The Way I Loved You

Fighting For You

"WHAT? YOU'RE MARRYING WHO?"

To say that her mother was displeased would be an understatement. Haein had suddenly dropped the bomb during family dinner that she would be getting married without even batting an eyelid. She already knew how everyone was going to react anyway so she'd planned her responses.

"How can you be getting married? You haven't even introduced him to us! We need to run a background check and everything before we can grant you permission- you can't just get married at the drop of a hat!"

Haein rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't know who he is! It's not like you care about my life anyway."

"But your grandfather does and that means I have to too. Tell me who he is right now so that Grace can run a background check on him. You know perfectly well why you can't just marry anyone you fancy."

"I'm going to marry him. It doesn't matter what the results of the background check are so there's no point in doing it. Furthermore, I do not consent to having my fiance investigated, it's solely up to him if he wants me to know something or not."

"Oh really? What if he's cheating on you? What if he's from a poor family and is just a gold digger?" Her mother exclaimed.

Haein bristled at her words. Ever since Hyunwoo started telling her about his family, she'd been worried about what people would say if they ever got married. The gap in their social class was a gaping chasm; people were bound to gossip and honestly, she didn't think her grandfather would approve.

"He wouldn't."

"And how are you so sure of that? Anyone insane enough to marry you must have their reasons."

"He loves me."

Her mother scoffed immediately, as if she'd just heard the most outrageous thing in the world.

"That's ridiculous. Fill your mind with these fantasies and you'll just end up being disappointed. Anyhow, if you can convince your grandfather to let you marry, then I am in no place to object. But you better make it clear that it's your own foolish decision to go against mine and Grace's advice to marry a random man."

Haein wasn't looking forward to this. A part of her had always dreaded the day when she and Hyunwoo would finally cement their relationship and get married. She would no longer be able to hide the fact that she was a chaebol and poor Hyunwoo would be thrown into the eye of the unrelenting hurricane that was her family.

He would have to put up with her parents constantly sticking their noses where they didn't belong and criticising him for everything they didn't see fit. He would be constantly under the public eye and their little bubble of happiness would be destroyed.

...

"HONG HAEIN! HOW DARE YOU GET ENGAGED TO A LOWLY FARMER!"

Her mother stormed into her bedroom, not even bothering to knock.

Here it comes.

"Of all people! Grace wanted to set you up with Yoon Eunsung which has even more money than us and you refused! Do you know how powerful we could become with that connection? You just threw away the opportunity of the century to marry a farmer! A FARMER!"

"HE'S NOT A FARMER! HE'S A LAWYER!" Haein screamed back. It was unfair how she was trying to highlight whatever inadequacies she could find instead of focusing on what's important.

"Wait till your grandfather hears about this. How could his granddaughter marry a farmer! It would just bring shame to our family. He'll most definitely get rid of him just like everyone else who messes with him."