In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 43

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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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This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 43

“What nonsense are you spouting?”
I felt sweat seeping into my palms as I looked up at Ha Kyung-soo.
His reason for coming here was painfully obvious.
‘It’s about money.’
I could just hand over whatever pittance he wanted and be done with it.
That way, I wouldn’t harm Kang Ye-reum, wouldn’t create scandal for the Entertainment Agency, and….
Then Heo Representative’s voice echoed in my mind.

“Write down your family name and contact information here. If we hear from them, we’ll handle it ourselves. And tell them that if they contact Eun-rae in the future, they should contact the company instead. I’ll inform Jong-ho separately as well, so absolutely no private contact.”

Only then did clarity strike me.
If I gave Ha Kyung-soo money here, I’d be returning to the old days.
My family would squander the money I earned, and when it ran out, they’d sell my name and borrow from everywhere, while I bore all the consequences.
‘I’d be living the same life all over again.’
“How else would you suddenly appear on TV, on YouTube, in every advertisement? Did you find some rich old man somewhere?”
Ha Kyung-soo descended the stairs one step at a time, his vulgar mouth twisting into a sneer.
Without thinking, I took a step back before stopping myself.
I couldn’t retreat.
First, I had to get Ha Kyung-soo out of here.
Kang Ye-reum was coming, and if she ran into him, I had no idea what he might do to her.
“Hey, if something like that happens, you should tell your older brother right away. Your brother handles things like that meticulously, you know? Since it’s about my little sister, I’d be absolutely thorough.”
Thorough?
Right. That same thoroughness had caused him to fail at every business venture and even turn to gambling.
“Are you saying you want to be my manager or something?”
I asked, trying to keep my expression neutral.
‘I’ll appease him and get him to leave.’
“Yeah. You think I don’t know? I’m an expert at squeezing money out of old geezers like that.”
I know you’re skilled at extorting money, you bastard.
I nodded and spoke.
“Fine. Okay. Let’s go outside and talk about it. We could go to a cafe or something….”
The moment I offered a faint smile.
Ha Kyung-soo’s body suddenly closed the distance.
As if he’d been waiting for this moment, Ha Kyung-soo grabbed me by the collar from one step above.
“I don’t want to! I want to go to that house where you’re clinging like a parasite! You damn brat, do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to find you?”
My throat constricted, and strangled gasps erupted from my neck.
“Did you forget your mother and father? While we were suffering in that semi-basement, you were living it up without a care in the world, weren’t you?”
“Y-you… you… bastard….”
If I was going to get hit anyway, I might as well curse back.
Whether it was three blows or ten—honestly, it made no difference.
It was the method I’d chosen to resist becoming helpless, worn down by years of violence.
“What did you just say.”
“You bastard, you hate your father, don’t you? But look at you. What’s the difference between you and your old man? You damn thing. You hit people just the same….”
Ha Kyung-soo’s hand rose to strike.
I was about to be hit.
That was the moment I thought it.
Someone from behind lifted my entire body effortlessly.
The pressure choking my throat vanished.
Simultaneously, my body soared through the air and landed two steps down.
The movement was so light, as if I were nothing more than a dumbbell.
“…?”
And before me stood Hong Jong-ho, his broad back filling the narrow villa staircase.
“What are you doing.”
Hong Jong-ho spoke to Ha Kyung-soo.
Even standing one step below him, Hong Jong-ho was larger than Ha Kyung-soo.
Overwhelmed by that presence, Ha Kyung-soo found himself shrinking back as he asked, “Y-you… who… who are you?”
“I asked first. What are you doing. Who are you.”
As Hong Jong-ho climbed one more step, Ha Kyung-soo simply fell backward.
“A-are you a… a thug? H-Ha Eun-rae! Why are you just standing there! C-call the police!”
“Police? Why would we call the police.”
Hong Jong-ho glanced down at me.
He looked so much like a thug that I found myself frowning involuntarily.
“Should we handle this privately or officially?”
What was private and what was official anyway.
…—I didn’t ask that question.
Either way, handling it privately was dangerous.
“Let’s handle it officially.”
At my words, Hong Jong-ho bent down toward the fallen Ha Kyung-soo.
Beneath Hong Jong-ho’s short sleeves (why was he even wearing short sleeves in this weather), powerful muscles rippled.
A cold voice emerged from Hong Jong-ho.
“Listen here, you bastard. From now on, if you run into Eun-rae on the street, you turn around and run immediately. If you catch her eye even once, I’ll handle this privately.”
Ha Kyung-soo’s jaw trembled before he nodded rapidly.
“Y-yes….”
“Yeah…”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away, terrified that Hong Jong-ho might strike Ha Kyung-soo.
Someone gripped my shoulder.
It was Kang Ye-reum.
“Are you okay?”
The moment I saw Ye-reum’s face, I crumbled.
“Ye-reum….”
I was anything but okay.
I collapsed into her embrace.

* * *

And so we arrived at Heo Kyung-hoe’s House.
“You’re the unnie from TV!”
“Wow, you’re so pretty!”
I met the bright, curious gazes of two young girls staring at me with wonder in their eyes.
How to describe it….
They bore no resemblance to Heo Kyung-hoe whatsoever.
Noticing my expression, Heo Kyung-hoe, who stood at the doorway, spoke.
“You have no idea how grateful I am they don’t look like me.”
I couldn’t find words to respond, so I offered an awkward smile.
That was right.
Hong Jong-ho had reported Ha Kyung-soo to the police immediately.
Fortunately, because the villa had CCTV footage, Ha Kyung-soo’s two hours of loitering in front of the building was classified as stalking, and he was placed under investigation right away.

“There’s footage of him strangling you, and we have records of him sending abusive messages and calls. He’ll definitely face charges. An emergency protective order will be issued, and the no-contact restriction takes effect immediately.”

But Hong Jong-ho didn’t seem satisfied with that alone.

“Shouldn’t he be going to prison right now?”
“That depends on whether charges are filed… But you don’t have any prior convictions, do you?”

The police officer regarded Hong Jong-ho with considerable suspicion, but he was simply an earnest, muscular man.
After we finished the victim’s statement quickly and left the Police Station, Heo Kyung-hoe’s car was waiting for us.
And so Kang Ye-reum and I found ourselves at Heo Kyung-hoe’s House.
For the residence of a Talent Agency representative, it was an aging apartment complex, though spacious enough to have spare rooms.
One appeared to serve as a playroom for his daughters—the floor was covered with colorful cushion tiles, the wallpaper was filled with crayon drawings, and one bookshelf held stacked toys and children’s books.
“We could go home and sleep, Representative.”
At my words, Heo Kyung-hoe furrowed his brow.
“Home? Who knows when that bastard might show up again. Stay here until we find a new place. I think we can find one within a week. You’ll move with her too, won’t you, Kang Ye-reum?”
At Heo Kyung-hoe’s question, Kang Ye-reum’s eyes widened.
“Me? Really?”
“Yes. It’s better to have someone with you.”
“Well, I suppose….”
Kang Ye-reum looked at me as if asking if it was alright.
“Yes. I’ll move with Kang Ye-reum.”
Though I felt sorry toward her, since my address was already exposed to Ha Kyung-soo, moving together was the better choice.
“But I’m not sure if we should impose on you like this….”
As I spoke, I watched the Mother-in-law tending to her daughters.
Her expression had been blank since we arrived, as if bothered by our sudden intrusion.
‘Of course it’s not fine. Two women suddenly barging in….’
“Honey.”
The Mother-in-law called to Heo Kyung-hoe in a cool voice.
“Yes, dear?”
“Do we need to buy a bed?”
“Pardon?”
As I asked for clarification, the Mother-in-law looked at me without changing her expression and spoke.
“Actresses need to take care of their bodies, don’t they? You’ll need a bed, of course. Even if it’s just for a week.”
“…!”
I stared at her in surprise.
By the way, the Mother-in-law was a Team Leader at a Large Corporation.
According to Manager Jang, she was known at the company as a woman of meticulous precision and fiery temperament—a blade dancer, as they called her.
“Honey. Order a bed right away.”
At that resolute voice, Kang Ye-reum and I couldn’t even bring ourselves to object.

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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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