Why did Lee Yun Sook adopt me? Then where is my birth mother?

Ga Eun belatedly realized that she had never thought deeply about her birth mother due to the idea that she had to live avoiding Yun Sook’s plans.

Her head throbbed as complex thoughts tangled in one place. Ga Eun tried to think about what was most important now. Protecting herself and the baby came before finding her birth mother.

Clearly, if her stepmother Yun Sook found out about the pregnancy, not only herself but also the baby could be in danger.

The Shino Group wanted a baby between her and Do Jun, and the moment she gave birth to a baby, she would be recognized as a daughter-in-law in the Shino Group.

Ga Eun did not want to raise her child within the Segye Group or the Shino Group. She did not want her child to be treated like an object whose value was assessed every day.

For three years, my existence to Ji Do Jun may have been nothing more than a small table placed in the corner of the house.

The reason he is so obsessed with me now is like stubbing his toe on a sharp table corner while passing through the living room one day.

Once you stub your toe on a table, a table that you didn’t care about before becomes noticeable as if only that table exists in the house.

Ga Eun struggled to suppress her wavering heart.

[This is the timeline separator]

“If you’re done speaking, I’ll go up to the company.”

Ga Eun stood up as if she no longer wanted to sit face to face with Yun Sook.

“I look forward to the fashion show.”

As Ga Eun was about to leave the cafe, Yun Sook’s meaningful voice momentarily held her back.

Ga Eun looked at Yun Sook defiantly and gave a relaxed smile. Then she hurried up to the office.

With little time left until the fashion show, all the fashion team employees were busy preparing for it. However, Ga Eun couldn’t focus on any documents as she remembered past events.

“Team leader, aren’t you going to lunch?”

At Oh’s words, Ga Eun’s gaze turned to the clock on the wall. She stood up as if she had decided something.

“I have a prior engagement.”

She immediately entered the elevator and pressed the button.

A moment later, Ga Eun got off the elevator and arrived at the chairman’s office where Yoon Gi Cheol was. As she opened the door to the chairman’s secretarial team and entered, the secretary was startled and blocked her way.

“Do you have an appointment with the chairman?”

Ga Eun easily ignored the secretary’s words.

“I’m here as a daughter for lunch time.”

At her confident words, the secretary hurriedly knocked on the chairman’s office door and informed Gi Cheol of her arrival.

“Chairman, Team Leader Yoon Ga Eun is here.”

The secretary raised his voice against the door several times, but there was no response from inside. Ga Eun flung open the door and entered. Chairman Yoon Gi Cheol was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in reading today’s newspaper articles.

“Father.”

Ga Eun called Gi Cheol so casually. As she had never come to see him first before, Gi Cheol’s eyes widened when he belatedly saw Ga Eun’s face.

“What brings you here?”

His grumpy voice and dismissive gaze remained unchanged.

“Buy me lunch.”

At Ga Eun’s sudden words, Gi Cheol made an expression as if he was dumbfounded.

“You can buy your daughter lunch at least once, can’t you?”

Ga Eun approached Gi Cheol with a bright smile and linked arms with him.

“I saw it in a magazine article. That you’re a caring father who loves his daughter more than his wife.”

Ga Eun’s hand gripping Gi Cheol’s arm tightened.

“I heard it’s famous even in the company. As a caring father.”

Every word Ga Eun spat out towards Gi Cheol felt like a thorn stuck in her throat. Gi Cheol, who had maintained silence at Ga Eun’s words, suddenly spoke up.

“Have you talked to your husband about the department store contract renewal?”

Ga Eun bit her lower lip hard at her father’s unchanged behavior.

“If you buy me something delicious, I’ll talk to him well.”

At Ga Eun’s words, Gi Cheol’s stiff body loosened up. Ga Eun linked arms with Gi Cheol as if to show all the employees and got on the elevator together.

All Segye Group employees knew. The fact that Yoon Ga Eun was not the heir to Segye Group. That the heir to Segye Group would come from Lee Yun Sook’s family.

Ga Eun spoke more affectionately to Gi Cheol, conscious of the employees’ gazes.

“I want to eat beef after a long time. Daddy.”

As the employees’ gazes focused on Yoon Gi Cheol’s face, Gi Cheol had to act like a caring father.

“I’ll buy you whatever you want to eat.”

As soon as they completely left the company building, Gi Cheol naturally brushed off Ga Eun’s hand holding his arm. The two headed to an upscale beef restaurant located a little away from the company by car.

Just as Ga Eun was about to get out of the car first, Gi Cheol grabbed her and asked.

“Did you really lose all your memories?”

Gi Cheol’s persistent gaze scanned Ga Eun’s face. Ga Eun smiled even more brightly than before and got out of the car first, pulling Gi Cheol’s arm.

“We’ll miss lunch time at this rate.”

As Ga Eun forced out an affectionate voice, she felt pain as if a knife was carving out a corner of her heart.

‘Well, she’s acting like this because she lost all her memories.’

Gi Cheol’s muttering reached Ga Eun’s ears. Hearing Gi Cheol’s voice, her hand tightened.

The two followed the employee’s guidance and entered a room to take their seats. Looking at the menu, Ga Eun ordered a large amount of meat for two people to eat. After a while, the employee grilled the meat directly and placed it on Gi Cheol and Ga Eun’s plates.

“Your daughter really looks just like you, sir.”

The way they used chopsticks, never eating garlic because they disliked the smell lingering in their mouths, and even their preference for dipping meat in salt sauce instead of eating it with vegetable wraps were exactly the same.

At the employee’s words, Gi Cheol deliberately cleared his throat and moved his chopsticks, pretending to focus on the meal.

Strangely, Ga Eun’s appetite returned when she saw the well-cooked beef. She ate all the meat she had ordered.

When the meal was over, warm plum tea was placed on the table as dessert. Silence hung between the two throughout the meal.

“You should go now.”

Just as Ga Eun was about to put the teacup to her lips, Gi Cheol stood up first as if tired of the current act.

At that moment, Ga Eun looked straight at Gi Cheol’s face and threw out another unexpected remark.

“You’ll give me Segye Group, right?”

Surprised by Ga Eun’s bold words, Gi Cheol stared at her face intently.

“I’m your only blood relative in Segye Group.”

Ga Eun had arranged this meeting to say what she wanted while holding onto Gi Cheol. She was curious about Gi Cheol’s intentions. Why he adopted her. Why he never acted like a father even for a moment after adopting her.

“I wasn’t going to say this for your sake.”

Gi Cheol’s excited voice echoed in the room as if exasperated by Ga Eun’s behavior.

“You’re not my daughter.”

Gi Cheol’s voice was mixed with disgust and hatred. Arrogance was also evident, as if emphasizing that he and Ga Eun were people from completely different worlds.

“I am your daughter.”

Ga Eun stood up leisurely, not backing down from Gi Cheol’s words. Gi Cheol’s lips moved as if about to reveal a secret.

“We adopted you from an orphanage. Not knowing you were of dirty blood.”

Ga Eun looked down at Gi Cheol’s face with contempt, as he failed to recognize his own blood standing before him.

“The world knows me as Chairman Yoon Gi Cheol’s biological daughter. So I am your daughter.”

Ga Eun’s sharp response provoked Gi Cheol’s mood.

“I’m telling you, you’re not my biological daughter.”

Ga Eun let go of any remaining sympathy she had for Chairman Yoon Gi Cheol. At this moment, she felt ashamed of the fact that she shared blood with Yoon Gi Cheol.

“Why did you adopt me?”

Ga Eun finally revealed her true thoughts that she wanted to ask Yoon Gi Cheol. Without any hesitation, Gi Cheol’s lips moved roughly.

“Because my wife wanted it.”

Gi Cheol spoke again, as if driving a nail into Ga Eun’s heart.

“I never wanted it.”

After finishing his words, Yoon Gi Cheol hurriedly left the restaurant first. Ga Eun’s legs gave out and she sat down on the floor.

Ga Eun could vaguely guess why Yoon Gi Cheol hated her so much. From a very young age, Yun Sook had spoken ill of Ga Eun in front of Gi Cheol and talked about her shortcomings.

She spoke of thefts Ga Eun never committed, and lied that she had stolen her diamond ring.

Now everything was clear. That father and I had been playing on a board created by Lee Yun Sook all our lives.

Ga Eun struggled to stand up, forcing strength into her legs. Just as she was about to leave the restaurant, her phone rang loudly. She answered the phone without hesitation.

[I contacted a friend at Seoul Hospital in advance. She said she’ll see you secretly after office hours, so make sure to get an obstetrics checkup today.]

“Thank you, Jung Ah.”

Ga Eun’s hand cradled her belly.

[Ji Do Jun came to our hospital in person.]

Fear could be heard in Jung Ah’s voice.