Whispers of the heart.

"LEAVE MY OFFICE!"As soon as Kang Eun-ae's voice echoed down the hall, everyone on the 95th floor of the SN Group froze in their tracks. The reason being, Kang Eun-ae had never lost her temper in front of her employees before. She was known to be a calm and reasonable person. This outburst was out of character for her, which made it all the more shocking. With a stern expression on her face, she stormed out of the office, leaving everyone in a state of disbelief. Nobody dared to say a word or even greet her. Despite coming from a family with a history of eccentricity, Kang Eun-ae prided herself on being the most level-headed member of her family. As she arrived at the elevator, she instructed everyone inside to step off. Without hesitation, they complied with her request, not wanting to risk losing their jobs. However, she noticed that one person remained inside the elevator. Frustrated by the unknown person's disobedience, she asked, "Have you lost your hearing or your mind?" As she leaned in for a closer look, she couldn't shake the growing sense of unfamiliarity that washed over her. The man standing in front of her didn't seem to be an employee of the SN group. His attire and demeanour were different from what she had seen before. She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to step into the elevator with him or wait for the next one. Just then, the man spoke up and asked her a question, "Are you going to keep standing outside, or are you getting in?" His voice was calm and reassuring, and she felt a sudden urge to trust him. She decided to get in, and as she stepped inside, she couldn't help but notice the elegance of the elevator's interior. She reached out to press the button for the first floor, but before she could, she realized that the elevator was already in motion, smoothly descending to the first floor. "Maybe you should learn how to separate your emotions from work," said the man to Eun-ae. Confused, she looked back at him and asked, "Are you talking to me?" The man, wearing a nose mask, remained silent, but his eyes seemed to ask, "How many of us are on board?" Eun-ae rolled her eyes and looked straight ahead, still hearing the words of her husband from their earlier conversation: "Yes, I want a divorce! And I want you to sign the papers by the end of this week. Eun-ae was confused and hurt when her husband suddenly seemed to think that she was not a suitable wife for him. They were about to celebrate their second anniversary and had been living a happy and fairytale-like life. She couldn't understand what had changed, why he now seemed to hate her so much. Her heart was torn into shreds at the thought of losing Lee Ji-hoon, as a life without him would be meaningless. From the time she was fifteen, she had been in love with this man. Even after nine years, her feelings for him had not changed, and he still held a special place in her heart. As she stood in the elevator, lost in thought, she couldn't help but think about all the memories they had shared. The thought of him brought tears to her eyes, and she tried to wipe them away before anyone noticed. But the man standing behind her had already noticed the tear rolling down her cheek. As the elevator arrived at the first floor, he offered her a tissue. However, she didn't acknowledge him and left the elevator. She walked to her private parking lot, lost in deep thought. She sat in her car for a few minutes, still preoccupied with her thoughts. Chang-ho stood alone in the elevator, his heart weighed down by a heavy sense of guilt. As he recalled the events that had just unfolded, he couldn't shake the feeling that he may have been the cause of the young woman's tears. He longed to follow her and offer an apology, but he knew it was futile. "Why should I care?" he thought to himself, his resolve hardening. "I didn't say anything wrong, and I'll probably never meet her again." With a deep breath, he gathered his composure and stepped out of the elevator, his footsteps echoing against the empty hallway. Making his way to the exit, he was greeted by his driver, who wordlessly opened the car door for him. As they drove away, he couldn't help but wonder how the strange lady was doing. Eun-ae sat slumped in the driver's seat of her car, tears streaming down her face. She felt utterly helpless and heartbroken. The thought of getting divorced from her beloved husband was unbearable for her. She loved him deeply and couldn't imagine a life without him. She took a deep breath and reached for her phone, her hands trembling. She scrolled through her contacts until she found her husband's number. His name "hubby" appeared on the screen, and for a moment, she just stared at it, feeling a pang of sadness and longing in her chest. Finally, she mustered up the courage to hit the call button. She held her breath as the phone rang, hoping that he would answer. But as expected, the call went straight to voicemail. Her heart sank even further, and she let out a wail of despair before collapsing into sobs once more. Eun-ae's hands were shaking as she held onto the phone, feeling the weight of her nervousness. She decided she had to call her husband's office, but she couldn't help but feel a little anxious about it. Finally, she gathered the courage to dial the number, and after a few rings, she heard a familiar voice on the other end, "Hello, this is Ace Law Firm. Who am I speaking to, please?" It was Soo-young, her husband's assistant. Eun-ae tried her best to stay calm and introduced herself. Politely, she asked to speak with her husband. Soo-young seemed a little taken aback, but after a moment, she responded, "Just a minute, Miss Kang." Eun-ae felt her heart pounding in her chest as she waited anxiously for her husband to come on the line. After a few minutes of being on hold, Eun-ae's heart skipped a beat as she heard her husband's voice on the other end, "Hello?" He sounded cold and distant, which only made her heart ache even more. With a trembling voice, Eun-ae tried to explain how she was feeling and how much she loved him, but he interrupted her, "I'm sorry, Eun-ae, but I don't think there's anything left for us to talk about. I have made up my mind, and I want to end our marriage." His words were like a dagger to her heart, and Eun-ae could feel the tears streaming down her face once again. She tried to plead with him to make him understand how she felt, but he was adamant. "I'm sorry, Eun-ae, but I have to go now," he said before hanging up the phone. Eun-ae sat there in her car, feeling utterly alone and helpless. She didn't know what to do or where to go. She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears, trying to compose herself. She knew she had to be brave for herself and her future. She started the car and began to drive, unsure where she was heading but determined to find a way forward.