X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the ServerEven when it had served as a drama set, Han Jung-woo’s family estate had always struck him as needlessly vast and desolate. It lacked the warmth of a lived-in home. Indeed, apart from the household staff, only Han Jung-woo’s father and stepmother truly resided there.
“It’s been a while, Young Master.”
The butler, having been the first to receive news of his arrival, stood waiting at the entrance. Instead of offering a verbal greeting, he simply nodded, then stepped through the door the butler held open for him.
“Where is Father?”
“He is inside.”
He had already known, yet he sought confirmation. Loosening the tie that felt like a noose around his neck, he braced himself for the impending confrontation.
His purpose in coming today was to finally resolve the protracted issue of his marriage. He had even foregone dinner with Yoo Joon-hee to be here. He was determined to secure permission, even if it meant severing all ties with Chairman Han.
He could not delay it any longer.
“Oh, Jung-woo.”
As he stepped into the living room, his stepmother was the first to spot him. Immediately after, Chairman Han, who had been seated on the sofa, turned to look his way.
“Darling, Jung-woo is here.”
“…Tsk.”
In stark contrast to his delighted stepmother, Chairman Han made no effort to conceal his displeasure. He did not refuse his stepmother’s invitation to come and sit. Instead, he deliberately chose a seat as close to Chairman Han as possible.
“Father, have you been well?”
“No, I haven’t been well.”
Despite his complexion appearing healthier than ever, Han Jung-woo refrained from pointing it out.
“Why are you speaking to him like that, when he’s just arrived after such a long absence?”
“He’s not even a pleasant fellow, so why should I welcome him?”
It was often said that people only grew more stubborn with age, a sentiment Han Jung-woo found perfectly encapsulated by his father. Fortunately, he was utterly unrelated, ensuring he would never inherit such traits.
“Father.”
“Why do you lower your voice like that? It’s unsettling.”
Chairman Han waved his hand dismissively, warning him not to utter anything vexing. Regardless, Han Jung-woo stubbornly initiated the conversation.
“Now, please grant your permission.”
“For what?”
“For my marriage.”
Bang!
No sooner had the words left his lips than Chairman Han slammed his hand down on the coffee table. His stepmother’s eyes widened in startled surprise, but Han Jung-woo remained utterly serene.
“If that’s all you came to say, then leave.”
“Seo-woo’s first birthday is fast approaching.”
“Han Jung-woo!”
Chairman Han sprang to his feet, his face contorted with fury. The pheromones he unleashed were sharp and cutting, yet Han Jung-woo casually brushed them aside.
His stepmother, caught in the dominant Alpha’s battle of wills, began to gag. Seeing this, Chairman Han momentarily suppressed his anger and reined in his pheromones.
“You, go inside.”
His stepmother nodded and rose from the sofa. At a glance from Chairman Han, the butler approached and helped the unsteady woman away.
Once he confirmed the two were a suitable distance away, Chairman Han unleashed his pheromones once more. Han Jung-woo, sitting cross-legged, met him without faltering.
“You know what my answer is, don’t you?”
“Well, your thoughts might have changed in the interim, mightn’t they?”
“No. That will never happen, not over my dead body.”
For a fleeting moment, he considered going to the garden, scooping up some soil, and throwing it into Chairman Han’s eyes precisely as suggested. But he resisted the urge.
As anticipated, dialogue proved fruitless. With Chairman Han taking such a stance, it was time to end the peaceful discussion and commence his attack.
He retrieved something from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. With a soft thud, he tossed a white envelope onto the coffee table.
“What is this?”
“Take a look for yourself.”
Unable to contain his curiosity, Chairman Han promptly flipped over the inverted envelope. The moment his eyes landed on the three neat characters spelling ‘Resignation,’ his face crumpled in undisguised shock.
Chairman Han was a man who valued bloodline above all else. As his stepmother had been unable to bear children, Han Jung-woo remained his sole successor.
Thus, to threaten Chairman Han, he had to leverage his very existence. He needed to make it clear, as he was doing now, that he was prepared to relinquish everything he had built.
“I will resign from my position as director.”
“By whose authority?”
“Furthermore, from this moment on, I will sever all ties with you, Father.”
Chairman Han was rendered speechless by the relentless barrage of attacks, given no chance to respond. Sensing victory, Han Jung-woo delivered his final, decisive blow.
“I intend to abandon the surname I inherited from you, Father. I’m thinking of changing it to Yoo, like Seo-jin. Yoo Jung-woo, doesn’t that sound quite acceptable?”
“Han Jung-woo!”
Unable to contain his fury, Chairman Han raised his hand high.
*Smack!*
With a harsh, stinging blow, Han Jung-woo’s head snapped violently to the side. He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, tasting the metallic tang of blood. The tender flesh had likely split from the sudden impact.
‘This is going to bruise.’
He hadn’t wanted to create anything that would worry Yoo Joon-hee, but the strike had been too sudden, leaving him no time to evade.
A surge of irritation prompted him to rise. Seeing him stand so tall, Chairman Han involuntarily recoiled a step.
“You could have used your words, why resort to your hands?”
“Wouldn’t it simply be a matter of you not provoking me to use my hands?”
“Ah, so this is my fault?”
With his hands shoved into his pockets, he stood askew. If it weren’t for Yoo Joon-hee, he would have severed ties with Chairman Han long ago, without a second thought.
He wished Chairman Han understood that even this current confrontation was only happening because of Yoo Joon-hee. But the audacious Chairman Han would never realize it.
“Choose. Will you grant permission for my marriage, or will you lose your son entirely?”
“Are you threatening your own father?”
“Rather than a threat, I’m proposing we find a compromise where everyone can be happy.”
He smiled faintly, then pulled out his phone and opened his photo album. When he found a picture of Seo-woo and filled the screen with it, Chairman Han’s expression softened for a fleeting moment before quickly reverting.
“You should really see Seo-woo soon.”
“…I won’t see her until she changes her surname.”
“That won’t happen, so you might as well give up.”
Neither man would yield an inch. It seemed they would reach no conclusion, just as before. Just as Han Jung-woo was about to deliver his final ultimatum, Chairman Han let out a deep sigh.
“It’s customary for a child to take the Alpha’s surname upon birth, you know.”
“Tsk,” Chairman Han clicked his tongue softly and sat back down on the sofa. Observing his slightly softened expression, Han Jung-woo also paused what he was about to say and took his seat.
“Alright, fine. Marry her, then. The child will be one soon, and it wouldn’t do for parents to remain unattached.”
Though clearly displeased, this was still his permission. Suppressing the smile that threatened to break through, Han Jung-woo quietly listened to Chairman Han’s subsequent words.
“You’ve been parading around, announcing to anyone who’d listen that you’re cohabiting and have even produced a child.”
While he hadn’t deliberately broadcasted the news as Chairman Han claimed, he certainly hadn’t prevented articles from being published. In fact, he had actively encouraged them.
“Instead, make one promise to me.”
“I’ll listen first, then decide.”
Joy was one thing, but he couldn’t let his guard down until the very end. His opponent was none other than the cunning Chairman Han.
“…Shameless brat.”
Chairman Han, his eyes narrowed, picked up the resignation letter he had tossed onto the table. Then, with a satisfying rip, he tore it cleanly in half.
“Once a week, bring Seo-woo to the family estate.”
Chairman Han added that if that proved too troublesome, he could simply move in altogether. At such a dreadful proposition, Han Jung-woo had to consciously smooth out his scowling face.
“There are plenty of empty rooms anyway, aren’t there? Your old room is still just as it was.”
“…I don’t appreciate such jokes.”
“Does this sound like a joke to you?”
It sounded too earnest for him to retort. Swallowing the sigh that threatened to escape, he attempted to find a reasonable compromise.
“Let’s compromise on once a month.”
“Once every two weeks.”
Did Chairman Han truly understand how challenging it was to take an infant, not yet even one year old, out of the house, and still make such a demand? He already had so little time with Yoo Joon-hee outside of weekends. If he had to bring Seo-woo to the estate regularly, it was clear that even that precious free time would vanish.
“I cannot concede any further.”
He attempted to negotiate further, but Chairman Han firmly put his foot down, declaring it impossible. Severing ties completely still seemed like the best course of action. However, for Yoo Joon-hee’s sake, he chose peace instead.
There was nothing he wouldn’t do if Yoo Joon-hee wished it.
“Once every two weeks, I will come with Seo-woo.”
“Good, excellent.”
Chairman Han’s face brightened, as if his earlier fury had never existed. Han Jung-woo felt a sense of being manipulated, but the outcome was favorable nonetheless.
“To marry, we’ll need to arrange an introductory meeting with the families first, of course.”
“Wouldn’t it be simpler to just hold the ceremony without such complicated procedures—”
“No, everything must be done properly, by the book.”
Chairman Han was surprisingly proactive, a stark contrast to the man who had fiercely opposed the marriage moments earlier. As he watched Chairman Han contact his secretary to inquire about both a family meeting schedule and a wedding venue, Han Jung-woo pressed a hand to his throbbing head.
‘I definitely got played.’
He had a feeling he’d have a lot to tell Yoo Joon-hee when he returned home today.
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read My Star, Your Star! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : My Star, Your Star
