Chapter 3: A Familiar Scent

The funeral hall.

Chairman Yoon’s memorial was as grand as his reputation had been in life—vast, solemn, and overflowing with mourners.

“How does a wedding turn into a funeral?”

“Exactly… I never imagined Chairman Yoon would pass away so suddenly. I heard President Yoon and his wife are in critical condition too.”

Endless waves of mourners streamed in, each casting sidelong glances at me as they whispered.

Even if I couldn’t hear their words, I could tell what they were saying just by the looks in their eyes.
It was the same narrative running hot through every portal site and media outlet.

I had lost everyone—my whole family in the blink of an eye—and now, on what was meant to be my wedding day, I was suddenly the sole heir.

“If the two of them pass away too… it’ll be a disaster. No sons. Just one daughter left behind.”

“Who’s the successor now? The daughter?”

“Please. What could an anchor possibly know about running a company?”

It wasn’t the first time I’d heard such heartless, calculating words.

In my past life, I had grown sick of them.

I could bear it all.

What I couldn’t bear… was the occasional pang in my chest every time I saw Seo Ji-Han, standing at my side, receiving the mourners as if he were already my husband.

You’re not even my husband yet.

But there he stood—playing the part like he belonged.

Pretending to be the grieving son-in-law, receiving condolences with me.

It was disgusting.

In the midst of the commotion, a familiar group approached from the distance.

“I still can’t believe Chairman Yoon is gone… and right after the wedding too. President Seo is such a good man, helping out like this.”

Vice President Kim Young-Min of W Group approached—not me, but Ji-Han—with a solemn face. He grasped Ji-Han’s hands tightly.

Ji-Han gave me a quick glance, as if gauging my reaction, then nodded and escorted Young-Min into the room.

“No, no. Vice President, let me guide you personally.”

“Yes… Yeo-Jin probably won’t know how to handle all this. You be her support. It’s good that you’re here.”

Kim Young-Min.

A man like a snake, coiled and venomous.

Even as he followed Ji-Han, I could feel his gaze linger on me.

He had played a key role in orchestrating the W-Hojin merger in my past life.

Clearly, the two had been working behind the scenes long before this moment.

I swallowed the fury rising in my throat and turned to Ji-Han when he returned to my side.

“You seem close with Vice President Kim.”

“Close? Not really. We’ve only met for business a few times.”

A blatant lie.

I felt a wave of revulsion swell inside me.

How had I not seen through him before?

“We need to talk. Now.”

I led him out of the funeral hall and into the hospital grounds.

He followed silently, not saying a word.

The funeral had been arranged mere days after I had stormed out of our wedding.

And Ji-Han—just like in the past—had shown up without hesitation and stayed by my side as if it were only natural.

It was terrifying how perfectly everything was aligning with my previous life.

If things continued like this, he would soon use the sudden passing of my family to push his way into W Group—all under the guise of being my husband.

We came to a stop on a secluded path beyond the hospital wing.

Ji-Han halted when I did.

“You should leave now.”

“What are you saying? I’m not some random mourner—how could I leave?”

“We didn’t even have the ceremony. We’re not married yet.”

At most, we had exchanged rings a year ago during our engagement ceremony.

His face darkened as he frowned sharply at my words.

That grimace—that furrow of his brow—was something he always did when he was annoyed.

He looked rattled at first but quickly composed himself.

“Haa… I get that you’re not thinking clearly right now. It’s understandable.”

“…”

“The chairman and vice chairman are here too. How could I leave under their eyes?”

He spoke to me in such a calm, familiar tone, it almost fooled me into thinking he was my husband.

“We can have the wedding on a better day. What matters is that I’m here for you now, right? Not the formalities.”

He looked down at me, as if convinced that I was just acting out of grief.

That this marriage still had weight. Still had meaning.

“I’ll take care of the inheritance and succession. You just need to rest.”

Such smooth, polished words—pretending to be kind and supportive. But I knew now—those words were always for his benefit.

In my past life, I fell for it.

But now I could see it clearly.

In the eyes of the man who gripped my hands so tenderly…

All I saw was greed.

Just then, a phone rang in the silence.

“…Just a moment.”

Ji-Han pulled out his phone from inside his jacket.

He glanced at the screen—a number not saved in his contacts—and bit his lower lip.

When our eyes met, he quickly turned away.

The shift in his demeanor—just moments ago, so firm—was obvious.

Why is he so flustered?

As if it was a call he couldn’t answer in front of me.

I stared into his darkening gaze, and memories from my past life came rushing back.

Wait a second. If I remember correctly…

Five years ago, around this same time, Ji-Han had received a call—just like this.

He left and never returned until after the funeral.

And when he did return, he was still in the same suit.

What had once been just a suspicion…

Now, I was certain.

“Seems urgent. You should take it.”

I tossed the words casually.

And Ji-Han’s face lit up with a storm of emotions.

He hesitated—just for a moment—before finally answering the call at the last second.

“Hello. Yeah. Now? No, not right now.”

He glanced at me again and turned away.

“I said no.”

His voice dropped low—dangerously low. I didn’t even need to hear the other end to guess who it was.

There was only one person who could make Seo Ji-Han this nervous.

Chae Seo-Rin.

Ji-Han’s eyelids twitched slightly as he listened. It was clear—she meant a great deal to him.

“…Fine. I’ll be there.”

“Who was that?”

“Something came up at the company. Just like you said, I need to check on it.”

It wasn’t the company. That was Seo-Rin calling.

The words rose in my throat but didn’t escape.

So many things I’d been blind to in the past were now laid bare. And I laughed—quietly, bitterly.

That lie… I’d have believed it. I thought he was genuinely rushing out for a business emergency. That his sharp tone was just stress from the workload. That he was worried about me, left all alone.

When in truth… he was terrified of being caught cheating.

He forced a sheepish smile and gently placed his hand on my shoulder.

“You don’t need to come back.”

Stay with Seo-Rin. Stay with her forever.

He seemed shaken by my cold tone but slowly removed his hand.

“I’ll be back right after the meeting.”

****

I was in the restroom now, peeling sweat-slicked hair from my forehead, when my hand dropped mid-motion.

“Ha…”

The sound of gushing water filled the quiet room.

I exhaled sharply, leaning against the sink with both arms.

His retreating figure kept replaying in my mind.

“You bastard.”

I could see it all now. Since my return, everything I had missed the first time was coming into view.

Today had worn me out completely, standing alone at the wake, receiving endless condolences.

If I sat for even a moment, I would’ve fallen asleep right there.

By the time I returned to the funeral hall, the clock read 1 a.m. The once-crowded room was now still and heavy with silence.

Alone again, I sat there, overcome by a terrible loneliness.

Despite coming back to the past… I still couldn’t save my family.

“I’m sorry… Grandpa…”

I wept until my vision blurred, and then, completely drained, I fell asleep.

Sometime during that sleep, I vaguely felt something soft draped over my shoulders.

Then, a gentle shaking woke me.

“Ma’am, if you’re tired, you should rest somewhere more comfortable.”

It was one of the house staff, who had brought clothes from home.

As I slowly sat up, the jacket that had covered me slipped off.

A faint citrus scent lingered in the fabric. It was soothing—familiar, somehow.

“This jacket… did you put it on me?”

“No, not me. It’s a man’s suit jacket. Maybe the president covered you?”

“No. It wasn’t him.”

It wasn’t Ji-Han. He wouldn’t be back until after the funeral.

I had a hazy memory—even in my past life, I’d experienced something like this.

A mystery jacket.

A gesture of quiet care.

A soft rustling came from inside the jacket.

I reached into the inner pocket and pulled something out.

“A passport?”

A passport I had never seen in my past life.

A business card fell out along with it, landing at my feet.

* * *

Outside the hospital, a black sedan rolled to a stop.

Jae-Ha stepped into the passenger seat.

His secretary glanced at him, surprised.

He had gone inside in a perfectly tailored suit—but now he wore no jacket.

“President. Where’s your suit jacket?”

“It just happened; let’s go.”

He didn’t elaborate.

Instead, he turned to gaze out the window, deep in thought.

“Yes, sir. Departing now.”

The car pulled away in the quiet early morning streets. The city, still sleeping, offered no distractions.

The secretary stole a glance at Jae-Ha, then hesitated before speaking.

“Sir, forgive me for asking… But you came without telling the chairman. Was it really necessary to attend the funeral?”

“…”

“It’s not like your relationship with her is close.”

A strained relationship, indeed.

Jae-Ha thought so too.

After all, she was no longer his fiancée—she was to be his half-brother’s wife.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked pensive.

Then, at last, he spoke.

“It’s been a long time.”

He swallowed the rest—I wanted to see her.

It was the first time since she had rejected the engagement.

He remembered draping his jacket over her as she slept, curled in grief.

It wasn’t like him.

It had been a purely impulsive act.

If it hadn’t been for that report… I wouldn’t have gone to the funeral.

He clenched his jaw, recalling the news he’d received the moment he landed.

His secretary, sensing the shift, changed the subject.

“Also, sir… I just heard—President Yoon and his wife are in critical condition.”

“…How bad is it?”

Jae-Ha finally turned away from the window.

The secretary continued.

“The doctors don’t expect them to regain consciousness. And the shareholders… they’re starting to move. There are talks of merging the two companies again. No one knows what kind of offer’s being made, but it’s gaining traction.”

A merger…

To be married to a man she didn’t love.

To fight a war she was never trained for.

It was too much for a 29-year-old woman, raised without a clue of how brutal this world could be.

That passport…

Suddenly, Jae-Ha remembered the passport tucked inside his jacket.

He frowned and reached toward the front.

“Secretary Han. One moment.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Turn around. We’re going back.”

        Seo Jae-Ha