Contract Marriage with a Male Friend - Chapter 51

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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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#51

Beom Jin gazed down at his mobile phone.
…….
But there was no message from Soo Yi.
It had been roughly a month and a half since their wedding, yet Soo Yi had never been the first to reach out.
It wasn’t that their relationship was strained.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Beom Jin made a point of arriving at work and leaving on time, all to see Soo Yi.
It wasn’t so different from how he’d lived before.
Even when they were just friends—before the wedding—he had adjusted his schedule around hers.
He’d coordinated their meals, spent entire weekends glued to her side.
What had changed was that instead of watching films or playing games while together, they now went straight to bed, sharing heated breaths.
And the other thing was—
In all the hours apart, he found himself staring at her back until his eyes ached, or desperately waiting for her to call.
‘What on earth is she doing?’
She, who had taken charge of the New Business Division, poured every ounce of her conscientious nature into the role.
Word had it she was occasionally summoned to the chairman’s office.
When Beom Jin asked her about it, she smiled and spoke as if it were nothing.

“The chairman looks after me so well. He gives me so much attention that it makes me want to work harder. I want to do right by him.”

Grandfather was not the type to look after someone carefully.
He might push you off a cliff and wait for you to climb back up, perhaps.
But he wasn’t one to spare time on someone who didn’t hold his interest either.
No matter how exceptional Beom Jin’s abilities were, he hadn’t yet managed to discern what transpired behind the firmly closed doors of the chairman’s office.
Though if it came to that, Grandfather would have to step back from the helm of operations.
In any case—
These days, Beom Jin felt as though Grandfather had stolen Soo Yi from him, and it unsettled him deeply.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Beom Jin, who had been drumming his fingers sporadically on the desk, rose from his seat.
‘If she won’t come to me, I’ll go to her.’
Having finished his field work in the Seoul Outskirts, Beom Jin opened his mouth as he settled into the car.
“I hear Soo Yi is moving about with the chairman today.”
“Yes, sir. They’re currently conducting a site inspection at the new Hannam-dong project and distribution center.”
“Take me there. Don’t let her know I’m coming.”
“Understood, sir.”
During the drive, Beom Jin began rapidly processing work, alternating between his Tablet and Laptop.
He intended to leave the office early today, together with Soo Yi.
He wanted to observe firsthand what duties she was handling and ease some of the burden from her shoulders.
He would redirect An Soo Yi’s attention back to himself, no matter what it took.
…….
As they drove, Beom Jin—working through his tasks at a frightening pace—suddenly seemed to recall something and spoke.
“What’s the status on the House matter?”
“There was a sighting near Anseong recently, so we’re tracking the route as thoroughly as possible.”
Ma Do Hwan hesitated, then carefully ventured to speak.
“Director.”
“Go on.”
“There have been quite a few incidents involving alcohol intoxication.”
“Incidents.”
Mostly assault cases arising from petty disputes, and debt problems from borrowed money never repaid.
Few had been resolved; most were ongoing.
…….
The more Ma Do Hwan reported, the darker Beom Jin’s eyes became.
“Keep tracking. Once you find him, bring him to me immediately. And make sure he’s unharmed.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Any women involved? Illegitimate children, perhaps?”
“Surprisingly, he appears to be clean in that regard.”
Beom Jin nodded.
That was a relief to hear.
Though in truth, it was no relief at all.
‘At minimum, I need to have him cleaned up properly before bringing him in.’
So that Soo Yi wouldn’t be hurt.
Beom Jin began to rapidly scan the complex numbers on the screen again.
All of it was for his wife.
He wanted to build her a safe, peaceful place.
Wife. Wife, was it…….
He smiled without realizing it.
‘I want to see her soon.’

***

Walking across the Hospice Ward Construction Site, Dok Go Hyung Jun asked with deliberate lightness.
“What’s your assessment?”
“The location and landscaping are excellent, but…….”
When Soo Yi trailed off, Dok Go Hyung Jun nodded as if encouraging her to continue.
“The pathways between patient rooms overlap too much, so visitors and families end up encountering each other constantly.”
Soo Yi proceeded carefully, watching his expression.
“Those facing impending death need a space where they can grieve fully. For that final moment, they should be free from others’ eyes, able to depart with the utmost dignity. I think it would be best to redesign the traffic flow.”
Certainly, if the existing plan went through, the facility would be magnificent and luxurious.
But fixating solely on being ‘premium’ had left the actual user experience—the flow of people—unconsidered.
“There’s more.”
“……Yes?”
“Say it.”
“It’s…… well, something quite minor, but…….”
“Break yourself of the habit of trailing off. Those of the Kangho Group must always speak with conviction.”
At his sharp gaze and tone, Soo Yi flinched and nearly apologized out of habit, but caught herself.
She cleared her throat and spoke with a trembling voice.
“I wonder if we might include a grooming service—a makeup and preparation—to present the deceased respectfully before the family says their final goodbyes after the end of life.”
Typically, once hospitals declare the end of life, they drape a white cloth over the patient’s face and move them to the mortuary.
When families face their loved one’s final journey, it is often the moment when their suffering is deepest.
“That small gesture of care—honoring death with dignity—might offer the bereaved far greater comfort than lavish facilities alone.”
Until now, the business plans had focused entirely on flashy externals: premium funeral shrouds and luxury altars through VIP funeral service partnerships, high-end limousine services.
But Soo Yi was approaching the matter with substance—attending first to the grief of patients and families.
Whether wealthy or not, the sorrow of facing one’s final moment was surely the same for all.
Yet Dok Go Hyung Jun, hearing her out, fell silent.
“I’m sorry. I’m sure that plan was the result of careful analysis and consultation with experts, and here I am, presuming to add my thoughts despite knowing nothing.”
Soo Yi quickly lowered her head.
The fact that he offered no reply suggested her opinion had indeed seemed presumptuous.
‘I need to study more. Or perhaps I should contact Director Pyo and Team Lead Oh? With their experience, they might offer better insights.’
She was just thinking she should reach out to them immediately after work.
“Not bad.”
At Dok Go Hyung Jun’s words, Soo Yi’s head lifted without her meaning to.
“Really, sir?”
“I didn’t say it was good.”
“Ah…….”
Still, Soo Yi was pleased.
The fact that someone at the very apex of the business world like Dok Go Hyung Jun had called her idea “not bad” made her heart swell.
“Perhaps that’s what captivated Beom Jin about you. That common-sense, humane perspective—something those of us trapped in glamorous worlds could never produce.”
There was no malice in his words.
Rather, it was his own form of praise—in a world where he had long chased only the highest luxury, her fresh viewpoint was refreshing stimulation.
That was when it happened.
“Is this how you’ve been insulting my wife this entire time?”
At the sudden low, thick voice, both Dok Go Hyung Jun and Soo Yi turned their heads at once.
“What? How did you……?”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to take her. My wife.”
Beom Jin strode forward and positioned himself in front of Soo Yi, blocking her from view.
His gaze meeting Dok Go Hyung Jun’s directly held a cold fury.
“As of today, I’m resigning from the company.”

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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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