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SERIES: An Impure Reunion
CHAPTER: An Impure Reunion Chapter 45
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45.
Thanks to Hayeon, Jian was stuck, unable to get away from the group.
Seol-ah was running off in the distance with Hayeon's son and a few other children.
As she watched the child's back, they began to talk.
"It's been so long. Where on earth have you been?"
"I know. And making us wait until today to see your pretty daughter."
They were the same as ever.
Still looking down on Jian.
"By the way, how did Seol-ah study English? Could you introduce us to her teacher?"
Among them, some of the mothers envied Seol-ah's English skills.
She didn't want to talk with this group, but seeing them praise Seol-ah's abilities made her feel a little proud.
Just as Jian was feeling that pride, Yuri approached them from a distance.
"Oh my, Jian! It's been ages!"
With Yuri's appearance, the good mood she'd felt for a moment thanks to Seol-ah plummeted into the abyss.
"It really has been a long time."
"Yuri, you're here? You don't seem to age at all. How do you keep getting younger?"
Just as everyone's attention turned to Yuri, Hayeon, cautiously watching Jian's reaction, opened her mouth.
"You all know that Yuri is a renowned gynecologist, right?"
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"Because I heard something strange." Hayeon continued, subtly glancing at Jian. "Well, I heard that Jian has a body that makes it difficult to have children? Isn't that right, Yuri?"
"Ah, how could I possibly reveal a patient's private information in a place like this."
As Yuri said this with a troubled expression, Jian's brow furrowed.
"Oh my, what do you mean? President Joo's daughter is right there, plain as day?"
"That's what's so strange about it."
At Hayeon's intriguing story, everyone's gaze fell upon Jian.
As their eyes focused on her, the color began to drain from Jian's face.
Hayeon, confirming the change in Jian's expression, smirked and said.
"Tell us your story, Jian. What on earth happened?"
Jian shot up from her seat and walked toward Hayeon.
And then she slapped her across the cheek.
"Don't you dare play games with my daughter's name."
Jian's gaze was trembling, but not a single tremor could be heard in her voice.
"J-Jian..."
"How dare you mention my daughter with that mouth of yours."
"..."
Seeing Jian's strong reaction regarding her daughter, everyone around them looked surprised.
Hayeon, who had been slapped, looked the most shocked of all.
Clutching the left cheek Jian had struck, her eyes were filled with fear of Jian and the shame of being hit in front of so many people.
Hayeon was so stunned, it seemed impossible for her to even think straight.
Jian met the gaze of the dumbfounded woman.
"Park Hayeon, I don't care how you slander me."
Whether she slandered her or looked down on her like she did seven years ago, it didn't matter at all.
She could just ignore it.
"But I won't tolerate you touching my daughter."
But the moment she messed with Seol-ah, Jian could never let it slide.
Stepping closer to Hayeon, she spoke clearly.
"Do you understand?"
Hayeon looked at the coldly speaking Jian with a resentful gaze.
"Even so, did you really have to hit me?"
After humiliating her daughter in front of so many people, it seemed she found getting a single slap on the cheek so unfair.
Yuri and Hayeon... how could they be so shameless?
Jian looked at her with a loathsome expression.
After staring at Hayeon for a moment, Jian moved closer and whispered quietly to her.
"Park Hayeon, I know the face of the man you were seeing six years ago."
At Jian's words, Hayeon's face began to visibly stiffen, and eventually, she started glaring at her.
Because they were speaking so quietly, the people around them looked curious about what they were discussing.
Hayeon, noticing their glances, trembled anxiously.
"And that he's a completely different person from your current husband."
"Th-that's...!"
There was one thing Jian knew about Hayeon.
Her past lover.
Having accidentally witnessed her past, Jian had simply pretended not to know.
But she never thought what she'd seen back then would be used like this.
"Isn't he the husband of the Hangun Department Store madam standing behind you?"
Jian also knew that her lover was the husband of someone in this very group.
Upon hearing that, Hayeon's body began to tremble violently.
There was no way of knowing if she was still seeing the man, but judging by Hayeon's reaction, it seemed their secret affair was ongoing.
"Should I expose it right here, right now?"
"J-Jian!"
At that, Hayeon abruptly grabbed Jian's arm and shook her head frantically.
At her action, Jian raised one corner of her mouth in a scornful smile.
"Then keep your mouth shut."
Jian roughly shook off her hand.
Leaving the now-silent Hayeon behind her, Jian turned her gaze.
"Misdiagnoses can happen all the time."
Jian's gaze now landed on Yuri.
When their eyes met, Yuri flinched.
"Isn't that right, Ha Yuri?"
When Jian said Yuri's name, the gazes that had been fixed on Hayeon and Jian shifted to her.
As people's eyes turned to her, Yuri began to look visibly flustered.
However, Yuri was someone accustomed to hiding her expressions and emotions.
She was completely different from Hayeon, whose thoughts and feelings were plain to see.
"What are you talking about, Jian."
Quickly composing her expression, she looked at Jian with a face that said she couldn't understand at all.
At that look, Jian seemed dumbfounded.
"I think you, Yuri, know best what I'm talking about."
"Oh my, Jian, really. What kind of absurd claim is this?"
Looking at Yuri, who wouldn't back down an inch, Jian let out a hollow laugh.
At her hollow laugh, the people around them began to murmur.
"Absurd claim."
"Jian, why are you really being like this? There's a limit to embarrassing people."
"..."
"Why are you being so hostile on such a nice day, at such a nice gathering?"
As expected, what Yuri had said last time wasn't wrong.
It was an undeniable fact that here, she was in a more advantageous position than Jian.
The gazes of those around them showed no suspicion toward Yuri.
Their looks seemed displeased, as if Jian was the one causing trouble.
Suddenly, Yuri put on a somber expression and said.
"Jian, by any chance, did I do something to upset you?"
The effect of her changing her expression like that was significant.
The gazes on Jian from those around them grew sharper.
'As I thought...'
For Yuri, who knew the nature of this circle so well, a public place like this was an advantage, not a liability.
Everyone here seemed more inclined to side with Yuri, the stone that was already set, than with Jian, the stone that had just rolled in.
"Upset..."
"If I did anything to upset you, I'm so sorr—."
"After I wandered on the verge of death because of you, you think you can end it with just a simple 'sorry'? Isn't that a bit too shameless?"
After saying that, Jian immediately left the group.
As soon as she left, a few people approached Yuri, and then Hayeon.
Most of them were curious about what on earth had been said.
Ignoring them, Yuri broke away from the crowd and went after Jian.
"Follow me."
She grabbed Jian's wrist and started moving somewhere.
The place they arrived at, following her lead, was a corridor used by employees.
After confirming no one was around, Yuri began to corner Jian.
"What, are you trying to say I'm unqualified as a doctor?"
At Yuri's words, Jian could only let out a hollow laugh.
She had wondered if Yuri might feel even a little remorse for her sins, but as expected, she shouldn't have held such hopes in the first place.
For Yuri to be angry about being slandered even in this situation...
Her refusal to live with even the slightest disadvantage was almost pitiful.
"I told you to stop the baseless speculation about my daughter. How does that connect to your qualifications as a doctor, Ha Yuri?"
"It's the same thing!"
"Why? Does it hit a nerve?"
Yuri, who had been raising her voice, flinched visibly at Jian's words.
"Are you afraid it'll be revealed that you forced me to take birth control pills for two years?"
As she said this, Jian's hands began to tremble.
The feeling of her breath catching was excruciating.
But Jian bit her lower lip hard and endured the pain.
Yuri saw this clearly.
Soon regaining her composure, she crossed her arms with a triumphant expression.
"Why do you keep bringing that up, Jian."
"..."
"I told you back then, too. No one would ever believe that."
Just a moment ago, they were more interested in Hayeon's words than Jian's, and they weren't particularly swayed by Jian's attempt to expose Yuri's actions.
The group's reaction alone made it clear.
"That I tricked you into taking birth control pills by telling you they were fertility drugs... who would believe that without any witnesses?"
Author: Donggeurami (Son Yoon-seo)
Publisher: Toonplus
Email: [email protected]
ISBN: 9791157738274
© Donggeurami (Son Yoon-seo), 2022
※ This e-book is published by <Toonplus> under contract with the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited. Violation of this may result in legal action.
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