SEPARATION [CHAENNIE]

Part - 16

She brought lunch to his office once more, hoping he would finally accept it. He ate the food in front of her that day, which meant her efforts had not been in vain. After finishing her makeup, she looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction one last time before leaving.

Chaeyoung sat in the office with his father discussing the new season's boutique. Without knocking, the door suddenly opened, and they both looked up.

"Dad," Jennie called, "Are you both busy? I can wait outside. I brought lunch."

"No, no. Come inside and have a seat."

She walked in happily. Chaeyoung closed his pen and avoided eye contact. He could tell from her scent how she looked, which was harmful to him.

Mr. Park stood up and said, 'I'm going home and won't disturb you two at all."

Jennie blushed. After Mr Park left, she looked at her husband who was staring down at his food. She pouted and asked, "Don't you think I look good?"

Chaeyoung choked on his food. He hadn't expected her to be straightforward like this. When their eyes met, she smiled sweetly. "I told you not to come," he said.

"I'll come every day. I talked with dad, your lunchtime is mine," she said stubbornly. She had learned from Alice in the morning that he had liked her stubbornness and she would do everything he liked.

Before Chaeyoung could voice her complaint, the door opened once again.

"Did you already eat? I was thinking of eating together," said Kim Jisoo as she walked in without hesitation.

"Miss Kim didn't notice me here," Jennie said, confidently sitting up. It was true that Jisoo hadn't caught her in the seat.

She smiled nervously and said, "I didn't notice Miss Kim here."

"Mrs Park," Jennie corrected her.

Jisoo rolled her eyes to the side and looked at Chaeyoung. "Am I disturbing the two of you?" she asked.

"No, not at all. I haven't finished eating yet. You can join me," he said as he pushed a bowl towards her.

Chaesoo was eating and gossiping, but Jennie felt left out. She wished she could talk as much as Jisoo. She wondered if she should feel jealous of them. Her heart felt abnormal; she was happy to see Chaeyoung's happy face after a long time, but suddenly felt sad when she saw him smile because of Kim Jisoo. She realized that it was better to see him sad than happy with someone else.

"Did Miss Kim come to the Park clan just for lunch?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Jisoo curtly.

"Driving at high speed still takes 10 minutes to reach the other building. Does Miss Kim have enough free time?"

"Work is work, and a friend is a friend. Should I neglect the person who is special to me because of work? Of course not," Jisoo answered with a smile. "When you were working, didn't you make time for him too?" Jisoo taunted Jennie, and it seemed to trigger Chaeyoung's hidden anger.

Jennie was aware of her destination. She felt envious that someone else was spending time with her husband. She was at a loss for words and waited patiently for her to leave.

Chaeyoung pretended like he wasn't listening to their conversation. He did, but couldn't bring himself to support Jennie. He loves her, and maybe he'll always love her, but a part of him started liking Jisoo too.

After Jisoo left, Jennie quickly sat on his lap before he could push her away. "Your heart still belongs to me, right?"

"Are you expecting me?" he asked calmly. "I have loved enough. I also want to be loved by someone else, Jennie. I'm tired." He put her down.

"Chaeyoung, how can I show you love if you won't let me in? You are loved a lot."

Chaeyoung smiled and asked, "Where was your love during these five years? Did you leave anything behind for me to hold onto? I admit that I still have love for you, but that's not enough. In my memories, I can't feel anything without the struggle I went through to accept all of you. You don't even give me..." He stopped himself there, not finishing his sentence.

"Give you?" she asked in response.

If she had wanted to listen, he would have spoken. He had always kept this desire hidden, and somehow it had died deep inside. He looked at her resolutely. "You did not grant me the joy of being a father."

Jennie's world came crashing down on her. "You never asked," she said with a broken voice.

"Jennie Kim, are you even real? You hide your marital status from the world. Underestimate our marriage and would you give me a child? You really never understood me at all. Was I even in your heart from the beginning?" he asked.

"I will always love you, Chaeyoung. It's not that I don't want children, it just never crossed my mind," Jennie said, feeling unprepared for this conversation. She couldn't reveal that she used to avoid the topic of having children because she was afraid it would distract her from work and she felt ashamed about it.

"Did you not think of me at all? Do you think you deserve forgiveness?"

"We can make a baby now," Jennie said quickly. Suddenly, a small Chaeyoung appeared in her mind, it wasn't as terrible as she thought.

Chaeyoung sighed. He realized there was no point in talking to her.

In the evening, he sat in a coffee shop with Jisoo. He didn't know why he was so attached to her suddenly. Whenever Jisoo invited him to meet, he could never refuse.

"Are you going to the boutique?" he asked.

"Is Mr. Park inviting me personally? Am I that great?" Jisoo's every word was like mockery or making fun of him. And maybe he is the only person who enjoys making fun of himself.

"Okay, you can say it like that," he said with a wink directed towards her.

"Then my prize will be to dance with the president."

"Oh, I'm so ready for that," he said with a smile, melting Jisoo's heart.