we set aside our differences and talk? From mistress to son."

Yoongi's eyes bulge. "The woman from the pictures... You're her?"

"I was." She grins. "Doesn't matter much now, does it? Considering your father is dead, I think the woman in the picture had a past to let go of."

The absurdity of the comment makes Yoongi huff. "So you lie to yourself, then? Just to make things feel better?"

"In a way, yes." Chaerin says, lighting a cigarette and spotting it to her lips. Through a foggy breath she continues. "There's a lot you don't know about the night he died."

"After living with the Madam long enough, you begin to doubt if the sirens or caution tape were real..."

She hums and puts out her cigar, leaning forward. She examines Yoongi's face intensely, grinning, "You really don't remember me do you?"

"All I remember were that woman's and my father's screaming matches."

"See, that's where you and I differ, Yoongi." Chaerin crosses her hands with delicate consideration. "I'm the only survivor who remembers the story of a foolish man and the woman who trapped him in her web."

The old man across the table slid the envelope across the table. Min Wonwoo flashed the tip open; cash, as expected.

"Take care of it quietly." The elderly CEO grumbled.

Wonwoo pounded his fist on the table, "Father," he began. What a disgusting turn of events. Here he is kissing this old man's heels, calling him by a special term of endearment, when he wanted nothing more than to throw this absent shadow of a human into the streets.

"Why should I pay for brother's mistakes?"

From the glint in his eye, it was clear the old man had snapped. "What!?  Haven't we've done enough for you? A good school, money, a good job... All for a boy who isn't my son."

Wonwoo scoffs. "Don't you think this is going too far?"

"Repay your debts to the hand that's fed you."

"So it's my fault that brother got mixed up with a fraud ring? That he blew the company finances on a pyramid scheme? Your old age must be making you go senile!"

The CEO exasperatedly cries out and slams his hands on the table. "You have a choice, Wonwoo. Take the prison sentence or marry that damn wench's daughter! I am not asking you." 

"Ruining me will only backfire on you old man. You can't touch me."

"No, but I have eyes everywhere. And your little lover... Chaerin was it?" He chuckles. "Well, accidents are easy enough to make."

"Don't you there-"

"Then take the damn sentence or marry, you useless bastard!"

Wonwoo flinches as the propelled envelope smacks his face. He grits his teeth in humiliation. He matches his blazing gaze with the smug elder's.

"If I marry her... Do you promise to leave Chaerin alone?"

"I lie about many things but business is not one of them."



"Nobody would blame you if you thought your grandfather lied." Chaerin says, "Heck, I didn't think he'd keep his word... So Wonwoo played the role of perfect son and married the hand-picked bride, Shin Yoonhae or as her adversaries called her, 'The Madam'."

"What about my mother?"

"Oh, her?" The afterthought makes Chaerin smile almost bittersweetly, "She came shortly after with you in her arms and said Wonwoo was the father. At first he denied it, said you were a 'mistake' from his college days. But in the face of a paternity test, he was defeated. Your parents agreed on shared custody at first, but when you mother's cancer became terminal- Well, I guess Wonwoo took pity and let her stay in the western wing."