Chapter 84: Turn the Lie Into Reality

“When you’re startled, you make an expression like that too… No wonder Woo-seok likes you so much.”

He looked as though he had no intention of moving. Go Ha-jin pushed himself up from where he’d been half-reclining, sitting upright while maintaining the awkwardly close distance. All Chae Jun-seok did was flick the leaf he was holding away.

“H-how are you home at this hour…?”

Maybe it wasn’t a big deal. Maybe he’d simply seen Go Ha-jin sitting in the middle of the garden while passing by and decided to play a little prank. But for some reason, Go Ha-jin felt uncomfortable.

The fact that it was Chae Jun-seok who had done it, the short distance between them, and the ease with which he acted in this situation all bothered him.

“I finished work a little early, so I came home to spend time with Si-yeol.”

“Oh… I see.”

So Go Ha-jin moved first. Pretending to stretch, he stood up from the chair.

“It’s late, but congratulations on the pregnancy.”

“Yeah… thank you…”

It felt strangely embarrassing. Chae Jun-seok knew the truth about him too, that he wasn’t the son of a real-estate tycoon. Yet he showed no sign of it, treating him exactly the same as before. That unchanging attitude was what made it awkward.

It might have been easier if he’d looked at him with the same contempt as the others.

“…I’m sorry. I’ve only caused trouble for everyone.”

Chae Jun-seok tilted his head. Go Ha-jin had spoken indirectly, but he wasn’t stupid enough to miss the meaning.

“Is that really such a big deal…? Ah! Well, I guess it is. Fooling even the Chairman and Madam isn’t exactly ordinary. But what does that have to do with me? Honestly, I don’t care at all. If anything… it was kind of interesting.”

“And the pregnancy too…”

“Ah.”

At the mention of the pregnancy, a bitter smile briefly appeared on Chae Jun-seok’s face, unlike when discussing Go Ha-jin’s identity. But it disappeared just as quickly.

“It’s something worth congratulating. Just because Woo-seok and I don’t get along doesn’t mean I’m petty enough to resent my sister-in-law’s pregnancy.”

“Ah…! That’s not what I meant…”

Though it was close enough.

The people most disadvantaged by Go Ha-jin’s pregnancy were Chae Jun-seok and Tae Seol. Chae Jun-seok was publicly acknowledged as the eldest son, but he still carried the stigma of being an outside child.

On top of that, he’d married Tae Seol against his parents’ wishes, and even their child lacked the dominant trait everyone wanted.

In many ways, it was the worst possible situation.

Then Chae Woo-seok, a direct bloodline heir, suddenly had a child on the way. On the surface, it was a child between a dominant alpha and a dominant omega, meaning there was a high chance the baby would inherit the same traits.

If that happened, Woo-seok would gain a huge advantage in the succession battle, whether anyone liked it or not.

“Well… things will work themselves out somehow, right? Let’s not talk about such stressful things. It’ll be bad for the baby.”

Hearing him say that only made Go Ha-jin feel guiltier.

‘A man worrying about a baby that didn’t even exist…’

How many countries had Tae Seol saved in a previous life to end up married to someone like this? The ridiculous thought crossed his mind. Unlike someone else, Chae Jun-seok was genuinely considerate.

“By the way, you don’t go out much anymore, do you?”

“As if that were my choice… They’ve told me not to wander around for a few days, so I’m basically trapped here. Starting next week, I’m planning to get out more. I need to make some donations and visit the art center…”

He was bored out of his mind.

How little did he have to do that he’d started taking daily walks around the mansion grounds? Sometimes he was even glad when Chae Jae-yi came around to pick a fight with him.

Sometimes. Very occasionally.

“Donations… So you aren’t exactly broke, huh? Between that and the money you brought as dowry… Everyone’s pretty curious about it, actually. We just haven’t had the chance to ask.”

A trace of curiosity entered Chae Jun-seok’s eyes.

Even after his identity was exposed, no one had directly questioned where the twenty billion won had come from. More accurately, they were probably investigating it themselves, so Go Ha-jin hadn’t bothered worrying about it.

“Well, yeah. I have that much. I’m just not a chaebol, that’s all…”

It seemed the Chae family regarded everyone who wasn’t a chaebol as essentially the same. No one asked any further questions.

He’d even prepared several fake identities in advance, but they’d become unnecessary. No matter how much they investigated, they would never imagine that Chae Woo-seok had provided the money.

“Is that so… Anyway, take care of yourself. You know the early stages are the most important, right? Male omegas have a relatively high miscarriage rate in the beginning.”

“Ah… yes. Thank you.”

“Then I’ll be going. Si-yeol is waiting for me.”

After checking his watch once, Chae Jun-seok turned and left.

He really was a strange man.

Setting aside his relationship with Chae Woo-seok, he seemed like a genuinely good person. A husband who cherished his omega, a father who loved his child, a hardworking employee, and someone who treated others kindly.

There wasn’t much to criticize.

Go Ha-jin watched his retreating figure for a long time.

****

“By the way, what’s your plan?”

“Plan…? What plan?”

Woo-seok had brought home takeout fried chicken after work.

For the first time in a while, the two of them were enjoying chicken and beer together. Since they’d lied about the pregnancy, they’d had to be careful not to let anyone see them eating fried food or drinking alcohol.

The chicken tasted heavenly after so long.

Go Ha-jin was busy tearing into a drumstick when he looked up in confusion.

Don’t talk to me while I’m eating.

“The pregnancy. What are you going to do about it? Your stomach is supposed to start showing eventually. And when the due date comes and no baby appears, won’t people get suspicious?”

“Ah… that.”

Go Ha-jin tossed the stripped bone into an empty dish and washed away the grease with a gulp of beer.

The fizz sliding down his throat felt amazing.

It even eased some of the frustration from being half-confined to the house.

“Isn’t that dependent on how your plan progresses? You never intended this marriage to last for years in the first place.”

“…Well, yeah. I figured we’d have a messy marriage and then…”

Woo-seok still hadn’t revealed his ultimate objective.

The real purpose behind this fraudulent marriage.

Go Ha-jin had secretly hoped he’d finally explain it, but Woo-seok trailed off before saying anything important.

“Anyway, we just have to finish things before the baby’s supposed to arrive, right?”

Originally, Woo-seok had expected this marriage to last about a year.

Long enough to achieve his goal and then separate cleanly from Go Ha-jin.

In that sense, even the exposure of Go Ha-jin’s identity fit neatly into his plans.

‘So why…’

“And didn’t you say you didn’t want to become a father?”

Why did hearing Go Ha-jin say perfectly reasonable things annoy him so much?

That wasn’t what he’d meant when he said he didn’t want to be a father.

Unable to explain himself, Woo-seok changed the subject.

It was the only way to win against someone with such a sharp tongue.

“Well… that’s true. But I have a better solution.”

“A solution…?”

“Yeah. A way to make sure the fake pregnancy never gets exposed.”

Go Ha-jin paused with another piece of chicken halfway to his mouth.

There was a solution?

He’d actually been worried about it. He’d spent hours searching online for ways to make the fake pregnancy believable.

So hearing there was a foolproof answer immediately caught his attention.

“What is it?”

There it was again.

That rare, clueless expression.

Woo-seok couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Normally, Go Ha-jin wore a sharp expression, spoke with a cutting tone, or looked down on people.

But moments like this, when he dropped every mask, were something only Woo-seok got to see.

And he liked that.

“It’s not difficult. In fact, it’s something you’re good at.”

“R-really…?”

“Of course. Better than anything else.”

Every innocent reaction made him want to tease him more.

Just a little praise, and the corners of his mouth were already twitching upward.

“Well… I do have a lot of talents, but creating a baby out of nowhere isn’t exactly- wait, AAH!”

Unfortunately, Go Ha-jin figured it out.

Turn the fake pregnancy into a real one.

That was the plan.

But it was already too late.

Moving with almost animalistic speed, Woo-seok grabbed his arm and yanked him forward.

The table shook violently, spilling beer and chicken everywhere.

Neither of them cared.

Go Ha-jin toppled onto the rug, and Woo-seok immediately climbed over him.

Patience had never been one of his virtues.

He pinned both of Go Ha-jin’s wrists above his head with one hand and pressed their lips together.

“Hng- wait- !”

“Ah!”

The moment Woo-seok shoved his tongue into Go Ha-jin’s mouth, stars exploded behind his eyes.

A completely unexpected attack.

Go Ha-jin’s knee had struck a place that absolutely should not be struck.

Woo-seok’s strength vanished instantly.

Go Ha-jin shoved him away, scrambled to his feet, and retreated.

“You…!”

Woo-seok expected an angry protest about his ridiculous plan.

Or maybe outrage over the sudden kiss.

Instead, Go Ha-jin said something completely unexpected.

“Hey… brush your teeth first… then we can do it… We just ate chicken.”

Then he bolted straight for the bathroom.

Anyone could tell how flustered he was.

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