chapter 16.1

“Use a surrogate mother to have a baby.”

At the same time as the blood gushed upside down, the heart swelled up as if it were going to burst. Geonwoo clenched his fists and tried to manage his irresistible anger.

“Are you serious right now?”

“What else is there to not be serious about? What’s wrong with the surrogate mother?”

“Stop talking nonsense. Please.”

Despite Geonwoo’s face filled with anger, Youngsook conveyed her intention without hesitation.

“Money always has an edge over the law. It’s not hard to find a surrogate mother. I can get one by tomorrow.”

Geonwoo knew well that he couldn’t break Youngsook’s stubbornness. Every time he tried, the situation would get worse.

A headache rushed in and Geonwoo pressed his forehead with his fingers.

“That’s why I don’t want to talk to you, grandmother.”

“It’s all for you. Why are you so against it?”

“Because you can’t communicate with common sense.”

“You, spoiled thing!”

Youngsook angrily raised her hand. If the distance between the two was close, her hand would have blown directly to Geonwoo’s face.

“Are you going to stop the future existence of our Yoon family?

“”What so great about the Yoon family that it must be carried on?”

When Geonwoo spoke out resolutely, Youngsook’s face turned red with anger.

“This ungrateful kid! Why do you think I raise you? I had put you to bed, raised you, and fed you, now you should pay the debt!”

Youngsook’s tearing voice resounded in the office’s room. Her son married a woman of a poor family, and Youngsook was forced to let Geonwoo’s mother into her home. Her academic background, her behavior, and everything was offensive to Youngsuk’s eyes. Without feelings of guilt, Youngsook chased Geonwoo’s mother away, and his mother died on her own after five years of marriage. Nevertheless, without a buzzing eye, Youngsook set up another marriage for her son, and Geonwoo’s father who was fed up with it, disappeared from her eyes.

Due to his father’s disappearance, Geonwoo was raised by Youngsook. He had been living his life within Youngsook’s control. He wanted to get out of that border now, but that wasn’t acceptable to her.

“Because of your hate for my mother, no matter what I do, you don’t like it.”

“When did I want something big from you? It’s not hard to have a child. What’s so hard about it, tell me?”

“You are overdoing it. What do you want from me now, everything?”

Geonwoo stood up and walked to his desk then he picked up the phone and pressed the gray button at the bottom.

“Secretary Kim, give chairwoman a ride home.”

When he put down the phone, Youngsook’s voice was embedded in the back.

“Whoever started it will end it!”

When Geonwoo turned around, the teacup hit his chest. Without a chance to escape, the tea in the cup splashed over the shirt, and it was shattered in pieces under his feet. Geonwoo closed his eyes and bit his lips tightly from the hot tea. Since childhood, Geonwoo has been punished whenever he showed a slight mischief. The punishment which had been closely guarded turned into violence after Geonwoo became an adult.

“All a woman has to do is to cook, clean up and have children. The only thing I ask Yeonhwa to do is to have a baby, that’s one thing! Is it too much to ask?”

Youngsook spoke angrily.

“Having a child is a woman’s job. I did it, and your mother did it. Your ancestors will probably laugh at this situation which I ask you to do right now.”

When Geonwoo reached the point where he couldn’t stand it anymore, he opened the door and Secretary Kim entered. Secretary Kim wasn’t surprised when he saw the broken teacup on the floor and Geonwoo’s wet shirt. Because it wasn’t his first time experiencing this kind of thing. Youngsook narrowly opened her eyes, stared at Geonwoo, and left the office. Secretary Kim soon followed behind her, but Youngsook angrily said she didn’t need him. On the return of Secretary Kim, Geonwoo instructed, pulling off the wet tie.

“The 4 o’clock planning team meeting, put it off until tomorrow.”

“Yes sir.”

Geonwoo unbuttoned his shirt at the neck and sat at the desk, and Secretary Kim asked with a worried face.

“The tea must have been hot, are you okay?”

“It’s not hot enough to burn this unfortunate situation.”

“I will clean up the office and bring you new clothes.”

When Secretary Kim disappeared after closing the door, Geonwoo leaned against the chair. He was able to bear with Youngsook’s treatment somehow. However, he couldn’t stand if Yeonhwa had to go through it. Even though he knew what kind of person his grandmother was, he brought Yeonhwa into his hellish life. There was only one thing that he was greedy about in this marriage. But even that, Youngsook tried to take it away. He wanted to make Yeonhwa laugh, but he didn’t want to share the pain. That’s why he wanted to divorce her and keep the distance.

“I think that’s the best for our relationship. Then I think you will be happier than you are now.”