Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 376: Silent Treatment

Anxiety engulfed Eun-sun as she anticipated Dan-Han’s return. The frost that broke through his voice before he intercepted the call had chilled her out, and she knew he was displeased. Dan-Han was that man who wanted her to be comfortable and happy. He has been doing his best in the past few days not just because he still bore the guilt of her predicament -despite her endless plea for him not to do so – but because her happiness was his happiness, he has shown it in so many ways, and she knew just how protective he was of her and how he wanted her back on her feet again, or rather her other broken foot.

Eun-sun wasn’t scared because Dan-Han wasn’t a violent man, so he’d never do anything to hurt, but he was scheming and creative in his punishments.

Tonight, she had looked for trouble where she shouldn’t have, and now she didn’t know what to expect for disobeying him. Despite the wonderful time they’ve spent together, she was yet to figure out that enigmatic man who knew her like the palm of his arms. This was a bias in their relationship.

How did he even know she wasn’t in the bedroom?

Posing questions wasn’t going to change anything or fix anything, but why couldn’t she tell a lie? Why was she incapable of telling Dan-Han a lie and simply getting away with it.

This was probably a question she would pose all her life, especially since she had decided to be locked down with the handsome tyrant that flutters her heart unendingly. She was certain the universe would never fathom an answer to these questions.

“I should have just lied!” She cried out while Ni-Na chuckled at the amusement of this beautiful scenario. It was good to know that her brother could ruffle his little woman up as he did the other part of the world. Yes, the ‘other part of the world,’ because it was clear as day and night that Lee Dan-Han has the world divided into two disproportioned parts, the larger part being Park Eun-sun and then the smaller, compressed part, which, well, the rest of the planet fell into.

.....

“If you can get away with a lie, then we’d have to reevaluate his capability of controlling a conglomerate with hundreds of subsidiaries and millions of workers. The man you’re hopelessly in love with is a lie detector with hawkish eyes. You can never get a lie past him except he wants to toil with you, and in this case, he isn’t.” Ni-Na said while nibbling on the delicious cookies Eun-sun had made, her eyes dreamily closed, “these cookies are the best!” She satisfyingly said.

Slightly annoyed that Ni-Na wasn’t being helpful, Eun-sun snatched the bowl of cookies away from Ni-Na, making the girl laugh.

“Come on now! Don’t be petty.”

“You can only have it back if you promise to stay and help me pacify him.”

“Pacify who?” Ni-Na asked with incredulity.

“Your brother.”

“No way!” Ni-Na exclaimed while Eun-sun looked at her with disbelieving eyes.

“I thought-”

“No way, pretty sister-in-law. This is a lover’s fight, and you can’t throw a single girl like me into this mess. And besides, my credit card will probably get a restriction. I love you, but you’re on your own.”

“So you’ll pick your card over me?” Eun-sun tried to toil with her conscience.

“Oh, yes.” Ni-Na shamelessly declared. She gasped loudly when she realized it was past 6 pm, and Dan-Han might probably be back any time soon. She hurriedly gathered her stuff under Eun-sun’s disbelieving gaze.

“You’re a traitor, Ni-Na. I’ll keep this in mind.” She begrudged her.

“I love you too, Noona. You’re the best.” Ni-Na leaned over and kissed her cheek while Eun-sun eyed her.

Eun-sun nervously bit her lips. “Your brother is a difficult man.”

“Yet, you’ll be married to him, and you’ll both raise beautiful kids. The world will forever be eternally grateful to you for this tremendous sacrifice, my dear sister-in-law. You have no idea what’s coming your way tonight.” Ni-Na said as she tried to keep her amusement to the barest minimum least, Eun-sun frustratedly tore her apart limb by limb. She was glad she wasn’t the one on Dan-Han’s bad side today. Not really a bad side because she knew he wouldn’t do anything to Eun-sun except torture her.

Ni-Na chuckled upon seeing Eun-sun’s cute angry, and worried expression. “It’s not going to be that bad. He senselessly loves you so he wouldn’t get too vexed. The worst he’d do is give you his signatory silent treatment.”

Exactly! That was what Eun-sun didn’t want. Dan-Han was good at silently making one’s life a living hell.

“Just go,” Eun-sun said dismissively as she pondered how to disarm the incoming trouble. Play the poor, broken victim card, or act sweet and cute in a way she’d end up with a pat? Was that even possible?

“Ohh..” Ni-Na sadly pouted, but Eun-sun knew she wasn’t sad at all. She was too amused to be sad.

“I’d have offered you a fabulous solution, but...” Ni-Na paused and sighed as she looked Eun-sun over.

“What fabulous solution?” Eun-sun’s eyes sparkled with a ray of hope as she gazed at Ni-Na.

Ni-Na paid her a very weird look which was overly assessing. She sighed. “My solution will require all your limbs for some heated tango, but you’re not in good shape for that. And giving my brother’s strength, you’ll definitely be broken in far more different places than you can imagine.”

“Ni-Na!” Eun-sun’s cried out her name in mortification when she realized what the perverted girl was hinting at. She couldn’t believe her.

Ni-Na rupt out a peal of laughter. “You’re too cute, sister In-law.”

“Just go home,” Eun-sun ordered her out. The girl was always too much trouble.

“Do you regret it?” Ni-Na asked while Eun-sun shook her head, making Ni-Na laugh.

“I thought as much.” She said as she kissed her cheek one more time before heading for the door.

Eun-sun watched her as she left. Yes, she was scared of Dan-Han’s scolding, but she didn’t regret coming downstairs. She had never been one to stay idle, nor has she been one ever to do as she was told. She was recklessly defiant by nature, which was by no chance a fault of hers. She might have been choked to boredom and, worse, death had she been in that bedroom a minute more before she decided to leap down this path of disobedience. The room was the only place she had seen for days because Dan-Han was always with her, and it was slowly becoming an imposed cage. And far was she from someone to be locked down or restricted. Not even a few broken bones or an overbearing boyfriend who she loves so much could do so.

Eun-sun felt her heart skip when she heard the revving sound of a car engine. She wasn’t sure if it was Dan-Han or Hei-Ran, but she dared not hop over to the window to confirm.

Her heart almost stopped when his black leather shoes poked their way into the house before the door fully revealed his beautiful form.

“Welcome, baby,” Eun-sun chirped with a grin that could shame the sun from the chair where she sat like a domesticated pet on a leash. She gulped when he met his gaze, and just as she suspected, he turned to his chauffeur, who carried in his bag and few files.

Eun-sun nervously watched him walk past her and up the stairs. She considered leaping her way up, but she decided against it. It was better not to be caught in the act.

Eun-sun glared at Alex, who seemed amused by her nervous fizzling. He had earlier warned her, but her stubbornness wouldn’t let her listen.

“Should I bring you a tray of cookies and juice? That might work?” He suggested, and Eun-sun readily nodded.

She stretched out the tray when she saw Dan-Han return to the sitting looking freshly bathed with his damp hair hovering over the side of his face.

“Honey, you look handsome. Do you want some cookies?” She blinked and smiled at him, but again he ignored her.

“Alex set the table. Our guest will be here soon,” Dan-Han ordered before picking up the remote to change the television channel. He ensured he maintained a reasonable distance from her.

Not sure what to do, Eun-sun put down the tray and attempted to stand up, but the cold gaze from Dan-Han’s eyes froze her on the spot, and she helplessly took back her seat.

“Dan-Han, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to defy you. Will you really punish me like this? I made you cookies with lots of love.”

“I didn’t ask you to.” He said before turning to her. “And if you think this is torture, then you haven’t really started.”