With Haegin’s words, the sensation of rhythmic breathing feeling a beat slower seemed like an illusion. Although her gaze was still fixed outside the window, the reflection of Taehong in the glass stubbornly faced forward.
She had asked casually, but her heart was pounding uncontrollably, curious about his answer.
He had said he didn’t see it. Just a few days ago, he calmly claimed to know nothing about her background. Of course, he could have learned in the meantime, but hadn’t he asked her to prove it through actions?
Such a short time to prove anything; could he have known from the beginning? Thinking his words might be false left a bitter taste. What difference would it have made if he admitted knowing everything from the start?
Her actions would have been the same anyway. Where she had to stand was already determined.
Taehong also didn’t speak until they arrived at her house. Only the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the steering wheel broke the profound silence. As Haegin unbuckled her seatbelt, a sense of relief eased her suffocating heart.
Unable to endure the heavy atmosphere, Haegin finally broke the silence. Mere passage of time wouldn’t resolve the situation, and she needed a clear answer.
“When did you know?”
It wasn’t a difficult question. Taehong’s eyes, after a blink, turned towards Haegin. She too turned her head towards him, meeting his gaze. His expression was unexpectedly calm.
“If you ask since when, last week.”
A simple, clean answer.
“And if you ask how I knew, it’s because I investigated.”
A confident, unhesitant response.
And that was what slightly irritated her.
“Investigated?”
“Just curious to know what kind of person Deputy Jeong is.”
Haegin stopped nodding unconsciously and swiftly turned back to Taehong.
“But, how far did you go in your investigation?”
“Before I answer that, I want to tell you something.”
Haegin swallowed hard. She had asked the question, but before he could answer, she had to warn him.
There was no prediction of affirmation or denial. All she was sure of was the seriousness in his eyes.
“Just so you know, when I decide to bring someone onto my team, this level of background check is standard.”
That made sense. The reluctance to trust people and always having someone around to investigate must have been basic for him.
“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind. So, how far did you go?”
Haegin waited for Taehong’s answer. The pretext of investigation felt like being stripped bare.
“Name, Jeong Haegin.”
He recited basic information from her resume like ticking off a list. Taehong listed the items methodically, nothing unusual, but suddenly he stopped.
“By the way, Deputy Jeong, do you know what ‘Mom’s friend’s daughter’ means?”
“Of course.”
She responded instinctively to the unexpected question.
“And ‘Dad’s friend’s daughter’?”
Dad’s friend’s daughter? Father, friend, daughter?
As Haegin’s expression contorted, Taehong didn’t miss her reaction.
“Seems like you know. Turns out Deputy Jeong isn’t just any parachute.”
My goodness. Caught off guard by his counterattack, tension surged back into Haegin. Knowing she’s the daughter of the ruined Sion Group, does he think she’s using Juntae’s influence to stay by his side?
“So, a parachute well-connected to the chairman’s line. Are you here to spy on me?”
It was a backfire.
This time, Haegin couldn’t respond to his question. Though no visible thorns were present, the question was endlessly sharp. The deeper she pondered over his question, the more a sense of injustice welled up inside her.
“I only took this job because the chairman promised good pay to shadow a team leader like you, a rugby ball. There was never a deal to report on your personal life.”
This was the truth.
Taehong gazed intently into Haegin’s eyes. The LED streetlights outside brightly illuminated the streets, but their light couldn’t reach inside the car.
Even though his face was shaded, she could tell he was looking straight at her.
“Let’s say there wasn’t.”
His eyes, which had been leisurely until then, turned fierce. His gaze, like a perfect poker face, made her heart shrink.
“But Deputy Jeong.”
Her tense body flinched at the mere mention of her name. His gaze remained fixed on her, immobilizing her body, mind, eyes – everything.
“If the chairman ever proposes another deal, let me know.”
“Why?”
“I’ll pay you more.”
Was he suggesting she switch to his team line? He already knew she was the daughter of Sion, a company that had failed, and was surely aware that money had been the bait.
“Just by joining my team, I won’t tolerate betrayal from my team members.”
It was another warning from him.
“Don’t betray my trust.”
His voice, murmured quietly, sent shivers down Haegin’s skin.
Betrayal, if reporting to Juntae was what he meant by betrayal, then there would be no such thing. Juntae had approached her only because she met the criteria and was competent in handling situations, nothing more, nothing less.
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.
