“Why would I think about that? It’s natural that I should decide my own life.”

The conversation between Seokho and Seojun was in Korean. So the gaze of the guests who didn’t understand what they were talking about quickly went back and forth between the two wealthy men. In the meantime, Eom Eunhyeok briefly interpreted the remaining stories except for the very private parts.

“Haha, Professor Eom. I apologize for showing you such a son-in-law, but how can I deal with this fellow who tries to beat my father until the end?”

Professor Eom, responding to Chairman Tae’s suddenly thrown question, gave a wise answer.

“Who would wish for a disobedient child? However, speaking as a father who has a daughter, I would welcome a son-in-law like Tae Seojun. Sons-in-law with strong self-reliance are always welcome. Because he won’t make his father-in-law suffer.”

As Professor Eom finished speaking, Seojun said he would go check on Soyeon, stood up from his seat, and left the room, closing the sliding door as he headed towards the garden.

“Hey, Mr. Tae!”

Someone called out to Seojun.

The workers who had finished cleaning up had left, but Soyeon stood under the porch, looking at the garden getting wet in the rain.
The soft glow of the lights emanating from the house pierced through the darkness and gently illuminated the surroundings. On this charming night, the laughter of people, sporadically heard, seeped into Soyeon’s heart like rainwater, warming it tenderly.

Soyeon reached out her arms and caught raindrops falling from the roof with her palms. The drops adhered delicately to her stretched fingers, making her smile even more beautiful.

However, at some point, Seojun’s gaze, who had been silently observing her smiling from a distance, froze as if it had turned to ice.

The person who had summoned Seojun a little while ago was an obstetrician and gynecologist who had performed Soyeon’s surgery when Hyunwoo was born.

Without introducing himself and feeling like he should inform Seojun as a man responsible for a woman and a child, he cautiously brought up the serious and urgent situation of that day.

On the day Hyunwoo was born, Soyeon could have lost her life. Severe pain began during labor, and when she was moved to the delivery room, severe tearing and subsequent acute bleeding occurred as the baby’s head turned in a certain direction during descent.

The attending doctor, unprepared for such an unexpected event, could only be greatly bewildered. In that urgent situation, emergency surgery was decided, but the supply of rare blood was not smooth, causing a delay.

At that time, it was uncertain whose life, the baby’s or the mother’s, could be guaranteed. Soyeon, who had already been like a dead body during that moment, endured a desperate will to face death, ultimately allowing the baby to come into the world.

However, after that, she fought again at the crossroads of death and miraculously woke up from a coma after three days.

Listening to the details of that day from the doctor, Seojun did come out to the garden terrace, but he couldn’t take a step and just stood there, endlessly staring at Soyeon.

She almost died.

But now, in front of me…

Was she just happy and pleased to have given birth to a child?

Ha! What should I do with that foolish woman!

If you had been wrong at that time, I would have…

The sudden writhing agony that struck his chest was an extremely intense pain that he had never felt in his entire life. Seojun found it difficult to control the pain radiating from his chest. No, it was already a pain beyond the level he could control.

The baby and Soyeon, who had not yet seen the light of the world, were almost completely lost in this world.

Because of him.

It was because of that.

“Oh! What is it?”

Seojun quickly ran over, grabbing Soyeon’s wrist and pulling her somewhere. There was no intention to resist, and there was no time for it either. Startled, Soyeon, without understanding anything, hurriedly followed Seojun.

Behind the last pillar of the porch was a blind spot not visible from inside the house. Seojun took Soyeon there, without any explanation, and tightly embraced her. It was a moment that felt like the burning warmth, unreachable, might touch the lips.

“Well, just a moment…”
No matter how urgent it is, engaging in affectionate activities here is too risky. With that thought striking her mind, Soyeon pulled her face as far back as possible.

“Someone might see us! It’s embarrassing!”

“What if we go somewhere else?”

“W-Well…”

“Okay, let’s find a quiet place.”

Grabbing Soyeon’s wrist again, Seojun, who had caught Hyunwoo earlier, dashed to the back of the garden where he had escaped.

At the edge of the garden, there were marble stairs. While descending there, suddenly intensified raindrops seeped through Seojun’s suit collar. Soyeon’s white evening dress also got completely soaked in the rain.

Whether it was more efficient to run faster, Seojun lifted Soyeon, embracing the princess.

The place where the two entered was a greenhouse.