I had thought that I had brought Yeon to her senses when I kept her up all night long with the gifts that I had never bought anyone before, when she couldn't wake up the next day. Although I did recognise for the first time that I may have taken things too far with Yeon, she would always forgive me regardless of what I did. But I should find a way to make it up to her nonetheless. The events that took place last night were heavy on my mind and it was all I could think about thought my team meetings, my work and my own plans with her brother that she was unaware of. Her touch, her smell, how light and fair she really was, how her hair kept getting tangled up in mine and how she kissed me back after she was startled. She was like something frail and precious in my hands that kept trying to be strong for no reason at all, even though it wasn't the first time we had done this. Even if it took me to pretend to be drunk and say a bunch of nonsense that I would never say otherwise for me to see the real her who always hid herself behind her wit and those massive clothes that she had to wear, it was well worth it. I wouldn't have been able to see who was for the first time, and I was finally able to put my doubts about her to rest. very single dark attribute from my life couldn't touch someone as pure as Yeon like having to tell lies and live by them, by being forced to do things to survive, and being someone that she really wasn't.
"Do you have a cherry addiction or something recently? What's wrong with you?" "It's a long story. Anyways, are we done here? I want to go home for a few hours before we…what? What happened?" I could hear the fatigue in my servant's voices as hey were struggling to keep up with me, but i felt just fine. More than fine in fact; I was getting more sleep, my aches and pains had lessened since my last fix and Yeon left me a full spread of food after receiving my gifts, so i was doing better than i had done since my accident and I could barely top myself up at all. But work was the very last thing that my mind was on today. I just wanted to go home, get some sleep and torture Yeon some more before I had to head out for work. But my plans went out of the window when I turned around and almost ran right over my sister-in-law, who looked like she had been crying all night long. She had her team of servants blocking the door, so I knew that I wasn't able to get out of this one today, no matter what I said.
"What on earth are you doing here, in my office? Whatever you have to say, can't this wait until I'm free?" "Is that all you have to say to me? I came here because I am worried about you and this is how you greet me? after my sister's death?" "You're sister's death? What are you talking about?" Nothing she was staying was registering in my mind until I saw the real tears streaming from her eyes and her disheveled clothes, that was when my legs gave way under me. "My Lady! Please calm down, you cannot disturb The Lord Nam like this…" "It is my fault! I should have never lent her services out to the other concubines in the harem!" I heard Yeon desperately trying to make her way towards me, but the shock of the news was too great and it rendered me utterly speechless for a while, even when she made it past my guards and threw herself at me onto the floor. "Didn't she grow up by the water in her childhood? I thought that she would have known how to swim...isn't that what you told me? Seon-Ho?"
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Of course, everybody in the room ceased to notice me as soon as Yeon made her grand entrance, so I took this time to collect my thoughts once again before i had to put on another dramatic scene in front of everyone. Had i given my sister a chance to live, then she would have exposed my secrets that she was close to finding out about anyways and put an end to my income. I must have received heaven's aid at long last and I finally had a reason ti put an end to that vixen's life which was already a great relief for me , but coupled with Yeon's tears made it even better. But i found myself panicking unnecessarily once again when they all attempted to leave without consoling me as well.
"No! Do not leave! Wait! I…I know you are angry at me for what happened about the horse incident! But I didn't mean for you to get hurt Yeon! Please do not cast me aside like this! I am always willing to listen to your teachings. And My Lord, you have already endured such a long journey, you should rest first instead of dealing with just a mere servant..." "Mistress Nam! Despite her lowly status, she still cannot compare to anyone else in our hearts! What on earth is wrong with you! She didn't even care about titles herself, she just wanted a peaceful life with us!And you My Lord, let us please leave o retrieve her body and give her the burial that she deserves, with all of our friends attending it!" "Very well, i shall get her body and make the arrangements, whilst you get everyone together and come up with a date for this to happen, but it must happen this week! The sooner the better…" I didn't even get to chance to interrupt them again as i felt my own legs give way this time and i collapsed onto the floor. But instead of paying the slightest bit of attention to myself at all, i could only hear my brother-in-law say "Manage your servants. If they ever cause me such delay again, I will not hold myself responsible for my actions." " Will you really leave me in your office alone for her?" I was barely able to mutter before I could no longer keep my eyes open, but not before I heard him reply "I will not repeat myself again; stay away from me and my family. And don't even think about bothering Yeon at all!"
Nam Seon-Ho, I am the only person in your circle that you do not own and yet you are still important to me, but you sill do not care for me like you do others at all. Seo Yeon and myself technically came from the same background, so what made her receive a better fate than myself? I gave this man my trust and yet he would not focus on anything else other than a lowly woman that I cannot get rid of! What have I done to deserve this? What have I done wrong to live a lonely life like this? Will I live my entire life chasing people that want absolutely nothing to do with me? You ignore me, so how can I not harm the women around you!
I woke up a day or 2 later, only to find out that my brother-in-law hadn't returned to his quarters or anyone else's to pay me a visit at all! I was so incensed that I couldn't help but to throw away all of the so-called medicine in a fit of anger. What was wrong with him? Wasn't he supposed to look after me? His only remaining family? Didn't he send e gifts in the past, including his finances Shu Brocade outfits? He himself assured me that he would be responsible for me and my living situation. But I had no money, no support and no skills that could get me by in the outside world. As much as I despised Nam Seon-Ho as the rest of the village did, he was my only hope to get by, and it honestly couldn't have been more well-timed with his growing rise in the palace. I had no idea how he now commanded more and more respect from people as the days passed, but it could only mean good things for my future.
"Why are you throwing such a tantrum, My Lady? The man had you treated, right? That is already a lot more than any of women will ever get from a man." "I know I know. But if it wasn't for Seo Yeon, then he would have stayed by my side until I woke up!" Seo Yeon, the more obediently you behave in his eyes, the more detestable you become. Do you expect me to become defiant and speak disrespectful to you? Even though my precious health is not worth being harmed by an epileptic orphan such as herself. for status and rank are the natural order. Why should a noble person be angry with a humble one? Wouldn't that be an honour of the humble person?
"My Lady! The Lord Nam is right outside of these quarters? You must get ready!" "What? What did you just say? He is outside at this very moment....alone?" "Is The Mistress Nam not happy to see me? Even though I haven't been able to visit you since your mini-accident?" "I…thought that you would never want to see me again after my sister's death...."