Kim Family Mansion
After finishing her water, Hana looked toward Seo-ma.
Her best friend was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone with a small smile.
“Seo-ma.”
Seo-ma looked up.
“Hmm?”
“I’m hungry.”
Seo-ma immediately put her phone down.
“You’re hungry?”
Hana nodded.
Seo-ma stood.
“Okay.
I’ll tell the staff to prepare something.”
“Wait.”
Seo-ma stopped.
Hana suddenly remembered the meals at Silver Pine Estate.
Vegetables.
Healthy soup.
More vegetables.
Her expression tightened.
“Can I ask you a favor?”
Seo-ma turned around.
“Sure.”
“Don’t tell Grandma I’m hungry.”
Seo-ma raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“I don’t want vegetables.”
Seo-ma stared at her for a moment before a smirk appeared.
“Let me guess.
You don’t want to eat healthy.”
“Just for today.”
Seo-ma laughed.
“I know you don’t like eating healthy.”
She picked up her phone.
“So I was only joking when I said I’d tell the staff.”
Hana relaxed.
Seo-ma’s smile turned mischievous.
“Besides, with that evil sister of yours, who knows?
What if someone decided to put something strange in your food?”
“Seo-ma.”
“What?”
“Don’t scare me while I’m hungry.”
Seo-ma laughed.
“Fine.
I’ll order something myself.”
Hana watched her.
“How are we going to receive it without anyone knowing?”
Seo-ma gave her a confident smile.
“Leave it to me.”
Then she walked out.
Hana watched the door close behind her.
The room became quiet.
Her eyes slowly dropped to her wrist.
The bracelet.
She still hadn’t found it.
Where did it go?
Maybe it had fallen somewhere during everything that happened.
Hana frowned.
I should upgrade it.
A faint smile touched her lips.
This gives me some time.
She carefully sat up and opened her backpack.
After searching inside, she pulled out two thin needles.
She glanced toward the door.
What she was about to do was part of the unusual technique she used to speed up her recovery.
After carefully using them, she looked at her injured arm.
“Hmm…”
Her eyes narrowed.
“At this rate…”
She smiled faintly.
“In two days, my arm should be back to normal.”
She put everything away and climbed back onto the bed.
For now, nobody needed to know.
Meanwhile, Returning to Silver Pine Estate
The moment Kang Tae-jin left the house, Old Madam Kang reached for her phone.
She didn’t send a servant after him.
She knew her grandson too well.
Instead, she called her private investigator.
“I want to know where Tae-jin is going.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Don’t let him know you’re following him.”
“Understood.”
She ended the call.
Not long afterward, her phone rang.
She answered immediately.
“Madam.”
“Speak.”
“He went to the Civil Affairs Bureau with his assistant, Daniel Park.”
Old Madam Kang’s eyes narrowed.
“The Civil Affairs Bureau?”
“Yes.”
“And where is he now?”
“He has already left.
He’s returning home.”
Old Madam Kang leaned back.
“Investigate further.
Find out exactly what he was doing there.”
“Yes, Madam.”
The call ended.
Old Madam Kang stared at her phone.
Then a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Could my grandson finally be thinking about getting married?
Her eyes brightened.
A delighted smile spread across her face.
“My little Tae…”
She looked toward the entrance.
“What exactly are you hiding from Grandma?”
Old Mrs Kang was lost in her imagination that she did not notice the time, soon Kang tea-jin arrived.
The front door opened.
Kang Tae-jin walked inside with Daniel a few steps behind him.
The moment Tae-jin entered the living room, he stopped.
His grandmother was sitting on the couch.
Smiling.
Not her usual smile.
A suspicious smile.
Tae-jin’s eyes narrowed slightly.
What now?
He approached her.
“Grandma.”
Old Madam Kang looked up.
“Little Tae.”
Her smile widened.
“Where were you?”
Tae-jin remained perfectly calm.
“I had something to take care of.”
“A business matter?”
“Yes.”
The answer came smoothly.
Too smoothly.
Old Madam Kang studied his face.
Before she could say anything, her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen.
Her expression changed.
Surprise flashed through her eyes.
Slowly, she looked up at Tae-jin.
Then—
Smack!
She hit his leg.
Tae-jin froze.
His eyebrows lifted.
“Grandma?”
Old Madam Kang stared at him.
“You got married…”
Silence.
“…and decided to keep it a secret from me?”
Tae-jin’s expression barely changed.
“It was a system error.”
“A system error?”
“Yes.”
“You accidentally got married?”
Tae-jin said nothing.
From the doorway, Daniel’s eyes widened.
What am I watching?
The young master was actually explaining himself.
To someone.
His grandmother.
Daniel slowly stepped backward.
Grandma Kang really is the monarch of this family.
He quietly disappeared toward the kitchen.
Tae-jin didn’t notice.
Old Madam Kang folded her arms.
“Explain.”
Tae-jin sighed.
“There was an irregularity in the marriage registry.”
“And?”
“The record was created without my knowledge.”
“And the woman?”
Tae-jin paused.
Old Madam Kang’s eyes sharpened.
“Who is she?”
“Kim Hana.”
For a second, Old Madam Kang said nothing.
Then her expression softened.
“My precious Hannie…”
Tae-jin immediately caught the change.
“Grandma.”
“What?”
“Don’t get excited.”
“I’m already excited.”
Tae-jin’s jaw tightened.
Old Madam Kang leaned forward.
“Will Hannie be affected by this?”
“No.”
His answer was immediate.
“I’ll get a divorce.”
Her smile disappeared.
“You’ll do what?”
“I’ll have the record corrected.”
“You think marriage is child’s play?”
“Grandma, this wasn’t intentional.”
“It doesn’t matter whether it was intentional.”
She pointed toward him.
“Her name is attached to yours.”
Tae-jin fell silent.
Old Madam Kang’s voice softened.
“What if Hannie wants to get married someday?”
His eyes shifted toward her.
“She could have a divorced record.”
“I’ll deal with it.”
“You’ll deal with it?”
Old Madam Kang stared at him.
“What if the person she loves rejects her because of it?”
Tae-jin’s expression hardened.
“What if she spends years feeling guilty because she thinks this ruined her future?”
“Grandma—”
“Do you want my Hannie to suffer because of your mistake?”
Tae-jin said nothing.
Old Madam Kang watched him carefully.
Then she smiled.
“That’s what I thought.”
Tae-jin looked away.
“It’s complicated.”
“Then don’t make it more complicated.”
He looked back at her.
“I’ll handle it.”
“You’d better.”
She leaned back.
“And don’t think you’re escaping this conversation.”
Tae-jin sighed.
For a man who could make an entire boardroom fall silent with one look, he suddenly looked almost like a child standing in front of his grandmother.
Meanwhile, Back at the Kim Family Mansion
The bedroom door opened.
Seo-ma returned carrying a bag.
The smell of food immediately filled the room.
Hana’s eyes lit up.
Seo-ma smiled.
“Look what I got.”
She placed the food on the table.
Grilled beef.
Fried dumplings.
Steamed rice.
And a warm bowl of soup.
Hana stared at the meal.
Then looked at Seo-ma.
“You’re the best.”
“I know.”
Hana immediately picked up her chopsticks.
Seo-ma watched her.
Then stopped.
“Wait.”
Hana looked up.
“What?”
“Your hand.”
Hana looked down.
She was holding the chopsticks with her injured hand.
She blinked.
Only then did she realize she wasn’t feeling much pain.
That was fast.
She moved her fingers carefully.
“It seems my arm is healing faster than I expected.”
Seo-ma’s face brightened.
“That’s great!”
She sat beside her.
“But you promised you’d tell me what happened.”
Hana continued eating.
“What happened?”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Hana sighed.
She began explaining.
“I helped someone.”
“Who?”
“Kang Tae-jin.”
Seo-ma nearly jumped.
“You helped Kang Tae-jin?”
Hana nodded.
“Are you crazy?”
Hana calmly picked up another piece of beef.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
“You were injured!”
“I know.”
“And you still helped him?”
“Yes.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“What happened after that?”
“He took me to Silver Pine Estate.”
Seo-ma’s mouth fell open.
“He took you to his house?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“His grandmother.”
“His grandmother?”
“She pressured him.”
“To do what?”
Hana took another bite.
“To feed me.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
Then slowly covered her mouth.
“Wait.
Kang Tae-jin actually fed you?”
“Yes.”
Seo-ma looked genuinely stunned.
“The Kang Tae-jin?”
Hana nodded.
“His grandmother made him.”
Seo-ma burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe this.”
Hana continued eating.
Seo-ma suddenly reached for Hana’s arm.
Hana winced.
“Seo-ma!”
“What?”
“I’m eating!”
Seo-ma ignored her and carefully checked her arm.
Then her head.
Then her shoulder.
“Hana.”
“What?”
“Thank God you’re alive.”
Hana stared at her.
“He could have killed you.”
“But he didn’t.”
“Because his grandmother liked you!”
Hana paused.
Seo-ma released her.
“Seriously.
You need to stop throwing yourself into dangerous situations.”
“I wasn’t trying to.”
“Good.”
Seo-ma picked up her phone.
Then suddenly frowned.
“Oh.”
Hana glanced at her.
“What?”
“Soo-min is at it again.”
Hana kept eating.
“What did she do?”
Seo-ma turned the screen toward her.
“She posted a picture of herself with Kang Tae-jin.”
Hana glanced at the picture.
Soo-min looked elegant.
Tae-jin stood beside her, cold and composed as usual.
Hana looked at the screen for a moment.
Then shrugged.
“Hmm.”
Seo-ma looked at her.
“What?”
“They look good together.”
Seo-ma blinked.
“That’s it?”
Hana picked up another dumpling.
“What else am I supposed to say?”
Seo-ma smirked.
“Nothing.
I was just curious.”
She began scrolling through the comments.
“Oh, these people have already lost their minds.”
Hana glanced at her.
“Read them.”
Seo-ma cleared her throat dramatically.
“‘Soo-min, you look stunning!'”
She scrolled.
“‘Wait, is that Kang Tae-jin?'”
Another comment appeared.
“‘How is he so handsome in every single picture?'”
Seo-ma laughed.
“Here’s another one.”
She read:
“‘Isn’t Kang Tae-jin only twenty-something?
Why does he already look like a CEO from a drama?'”
Hana smiled faintly.
Seo-ma continued.
“‘Forget Soo-min.
I’m staring at Kang Tae-jin.'”
Hana almost choked on her food.
Seo-ma burst out laughing.
“See?
I knew that one would get you.”
“I nearly swallowed wrong.”
“Here’s another.”
She scrolled.
“‘Why didn’t you tell us your grandmother is friends with the Kang family?'”
Another appeared.
“‘Soo-min, are you secretly close to the Kang family?'”
And another:
“‘They actually look perfect together.'”
Seo-ma paused.
Then looked at Hana.
“Hm.”
Hana continued eating.
“What?”
“just thinking.”
“About what?.”
“Imagine soo-min and Kang tea-jin getting married.”
Seo-ma looked at Hana and could not stop laughing.
“She’s not going to last a day believe me.”
Seo-ma smiled and went back to her phone.
Outside the bedroom, the mansion remained peaceful.
But neither girl knew that across the city, the name appearing beside Kim Hana’s on an official marriage record was already causing panic.
And Kang Tae-jin had just learned that getting rid of that record might not be as simple as he thought.