Please be my wife for just one year.

EP.17

A few days later.

The heroine returned home again.

When she opened the front door, a familiar scene came into view.

And in the kitchen, Seongho, wearing an apron, was preparing dinner.

Hearing the door open, Seongho slowly turned around.

Their eyes met.

A moment of silence.

The heroine spoke first.

Heroine "...I'm home."

It was a short line.

But with that one line, the stiff expression on Seongho's face noticeably softened.

Seongho "...Welcome home."

For the first time, those words sounded sincere.


---

Dinner.

There was far more food on the table than usual.

Bulgogi.

Doenjang-jjigae.

Japchae.

And even the strawberry salad the heroine liked.

The heroine let out a snort of laughter.

Heroine "...Could it be."

"..."

"Did you practice cooking more over the past few days?"

Seongho paused his chopsticks for a moment.

Seongho "...A little."

Heroine "A little?"

Seongho "..."

"Every day."

The heroine couldn't hold back her laughter.

Heroine "Every day is a little?"

The tips of Seongho's ears turned just a little red.

Seeing that, the heroine laughed out loud for the first time.

The moment he heard that laughter.

Seongho, too, was smiling before he knew it.


---

The next day.

SH Group headquarters.

Manager Kim hurriedly knocked on the CEO's office door.

Manager Kim "CEO!"

Seongho "...What's the matter?"

Manager Kim held out a tablet.

An article was displayed on the screen.

『SH Group CEO Park Seongho suspected of contract marriage for money... evidence photos secured』



Seongho's expression froze in an instant.

When he opened the article.

Photos of them going into separate rooms at the honeymoon house.

Photos of them first meeting at the hotel.

And...

Even photos taken at the cafe a few days ago.

Below the article, this sentence was written.

'Suspicion is being raised that it was a contract marriage to become the heir.'




---

At the same time.

The heroine, who saw the article in the living room, also went pale.

Her phone rang nonstop.

It was calls from reporters.

With trembling hands, she set the phone down.

A little later.

The front door opened.

It was Seongho.

He was home much earlier than usual.

As soon as he saw the heroine, he came over.

Seongho "...Are you all right?"

The heroine forced a smile.

Heroine "...I'm okay."

"..."

"But your company..."

Seongho answered briefly.

Seongho "The stock price wobbled a little."

A little.

Unlike his words, the situation was serious.


---

That afternoon.

An emergency board meeting at SH Group.

The executives' expressions were grave.

Executive 1 "CEO."

"You need to deny this allegation before the losses get any bigger."

Executive 2 "Before the evidence comes out, hold a press conference..."

Everyone only talked about the company.

But Seongho quietly said just one thing.

Seongho "...The articles attacking my wife."

"..."

"Take legal action against all of them."

The conference room fell silent.

Executive 1 "CEO, right now the company..."

Seongho cut him off firmly.

Seongho "The company is important too."

"..."

"But."

"..."

"Right now, protecting my family comes first."

Manager Kim gave a small smile at the side of Seongho he was seeing for the first time.


---

At the same time.

Wunhak's office.

Wunhak was smiling in satisfaction as he looked at the article.

Wunhak "So it's over now."

Just then.

His secretary rushed in.

Secretary "CEO!"

Wunhak "...Why."

Secretary "On Park Seongho's side."

"..."

"They've filed a defamation lawsuit."

Wunhak let out a snort of laughter.

Wunhak "I expected that."

But the secretary brought up the next thing.

Secretary "...And."

Wunhak "What now."

Secretary "The person who took the photos used in the article..."

"..."

"Tried to approach other media outlets for more money and was caught."

Wunhak's smile vanished.

Wunhak "...What?"

Secretary "During the police investigation."

"..."

"They stated that they had received orders from you."

In an instant.

Wunhak's face hardened.


---

That night.

On the rooftop of the honeymoon house.

The heroine was looking up at the night sky.

Footsteps sounded from behind.

It was Seongho.

He quietly stood beside the heroine.

The two of them said nothing.

Seongho looked at her.

The heroine quietly took his hand.

If it had been before, it would have been an action she would have hesitated over, but not now.

Seongho slowly took her hand in return.

The cold night wind blew, but.

Their hands were warm.

Seongho made up his mind about one thing in his heart.

'This time.'

'No matter what happens.'

'I'll protect you for sure.'

But the next day.

Wunhak was getting ready to play his final card.

Along with the certainty that that one card could shake the two of them to their very core.