Contract Marriage with a Male Friend - Chapter 50

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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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#50

Sui’s lips parted in confusion.
‘What on earth am I supposed to say?’
It was a question she’d never contemplated before.
These days, she could barely manage the promise to live like a real married couple for the span of a year-long contract, let alone think beyond that.
“That is… ah, I’ve been so preoccupied with just adjusting that I haven’t…”
The Chairman of Dokgo let out a sharp tsk.
Sui froze at the sound, her mouth snapping shut.
“Clever, or cunning—I’m not quite sure which. But the way you put it makes this marriage sound as though it were born from nothing but love.”
“…”
“The truth is, a child is the only justification for you to remain by Beomjin’s side, isn’t it?”
Sui’s eyes blinked rapidly.
At that innocent, melancholy expression, Dokgo Hyungjun’s eyes narrowed, as if measuring her.
“I’ve been genuinely curious about this.”
The resemblance to Beomjin cut deeper into her heart.
“Did you really not know that Beomjin was part of the Dokgo Group family?”
A sensation like invisible hands squeezing her heart wrung through her chest.
Sui drew a deep breath before she could find her voice at all.
“No, I… I truly had no idea. Not until Beomjin told me himself.”
“Whether that’s true or not, I find you frightening.”
“…”
“Not content with keeping that reckless boy’s heart wrapped firmly in your grip for years, you’ve actually gone and married him.”
Sui’s gaze sank lower and lower.
“Of course, that boy isn’t the sort to be easily duped or taken advantage of. I know that better than anyone. But the world allows for exceptions, doesn’t it?”
“…”
“To be honest, I’m grateful to you, but at the same time, I’m afraid. I’m grateful you pulled him out of his aimlessness, but that means you’ll have the power to bend him to your will whenever you please, isn’t that right?”
Tap. Tap.
Dokgo Hyungjun drummed his fingers against the armrest as he studied Sui, who sat rigid and voiceless.
‘Looking at her like that, I wonder just how he managed to break her in.’
This must be why people say affection is frightening.
But someday, perhaps Beomjin will realize it too.
The price of having married a woman of humble origins.
For now, intoxicated by the honeymoon dream, he sees and hears nothing else. But…
‘No. I was wrong about him.’
A man with that face, that background, those abilities—would he truly be prepared to cast aside the Dokgo Group just to keep this woman at his side?
So Sui needed to be won over.
“It would be better to have a child as soon as possible. For Beomjin’s sake.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“If, by chance, his cousin Seungjin were to have a child first—”
At the Chairman’s next words, Sui’s heart split cleanly in two.
“Then divorce him.”
“Divorce…?”
“Yes, divorce. Your usefulness ends there, after all.”
Sui swallowed hard.
Not collapsing in this room, holding herself upright—that was the only thing she could manage in this moment.
“If you wish to be of any help to Beomjin at all, you must secure the succession and align the shareholders and executives behind him.”
“…”
“Otherwise, he’ll face only greater loneliness and harder struggles ahead. From his uncle’s side.”
Sui bit at the soft inner flesh of her lip.
‘He never mentioned anything about a situation this grave…!’
Cold sweat trickled down her spine.
The mere presence of Dokgo Hyungjun, a colossal figure, was draining her strength, and now, hearing of Beomjin’s position entangled in this succession struggle, her mind began to swim.

“Help me.”
“You’re the only one who can help me.”
“You’re my closest friend. We’ll always be each other’s side in this world.”
“If you refuse, I’ll live unhappily forever. I might break under the life the family has laid out for me, or come home unable to bear it.”

That was why Beomjin had asked her for help.
Because she was his friend.
A friend who had been with him through so much time, who would understand him wholly, and who would never use him.
Even if divorce left a stain on her life later, he’d trusted her to bear it without complaint.
With such a heavy burden that no one else could lift, Beomjin could only ask his friend to carry it with him.
Even now, when she’d come to understand his situation completely.
Forcing her clouded mind to focus, Sui gathered her courage and met Dokgo Hyungjun’s eyes.
“Sir.”
“Speak.”
“Could you grant me time?”
“Time?”
Sui nodded with a resolute expression.
“I’d like to complete the work I’ve been entrusted with successfully.”
“You’re handling it better than expected, but you shouldn’t forget it’s a position we arranged for you as a family member now.”
There were countless others who could do what she did.
“I understand that. But wouldn’t it be even more disadvantageous for the child if I had nothing to show for myself?”
The child born under a mother with no achievements, no accomplishments—she could already see the looks it would have to endure.
It was a fair point.
Dokgo Hyungjun studied her in silence.
From what he’d heard, Sui was handling things far more shrewdly than he’d expected.
She gave counsel that those without field experience could never grasp, and had even mastered what Manager Kim had taught her, they said.
Her ability to read a situation, to sketch the larger picture—neither was lacking.
‘Well… if Beomjin chose her, she can’t be entirely foolish.’
Besides, she couldn’t meet his eyes moments ago, but now, trembling visibly, she was articulating what she had to say with perfect clarity.
There was a saying that courage meant doing the thing despite your fear.
If so, Sui possessed considerable courage.
And that was a quality essential to any leader.
“How long.”
At the Chairman’s words, Sui’s face brightened.
“I believe one year would suffice.”
One year.
A span neither short nor long—perfectly measured.
It aligned with the timeline of the project, calculated with Sui’s pregnancy in mind.
‘Seungjin’s marriage will have to be delayed.’
After Beomjin’s sudden wedding, the boy had been making quite a fuss about hurrying to marry himself.
But there was no reason he couldn’t be stopped.
The moment he was given some seemingly respectable work to manage, he’d see it as his own “heir test” and his attention would shift there soon enough.
Dokgo Hyungjun had designated Beomjin as his successor from the start.
But the boy himself lacked ambition, and what comes easily disappears just as easily, so certain mechanisms were needed.
His second son, Jinwoo, and Seungjin—they were those ‘mechanisms.’
Until now, they had failed to serve their purpose.
But that wasn’t their fault.
It was Beomjin’s.
Because Beomjin had nothing to protect.
Or more precisely, nothing within ‘the company’ to protect.
When Sui had been outside the company, it was easy—he could simply abandon work and follow her.
But now, it was different.
With Sui actively engaged in business, Beomjin now had reason and necessity to protect her and the place she belonged.
And so he would have to stand against his uncle’s side, to throw himself fully into management.
By choice or necessity.
Once his calculations were complete, Dokgo Hyungjun nodded.
“I permit it.”
“Th-thank you so much.”
Watching Sui beam with delight, the Chairman let slip a casual remark. “Don’t smile so easily. There’s nothing more foolish than letting your thoughts show on your face.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll be more careful.”
Looking at Sui, her mouth sealed shut, Dokgo Hyungjun barely suppressed a laugh.
What was this? She looked like a squirrel with an acorn clenched in its teeth.
‘…She’s not entirely without charm, it seems.’
And soon enough, Dokgo Hyungjun would learn otherwise.
That his eldest grandson had not a single hint of charm about him.

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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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