Prospective Mother-in-Law Conquered, Stepmother Submits
That unexpected word from the man's mouth. Hearing it, Im Jeong-ok felt as if her cheeks were burning red.
"Beau... tiful... Me, a mere girl...?"
"Yes. You are beautiful. Beautiful enough that I'd claim you in place of everything I just mentioned."
"Th-that kind of..."
A strange sensation suddenly surged through her—an indescribable warmth—and her heart began to pound. And then.
"Ungh..."
Han Taeyang began to slowly caress Im Jeong-ok's breast. The firm yet gentle touch from his fingertips made her naturally surrender her body to him. He then slowly began to undress her. Unlike yesterday when she had resisted a little, now she followed his lead with an entranced expression, as if bewitched.
The anticipation of the pleasure she had tasted last night was certainly part of it... but at this moment, something else was stirring in her heart.
He called me beautiful... again... me...
Im Jeong-ok had entered the Seo family as the lady of the house through a political marriage. Yet before the wedding, and even after, she had never once in her life heard a man call her beautiful.
Though her family had fallen on hard times, she was still the daughter of a yangban house. She had rarely left home since childhood, and naturally had almost no contact with men. Her only close relationships were with a few neighboring women from families with ties to hers.
The only man she had ever been close enough to share stories with was Lord Seo, who became her husband when she was thirteen.
However.
Even though they were bound in marriage for a hundred years, Lord Seo had never truly liked her. He had relations with her early on to produce heirs, but never once praised her appearance. Instead, once she entered her twenties, he began chiding her for growing old and completely cut off visits to her separate quarters where she stayed with the children.
After being abandoned by the only man in her life, over the nearly ten years of living in widow-like solitude, Im Jeong-ok lost all pride as a woman. She came to believe she was nothing but an old, ugly thing, without any charm to attract a man's heart.
Yet.
"Haah...!"
"Does it feel that good?"
"Hngh... Th-that's..."
"Answer honestly."
"It... feels... good... Hngh! ... Th-there... Haah!!"
This man passionately devouring her body had been saying it since yesterday. That she was beautiful. That he would trade immense wealth or the prestige of the Seo family to have her.
Even if it was flattery. Even if it was a cunning seduction hiding ulterior motives.
Those words felt too sweet, blooming a new emotion in Im Jeong-ok's heart. The thing people talked about... what they called affection.
"Haah... Haaah! Go-good... so good...!"
A hot, pounding feeling. A prickling frustration all at once. It filled the emptiness in her chest.
With that sensation, Im Jeong-ok pushed aside the last thread of hesitation in her heart and threw herself into the moment even more passionately.
Haa... Hngh! ... Khrngh! ... No... matter... what... a gentleman... khak! ... gives his life... for the one... who recognizes him... ngh!! ... N-no... not again... I'm... cumming again... ngh!! ... Kk! This... this man called me beautiful... haah! So... therefore... this... this isn't... against propriety... Ahhngh!!! Uuungiiiieeeeh!!!!
The intense pleasure that drove her mad, and the budding affection fed by this lust, growing clearer. As her body and heart slowly bound themselves to the man before her.
Her waist arched like a bow at the peak of ecstasy.
*
"Mm..."
The lady of the Han family estate, Lee So-young. At this moment, she paced the courtyard with a complicated expression.
When will he arrive? ... He should be here by now...
As she wandered aimlessly, she bit her lip repeatedly, her hands trembling slightly. It was then, while she was visibly anxious, that it happened.
"Are you alright, ma'am? Is something bothering you...?"
"Ah... No. Nothing of the sort..."
A maid popped out and struck up a conversation. Yoo Cheon-hyang, with her freckles and large eyes, poked Lee So-young's side with her usual bubbly energy.
"Come on, even if you say that... I know all about it. It's because of Young Master Han, right?"
"! Wh-what..."
The unexpected remark made Lee So-young's heart skip, a flurry of thoughts racing through her mind.
Does she... know? About me and... Taeyang? If so... how much...?
Yoo Cheon-hyang was the maid who served her most closely. Though their relationship with Han Taeyang was kept strictly secret from the outside, Cheon-hyang spent so much time with her that she might have noticed.
Wh-what... do I do? Should I... tell Taeyang first? ... B-but depending on how it goes, she might silence her to keep it quiet... Then what about Cheon-hyang's daughter...
She didn't even want to imagine what would happen if this leaked out. Cheon-hyang was like a close younger sister, admirable for raising her young daughter alone after losing her husband to illness last year... but if her existence threatened Lee So-young's ruin, it couldn't be overlooked.
Even if Lee So-young spared her, Han Taeyang—with his inherently ruthless nature—wouldn't let her live.
As Lee So-young agonized over a future she desperately wanted to avoid, in mere seconds.
"Don't worry, ma'am. Men settle down a lot after marriage, you know. He wouldn't do anything rough to the new bride, right?"
"...What?"
Yoo Cheon-hyang smiled innocently, saying something far from what Lee So-young expected. Feeling a bit deflated, Lee So-young composed herself and cautiously asked back.
"What... are you talking about? Explain in detail."
"Huh? Wasn't that it? You were worried Young Master would be rough with the bride... Oh... then were you worried about the bride instead?"
"...Y-yes... that's... right."
"I see... Well, she'll be fine too, won't she? I've only seen her once, but she's from a prestigious family—a proper, modest lady for sure."
"...Y-yeah... probably...? I suppose... that's true."
Answering stiffly, Lee So-young inwardly sighed in profound relief.
Thank goodness... She hasn't noticed our relationship...
She couldn't let her guard down completely, but for now, she could breathe. Feeling the tension ease, Lee So-young let out a small sigh.
Haa... Speaking of which, when will he get here... It's only been three days, but my down there is already throbbing...
She had always been strongly lustful, and now Han Taeyang had fully ignited it. If she could, she'd jump into bed with him right now—but even when he returned, she knew she had to restrain him for a while.
No matter how much a slave to pleasure she had become, she was still the lady of the house. She needed to show some dignity to the new 'daughter-in-law,' and above all, their secret relationship must never be discovered.
Feeling frustrated by these practical constraints, Lee So-young absentmindedly scraped at the ground. Then...
— "Young master has returned!"
"Ah!"
The loud voice rang in her ears. In an instant, Lee So-young felt her lower belly quiver, her body tingling faintly.
Ungh...
She wasn't wearing her wooden phallus like before. Yet her body reacted on its own to news of that man. A quiet shame... and a strange joy washed over her.
Lee So-young hurried to the main gate.
With the family head bedridden, she, as the senior lady, went to greet the groom. Moments later, she saw Han Taeyang dismounting his horse and approaching.
Her 'son' in his splendid groom's attire. Her heart pounded again.
Han Taeyang bowed politely to her.
"I'm home, Mother."
"Y-yes. Welcome back... You're a bit late."
Her voice thick with longing. In response, Han Taeyang flashed a picture-perfect smile, lightly grasping her hand in thanks.
To any onlooker, it looked like a close bond between stepmother and son. But.
Haah!
Even simple contact sent a sharp jolt through her. Her lower belly throbbed again. Suppressing the blush rising in her cheeks, Lee So-young spoke as calmly as she could.
"You must be tired from the long journey. First, bring the bride inside."
"Yes, Mother. Bring the bride inside!"
At Han Taeyang's command, the palanquin door slowly opened. Then, a woman emerged from within.
Tense and stiff, she stepped out. Seeing her, Lee So-young grew a little tense.
Have I seen her a couple times? ... That girl's Im Jeong-ok's daughter... She's so lucky. Unlike some, she gets to embrace her properly... Up close, she really does look a lot like Jeong-ok unni... Huh?
That instant, as the 'daughter-in-law' rose, their eyes met exactly.
Lee So-young felt as if struck by a hammer to the head, murmuring softly without realizing it.
"Sis... ter?"