Hae Soo

Soo found that each time her bodyguard looked at her, she was glancing away even quicker than she had in the past. Her cheeks stained red and her hands grew clammy as her heart raced, pounding against her ribcage and making her feel like a teenager.

She did not know what had come over her when she had let Wang So stare at her that night. Perhaps it was her need to feel affirmed or her anger at Wook for being so crass. Either way, Soo had shown her body to her guard… and it had felt good.

She had escaped to her bedroom and immediately hidden under the covers of her bed, blushing like a little girl. Pressing her hands to her cheeks, Soo had curled up and closed her eyes, trying to fathom why she had done… that.

Rubbing her chin, Soo snapped out of her reverie and shook her head. "Dammit," she muttered.

Sitting at her desk, she tapped her foot as she glanced up at the stock index on her TV screen. Her eyes were back onto her computer as soon as she verified that nothing had tanked in the past hour.

Girls at school, husband at work, and staff doing their various duties. Soo found herself in her office, quietly signing documents and setting them aside for her assistant to fax. She texted Baek Ah intermittently, asking if he was willing to forgo a shareholders' meeting in place of having lunch with the heads of other corporations.

-Sure. Can I have your kids next Saturday? I need an excuse to go to a theme park.-

Frowning, Soo chuckled as she shook her head. "Why do you need to go to a theme park?" she asked, thumbing a reply.

-Sometimes, baby sister, adults are allowed to have fun. You should try it sometime.-

Soo rolled her eyes and set her phone down.

Suddenly, her computer went blank. The once vibrant screen, layered with multiple documents and ready to print at least five, shut off with a tiny pop. Raising her eyebrows, Soo stared at her reflection in the screen. She looked as incredulous as she felt. "Really? Now?"

After multiple attempts to restart her computer, Soo gave up and slumped against the back of her leather chair, shaking her head. Staring at the tops of her knees, she wondered if her laptop was still at her office in her father's building. "Dammit, dammit, dammit," she groaned.

Calling for Chae Ryung to hire a computer technician, Soo collected her phone and a couple of folders before pushing her chair into her desk and exiting her office.

It was a short walk from her study to her husband's and Soo pushed back whatever embarrassing thoughts clouded her mind as she sat down in his chair. It was the same type as hers, but was less worn and covered in fewer crayon scribbles. Wook's chair had been replaced a month ago- after he had spun Mi around in it and accidentally broken an armrest off.

Soo smiled at the framed pictures on his desk. Sleek platinum encased the memories and happy moments they had spent with their girls.

There was one of Mi holding her little sister for the first time, her eyes wide in apprehension. Soo traced her fingers over Yoon holding a cupcake, her chubby cheeks smothered in pink icing. Her favorite was Mi and Yoon at the beach. They wore matching swimsuits and both girls sobbed toward the camera after having their cookies snatched by seagulls. Soo remembered how they had demanded Wook punish the birds for taking the snacks right out of their hands.

When Soo booted Wook's computer up, she gazed lovingly at his home screen. A large image of her babies laughing greeted her. Mi's front teeth were missing and Yoon's hair was covered in a hat with a large pom-pom on it. The girls held hands on a swing set in the park, their little boots colliding.

Chuckling, she opened the internet on the computer and did not blink when Wook's e-mail account flashed onto the screen. He had nineteen unread e-mails. Soo scanned over them with mild interest.

Mostly work-related, there was one from his father about going fishing one weekend and another from herself. She remembered forwarding something regarding their accountant. Others were spam content and some were unopened just because Wook did not need to see why his secretary was going to be late for work.

Soo moved to X out of her husband's business when a name caught her eye.

Wook's e-mail showed an opened message from Han Si Yeon. If Soo's memory served her, that had been one of his girlfriends from college. She wondered why an ex was contacting her husband as she clicked on the e-mail.

Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her chest as she was greeted with images of a naked woman in her husband's arms.

Wook laid in bed, reading a book as the woman- who Soo assumed to be Si Yeon- took a selfie of them. Her breasts crushed against his side and her dark hair was long around them as Wook ignored the camera, his glasses perched against his nose, and his eyes on his book.

There were more images. One where they were naked in the bathroom, brushing their teeth. In another, Wook did his necktie as the woman kissed his cheek. There were six pictures of them in various states of undress.

Soo stopped breathing.

She stared at the selfies of her naked husband- his wedding ring still on, and his arms around a different woman.

At the very bottom of the e-mail was a message.

Come back soon, Wookie… I want to take more pictures of your sexiness.

When Soo found the energy to pull herself out of that e-mail, she began to notice how often the woman's name appeared in Wook's inbox… and how those e-mails coincided with many of the days Wook had been "working late."

Like lightning, Soo closed all of the tabs and was greeted by the smiling faces of her babies. At the sight of the beautiful children she had made with Wook, she wanted to cry.

Her chest ached and her shoulders rose and fell with heavy breaths. Soo's arms felt like lead and her legs were loose from a sudden loss of energy. She had no words and had no way to describe the betrayal that slapped her in the face.

Again. He's cheating again.

Gasping for breath, Soo pressed a hand to her chest and tried to steady herself. She stood from the chair on shaking legs, clutching at the desk to stay upright. Her hands worked on auto-pilot, reaching for her belongings and clutching them close so that she could flee.

Soo stumbled out of the office and looked around the house she had bought with Wook. Their first house. The house Mi and Yoon had been born in. Has he ever brought her here? Has he brought that woman into our bed?

Numbly, she made her way downstairs and sat down at the base of the staircase, her hand clawing at the banister. Her nails scraped the unyielding wood and she leaned against it, uncomprehending of the world around her. "Mrs. Hae?" Soo looked up to see Chae Ryung and Wang So peering down at her. "Are you alright?" Chae Ryung raised her eyebrows but Soo looked at So as he frowned, concern etching onto his features.

How could you let this happen again?

Blinking, Soo pressed a hand to her mouth and panted, slowly beginning to hyperventilate. She gasped and tried to find the right words, but she could only swallow back whatever wretched noise threatened to claw out from her throat. She almost screamed, but the only sounds that came from her mouth was the rush of air as she struggled to calm herself.

So rushed forward to hold her shoulders and Soo's erratic breathing steadied as he firmly grasped her, his eyes staring into hers. "Slowly, slowly," he said, nodding his head to the rhythm she should be breathing in. "Someone bring water!" he shouted into the hallway.

Soo held So's wrist to prevent him from leaving- to keep him from leaving her alone. She held onto him and he stayed. "Mrs. Hae, are you alright?" Her children's governess sounded so worried, but Soo's mind whirred with cluttered thoughts, blocking out excess noise.

"I- um, p-pack some clothes for Mi and Yoon," she uttered. "Some for myself as well. Um, four days worth… I…" she trailed off and accepted a glass of water from one of the maids. Holding the cup in her shaking hand, she took a small sip of its icy contents before setting it aside for fear of dropping it.

"Would you like me to call Mr. Hwang Bo?" Chae Ryung asked. "Tell him you're not feeling-"

"No!" Soo burst before pressing a hand to her mouth and repeating herself in a lower voice. "No, he's… he must be busy. It's alright."

As Chae Ryung left to complete her tasks, Soo sat with her bodyguard standing in front of her, her hand still clamped onto his wrist. She grasped at the stiff material of his jacket and pressed a hand over her eyes. "Madam Hae." So knelt in front of her until they faced each other. Soo looked up from her hand. His voice was lowered almost to a whisper and his eyes betrayed his worry. Soo thought he had lovely eyes. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head and forced herself to let go of him. "You should prepare some clothes," she murmured. "We won't be around for… for a bit." Soo remained on the stairs as Wang So reluctantly lowered his hand.

"Will you be alright unattended?" he asked.

Soo nodded before pressing her hands to her eyes again. She heard him walk away, but her thoughts were on the pictures she had just seen. Wook seemed to have no problem getting erect with his mistress. Mistress. The word felt so dirty in her mind.

"Stupid," she whispered, pulling her knees to her chest. "How could you let this happen? How could you… again." She wanted to cry, but nothing came up. Her eyes remained dry while her heart shattered and her stomach roiled. Was this her fault? She had no idea.

Some time seemed to pass and Soo looked up when the front door opened. Wang So stepped into the house with Yoon in his arms, her backpack hanging off his wrist. He removed her shoes and Yoon beamed. "Mommy!" she called.

Blinking, Soo forced herself to stand. "Hi, baby." She took Yoon from So's arms and hugged her daughter close, holding the back of Yoon's neck and closing her eyes as she clutched her daughter to her body.

"Mommy, hug too tight," Yoon giggled. She touched Soo's earrings and Soo smiled as she felt Yoon's little heart pitter against her chest. "No piano, Mommy?" Soo sniffed and bit her bottom lip when Yoon's little lips met her nose. "Kissies."

"No piano and no lessons with Chae Ryung," she replied. She began walking up the stairs, adjusting Yoon so the child was against her hip. "We'll wait for your sister to come home."

A little snack was brought for Yoon, and Soo sat on the floor of her office, watching her daughter wiggle her toes while taking bites of a bun filled with red bean and cream. "Mommy, ah-" Yoon offered her bread to Soo and motioned for her to open her mouth. Soo looked at her daughter and reached to pull Yoon onto her lap. The little girl squirmed and giggled as the movement caused her to smudge cream onto her nose.

"It's alright Yoon, Mommy isn't hungry," Soo said as she wiped her daughter's face off. She hugged Yoon's waist and pressed her forehead to the child's back, trying to borrow some of her endless energy and happiness. Yoon was oblivious, but Soo liked that her daughter seemed not to know or care what was going on. It made her feel better to know her daughter was happy.

When Mi arrived Soo smiled for her older child, but it seemed to be of no use. As soon as Soo saw Mi, she knew her daughter felt that something was off. Her oldest child hugged her and refused to let go, holding onto her hand or sweater and constantly looking up at her with worried eyes. Soo smiled for Mi and reassured the girl that she was fine. A snack was also brought upstairs for Mi and the girl sat beside Soo, her bottom firmly planted beside her mother's. Soo smoothed her daughter's school uniform as she ate.

By some mistake of fate, Wook came home early, having left something behind at home. Soo's eyes widened when he appeared in her doorway, his eyebrows raised. "Why are there suitcases in the foyer?" he asked.

Hello, how are you? How was your day?

Soo watched her girls run toward Wook and hug him. "Daddy!" they shouted. Wook knelt to give each daughter a hug and a kiss as his secretary made for his office. His eyes remained on Soo as he greeted their children.

"I'm taking them to my parents' house," Soo said, rising from the floor. She approached her husband in an attempt to bring her daughters back to her but ended up receiving a kiss on the cheek from Wook.

The place where his lips had met her skin seared and Soo took a step back from Wook. "Why are you taking them to your parents' house?" he asked, hoisting Yoon and Mi into his arms. He carried both with ease. "It's a school night. Wait 'til Friday evening and take them for the weekend."

Soo stared at her husband, swallowing her repulsion. She took a gulp of air and stepped forward, placing a hand against Mi's back. "I'd like to take them tonight."

"You look pale. Are you sick?" Wook leaned forward and Soo flinched when his forehead met hers. Wook raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a fever… What's wrong?"

Soo remembered to take a breath and she shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just… just tired," she lied. "I want to get to my parents' place before dinner so I can talk to Dad before we eat."

Wook nodded and gave their children each a long kiss on their cheeks. "Be good when you're with Mommy, understand baby dinosaurs?" he asked. Both girls nodded and eagerly kissed Wook back, hugging his neck and giggling at how his hair looked styled back.

He set the girls down and Soo moved to follow them out of her office but Wook held an arm out, blocking her path. Her face almost collided with his outstretched arm but she stopped just in time.

She looked up at him and took a step back as he shut the door behind them. "Alright, what's this really about?" he asked. Removing his coat, Wook draped it over his arm and Soo swallowed.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied, evading his question. Wook looked less than impressed and Soo felt trapped within her own office. It had taken two minutes for her to feel uncomfortable in the same room as her husband when just one week earlier, she had been in his office, almost begging for sex.

"Soo, you're not fooling me. We've been married for seven years," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "What's this all about? It's a school night. Is it something I did? If you're angry at me, then we need to talk. You can't just run because you don't like something I may or may not have done."

Ever the lawyer, aren't you? Soo shook her head. "I'm not angry, Wook. This isn't about you. I just… I want to see my parents and today just felt right."

Slowly, Wook nodded and tossed his coat onto her desk. "So it's not me," he muttered. "Then is it this?" Soo stepped backwards as her husband's hands met her face and his lips pressed against hers. She cringed as he kissed her and tried to move away, but his grasp was firm and she was too surprised to fight back. Wook lowered a hand to her hip, untucking her shirt and placing his hand against her skin.

"I can get it up today," he murmured to her. "And I have an hour before I need to go back to work." Soo fell backwards against her desk and held a hand back to soften her landing. She sat on the tabletop as her husband's fingertips made their way up her thigh, his lips gently tracing down her throat. She closed her eyes at the sensation until she imagined her husband doing these things to his mistress- to the woman he had chosen over her.

Her eyes snapped open and she flinched at his touch.

"No," she whispered. Her hands met his chest as her skirt was lifted and her underwear exposed. "No. Wook, stop," she said, raising her voice as he touched her through her panties. "Stop."

Soo looked into her husband's eyes as he removed his hands from her and crossed his arms. "Is this retribution?" he asked simply.

Instead of answering, Soo lowered her skirt and tucked her blouse back into it. She held a hand out to prevent him from coming any closer. "It's me wanting to visit my parents," she replied quickly. Soo opened her door and walked out of the office, trying to clean her disheveled state.

She could hear Wook following behind her. "Goddammit, Soo, talk to me!" he shouted. "What is wrong?!"

Soo motioned for her bodyguard to ready the car and she accepted her coat, gloves, and handbag from the maid that offered them. "I will see you soon." Soo turned to face her husband as he glared at her. Wook stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at her with a sigh.

"Come back when you feel like being my wife again," he called to her.

From where she stood, Soo could see Chae Ryung already helping the girls into the car as Wang So put their bags in the trunk. "Goodbye, Wook," she said.

Soo walked through the house and to the back entrance. Her face was slapped by the cold winds that howled but she braved through the weather toward the black car Wang So stood by. Her bodyguard opened the door for her and shut it after she slid in beside her children's car seats.

So took the driver's seat and started the car. Soo watched as he glanced into the rear-view in order to pull out of the driveway. She pulled her seatbelt on.

The car exited the property in a matter of seconds and Soo looked over at her bodyguard as he began taking the route toward her parents' house. She took a deep breath before unsuccessfully trying to steel her nerves. "We're not going to my parents' home," she decided. Soo met eyes with Wang So and made her decision.

"Take us to the Shilla Hotel."