I Became a Mother (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
Jeongeum International School Art Hall, a foundation-run institution.
“Charity Art Exhibition for Children with Developmental Disabilities”
Click-clack. The crisp echo of high heels on the stairs ceased as they reached the white marble entrance, where the automatic doors hissed open, spilling out the voices of mothers tidying up the tea reception.
“Did you hear? The new transfer student in Class 2-2 got expelled from Singapore International School.”
“Oh my goodness, really? How can they accept a child who’s been expelled?”
“I heard the school board strongly opposed it, worried he’d disrupt the classroom atmosphere. But the kid’s father insisted there was nothing wrong with his son, so they reluctantly took him in. He’s the head of a law firm—if he sues the foundation for violating his child’s right to education, it’d be a huge mess.”
“Seriously? He only cares about his own son’s education and doesn’t consider the rights of other students?”
“Why does it have to be our school? There are so many others. What if he starts influencing the other kids too?”
Next to the mothers voicing these concerns fluttered a banner for the exhibition.
“Give Love and Hope to Children with Developmental Disabilities!”
“No matter how much the father cares, honestly—aside from donating money to the school, what else can he really do? He’s too busy with work to even attend school events. Look at today.”
After the opening ceremony ended, not a glimpse of him appeared during the entire tea reception, drawing heated complaints from the mothers.
“He only has that one child—his family must be deeply worried. This is exactly why kids need their mothers.”
“Oh dear, with a child in that condition, do you think the father will just sit still? He’s still young. If he remarries and has another child, it’s all over for this one.”
Kik. Sung Joon’s Mother, chair of the school board, made a slicing motion across her throat with her finger—only for a soft snort to escape from behind her.
Huh? Who dares?
Sung Joon’s Mother, slightly frowning at the interruption, suddenly widened her eyes in shock.
The woman standing before them wore a refined pearl-colored two-piece suit, her hair elegantly swept up like Audrey Hepburn’s—far too youthful to be the parent of a child in this age group.
Of course, modern medicine could work miracles, but her delicate features, flawless skin, and long, taut legs showed no trace of cosmetic intervention.
“Who are you to butt into other people’s conversations?”
Sung Joon’s Mother, never expecting her to be a fellow parent, launched an accusation laced with condescension.
“It seems to me that it’s you who’s discussing someone else’s business.”
The woman met her sharp gaze with a cold, mocking smile.
“Do you all work at a raw fish market? How can you dissect a nine-year-old boy like he’s some piece of sashimi?”
“What? A son? If he’s a son, then could it possibly be…?”
The woman addressed the stunned mothers—still slack-jawed—with a declaration akin to a formal challenge.
“I’m Seung Yul’s mother.”
⁂⁂⁂
One week earlier.
Having topped the teacher certification exam, Hyo Jin had just received her official appointment to a public elementary school in Seoul when she was approached with an offer to become a live-in private tutor for a prestigious legal family.
“One hundred million won? Just who’s this kid they want me to teach that they’re offering a hundred million?”
Her paternal grandmother, who had run a side dish shop her whole life to raise Hyo Jin after her mother passed away in middle school, treated it like a scam.
“Grandma, he’s not just any kid. He was literally born with a diamond spoon in his mouth—royal family level!”
Bang! Lady Yang Soon Hye slammed the knife she’d been using to chop radish kimchi onto the cutting board and let out an exasperated cry.
“But even so, how can you just jump at the offer like that? As a public elementary teacher, you’ll have plenty of stable positions lined up. Who’d want to marry a woman tied to a contract-based tutoring job?”
“What good is a man without money? You need money to love, and to get married.”
Ever since her father passed away during her senior year of high school, leaving her buried in debt, money had become Hyo Jin’s law, truth, light, life, and path.
Not that she resented her father—he’d simply tried his best and ended up that way.
If anything, she resented herself and the world for putting him in that position.
If only she hadn’t been a high school senior then, her father wouldn’t have taken on that part-time driving job on a holiday afternoon to help pay for her cram school—and wouldn’t have gotten into that accident.
After his funeral, Hyo Jin had to give up college and work multiple part-time jobs to repay the compensation her father owed, experiencing firsthand the ruthless reality of capitalism. Fortunately, Professor Kim Yong Hoon took pity on her as a minor and helped her escape the stigma of being a credit defaulter—but Hyo Jin made a vow: never again would her family suffer because of money.
“You’ve worked so hard raising me and Hwang Sae—I’ll handle your retirement now. Please just close the side dish shop.”
“Enough already! While others your age are thinking about love and having fun, you’re always fretting over money, money, money. Haven’t I told you a hundred times that chasing money so desperately will only make it run away?”
“Just you wait—if you keep this up and get sick later on…”
“Oh goodness, are you worried I’ll cling to you in my old age?”
“No, no! I’m the one who’ll cling to you!”
Hyo Jin playfully hooked her arm through Lady Yang Soon Hye’s and gave her a cheeky wink.
“When I get married, I’ll need you to cook side dishes for me—and I’ll be leaving my kids with you. What’ll I do if you’re not healthy? You have to stay well and live a very long life.”
How could anyone possibly say no to that sweet smile?
“If things get dirty or unfair, just walk out immediately. Don’t tolerate it for the sake of money.”
Knowing better than anyone how much Hyo Jin had suffered because of her father’s debt, Soon Hye emphasized this once more.
⁂⁂⁂
Noel Law Firm.
“Choi Kyo Hwan, Lead Attorney for Corporate M&A and Legal Advisory.”
Outside his office, marked by an elegant silver-stainless nameplate, junior attorneys crowded the hallway waiting to deliver reports.
“How did you get here?”
A female secretary in a gray uniform suit bowed respectfully as Hyo Jin stepped out of the elevator.
“Um… Professor Kim Yong Hoon sent me.”
“Please come in.”
Team Leader Nam Jun Suk, who managed the secretarial office, swung the door wide open for her.
“Huh?”
Every eye in the waiting area—both the attorneys nervously awaiting their turn and the staff in the meeting room—swiveled toward Hyo Jin.
They all stared at her as if she were some newly recruited star attorney granted VIP access, but no—this was a misunderstanding. I’m not here as an employee; I’m just here for a private tutor interview.
“Hello. I’m Bong Hyo Jin.”
Seated with his back to the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the gray cityscape, the man’s presence evoked a bleak winter day.
Hyo Jin had expected at least a perfunctory “Welcome” or “I’ve heard a lot about you,” but when he merely replied “Yes” and fell silent, sweat began beading on her forehead.
Does he dislike me?
Professor Kim said all I needed to do was show my face…
Her gaze inadvertently locked onto the expensive silver cufflinks and watch wrapped around the man’s wrist.
“I heard you ranked first in this year’s teacher certification exam?”
“Oh—yes.”
Kyo Hwan, having scrutinized Hyo Jin’s resume on his tablet with exacting eyes, removed his classic silver-rimmed glasses and looked up at her.
Hyo Jin straightened her shoulders and offered a poised smile—but the moment she met his eyes without his glasses, her vision seemed to clear, as if her retinas had been purified.
Goodness. Just how old is he to already be a father?
She’d imagined a middle-aged man with a paunch, given he had a nine-year-old son—but his moist, dark eyes and the clean, comfortable cream knit cardigan made his age impossible to guess.
Did he get into trouble as a youth? He looked too sincere and tidy for any hint of scandal—more like an ascetic clergyman than anything else.
Moreover, his poreless pale skin, straight forehead peeking through jet-black curls, high nose bridge, sharp jawline, and the delicate lines of his lips—reminiscent of a pure-hearted manhwa protagonist—left Hyo Jin breathless.
Are you kidding me? A married man with a nine-year-old—how can he look like this? Does he live alone in this world?
His looks alone were enough to crush anyone’s spirit—no, not just crush, utterly demolish it. He was a visual tyrant, an absolute face thug.
“You mentioned specifically choosing private tutoring over the public school position. May I ask why?”
“Oh—yes.”
Having been momentarily transfixed by his sculpted features as if admiring a masterpiece, Hyo Jin snapped back to attention and recited her prepared line.
“Professor Kim Yong Hoon strongly recommended me. I also thought it would be a valuable new experience.”
“Weren’t you surprised when the offer first came?”
“Not at all. I was thrilled.”
An annual salary of 120 million won, separate overtime and holiday allowances, funding for books, cultural activities, and personal upkeep—and if she stayed with the child until his enrollment at a British royal boarding school, she’d receive a special bonus.
“As you may have heard from the professor, Yul already has specialized instructors for each subject.”
English, math, science, classical Chinese, creativity, essay writing, taekwondo, swimming, art, horseback riding, piano…
Hyo Jin’s role was to oversee and coordinate all these lessons—like a homeroom teacher ensuring the child kept up across every subject.
“He has a younger brother, correct?”
“Yes. Our mother passed away when we were young, so I raised him with love as his older sister.”
Determined not to miss this opportunity, Hyo Jin even resorted to using sentimental phrases she normally avoided to actively promote herself.
Love? If she’d said she raised him “as a person,” that might have made more sense.
“You little brat!”
“Please, sister, stop swearing.”
“So you’d rather I stay silent and just take it, you little brat?”
The ticking of the wall clock echoed in her ears, alongside a twinge of guilt as she bit her tender inner lip.
She’d thought thirty minutes had passed—but only three had gone by since entering.
His office was monochromatic, impeccably tidy—almost barren.
For a parent raising a child his age, one might expect at least a photo or drawing from the child on the desk, but there was nothing. Could he merely be the legal guardian? Perhaps he’d adopted the boy after losing a sibling in an accident?
“You’ve heard from the professor about my child, I assume?”
“Oh—yes.”
Hyo Jin, momentarily lost in thought, quickly straightened her posture and looked back at Kyo Hwan.
The great-grandson of Choi Seung Do, founder of Noel Law Firm—the only Korean firm ranked among the world’s top 100—and the cherished only son of current managing partner Choi Kyo Hwan.
So what? He still got expelled from Singapore for breaking school rules.
“Let me be blunt: I believe there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my child.”
His tone was calm, but Hyo Jin—now potentially responsible for his son—felt an alarm flare in her mind.
If anything goes wrong from now on, he’ll blame me, not his son.
“If any issues arise with my child, I believe the greater fault lies with the adults who failed to guide him properly. What’s your opinion, Teacher?”
His piercing question made Hyo Jin’s palms damp with sweat.
“Of course. When my brother and I fought as kids, my mother always scolded me more harshly—because I was the older one.”
“Agh, why are you hitting me? He hit me first!”
“If your younger brother acts out, it’s your job as the older sister to teach him better. You shouldn’t just fight back!”
“Oh—ow!”
She remembered the injustice of being slapped on the palm by her mother—but dared not disagree now, fearing she’d be sent home immediately, so she simply nodded.
Even with the professor’s recommendation, someone with these terms surely had other candidates lined up.
“Would you like to meet my son first?”
Oh? Wasn’t this already decided?
Kyo Hwan set down the tablet containing Hyo Jin’s resume and spoke candidly.
“To be honest, I agreed to meet you because of the professor’s recommendation, but I’m still uncertain whether you’ll be a good match for my son.”
What’s there to be uncertain about? I ranked first in the certification exam.
“No matter how exceptional you are, if you don’t connect with my son, it won’t matter.”
“Oh—yes. That makes sense.”
After all, topping the teacher exam probably wasn’t that impressive in a household like his.
“Of course, meeting my son might change your mind as well.”
“No—absolutely not.”
Not with this much money at stake.
For Hyo Jin—who’d had to give up law school because of unaffordable tuition—this was the perfect chance to secure funds for her future education.
“Then I’d like to meet your son.”
She would seize this opportunity—no matter what.
⁂⁂⁂
But the child…
“Can you become my mom?”
He said he didn’t need a teacher—only that she become his mother.
“Not your real mom—just pretend to be my mom for one single day. Is that really too much to ask?”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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Took back his own words real fast, funny man. Wonder what her message is
He really is a bad father. Kinda sad how he just left his son alone.