Good Wife

Chapter 1 Optimism

Months ago

The rattling sound of shopping carts accompanied the shoppers' spree to get the latest deals since the supermarket was having its annual discount season. Red tags were splattered across most of the original tags, screaming "Buy Me!" amidst other products of varying prices.

Amongst the crowd of shoppers was Jin Ah with their daughter, Ji Eun as they pushed the cart along one of the random aisles in the supermarket. Like most of the shoppers there, Jin Ah was on a lookout for the good deals – a task that was like finding a needle in a haystack in the mayhem of the local store. Yet, to the keener eyes like Jin Ah's, it was a task that they could do easily even in sleep.

Picking up a pair of slippers, Jin Ah's eyes were alive with excitement over her latest find as she rubbed the soles together.

"This is nice. I'm sure your halmeoni would feel more comfortable using these, right?" Jin Ah let Ji Eun feel the slippers.

"Ne!" Ji Eun nodded her head.

"Let's buy them! They're cheap too!" Jin Ah pointed at the huge label hanging above their heads.

Placing the slippers in their cart, Jin Ah was soon distracted by another item down the aisle, and she naturally steered Ji Eun over to it, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

Ring!

"Eomma, your phone is ringing!" Ji Eun informed her mother calmly.

"Omo!" Jin Ah instantly put down whatever she was holding and rummaged through her bag to find her phone.

The messy tendrils of hair that came loose from her bun now framed her face, giving her the appearance of an overworked mother – she might as well be – as she finally found her phone. Smiling victoriously, Jin Ah quickly checked the caller ID and turned to her daughter with a gentle smile on her face.

"It's appa!" Jin Ah spoke slightly breathlessly since the woman was practically living every day running around like an overwound clock.

Right down to her gestures and her appearance, it was clear that the woman was busy taking care of the house just as much as her husband was busy with the business. Ji Ah was only wearing a simple plain T-shirt and tattered jeans and her face was free of any make-up. She was a housewife through and through and she took her role seriously.

Ji Eun's eyes lit up at the mention of her dad as their little one waited for her mother to answer the phone. 

Sandwiching the phone between her shoulder and her ear, Jin Ah greeted Jin Woo, whereas her eyes were still searching the supermarket. "Oh honey, are you at work now?"

Part of being a good wife was mastering the art of multi-tasking, something that Jin Ah was very proficient at now that they were going into their tenth year of marriage.

Over at J-One Holdings, the devastatingly handsome Chairman smiled when he heard his wife's voice through the phone. Leaning back sexily against his leather chair, the Chairman naturally slung one leg over the other, his navy suit naturally blending into the modern touch added to every inch of his office.

In the confines of his office were books and files arranged neatly along the bookshelves whereas the blueprints of the company's latest technology were splayed open across his heavy, mahogany desk as the man absentmindedly trailed a finger along some of the white print.

Drumming his fingers lightly, Jin Woo chuckled slightly at Jin Ah's question, finding humour in the whole situation. "It's office hours. Where do you think I'll be?"

Jin Woo's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed while waiting for his wife to respond, sensing that she was rather distracted with whatever she was doing. He decided to loosen his black tie then, slipping it off completely as he pressed the phone closer to his ear.