Sister-in-law | ryeji

[01] The Letter.

[YEJI]

Today I realized that I came into this world to be tormented by the choices of others. Throughout my childhood, I was treated as a nuisance, since I was not born a man. My parents treated me like dirt, I don't even know how I survived all those years of emotional and physical torture. You may be wondering why my parents treated me like this, I honestly don't know the answer to this day. Even though I was their biological daughter, I was always treated as the maid of the house. I didn't even have the right to choose who I would marry. One fine day, I simply found out that I would be married in a week to a man I had never seen in my life.

Soobin was not in agreement with this marriage, but just like me, he decided to accept his parents' order to marry whom they had chosen, namely me. Raised on a farm far from his parents, caring only for animals, he never thought of having a woman. At first, it was hard to accept him, the rude and uneducated man who had no idea what to do with his young wife. He was not even interested in lying down with me, which was a relief. Things changed when he found out that the farm was about to go bankrupt and that my inheritance would save everything he loved most. Aware that at any moment our marriage could be annulled, he had decided that it was time to consummate the marriage.

I always knew the real reason why he wanted to go to bed with me. I swear I didn't get angry about it, I was used to doing things even against my will. Likewise, I was willing to accept my husband in bed, I preferred that to having to go back to my parents' house because of the annulment of the wedding. If this happened, my parents would make my life hell, they would probably marry me to another man even without my consent. I was always an optimistic person, even when things were ugly for my side. Maybe you think that my first time with my husband was traumatic, but I tell you it was not. Soobin had been patient and caring with me, no one in my entire life had treated me with such respect.

I always thought that this marriage would not work out, Soobin and I did everything we could to have a harmonious relationship. We lived for each other for seven years, even though it was a loveless marriage. I still couldn't believe that he had abandoned me, I couldn't get it into my head that he had died and now left me behind. Even now, as I lay in my bed, I still imagine that I would soon see Soobin coming home from another tiring day at work. As usual, he would take a long shower and join me to talk about the day. As much as I wanted to fool myself, I knew this would not happen.

Ten days had passed since his death, and I had a lot of things to deal with. I got out of bed and decided to go to the office, the house was empty, because all the employees had already left. I was determined to take over all the responsibilities of the farm, I had learned a lot about business from Soobin. As a widow, I had the right and the duty to continue what he had started. I sat down in my office chair and opened the documents that needed to be read and signed. I had let everything accumulate, allowing me to grieve. Furthermore, I would find the strength to continue, I would never consider returning to my parents' home. That was my home, my home where I would continue to live.

I worked all night, only realizing that it was dawn when the first rays of sunlight lit up the office. I was exhausted from not having slept at all during the night, but I was happy to be able to put everything in order. Not only that, but I left the office and found the maids arriving for work. Likewise, I asked one of them to prepare me some breakfast and serve it to me in my room. For the first time in ten days, I felt hungry, I was starving. I went to my room determined to take a hot shower to chase away the fatigue and only then would I eat. Before I finished getting ready, Ms. Jung, one of the maids, brought me my breakfast. I thanked her for her work and dismissed her presence.

I ate slowly, while I decided whether to make a round of the farm or not. Furthermore, I decided that I had already spent too much time away from my activities, so I could no longer put off my responsibilities. I called one of my secretaries and handed him the documentation that was pending. After orienting him and informing him what my orders were for the day, I went out to the farm and checked everything that was happening. Soobin had trained his employees and foremen well, and everything worked perfectly even without his presence. Before lunch, one of my employees came to call me because a lawyer was looking for me. I ordered him to be brought to my office and told him that I would meet him soon.