Chapter 53: A Slap and a Father’s Claim

Confessing a one-night stand to my parents was undoubtedly a mad act. Yet, I knew this situation couldn’t be smoothed over with a clumsy lie, leaving me with no other choice.

At my stark admission, Yoo Hae-jung fell silent, while my mother stumbled, looking as if she might collapse at any moment. Fortunately, her secretary was quick to support her, preventing a worse outcome.

“Is it truly Han Jung-woo’s child?”

“…Yes.”

Yoo Hae-jung exhaled a sigh of relief. While this might have been the first time he heard it directly, he had likely already surmised his son’s rather dissolute private life.

Up until now, I had been diligent with contraception, and since I hadn’t caused any significant trouble, he had left me alone. However, pregnancy was an entirely different matter.

A sudden pregnancy would normally turn the household upside down, but if it were Han Jung-woo’s child, the narrative shifted dramatically. For Yoo Hae-jung, this was undoubtedly perceived as a tremendous opportunity.

“First, I must meet with Director Han Jung-woo as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask? He impregnated my son; he must take responsibility.”

Pregnancy alone was ample reason to exchange marriage proposals, but with the other party having already released an article, it felt to Yoo Hae-jung as if the long-awaited blessing had simply rolled in.

Becoming in-laws with Daejin Group would only benefit Haewoon Construction. No business deal was as advantageous as a marriage, so Yoo Hae-jung would seize this opportunity by any means necessary.

However, I desperately hoped Yoo Hae-jung wouldn’t pursue it. If we became entangled with Han Jung-woo any further, our family would be in peril. I refused to witness our household crumble because of him.

“I will raise the child alone.”

My shocking declaration rendered not only Yoo Hae-jung but also my mother and Yoo Ju-jin utterly speechless. As heavy silence pervaded the room, Yoo Hae-jung was the first to regain his composure and speak.

“Seo-jin, you—”

“Surely Han Jung-woo didn’t say he didn’t want to take responsibility?”

My mother, who had been leaning on her secretary, stepped forward, gripping my shoulder and raising her voice. Faced with her uncharacteristic rage, I shook my head.

Han Jung-woo, in fact, wanted to take responsibility for both me and the child. It was I who had refused. Yet, I couldn’t tell my family that I had made that decision because I no longer wished to be involved with him.

“Then why are you saying you’ll raise the child alone?”

“Because that’s what I want to do.”

“…Are you out of your mind?”

The harsh words that erupted from my mother’s lips stunned everyone. Yoo Hae-jung, still reeling from the continuous shock, tried to calm her, but he was firmly rebuffed.

“You stay out of this! I’m speaking to Seo-jin right now!”

“Ah, alright.”

Surprised by his wife’s unprecedented fury, Yoo Hae-jung pressed a hand to his throbbing forehead and retreated. She then turned back to me, raising a hand high. Without hesitation, she sharply slapped my cheek.

I was so taken aback that the pain registered a little late. Cupping my throbbing cheek, I straightened my head, which had snapped to the side, and looked at her. Her shawl, which had slipped down to her arm, was pulled back up, and she had already turned away from me.

“You are grounded for the time being. So don’t even think about going anywhere.”

With those words, she left the living room without even glancing back at me. Yoo Hae-jung, still supported by his secretary, soon followed her, leaving only Yoo Ju-jin and me behind.

“What a mess this is.”

Yoo Ju-jin, who had been observing the situation from a distance, finally broke his prolonged silence. I wished he had just stayed quiet; as soon as I heard his irritating voice, my already low spirits plummeted even further.

As I prepared to leave the living room, Yoo Ju-jin rose from the sofa and approached, standing askew in front of me. With his hands shoved into his pockets, he gazed at me intently, a crooked smirk playing on his lips.

“Hey, just one question.”

“What?”

“The kid in your belly, is it really Han Jung-woo’s?”

Yoo Ju-jin gestured with his chin towards my belly, which showed no signs of pregnancy yet. A laugh, which I couldn’t suppress, escaped me at a question that was well within my expectations.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just… because it’s so like you, brother.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means I like your consistency.”

I thought I was complimenting him, but Yoo Ju-jin didn’t seem particularly pleased. Of course, it wasn’t a purely innocent compliment; there was a hint of sarcasm.

‘He’s not entirely oblivious, then.’

I suppressed the laughter that kept bubbling up and took a step closer to Yoo Ju-jin. He flinched, stepping back at the sudden proximity.

Compared to Han Jung-woo, his faint pheromones felt even more repulsive than usual. I had heard that pregnancy could cause a repulsive reaction to pheromones from Alphas other than one’s partner, and it seemed that was the case.

“You’re hoping the child in my belly isn’t Han Jung-woo’s, aren’t you? So you won’t lose your position to me.”

“……”

“Looks like I was right.”

Yoo Ju-jin’s face contorted, clearly stung by the accuracy of my jab. I was about to reiterate that I truly had no interest in Haewoon Construction, but sensing he wouldn’t believe me, I refrained.

Repeating the same words had grown tiresome, and I had no time to deal with Yoo Ju-jin right now. I needed to contact Han Jung-woo immediately.

“Are you really not interested in Haewoon Construction?”

Yoo Ju-jin grabbed me as I turned to leave, asking urgently. His earlier eagerness to mock me had vanished, replaced by undisguised anxiety.

This was his true self, yet he put on such a pathetic display of bravado. Though annoying, for the sake of the pitiful Yoo Ju-jin, I decided to endure the bother once more.

“I’m not interested. So you don’t need to be anxious.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, really. So, may I go inside and rest now? I’m very tired.”

Even after saying all that, Yoo Ju-jin still appeared to have many unresolved doubts. Regardless, I turned my back on him and returned to my room.

As soon as I closed the door, I rushed to my desk, searching for Han Jung-woo’s business card, which had to be somewhere in the drawer. Since his number wasn’t saved on my new phone, I needed the card to contact him.

‘Where is it?’

Mere hours had passed since I declared I would never be involved with him again, but with such an absurd article published, I had no choice but to reach out.

I pulled out the entire drawer and emptied its contents before finally discovering Han Jung-woo’s business card, tucked away deep inside.

I couldn’t even recall when I had received it, suggesting it was quite old, but at this moment, it was my only option.

‘Please answer.’

Dialing the number on the card immediately, I heard a familiar female voice on the other end. It was the cheerful, automated voice informing me that the number was no longer in service.

‘Should I ask the secretary?’

Yoo Hae-jung’s secretary would surely know how to contact Han Jung-woo. In my haste, I was about to leave the disheveled room as it was, when the phone in my hand vibrated.

‘Unknown number…’

The number on the screen was unfamiliar, but at this precise moment, there was only one person who would be calling me. I immediately answered, and a familiar voice caressed my ear.

–You picked up right away.

Indeed, as I had expected, the caller was Han Jung-woo. While I was grateful he saved me the trouble of asking Yoo Hae-jung’s secretary, anger surged within me, knowing he was the root cause of all this.

“What about the article?”

–Ah, you saw it? It went up faster than I thought.

He chuckled mischievously, not even bothering to hide that he was the culprit. I pressed a hand to my throbbing forehead, swallowing the harsh words that had risen to my throat.

“Issue a retraction immediately.”

–What did you say?

“That there’s nothing between us.”

–Is there really nothing between us, though? We have a child, after all.

Upon hearing his playfully added remark, a torrent of curses spilled out of me, unchecked. He, however, seemed delighted by the profanity, laughing as if it were the funniest thing. He truly had peculiar tastes.

“Mr. Han Jung-woo, as I mentioned earlier, I will raise the child alone.”

–I don’t recall ever agreeing to that.

“Mr. Han Jung-woo, your agreement isn’t necessary.”

I drew a line that I had likely drawn countless times before. He let out a deep sigh and paused for a moment. As only quiet breaths were exchanged, he continued the conversation, his voice a tone lower than before.

–Mr. Yoo Seo-jin, you seem to be forgetting one crucial fact: I am also one of the child’s biological fathers.

He pressed hard, asserting that he, therefore, had rights. Caught off guard by his unexpected retort, I found myself unable to speak, and he drove the point home.

–I have the right to intervene in matters concerning the child.