“It seems Seo Ha has intervened between you and Yoo Na, who are rumored to be engaged now. Seo Ha is in just the right position to be the talk of gossipmongers.”

Kyu Won spoke with unusual gravity. Tae Kyung could not refute Kyu Won’s words.

Kyu Won was right.

Rumors of Yoo Na and Tae Kyung’s engagement had already spread widely, and people took it as fact.

Tae Kyung thought that might be why Seo Ha was avoiding him.

“Only Seo Ha gets criticized. I’m not worried about you since you deserve criticism, but strictly speaking, only Seo Ha and Min Joon get hurt. Be careful how you act.”

“Hmm.”

“I must have sold my country in a past life to have such job troubles piling up.”

As Tae Kyung was lost in thought, Kyu Won sighed and left the president’s office.

As soon as it was time to leave work, Tae Kyung headed to Yangpyeong. Yoo Na called, but he turned off his phone.

The place he headed to was, of course, Min Joon’s hospital. While pacing outside the hospital room, he ran into Seo Ha.

“What are you doing here?”

Seo Ha’s expression was cold.

Although they weren’t on friendly terms, Tae Kyung’s heart ached at Seo Ha’s chilly demeanor.

“It’s not like I came somewhere I’m not allowed.”

“Don’t come. You have no reason to be here.”

“I have something to ask.”

Tae Kyung, who always used to be sharp, now calmly faced Seo Ha.

“Min Joon’s biological father, did he happen to have a watermelon allergy? Is his blood type RH-negative?”

Seo Ha’s hands trembled without her realizing. Anxiety blossomed in her chest, wondering if he had somehow found out about Min Joon.

But from Tae Kyung’s expression alone, Seo Ha couldn’t tell if he actually knew.

“I’m curious. The same watermelon allergy as me, the same blood type as me. For it to be a coincidence…”

“He’s not your child!”

Seo Ha shouted in surprise. She couldn’t let her child be taken away.

The thought that if Tae Kyung found out about Min Joon, Hyun Young would find out too, made Seo Ha cry out sharply and turn away.

“Go! Don’t ever come back!”

Tae Kyung felt a surge of anger at her prickly reaction, feeling his heart twist again.

Tae Kyung blocked Seo Ha’s path as she turned to leave. Trapped in Tae Kyung’s huge shadow, Seo Ha felt her whole body freeze. Tae Kyung growled low, warning her.

“I don’t care whose child he is. I’ll keep you tied to my side. You won’t escape twice.”

Tae Kyung’s glistening black eyes ensnared Seo Ha. They were like the eyes of a predator facing its prey.

Tae Kyung could accept anything related if only Seo Ha would become his again.

Even if Min Joon was another man’s child, he decided to accept him because he was Seo Ha’s child.

Seo Ha’s heart sank at Tae Kyung’s blazing eyes.

She thought that perhaps she would have to run away again. She had to, to protect Min Joon, the child who was like her life.

“Really, is that so? I can do anything. I can give up everything except Min Joon. Even if it’s my parents.”

Seo Ha spoke with determined, fierce eyes.

And she swallowed the words that even Tae Kyung, Min Joon’s father whom she had loved so much, could be given up for Min Joon’s sake.

Tae Kyung clenched his teeth. It seemed he would gain nothing by provoking Seo Ha.

“No matter what you do, I won’t let you go. I’ll follow you even into the pits of hell. If you won’t be by my side, I’ll be by yours.”

“Do as you please. If you can find me.”

Seo Ha hung a bitter smile on the corner of her mouth. Tae Kyung met her eyes with an impassive gaze.

Seo Ha wanted to avoid this again. But now she couldn’t. For Min Joon’s sake.

A woman may be weak, but a mother is strong. Seo Ha now thought that she should prioritize living as a mother over living as a woman. Tae Kyung turned his back on her.

“If you can do anything, so can I.”

Only the sound of Tae Kyung’s footsteps echoed through the hospital corridor. Seo Ha’s persistent gaze clung to the back of Tae Kyung’s head, but he forced himself to keep walking.

The more Tae Kyung was by Seo Ha’s side, the more he felt an uncontrollable urge to both destroy her and keep her by his side with a terrible possessiveness.

As soon as he left the hospital building, he called Manager Kwon, Hyun Young’s secretary.

Before the ringtone could sound more than a few times, the voice of a dignified middle-aged man came through.

− Yes. Han Representative. This is Manager Kwon.

“Manager Kwon. Have you been well?”

− I’m always the same. I trust you’re doing well too?

“I’m doing well thanks to you. But Manager Kwon. There’s something I’m curious about. Kim Seo Ha, do you remember her?”

At Tae Kyung’s question, Manager Kwon paused for a moment. But soon he remembered Seo Ha.

− Kim Seo Ha… Yes, I remember. Isn’t she the woman you used to date, Representative?

“Yes, that’s right. Do you know anything about what happened between the Chairman and Seo Ha?”

− I don’t think that’s something I can talk about.

Manager Kwon’s voice tone lowered sharply and he spoke stiffly at Tae Kyung’s request.

Tae Kyung had a hunch that Manager Kwon knew something important. He had to find out from Manager Kwon somehow.

“Manager Kwon. Please help me. I really need to know.”

− Why so suddenly?

“There’s something strangely bothering me. I feel like there’s something I don’t know. Manager Kwon. Please.”

Since it was rare for Tae Kyung to ask for favors, Manager Kwon’s voice was clearly filled with awkwardness.

Moreover, he couldn’t disclose matters related to his boss Hyun Young, even to his son. But he couldn’t simply ignore Tae Kyung’s request either.

He felt like he wanted to grab Tae Kyung’s trouser leg and beg him instead, in the face of Tae Kyung’s earnest plea.

− Representative. It’s difficult for me to tell you. I want to tell you, but… You know my situation better than anyone, don’t you? I think it would be better to ask someone else about what happened then, rather than me.

“Someone else?”

Tae Kyung raised one eyebrow and flashed a sharp gaze. It meant that someone knew the situation well at that time.

‘Who could it be? No matter how much I searched for Seo Ha, everyone said they didn’t know about her. Could one of them have lied to me?’

Manager Kwon trailed off and then sighed.

− Yes. For example, Kim Seo Ha’s mother… I can’t say more than this. I’m sorry, Representative.

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry for making such a difficult request. Thank you for your help.”

− If you have any other questions, I’ll do my best to answer.

“Then, it’s certain that Seo Ha’s mother met with the Chairman, right?”

− …

Manager Kwon conveyed his affirmation by not answering.

Tae Kyung finished his call with Manager Kwon and scrolled through the contacts on his phone.

The person who would know best about Seo Ha.

And so would likely know about Seo Ha’s mother.

The person who connected Tae Kyung and Seo Ha.

“Right, Lee Hyo Jae, Hyo Jae would know.”

Just as Tae Kyung was about to call Hyo Jae, a call came in from Yoo Na.

Tae Kyung’s expression naturally crumpled.

He was about to hang up, but answered just in case.

“What is it?”

− Yangpyeong again?

“That’s none of your business.”

− You went to meet Kim Seo Ha, didn’t you?

Tae Kyung felt irritation rising at Yoo Na’s words.

He wondered how Yoo Na had found out about Seo Ha.

Tae Kyung couldn’t find Seo Ha for 5 years, so what on earth had Kim Seo Ha been doing behind his back?

Yoo Na warned Tae Kyung, who remained silent.

− It’s fine if you meet Kim Seo Ha, but only up to that point.

“What right do you have to tell me what to do?”

At Tae Kyung’s question, Yoo Na laughed brightly. After her laughter subsided, she spoke as if it were ridiculous.

− I’m your fiancée. I’m going to have an arranged marriage with Tae Kyung. Whether there’s love or not doesn’t matter. But I must become Han Tae Kyung’s wife.

“That’s ridiculous. Try if you can.”

− Well. That’s how it will be. No matter how much you struggle, Tae Kyung, it’s inevitable.

Tae Kyung shook his head. He had nothing to gain by dealing with Yoo Na.

It was a waste to invest his time in such matters.

− I could allow you to meet Kim Seo Ha. Until the wedding. After the wedding, it would be difficult.

“Your dream is quite ambitious. I’m hanging up now.”

Tae Kyung hung up before Yoo Na could reply.

Tae Kyung felt displeasure rising. He should have cut it off from the beginning, this was clearly Tae Kyung’s mistake.

Song Joo, wearing a voluminous dress, was uncharacteristically excited for a bride.

Tae Kyung, whom she hadn’t really expected to come, stood before her with a polite smile.

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

“Oh my! I didn’t think you’d come, senior!”

“Of course I had to come.”

Tae Kyung spoke like a man who anyone could see was courteous and kind.

Song Joo’s friends were all tense, unable to take their eyes off him.

Han Tae Kyung, the second son of the HY Group, was a man who attracted attention wherever he went, and the wedding hall was no exception.

“But I’m really, really grateful. I saw senior Yoo Na came too, did you come together?”

“Yoo Na?”

“Yes. Since you came together… Oh! You two must have arranged to meet here! Well, you are a famous couple after all. Hohohoho.”

Tae Kyung was displeased by Song Joo’s fuss.

Whether they knew Tae Kyung or not, there were women approaching him everywhere. This place was no exception.

“Um, ah, hello? I’m Song Joo’s friend, Yoo Seon Ah.”

“Yes. Hello. Have I been keeping the bride too long? Then, Song Joo. I’ll see you later.”

Tae Kyung showed a charming smile, gave a light greeting, and left the bridal waiting room.

Then, spotting the person he was looking for in the wedding hall, he walked straight over.

“Hyo Jae.”

“Huh? Senior Tae Kyung! What brings you here?”

Hyo Jae’s eyes widened at Tae Kyung’s voice, and she couldn’t even greet him properly.

How long had it been since she’d seen Tae Kyung? Five years.

Hyo Jae had deliberately avoided Tae Kyung for Seo Ha’s sake.

Tae Kyung had asked Hyo Jae about Seo Ha’s whereabouts once or twice, but contact had been cut off since then.

“It’s a junior’s wedding. And I have something to ask you.”

“Me? If it’s about Seo Ha, I don’t know either.”

Hyo Jae, feeling guilty, brought up Seo Ha first.

Tae Kyung immediately realized she was lying. He didn’t want to waste even a minute or a second.

“I know where Kim Seo Ha is.”

“… Then what did you want to ask…”

Hyo Jae’s eyes trembled anxiously.

‘Seo Ha, why didn’t this girl tell me earlier that she met Tae Kyung? Or does she not know that Tae Kyung found her?’

“There are too many eyes here to talk. Take pictures and come to the cafe on the first floor of the hotel. I’ll wait there.”

Tae Kyung spoke calmly and disappeared. The blood drained from Hyo Jae’s face.

Not knowing what Tae Kyung had found out, or what he was looking for, she didn’t know what to do.

After confirming Tae Kyung was gone, Hyo Jae rushed into the bathroom.

She quickly took out her phone and called Seo Ha.

Seo Ha didn’t answer, busy with something.

“Oh my, what is she doing that she can’t even answer the phone? What should I do?”

Hyo Jae stamped her feet. She worried that she might make a mistake and Tae Kyung might do something to Seo Ha.

She bit her nails nervously.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Seo Ha to call Hyo Jae back.

− Yes. Is Song Joo’s wedding over?

“No, but Seo Ha. Senior Tae Kyung came. He suddenly said he had something to ask me, do you know anything about it?”

− Elder brother Tae Kyung?

“Yes. You don’t think Senior Tae Kyung found you, do you?”

− …

Hyo Jae was more surprised by Seo Ha’s unexpectedly unsurprised reaction.

“Did Senior Tae Kyung really find you? How?”

Hyo Jae’s voice grew louder without her realizing.

Unaware that there was someone in the bathroom listening intently to her voice.