Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Role
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My cruel words of praise left Han Yura utterly speechless.
Her eyes churned with a violent storm of rage, humiliation, and that twisted craving for validation—that she was somehow special.
I didn't even give her a chance to fight back. I just hammered her down even colder.
"While we're on the subject, let's hash this out."
I leaned over the table, staring straight into her wavering eyes.
"Be honest—you're just some chick who hit the lotto jackpot. Nothing more, nothing less. Admit it."
"……."
"If you hadn't run into me, what the hell would you be doing right now? Straight up. Still getting bullied at school? Or maybe jerking off losers in some dingy alley, scraping by one day at a time. Am I wrong?"
Every word stabbed into her heart like a dagger.
The past she'd desperately tried to bury. The miserable memories of groveling with her body just for cash. The lonely years when no one ever acknowledged her worth.
Han Yura's shoulders began to tremble.
The cool, professional mask of "Vice President Han" shattered into pieces and crumbled to the floor.
She clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white, but she couldn't bring herself to lift her head.
I roughly hooked my finger under her chin and forced her gaze up to meet mine.
"So what are you even good at? Squeezing pussy real tight?"
I sneered and kept going.
"Sorry to break it to you, but when it comes to pussy flavor, Choi Yang's the premium stuff. Fresher from top to bottom. Or should you go full cute 'hubby' mode like Chaewon, acting all sweet and adorable for me? Nah."
"……."
"Sure, I'll give you this—you're a perfect match for my twisted kinks. Top-tier masochist."
I savored the way her eyes quaked with despair, then drove in the final knife.
"But how long do you think that'll hold?"
Plip. A single tear she'd been holding back finally spilled onto the table.
It wasn't a tear of sadness.
It was the tear of utter humiliation for a woman whose pride had been completely demolished.
I gazed down at her with deep satisfaction. That settled the pecking order perfectly.
I stood from my seat, acting like I was done and ready to bounce.
"Eh, whatever. You've made a decent pile of cash so far. No big deal if you call it quits now."
At my words, Han Yura's shoulders jolted hard. Her head was still bowed.
Seemed like the fear of being discarded hit harder than her shattered pride.
I crouched down in front of her again, locking eyes with those wet, upturned ones staring back at me.
"But deep down, you're the same breed as me. Aren't you?"
"……."
"Girls like Chaewon? They're happy with a full belly and a warm back. But not you and me."
I roughly wiped the tear tracks from her cheek with my finger.
"We're the type that won't be satisfied until we've bet it all and clawed our way to the top of the world. Right, Vice President Han?"
Something shifted in her eyes at my words. The despair and humiliation gave way as a cold, steely resolve welled up again.
She stopped crying. Instead, she flashed a warped little smile, like she'd understood everything.
She wasn't just my fucktoy or business partner anymore.
She was my one true kindred spirit, sharing the exact same hunger.
To Han Yura staring up at me with those hollow eyes, I said, "Get your head straight. Don't fuck up again," then stood without a backward glance.
Whatever face she made sitting there—it wasn't my problem anymore.
That was that. I left Han Yura in a daze and headed home.
Five minutes by car.
I pulled up to the picture-perfect country house in Paju's Heyri Village. Haneul spotted me from the garden lawn and came toddling over on her chubby little legs, making "dodo do" noises as she ran.
"Uncle~~~!"
I wiped away the face of the man who'd just crushed his partner's pride and was plotting billion-won M&As and stock manipulations.
And became nothing but Haneul's uncle.
I scooped up the running girl into my arms. Her baby-soft scent and beaming smile washed over me.
A pure, innocent grin that felt like it cleansed all the world's filth.
"What'd Haneul play with today?"
I asked in a gentle voice, rubbing my cheek against hers.
Haneul giggled wildly and threw her arms tight around my neck.
Carrying her, I opened the front door and stepped inside.
A warm, delicious aroma hit me—totally different from the muggy outside air.
The rich, bubbling scent of kimchi stew simmering away.
I followed the smell to the kitchen, where my favorite bizarre sight unfolded.
Yun Chaewon, apron with a cute bear print tied on, prepping dinner.
Every time she moved her arms, the vibrant irezumi tattoos peeked out from under her thin short-sleeved tee, writhing like they were alive.
A woman acting more like the perfect housewife than anyone, yet etched with the most mismatched artwork imaginable.
This jarring yet perfectly harmonious scene made me smile without realizing it.
She must've sensed me coming, because she turned with a soft smile.
"Welcome home. Go wash up. Made your favorite kimchi stew today."
"Ooh, nice?"
I set Haneul down and gave Chaewon's ass a light pat—pure praise.
Nothing like the slap I'd given Han Yura's just minutes ago.
I showered upstairs under the hot water.
Washed away the day's fatigue and traces of other women clinging to my body.
Changed into comfy sweats and headed back down. A postcard-perfect dinner table awaited.
Bubbling kimchi stew, fragrant egg rolls, and neatly arranged side dishes.
At one end, Haneul was munching away like a baby bird, accepting bites of egg roll from Chaewon.
I took in the serene scene and sat in the chair across from them.
Chaewon's eyes turned to me.
"Is Yura running late?"
"Yeah, some work left over."
I answered like a doting husband, all traces of the bloody office war wiped clean.
Couldn't get into details with Haneul there, so I brushed it off lightly and dug in.
We finished dinner like any ordinary family.
While Chaewon cleared the table, Haneul was glued to the sofa, lost in her favorite Sorceress Princess.
A bit later, Chaewon returned to the table with two cups of hot coffee.
With the cheerful cartoon theme song playing from the TV, we sat facing each other.
A moment of pure, coffee-warmed peace.
Chaewon broke the silence with a sudden question.
"…Should I get rid of my tattoos?"
"…Out of nowhere?"
I looked at her in surprise.
She fiddled with her cup, her voice weak.
"Yeah. Just… back when I was young, I hated being looked down on, so I got them out of spite. Now that I look at them… kinda regret it."
My eyes caught the flashy irezumi snaking across her neck and arms.
The tough armor she'd inked on during her hostess days to shield against violence and disdain.
Glancing at Haneul, engrossed in the transformation scene, I lowered my voice and whispered my real thoughts.
"You don't have to. No need to worry about what other people think."
She shook her head at my reassurance.
"It's not about others. It's Haneul… If Mom's a 'tattoo freak' and 'delinquent'… it's bad for her development."
"True, but… now? She already knows about them."
Her tattoos covered damn near her whole body.
Laser removal wasn't a quick fix.
"The other day, I overheard Haneul talking to a friend at the playroom."
"Mm… and?"
Chaewon's voice grew heavy, like wet cotton.
"Her friend asked why your mom has drawings on her body. And Haneul…"
"……."
"Said our mom is an 'artist,' so she drew pictures on herself…"
Ah…
I couldn't say a word in that moment.
Her little girl, protecting her mom's wounds with the world's most beautiful lie.
A thought flashed through my mind.
"How about… becoming a real artist, then?"
"…Me?"
Chaewon stared at me in shock.
"Yeah. The company's fine without you anyway… Why not just focus on being Haneul's mom? And an artist?"
Love? Romance? Hell if I know.
300,000 won an hour—twice.
Discussing feelings in a transaction like ours? Kinda ridiculous.
But Chaewon, who quietly gave me this imitation of the normal life I'd secretly craved, had become something a little special to me before I knew it.
I didn't want to lose the peaceful dinner table she and Haneul created.
At my out-of-left-field suggestion, Chaewon's gaze turned to me.
Her eyes trembled faintly with hope.
"…You saying we should set up house? Right now?"
"Is that a proposal?"
"Yeah…"
I gave a wry smile at her innocent question.
"Dunno if that suits us. Plus…"
I trailed off. No need to spell it out.
She knew better than anyone—Post-Nut Clarity, and the fact that a single woman could never satisfy a guy like me.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Chaewon's face as she got it.
But she quickly smiled faintly, like she'd accepted it all.
She couldn't be my "wife." But she could live as Haneul's mom—and as an artist.
That was the best I could offer her. The best she could accept.
Yeah. Chaewon's role was the loyal "pet" guarding the master bedroom in my house.
Basking fully in her master's love.