A Marriage with A Reason - Chapter 75

“Your husband, and now your husband’s father, liked your mother. Very much.”

The thought she never expected became a reality, and Dayun felt like she had been hit hard in the head. It also felt strangely like she had been betrayed. Perhaps that’s why, she desperately wanted to deny what she had just heard.

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

“Just as I said. Your father-in-law’s first love was your mother. And both your mother and father knew this.”

Despite everything, she couldn’t understand why the adults still insisted on having her marry Jaehoon. No matter how much time had passed or whether those feelings no longer existed, it was clear that those past emotions would still resurface as memories at some point.

“Yet, they still went ahead with marrying you two off. Even after he married me, he couldn’t forget your mother.”

“…”

“Were you happy as a child? Well, you must have been happy, seeing how bright you grew up. But do you know? Your mother made my son and me lonely. We longed for love that was never given, and we only wished for a kind word, for someone to call our names. But the only love that man had was for your mother.”

Dayun could say nothing in response to Miyoung’s words, which were laced with sorrow. Her eyes were filled with resentment toward Dayun’s real mother—and toward Dayun herself.

“Do you know where you’re standing right now? A vacation home? Do you think this is just a vacation home?”

“…”

“This was the only place where my son and I could breathe, the only space where we could comfort each other, holding on to each other to ease our loneliness.”

“…”

“I thought, if I waited long enough, if I endured, he would notice me, he would notice my son. But that was all just a foolish dream. His eyes were always on your mother. Even when Jaehoon cried, begging not to go, even when I was hurt and in pain, he would rush to your mother at the mention of her injury. And he doted on you, who looked just like her. Perhaps he even liked you more than his own son… How can I not resent your mother in this situation?”

Every word Miyoung spoke was filled with deep resentment and loneliness. From her trembling voice, Dayun could feel how lonely and sad she had been. Her heart grew heavy. While her mother had always been precious to her—like an angel—she couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of guilt. She knew it wasn’t her mother’s fault, but she still couldn’t shake off the guilt that came rushing in.

Meanwhile, Jaehoon, who had been asleep, woke up with a soft groan. As his eyes opened and he saw the deep darkness around him, he thought, Ah, it’s still night. He closed his eyes again, but as his thoughts turned to Dayun, he quickly turned over to look at her. However, upon seeing that she wasn’t there, he jumped up in shock and turned on the light.

“What? Where did she go?”

It was no wonder. Dayun, who should have been sleeping next to him, was nowhere to be found. Jaehoon stepped out of the room to search for her. He thought she might have gone to the bathroom, but seeing the light off, that didn’t seem likely either.

“She’s not in the bathroom… Where could she have gone in this darkness?”

The more he searched, the more confused he became. Soon, his footsteps led him downstairs to the first floor.

“Huh?”

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw a room with a light shining through the cracks in the door.

“Why… is the light still on in Mom’s room?”

His curiosity grew, and suspicion took over. His steps led him closer to Miyoung’s room, and the closer he got, the more he felt he could hear voices coming through the gap in the door.

“It’s all your mother’s fault. She destroyed my family and made me like this. But you—you—the daughter of that woman, you married my son? Does it make sense that you would receive my son’s love?”

“Mother… please calm down…”

As Miyoung’s anger grew, Dayun stepped forward to calm her. But Miyoung, backing away from Dayun, shouted at her.

“Don’t come near me! You must be so happy now, right? Just like your mother! Not only did you covet someone else’s husband, but you even coveted someone else’s son?”

“Mother!”

As Miyoung’s words became more and more heated, Dayun began to feel anger rise within her as well. She understood Miyoung’s pain, but blaming her mother for everything and resenting Dayun for it felt unbearable from Dayun’s perspective. But soon…

“Mother, stop!”

Before Dayun could say anything more, Jaehoon quickly blocked her path, his face filled with anger as he spoke to Miyoung.

“What is this?! What are you doing?!”

Though he had just woken up and looked disheveled, Jaehoon was seething with anger. Dayun felt an overwhelming sense of confusion, and Miyoung looked just as stunned. After all, the person who should have been in bed was standing right before her eyes.

“Jaehoon.”

“Didn’t you promise me? You promised you wouldn’t treat Dayun like this!”

Jaehoon was not only angry that Miyoung had treated Dayun like this but also furious that she had broken her promise to him. If Miyoung was truly his mother, how could she treat the woman her son loved like this? Jaehoon felt betrayed.

“Why are you taking out your anger on someone who doesn’t know anything? Honestly, I don’t know anymore.”

“…”

“I used to understand, as I was young. I understood that my mother was deeply hurt, and I always wanted to be on her side, no matter what happened. But now, I really don’t know anymore. Why does Dayun have to bear this resentment because of what happened to my mother? Why should she suffer for it? Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever understood. I only pretended to understand because she was my mother. But you knew too, didn’t you? You knew Dad had feelings for someone else, and you chose him despite that.”

Dayun was completely lost. She had no idea what this meant. But as she thought about it, she slowly began to realize that Jaehoon had known all along. Meanwhile, Miyoung was in shock. She had once confessed her true feelings about Dayun, but she never expected Jaehoon to confront her like this. After all, she was his biological mother. But soon, Jaehoon proved that thought wrong.

“Don’t blame others for your choices. Stop playing the fool, blaming others for your own wounds. Don’t do that.”

Jaehoon’s stern gaze clashed with Miyoung’s shocked expression, and soon her eyes grew cold.

“Traitor.”

“Mother.”

“You’re my son! How could you betray me and stand by that woman’s side?”

Miyoung’s words pierced Jaehoon’s heart. He sighed deeply, wondering when this endless cycle of resentment would ever end.

“I’m not asking you to choose sides. I just want you to stop blaming others for your pain. Stop this foolishness of shifting the blame.”

The conversation between Jaehoon and Miyoung continued, and it was clear that Dayun was just as confused. How was she supposed to process all of this? The fact that Jaehoon knew the truth was shocking, but the conversation between the two of them felt strange. As Dayun quietly listened, she noticed Miyoung glaring at her.

“Now you’re talking about love? After everything you’ve done to hurt me, now you’re talking about love?”

“Stop it.”

“Don’t you find it funny? You’re talking about love now, after making me lonely and hurting me. You want me to believe in love and forever? Don’t you think that’s contradictory?”

Miyoung’s words made Jaehoon stop in his tracks. He couldn’t bear to hear more. It was clear to him now. He grabbed Dayun’s arm and said,

“Let’s go. Let’s go, Dayun.”

He wanted to take her out immediately. He couldn’t bear for her to hear any more of this, nor did he want her to be hurt any further. He hoped she would not understand, that she would ignore it. But despite his wishes, Dayun pulled away from his hand.

“Wait… Let go of me…”

Dayun wasn’t a fool. She understood what Miyoung was saying and who she was talking about.

“Tell me, keep talking…”

“Dayun…”

Once again, Jaehoon reached for her arm, but she pulled away, determined to find the truth.

“Stop, let’s talk. I came here to understand why all this happened. I need to hear it. Tell me. What is all of this? What happened between the two of you?”

Dayun was resolute. Miyoung sighed,

“You know already, don’t you?”

“…”

“Right, you understand now. The reason Jaehoon married you… It was because of me. I asked him to marry you, to hurt you and make you suffer in place of your mother.”

Jaehoon stepped forward to stop Miyoung from continuing, but she didn’t stop.

“If it weren’t for my request, Jaehoon wouldn’t have married you. He hated the idea of marrying you. Don’t you remember, Jaehoon had someone else he loved at that time. I wanted him to make you suffer, just like I did. I wanted you to be as lonely and abandoned as I was, just like your mother did to me.”

At last, Dayun understood everything. Why Jaehoon had married her even though he didn’t want to, why he had been so distant and cold after the wedding. The truth hit her hard. She remembered the lonely, painful times, and betrayal surged within her. With a face as cold as stone, she left the room, heading for the second floor.

“Dayun!”

Jaehoon rushed to call out, but she didn’t care. She started packing her things.

“Dayun! Please, just hear me out! Please!”

As he reached for her, Dayun shook off his hand, looking at him with eyes full of betrayal.

“What do you want me to hear? What should I listen to?”

“Dayun…”

“I think I finally understand why you treated me like that. I understand now, but what more do you want me to hear?”

“I know you’re angry. You must hate me now. But back then, I was foolish. I wanted to support my mother, even though I knew how much she had suffered. But I see now that I made a mistake. I’m not here because of those reasons anymore. You know that more than anyone else!”

Jaehoon was desperate. He wanted her to believe in him once more, to not turn away. But the wounds he had caused were too deep.

“No, I don’t know. I don’t understand. Everything, including the things you said before, feels like a lie.”

“Dayun, please!”

Jaehoon stepped closer, but Dayun stood up and moved back, shouting.

“Then you should never have lied to me! You could have been honest with me! If you had been honest, I would have understood, even if it hurt. I would have believed that your feelings were genuine. But you didn’t even try. You kept everything hidden.”

She turned away, picking up her phone from the side, and left the room.

As she was about to walk out the door, she turned her head slightly and said,

“Tell my mother. Her long-awaited revenge has succeeded. I’ve been hurt, lonely, and abandoned… But…”

“…”

“But I’m not the one who was abandoned. You broke our promise and hurt me again. I’m the one who abandoned you.”

With those words, Dayun left. Jaehoon was left standing there, alone. The room, which had once been filled with happiness, was now cold and empty. Jaehoon wanted to protect her, to never hurt her again, but it all seemed to have turned into tragedy.

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