"You're early."
The younger stood up and bowed to her mother in law. She waited for the older to sit before she followed suit. They were at the garden of the Baek's mansion. The servants served tea and condiments, the usual.
"I met your mother yesterday. We were discussing how it's about time you and Hyunwoo have a baby." The elder sipped onto her tea.
The topic both Hyunwoo and Haein had been avoiding had become a priority.
"I spoke to Hyunwoo about it too." Her mother in law continued.
"But as usual, he dismisses things that are least of his priority. You should know how he is by now." Her mother in law added to her disappointment.
"Men bend easily. You just have to put your finger up, Haein-ah." Her mother in law added.
"I don't think I'm ready for the baby either, ommoniem." Haein spoke up as a matter of fact.
"You know from the moment you marry into this family, that producing a heir is a duty. Or have you forgotten, Hong Haein?" Gone was her mother in law. Now it was the first lady of the Baek family speaking to her.
"I'm just saying -
"If neither of you are going to work for it the we'll book a date for the procedure." There was finality in the elder's words and Haein could tell she had put the elder in a bad mood.
"Grace." Her mother in law peered over her shoulder. "Schedule the dates for the procedure. If Hyunwoo resist let me know. I'll drag him myself." She huffed under her breath.
"Yes Madame, I'll do the necessary the soonest." Grace, one of the Baek's family longest serving butler obliged.
"I expect you to follow suit without coercion the very least?" Her mother in law asked.
"I don't have a choice do I?" Haein responded with no attempt of not sounding rude to her own mother in law. Not like the elder was ever bothered to begin with.
"You can leave. I'm no longer in the mood to speak to you." Her mother in law stood. Haein followed suit and bowed as her mother in law walked off.
As soon as her mother in law was no longer in sight, Grace nudged her.
"You should've just said yes to having the baby naturally instead of dilly dallying." She chirped to which Haein returned with a cold stare.
The former cleared her throat and bowed before scurrying off to follow her madame.
Haein heaved a sigh.
It was a mutual consensus between the couple from the beginning of their marriage that they were not ever going to have a baby. Not when their family were at each other throats.
Pulling out her phone, Haein dialled in a number.
"Secretary Na? Arrange a lunch appointment with my husband. I need to see him." She instructed as she grabbed hold of her handbag and made her way out of the Baek mansion escorted by his men.
...
It was over an hour since she arrived but there was no sign of her husband.
Annoyed was an understatement. Haein was livid. The fact that she was used to being stood up and still waited for him was another.
She saw her husband's secretary from the corner of her eyes scurrying over, much to her annoyance despite knowing what the later was about to convey.
Secretary Jang bowed.
"Why bother to agree to the appointment if he wasn't going to show up?" Haein spats as she crossed her arms, eyebrows furrowed.
