Reason for Marriage

Chapter 20

Slave contract

Knock knock

After hearing a knock, the helper opened the door and poked her face out.

“Madam, I’m going to get going now.”

“Wait, wait a minute!”

The helper thought that she would eventually hear a word about what happened earlier, so her face hardened.

“Is there something you would like me to do…”

“It’s not like that, but I have a few questions to ask you.”

“Yes.”

“How long have you been working here? Don’t say since I came. When we first met, you were already very used to this house.”

“Do I have to answer honestly?”

“Yes. Otherwise, I’ll talk to him and cut you off somehow.”

Looking at Minju’s unfriendly expression, the lady chose to confess.

“It’s been a little over three years since the conductor-nim moved into the house.”

“Then, you’ve been working here for the wife of this house that the real estate agent mentioned earlier.”

“…What exactly are you curious about?”

“Everything, everything about this house and the people who lived in it.”

As if the lady had made a great decision, she slowly approached Minju and sat down. Soon, she began her story with a long sigh.

“Like other housekeeping assistants, I was introduced to them. They said that they were looking for someone with a particularly heavy mouth. And they said they were looking for a woman who was a little bigger and stronger than a skinny person, and I said I would be perfect. I didn’t care much because it was a natural contract clause when I served people who lived in this kind of house, but I was surprised that they were looking for someone tall. What kind of hard work would there be requiring strength?”

Minju was so curious that she swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.

“If you think it’s too much, you shouldn’t do it… At first, I came with this kind of heart. But then they said they would give me three times the salary. So I said I would definitely do it.”

“Did you come and go to work?”

“No, I was a resident helper back then.”

“Keep going.”

“But I really wanted to quit after just a month.”

“Why? What happened?”

“The wife… No, the former wife was very sick. She was completely different during the day and the night, she couldn’t sleep properly, and suddenly she would scream while sleepwalking, and there were countless times when she jumped up and ran far out of the house. There were times when she started playing the cello in the middle of the night.”

The lady shuddered, recalling that time.

“You must have had a hard time.”

“Don’t tell me, the conductor-nim and I couldn’t sleep on nights like that. I’ve never weighed below 67 kilograms in my entire life, but I was so tired at that time that I lost a lot of weight. Sigh, I thought I was going to die because of that wife. I don’t know if you know, but some rooms in this house are soundproofed.”

“So that’s how it was.”

“Because the conductor-nim and I needed to get some sleep. Also, if the sound leaked out, reports could have been made and strange rumors might have spread.”

“Then, the door of each room can be locked from outside?”

“Yes, that’s right. Because otherwise the wife would just disappear and run away. But she didn’t always do that. There was a kind of cycle, sometimes she was really normal, kind, and friendly.”

“Well, otherwise, you wouldn’t have endured it, right?”

“The reason I stayed was… because of the conductor-nim. I was determined to endure it for a month and leave after I get paid, but… You know the flying yoga hammock in the exercise room?”

“Yes, I was wondering what it was because there was a hole in the ceiling.”

“The wife hanged herself there. When the conductor-nim found her, he called me so hard that I ran as fast as I could, still wearing my pajamas. He hugged the wife’s legs tightly and lifted her up and shouted at me to call 119. Phew, a grown-up man was shaking and crying. He looked so pitiful, what would he have done without me? That’s when I stopped thinking about running away, and rather wanted to help him. I don’t know how this will sound, but I stayed here not because of the wife, but because of the conductor-nim.”

Minju understood a little bit why Sang-yeon was overprotecting her.

“I don’t know when you two started having a deep relationship, but I fully understand the conductor-nim’s mind. Even if I were a man, I could have looked away. Of course.”

What was this lady talking about? Did that mean that he left his sick wife and cheated on her with Minju?

“If it were me… I wouldn’t have held her legs and would just have let her go. Even if I did so, no one could blame me. People who haven’t experienced it will never know.”

The lady’s excessive advocacy for Sang-yeon was annoying, but Minju did not express it as much as possible.

“It’s a secret to the conductor-nim that I told you this. Madam?”

“Of course. Thank you for being honest.”

“No matter what anyone says, I’m on your side. Then I’ll see you next week.”

After finishing her story, the lady got up from her seat.

“Hmm, maybe…”

“…?”

“Can I get Seo Hye-ryeong’s number?”

“What are you going to do with it? If the conductor-nim knows, he won’t like it. Just pretend you don’t know. That would be much better for you.”

It was a subtle mix of advice and warnings.

“Seo Hye-ryeong, is she alive?”

Minju saw it. At that moment, the muscles of the helper’s face twitched slightly!

Leaving behind Minju, who was eagerly waiting for an answer, the helper closed the door and left.

Obviously, at the beginning, Minju had the upper hand in the conversation, but not anymore in the end.

Perhaps it was the helper who took the lead in the conversation from the beginning, and Minju only listened unilaterally.

Minju was not sure if she could really believe the words of a person who said that she was heavy-mouthed, that she was on her side, and that this was a secret.

The lady left Sang-yeon’s mansion and hurriedly texted someone.

Recipient: Master

She kept asking me about your wife, so I answered as it was.

-What was her reaction?

She seemed a little scared.

-You worked hard.

Minju’s intuition did not seem to be very wrong.

* * *

The recording was successful.

Sang-yeon, who majored in piano at the National University of Music in Berlin, could speak German like it was his second native language, so it was not difficult for him to communicate with local studio officials at all.

Rather, they were overwhelmed and led by him. Sang-yeon was a natural conductor.

After recording, interviews and photo shoots with media gathered from all over Europe were held without a break.

Sang-yeon changed his clothes, touched his hair, finished his makeup, and walked in front of the camera.

“Sang-yeon-ssi, your phone!”

As always, President Seo made a gesture meaning that she would keep Sang-yeon’s cell phone during the interviews.

“Oh, it’s okay. I will keep it.”

Sang-yeon did not leave his phone to Seo. It was the first time it happened.

She had been suspicious since they arrived in Berlin and checked in at the hotel.

Usually, Seo and Sang-yeon stayed together in a suite room with two separate bedrooms and a common living room when they were overseas.

This was because it was easier to check the artist’s condition and carry out their busy schedule.

But Sang-yeon refused it this time. He asked for two single rooms, saying that he wanted to use a room alone and that it would be better. At first, she thought it was because of money.

“It’s okay, Director Park, I won’t charge you for this. Can I not even do this to help our conductor-nim rest comfortably? Our company can do this much.”

“No, I just want to relax by myself.”

“Hmm, really? Then as you please.”

President Seo knew instinctively. That Sang-yeon has a secret.

In terms of music, there was no compromise and concession, and Sang-yeon was somewhat feisty and overly sensitive, but in places where one’s image was important, he quickly captivated not only women but also men with excellent showmanship and manners.

It was fortunate that her artist was loved by both men and women of all ages, but Seo was always anxious about that.

It seemed that it would never be acceptable for Sang-yeon to spread scandals with someone else than Seo Hye-ryeong, the woman she had chosen.

She did not know that if love could not find its place and wandered, if love was crooked and twisted, love would lose its gentle, beautiful, brilliant original flesh and leave only a vain shell of domination.

“Well done, let’s go eat dinner now.” (President Seo)

“We could have an after party with the members and the studio staff. Where would you like to go?” (Sang-yeon)

“Let’s get out of here, this place is only good for kids. Knowing him, he wouldn’t like it.”

“Did you make another appointment?”

“That’s right.”

Sang-yeon’s quickly understood her intentions.

“Who?”

“Your big fan.”

“Minister Schmidt?”

“Bingo!”

Dennis Schmidt, the former German Defense Minister, was a politician famous for marrying a Korean woman after his retirement.

He was also known for being a classic lover, and he had a special affection for Sang-yeon, enough to often call himself a big fan of Park Sang-yeon in interviews.

It was a kind of fan meeting time for which President Seo had to split again and again his busy schedule.

In the moving car, Seo looked closely at the sleeves of Sang-yeon’s shirt.

“Are they new?”

“…?”

“You know, the cuff links.”

“Yes, I bought them recently.”

It was the cuff links that Minju had gifted him.

“Really? Your taste has changed a lot.”

Gold! And not matte, but glossy gold!

President Seo knew well that Sang-yeon would never purchase accessories opposite of his taste.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the two were guided to a pre-booked room.

Sang-yeon hurried his steps when he heard that the guest had arrived first. A restaurant employee opened and Sang-yeon entered the room.

“Long time no see, Mr. Park.”

Minister Schmidt was not the waiting guest.

It was instead Hye-ryeong’s father, Sang-yeon’s father-in-law, Chairman Seo.[1]

Sang-yeon’s handsome and confident face quickly distorted.

Sang-yeon was about to go back, but President Seo blocked in front of him.

“Let’s come and sit first. The minister will arrive soon.”

Sang-yeon sat down at the table with a feeling of desperation, like a cow being dragged to a slaughterhouse.

“I’ve told you several times that sudden meetings like this are uncomfortable.”

“You wouldn’t meet me otherwise. Is there anything wrong?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to meet you, but I was supposed to meet the minister.”

“Huh. Why doesn’t a person who knows so well cooperate every time? What’s the reason I invested in you in the first place?”

“You still haven’t recovered your investment?”

“Of course. President Seo, didn’t you tell him?”

Sang-yeon stared at her with a scary look.

“The cost of the local staff in Germany and the cost of renting a recording studio for this recording. The chairman paid for all of them.”

President Seo explained in a calm voice while pouring water into a cup to avoid Sang-yeon’s gaze.

“I guess I’m the producer of this album.”

“As you know, we can’t even dream of this kind of album with our city’s budget.”

‘If I had known this before, I wouldn’t have come all the way to Germany and recorded it. If you had explained the situation to me in advance, I would have definitely found another way. No matter what…’

Sang-yeon’s two fists shook under the table.

“By the way, Hye-ryeong hasn’t contacted me lately… Is my daughter okay?”

Sang-yeon, who was about to leave his seat in an unbearable sense of humiliation, paused.

TL notes

[1] President Seo (Seo Ji-hee) is Sang-yeon’s manager, Chairman Seo is Sang-yeon’s father-in-law and Seo Hye-ryeong is Sang-yeon’s former(?) wife. I hope it’s not too confusing because they all have the same surname.