Even from a far distance, a deep clicking sound of heels could be heard as a woman dressed elegantly from hair to toe walked slowly yet confidently through the halls of the impressively decorated hospital. She smiled to the only nurse at the nurse station before continuing her way towards the heavily guarded room. Even after weeks of seeing them, she couldn’t help but still feel uncomfortable and it didn’t help either that the guards were made as if they were there to stop their prisoner from escaping rather than protecting their young master who was being treated for his illness.
“Annyeong hashimnikka,” one of the guards said and bowed, he of course is the least serious one of the four grouped of black clad man.
The young woman, Seo Eun Ae smiled and bowed as much as her growing bump allowed, “Annyeonghaseyo.”
“You are late today, unlike your usual time,” the man said with a friendly smile.
“Young mistress’ timing isn’t of your business,” Uhm Ki Do, the young woman’s retinue said with a harsh tone.
“Mianhamnida,” the man replied, bowing his head lowly.
“Ahjusshi, there is no need to use that tone, this man here is merely saying a true fact, is he not?” she said with a disapproving look at her long time retinue before turning to look at the young guard, “Mianha, Ahjusshi is always that protective.”
Uhm Ki Do grunted and shot a look at the guy before proceeding to open the double oak door for his young mistress. She on the other hand, ignored his normal reaction as she made her way into the hospital suite. It was over the top to say the least, fit for a king. But then, her husband was technically a ‘prince’ from a chaebol family after all and their family did own the medical centre.
“Annyeong, hyungnim,” Park Ga Eul, Seo Eun Ae’s sister in law greeted with her ever graceful smile. Although she is the little miss in her in-law’s household, to Seo Eun Ae, her husband’s youngest sister is probably the most normal person out of the four Park siblings. True she was childish at times, but she certainly isn’t as insufferable as her eldest brother or useless as her third brother.
“Annyeong, agassi,” Seo Eun Ae greeted back in a sweet tone
Park Ga Eul leaned forward slightly and touched her sister in-law’s bump, her childish grin coming into view, “and how is the little one today?”
Seo Eun Ae chuckled, patting the side of her bump lightly as she did so, “surprisingly calm but he was really busy last night.”
“Maybe he could sense his abeoji waking up from his deep slumber,” the ‘little miss’ replied with a gentle smile as she straightened back up.
In return, Seo Eun Ae could only force a small smile of agreement at her sister in-law. There is a bittersweet feeling at the thought of her husband. Yes, she is extremely relieved and not to mention happy that he is finally awake but at the same time also confused at what would happen to her now.
“I should go in,” she finally said after a moment of silence that unknowingly to her was driving everybody off the edge.
Slowly, she made her way towards the door which was left a jar open before sliding it to reveal another part of the suite where a hospital bed situated in the middle with machines practically surrounding both sides of it.
Her heart clenched painfully yet still she showed brave expression as she walked towards the bed where her husband laid with his eyes closed. He looked peaceful, too peaceful that she was almost afraid that touching him would do harm. Her eyes landed on her bump where their baby had just kick, it amazed her sometimes how the baby could sense his father’s presence.
“Mianhamnida,” she whispered a barely hearable whisper as she took her husband’s palm slowly and placed it on her stomach. Fresh, yes his warning was still fresh in her mind. Forbiddance to touch him even in his painful moments, he refused her help.
For a while, she stood there still holding his palm against her stomach while her other hand slowly trailed down his handsome face. At first, it was true that she married him because it benefit their family greatly but as she got to know him, feelings that she had never known before started to grow and eventually became stronger. Their child she carried, to him would probably be another job he needed to complete to further secure the family tie and to show the world that they were in fact a happy couple eager to start a family. He wasn’t thrilled or even showed any sign of happiness when she announced the pregnancy but he acted differently in front of the entire family, even gave her a loving kiss and smiled proudly when his parents praised her, he undeniably was a good actor. He was a congressman after all; he knew how to act perfectly well.
She glanced to her side as Uhm Ki Do slid the door shut, knowing how she desperately wanted the privacy. Sighing, she sat on the cushioned chair, uncomfortable but it was better than standing.
“I always think about all the things I want to say to you,” she started saying and looked up, checking to see if he was still sleeping before continuing, “I actually plan it out in my head but then when I see you, everything just suddenly disappear and nothing comes out. I planned to say all these terrible things to you but in the end, I just want to tell you that I miss you and the truth is if I could be with anyone, I’d still be with you.”
He stirred and quickly she placed back his hand to his side before beginning to push her body up to leave. She wasn’t ready to face him, not yet that is. They would have to talk sooner or later but right now, she will just pretend that everything is still okay and that she wouldn’t be a young widow with a baby on the way.
“Are you satisfied?”
She froze on her spot, heart clenching even painfully than before at the sound of his voice. It was weak but she could still hear the familiar firm tone hidden somewhere in it.
“Does it make you happy now to see my poor stricken appearance?” he weakly asked again. She hated how she couldn’t even hate the way he treated her.
“I held no vengeance, it doesn’t make me happy nor am I satisfied to see you ending up like this,” her tone was soft yet it attacked straight to the heart.
He didn’t reply and for some odd reason it made her mad instead of relieved. She wanted him to say more, he didn’t have to apologize because she would gladly just forgive him. She’d never admit it but his voice was what she missed so much at night, sometimes she would cry herself to sleep while listening to his voicemail recording; he would probably have thousands of miscalls by the time his assistant gave his phone back but then she could always order him to delete everything and it would definitely save some of her dignity.
“Shouldn’t a wife visit her sick husband?” finally she spoke again, this time with a tone she thought that she would never have to use it on him again, “isn’t that the right thing to do? Is it necessary to have some intention or a purpose to visit a patient let alone one’s own husband?” by this time she was almost screaming at him, she could feel her heart beating faster and fingers trembling in anger, “half of your lifetime, you only have political strategy and revenge but what did you obtain in the end!” she stopped when she realize her sudden outburst had clearly hurt him.
The door slid open and her sister in-law walked in with a questioning look, “what’s happening, hyungnim?”
Seo Eun Ae ignored her sister in-law’s question and instead stared at her husband with beady eyes, “regarding what you did to me, I will not seek for an apology from you but if you want to proceed with the divorce, my baby will stay in my custody and will have no ties with you at all.”
“Hyungnim…” Park Ga Eul stared at her in shock before turning to her brother, “hyung, what have you done?”
Park Dong Ryul stared at her in furry but still not even a single word came out of him. She held on her breath and nodded, it was to be finalized then. Turning her body around, she forced a reassuring smile to her sister in-law and finally made her way out of the room.
