Chapter 1: The Golden Dinner (Reimagined)
Soft classical music flowed through the grand hall, mingling with the faint rustle of silk and the scent of roses dipped in gold dust. Maids glided across the marble floors, perfecting every last detail — the shimmer of the chandeliers, the gleam of the crystal goblets, the golden glow that wrapped the entire room in quiet opulence.
Then came the sound.
Click. Click. Click.
A pair of crimson heels echoed through the hall like a command, and every maid froze. Yeji entered — radiant, ruthless, and regal. Her gown, a molten river of gold laced with scarlet undertones, hugged her curves as though tailored by fire itself. Her hair cascaded in soft waves, her ruby lips curving into a smile that could kill or crown.
"Hmm."
Just that sound — a hum of approval — and the maids exhaled as if spared from judgment. Yeji clapped twice, and they scurried away like wind.
The door opened, and Yoon walked in, tall and composed in his doctor's uniform — the white coat stark against the gilded room. His glasses caught the light, his expression unreadable.
"Scram," Yeji ordered, her tone cutting.
When they were alone, she turned to him, her eyes sharp.
"You promised me you'd be back in time."
"No," Yoon replied, his voice cool and edged with exhaustion. "You decided I must be back in time. I was busy saving someone's life — I almost missed your perfect dinner."
Her jaw tightened. "What does it take for you to behave like a good husband, Yoon?"
He smiled without warmth. "Exactly what it takes for you to behave like a good wife."
The room went silent. Then — crash!
A porcelain plate shattered.
Their daughter Jennie, stood in the doorway, her pink-gold dress glimmering like dawn. Despite her youth, her poise silenced them both.
"What does it take," Jennie said, her voice soft but steady, "for you two to act like normal parents?"
Yeji's anger melted. "We're sorry, sweetheart."
Yoon added, "My princess looks perfect tonight." His voice softened, genuine for the first time that evening.
---
In the grand corridor, Sara and Tae-san waited, dressed in contrasting whites — her gown sleek and cold like winter frost, his suit open at the collar, charm masking arrogance.
"Are you that happy?" Sara asked, a bitter edge beneath her calm.
Tae-san's lips curved. "Of course. I've missed Yeji. I wonder how radiant she'll be tonight... my Yeji."
Sara's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Yeji is a married woman."
"You don't have to remind me every minute." His tone shifted — the flirt vanished, replaced by ice. He handed her his phone. "Hold this."
It buzzed in her palm.
She glanced at the screen — a message glowing like poison.
> 'July, yesterday was fun. When will we meet again?'
Her heart twisted, but her face stayed still, perfect as porcelain.
Their son Woonhak joined them, dressed smartly in a golden tux with a blush-pink tie. "Let's go, Dad."
"Yeah, buddy," Tae-san replied, ruffling his hair.
But his eyes caught the tie. "Why pink?"
"Because Jennie's wearing pink," Woonhak said innocently. "I wanted to match her."
Sara's voice cut through the air. "Take it off."
Woonhak hesitated, then obeyed. "Good boy," she said, smiling sweetly — too sweetly.
Inside, her thoughts burned.
First my husband, now my son. Not again. Never again.
When the boy left, Tae-san turned to her, fury barely contained. "What the hell was that?"
Sara's smile didn't falter. "My husband's already obsessed with that witch. I won't let my son fall for her daughter."
---
Across the city, in a darker mansion, Tae-oh stood at a marble sink, washing blood from his hands. The black suit he wore shimmered faintly — gold threads woven into sin.
Beside him, Arin, young and dangerously beautiful, adjusted her short golden-black dress, her tone teasing.
"Honey, we'll be late."
Tae-oh smirked. "Yeji and her dramas. I married an actress, but even she couldn't write nonsense this extravagant."
"Then why go?" Arin asked.
"Because she's rich, and her family's richer. Once they're on my side, the election is mine."
"Where's Tan?" he snapped.
From the hall, Kim Tan appeared — handsome, nervous, eyes flicking to the faint red stains still dripping from his father's fingers.
"Pathetic," Tae-oh said coldly. "Beaten by a woman in your exams? You shame me."
Tan lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry, Father."
"You'll be sorry when we get home."
---
Meanwhile, at the golden gates of Yeji's mansion, a girl arrived on a motorbike — the only one not dressed for gold.
Ahyeon held a cake box with trembling hands, reading the elegant address again.
"So... this is it," she whispered, staring up at the glowing mansion that shimmered like a palace of secrets.
She smiled faintly. "Just another delivery... right?"
But fate was already watching her.
And by the time the night ended, Ahyeon's world would no longer belong to her.
---