The Returned Father of My Child (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10
Bo Mi stiffened, seemingly tense.
The man, who had been walking naturally between the desks, stopped in front of Hyun Min’s desk—the development engineer’s workstation.
He moved the mouse to wake the screen from sleep mode, clicked something, plugged in a USB drive, performed an action, then turned off the monitor and calmly walked away. The two people under the desk couldn’t get a clear look at his face.
A sense of foreboding gripped Bo Mi, and the moment the man left the office, she squirmed out of Jae Kyung’s arms.
“Not yet…”
Jae Kyung hadn’t yet confirmed the sound of the man entering the elevator, so he held onto Bo Mi as she tried to escape.
“Han Bo Mi…”
Bo Mi slipped while trying to crawl away. Jae Kyung wrapped his arms around her and lay down on the floor with her.
Her cheek pressed against Jae Kyung’s chest. Embarrassed by the intimate position—almost as if she were straddling him—Bo Mi’s cheeks flushed red, and her heart began to race.
“I just needed to check something.”
Bo Mi barely managed to keep her composure and muttered softly.
“…Just stay like this a little longer.”
The large hand holding her back as she struggled to get up tightened its grip.
“Please… let me go.”
Bo Mi pleaded in a trembling whisper, but Jae Kyung acted as if he hadn’t heard her, holding his breath and focusing intently on the footsteps echoing on the floor. All Bo Mi could hear clearly was the sound of Jae Kyung’s heartbeat ringing in her ears. She gradually felt calmer, as if embraced by Nak Won.
This shouldn’t be happening…
Thud… thud. The man’s footsteps approached again. Bo Mi tensed up, her shoulders stiffening. Her heart felt as if it might shrink into nothing.
The footsteps circling outside the office receded, and the sound of the elevator doors opening reverberated down the corridor.
“Phew…”
Bo Mi let out a long sigh. She could feel the man’s chest rising and falling against her cheek.
“Shall we get up now?”
“Oh… Yes.”
Realizing suddenly whose lap she was on, Bo Mi flustered and hurriedly sat up.
“Your arm… um…”
Jae Kyung’s arm was still resting on Bo Mi’s back.
“Oh. Sorry.”
He apologized as he pulled his hand away. The lingering warmth of his touch on her back left her with a strange feeling.
They both avoided looking at each other, awkwardly adjusting their clothes.
The city lights filtered through the darkened office’s floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Jae Kyung’s seemingly indifferent face.
“This… is just an unavoidable accident.”
“Oh… Yes, I understand.”
“Let’s not create any unnecessary trouble for each other.”
“…That’s exactly what I wanted too.”
Jae Kyung’s coldness left her oddly disappointed. It wasn’t Nak Won—he wasn’t Nak Won—yet she’d mistaken him for Nak Won again… and that’s why her heart had fluttered. Her palms still tingled with the sensation of her racing heartbeat.
Apparently, this fluttering feeling belonged to Bo Mi alone.
Jae Kyung wasn’t Nak Won, yet despite knowing that, her eyes kept drifting toward him.
His identical face and those dark eyes pierced straight through Bo Mi’s heart, making it tremble.
This can’t go on… Bo Mi bit her lower lip with her upper teeth and lowered her head.
Even if Do Jae Kyung really were Nak Won, he was someone Han Bo Mi shouldn’t even glance at.
When Do Jae Kyung’s father, Do Won Il, died, the woman by his side had been none other than Bo Mi’s own mother, Han Ga Eul—Do Won Il’s scandalous affair partner, shrouded in secrecy that everyone hushed about.
“They say your sister-in-law was found with some high-up executive from Dowon Group… You know, probably something shady?”
“I heard Sister died together with Do Won Il. The side of Director Hwang Min Jun claims they were plotting together with Do Won and hiding something tightly—How can they keep secrets from me, their own younger sibling?”
Bo Mi remembered the whispers her aunt and uncle exchanged at the funeral.
That’s why Bo Mi had hoped Do Jae Kyung wasn’t Nak Won. And when she confirmed he was someone else, she’d actually felt relieved.
“You had something to check, right?”
“Oh… That guy earlier did something to Hyun Min’s desktop.”
Bo Mi shifted her gaze toward Hyun Min’s desk. Jae Kyung took out his phone and called Secretary Kim.
“Contact security right now—lock down all entrances. Secure the CCTV footage and disable all security keys immediately.”
Considering the elevator’s speed, the man would’ve reached the first floor by now.
“Once you’ve secured him, report back to me immediately.”
Jae Kyung issued calm, composed instructions in a cool tone. Access through the first floor required a security key. After 10 p.m., entering the Dowon Group headquarters was strictly restricted for security reasons.
Although Jae Kyung’s key allowed access, regular employees—except those like Bo Mi who’d stayed inside the building the whole time—couldn’t enter after 10 p.m.
Therefore, the intruder was either an employee who’d stayed late or an outsider who’d stolen a security key and hidden inside.
At first, Jae Kyung suspected the man was sent by Hae Young or Min Jun to target his life. Fearing the man might be armed and thus pose a danger to Bo Mi, Jae Kyung chose to hide rather than confront him directly. Letting the bodyguards handle the situation ensured neither he nor Bo Mi would get hurt.
Though they were both safe, Jae Kyung had to suppress his own confusing emotions.
Having such impulses toward a woman who already had a lover wasn’t good. Perhaps because he’d kept her at arm’s length, the sensation of holding Bo Mi in his arms refused to fade.
Bo Mi unlocked the password on the laptop sitting at Hyun Min’s desk. As a precaution, she managed the passwords for all Narae Creative employees. She opened the screen and began searching for the most recently installed files.
“Oh…”
Her ominous premonition had been right. Inside the file she clicked, a forbidden presence lay hidden.
[This is the timeline separator]After an unsettling night, the day of the Paradisus Project presentation finally arrived.
“Good morning!”
Ga Young greeted everyone cheerfully, humming a tune and sounding genuinely cheerful.
She’d put more effort than usual into her makeup and hairstyle. The rhinestones on her newly done gel manicure sparkled every time they caught the light.
Yeon Ga Young, the epitome of a flawless career woman, appeared confident and radiant.
The upcoming presentation would be attended by personnel from relevant departments, Dowon Distribution’s Executive Vice President Kim Seok Yoon, and Do Jae Kyung, the division head. Ga Young personally had high expectations for the meeting materials prepared today.
“Director Han Bo Mi.”
“Yes, Team Leader Yeon Ga Young.”
Ga Young tilted her chin upward, looking down her nose at Bo Mi.
“You know everyone’s counting on this presentation today, right? As long as you followed my revisions exactly, there shouldn’t be any issues.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best.”
Bo Mi answered with a bright, cheerful smile—which only made Ga Young look puzzled.
Did she eat something strange? She should be wearing a miserable expression right about now…
If she’d checked her computer this morning, she’d definitely be panicking over the ticking time bomb.
She’d heard data recovery alone would take over a day…
Even though she’d deleted the files, the Narae Creative team was oddly cheerful—so Ga Young had played her hidden card, but had Bo Mi not checked yet?
“Director Han. Aren’t you going to check the demo version for the presentation?”
“Yes, of course I will.”
Just as she thought—she hadn’t checked it yet.
“Team Leader, good morning.”
Su Young hurried toward Bo Mi but, upon spotting Ga Young, gave a reluctant greeting and pulled Bo Mi’s arm.
“Director Han, there’s a problem.”
Bo Mi held her breath for a moment, then asked urgently,
“What happened?”
“Not here…”
Su Young glanced nervously at Ga Young.
“As part of the same team, I deserve to know what’s going on too.”
Ga Young eagerly stepped between them, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
“Well… um…”
“Su Young, what on earth is it?”
“When I logged into the server this morning, all the data we worked on yesterday…”
“What? You mean the demo simulation app for today’s presentation?”
Su Young gave a weak, silent nod.
“Oh my!”
Ga Young covered her mouth with her hand, feigning shock.
She had to suppress a laugh that threatened to spill out.
“This is serious. Does that mean… we can’t give the presentation today? What are we going to do?”
Her voice trembled slightly as she struggled to hold back her laughter.
“Well, we can’t cancel the meeting. Should I just draw the proposal by hand and bring it in?”
At last, she’d get Han Bo Mi kicked out of the company.
“Cheer up. Things like this happen in corporate life.”
Offering insincere consolation, Ga Young headed toward the meeting room with a light step.
The reason Ga Young joined this project was to build a friendly rapport with Do Jae Kyung before their marriage—and to drive out Han Bo Mi, that unwelcome sight who’d returned as a company director after vanishing years ago.
Ever since her uncle brought Bo Mi home, Ga Young had disliked her.
“Since you’re around the same age, be nice to each other.”
The child led in by Min Jun had skin as pale and translucent as a wax doll—prettier than Ga Young and more princess-like.
Every time her big eyes blinked slowly, everyone’s attention turned to her.
“Oh my, she’s so beautiful—she should become an actress!”
“Is this Miss Hwang’s niece? She must’ve inherited the Hwang blood—genes don’t lie!”
People paid more attention to Bo Mi than to Ga Young. To make matters worse, her uncle even wanted to adopt Bo Mi into his family registry. Though Madam Hwang’s fierce opposition had stopped it, Ga Young had felt certain Bo Mi would take everything she had.
Ever since joining the Paradisus Project team, that thorn in her eye—Han Bo Mi—had been unbearable… Now, all she needed was to witness Bo Mi’s public humiliation.
Seated in the conference room, Ga Young checked the clock repeatedly, as if timing a candle’s burn.
Even as the presentation time drew near, no one from Narae Creative arrived.
Or rather, they couldn’t possibly come.
The Dowon Distribution staff kept glancing nervously at the clock, clearly worried.
“As it’s time for the presentation, as team leader of the Paradisus Project—and also acting as operations team leader for Hwangdo Construction’s resort division—I’ll take over the proceedings.”
Feeling a jolt from Jae Kyung’s gaze fixed on her, Ga Young stepped forward confidently.
“Regrettably, due to circumstances at Narae Creative, today’s planned demo of the outlet catalog application…”
Just then—
The door opened, and Bo Mi walked in confidently, impeccably dressed. She looked around at the seated attendees. When her eyes met Jae Kyung’s, she gave a slight bow in greeting.
“I’m Han Bo Mi, director of Narae Creative, and I’ll be delivering today’s presentation.”
“Director Han, don’t push yourself too hard.”
Ga Young pretended to offer concern.
“Thank you.”
Bo Mi smiled without a trace of fluster and brought up the screen—leaving Ga Young taken aback.
“I’ll now begin the presentation on the virtual reality catalog for the shopping mall, a key component of the Paradisus Project jointly planned by Dowon Outlet and Hwangdo Resort, leveraging Narae Creative’s technology.”
The proposed modules adapted Narae Creative’s existing technical capabilities specifically for Dowon Outlet. Her explanations were so clear that even executives and staff unfamiliar with virtual reality couldn’t help but murmur in awe.
Up to this point, charisma could cover for anything—but what if they couldn’t actually run the crucial demo simulation?
If they ruined this first chance to showcase Narae Creative’s capabilities, Jae Kyung might consider switching vendors.
Convinced it was impossible for them to pull it off, Ga Young wore a triumphant smile. At last, she’d get to erase that detestable sight right before her eyes.
“Please refer to the materials here. Demo versions of Dowon Outlet’s catalog app have been preloaded onto the smartphones being distributed now.”
Smartphones were handed out to everyone in attendance. Once they turned on the screens, Narae Creative’s incompetence would be exposed to all.
Ga Young touched her phone screen as if opening a gift box.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
Ga Jin is such an interesting character. If FL had been friends with him, she might have had an even more terrible childhood because of Mrs. Hwang. But he’s exactly the type of person who could be a friend or family member.