Reimbursed Husband | JC

Chapter 49. Deceived and Betrayed

"As you are very well aware, our household's rule dictates that the oldest must be married to inherit," Mingyu began, his voice cutting through the tense air. "But let me enlighten you all. Seungcheol here isn't married."

Loud gasps echoed, followed by murmurs of confusion. Seungcheol felt exposed, as though every pair of eyes in the room bore into him, stripping away his dignity. Shame crawled up his neck, and he couldn't bring himself to meet anyone's gaze.

"He's never been married," Mingyu continued, his words like daggers. "This entire facade of marriage was a ruse orchestrated by him, with Jeonghan as his accomplice, all to secure his position as the heir to our family's fortune."

Hyori stood frozen beside Seungcheol, her blood running cold as Mingyu's revelation sank in. The room buzzed with disbelief and shock, and Seungcheol felt like he was drowning in a sea of accusing stares.

"What?" "No way!" The mutters grew louder, and all eyes turned to Seungcheol, who wished he could disappear on the spot. He should have known Mingyu was plotting something sinister all along.

"I, despite being younger than him, have been married for the past six months, and it's quite obvious who should rightfully inherit," Mingyu declared, his words slicing through the tension in the room.

Seungcheol stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest as Mingyu's accusations hung heavy in the air. His mind raced, scrambling for a defense, but the weight of guilt pressed down on him like a leaden cloak.

"With nothing to do, Seungcheol decided to deceive you all," Mingyu continued, each word dripping with venom. "He brought in a man with no connection to him as his fake husband, all to manipulate his way into inheriting."

Seungcheol felt the eyes of his family bore into him, their disbelief and betrayal like knives to his conscience. He wanted to speak, to explain, but the words caught in his throat, suffocated by the weight of his deceit.

"But as they say, a lie cannot be hidden for long," Mingyu's voice cut through the heavy silence. "The flaw in Seungcheol's lie was that he claimed to have met Jeonghan here in Seoul and been married for a year. But Jeonghan has been living in Canada for the past several years, visiting Korea only on vacation."

Seungcheol's breath caught in his chest as Mingyu's words landed like blows, each one exposing another layer of his deception. He felt exposed, vulnerable, his carefully constructed facade crumbling around him.

"I had my doubts," Mingyu continued, his voice tinged with a hint of triumph. "So I decided to investigate. I went to Seungcheol's college and found no trace of Jeonghan living there for the past year. Seungcheol has lied to everyone-grandma, Aunt Hyori, Aunt Sohee, our cousins, even our mother."

Mingyu's voice wavered slightly, feigning sadness, but Seungcheol could see the satisfaction of gleaming in his eyes. He was trapped, cornered by his own deceit, with nowhere to run and no one to blame but himself.

"Now, if y'all still don't believe, let me introduce you all to someone," Mingyu's voice rang out, cutting through the heavy air, his gaze locking onto Wonwoo to signal Jeonghan's parents to join them on stage. Jeonghan's breath caught in his throat, his hands clenching into fists as his parents were thrust into the unforgiving spotlight. This clash between Mingyu and Seungcheol felt like a new low, dragging Jeonghan's family into the tumultuous fray.

"They are the parents of Yoon Jeonghan, the supposed son-in-law of our family. But surprisingly, even they don't know that Jeonghan is playing house here in Korea," Mingyu's words reverberated with accusation, each syllable heavy with judgment.

"I had no intention of calling them, but they deserved to know the truth about their son's plans," Mingyu continued, his voice carrying the weight of certainty, before turning to Jeonghan's father, Jaemin. With deliberate intent, Mingyu held the mic towards him, his piercing gaze demanding answers.