Chapter 1

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

The moonlight poured through the wide window, brightly illuminating the white bed sheets. 

Even though Dokyeom must have clearly heard what Leeyeon said, there was no response from the person on the other end of the call.

Shhhh—

From the bathroom attached to the room, the sound of water pouring down coolly could be heard faintly. 

Leeyeon glanced at the still tightly closed bathroom door and tried hard to conceal her trembling voice. 

She thought that if she closed her eyes, the surge of countless emotions might subside a little, but it was of no use. 

Amid the confusion of how things ended up like this, what squeezed in was an unreasonable feeling. 

A feeling she should not harbor toward him. 

Not toward anyone else but Ji Dokyeom. 

Leeyeon bit her lip hard and placed her hand on her still flat lower belly. 

Inside, a small life was growing. She had conceived the child of a man she should not love. 

She gripped her phone so tightly with her right hand that it was already pale, without a trace of color. 

“Excuse me. Did you hear what I said?”

• I heard you. It’s just so ridiculous, I’m speechless.

A scoffing laugh was heard, and then a rough voice pierced into Leeyeon’s ear. 

• So, does that mean you don’t mind if I tell Ji Dokyeom the truth about who you really are?

She knows better than anyone that no matter what choice she makes, she cannot continue her relationship with Dokyeom. 

Even though she repeatedly tells herself it was an unreasonable relationship from the start, she doesn’t understand why her heart hurts so much. 

She cannot stay by his side any longer. And Leeyeon was determined to protect the small, precious life that had come to her, no matter what. 

Therefore, the only choice she could make was just one.

Even if she couldn’t stop Dokyeom from finding out her true identity, she couldn’t bring herself to betray him and stab him in the back.

Because, foolishly, she had fallen in love with him.

And because Dokyeom was the father of the child in her womb.

In this truly absurd situation, only laughter escaped.

• I just asked you to steal a few documents related to Ji Dokyeom’s current project. Is that so difficult? Or have you actually fallen in love with him? Hahaha.

Leeyeon tightly closed her eyes.

Knowing better than anyone that doing so wouldn’t make this feeling disappear.

• Knowing what Ji Dokyeom did to your parents, you’re still showing him this kind of consideration?

“Please speak correctly. It wasn’t the Director but his stepmother, Cha Heeyoung, who did those things. Anyway, I can’t do this.”

• What a shame. Then, I’ll just go ahead and tell Ji Dokyeom your real identity right now…

Just as Leeyeon was about to say something.

A low baritone, which shouldn’t have been heard, poured down from behind.

“Han Leeyeon.”

“…….”

No way.

The sound of water pouring from the shower was still audible.

Which meant Dokyeom should still be in the shower.

Leeyeon mustered all her strength into her legs, which had stiffened, and turned her body around.

A figure she knew all too well was standing solidly in front of her, blocking her path.

Her heart pounded as if it would burst at any moment.

In Leeyeon’s slowly lifted gaze, she saw Dokyeom in a drenched suit.

• Hey, why aren’t you saying anything! Are you really sticking to your decision?

The person on the other end of the call was yelling, but without time to answer, Leeyeon was so shocked that she dropped her phone with a thud.

Dokyeom swiftly reached out and caught the phone falling to the floor in mid-air.

“Ah…”

Leeyeon’s brown pupils trembled slightly.

She wished it was a dream.

But seeing Dokyeom’s eyes staring intently at her, she knew all too well that it was not a dream.

Dokyeom stared at Leeyeon’s phone screen with an expressionless gaze, unreadable of any emotion.

“Were you on a call?”

“Yes…”

“What kind of secret conversation were you having that you had to whisper like that?”

Unable to confess that it was about him, Leeyeon let out a short breath.

Then she reached out to Dokyeom.

“It was a call that has nothing to do with you, Director. So please, give me my phone.”

Dokyeom slightly lifted one corner of his mouth and raised the phone to his ear.

• Hey!! Why aren’t you saying anything?

“Chief Geum Beomho?”

Hearing Dokyeom’s low murmur, the person on the other end seemed to hurriedly end the call.

Dokyeom let out a short laugh and handed the phone back to Leeyeon.

Leeyeon quickly took the phone, trying hard to hide her trembling fingertips.

No words were exchanged between them.

As silence filled the room, unlike the flustered Leeyeon, Dokyeom glanced down at his drenched appearance as if it were nothing.

Water had pooled on the floor where Dokyeom stood. He took off his soaked jacket and tossed it to the floor, then calmly began unbuttoning his shirt.

“Director…”

“Speak. I’m listening.”

Since standing in front of Leeyeon, Dokyeom hadn’t taken his eyes off her.

Looking at his strong face that showed no movement, Leeyeon let out a short breath.

“Weren’t you going to shower?”

Why is the man who went in to shower standing in front of me, soaked, with his clothes still on?

Dokyeom, reading Leeyeon’s thoughts, let out a short “Ah-” and continued speaking.

“That was my original intention.”

In the meantime, Dokyeom quickly threw his wet dress shirt to the floor.

The water-soaked shirt fell to the ground with a dull thud.

Droplets of water that seeped through the shirt trickled down his well-defined abs.

With nowhere else to look, Leeyeon had no choice but to fix her gaze on Dokyeom’s face.

As their eyes intensely locked, Dokyeom took a step closer and spoke.

“I was going to, but then I heard something interesting outside.”

That couldn’t be.

She had been speaking quietly, and the distance between the bed and the bathroom was too great.

Moreover, she had definitely heard the sound of the shower being turned on before making the call.

Leeyeon, who had been in conversation, couldn’t help but be certain.

“Don’t tell me… you already knew?”

It seemed this man already knew that she had been asked to hand over his information.

No, he definitely knew.

Dokyeom, still with an unreadable gaze, let out a pleasing deep voice.

“I did.”

The short acknowledgment, without denial, made Leeyeon’s eyelashes tremble.

Even though she had suspected he might know, hearing him confirm it left her even more flustered.

Leeyeon’s mind became a whirlwind of thoughts.

Since when did he know?

How much does he know?

Why did he leave me alone despite knowing?

Could he possibly know that I am carrying his child?

There were so many things she wanted to ask, but not a single one could be voiced.

Dokyeom lazily curled up the corners of his mouth and took another step closer.

The sound of splashing as Leeyeon stepped on the water pooled on the floor echoed in her ears.

Leeyeon, without realizing it, took a step back and asked in a trembling voice.

“Since when… No, knowing this, why…”

“Indeed.”

Dokyeom reached out and lifted Leeyeon’s chin, which kept trying to pull away from him.

Leeyeon’s pupils were fully dilated as if in fear.

A bitter sneer spread across Dokyeom’s face.

“Why did I just watch and observe?”

“…”

“A woman whose every word to me is a lie.”

Leeyeon’s eyes quickly filled with bewilderment.

As she took a step back to distance herself from Dokyeom.

A heavy bass voice pierced sharply into Leeyeon’s heart.

“Isn’t there something else you haven’t told me?”

The words that pierced sharply without warning were astonishing.

It felt like her heart was crashing to the floor with a thud.