Cheolhan’s face, awakened after a long time, was wrinkled and looked shrunken due to dryness. However, only his gaze was as sharp as before.

“Father, please don’t be like that. I’ve already forgotten everything. Even if my brother falsely accuses me, Father believes in me.”

Jiwon held Cheolhan’s hand with a gentle expression. Thanks to that, Cheolhan, who had softened his anger, spoke again.

“You’ve been working hard managing the company all this time. Now, let me take over the company, and you can take a break. Go on a trip abroad or something.”

A sly smile appeared on Nokhyun’s lips. Cheolhan, who messed up the company together with his incompetent son, now wanted to stabilize it and take a break?

“That can’t happen. After all the trouble I went through to revive the company you nearly ruined, there’s no need to ruin it again, is there? How absurd.”

“This guy until the end…!”

“Honey, calm down. How long has it been since you woke up?”
Yuran coddled Cheolhan. Nokhyun took another step closer, looking down at Cheolhan. He felt no sympathy for his father, who had lost all his former glory and was left with only skin.

A subject almost robbed by a malicious woman.

“You’ve been behaving quietly, hiding your claws. Trying to take over the company in my stead!”

“My father was lying down because of the will. He woke up because the will is no longer effective. Unfortunately, your precious son has become a criminal. If not for that, he would have already passed away.”

Nokhyun calmly spoke without excitement. However, Cheolhan’s face was full of anger.

“You, with your pierced mouth, spout nothing but disrespectful words! The one who guarded the hospital room when your mother and you never visited is this person!”

“It’s restricted entry. My father shouldn’t wake up.”

Nokhyun smiled faintly. Yuran, like Cheolhan, glared at Nokhyun as if she could kill him, and Jiwon looked away, seemingly disturbed.

Unable to endure any longer, Cheolhan grabbed the remote control beside him and threw it. When Nokhyun easily avoided it, this time, he threw a glass. Again, when it didn’t hit, Cheolhan raised his hand and punched Nokhyun in the face.

This time, he didn’t dodge.

“You son of a bitch! Talking like that to a father who came back to life!”

At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened. At first, there was a clicking sound of high heels, and then, a sharp noise echoed.
“Dare you lay a hand on my son’s face? This crazy lunatic!”

The hand that slapped Cheolhan’s cheek trembled as Morah spoke. Cheolhan, bewildered by her venomous expression and words, couldn’t say anything and just stared at her blankly.

As if her anger had not subsided, Morah, who had been defiant, soon slumped. Perhaps using the last of her strength for a final blow, Morah lost consciousness.

Flustered, Nokhyun urgently called for medical staff. Soon, the medical staff waiting outside entered.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nokhyun looked down at the seemingly lifeless Morah with indifferent eyes. The sight of Morah, who had suddenly appeared and attacked Cheolhan with all her might, was unfamiliar. It felt like a dream.

The doctor explained that Morah, who had been almost motionless and showed no signs of recovery, had suddenly come to the hospital and exerted all her strength to hit Cheolhan, causing great strain on her already weakened body.

Recalling the recent situation, Nokhyun tilted his head. It was incomprehensible.

Why now?

Nokhyun had been painfully lonely for a long time. Being so busy that he didn’t even realize his loneliness had become a poison, confining himself.

He lightly touched the hand of his mother, whose skin was almost like that of his father. Thankfully, there was warmth. He suddenly remembered Taein’s words.

Let’s have a child, let’s create a family.
Imagining the scene of creating a harmonious home with Taein and the child warmed Nokhyun’s heart, but at the same time, it was bittersweet.

If it weren’t for his father’s selfishness, they might have lived happily within the fence of family. Nokhyun couldn’t help but think about whether Dohyun would still be alive.

It was even more painful to see Jiwoon. If Dohyun were still alive, Jiwoon would be exactly his age.

Nokhyun felt bitter, as if life had exploited him.

At that moment, Mora’s hand tightly gripped Nokhyun’s hand.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

Mora spoke slowly as if squeezing out the words. Nokhyun furrowed his brow.

Who failed to protect whom with faces that seemed to be dying?

As Nokhyun kept his mouth shut, Mora opened her parched lips once again.

“… I’ve never blamed you even once. I blamed myself, powerless to protect my child and failing to keep you safe.”

Breathing heavily, Mora slowly spoke, exhaling as if the words were heavy. Gradually, her breathing became unstable. Nokhyun called the medical staff again.

The medical staff, after checking Mora’s condition, moved busily.

As if something had swallowed all the surrounding noises, no sound could be heard. His vision gradually blurred. Like the day he lost his younger brother, his body stiffened, and the thought process came to a halt.

As if ignoring the situation, someone grabbed Nokhyun’s hand as he took a step back.
In the small but firm grip, he regained consciousness. Taein was looking at Nokhyun with unwavering eyes.

“It’s okay, your mother is strong. She’ll pull through.”

Along with Taein’s voice, surrounding noises seeped into Nokhyun’s ears.

Despite being much smaller than Nokhyun, Taein comforted him, boosting his strength. As a repayment to the one who had always stood by him during difficult times.

Eventually, Mora was transferred to the intensive care unit. Nokhyun stared into space without any expression.

“She won’t pass away, right?”

He couldn’t remember the last thing he had said. It was probably harsh. He always spat out harsh and bitter words, armed with the pain of being wounded.

Those words felt agonizing as they echoed back to him.

“It won’t happen.”

Taein firmly nodded and covered Nokhyun’s trembling hand with hers.

“You endured without divorcing her, and this is what you get. Well.”

In a sharp tone, both Nokhyun and Taein’s gazes turned to one place. Yuran, seeing the two, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“No, it might be a good thing after all. You always said you wanted to follow your son, and now you finally get to see your son’s face.”

Yuran laughed as if she had witnessed an amusing scene.

Nokhyun’s vacant eyes filled with life. Before Nokhyun could approach her, Taein quickly moved.