“Vice Chairman Cha Taesang stated through an official announcement that all the suspicions raised so far are not true. Is it also not true about the past incident some media outlets are talking about?”
“No. The incident from my younger days is true. It was an accident that happened in a burning auditorium during middle school, and I caused significant harm to the girl who was with me at the time.”
“Harm? How so?”
“Yes. To be precise, I pushed him. It was a mistake, but it wasn’t something I could easily forget and move on from.”
His calm tone pained Dajeong’s heart. It was something she had asked him to do, something he had to do, but it still hurt his feelings.
Dajeong enclosed his hand as a form of support. Both of their gazes were fixed on Dajeong.
“It wasn’t a mistake; it was an accident. I was too close behind Mr. Taesang, and he didn’t see me in time.”
“Wait, me…?”
“Yes. Me.”
Dajeong stared directly into her eyes.
“The girl Mr. Taesang hurt is me.”
“Then…”
For the first time, a perplexed expression crossed Journalist Song’s face, who had maintained a firm expression throughout. She quickly blinked her eyes, brushing away the hair that fell on her forehead.
“In summary, Ms. Handa Jeong is the main person who caused trauma to Vice Chairman Cha Taesang during his childhood?”
“Yes.”
“And currently, you two are engaged?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
There was an incredulous expression on her narrowed forehead.
“Due to that incident, Mr. Taesang always carried guilt. He was afraid of physical contact with women and couldn’t shake off the anxiety that he might hurt someone again.”
Dajeong didn’t want to needlessly expose Taesang’s emotions to tears. She held onto Taesang’s hand tighter, suppressing the emotions welling up inside her.
“Stop it. I’ll speak.”
It was pitiful how a single old wound could cause so many tears. Taesang, intertwining his slender fingers, slowly shifted his gaze beyond the table.
“I’ve received various psychological counseling since middle school. It mainly involved sharing stories about the incident, focusing on healing the emotions I felt at that time.”
Taesang explained the symptoms he had experienced and the treatments he had undergone. While his soft voice continued for a while, Journalist Song’s pupils gradually sank heavily.
“I see. I fully understand what you’ve said. I also understand the unfortunate circumstances. However…”
Unintentionally, Dajeong bit her lip. It seemed like it was now time for her to ask the question about ‘grasping the truth.’
“But mere aversion and violent tendencies, misogyny are different. Many eyewitness accounts and evidence are pouring in about Vice Chairman’s past behavior. What are your thoughts on this?”
Witness accounts of Taesang hitting a girl in the same class during school days, internal disclosures alleging unfair dismissal of female employees. She systematically addressed each piece of information disclosed in the media, demanding explanations.
“If a bit of truth is mixed in, anything can seem plausible.”
After a brief silence, Taesang calmly stated, “A bit of truth, that’s all.”
“Yes. It’s not entirely baseless. I did push a classmate, causing her injury during middle school, and the dismissal incident was actually a job relocation.”
“Could you please be more specific? Start with the story from middle school.”
Her eyes gleamed sharp as she spoke.
“There was a friend in the same class who found my symptoms intriguing. She had a skeptical look while asking if it was real.”
“And then?”
“One day, she hugged me. She suddenly appeared from behind a corner in the hallway.”
It was a long time ago, but the memories were still vivid. The arms wrapped around her shoulders, the unfamiliar touch felt in the embrace. Her whole body stiffened, and cold sweat ran down her back.
If someone said it wasn’t a painful memory, it would be a lie. But what hurt Taesang more now wasn’t the old wound.
Seeing Dajeong’s lips, tightly bitten as if in agony, was much more painful. Taesang, feeling his patience wearing thin, spoke again.
“Because of my push, the girl fell to the floor, injuring her wrist severely.”
It was a calm explanation with no trace of excuses. Even one word defending himself wouldn’t hurt.
Journalist Song naturally asked about his perspective.
“What happened after that? It must have been quite a shocking incident for both of you.”
“Nothing special happened. The friend went straight to the hospital, and we covered the medical expenses.”
“…”
People typically reconstruct stories to hide their faults. They don’t hesitate to use justifications, self-rationalization, and sometimes even manipulation of memories.
But Taesang was different. He conveyed only the facts. At first glance, it seemed like an objective attitude, but ironically, it led to distortions due to the unspoken parts. The omission created falsehood.
Journalist Song put down her pen and stared intently at him. His black eyes were as firm as a steel wall.
“Vice Chairman.”
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
