Han Moon Taek abruptly asked about Sun Woo’s return first.

“Yes.”

“You’re the one who doesn’t answer my calls, father.”

“Three days ago, I called over thirty times saying mom was critically ill. That you should come to the hospital quickly. But there wasn’t even a single text message from you.”

“Well, I had my reasons for that…”

“I’m hanging up.”

Green responded coldly to Han Moon Taek who was trying to make excuses. It was obvious it would be a reason that wasn’t even a proper reason.

At that moment, Han Moon Taek’s desperate voice came through the phone.

Though she wanted to end this tiresome call quickly, Green couldn’t bring herself to hang up rudely when he said it was related to Sun Woo.

That was a mistake.

“What is it?”

Green felt chills run down her spine at Han Moon Taek’s voice suddenly calling her name familiarly.

Feeling like her ears were rotting, Green immediately pressed the end call button and even turned off the power.

At that moment, Sun Woo came out to the hallway looking for Green.

“Green, are you alright?”

Meeting Sun Woo’s worried eyes, Green suddenly felt upset.

“No. I don’t think I’m okay.”

“What did Han Moon Taek say?”

“Just, the usual nonsense. Absurd ramblings.”

The words telling her to have a child first were too shameful, so she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. Then Sun Woo, noticing she was hiding something, jumped to a strange misunderstanding.

“Did Han Moon Taek tell you to divorce me?”

“What?”

“To divorce and remarry? With a somewhat easier family like Juno Tires or Shine Electronics?”

“No. He didn’t mention divorce at all.”

Sun Woo’s angry reaction was bewildering, but Green corrected his misunderstanding. Only then did Sun Woo regain his composure.

“I’ve been summoned by father too. I should go see him since I haven’t visited since returning. Green, can you drive home alone?”

Green nodded bravely.

“Of course. I always went around alone, so. How are you going to your father, Sun Woo?”

“I called Driver Kim. He said it would take about 30 minutes, so you go ahead first, Green.”

“I’ll wait with you until Driver Kim arrives…”

Green was going to wait with Sun Woo, but soon changed her mind. Because every time their eyes met, she felt like she could hear Han Moon Taek’s voice.

“Hurry and have Jin Sun Woo’s child… Hurry and have Jin Sun Woo’s child… Hurry and have Jin Sun Woo’s child…”

Seeing Green’s face suddenly turn red, Sun Woo asked worriedly.

“Are you not feeling well? Looking at your face, it seems you have a bit of a fever.”

“Ah, um, yes. I’m not feeling too well.”

Sun Woo looked at Green with a worried expression and placed his palm on her forehead. Then he placed his other hand on his own forehead.

As if he couldn’t tell the difference well, Sun Woo tilted his head, then soon held Green’s face with both hands and gently placed his forehead against hers.

As Sun Woo’s face suddenly came close, his breath touched Green’s nose and cheeks.

Green’s heart started pounding uncontrollably, and naturally, heat rushed to her face.

After a moment, Sun Woo removed his forehead and looked at Green with concern.

“You really do have a fever. You shouldn’t drive. I’ll call a substitute driver for you.”

“No! It’s not so bad that I can’t drive, so I’ll go carefully, slowly.”

Seeing Green still being stubborn, Sun Woo let out a light sigh.

“Call me as soon as you get home. And make sure to take fever reducer too.”

“Okay. I’ll call right away when I arrive, and take medicine well too.”

After saying goodbye to her mother in the hospital room, Green finally shook off Sun Woo who tried to follow her to the parking lot and left the hospital alone.

Feeling muscle aches all over her body, Green stopped by a pharmacy to buy painkillers before returning home.

Her body, covered in cold sweat, felt as heavy as a wet cotton ball, and she just wanted to go to bed quickly and lie down.

After swallowing two painkillers and barely moving her body to the master bedroom, she paused for a moment in front of the bed where Sun Woo had slept last night.

“Hurry and have Jin Sun Woo’s child first.”

Once again, Han Moon Taek’s unpleasant voice seemed to bore into her ears. She was unbearably angry at Han Moon Taek for trying to use his future grandchild for his own benefit, but she was just as angry at herself.

Because she had foolishly contacted her father first out of fear when her mother was said to be critically ill, she had only ended up exposing her contact information to her father.

Green blamed herself over and over, thinking that if she hadn’t contacted her father first then, she wouldn’t have had to hear these embarrassing words today.

As she stared at the bed again, Green thought she shouldn’t stay in the same room as Sun Woo anymore. Fortunately, the apartment was spacious, with two more spare rooms besides the master bedroom and Sun Woo’s study.

Green went to the room prepared for guests and collapsed onto the bed. Pulling the blanket over her head, Green groaned unconsciously and fell into a deep sleep.

*****

“You rascal. When did you return to the country that you’re only showing your face now?”

As soon as he saw Sun Woo’s face, Jin Young Cheol shouted disapprovingly.

“I thought you would come to Pyeongchang-dong yesterday too, father, so I didn’t contact you separately, but you didn’t come.”

Sun Woo had heard that Jin Young Cheol had been secluding himself at home after losing the general election, but he still thought his father would surely come for Park Chan Wook’s birthday.

After all, Jin Young Cheol was the only son-in-law of Park Chan Wook, the founder of K1 Construction.

Although Jin Young Cheol’s family was said to be a prominent political family, it would be a lie to say he could have become a four-term congressman without the help of his in-laws, K1 Construction.

Nevertheless, Jin Young Cheol did not show up at the gathering to celebrate his father-in-law Park Chan Wook’s birthday.

“Hmph, even when I had the gold badge people ignored me, so how could I be treated like a person now that the gold badge is gone?”

“Who would dare disrespect the only son-in-law of Chairman Park Chan Wook at his own home?

Father, you should have gone to Pyeongchang-dong yesterday. If you’re not going to quit politics, that is.”

“If my father-in-law had helped just a little, I would have gotten my fifth term this time. Hah, that’s what it means to be a son-in-law. If I had been his own son, would he have just watched until I lost the election?”

Watching Jin Young Cheol blame his father-in-law without considering his own abilities, Sun Woo started to get irritated. Not understanding his son’s feelings, Jin Young Cheol said something absurd.

“Sun Woo, when are you going to write your resignation?”

“Resignation?”

“You’re going to quit that company anyway, might as well sort it out by the end of this year. And let’s sort out your marriage right away too.”

Sun Woo’s expression hardened at Jin Young Cheol’s unexpected words.

“Sort out the marriage, you say?”

“Yes. I think I’ve found a witness who can get us out of the trap that scammer Han Moon Taek set!”

“Is there someone who saw you leave Assemblyman Choi Geon Sik’s villa at 5 PM, father?”

Jin Young Cheol’s mouth fell open in shock at Sun Woo’s words.

“Sun Woo, you knew about it too?”

“I heard from the vice chairman.”

Jin Young Cheol’s face turned red. He was ashamed that his son had found out about his disgrace.

“It’s not what you think. I needed a quiet place to talk, so I asked Choi Geon Sik, and he told me to use his villa. I had no idea such a filthy thing was happening there.”

“Why did you need a quiet place to talk? Who did you meet there?”

“Th-that…”

Jin Young Cheol glanced at Sun Woo but ultimately did not tell the truth. He wanted to delay Sun Woo finding out as long as possible, even though he would learn eventually.

Sun Woo let out a heavy sigh. Then he looked at his father Jin Young Cheol seriously.

“I understand why you’re telling me to leave K1 Construction, but I’m not sure if politics is the alternative.”

“I can watch your back. I still have that much power.”

“If I have to live like you, father, I don’t want to.”

“Stupid boy. Being a man, how can you have so little ambition!”

In his view, Sun Woo had much better conditions than himself. He was smart, good-looking, and eloquent. He even had the charm to attract people.

It was regrettable that someone born with all the qualities every politician desires lacked the lust for power and ambition.

“Who said to be just a congressman like me? Set your goal as president, and let’s get you in-laws who will empower you first.”

As he was about to start lecturing Sun Woo, Jin Young Cheol’s phone suddenly rang. Checking the caller ID irritably and seeing it was Park Chan Wook, Jin Young Cheol’s expression changed instantly.

“Yes, father-in-law. It’s me.”

“I’m fine. I’m much better now.”

“Alright, father-in-law. I’ll see you then.”

Sun Woo watched coldly as Jin Young Cheol bowed 90 degrees into the air, holding the phone with both hands.

When Sun Woo first joined K1 Construction, Jin Young Cheol was furiously angry. It was because his son had gone against his wishes for him to enter politics.

Since then, Jin Young Cheol warned him at every opportunity.

“Don’t trust your mother. You will never get K1 Construction.”

It was Jin Young Cheol himself who shook Sun Woo’s faith in In Young at every moment. Yet Jin Young Cheol was not sorry to Sun Woo.

Rather, he was desperate that he could not control Sun Woo’s life as he wished.

Even if it was because of Han Moon Taek’s threats, he had stood by for his own convenience when it came to Sun Woo’s marriage before, and now he was trying to break up his son’s marriage again for his own greed.

Sun Woo thought he could no longer tolerate his father trying to control his life.

Every minute and second of sitting face to face with Jin Young Cheol felt like a waste to Sun Woo, so he stood up. He was worried that there had been no contact from Green, who had gone home early saying she was sick.

“Sun Woo, where are you going? I’m not finished talking yet!”

Jin Young Cheol shouted at Sun Woo’s back, but he came to the house where Green was without looking back.

The house was completely dark. Both the living room and kitchen lights were off.

Suppressing his anxious feelings, he rushed urgently to the master bedroom. But the bed in the master bedroom was empty.

“Green, where are you? Green!”

Sun Woo called Green while frantically searching the bathroom, closet, kitchen, study, and utility room. Then he found Green in the guest room, groaning under the covers.

“Green, are you in a lot of pain? Should we go to the hospital? Why are you here like this instead of in the master bedroom?”

Sun Woo gently shook Green’s shoulder with a worried heart, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Looking at Sun Woo with drowsy eyes, either from sleep or medicine, she mumbled something incomprehensible.

“Sun Woo, we can’t have a child.”