Contract Marriage with a Male Friend - Chapter 33

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#33

“……What?”
“More precisely, they changed the morning schedule from a site inspection in Guri to a visit to a subcontractor instead. But the Seonham Sangjo office is in the same building.”
Beom Jin’s brow furrowed.
“That’s no coincidence.”
“No, it does seem——”
No coincidence at all.
His uncle Dokgo Jin Soo and his cousin Dokgo Seung Jin had been watching for any opening in Beom Jin’s armor.
Beom Jin himself cared little for matters of succession, but the problem was that his abilities were simply too exceptional.
The Dokgo Group chairman had insisted on keeping Beom Jin close, even giving him an executive position despite his apparent indifference—and that had badly wounded Dokgo Seung Jin’s pride as the eldest grandson.
Still, they’d shown some restraint; they hadn’t touched Sui until now.
They must have learned that he was getting married.
The way they were moving now made that clear.
“If we dig into the relationship between Dokgo Seung Jin and that subcontractor, how much dirt do you think we’ll find?”
“Enough to choke on, I’d say.”
“Good.”
Beom Jin rose from his chair and pulled on his jacket.
“Change my morning schedule. Let’s go turn over some rocks.”

***

“Sui, got a moment?”
“Of course, ma’am.”
After finishing their morning meeting, Pyo Yeon Soo and Sui headed to the executive office.
“Here, I’ll treat you to some coffee I made myself—something special for our Sui.”
“You don’t have to go to that trouble——”
“Come on, let’s catch our breath together. When else are we going to find time like this? You don’t have anything outside the office today, right?”
“No, not until early tomorrow morning.”
“Well then, you’re leaving early today. Until then, why don’t we steal a few moments together here? A little office romance?”
At Pyo Yeon Soo’s teasing words, Sui smiled faintly.
“So, are you going back to picking me up from now on?”
“Pardon?”
“Your fiancé, I mean. I saw him drop you off this morning.”
“Ah……”
Fiancé.
Her face flushed hot in an instant.
Sui’s heart began to race.
‘Surely… she didn’t see…?’
Those embarrassing, mortifying things they’d done?
Even though they’d parked in a secluded spot.
Even though the window tint was quite dark.
Still, one could never be sure.
‘This is exactly why I shouldn’t do anything near the office……!’
Pyo Yeon Soo poured the coffee with a cheerful expression, oblivious to—or perhaps aware of—Sui’s rising panic.
“I stopped O Sang Chul from pretending he hadn’t seen anything. You owe me a favor now, you know. Really, the man had no sense—trying to intrude on a couple like that.”
“Ha ha……”
“Though you did get out pretty quickly.”
Thank goodness—she must have seen only as Sui was getting out, just before Beom Jin drove away to the office.
Sui’s composure finally returned, and she managed a genuine smile.
“I’ll introduce him to you both soon.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I want to, for both of you.”
Pyo Yeon Soo and O Sang Chul were far more than just her boss and a senior colleague at work.
At least, that’s how Sui saw them.
Whenever she struggled, they’d always extended a hand. They’d encouraged her, believed in her—these precious people.
They were the closest thing to family she had, next to Beom Jin.
“We’d be honored. My goodness, what should we prepare? I feel awkward saying this, but we ought to at least have experience meeting wealthy families. The richest person we’ve ever met is Ki Joo Won—”
Pyo Yeon Soo caught herself and fell silent.
Sui offered her a reassuring smile, letting her know it was all right.
“I’ve come to terms with that situation with Ki Joo Won.”
“I see. Oh goodness, I’m so thoughtless, truly thoughtless. There’s nothing O Sang Chul did wrong.”
“I’m always grateful, ma’am. Whenever you see a good person or something delicious, you think of me.”
Pyo Yeon Soo’s smile warmed further.
“To us, Sui, you’re like a younger sister. So if you ever need anything, anything at all, you call us, understand? We’ll be very hurt if you don’t.”
Sui bit her lip against the ache in her chest, barely holding back tears as she nodded.
It seemed people weren’t meant to be alone after all.
Not when she’d met Beom Jin, and people like Pyo Yeon Soo and O Sang Chul.
Without them, her life would have been far lonelier, far colder.
“Are the preparations coming along?”
“Actually, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be preparing.”
“That’s true. It’s not an ordinary family, so wedding preparations for a corporation that size must be something special.”
Sui sighed and nodded in agreement.
“There’s apparently a Marriage Preparation Task Force. Beom Jin says he’ll handle everything and not to worry. But I feel like I can’t just sit idle——”
“What? A dedicated Marriage Preparation Task Force?”
Pyo Yeon Soo was so startled she nearly spilled her coffee.
“Something like that exists? How much preparation could one possibly need to warrant a whole task force?”
“I don’t know either, honestly. The truth is, I don’t understand anything. Not about Beom Jin.”
Sui revealed thoughts she’d kept carefully hidden.
“Whether he’s really the person I knew. Whether he’s hiding something. And whether I can truly be all right without him.”
Pyo Yeon Soo set down her mug, sat beside Sui, and held her hand tightly.
“When I have those thoughts, I ask myself this: if I could turn back time, would I make the same choice again?”
If I could turn back time……
“If the answer is yes, then from that moment on, I don’t allow myself regret. The outcome would be the same anyway.”
“……That makes sense.”
“It does. And the answer is already clear inside you, Sui.”
Sui flinched, then laughed quietly and without strength.
“You’re right.”
If I could turn back time, I would accept his proposal all over again.
Because he needs my help.
Because he was there for me when I was suffering.
Because I want to be by his side.
Even if we divorced after one year——
……No, “even if” is the wrong word.
After one year passes, we’ll truly be together for a lifetime.
“Do you regret it?”
At Pyo Yeon Soo’s question, Sui flinched, then slowly shook her head.
“No. There’s no way I could.”
“If things get hard, tell us anytime. A wealthy family is… well, it is something special, but we’re always on your side.”
At those words, Sui let out a soft laugh.
They were taking a quiet moment to sip their coffee when it happened.
A knock sounded, and the office door opened carefully.
“Ma’am, the catering company called. They need your approval on something.”
“Oh, I completely forgot I was supposed to call them back!”
“I’ll step out then, ma’am.”
“Yes, take the coffee with you. It’s a specialty blend.”
Sui nodded with a smile, picked up her mug, and left the executive office.
‘I should check if the Dedication Flower Design Sample has come through.’
Sui had returned to her desk and was sipping the coffee Pyo Yeon Soo made while composing an email when her phone vibrated softly.
She pulled it out and her eyes went wide.
It was a message from Beom Jin.
[What are you doing, honey?]
Sui’s surprise wasn’t from the content of the message.
‘My… my husband?’
The name saved as “Dokgo” had somehow changed to “My Husband.”
‘When on earth did he change it?’
Well, thinking about it, he’d had plenty of chances.
She’d spent the entire time glued to him—moaning, passing out from exhaustion.
He must have done it during one of those moments.

“Oh, I need to write a scheduled email so we can meet tomorrow morning……”
“I’ll write it for you. I just need to say okay, right?”
“Yes. It’s the first unread one at the top of the list. I’m not sure how to——”
“Don’t worry. Just get some rest.”

That conversation came back to her now, hazily.
Sui’s cheeks burned crimson.
‘Seriously. Just asked me to reply to an email.’
Well… it was too much bother to change it back anyway.
And if she did, Dokgo would probably just change it again when she wasn’t looking.
So she’d just leave it.
With a flustered embarrassment, she cleared her throat with a soft cough.
“What?”
Realizing she’d made an audible noise, Sui quickly looked around, bowing apologetically and covering her mouth with her hand.
[Can you come out for a minute? I’m outside the office right now.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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