Chapter 155 - Chapter 152: Episode 150 - Lee Ji-ah
Seon-ah was shocked to see Sophia threatening his own aunt, but he figured it was just like her.
However, Seon-ah didn't realize that Min-ah was ruthless toward those she held a grudge against—unlike the side she showed her family—and he mistakenly attributed Min-ah's actions to Sophia.
"So, you're saying it's hard to find a place right away... and since all the high-ranking hunters are currently dispatched, you can only spare three? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Uh... I'm sorry, Eonni, but I need a little more time... You just showed up out of the blue and demanded this. I feel terrible about what Hyun-ah did and everything in the past, so I'm trying to help as much as I can..."
"Then is there no other way?"
A sudden idea struck Shin-ah.
"Eonni... how about staying at my place until a house is ready? My youngest daughter, Lee Ji-ah, is an A-rank hunter, and I'm an S-rank, so that should be enough, right? If Ji-ah takes a break from work until you're settled, she'll be more than enough to protect Seon-ah."
"Hmm..."
Min-ah considered the offer.
If it was only until they found a place, it seemed like a reasonable solution.
Still, given what Lee Shin-ah's eldest daughter had done, the younger one might be just as dangerous.
Suddenly, Seon-ah's voice came from behind.
"U-um... Auntie?"
His voice trembled with disbelief and confusion.
"Hm? What is it, Seon-ah?"
"Why are you... in the representative's office of the Han-il Guild?..."
"Naturally, it's because I am the representative of the Han-il Guild. I am Lee Shin-ah, S-class hunter and representative of this guild."
She looked to be in her late twenties, though she was actually middle-aged, and she puffed out her chest as if boasting.
"And the mother of the rapist who violated my son."
Min-ah cut through her pride with those words.
She hated seeing Shin-ah act so smug after what her daughter had done to Seon-ah, so she made sure to crush her ego.
"..."
Shin-ah shrank back, hanging her head in apology.
"U-um... Sophi... no, Mom... please don't bully Auntie too much..."
He'd almost slipped up and called her Sophia, but he corrected himself and addressed Min-ah.
Hearing "Mom" after all this time.
Perhaps touched, Min-ah stopped berating Shin-ah and stroked Seon-ah's hair.
"Why are you suddenly stroking my hair?..."
"Because you're adorable... Seon-ah."
Seon-ah felt the touch and smiled softly, looking happy.
Lee Shin-ah, who knew they were mother and son despite their sibling-like appearance, reflected on her daughter's mistakes as she watched them.
The realization that she had also received Seon-ah's semen filled her with guilt.
It hadn't been intentional, but the pleasure of having him inside her had been so intense that she'd craved more, and that memory tightened her chest with shame.
Still, having them stay in her office would clearly interfere with her work.
She needed to get them out quickly.
"I... I've already contacted Ji-ah. When she gets here in a little while, go with her to my house. I'll head home after work."
"Yeah... Thank you, Shin-ah."
Seeing Lee Shin-ah genuinely repent for her past actions, Min-ah offered her thanks.
There was nothing else to say.
Before meeting Shin-ah, she had expected to be furious, but seeing her show the same remorse she had a month ago, the anger had completely evaporated.
The desire to lash out was gone.
"Eonni... don't you have any thoughts of going to see Mother?"
"Shin-ah. You know why I don't want to see Mother, right? You know now that it was Mother who encouraged us to compete for the successor position, right?"
"... Sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's just water under the bridge."
When Shin-ah looked at Min-ah, she saw that despite the calm voice, her expression was cold.
Lee Shin-ah understood why.
Mother was the reason they had ended up fighting for the successor position.
It wasn't that she had coveted the position, but that Mother was the culprit who had orchestrated the conflict between them.
Shin-ah had found out later, after Eonni left, that Mother had manipulated the executives to force a fight and had fanned the flames instead of mediating.
Knowing Mother was the mastermind, she stopped pushing Eonni to visit her.
She had only asked just in case Eonni missed her, but it clearly touched a nerve. She apologized, but the lingering discomfort remained.
"By the way, Shin-ah? If it's your house, don't you have a husband?"
"That... I divorced him..."
After being too aroused and squeezing my husband excessively, causing him to ejaculate twice, he'd been bedridden for two days. When he finally woke up, he trembled just at the sight of me.
It was as if his love for me had completely died because of how harshly I'd handled him.
We had no choice but to divorce.
'Well... to be squeezed to the point of hovering between life and death... it's actually fortunate he didn't report it as domestic violence...'
Since it was their sex life, he probably couldn't report it, but if he'd truly made up his mind, it could have easily happened.
"..."
It was amazing that the two of them, who were like immature children back then, now had children of their own. But the more surprising fact was that one was now widowed, and the other was divorced, giving them a shared, painful understanding.
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"Eonni, don't make that face... It was a political marriage anyway. Just something Mother forced to expand her business... It's in the past..."
However, the memory of him loving me was real.
Of course, I hadn't expected his feelings to cool overnight.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
Knock, knock.
"This is Managing Director Lee Ji-ah. May I come in?"
"Yes, Ji-ah, come in."
Lee Shin-ah transformed into the representative in an instant, her tone dignified.
Seeing this, Min-ah felt a sense of admiration; Shin-ah truly had become the representative of the Han-il Guild.
The casual, sisterly conversation from a moment ago was gone.
The harmony they'd shared before awakening and fighting for the successor position was a distant memory.
Ji-ah was slightly shorter than Seon-ah.
With her long, jet-black hair and haughty expression, she was completely different from Hyun-ah.
Lee Hyun-ah was similar in height to Seon-ah but had dyed her hair light brown, which looked like a mix of black and brown in the moonlight.
On top of that, Hyun-ah lacked confidence, her hunched shoulders making her look gloomy.
But looking at Lee Ji-ah's confident expression and dignified bearing, it was clear at a glance that she was Lee Shin-ah's daughter.
"Yes, as I mentioned earlier, this person is your eldest aunt. Think of this as a family meeting and greet her."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Lee Ji-ah. I never knew I had an eldest aunt, but meeting you like this... you are so beautiful."
"As you've already heard, your eldest aunt's name is Lee Min-ah. I'm happy to meet you. This is your cousin, Lee Seon-ah."
"Nice to meet you, Ji-ah."
Ji-ah's eyes widened as she looked at Seon-ah.
Min-ah felt uneasy at the surprise in her expression, and sensing something unusual, Lee Shin-ah cleared her throat loudly.
"Hmm! Ji-ah? You know why I called you, right? First, guide these two to the house."
"Yes. I understand. Mother..."
Ji-ah seemed bothered by her own reaction, her voice trailing off.
Lee Shin-ah wasn't bothered by her youngest daughter's behavior.
Unlike Hyun-ah, she was decisive and wouldn't be rude, so Shin-ah was willing to overlook it.
As they prepared to leave, she bid them farewell.
"Then see you in a little while, Eonni."
"Shin-ah, take care."
"Thank you... Auntie Shin-ah... See you soon."
Ji-ah led them out of the company.
Seeing everyone greet Lee Ji-ah, Lee Min-ah found her niece fascinating.
Min-ah had become a high-ranking A-rank hunter and managing director by forty, so learning that Ji-ah was already a managing director at the massive Han-il Guild in her early twenties stirred something new in her.
To be honest, she felt a sense of emptiness.
'Is this nepotism...'
It put her in a sour mood.
It wasn't right to feel jealous when she should have been congratulating her niece, but she couldn't help it.
As Lee Ji-ah interacted politely with others, Min-ah's prejudice began to fade.
When they reached the elevator and she scanned her ID at the front door, the clock-out sign appeared, and the process finished.
Perhaps happy that work was over, she stretched and turned to them.
"Phew... Thanks to you, I was able to clock out. I can finally rest for a bit. Thank you so much."
Her ID looked brand new, and hearing she was twenty-one, Min-ah realized she hadn't been in the workforce long.
Even though she was likely still adjusting to her new role, she smiled warmly, making her seem like a genuinely good person.
"No, we're the ones who are thankful... Thank you for helping us when you must be so busy."
"No, it's really okay."
Min-ah and Seon-ah's impression of her kept improving.
As she guided them to her home, Ji-ah kept the conversation lively and considerate, leaving them with a very positive impression.