My Lovely Husband || meanie

17. I Love You Enough

Mingyu

I drive my mother to the main house, the bright three-story building looms ahead, its grandeur and mockery seeming to taunt me as I stand before it. The distressing recollections of painful memories flood my mind, causing my skin to crawl as I desperately try to push them out. I focus on my mother's kind eyes, which glisten with unshed tears as she gently touches my chin.

"It's okay, mother," I say softly, trying to reassure her even though we both know there's an impossibility in my words. She blinks away the tear and discreetly wipes the corner of her eye with the heel of her hand before looking up at me. "So, are you bringing that kid to the family dinner?" she asks, causing my eyes to widen at the reminder of the impending event. It had completely slipped my mind that I have a family dinner to attend this month.

This dinner is a tradition in the Kim household, occurring every three months, which means enduring this ritual four times a year-a recurring trial. I groan in response as she pulls me into an embrace, holding me at arm's length. "You forgot," she notes, a smile gracing her face. "That's a good sign. It means you're not wasting your time dwelling on them," she adds with a knowing nod. It's clear she's happy with my improvement.

"Is it necessary to involve him in this family drama?" I ask awkwardly, not wanting to subject anyone to the turmoil, let alone Wonwoo. "I don't think it's necessary," she replies, her gaze distant, "but knowing your father, he will definitely reach out to that kid himself. He needs him to parade in front of the family, to show off," she adds, her eyes focusing somewhere far away, lost in thought.

"We still have time. I'll talk to him about this," I reassure, and she smiles as she steps away. "You should go home. You don't have to walk me inside," she says. The worried look in her eyes always makes me feel guilty, as if all of this is somehow my fault. I nod as I open the door of my car but halt even before I get inside.

I glance over my shoulder and see her standing there, fixed in her place. I close the car door and walk back toward her. "Hey, mom. What about you?" I ask, watching her tilt her head in confusion. A wide smile spreads across my face. "I mean, do you want him to come to the family dinner?" I explain with a chuckle, and her expression immediately transforms into one of pure joy.

"Oh my god! Yes, of course! I would absolutely love to show off my son-in-law to everyone. I'll make them all jealous, making them see that my son deserves far better than they could ever imagine.They don't even have the right to speak his name, and I will boast about my son-in-law like no one else in this whole wide world deserves more praise than he does," she finishes in a single breath, nearly breaking into a sweat. I can't help but smile, touched by how endearingly enthusiastic my mother can be.

Chuckling softly, I nod and envelop her in a warm, comforting hug. "Then he'll definitely be coming to the family dinner," I announce with a smile before finally stepping into my car and driving off. As I navigate through the familiar streets, I remind myself that no matter what, I will do everything in my power to ensure his presence at the family dinner that is scheduled to take place in two weeks.

Just as the thought crosses my mind, I hastily grab my phone and start dialing Wonwoo's number with quick fingers. The phone rings twice before he picks up, and I hear his breathy voice on the other end, sounding like he's just jogged a mile. "Hey, Hi!" he greets, slightly out of breath. My lips automatically clamp between my teeth as my eyes skim over the road, guiding the car through a sharp turn around the corner.

"Hey," I finally answer, and for some inexplicable reason, a wave of nervousness washes over me, leaving my stomach filled with a swarm of fluttering butterflies. "Are you busy?" I ask abruptly, as the nervousness continues to build, now almost choking me as it rises to my throat. On the other end, I hear a distinct shuffling sound followed by a loud yelp and then a shriek-all within the span of two seconds, leaving me bewildered and struggling to comprehend what just happened.

"Like free-free?" His voice comes across as breathless, making me worry. "You okay?" I inquire, concern evident in my tone as I abruptly slam on the brakes."Yeah, I'm fine... just tell me where you want to meet?" He pants heavily before insisting on the address, and now guilt washes over me for asking him out. "Are you absolutely sure you're free?" I ask again, restarting my engine since I'm currently parked illegally.

"I'm the boss, okay?" he asserts with a stable voice, even as I hear distinct greetings in the background on his end. "If you say so, Mr. CEO," I respond with a playful tone, rolling my eyes, which prompts a breathy laughter from him. "So, where?" he inquires, bringing an involuntary smile to my face. "How about I pick you up in fifteen minutes?" I suggest while setting my destination in the GPS. "In my office?" he asks, sounding a bit surprised, and I can't help but laugh. "Where else? Your bedroom?" I tease, vividly imagining his face turning a delightful shade of pink.

"Sh... shut up," he groans softly, which only doubles my laughter. "So you have fifteen minutes right now before you change your mind," I remind him briefly as I drive across the street. "Don't worry, I have the most competent executive director," he responds with a chuckle, and suddenly, a distant shriek pierces through the background noise-Jeon Wonwoo, you son of a bitch!

Instantly, I recognize the voice and smirk to myself. "I'm pretty sure Jun hates me now," I state with a hint of resignation, which makes him laugh heartily. However, what comes next catches me completely off guard and leaves me breathless. "Don't worry, I love you enough for that. See you in fifteen," he says in a hurry before disconnecting the call and leaving me in stunned silence, my cheeks glowing a deep rosy hue as my heart races with a blend of surprise and affection.