Chapter 70
Yuna stayed perfectly still, eyes still locked on me.
I could feel the nerves tightening in my chest. Everything that happened yesterday started flashing through my mind. My fingers tightened against my knees.
She won't… hurt me here, right?
I swallowed hard, suddenly regretting not listening to Sera last night when she told me to bring someone. Coming here alone really wasn't the best idea.
The silence between us grew heavier. I finally forced myself to speak, trying to ease the tension.
"So… what are you going to talk about, Yuna?"
She didn't answer right away. Her gaze just stayed fixed on me, calm and unreadable.
Then, after a few moments, she finally spoke.
"Drop this now, Haemin."
"Excuse me?"
"You know this meeting holds no meaning if I decide to refuse the divorce, right?" Her voice was steady, but every word carried the weight of a warning.
I stayed silent, unable to find a response.
Yuna sighed and crossed her legs. "Just drop it, Haemin. I've already gone out of my way to entertain your request. You do realize I could've easily ignored it and refused to meet at all, right?" Her eyes soften for just a moment. "I arranged this meeting to show my respect for you as my husband. Because not once did I want you to think I never take your words seriously." She leaned forward slightly. "But don't push it, alright?"
I stared down at the floor, my chest tightening. "…How can you say something like that after what you've done to me, Yuna?" I muttered quietly.
She tilted her head, almost casually. "I admit I went a little overboard yesterday," she said flatly. "But you know that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't provoked me first, don't you think, Haemin?"
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "Little bit overboard, huh?"
Yuna sighed again, sounding annoyed. "That's enough, Haemin. My patience is running thin right now. I'm tired, and you know I don't like repeating myself." Her voice dropped lower. "I'll pretend this never happened, if that's what you're worried about. If there's something you're unhappy with, we can discuss it later. Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be. Just come home with me alright?"
I looked up at her, forcing a smile. "Have you ever even listened to what I wanted before? You just do whatever you want without caring about how I feel. So what's the point of discussing anyway?"
"What did you just say?" Her eyes narrowed sharply.
I let out a soft sigh. "Forget it, Yuna." I steadied my voice. "Can we just separate on mutual agreement? If you want to make this difficult for me… don't force me to turn this into a lawsuit."
Her expression froze. The air between us grew heavier.
"Are you threatening me?" she asked, her tone cold as ice.
I swallowed hard but tried to hold my composure. "Well… if I have to."
Truthfully, that would be my last resort. I didn't want things to go that far. As much as she hurt me, I still remembered the good things she had done for me, even though those days were long past. But doing that would only put her reputation in danger, and I didn't want that. She's still the woman I once loved, after all.
Yuna rubbed her face slowly and let out a soft laugh that sent a chill down my spine.
"The audacity of you to threaten me," she said quietly, her voice laced with disbelief and amusement.
"Yah, Haemin," her tone shifted, darker now. "Do you even realize where you are right now?" Her gaze fixed on me. "If I decide to hurt you here, do you really think anyone would come to your rescue?"
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. The unease in my chest grew heavier with every word that left her mouth.
"But don't worry, Haemin," Yuna continued, leaning back on the sofa. "I'm not going to do anything to you right now." She exhaled softly, then smirked. "You see, I tried to persuade and give you a chance because, in some way, I still felt guilty about what I did yesterday."
She lifted her phone slightly, her thumb hovering over the screen. "But you'll never understand unless I show you, right?" Her gaze locked onto mine, cold and unwavering. "Just so you know, by the time today ends… you'll be going home with me."
Her fingers moved across the screen, typing something, and then she looked up again, her eyes sharp and threatening.
"And when we're alone…"
My breath caught in my throat.
Just then, the door opened, and Mr. Song walked in, followed closely by Harin. She looked worried, probably sensing the tension that filled the room.
Mr. Song gave a brief bow toward Yuna before taking his seat again, adjusting his papers neatly on the low table. Harin returned to her usual place, standing quietly behind Yuna, her expression stiff.
"You can continue now," Yuna said flatly, her gaze still locked on me.
"Understood," Mr. Song replied.
I swallowed, my palms resting on my knees. The tension in the air was suffocating.
He cleared his throat. "Mr. Kim, since you've chosen to proceed without legal representation, I trust that you understand the implications of doing so?"
"Yes," I said quietly.
He nodded once. "Good. Then let us proceed. He flipped a page, scanning it briefly. "As far as I've been informed, it is you who requested this divorce. May I ask why?"
I hesitated. The silence between us was heavy. Yuna didn't move. She just rested her chin on her hand, her gaze locked on me the entire time. I forced myself to stay calm. "Our relationship hasn't been… working for some time now and we've grown distant. I believe ending things peacefully would be better for both of us."
"Distant?" Mr. Song repeated, as if testing the word on his tongue. "You mean emotionally?"
"Yes. Emotionally."
He scribbled something down, then looked up again, smiling politely. "I see. That's rather vague, Mr. Kim. Usually, for a divorce, there should be a clear reason, like adultery, abuse or neglect. But if it's just emotional distance, that might not be considered a valid reason under the law, don't you think?"
"I'm not here to argue about legal terms," I said quietly. "I just can't keep living like this."
"I understand," he replied, his tone calm and polite. "But we also have to think about fairness. Chairwoman Seo," he turned slightly toward Yuna, "has been supporting you financially, correct?"
I frowned. "That has nothing to do with this."
"Actually, it does," he said smoothly. "If one person has given major financial support to the other, a sudden divorce can be seen as taking advantage of that kindness. Especially if the support was given in good faith."
My eyes narrowed. "What are you trying to say?"
He folded his hands together. "Nothing specific. I'm only saying that if you insist on ending this marriage, Chairwoman Seo could file a claim asking for compensation. After all, this marriage was kept secret. If any of it leaks out, even by accident, it could damage her reputation. And since you're the only one who wouldn't lose much from it… people might assume the leak came from you."
"I would never do something like that,"
Yuna still hadn't said a word. Her gaze was calm, like she was waiting for me to react.
"Of course not," Mr. Song replied with a faint smile. "But the law doesn't work on trust alone."
I said nothing. My hand tightened around the edge of the table.
Meanwhile, Harin's looked tense, her brows slightly drawn as if she wanted to say something. Her eyes flicked between me and Yuna.
"So," Mr. Song continued in that same smooth tone, "if you truly want to proceed, we can arrange some conditions. A confidentiality agreement, financial settlement, and a short reconciliation period before final approval. That means you'll need to continue living with Chairwoman Seo for six months while we confirm mutual consent."
I froze, shocked by what I'd just heard.
Six months.
Living together.
Is he crazy?
I could feel Yuna's gaze grow heavier, as if daring me to speak against it.
Mr. Song closed the folder softly. "If you refuse, Chairwoman Seo can challenge the divorce. And in that case, the court would most likely take her side."
The room fell silent again. My throat felt dry, but I managed to speak. "So what you're saying is… if I don't go back home with her, this divorce won't even happen?"
Mr. Song smiled faintly. "That's one way to see it. But I'd say it's more like giving you time to think things through."
I frowned. "There's nothing to think about. I've already made up my mind. If you're saying I have to live with her again, then this isn't mutual consent. It's forcing me."
"You're misunderstanding, Mr. Kim. The court only accepts mutual divorce if both sides agree willingly. This period would simply make sure your decision isn't made out of emotion."
"That's not true," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're just using that as an excuse to make me stay with her. That's not fair to me."
He smiled again, polite but cold. "Fairness depends on how you see it. Chairwoman Seo also deserves to be protected. She's the one whose name and reputation are at risk here."
I leaned forward slightly. "Then what if we handle this quietly? I'll sign any document you want. I won't talk to anyone about it either. Just… let this end peacefully."
Before I could finish, Mr. Song raised his hand and cut me off. His expression stayed polite, but his tone grew firm.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Mr. Kim. The Chairwoman has already made her decision."
I froze, slowly turning to look at Yuna. She sat there, perfectly composed, her cold eyes never leaving me, as if she already knew how this would end.
My throat tightening. Is there really no other choice right now? No matter how I looked at it, everything was against me.
For a moment, I questioned myself. Did I rush this too much? Maybe I should've filed a lawsuit instead of trying to talk things out here. But even that would've taken time. And going to the police… sure, it was an option. Yet with Yuna's power and influence, she could easily turn things around.
I felt completely cornered. Maybe… I really needed someone who could speak for me.
Mr. Song straightened the papers in front of him and spoke again, his voice quiet but final.
"If you can't agree to her terms, then there's nothing more to discuss today. And, Mr. Kim, the reconciliation period will begin today. If you don't comply, the request for divorce will be dismissed immediately."
Yuna finally leaned back, resting her chin again on her hand, looking perfectly calm. "You heard him, Haemin. There's no need to make things complicated."
I stayed silent. The air around me felt heavy, the tension pressing on my chest.
Harin, who had been standing behind Yuna, as if she couldn't bear to watch any longer, took a small step forward. She was about to intervene, probably to stop things from going any further.
But before she could even open her mouth,
[Knock, knock.]
There was a soft knock on the door. The sound broke through the tension, drawing everyone's attention.