That afternoon, Chief Baek came by with a stack of documents for approval.

Ye-jin wanted to snap, how could he bring work to someone who had just had part of his liver removed a few days ago? but she bit her lip and held back. His position was what it was; she couldn’t say anything.

“I’ll go check on Hope for a bit.”

While Chief Baek stayed behind to watch over him, Ye-jin planned to visit her son. She couldn’t enter the isolation ward, but through the transparent glass door, a nurse in protective gear would sometimes hold Hope up and show her.

“Are you sure you’re not in pain? I’ll see the doctor while I’m there.”

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t even look up, just answered flatly while flipping through the papers on his lap.

“Then I’ll be back soon.”

The moment Ye-jin left the room, Chief Baek cleared his throat carefully.

“Sir, you shouldn’t just keep saying you’re fine. You should—well—complain a little.”

“What?”

“If you say you’re in pain, Madam will treat you a lot more gently.”

“…Is that so.”

He nodded slowly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He picked up his pen to sign the documents, but his hand trembled. The muscles wouldn’t obey him properly.

It wasn’t just his hand, either. Since the surgery, his body had felt like it no longer belonged to him. It would take time before he could recover completely.

Still, he didn’t regret it. He had saved a young life and eased Ye-jin’s concerns. That alone made the pain worthwhile.

⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡

After Chief Baek left, Ye-jin returned to the hospital room. The moment she stepped inside, he looked up and said.

“I’m in pain.”

“What? You’re hurting? Where?”

Ye-jin’s eyes widened in alarm as she hurried to his side. He didn’t answer, just pointed silently to the surgical wound.

“Should I call the doctor? Maybe they can increase your pain medication?”

He gave a faint smile and said.

“No need for that.”

Then he took Ye-jin’s hand in his and gently guided it toward the surgical site.

“Just… touch it.”

Ye-jin’s breath caught in her throat. She carefully moved her hand, softly stroking the bandaged area. Her heart ached. He was a man who never complained about pain, so how much must it hurt for him to ask her to do this?

“It hurts here too.”

“Where?”

He raised a long finger and pointed to his lips.

Ye-jin blinked, momentarily stunned. Was he serious? After all her worrying, this was what he meant?

“And what exactly am I supposed to do about that?”

She replied, narrowing her eyes in mock indignation.

He didn’t answer; he just stuck out his lower lip ever so slightly, as if asking for a kiss.

It was a side of him she had never seen before. Her cheeks flushed pink and her heart beat wildly.

He would never know how her pulse raced every time he revealed a new, unexpected side to his character.

Unable to resist his teasing, Ye-jin finally gave in. She brushed her fingertips across his lips, then leaned in slowly and gently pressed her mouth against his.

Smack.

The sweet sound echoed through the quiet hospital room.

⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡

His recovery was swift. Within a week, he was discharged with no complications or lasting effects. This was a huge relief.

He could now walk unaided and even go for longer strolls during the day.

Hope was also transferred from the isolation ward to a regular room. According to the doctors, his recovery was remarkably fast — perhaps he had inherited his father’s strong constitution.

That afternoon, Chairwoman Min and Mrs Han came to visit. Mrs Han brought a large basket of fruit, insisting that caregivers needed strength too. Meanwhile, Chairwoman Min brought a bouquet of bright flowers, which filled the room with colour.

However, as there was no vase, Ye-jin could not arrange them properly, so they remained wrapped and set aside.

As the sun dipped low and evening fell, her phone rang. It was him.

—”When are you coming home?”

“I’m sorry… I’m going to stay here until Hope’s discharged.”

Even as she said it, her heart pounded with unease, afraid he might demand she return home immediately.

And deep down, she felt guilty, he was still recovering, after all.

—”All right.”

To her surprise, he didn’t argue. He accepted it without complaint.

Whether it was because he understood Hope’s condition, or because he had simply softened, she couldn’t tell.

“I’ll stop by the house during the day, then.”

—”No, I’ll come to the hospital instead.”

“You’re still a patient! You shouldn’t be walking around so much, you need to be careful.”

—”I need to move a little anyway. And besides, what’s wrong with visiting my son? Don’t scold me too much.”{

“S-son?”

Ye-jin’s voice faltered in surprise. It was the first time he had ever called Hope my son so naturally.

—”Well, he’s my son on paper, isn’t he? It’s not wrong to say so.”

He couldn’t imagine how those simple, matter-of-fact words made her throat tighten with emotion.

So many replies spun in her mind—

‘He’s not just your son on paper. He’s your real son.’

Maybe he would accept it now. Then again, maybe he already had. After all, he no longer treated Hope coldly. In fact, he had even given up part of his liver to save his life.

But the words caught in her throat.

She had spent too much time lying. What if he turned on her in anger when the truth came out?

Fear always won in the end. So, just as she swallowed her confession of love, she swallowed the truth about Hope’s birth, burying it deep inside.

—“{Do you need anything for the room?”

“Nothing, really. Oh, except a vase. We don’t have one, so the flowers my mom brought are still just sitting there.”

—”I’ll bring one when I visit tomorrow.{“

After the call ended, Ye-jin turned her gaze to Hope, sleeping soundly beside her. His long lashes rested against his cheeks, his features so strikingly like his father’s.

“Hope.”

She whispered, brushing her fingers gently through his hair.

“Daddy’s coming tomorrow. I wish tomorrow would come sooner.”

⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡

The next morning dawned bright and clear and with it came an unexpected visitor.

“Jihoon?”

Ye-jin’s eyes widened when she saw him standing at the door.

“I stopped by on my way to work. After hearing the news, I knew I had to come.”

The liver transplant had been kept strictly confidential, but news of it leaked when a hospital intern got drunk at a dinner party and spoke too freely.

The news that Seo Jung-hoo, the CEO of Shinseong Heavy Industries, had donated part of his liver spread like wildfire. Initially, the company’s stock price spiked dramatically, but then settled again after reports confirmed that he had made a full recovery and been discharged from hospital.

At the same time, his public image soared. In the public eye, he had transformed from a cold-blooded, ruthless businessman into a deeply devoted family man — a revelation that caused people to idolize him even more.

“Hello, Hope? I brought you a present.”

Jihoon handed the baby a small stuffed toy—a lion. It symbolized strength and courage, a wish for Hope to grow healthy and brave.

Hope blinked his round eyes at Jihoon and then broke into a bright smile.

“Wow, Hope… you’re so…”

Jihoon’s voice trailed off. He couldn’t seem to finish the sentence.

“So… alike.”

He never said who Hope resembled, but Ye-jin didn’t need to ask. Of course! He looked so much like him.

That was why he was so handsome and heartbreakingly lovely.

“When he grows up, I bet he’ll make plenty of girls cry.”

“No way. My Hope’s too kind for that!”

“Oh, really? With that face, I doubt it. He’s bound to have the same temperament, too.”

“You—!”

Ye-jin puffed up, feeling half angry and half flustered. Although she was grateful that her son had inherited the man’s striking looks, she prayed that he wouldn’t inherit his temper. Much as she loved him, he could be impossible to handle.

“I should get going. I have to be at work soon.”

“Okay. I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

Leaving Hope in the nurse’s care, Ye-jin followed Jihoon out into the hallway.

As they walked side by side, Jihoon spoke in a quieter tone.

“You still haven’t told your husband, have you?”

“Huh?”

“About Hope.”

“…”

“Don’t you think he deserves to know by now? You can’t keep it from him forever.”

“…”

“That man literally gave up part of his liver for Hope. If anyone has the right to know, it’s him.”

Ye-jin lowered her head, silent. She had told him the truth a thousand times in her heart, but every time she tried to say it aloud, fear stopped her cold.

“I might be overstepping, but I think you should tell him soon.”

“…”

“Tell him Hope is his real son.”

At that moment—

Crash!

The sharp sound of breaking glass cut through the air.

Startled, Ye-jin spun around.

A vase lay smashed across the hallway floor, its shards glittering under the fluorescent lights.

Standing rigid beside the wreckage was a tall man, his expression stricken with disbelief.

“Hope… is my son?”