Chapter 5.3

Chairman Han and Butler Song pitied him and tried everything they could to treat him as family. They celebrated every seasonal event that families would typically observe. Attending school sports days and parent-teacher meetings became an unspoken rule, no matter what.

The problem, however, was Baek-geon. At first, he reluctantly participated in these events, but as time went on, he stopped mentioning them altogether and avoided them.

In high school, he decided on his own to forgo advancing his education, without telling anyone, which led to a severe scolding from Chairman Han.

After being thoroughly reprimanded, he eventually attended university and officially inherited the business. Yet, Baek-geon never missed a single organizational task. It was the kind of behavior only someone who fully understood a life different from that of ordinary people could manage.

Even so, the current situation was unfamiliar and chaotic. He hadn’t expected to have a child, nor had he anticipated becoming entangled with someone like this.

On top of that, the coincidence of being tied to Yoon-ryeol through a bad relationship was uncanny. Yoon-jae must have instinctively realized what might have happened to him.

He didn’t feel guilt or remorse. So Yoon-ryeol was undoubtedly a villain who had ruined So Yoon-jae’s life.

However, what a woman might feel was an entirely different matter. While he could move past it, it might be an entirely different issue for her, given that they were blood relatives.

Baek-geon, with a dark expression, fell deep into thought. He was so absorbed that he didn’t notice Butler Song looking at him with pity.

Would he be able to handle this?

Unfamiliar paths inevitably leave scars on everyone. Baek-geon remembered clearly. While Chairman Han and Butler Song had been kind and dedicated to him, they hadn’t been perfect parental figures.

Knowing something and actually doing it are entirely different things. Even with perfect theoretical knowledge, the results often turn out completely different in practice.

Baek-geon had grown up as a child watching his adoptive father and Butler Song stumble through parenthood. He couldn’t help but feel afraid of whether he could adapt to life as a parent himself.

But he couldn’t turn away from his child. When he saw the ultrasound and heard the heartbeat, he had unconsciously taken a deep breath. For the first time, he understood what it meant when people said their hearts stopped. That realization brought a profound and overwhelming sense of awe.

“You’ll have to get married. These days, some people choose to remain single and raise children on their own, but perhaps because I’m older, I’d still recommend marriage. Besides, it’s unprecedented in the organization.”

At Butler Song’s words, Baek-geon smirked bitterly. Marriage? It was something he had never even considered.

“Even the Chairman raised me alone. You can live just fine without getting married.”

“That’s a bit different. The Chairman often took in children, provided them with shelter, and continued to care for them. But I believe the Chairman would want you to build a proper family. Wouldn’t it be better to report to him properly when you visit?”

A visit. Baek-geon imagined himself visiting the Chairman with Yoon-jae holding a newborn in her arms. It was an absurd thought.

Noticing Baek-geon’s mood, Butler Song spoke gently, 

“Think about it carefully. Just because you grew up in hardship doesn’t mean your child has to live the same way.”

Those words struck Baek-geon deeply. He looked up at Butler Song, who, as always, calmly gathered his teacup and left the room.

Baek-geon wondered if that was what Chairman Han had desperately wanted. Even though he wasn’t his biological father, perhaps what he had hoped for Baek-geon, his adopted son, was a normal and peaceful life.

Chairman Han’s personal ambition might have been for Baek-geon to become a judge or prosecutor, to stand at the pinnacle of power and rule the world.

Is that what being a parent is? Wanting peace but also harboring a little ambition, feeling disappointment but ultimately wishing for nothing but happiness for their child?

For the first time, Baek-geon felt he understood the depth of affection Chairman Han had shown him. A man who had been untouchable in the underworld had, to his child, been nothing more than an ordinary father.

Thinking that way, he felt a subtle change in his attitude toward the child. Rising from his seat, he left the living room and climbed the stairs.

The bedroom was quiet. The setting sun cast its final warmth into the room. Baek-geon approached cautiously and silently, observing the woman sleeping on the bed.

Her complexion was better than the day before, and she seemed noticeably more stable. Though the hardships of her life were still evident, she didn’t look too bad overall.

Baek-geon studied Yoon-jae’s face and body carefully before stepping into the bathroom. When he emerged, he was holding a tube of hand cream.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took Yoon-jae’s hand, squeezed some cream onto the back of it, and gently rubbed it in. The subtle fragrance soothed his mind.

After applying the cream to both hands, her rough, cracked skin looked a bit smoother and fairer. Moving quietly so he wouldn’t wake her, Baek-geon returned the cream to its place and left the room.

*

Yoon-jae stretched like a cat before picking up her needle again. Though her stitches were still clumsy and uneven, the piece was starting to resemble a baby blanket.

She wanted to add a design, but that was far beyond her current skill level.

Smiling awkwardly, she opened her quilting book again to check the stitches and patterns. She was so focused that a light sheen of sweat formed on her nose.

She had never imagined she would be lounging and sewing like this. Though it was for the child, she knew it wouldn’t have been possible without Baek-geon’s full support.

Her feelings toward him were always mixed. She felt grateful but also constantly feared being abandoned.

She couldn’t stop wondering if she would be cast aside after giving birth. That fear gave her a compulsive need to prepare for the worst.

But for now, there was nothing she could do. Until she fully recovered, she had no choice but to remain in bed.

Even lying in bed was starting to bore her. On top of that, Baek-geon’s constant care made her feel embarrassed and guilty.

Though he didn’t say much, it was impossible not to notice how busy he was. There were countless nights when his phone would ring, and he’d get up to handle something.

What was strange was Baek-geon’s insistence on sharing a room with her. Despite the large mansion with its many rooms, he stayed in the same one.

‘What if something happens to you while I’m asleep?’

Even when she told him to sleep elsewhere, Baek-geon would respond in a playful, stubborn tone. Not long after moving into his house, there was a night when she felt strange and ended up waking him.

Fortunately, it wasn’t bleeding. The diagnosis was simply psychological anxiety. However, after that, she couldn’t say anything about sharing a room with Baek-geon.

Thankfully, her condition was gradually improving, which was a relief to her. During the afternoon check-up, it would be decided whether she could start moving again.

Yoon-jae was so busy counting patterns that she didn’t notice Baek-geon entering the room. The sight of the woman clumsily moving her needle and fully immersed in quilting struck Baek-geon’s heart painfully.

He frowned at the strange sensation creeping into his chest. It wasn’t pain, but it kept poking somewhere inside him, making it difficult to breathe.

Should I go to the hospital?

If it was a physical problem, it would be best to detect and treat it early. But no matter how much he thought about it, it didn’t seem to be a bodily issue.

If that was the case, there was only one solution. Baek-geon realized it was time to make a decision about the future.

Yoon-jae finished counting the patterns and was about to stick the needle into the fabric again when she noticed the man’s presence. She immediately set down her sewing, feeling as though she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t.

“You’re back?”

He must have come home early specifically for her doctor’s appointment. Yoon-jae lowered her gaze apologetically.

“I could’ve gone with Butler Song.”

“How can he carry you? He’s strong, but he’s still an old man.”

“There’s also the driver…”

“He’s still young and inexperienced. It wouldn’t work.”

Throwing out his words casually, Baek-geon removed his suit jacket and headed toward the dressing room. His back looked impressive as he walked away—he was the kind of man who stood out no matter where he went or what he did.

Yoon-jae rolled her eyes slightly as if she had heard a pointless remark. Still, the fact that he had dropped everything to accompany her to the hospital was reassuring.

She couldn’t help but feel a unique sense of trust toward him, a man she had thought she would never rely on in her life. After nearly a month of being cared for by him, her anxiety had significantly lessened, and she had built up some immunity to his presence.

“Are you ready?”

Baek-geon asked as he returned, dressed in more comfortable clothes. Yoon-jae shyly nodded. She was wearing maternity clothes made from a material that allowed for easy movement, designed to be simple yet stylish.