The Cold CEO’s Contract Wife: Ruthless to the World, Tender with Me

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Comfort and Revenge

The neon lights of Seoul blurred as I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white. My chest felt like it was caving in, every heartbeat echoing the betrayal I couldn’t erase. Min-ho. My first love, my comfort, my secret. And now… the unthinkable. He had chosen my twin. My sister. The one person who had always made me feel small, invisible, unworthy.

I didn’t know where I was going at first. My apartment felt suffocating, every corner whispering the memory of his touch, the sound of their laughter, the twisted betrayal. Without thinking, I turned the car toward Hana’s apartment. My best friend, B-list actress Hana Kim, had always been my anchor, the one who reminded me I was more than the shadows of others.

Parking outside her building, I sat for a moment, letting tears streak down my cheeks. My designer outfit—the navy blue office wear I had so carefully chosen—felt like a costume for a life that wasn’t mine anymore. I could still smell the faint trace of his cologne, the scent that had once wrapped around me like a promise. That promise shattered.

I pressed the intercom. “Hana… it’s me. Please… can I come up?”

A few moments later, the door buzzed open. Hana’s warm smile faltered when she saw the tears glistening on my face. “So-jin… what happened? Come in, come in!”

I let myself be guided inside. Her apartment was small but cozy, a contrast to the opulence I had grown up in. Plush cushions, pastel curtains, the soft hum of a K-pop ballad in the background. Hana wrapped me in a tight hug, and for the first time since that nightmare, I let the sobs escape.

“They… they were together,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Min-ho… and Hye-jin… my own twin… in his apartment…”

Hana’s hands tightened around my shoulders. “You mean that snake Hye-jin? That little white-lotus wannabe?” Her voice was sharp, angry. “I knew something was off about her. And Min-ho… he’s an i***t for letting her toy with him like that. You should have dumped him the moment she showed her true colors.”

I buried my face in her shoulder, trembling. “I… I wanted to give him everything… my first… my trust… everything. And now… now it’s all gone. I feel… nothing is mine anymore.”

Hana’s eyes softened as she cupped my face. “So-jin… don’t cry over a boy who doesn’t deserve you. You are stronger than you think. Remember who you are. Park So-jin—the talented, independent fashion designer, the woman who will one day command the respect of even the coldest CEO. You’re not powerless.”

I looked up at her, her words igniting a spark inside me. “But… how can I fight back? I can’t just sit here while Hye-jin takes everything I had with him… everything I worked for…”

Hana leaned back, a sly grin forming. “You want revenge, don’t you? Use that fire. Min-ho may have betrayed you, but Hye-jin—she has no idea what she’s messing with. And let’s not forget… you have something even more powerful coming your way.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“You,” Hana said, pointing at me, “are going to become the one thing Hye-jin fears most. The one she cannot compete with. You’re going to be the future Mrs. Lee Ji-hoon. And let me tell you, that empire—cold, ruthless, untouchable… it’s yours to wield. Min-ho and your sister? They will eat their words when they see you rise.”

My chest heaved as determination replaced despair. The tears slowed, my fingers tightening into fists. Hana was right. This wasn’t the end. This was the beginning of something new. Something I could control. I could use my position as Lee Ji-hoon’s future wife to reclaim my power, my dignity… my life.

Hana poured us both tea, the aroma calming yet invigorating. She plopped down next to me on the couch, pulling me close again. “You know, I’ve always admired your designs, your ambition. But now… you have the perfect reason to channel that ambition into something unstoppable. Hye-jin may have won today, but tomorrow? That’s a different story.”

I looked out the window, Seoul stretching endlessly beneath the night sky. The city that once felt suffocating now seemed full of possibilities. My eyes gleamed with a new resolve. “I’ll make them regret underestimating me. I’ll take back what’s mine… and more.”

Hana smiled knowingly. “That’s my girl. First step—let it all out tonight. Cry, scream, curse them if you have to. Tomorrow, we start plotting. And trust me… Hye-jin won’t see it coming.”

I leaned against Hana, feeling a mixture of relief and a burning desire for justice. The betrayal had cut deep, but it had also awakened something in me—an unstoppable force. And with Hana by my side, I was ready. Ready to fight back, to reclaim my life, and to show the world that Park So-jin is not someone to be toyed with.

As the night deepened, I allowed myself to rest in Hana’s comforting apartment, letting the tears of heartbreak transform into sparks of vengeance. By morning, a plan would take shape—a plan that would not only expose Min-ho and Hye-jin’s betrayal but also cement my rise as the future Mrs. Lee Ji-hoon.