The dinner at the Hong family manor was, as always, a meticulously orchestrated affair. But tonight, a new, volatile energy crackled beneath the surface of the polite conversation.
All eyes were on Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. The photos of their public display of affection had reached the family, and the reactions were a spectrum of amusement, disgust, and outright shock.
Hae-in's mother, Kim Seon-hwa, was the first to strike. Her voice, sharp as a dagger, cut through the quiet hum of the room. "Hae-in, what was that display today? It was a scandal! A CEO publicly assaulting her husband! Have you no shame?" Her glare was cold and condemning, but Hae-in, for the first time in a long time, held her head high and met it without flinching.
Before Hae-in could respond, Hyun-woo, with a serene smile on his face, placed his hand over hers on the table. The simple, possessive gesture sent a jolt through her, but she didn't pull away.
"Mother-in-law," he began, his voice calm and respectful, "it was hardly an assault. My wife was simply… staking her claim. And I have to say, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Seon-hwa's eyes widened in disbelief. She had expected an apology, a meek explanation, not this brazen confidence. "Beautiful? Baek Hyun-woo, are you mad? She looked like a madwoman!"
"Mad with love, perhaps," Hyun-woo countered smoothly, his gaze never leaving Hae-in. "The way her eyes shined with that fiery possessiveness… it was truly breathtaking. And the way she grabbed my collar and pulled me in… it was a raw, primal declaration of her love for me. It was beautiful. She was beautiful."
Hae-in, who had been bracing herself for a public shaming, felt her cheeks burn with a furious blush. His words were so sincere, so utterly confident, that she couldn't dismiss them. The compliments, so brazenly delivered in front of her family, made her heart pound a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She tried to maintain her composure, to look stern and unimpressed, but a small, undeniable smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Her aunt, Hong Beom-ja, with her usual bluntness and sense of humor, let out a loud snort. "I have to agree with Hyun-woo on this one! Finally! Someone had to put that useless boy in his place!" she said with a laugh, her face a mask of delighted approval. She turned to Hae-in. "Hae-in-ah, you have my full support! You just show him who is the boss." She winked conspiratorially at Hae-in.
"Indeed, Auntie," Hyun-woo said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm a very lucky man."
The dinner continued in this surreal fashion. Every snide remark from Seon-hwa was expertly deflected by Hyun-woo, who managed to twist every insult into a compliment for Hae-in. He spoke of her fierce loyalty, her sharp wit, and her captivating charm with a sincerity that made her family speechless. He was not just defending her; he was openly celebrating her, and doing it in a way that left them without a leg to stand on.
He would talk about her work, her sharp mind, her dedication, and then, without missing a beat, he would lean over and whisper to her, "I'm so proud of you. You really are amazing." The simple, honest words, so unlike their usual dynamic, made a warmth spread through her chest. She tried to act unaffected, but the small smiles that kept escaping her control were a clear sign of her defeat. He wasn't just winning the argument; he was winning her heart all over again, right there in front of her family.
As the dinner ended and they were making their way to their respective rooms, Hyun-woo reached out and gently took her hand. The sudden touch, so public and so intimate, sent a thrill through her. She didn't pull away.
"You handled them well," Hae-in said, her voice a little softer than she had intended.
"Well, someone had to," he replied, his voice a low, intimate murmur. He stopped in the middle of the hallway, their hands still intertwined. "Besides," he said, his smile turning into a gentle, knowing curve, "I had the most beautiful inspiration to help me. I wanted to show them what I already know: that you are the most powerful woman in this family, and in my life."
Hae-in's heart pounded, but she quickly put her CEO mask back on. "That's enough," she said, trying to pull her hand away. "Don't get carried away."
He didn't let go. Instead, his thumb gently caressed the back of her hand, a small, tender gesture that made her body go rigid with anticipation. His gaze was intense, and for a moment, the world around them faded.
"Hae-in-ah," he said, his voice dropping to a serious, sincere whisper. "I'm moving back into our room tonight."
The words were so unexpected, so direct, that she was left speechless. She hadn't slept in that room with him since they had lost their baby two years ago. The room had become a tomb of their shared grief, a monument to a love that had been shattered. The thought of him returning, of him bringing their life back, was both terrifying and exhilarating.
"What?" she asked, a confused whisper. "Why? You have your own room."
"Yes, I do," he replied, his smile returning, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "But I'm tired of sleeping in separate rooms. I'm tired of being apart from my wife. We have a lot of lost time to make up for, and I intend to make up for every second of it."
Hae-in, her heart racing, tried to formulate a logical protest. "You can't just… just make a decision like that. It's too sudden. I'm not ready."
He leaned in, his face inches from hers. The air between them was charged with a palpable desire. "Oh, you're not ready?" he whispered, his voice a playful, seductive murmur. "What are you going to do to stop me? Are you going to scold me? Or… are you going to kiss me?"
The question, a direct reference to their morning's confrontation, left her speechless.
She could feel his breath against her lips, her mind racing, her body begging her to close the distance between them. Before she could form a reply, he straightened, a final, victorious smirk on his face. He leaned down and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on her cheek.
"I'll be there in a few minutes, after I change," he said, his voice full of a confident promise. He gave her hand a final squeeze before letting it go. He then turned and walked away, his stride filled with a confident, triumphant rhythm, leaving a bewildered, blushing Hae-in standing alone in the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum.