Chapter 207: Seo Yeon/ Kang Nam-Kyu

I couldn't help but tremble before him; the boy who followed me and my brother everywhere to the army general who forced himself into my embrace almost every night for over ten years. He was once such a strong sharp-minded man, but the people in his wretched father's world would not leave him alone and turned my love into a shadow of what he once was; a man who knew no bounds, whose cold nature could only be healed the family everyone keeps him from. I was growing angry, just as angry as he was now. I felt it flowing through my veins as I made my way towards him and met him in the middle. He pulled me violently into his arms I felt his desperation and frustration pour into my soul. Everything he had ever put up with since childhood until now, every cruel negative emotion he had to endure finally came out, even if it was on my body. But I was determined not to be beaten down by this. Every harsh touch I met with love and patience. Every action of force I openly welcomed. Every bit of his pain I was determined to replace with pleasure and peace, even if it was the last thing I did.

We were getting so lost in each other we had managed to drown out the witch's scream and cries. Our breath and bodies were becoming one, trying to remember the times in our past when everything was much simpler when we were children ourselves free of burdens and living nightmares. I wanted to wash in his scent, his touch and his flesh.

After what seemed like hours we finally broke apart from each other, slowly returning to reality. We were in another woman's house under her control, and away from our children, and loved ones. He had no choice but to stand opposite me until I could bring him home to us fully, and I couldn't involve my brother this time who knew him best.

It was almost nightfall; I got up to get dressed but he wouldn't let me leave. After what seemed like years he pulled me down onto his chest, looking like some of his demons had left him already much to my relief. He asked about our children's progress and smiled just like his daughter would when he learned how well they grew up in his absent state of mind. I told him that Hyuk was waiting for him to spar with for his competitions, how Hana had excelled in her reading and was already learning to sew on her father's armour...and Hwan, well he was a short-tempered baby just like his father, but only smiled around his family especially Hana. He cried tears of laughter when I told him that he was pretty much her baby the moment I handed him to her for the first time. She watched him like a hawk and would only let me feed and wash him to her expectations; over and over again until she was satisfied. Hyuk could only get a word in edgewise and could only bond with him when she was asleep. But it was his father's attention he constantly wanted. The twins hardly gave us any trouble when they were born but Hwan was something else completely. He knocked over things, didn't mind getting messy, he would cry at small things and would only calm down in his father's arms. He would even interrupt his father's studies and home from work just to get as much affection from him as he could as if he was still trying ti make up for their lost time.

We dressed each other after a long time before taking me in his arms from behind me and begged me to take him home with me. I turned around and kissed him, giving him a look that he knew all too well before rushing out to meet our children who were waiting for us, stepping over Nam-Kyu who looked as if she was going to pass out from the pain but no matter what she was waiting for my husband to tend to her.

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I screamed and I waited for him to come to heal me himself from my pain but he wouldn't come out of the room. I shouted and waited in pain but he didn't come in aid of his wife. I could only sit and cry at hearing...the unnatural noises coming out of that room for the whole household to hear. Tears of humiliation ran down my face as my heart couldn't take it all anymore. All I did was stay by his side and build up the reputation that was destined for him the moment he entered our world. He was the most feared person of power in the palace even above the King himself. That was all thanks to my influence; I had him follow the routine I watched his father put in place for him...if he wanted his children to live until old age.

Hours went by and the sounds only got louder and more intense. I heard their conversations...the ones he always refused to have with me. He wouldn't even touch me let alone sleep with me, not in all the years I stood by him. In fact, he would have...if that slut didn't out me when she left me no choice but to drug his drink. And despite all the tricks I set in place so she couldn't conceive anymore...she still managed to get pregnant! I sent her away to the far corners of this nation and he still rode long hours, even days just to find her again. Those two...they had a fate I was beginning to realise that I couldn't interfere with. I now understood that even if I had her killed that he would most likely join her within a heartbeat.

But at the same time I couldn't help but think about what brought me here in the first place; my sister's and cousin's obsession with him that started it all. They both knew him a long longer then myself and even this bitch he was with now but they both failed miserably to obtain him. But I didn't do anything to him at all; I didn't harm him, or scheme against him at all. I just longed to be a wife...his wife and I did everything that a wife did well...I even tried to learn to cook for his sake side I noticed that he preferred home-cooked meals rather than eating out. I did try to make everything at home just like she did, even if it didn't turn out well I did still at least try. But with her actually using her own children to make me look bad what chance did I stand against them? It was just my luck that I had to fall for the one man who actually loved his children rather than using them as tools for his success just like his father did to him...

...But I could still try when I had him by my side. All I needed to do was wait for him to save me from the stairs...but he just walked past me without even much as a glance to follow his wife as usual. I know they were going to meet their children but I couldn't do anything about it anymore and they were under the protection of the King. But there was one last thing I could try...I had to prove that no matter what, army general Seon-Ho belonged to me in this life and the next.