Chapter 6.2

Han Baek-geon thought he should stop her and argue, but he couldn’t move. Somehow, he felt that even if he ran after her and held on, it would be useless.

Love her?

He found it absurd. Of all the excuses in the world, why did it have to be something as cheap as love? Han Baek-geon was furious. A searing anger, like a blazing ember, burned his heart black.

Just as he clenched his teeth and tightly balled his fists, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Regaining his composure, he pulled it out and brought it to his ear.

• Boss—no, Hyung.”

It was Gong Cheong-o. His voice was desperate as he pleaded.

• Can I see you for a moment, Hyung?”

“…Wait.”

Han Baek-geon ended the call and stood up. He glanced once at the bedroom window where Yoon-jae would be and then walked out.

*

Cheong-o was at a small Japanese restaurant he frequented in the past. His face was flushed, likely from drinking heavily, as he greeted Han Baek-geon.

“Hyungnim, Hyungnim.”

The moment he saw him, Cheong-o clung to him, making it difficult for Han Baek-geon to shake him off. After finally managing to sit across from him in a private room and ordering drinks, Han Baek-geon asked him, 

“What’s going on? There must be a reason you called me out so suddenly.”

Cheong-o, who had been staring at him, spoke with a gloomy expression.

“Yoon-jae… she’s pregnant, isn’t she?”

So he only found out now. Han Baek-geon looked at him with a slightly incredulous expression.

“I didn’t even know. I thought she was sick, so I didn’t reach out properly… I just trusted that you’d take good care of her, Hyungnim.”

A bottle of whiskey arrived. Han Baek-geon poured a drink for Cheong-o and himself. After downing the strong liquor in one gulp, Cheong-o wiped his mouth.

“You’re the one who got her pregnant, right? That day… the day we dealt with that bastard.”

Without saying a word, Han Baek-geon drank. Cheong-o smirked.

“The baby’s fine, right? The medication didn’t cause any problems, did it? Well, with a strong guy like you as the father, what could possibly go wrong?”

“Gong Cheong-o.”

Han Baek-geon was growing tired. First Yoon-jae, and now this guy—they both had to bring up So Yoon-ryeol.

“Did you call me out just to complain?”

“Hyungnim.”

Cheong-o rubbed his flushed face with both hands. After a long moment, he looked at him with a suddenly calm expression.

“Are you okay?”

“What’s there to be okay or not okay about?”

At his sarcastic response, Cheong-o chuckled softly.

“What are you going to do if Yoon-jae holds a grudge because of what you did to that bastard?”

Han Baek-geon drank with a displeased expression. After finishing his glass, he glared at Cheong-o and spoke roughly.

“Is that such a big deal to you people?”

“What?”

“That bastard even did unspeakable things to his own sister. You agree with that, don’t you?”

Han Baek-geon left it at that and drank again. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore; the thought disgusted him.

“If you’re here to give me some moral lecture, shut up and leave. Do you think people like him, who drugged and trafficked others, would ever change? That bastard caused the Chairwoman so much trouble, and during that time, I had to rebuild the organization from scratch. Are you blaming me for that now?”

Cheong-o pursed his lips.

“Yeah, you’re right. But I don’t know why I keep feeling uneasy. Why do you think that is?”

Han Baek-geon was growing weary. He couldn’t believe this guy still hadn’t let go of his feelings and was eyeing her. Without hiding his irritation, he growled.

“If you want to get your head bashed in, go ahead and make a move. I’ll leave a nice big scar for you.”

He drank heavily, as if to signal he had no intention of continuing the conversation. By the time the whiskey bottle was nearly empty, Cheong-o looked up with teary eyes.

“I’m sorry, Hyungnim. I got carried away, resented you for no reason… I won’t do it again.”

Even as he accepted the apology, Han Baek-geon didn’t feel at ease. To think he almost lost a trusted brother over a woman. His suppressed feelings kept threatening to spill out in the wrong direction.

“If you’re thinking of turning against me over something like this, leave now.”

Startled, Cheong-o hurriedly bowed his head.

“No, Hyungnim! I would never do that. It wasn’t that I really liked her; it was more like… admiration. That’s all. Don’t worry. This won’t happen again.”

This guy and that woman… 

The memory of Yoon-jae rejecting his proposal resurfaced, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. Han Baek-geon felt like letting everything go.

Looking back, he had tried countless times to push her away. When he was filled with hatred and anger, it had been easier. Even when he became aware of the lingering pieces of her in his heart, he had continued to reject and despise her.

Getting married for the baby’s sake?

His mind reeled as if struck by lightning. He hadn’t expected her to say that. He had thought only he could say those words. After all, he was the one who had chosen her.

When it came to matters involving Yoon-jae, he couldn’t think straight. That was why he had decided to marry her.

More than anything, he was afraid of making mistakes because of her. It seemed better to keep her close than to risk losing control.

Yet, she had refused to marry him. Because he didn’t love her. That was her reason.

It was absurd. She had taken up so much space in his heart, yet she used the lack of love as an excuse. It was just a pretense.

Han Baek-geon meant nothing to So Yoon-jae. That was the bitter truth surrounding the two of them.

Smiling faintly, Han Baek-geon pressed the call button. When the server arrived, he ordered more drinks.

Soon, a new bottle of whiskey and ice arrived. He opened the bottle and drank with a sense of resignation.

“Hyungnim, please stop. You’ll get drunk.”

Isn’t that why people drink? 

Ignoring Cheong-o’s attempts to stop him, Han Baek-geon continued to pour and drink. It wasn’t until Cheong-o bowed his head to the floor, repeatedly apologizing, that the drinking session ended.

Without a change in expression, Han Baek-geon straightened his back and got into the car Butler Song had sent. Only after sitting in the car did he let out a heated sigh and close his eyes.

The image of Yoon-jae’s startled eyes and pale face kept flashing in his mind. Her low voice asking if they really had to get married was vivid.

Damn it.

Han Baek-geon pressed his hand to his forehead. He couldn’t tell what was what anymore or where everything had gone so wrong. His mind was clouded, like a foggy haze.

“We’ve arrived, Sir.”

The alcohol began to take over his consciousness. Before the driver could open the door, Han Baek-geon stepped out, staggering as he made his way inside.

*

Marriage.

So Yoon-jae sat alone in the dark bedroom, letting out a sigh. It was the new room she had asked Butler Song to prepare.

‘May I ask why?’

When Butler Song had asked her that question, she had avoided his gaze and answered with silence.

‘For now, please use this room. But in the morning, make sure to talk with the CEO.’

That was what Butler Song had said, almost as if leaving her with a request, before she left the annex. Seeing the genuine concern in his eyes for both of them, Yoon-jae had reluctantly given her agreement.

Living together because of the baby hadn’t been as bad as she initially thought. At first, it had seemed like the worst decision she could make, but the man’s care and attention gradually diminished her fears, and over time, she found herself letting her guard down.

Was that the problem?

Her emotions were tangled. She knew the man would do his best for the child. The issue was that the marriage was driven purely by a sense of duty.

There was no way that could be okay. Yoon-jae realized she still couldn’t clearly define how she felt about the man.

It wasn’t as if she had no feelings at all. But lingering emotions from the past held her back, preventing her from taking even a single step forward.

Was it really just for the child, not pity or sympathy, that they had spent this time together? Confused, Yoon-jae let out a deep breath.

No matter how many times she thought it over, their relationship had been fundamentally flawed from the start. She had been unable to refuse her brother’s coercion, and the man who had criticized and tormented her was just as much at fault.

Could a relationship that started off on the wrong foot ever end up intact? The man didn’t love her, and she still didn’t know what her own feelings were. Could trust alone sustain a marriage?

She couldn’t ask him to love her and the child out of responsibility alone. More than anything, Yoon-jae herself didn’t want that.

She had silently assumed that once the baby was born, she would be able to leave this house. She planned to live quietly with the baby, wherever the man decided to send them.

She believed the man was only taking care of her until the baby was born, that his kindness and warmth were temporary because of the limited time they had.

That was why the proposal for marriage felt like an unexpected invitation. The man’s life was so different from what she envisioned for herself, and the future would be no different. Accepting an unexpected invitation would only lead to disappointment in the end.

The bed felt cold. The room, untouched by anyone before, was clean but lifeless. Yoon-jae let out a hollow laugh at the feeling of being an outsider, like a guest.

Don’t fool yourself. It wasn’t yours to begin with.

Perhaps she was less than a guest. She lay on her side on the bed, resting her head on her arm.

When had it been? Was it the day she vomited so violently from morning sickness? She remembered the moment when, utterly exhausted, she had turned on her side, and the man had reached out to let her rest her head on his arm.

When she thought of moments like that, it was hard to say there was no affection. She had started to trust and rely on Han Baek-geon, too.

But…

If his affection was solely for the child, she was certain she would eventually have to step aside. The man must have made his decision after much thought as well. She felt a bit angry at herself for being unable to accept it.

But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t imagine living a lifetime without love. Even if she lived for the child, there might come a day when the child would learn the truth.

Would a child who realized their life was a collateral or condition of their parents’ choices be happy? That was the one outcome Yoon-jae herself wanted to avoid more than anything.

Her mind was in turmoil, but the baby greedily demanded rest. Drenched in fatigue, Yoon-jae closed her eyes.