“I’m sorry. I keep becoming honest in front of Oh Jipsa without realizing it.”

Oh Jipsa couldn’t look away from Ga Eun’s face, which had turned red around her eyes from crying profusely.

“Today’s meal was really delicious. I’ll head in now.”

Ga Eun hurriedly stood up, seemingly embarrassed about opening up to Oh Jipsa. At that moment, Oh Jipsa’s lips moved towards Ga Eun without realizing it.

“There must have been unavoidable circumstances.”

Hearing Oh Jipsa’s words, Ga Eun unknowingly froze in place. Then, as if her heart swollen with overwhelming emotions had settled, she turned her head towards Oh Jipsa and said,

“Please pretend you didn’t hear about today.”

After finishing her words, Ga Eun quickly hid herself in her room. Oh Jipsa couldn’t stop her and tightly pressed her lips together.

She had to remind herself several times that she couldn’t tell anyone about An Yun Jung’s secret yet.

She clenched her fists as she kept reminding herself. Just then, when she was staring at Ga Eun’s tightly closed door, her phone rang loudly. The screen displayed a number from a regional hospital.

Oh Jipsa quickly ran to the bathroom and answered the phone secretly.

“Did something happen?”

Her voice trembled with anxiety.

“An Yun Jung’s fingers moved today.”

At the nurse’s words, a voice louder than Oh Jipsa had ever produced came out of her mouth.

“Really?”

A bright smile spread across her face, which had been full of tension.

“I’ll come tomorrow morning. Thank you for contacting me.”

After hanging up and coming out, Oh Jipsa kept thinking about Ga Eun’s words about wanting to see her birth mother. Oh Jipsa tried to bury Ga Eun’s words in her heart and briefly lay down on the living room sofa.

As soon as dawn broke, Oh Jipsa was busily moving in the kitchen preparing Ga Eun’s breakfast. Ga Eun, who had woken up earlier than usual, smiled and greeted Oh Jipsa.

“Why did you wake up so early?”

Ga Eun felt both grateful and sorry towards Oh Jipsa, who was preparing her meal with utmost care.

“Go wash up and come out.”

Ga Eun, who entered the bathroom, looked at her face reflected in the mirror. It seemed like her face had become completely different from when she last left this house. The heavy shadow that had enveloped her face was gone.

Ga Eun quickly turned on the shower. As the warm water enveloped her body, Do Jun’s face kept coming to mind.

‘I wonder if he slept well.’

As worry for Do Jun arose in her mind, Ga Eun shook her head trying to erase the thought. She had to remind herself several times that now was not the time to think about Do Jun, that her goal was close at hand.

After finishing her shower, when Ga Eun came out to the living room, breakfast was laid out for her on the dining table.

Oh Jipsa examined Ga Eun’s face and slowly began to make a request.

“I have a personal matter to attend to today. Would it be alright if I come home a bit late in the evening? I’ve put side dishes and soup in the refrigerator. You can just warm them up a little in the microwave.”

Ga Eun readily accepted her request.

“Of course. I have a lot of work at the company, so I’ll probably be working overtime today. So don’t worry too much.”

Ga Eun deliberately said she would work overtime, being considerate of her. Hearing Ga Eun’s words, Oh Jipsa’s expression became much more relaxed.

After finishing her meal, Ga Eun shyly stood up and greeted Oh Jipsa.

“Thank you for the meal today as well.”

Every time Ga Eun gave such a greeting to Oh Jipsa, she felt as if she had gained a mother.

As if she had become a daughter in an ordinary family, eating a meal prepared by her mother, exchanging brief greetings, and then going to work. Ga Eun immediately went to her room to finish preparing for work.

She put on a suit and applied heavier makeup than usual. No matter when she heard Yoon Gi Cheol’s harsh words, it always stung her heart like being pricked by a needle.

Ga Eun felt uneasy, worried that the baby might hear such bad words. She tried to compose herself and came out of her room.

“I’m leaving for work.”

Ga Eun deliberately spoke to Oh Jipsa, who was doing the dishes.

“Take care.”

Even a small change in her daily routine gave her heart vigor. Only after taking a deep breath did Ga Eun open the front door and step outside.

Today too, a driver was waiting for her in front of the apartment entrance. Ga Eun now got into the car quite naturally.

“Do you have something going on today?”

The driver asked, noticing Ga Eun’s intense look, different from her usual modest attire.

“I need to reclaim what was taken from me.”

The driver’s eyes filled with curiosity at Ga Eun’s meaningful words, but he couldn’t persistently ask her and started the car.

When she lowered the car window, the spring breeze enveloped her face.

Since becoming pregnant, Ga Eun felt strangely stronger than before, thinking she was no longer alone. She felt courage, as if she could endure anything to protect the baby.

As Ga Eun was deep in thought about the baby, the car she was in arrived at the company’s main gate.

“I don’t know what was taken from you, madam, but I’m sure you’ll reclaim it.”

Hearing the driver’s encouragement, Ga Eun’s steps became more confident. After getting out of the car, she headed straight to the Fashion Team office. As soon as Ga Eun opened the door and entered, all the employees approached her as if they had been waiting.

“You’re not hurt anywhere, right?”

The employees’ attitude towards her had changed as well. Unlike before, some employees now recognized her abilities and looked at her with respect.

“I’m fine. Thank you all for working so hard preparing for the fashion show.”

The employees were quite excited due to the success of the fashion show. As Ga Eun entered the team leader’s office, Deputy Moon followed her inside, seeming to have something to say.

“Team leader, have you heard that rumor?”

Deputy Moon was known for having a wide network and always being the first to know about issues in the company. Ga Eun swallowed dryly, waiting for Deputy Moon’s next words.

“I heard the managing director contacted J Department Store, claiming the success of this fashion show as his own achievement, but got rejected.”

Knowing that the managing director did nothing but play around in his position, Deputy Moon couldn’t hide his smirk, finding it quite satisfying.

“This managing director?”

As if not even worth respecting, Ga Eun didn’t use honorifics for Lee Yun Sook’s people.

“J Department Store sent an email this morning. They want to meet you directly to sign the contract. The CEO himself is coming to Korea next week. Isn’t that amazing?”

Hearing Deputy Moon’s words, Ga Eun felt an excitement she had never experienced before.

“You worked hard.”

Ga Eun’s hand warmly grasped Deputy Moon’s arm. Just then, a commotion was heard from outside. Another employee knocked on the team leader’s office door.

“Come in.”

“CEO Ji Do Jun sent some snacks.”

Ga Eun, not expecting this, stood up and went outside to check the situation herself. Sandwiches and fresh fruit juice had been delivered under Do Jun’s name.

One employee, watching Ga Eun’s reaction, directly brought up Do Jun’s actions.

“The internet is going crazy calling him a romantic. How did you manage to hide such a sweet relationship until now?”

Ga Eun could only give an awkward smile at the employees’ reactions. She quickly left the office, pretending to have urgent business.

She held her phone, contemplating whether to call Do Jun. Just then, a text message arrived from Do Jun first.

The imperious tone of the text message made a faint smile spread across Ga Eun’s lips.

‘They say it’s trouble when people change, but he hasn’t changed.’

A moment later, another message arrived from Do Jun.

Reading Do Jun’s message, Ga Eun briefly paused her steps towards the chairman’s office.

Her heart kept pounding because of Do Jun, who kept coming straight at her. Ga Eun deliberately put her phone in her pocket without replying to Do Jun.

When she arrived at the chairman’s office, the secretary blocked her way.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Ga Eun easily ignored the secretary’s words blocking her way and knocked on the chairman’s office door.

“Come in.”

Gi Cheol’s arrogant voice was heard from inside. Ga Eun flung the door open and immediately stepped inside.

“Good morning, father.”

Gi Cheol, who had been reading the newspaper, turned his gaze to Ga Eun.

“What are you doing here?”

Gi Cheol still treated Ga Eun brusquely. Ga Eun felt strange every time she saw Gi Cheol’s face. She became intensely curious about what Gi Cheol’s expression would be when he found out she was his biological daughter.

However, as it wasn’t time to reveal that fact yet, Ga Eun suppressed her feelings and moved her lips.

“I came because I have something to say.”

At Ga Eun’s words, Gi Cheol folded the newspaper he had been reading with a loud noise and put it down on the floor, as if annoyed.

“Why didn’t you just relay it through the secretary?”

As if he didn’t want to see Ga Eun’s face, Gi Cheol didn’t give her even a glance.

“Give me the position of World Fashion representative.”

Only after hearing Ga Eun’s provocative voice did Gi Cheol’s gaze turn to her face. His expression was incredulous, as if telling her to repeat what she said.

“You promised before. You said you’d give me a position suited to me if I showed my abilities.”

Gi Cheol furrowed his brow intensely, as if hearing this for the first time. Ga Eun couldn’t forget when Lee Yun Sook first put her in the position of World Fashion team leader.