Choi Bora's face paled under the weight of everyone's gaze. Panic seized her, and she hastily blurted out, "Then why didn't you return to the private room where we all gathered for dinner yesterday, sister? You and Wang Da disappeared at the same time. What was I supposed to think? I had no choice but to believe Wang Da!" Her voice wavered, but she managed to add just enough conviction to make everyone around her reconsider.
Murmurs began to ripple through the room as those present weighed her words, doubt creeping in again. Yun-ji opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, a calm yet commanding voice cut through the tension.
"That's because she was with me."
All heads turned, not toward Yun-ji, but toward the elegant woman standing beside her. Seo-Yun, Kim Won-Shik's mother, had remained largely unnoticed in the chaos, her dignified presence overshadowed by the unfolding drama. Now, all eyes were on her, and she carried herself with a composed grace that demanded attention.
Seo-Yun, a woman in her mid-fifties, radiated an aura of quiet power. Her poised features were framed by dark, glossy hair pulled into a simple yet sophisticated updo. She was the embodiment of refinement, her elegant attire adding to her aristocratic bearing. Despite her serene demeanor, her sharp gaze hinted at a keen mind that missed nothing. She stepped forward, her voice soft yet firm, as she spoke again. "Yun-ji wasn't with Wang Da. She was with me."
Everyone's shock deepened as they processed her words. Yun-ji had not been alone. And Seo-Yun was no ordinary witness—her presence carried weight.
Choi Bora's voice faltered. "W-With you? How could that be?"
Seo-Yun turned to face Bora, her expression neutral, yet there was an unmistakable edge in her tone. "Yes, with me. Yesterday, I experienced a sudden drop in blood pressure and fainted. It was Yun-ji who caught me before I collapsed. She personally took me to the hospital and waited until I regained consciousness. She stayed with me the entire evening, ensuring I was safe. So, no, she couldn't have been anywhere near this room with Wang Da."
A heavy silence fell over the room as the implications of her words sank in. Yun-ji had an irrefutable alibi, one backed by a woman of Seo-Yun's stature. The doubt that Choi Bora had tried to plant was unraveling quickly.
Seo-Yun's gaze swept over the assembled family members, her tone growing colder, sharper. "It baffles me that none of you bothered to check the facts before rushing to accuse Yun-ji of wrongdoing. You believed the word of an outsider and subjected Yun-ji to this humiliating spectacle without a second thought."
Choi Hwan shifted uncomfortably at her words, his jaw tightening. "That wasn't our intention—"
Seo-Yun cut him off with a raised hand. "Intentions don't matter when you allow baseless accusations to tarnish someone's reputation. In a society like ours, a woman's name is everything, and yet you were so quick to believe the worst of Yun-ji. Without so much as verifying the identity of the person in that bed, you all blindly assumed her guilt."
Her words stung, particularly aimed at Choi Bora, whose face had gone from pale to flushed in embarrassment. Even Choi Hwan found himself unable to meet Seo-Yun's gaze.
"I have no personal stake in this matter," Seo-Yun continued, her voice steady. "But I cannot stand by and watch a young woman's reputation be torn apart over assumptions and rumors, especially when I know firsthand that she acted with integrity and kindness."
Bora's lips quivered as she stammered, "I—I didn't mean for it to get this far…"
Seo-Yun's gaze narrowed. "Perhaps not, but your carelessness has caused significant harm. To allow such a scene to unfold, questioning Yun-ji's virtue so publicly—it is an embarrassment to your family. If this is how you treat someone within your circle, I shudder to think how easily you'll trust outsiders."
Yun-ji stood silently, her posture unwavering, allowing Seo-Yun's words to speak on her behalf. The respect and gratitude in her eyes toward Seo-Yun were apparent, but she remained composed, knowing this was the perfect way to let Bora and the rest of the family squirm under the weight of their mistake.
Choi Hwan clenched his fists, clearly frustrated at the turn of events, while Bora's eyes filled with unshed tears, caught between her own scheme and the damning truth.
The room was tense, the weight of Seo-Yun's words leaving no room for rebuttal. It was clear to everyone now: Yun-ji had been wronged, and the Choi family had unwittingly allowed themselves to be played by outsiders.
Choi Bora, still desperate to clear her name and shift the blame onto Yun-ji, softened her voice, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "But she didn't even bother to inform us, not a single text or call. We were worried sick all night when she didn't return. That's why we acted so anxiously... and let this misunderstanding escalate," she finished, her voice shaking just enough to elicit sympathy, hoping to redirect the blame toward Yun-ji.
For a moment, the room was silent, the tension thick in the air. Eyes darted between Bora and Yun-ji, waiting to see how Yun-ji would respond. But Yun-ji's expression remained calm, her face a mask of composure.
"That's because," Yun-ji began, her voice steady and clear, "I dropped my phone while helping Madam Kim. The screen broke, and I wasn't able to contact anyone. By the time we left the hospital, it was already late. I thought it best to explain everything the next morning once I returned home."
She paused for a moment, her gaze flickering to a corner of the room where she had sensed something earlier. The reporters who had been hidden until now, recording every word, suddenly came into sharp focus. But Yun-ji remained undisturbed, subtly aware that everything she said would make it out to the public. Her voice was now measured, precise. "Madam Kim came with me to explain the situation as a show of gratitude, though I told her it wasn't necessary."
Seo-Yun, Kim Won-Shik's mother, gave a soft nod, confirming Yun-ji's statement, her calm presence lending further weight to the explanation.
Yun-ji continued, glancing around the room with a sharp gaze. "When Madam Kim and I arrived at the Choi residence this morning, the butler informed us that you all had rushed here, to the hotel we were at last night, thinking something had happened to me. So we followed, only to arrive just in time to witness this entire spectacle."
The word "spectacle" lingered in the air, echoing as a subtle but pointed rebuke. Yun-ji wasn't just explaining—she was admonishing them. The family's reckless actions had led to this mess, and the reporters were recording it all.
Man-Seouk, who had been quietly observing from the side, suddenly spotted one of the reporters, their presence now undeniable as they shifted to get a better angle. His face reddened with embarrassment. His discomfort was obvious as he realized the family's private ordeal was about to be made public. Without another word, he swiftly approached the Choi family.
"I think I've overstayed my welcome," Man-Seouk muttered awkwardly, clearly eager to escape the scene before the reporters made their presence fully known. He gave a hurried bow to Choi Hwan and the others. "I'll take my leave now. Let's meet another time."
With that, he made his hasty exit with his family, his shoulders tense with the shame of being involved in such a scandalous situation. The door clicked shut behind him, and the room grew even more tense in their absence.
Yun-ji wasn't finished. Her voice, still calm but carrying a sharper edge, filled the silence. "It's a shame. If a little more care had been taken to confirm the truth, none of this would have been necessary. Instead, my reputation was publicly questioned, assumptions were made, and all of this—for nothing."
Choi Bora's face turned white, her attempt to garner sympathy crumbling under Yun-ji's unwavering gaze. The reporters had captured everything—the doubt, the accusations, and now, the truth. Bora's pitiful act was exposed as nothing more than a desperate attempt to cover her tracks.
Yun-ji turned her attention to the rest of the room, addressing everyone but directing her words specifically at Bora. "If only you had checked the facts, rather than letting rumors and outsiders influence your actions."
The tension in the room was palpable, but the damage had already been done. The Choi family's error, their rush to judgment, had been laid bare—not just to those present, but to the world outside.
Seo-Yun observed the entire scene in silence, deeply impressed by how Yun-ji handled the situation with such calm and grace. She admired the young woman's strength, her ability to stand firm in the face of accusations and effortlessly steer the narrative in her favor. Watching Yun-ji, Seo-Yun began to understand why her son, Kim Won-Shik—who had never shown interest in any woman—was drawn to her. It wasn't just Yun-ji's intelligence or beauty; it was her indomitable spirit, a quiet but undeniable strength that matched her son's own. Seo-Yun could now see Yun-ji as the kind of woman who could truly stand by her son's side.