chapter 13
For a patient who had been bedridden for three years, walking on their own required a considerable amount of time and effort. Seoha spent most of her days undergoing tests and treatments, with the majority of her time dedicated to rehabilitation. Beyond that, there wasn’t much else to do.
“The weather’s nice.”
Her condition had improved significantly since she could walk on her own, unassisted, even if she still wavered a bit.
“I’ll go for a walk.”
“Be careful on the stairs!”
“Of course.”
Seoha cheerfully greeted the nurses she had grown familiar with and stepped outside. Thanks to the rare good weather, there were many patients out for a walk like her.
“There’s no place to sit.”
Finding a relatively empty bench in the back garden, Seoha sat down. From somewhere, she heard murmuring voices.
“Look at this. Isn’t it perfect for our Seoha?”
“Yes. You have such skillful hands.”
‘Seoha?’
Reflexively, Seoha’s eyes scanned the area and landed on a corner of the flower bed.
An elderly woman in patient clothes and a young man in a suit were crouched down, fiddling with clovers. Intrigued by the unusual scene, Seoha got up slightly and approached them.
“Back when our daughter was little, I used to make her clothes myself. Now, I’m too busy for that.”
The young man noticed her presence and looked up. Embarrassed, Seoha tried to walk past quickly but tripped over the edge of the flower bed.
“Ahhh!”
“Oh my!”
The elderly woman, who had been weaving clovers, hurried over and helped Seoha up.
“Are you okay, miss? Are you hurt badly?”
“I’m fine.”
Rubbing her stinging knee, Seoha looked up and met the woman’s eyes.
At that moment—
“Seoha!”
The woman shouted loudly, as if she wanted the world to hear.
“Excuse me? You… know me?”
Seoha couldn’t finish her sentence as the woman suddenly hugged her tightly. She struggled but couldn’t break free.
“Where have you been, my baby! Do you know how worried I was? Come on, let’s go home. Let’s go home together, Seoha.”
“Ma’am, you can’t do this!”
The young man gently pulled the woman away and apologized.
“I’m sorry. Our CEO isn’t well yet. Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine.”
“Seoha, let me see your leg. Did you get hurt badly? Does it hurt? Mommy will take care of it. Oh, my pretty baby, it hurts….”
The woman’s outstretched hand was stopped by the man before it could reach Seoha.
“Sir, she isn’t our daughter. If you wait inside, I’ll bring your daughter.”
“She’s not…?”
The woman looked a little weary but elegant. She tilted her head at Seoha, then smiled.
“What a pretty girl. And you—I don’t think I’ve met you before. Are you new?”
“I’m Ryu Kyung-jun, ma’am. I recently joined the secretariat.”
“I see, Secretary Ryu. Please take care of her.”
“Shall we go inside? It’s chilly outside.”
The woman and the man walked away together, backs turned toward Seoha, chatting along the way. After a few steps, the man looked back at Seoha and nodded slightly—it seemed an apology.
“Strange…”
Seoha sat back down, bewildered. As she bent down to check her injured knee, she noticed a clover bracelet lying on the ground.
“Oh, this.”
She quickly picked it up and looked around, but the woman and man had vanished.
“Well, can’t be helped.”
Thankfully, her knee wasn’t badly hurt. Sitting alone, Seoha placed the clover bracelet against her wrist. It fit perfectly, as if it had always been hers.
“Uh…?”
Her chest ached. Tears fell without warning, landing softly on the clovers.
In the next moment, her lost memories came rushing back all at once. Every memory of living as Yoon Seo-ha from early childhood until the accident—flooded back.
“Mom…?”
As soon as she spoke, tears poured uncontrollably. Her chest hurt so much she could barely breathe.
Seoha clutched the bracelet tightly and staggered forward. Her still-weak legs frustrated her.
“Mom! Mom!”
Haeseon was nowhere to be seen. She needed to find her and tell her that Seoha was here. Mom had no idea that Kyung-jun was a spy for the Taeyang Group.
Calling for her mother like a madwoman, Seoha finally stopped in front of the lobby glass, seeing her own reflection.
‘Who… am I?’
She raised her hands to examine herself. The scar on her wrist from a deep cut by the foundation scissors—six stitches—was completely gone. Even the slightly crooked pinky finger she inherited from her mother was perfectly straight.
Jo Seo-ha.
The medical staff now called her by this name.
Seoha took a step closer to the glass. The features of a strange woman became clearer.
The accident memory, over three years old but as vivid as yesterday, replayed in her mind.
The woman who had thrown a red brick at the car in her last memory stared back at Seoha from the mirror.
Confused, Seoha’s mind was dominated by one thought: she needed to find her mother.
Staggering into the lobby again, she was shoved and fell flat.
“Ow!”
Although Seoha had no strength, the person who shoved her seemed annoyed as if they had been hit.
“Where are you looking, huh?”
Already weakened, falling twice hurt terribly. As Seoha groaned, struggling to get up, a man’s polished shoe stepped near her.
“What happened, dear?”
“I-I accidentally bumped into her. You, you must have been upset. I’m really sorry… to someone hurt…”
Suddenly, the woman’s tone changed.
Hearing their voices sent chills down Seoha’s spine. Slowly lifting her head from the floor, she recognized them.
Lee Seung-oh, Lee Ji-su.
Seung-oh held Ji-su tenderly on his shoulder, impossible to imagine as the man who had run over his wife with a truck.
Ji-su was even more horrifying.
‘That’s me!’
Even Seoha could tell it was Yoon Seo-ha: same hair, accessories, makeup, clothes, bag, shoes, even perfume.
“I-I’m so sorry! Are you hurt? Here, take my hand and get up.”
“Get away!”
Shuddering, Seoha slapped Ji-su’s hand away.
“Ahh!”
What strength could a patient have? Yet Ji-su screamed as if she’d been hit with a baseball bat and clung to the man.
“Are you okay? Hey, no! Even so, it was just a mistake—”
“I-I’m fine. I was the one at fault first.”
“Foolishly kind, huh. Geez.”
The two embraced each other and walked away, leaving Seoha on the floor, swallowing her rage.
No matter what happened, this body was Jo Seo-ha. She could do nothing for now. She had to find her mother first.
Seoha gritted her teeth, staring down the corridor the two had entered.
[VIP Room Exclusive Corridor]
At least she was fortunate that her mother would be in one of the few VIP rooms. And so would the real ‘Yoon Seo-ha.’
The orange sunset spilled over the white sheets. A teardrop-shaped humidifier puffed cold mist into the air. Seoha was not there.
“My baby. Where did our baby go?”
Haeseon sprang up from her seat in alarm.
“Seoha, my baby, where are you?”
“Mom!”
The closed door swung open, and a young woman entered.
“Mom, I’m here.”
Haeseon blinked, stunned.
“Who…?”
“When will you recognize me, Mom?”
Ji-su, dressed from head to toe like Yoon Seo-ha—same hairstyle, clothes, accessories, bag, shoes—smiled brightly and helped Haeseon sit on the bed, then perched beside her.
“I came to see Mom. This husband is busy and couldn’t come.”
“…?”
Haeseon blinked at Ji-su for a long while, shaking her head.
“Stop joking. Where’s our daughter?”
“Mom, geez! It’s Nara!”
“Miss, haven’t you seen our Seoha? She’s this tall, round-eyed, very pretty, with yellow hair ornaments.”
Ji-su bit her lip.
Although she had been promoted rapidly as a designer, she had no access to the design book for the suspended new brand. It was kept in a small safe under the desk, known only to Yoon Seo-ha and Kang Haeseon.
“Mom, it’s Nara. Why don’t you recognize me?”
“Oh, she left the bracelet. I made it for my baby.”
Pouting, Ji-su grabbed a juice bottle, gulped it down, and carelessly left it on the table.
“Ms. Ji-su.”
Kyung-jun entered, urging her out like shooing away a troublemaker.
“Let’s go. The CEO is tired.”
“It hasn’t even been five minutes.”
“Let’s go.”
“What authority do you have to always kick people out?”
“And what authority do you have to barge into the CEO’s room?”
Kyung-jun asked coldly.
“I-I…”
“Out.”
Though a director, Kyung-jun was essentially just the head secretary; even Seung-oh was always deferential to him. He didn’t explain why, even to Ji-su.
“Tch!”
Ji-su vented her frustration by smashing the half-full juice bottle on the floor and stormed out.
“…Hoo.”
Kyung-jun sighed and cleaned up the broken glass and spilled juice. Haeseon sat quietly, still in a daze.
“I’ll be going, CEO. See you tomorrow.”
After checking temperature, humidity, and room amenities one last time, Kyung-jun bowed politely and left. The guard at the door nodded lightly.
“Take care. Don’t leave your post.”
“Yes, Director.”
Dropping Seung-oh off at home would complete his day’s schedule. Technically unnecessary, but it minimized any chances of trouble.
Kyung-jun walked down the quiet corridor to the elevator. The emergency exit behind him was closed.
“Achoo!”
A small sneeze came from behind the closed door.
‘A reporter?’
Kyung-jun silently approached the emergency exit. As he grabbed the handle and flung the door open—
“Huh!”
A woman covering her mouth with her hand was hiding inside.
“You…?”
Not a reporter, but a patient. The one Seoha had seen earlier in the back garden—the woman Haeseon had hugged, though she bore no resemblance to Yoon Seo-ha.
She clearly hadn’t come with good intentions. Kyung-jun’s gaze sharpened.
“You’re the one I saw earlier, right? Why are you hiding here?”
