A Madman in Love-Chapter 75

The taxi screeched to a stop in front of Hyesung Group.

The person who emerged from the back seat was Seo Jaehee.

His face was deathly pale, his feet bare inside hospital slippers, his body clad in nothing but a thin patient gown. He strode through the lobby, prompting security guards to intercept him.

"Sir, how may we—"

"You might be in the wrong—ah! Executive Director!"

The head of security finally registered his face and nearly choked in alarm, quickly stepping aside.

Other guards hesitated, shifting backward as well.

Jaehee blinked slowly, his fevered eyes struggling to focus. He forced himself to speak through the suffocating heat inside his chest.

"I don’t have my access card…"

"I’ll open it for you."

A security guard rushed to deactivate the checkpoint while another attempted to support Jaehee’s unsteady steps.

"Sir, let me help—"

"I’m fine."

Jaehee brushed off the offered hand and stepped into the elevator.

Without hesitation, he pressed the button for the 40th floor.

***

"The Digital City project, overseen by the Ministry of Land—"

Woo Ilhwa was in the middle of a call with a corporate partner when she clicked on an urgent internal message.

At the same time—

Knock, knock.

A knock at the door, followed by a sudden commotion.

"Chairwoman, the Executive Director—"

"Move."

The doors burst open as Jaehee stormed in.

―Chairwoman. Executive Director Seo Jaehee has entered the 40th floor.

She caught the pop-up message in her peripheral vision while motioning to Oh Daehwi.

By the time Oh Daehwi shut the office door, Jaehee was already standing in front of her desk, looking like he was about to collapse and explode all at once.

"Mother."

"Representative, my apologies. I’ll return your call shortly."

Ilhwa ended her call and leveled a cold stare at her son, who glared at her with burning hostility.

"That was disrespectful."

"Should I have bowed first?"

His voice was razor-sharp.

Even his half-hearted nod was filled with contempt.

Obviously, this is about Lee Suin.

"Did you walk out of the hospital like this?"

Ilhwa already knew the answer, but she pretended otherwise.

Jaehee, standing defiantly before her, radiated unbearable heat.

His cheeks were flushed, not just from fever, but from sheer fury.

"Does Father know?"

"Did you fire Lee Suin?"

Ignoring her question, Jaehee shot back his own accusation.

Ilhwa let out a weary sigh, lowering her gaze to avoid the sight of her son, teetering on the edge of hysteria.

"Answer me."

"It was her decision."

"You made sure she had no other choice."

"There was no coercion."

Jaehee’s hand clenched the sleeve of his patient gown.

His forearm—stained red.

Blood seeped through where he had yanked out his IV.

Ilhwa almost scoffed in disbelief.

"And what about our relationship? Did you interfere?"

"……"

"Mother!"

Bang!

Jaehee slammed his fist onto the desk.

The impact was violent.

Papers fluttered, objects rattled, even the monitor shook from the force.

"Seo Jaehee! Where do you think you are?!"

Ilhwa’s voice cracked like a whip, sharp and severe.

But Jaehee didn’t flinch.

His eyes, now laced with something nearly murderous, locked onto her.

"I knew something was wrong. Suin suddenly started avoiding me. Then she said she was tired of me—bullshit. You cornered her, didn’t you?"

"I did no such thing."

"What trick did you pull?"

"Watch your tone when speaking to your mother."

Judging from his behavior, Suin must have broken things off.

She had said she would handle it—she had wasted no time in following through.

As expected of Lee Suin, who never procrastinated.

"Seo Jaehee, sit down."

Ilhwa attempted to calm him, gesturing toward the sofa.

She was about to stand when Jaehee’s voice cut through, laden with betrayal.

"How is this fair? You promised me."

Ilhwa froze.

That word—promise.

She hesitated because his voice, thick with hurt, sounded just like it had when he was eighteen.

"I want Lee Suin."

At the time, she had dismissed it as the immature demand of a foolish boy.

"Suin isn't mine to give or take, Jaehee. She has feelings of her own."

"I’ll take care of her feelings myself. If I decide to have her, don’t say anything about it."

She had known then.

She had felt the desperation in him, the resolve that he would pour every ounce of himself into her.

"Keep your promise."

And yet, she had ignored it.

"I will."

She had given him a promise—nothing but a temporary appeasement—never once taking his love seriously.

"I kept it."

Even now, he had kept it.

"I became exactly the kind of successor you wanted. I never wasted time, I never strayed, I never made mistakes. I gave up sleep, I worked harder than anyone."

She had assumed his love would fade with time.

She had been wrong.

"I kept my promise. Why didn’t you?"

His entire body burned with fever, as if his very skin was tearing itself apart.

"What promise should I have kept?"

Even as she acknowledged her own foolishness, Woo Ilhwa refused to yield.

She caught the vulnerability in her son’s gaze but turned away from it.

Reality wasn’t something she could compromise on.

"She said she doesn’t want you anymore. What am I supposed to do about that?"

"I don’t believe you anymore. So give her back."

He pleaded.

He knew—Lee Suin was too responsible to defy Woo Ilhwa.

If she had broken things off, it wasn’t because she wanted to.

His love for her had never wavered.

Even if the world split in half, his feelings would never change.

"If you don’t give her back, I’ll leave Hyesung."

Jaehee finally issued his threat.

"I’ll sell all of my shares and walk away."

"You call that a threat?"

"Or should I hand them over to the Vice Chairman instead?"

"Seo Jaehee! You’re crossing the line!"

Woo Ilhwa slammed her fist against the desk and shot to her feet.

Jaehee stared at her, stunned.

For a moment, she thought she saw something heartbreakingly sad flicker in his eyes.

Then—

He squeezed his eyes shut.

His body shook.

When he opened them again, his sclera was tinged red, just like his flushed cheeks.

"I’m throwing a tantrum."

His face—

Looked like he was about to cry.

"This is how you raised me. You always gave me whatever I wanted."

Even when he was eighteen, exiled to America—he hadn’t cried.

But now—

"So give her to me, Mother. Give me Lee Suin."

At thirty years old—

He was crying.

***

Whirr—

Suin was printing out documents to hand over to her successor.

From across the room, Jongin hesitantly spoke up.

"Chief, aren’t you going to eat? It’s already past two…"

"Is it?"

"I can grab you a sandwich from the cafeteria."

"I’m fine, thank you."

She didn’t look at him. She just kept working.

When the printer finished, she stood.

"I’ll get them for you."

Jongin rushed forward before she could reach the papers.

But just as he reached for the stack—

Bang!

The office door burst open without warning.

Both of them turned their heads in alarm.

It was Jaehee.

His hospital gown was as white as his ghostly complexion.

Staggering, swaying, he stepped inside.

"Lee Suin…"

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His fever-clouded eyes fixed solely on her.

"Executive Director—"

Before Jongin could react, Suin instinctively moved toward him.

The moment she was close—

Jaehee collapsed against her.

"Suin."

No—

More accurately, he fell into her arms.

His body had barely been holding itself together.

The instant he saw her, relief overtook him.

His strength gave out.

He buried his face against her shoulder, leaning into her.

Even on the verge of unconsciousness, he had come to her.

Because he had something to say.

So much to say.

"Suin…"

Sometimes, I pretend to be indifferent, just to make you look at me.

Sometimes, when you pull away, I act cold, just to get a rise out of you.

But I can’t do it.

No matter how much I try to resist—

Whenever I see you, my body moves toward you.

No matter how hard I try to turn away—

"I love you."

My body always finds its way back to you.

"I love you… Suin."