Chapter 5: Refund Everything, Please

Once the funeral rites concluded, Ji-Han wordlessly opened the driver-side door. I had planned to walk to Uncle Hyeon-Ik’s car parked nearby, but he intercepted me.

“Get in,” he commanded in a low voice, tilting his head toward the empty passenger seat.

“I’ll go alone,” I said firmly.

“Just get in. I need to talk to you too.”

I gave a thin smile and climbed into the seat. Still, he remained silent, staring straight ahead as we drove.

“Heading to the marital home?”

“No. I’ll go to my family home in Seongbuk-dong.”

“…The family home?”

He finally turned slightly, his gaze fixed on me. He must’ve thought my insistence was merely for appearances or some public relations stunt.

Maybe I should publicly announce the cancellation instead…

I pictured his smug expression when I did—there would be no better revenge.

“If I’m the problem, go to the marital home. I’ll stay away,” he conceded, but I knew he wouldn’t.

When we arrived at the apartment complex, I almost got out of the car without another word.
But he stopped me.

“Wait. We need to talk.”

“Go ahead—if you have something to say.”

I met his eyes as he loosened his tie, its desperation palpable.

“Did you really have to embarrass me today?”

“…Embarrass?” I echoed, my tone cool.

He was referring to the shareholder meeting, of course.

“If I’m holding the company together, why are you trying to do the dirty work? Running a business isn’t that easy.”

“You don’t think I know that?” I asked quietly.

“If you’re not going to run things, we have to merge with Hojin. And soon—you’re becoming part of that family.”

His words rained over me like dirty water.

“You can’t sway those old shareholders on your own.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“Ha, Yeo-Jin! These people have decades in the game. You, a clueless woman, think you can handle it?”

He grabbed my shoulder, his anger flaring—but weakened his grip when I flinched from the pain.

“Trust me. I will be your husband,” he hissed.

I remembered all too well where that blind trust had led me.

“You’re smart,” he continued, weaving in sweet, manipulative words to persuade me.

“If I succeed, we succeed. We’re married—right?”

“Married…?”

“Right. Married. We could file the papers tomorrow—no need to leave you alone now.”

He meant he was worried about his interests, not me. And definitely not about being caught with Seo-Rin.

I let out a low laugh.

“You’re right. You should be at that shareholder meeting.”

“I’m glad you see it.” He opened his arms and pulled me in. My hand trembled as I gripped the dress, trying not to break.

“Don’t worry. Sleep now. I’ll handle everything.”

I felt that practiced smile as we stepped inside, my heart pounding in hate.

The apartment—spotless, filled with new furniture—felt unnervingly familiar. Five years of living here with him flashed before my eyes.

I picked up our wedding photo from the living room shelf and stared at it.

“Don’t make me laugh.”

My jaw clenched.

“Seo Ji-Han… There will never be a second time.”

I grabbed every framed photo and threw them into the nearby bin. Among the broken glass and smiling faces, I felt a deep, bitter satisfaction.

“Never.”

I smiled in cruel anticipation of his inevitable downfall—when he learns everything.

I spent the night tossing and turning. Morning light found me in the dressing room among clothes and homewear I never picked out.

“When did they even buy this?”

Despite never living here, the closets were full. I sighed heavily.

They were clothes for me but styled for him—like I was his perfect trophy.

I should just burn them all.

With a single-minded resolve, I left for a department store.

As I walked aimlessly, my feet led me to the boutique I used to frequent back when I was an announcer.

Despite how long it had been, the manager recognized me right away and came over with a bright smile.

“Oh my, Announcer Yoon! It’s been ages, hasn’t it?”

Even though it had been over a year since I took a leave of absence from the anchor desk after the engagement ceremony, she was still the only manager who called me by my announcer title.

I smiled back at her, touched by the warm welcome despite my long absence.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it, Manager?”

“Exactly! What brings you back to our shop? Could it be a shoot coming up?”

It was a brand I often wore during my announcer days. She looked at me with a knowing glance, wondering if her guess was right. I shook my head.

“No, nothing’s been decided yet.”

“Oh my, so you’re considering it! I really hope you come back to TV. Then we’ll see you in the shop more often!”

I was planning to speak to the director soon about returning. As we chatted near the entrance, we stepped further into the store, and I spotted a woman sitting on a sofa in the distance.

“She’s a weathercaster from KBC. Don’t you two know each other?”

The manager gave me a hint, nodding toward the woman whose back looked all too familiar.

My brows knit instinctively.

Cha Seo-Rin.

There wasn’t only one department store in Korea. So why did we keep running into each other like this?

“She’s so excited about her upcoming promotion to anchor. Our brand’s becoming famous thanks to all you anchors!”

Seo-Rin? An anchor? No way.

At the ultra-conservative KBC, going from weathercaster to anchor was a near impossibility without some serious backing. And she wasn’t exactly known for her talent.

Click, click. I strode over to her in my heels.

“Doing some shopping, I see?”

I was genuinely curious why she was shopping in a high-end boutique like this. Just a quick glance at the clothes she picked out told me—hundreds of thousands of won, easily.

“Oh, unnie… What are you doing here?”

Seo-Rin flinched at the sound of my voice and looked up at me, startled. Her wide eyes gave away how flustered she was.

“Oh my! You two know each other? I guess it makes sense—you’re both with KBC!”

The manager, clearly familiar with her too, joined in the friendly small talk.

“She’s a very close junior of mine.”

“I thought so! You two have a great chat.”

After whispering something to the staff beside Seo-Rin, the manager slipped out of the shop.

I spotted a purple credit card tucked into the payment machine on the table next to her. That card wasn’t just expensive—it was exclusive.

“A purple card? You can use that?”

That card was reserved for the top 5% of VVIP customers at W Department Store—only for Black-tier clients and above.

Seo-Rin, looking uneasy, reached for the card.

“Th-That’s…”

I picked it up from the machine, reading the name engraved on it.

“Seo Ji-Han? Why would my fiancé’s card be here?”

Just as I expected.

Even the staff seemed shaken by what I’d just said, their eyes darting in confusion.

So she even has his card. Before the wedding, no less.

I couldn’t even begin to guess how long they’d been seeing each other. Seo-Rin’s trembling eyes screamed panic.

They’re worried. They think I’ve found them out.

“Ahh.”

Suppressing my boiling anger, I gave her a relaxed smile and played along.

“I told him not to do this kind of thing. He just doesn’t listen.”

“…”

“He asked me if I needed anything, and now he’s asking help from my junior? This time it’s a clothing gift?”

I smiled at the dumbstruck staff, then casually picked through the clothes Seo-Rin had chosen.

As each gaudy piece slipped off my fingers and onto the table, her expression hardened further.

“These flashy patterns really aren’t my thing. Must’ve gotten confused, huh?”

“Ha…”

She let out something between a laugh and a gasp.

“Excuse me.”

I handed the card back to the staff and smiled.

“Shall I go ahead with this, then?” the staff asked, rushing over.

“No. Refund all of it.”

Looking at the pile of clothes on the table, it was clear this was Seo-Rin’s go-to brand.

“A-All of it…?”

The staff turned to Seo-Rin with wide eyes, silently asking what to do.

But she clenched her jaw and turned her head, lips sealed.

She must’ve been furious. And humiliated.

“It’s okay, right, Seo-Rin? I’ll pick out my own things.”

I gave her a sweet, caring look and patted her on the shoulder.

The more I spoke, the redder her face became, shame practically steaming off her.

“…Of course. It’s yours, unnie.”

Even her voice trembled, thick with humiliation. She forced a smile and retrieved the card from the staff.

“I’ll get going now.”

As she scrambled to gather her coat and bag, I quietly sat beside her.

“Oh, right. I heard you’re becoming an anchor.”

“How… how did you know that…?”

Seo-Rin looked stunned, as if I’d just caught her red-handed.

Her pupils darted, her lips quivering.

Seo Ji-Han. He’s the one backing you.

Her reaction confirmed everything.

Too bad. You’re never becoming an anchor—not in this lifetime.

Because that spot? I’m taking it back.

“There’s nothing I don’t know, Seo-Rin. We’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”

I smiled at her—cold, slow, and deliberate.

“Take care.”

Her face went ghostly pale, and she fled the shop like she was running for her life. She didn’t even look back.

Only then did I turn my head.

The way she ran off was almost comical. I opened the catalog again, smiling to myself.