Chapter 75
Give Me a Chance
“You’re leaving now?”
They had just finished talking, but Lee Yeon was already coming down from the second floor with her suitcase.
Do Hyun quickly took it from her hands before she could carry it herself.
It was heavy.
“What did you even pack? Can you really carry something this heavy?”
To his eyes, her arms looked so fragile that a light tap could break them.
How was she planning to carry this all the way?
And she still had another bag hanging from her shoulder.
Judging by the amount, it looked like she had packed for three weeks.
Sending her off like this made Do Hyun’s chest tighten with unease.
“If I stay around for a few more days, I’ll probably lose my resolve. I don’t want to leave either, but I have to go while I still can.”
Why was she so firm?
Was she always this resolute?
He didn’t want to let her go. But it felt like she didn’t feel the same. That stung more than he expected.
Maybe the one who loves more is the one who loses.
‘She’s joking, right? She’s not actually leaving right now.’
He wanted to deny reality.
It didn’t make sense for her to just leave like this.
She had just said she’d go, and if she really walked out right now, he wouldn’t even have time to brace himself.
He could hold her every day and still never get enough, and yet now she was walking away without hesitation.
Do Hyun stared at her, his heart breaking at how cold she looked.
But her face wasn’t cold—it was determined.
Whatever she had decided, it seemed final.
That scared him even more.
If she was really leaving, he couldn’t just let her go like this.
“Don’t say you’re leaving. Say you’ll be back soon.”
Do Hyun leaned in and kissed her.
The only way to calm his unease was to leave his mark on her, to remind her of him in every way he could.
Even if he acted like he was letting her go easily, his trembling heart told her otherwise.
Sensing that, Lee Yeon wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
Come back soon.
That’s what his body seemed to say.
Please wait for me a little.
***
“Was the wall always this tall?”
The gate looked impossibly high today.
Lee Yeon stood in front of Gapsu’s house, dragging her suitcase behind her.
She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to get past those fortress-like walls.
But she was going to try.
And she hoped he’d see that effort.
She clenched her fists softly, whispering a quiet cheer to herself.
“Let’s do this.”
.
.
.
Gapsu was getting older now.
He had already handed most of his important work to Deokho, spending more time at home these days.
Three weeks.
That was how long Lee Yeon had.
For three weeks, she planned to show Gapsu her true self.
After thinking it over, she realized the biggest reason he couldn’t accept her was trust.
He probably wondered if she was two-faced, or if she was up to something behind their backs.
Or maybe he doubted how sincere her love for Do Hyun really was.
So she decided to show him everything—no hiding, no pretending.
He’d be shocked to know she was actually moving in, but she needed to prove herself now.
Still, she was nervous.
What if he yelled at her for showing up? What if he kicked her out, or made things unbearable?
She shook her head, pushing the thought away.
It might just be wishful thinking, but she had a feeling—Gapsu wanted to trust her.
And she was betting everything on that feeling.
If he doesn’t accept me, I’ll just find a room nearby.
Then I’ll visit every day. He’ll get tired of it and let me stay eventually.
That’s how desperate she was.
She wanted, more than anything, for her sincerity to reach him.
No, more than that—she just wanted a chance to stay by his side.
After a long moment of quiet determination, she pressed the doorbell.
The die was cast.
She wasn’t sure if she could do this.
But she wanted to.
Beep—
To her surprise, the door opened right away.
She had braced herself for rejection, maybe even to be shooed away with salt, but instead the front gate swung open easily.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief.
One step down.
She walked through the gate, pulling her suitcase until she reached the front door.
“Hello.”
“Madam! Hello, there’s no one home right now!”
Relief washed over her.
That must be why the door opened—Gapsu wasn’t home yet.
So far, her luck was holding.
All she needed was to get inside and last. Timing it for when he was out was perfect.
“When will the chairman be home?”
She wanted to be ready when he arrived.
Just then, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the hallway.
“He’s home now. Would you like something to drink?”
Lee Yeon shook her head politely, and the housekeeper disappeared into the kitchen.
“You’re here?”
She greeted Gapsu as he stepped inside.
He froze for a moment, startled by her voice, but quickly regained his composure.
“Why are you here? And you’re greeting me like you belong here?”
The lines on his forehead deepened.
He was clearly not pleased.
“I wanted to say hello. I’m happy to see you, Grandfather.”
She decided to call him that—just like Do Hyun did.
“What kind of disrespect is this!”
“I’m sorry. But I came because I’m desperate. Please give me one chance. Just one—to show you who I really am.”
Even with his sharp, icy tone, she didn’t flinch.
Maybe it was love that made her so strong.
All she could think was that she had to hold her ground no matter what.
“There’s no need. I’ll call Do Hyun—”
“He doesn’t know I’m here. I told him I needed three weeks to rest and came on my own. I didn’t want to rely on him.
I want to be accepted by the family of the man I love through my own effort. That’s why I came. So please, give me a chance.”
She didn’t blink once.
She didn’t look away from him.
She just hoped he could feel the sincerity that had brought her here.
Just give me a chance.
“I want you to see for yourself who I am. The good and the bad. And if, after that, you still want me gone…”
“…”
“Then at least you’ll have something real to tell Do Hyun. You can say, ‘I watched her for three weeks, and she’s not right for you.’ At least then, it’ll be the truth.”
Something shifted in Gapsu’s expression.
He lifted his head slightly, his lips pressing together as if in thought.
A few long seconds passed.
Lee Yeon watched his lips nervously.
She didn’t know how many times she had already begged in her heart.
“Fine. I don’t know what you plan to do here, but I’ll give you three weeks. If, by the end, I still can’t accept you, I’ll have one more reason to oppose your relationship. That’s fair enough.”
Success.
She almost shouted for joy but swallowed it down.
This was only the beginning. She couldn’t act foolish now.
“Thank you so much. I’ll show you my true self, no pretense. I know living together won’t be easy, but I trust your eyes will see me for who I am.”
“Don’t expect too much.”
“There’s one more thing I’d like to say.”
He turned back, just before heading to his room.
“I hope you’ll see me not as Do Hyun’s future wife, but just as Yoo Lee Yeon. I’m not here in daughter-in-law mode.”
He frowned slightly, not sure what she meant.
But after a brief nod, he went upstairs.
She had expected him to explode in anger, but instead, he left quietly.
And before disappearing, he even told the housekeeper to prepare a guest room for her.
He really was hard to figure out.
“Madam, I don’t know what’s going on, but getting this far is impressive,” Mrs. Kim said as she led her to the guest room.
“I’m on your side. I haven’t seen you much, but after all these years working in other people’s homes, I’ve learned to read people well.”
A warm smile spread across Mrs. Kim’s face.
That small bit of kindness made Lee Yeon’s chest feel lighter.
Maybe she wouldn’t be completely alone these next three weeks.
“I actually thought I’d be all by myself while the chairman was out. But now that you’re on my side, I feel like I’ve gained an ally. Thank you, Mrs. Kim. I’ll be in your care.”
Mrs. Kim patted her shoulder encouragingly before heading back to her work.
The “guest room” was bigger than Do Hyun’s master bedroom.
“It’s huge…”
Standing alone in that wide, quiet room, loneliness crept in.
Do Hyun had always been by her side.
Now that he wasn’t, the emptiness hit her all at once.
I miss you…
It hadn’t even been that long, but she already felt the ache of missing him.
