Chapter 60: What Time Heals

4. What Time Heals

Emerging from Han Jung-woo’s residence, I noticed the afternoon was already waning. I had initially intended a swift departure after conveying my message, yet our discussion had unexpectedly stretched on.

Descending to the parking garage via the elevator, I found the driver awaiting me, precisely as he had been upon my initial arrival. I then boarded the car and was driven back to my home.

“Live with me.”

He had offered me full support until the child’s birth and complete authority thereafter. His sole condition in return was that I reside with him during that period.

We were not destined for marriage, and love was certainly not a factor between us. When I questioned the rationale for cohabitation under such circumstances, he asserted that this one point was non-negotiable.

While I was prepared to concede one point to him, considering how much he had already given, cohabitation was an entirely different proposition. Just as I was about to voice my refusal, he appended a single, crucial statement.

“Do not forget that I, too, possess the right to intervene in our child’s upbringing.”

His words unequivocally implied a tenacious legal battle for custody should I reject his terms. Thus, from the outset, I had no actual choice in the matter; I had merely deluded myself into believing otherwise.

Ultimately, I acquiesced to his conditions. However, to mitigate the risk of him reneging on his word, as he had previously, we stipulated that cohabitation would commence only after a formal written agreement was properly executed.

While he set about preparing the agreement, I resolved to make arrangements to leave my current home. As this cohabitation was slated for merely half a year, I anticipated bringing few possessions; the true challenge, however, lay with Yoo Seo-jin’s parents.

I had conceived a child, yet harbored no intentions of marriage, and now, cohabitation was on the table. Even to my own mind, the situation was rife with incomprehensible elements, leaving me to wonder if my parents would ever truly accept it.

Of course, I was prepared to depart regardless of their objections.

‘It’s only until the baby is born, after all.’

While a typical pregnancy spans nine months, it was said that for male Omegas, the term was usually about a month shorter. This left me with just over half a year—a duration that felt simultaneously extensive and fleeting.

Afterward, I would depart with the child, leaving Han Jung-woo to encounter Jung Hee-soo and fall in love as their predetermined fate dictated. Wouldn’t that render everything perfectly aligned?

“We have arrived.”

The driver’s announcement drew my gaze to the window, revealing we had already pulled up to my house. He then disembarked from the driver’s seat and opened the rear door for me. With a mere nod as my acknowledgment, I exited the vehicle.

‘They must be in an uproar.’

My phone had been switched off, leaving me unaware of the flurry of missed calls, but I was certain my mother would be incandescent with rage over my unannounced departure.

Steeling myself, I unlatched the front door, only to immediately encounter my parents, who had evidently been awaiting my return. It appeared they had been vigilantly stationed by the entrance all this time.

“Where have you been, dear?”

My mother’s voice retained its usual gentle cadence, yet her expression betrayed none of that softness. Meeting her gaze, which silently demanded the unvarnished truth, I responded candidly.

“I’ve just come from meeting Han Jung-woo.”

“Han Jung-woo?”

The mention of Han Jung-woo’s name from my lips caused Yoo Hae-jung’s face to visibly brighten. After such a resolute dismissal just yesterday, he now seemed to harbor expectations, perhaps hoping that my meeting with Han Jung-woo and my sudden change of heart signified something more.

“Please, sit down first. You must be weary; there’s no need to remain standing.”

Yoo Hae-jung, discerning that the conversation would be extensive, gently patted my mother’s shoulder and guided her toward the living room. Slipping off my shoes, I followed my parents and settled into a chair at a respectful distance.

“So, what exactly did you discuss?”

“We’ve decided to live together.”

My mother appeared utterly bewildered by the sudden announcement of cohabitation, while Yoo Hae-jung, conversely, beamed with delight. After a brief pause, I appended a crucial detail.

“Starting in three days.”

Han Jung-woo had claimed he could prepare the agreement as early as tomorrow, but I had requested additional time, mindful of Yoo Seo-jin’s family.

I had mentally allotted a week, but the impetuous Han Jung-woo had conceded only three days. This timeframe was neither entirely inadequate nor particularly ample for settling Yoo Seo-jin’s affairs.

“Is this cohabitation predicated on the prospect of marriage?”

“That is not the case.”

I swiftly corrected Yoo Hae-jung’s burgeoning misconception. This entanglement with Han Jung-woo was to be my last. The approximately half-year until the child’s birth marked the absolute final period we were permitted to share.

Thereafter, I was determined never to encounter him again.

“Do not even broach the subject of marriage with Daejin Group. My discussions with Han Jung-woo are already concluded.”

Yoo Hae-jung regarded me with an utterly bewildered gaze, while my mother, seemingly overwhelmed by the profound shock of it all, remained utterly speechless.

I understood that this would be difficult for them to comprehend. Yet, the future that awaited me, intertwined with Han Jung-woo, was a burden only I carried. These were narratives they would never believe, even if spoken aloud. Thus, I drew a definitive line, more resolute than ever before.

“I shall handle everything myself, so both of you need not concern yourselves.”

This was, after all, solely my affair.

****

Over the course of the ensuing three days, I largely confined myself to my room.

Ordinarily, my mother would have sought me out repeatedly, but this time, perhaps overwhelmed by the profound shock, she refrained. Thus, with our dialogue fractured, the day of my departure swiftly drew near.

‘This should suffice.’

Despite the prospect of residing with him for half a year, I packed sparingly. I had no intention of establishing a permanent home, knowing I would depart after childbirth, and thus wished to leave little behind.

Thus, I exited my room, pulling nothing but a single 24-inch suitcase. I quietly shut the door and turned, only to find my mother standing at the far end of the corridor. I faltered, unable even to offer a greeting, and swiftly averted my gaze.

“Are you truly going?”

In lieu of a spoken reply, I merely nodded, prompting her to emit a profound sigh. She then slowly approached, taking my hand firmly in hers. Her warm touch sent a tremor through my chest.

“Come visit often, and do contact me if anything arises. Remember, your mother will always be on Seo-jin’s side… never forget that.”

In the three days that we had each kept to ourselves, she appeared to have resigned herself to accepting this perplexing situation. The arduous torment she must have endured was now etched into the deeper lines on her face.

“I will do my best to reason with your father. He will never compel you into anything you do not desire, Seo-jin.”

To her, her son’s happiness was paramount. Although the original Yoo Seo-jin, surrounded by such cherished individuals, had been unable to relinquish his avarice and thus met his downfall, I was not him.

I can protect them all. Myself, the child, and my family.

“I’m sorry, Mother.”

At my heartfelt apology, she gently shook her head. I then made a promise to visit frequently—a pledge I might ultimately be unable to uphold—before turning from her and exiting the house.

Emerging from the main gate, I found a familiar black sedan awaiting me, just as it had three days prior. The driver alighted from his seat, relieved me of my suitcase to stow it in the trunk, and then opened the rear passenger door for me.

As my home receded from view, I found tears inexplicably streaming down my face. Wiping the wetness from my cheeks, I closed my eyes and leaned deeply into the plush seat.

The car, with me inside, traversed the city center before veering towards the outskirts. His previous residence had been centrally located, yet this new destination was entirely different. He had apparently deemed his current home too small for two, prompting a relocation within just three days.

‘What an extravagant display of wealth.’

Disembarking from the car, I let out a wry, disbelieving laugh at the sight of the house, which was undeniably opulent for a mere half-year cohabitation. It appeared at least twice the size of his previous residence, a lavish estate boasting a sprawling garden, a private swimming pool, and every conceivable luxury.

The considerable distance from the city center suggested that movement without a car would be inconvenient. This would, by natural extension, confine me to the house. I found myself wondering if this was precisely his intention.

Stepping inside the residence, the soaring ceiling was the first to greet me. I was mesmerized by the elliptical, cascading light fixtures until a subtle presence nearby drew my attention.

“Welcome.”

A few individuals, seemingly live-in housekeepers, greeted me. While I had anticipated that a house of such vastness would require more than one person, their numbers were greater than expected.

“The Director is in the study.”

After informing me of Han Jung-woo’s whereabouts, they took my suitcase and disappeared somewhere. Left alone, I removed my shoes and slipped into the indoor slippers that had appeared before me.

I passed through the living room, which offered a view of the swimming pool, and ascended the stairs leading to the second floor. Following the familiar scent of pheromones, I reached the last room down the corridor and opened the door without hesitation.

He stood with his back to me, facing the window that overlooked the garden. So lost in thought was he that he initially failed to notice my entry.

One step, then two, as I drew closer to him, he finally sensed my presence and turned. The rigid lines of his face softened into a bright smile as he greeted me warmly.

“Welcome, Mr. Yoo Seo-jin.”

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