Seo Yi Kyung’s chest tightened. His heart pounded as he watched Han Seung Jae walk around the sedan toward him. Given where they were going, Butler Do could not accompany them.
But the person most astonished by the sight was, in fact, Secretary Park. Han Seung Jae had never brought anyone along on business, and unless someone was suited to the matter at hand, he left them no room to involve themselves.
Or perhaps Seo Yi Kyung was better suited to this particular matter than anyone else. After all, the man they were here to meet was his father.
“……”
The face reflected in the elevator doors was visibly tense. Yi Kyung could not stop thinking about how furious his father had been when he told him never to come back, or about Seo Dong Hu writhing in agony.
Secretary Park’s quiet footsteps echoed along the corridor of the VIP ward. Yi Kyung looked toward the room whose location he already knew. Secretary Park spotted the same room, stopped in front of it, and knocked.
“Yes.”
When an answer came from inside, Secretary Park opened the door. Seo Dong Hu immediately roared at him. At that moment, Secretary Park stepped aside, allowing Han Seung Jae to enter first.
“D-Director Han.”
Even his tone was completely different from a moment ago. Upon seeing Han Seung Jae, Seo Dong Hu glanced sideways at the pillow he had kicked away. Then he spotted Yi Kyung coming in behind him and nearly shouted again, only to bite his tongue.
“Wh-What brings you here……?”
Seo Dong Hu kept staring at Han Seung Jae’s empty hands. He knew perfectly well that Han Seung Jae was not the sort of man to visit someone he had beaten. His eyes darted about frantically, wary that Seung Jae’s hand might come flying at him again.
“Father will be here soon.”
It was a warning not to behave as he had before. Han Seung Jae responded without emotion.
“I know. We arranged to meet here.”
The VIP room was equipped with a refrigerator, a television, a shower, and a sofa for visitors.
Secretary Park turned around. Chairman Seo Young Hwan was approaching from the end of the corridor with the attending physician. The physician soon bowed and retraced his steps.
Chairman Seo entered the room. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Yi Kyung, but the change was so fleeting that few noticed it.
The large hospital room seemed crowded with only a handful of people standing inside it. Han Seung Jae took the seat of honor and gestured to his left. Yi Kyung walked over and sat there. Chairman Seo then took a seat while watching Yi Kyung.
Leaning against the hospital bed, Seo Dong Hu observed the situation closely and glared at the back of Han Seung Jae’s head. His gaze fell on the fruit basket in the room. Would throwing that at him make him feel any better?
He soon abandoned the thought. Not only could his bandaged hand not lift it, but Han Seung Jae was hardly the sort to let such a thing pass. A chill ran through Seo Dong Hu’s entire body when he imagined ending up unable to walk as well.
“I didn’t realize you would be coming together……”
Chairman Seo’s words were directed at Yi Kyung, who sat across from him. The fabric of Han Seung Jae’s dark suit creased. He cut straight to the point.
“Myungjun Group will make no further investments in Woorim Construction.”
Seo Young Hwan’s face twisted visibly. He promptly stopped paying attention to Yi Kyung and stared at Han Seung Jae.
“You promised to support the project currently underway. What are we supposed to do if you suddenly change your mind like this? We were counting entirely on you.”
Until now, Woorim Construction had taken the lead in developing residential and commercial spaces, including apartment complexes, officetels, and industrial centers. With Myungjun Group backing it and providing unstinting financial and material support, it had enjoyed an advantage over every competitor when construction companies were selected for projects.
Secretary Park took out a document and placed it on the table where Chairman Seo could see it clearly. Seo Young Hwan’s hands trembled atop his knees.
The agreement had explicitly stipulated from the beginning that Myungjun Group’s support would continue only until Seo Yi Kyung married.
Han Ye Chan, the chairman of Myungjun Group who had orchestrated Han Seung Jae’s engagement, considered Seo Young Hwan far beneath their standing. Had Seo Yi Kyung not been a dominant omega, the match would never have been made. Accordingly, he had intended to sever all ties with Yi Kyung’s family as cleanly as a knife cut the moment the two married. Han Seung Jae, however, had continued supporting them for another four years.
“Consider yourself fortunate that this is where it ends.”
Leaning back in the place of honor on the hospital room sofa, Han Seung Jae turned his gaze toward Seo Yi Kyung. Yi Kyung’s pallid face had remained fixed on Seo Young Hwan the entire time.
Had Yi Kyung not accompanied him, this matter would never have ended so easily, with mere words. Given Han Seung Jae’s temperament, he certainly would not have tolerated it.
Han Seung Jae’s gaze was piercing. He recalled the conversation they had shared across the breakfast table that morning.
[I-I’ll come with you.]
[This has nothing to do with you.]
It was not that he wanted to make a good impression, but he saw no need to show Yi Kyung an even worse side of himself.
[I know you bought me.]
[Who told you that?]
Han Seung Jae’s gaze sharpened. Their engagement had been arranged by their families when they were young, regardless of his own wishes, but the marriage itself had been conducted with all due procedures and courtesy. Seo Yi Kyung, however, seemed to see it entirely differently.
[So even if you come to love someone else, I’ll understand.]
Inside the rapidly moving car, Secretary Park sat in the front passenger seat, engrossed in his work. Much like on the way there, a heavy atmosphere filled the interior. Director Han had seemed to be in a good mood when Secretary Park saw him in the painting studio, yet now……
“What you said earlier.”
Seo Yi Kyung, who had been staring out the window the entire time, turned his head. Han Seung Jae leaned toward him. Yi Kyung shrank back as the space between them abruptly narrowed, but there was nowhere left to retreat, leaving him trapped in place.
“I don’t know what your father told you.”
His low voice sounded directly before Yi Kyung’s face. Seung Jae reached out, seized him by the chin, and held his gaze.
“But I won’t allow it.”
“……”
“That will never happen.”
“……”
Even when Yi Kyung gave no answer, Han Seung Jae did not stop.
“We should visit my family home this weekend. We haven’t been to pay our respects once since the wedding. Naturally, you’ll be coming too.”
As the rich scent of white agarwood spread beneath his nose, Yi Kyung blinked. Han Seung Jae released him and leaned back against his seat. It seemed he did not require an answer to that either.
Yi Kyung slowly turned his head to the side. In his dark suit, Seung Jae’s face appeared utterly merciless. There was not a single chink in his immaculate appearance, down to the chill in his eyes.
Then Yi Kyung remembered what the original novel had said about Han Seung Jae’s family. His parents’ marriage had been loveless as well. They had married out of obligation, compelled by their families. The outcome could be inferred to some degree from Han Seung Jae’s twisted personality.
The novel said that his mother was always drinking, while his father constantly went around seeing different omegas.
The towering mansion possessed an exotic air. Butler Do’s eyes widened as he stepped out of the car. From the central fountain to the trees planted in neat rows, every aspect of the estate had clearly been designed with meticulous care.
Belatedly collecting himself, he stepped back and opened the rear door. Seo Yi Kyung emerged from the car in a white suit.
The lukewarm breeze ruffled Yi Kyung’s neatly arranged hair, which had taken considerable time to style. At the same time, it swept through the leaves, producing a pleasant rustling sound.
He could feel the gazes of people watching him through the windows from inside the house, making his face stiffen. Keeping his eyes on the open door, he nevertheless climbed the steps with deliberate composure.
“Welcome.”
Seo Yi Kyung looked at the elderly man who approached him. The man introduced himself as Butler Choi, the estate’s chief household manager. Butler Choi glanced around Yi Kyung.
“Has Director Han not come with you?”
Butler Do, standing beside Yi Kyung, answered tactfully.
“He said he would come here directly from the office. He must be caught in traffic.”
“I see. Please follow me.”
Butler Choi turned away. Yi Kyung’s cheeks prickled beneath the barrage of gazes flying toward him from every direction. In fact, he felt as though they might melt away entirely.
Weren’t we coming to pay our respects to his family?
He had thought this would simply be an occasion to meet Han Seung Jae’s parents.
Yi Kyung had no idea where to look. From the corner of his eye, he even saw a little girl in a skirt scamper over and fling herself into her mother’s arms. It looked as though the entire extended family had gathered.
They leaned their heads together or tilted them to whisper among themselves. As if that could possibly keep Yi Kyung from hearing them. He’s here. Oh my—look over there. He could hear people talking about him from every direction.
Yi Kyung’s heart pounded. As he entered the living room, a family portrait hanging on the wall seized his attention. It showed three members of a close, affectionate family gathered together.
The father, Han Ye Chan, wore a benevolent smile. Han Seung Jae seemed to have inherited the shape of his eyes, but the smile made his father appear distinctly different from him.
Beside him stood Seung Jae’s mother, an extraordinarily beautiful woman who radiated elegance even though her face was partially concealed by a veiled hat.
And behind the couple stood Han Seung Jae.
More and more gazes settled on Yi Kyung from the people seated across the sofas and around the tables. Every one of them was formally dressed. It looked as though they were attending a banquet.
He never told me about this…….
Yi Kyung’s eyes wavered.
Even that morning, Han Seung Jae had said nothing about anything like this. Yi Kyung could only remind himself that Seung Jae was hardly considerate enough to offer detailed explanations about things no one had asked him.
Chairman Han Ye Chan, seated in the most honored position, turned his head. His pale-colored suit gleamed under the light.
“Did Seung Jae not come with you?”
Yi Kyung’s fingertips curled inward, his hand clenching into a fist.