“What’s this, are you on a diet or something? Why did you invite me here if you’re going to leave food? Wasting food is a sin.”

Byung Hwan scraped the plate she offered clean and washed it down with beer.

“Ah! This is the taste!”

They were like any normal father and daughter, serving food and eating it happily. But the blind spot between them was the twisted paternal love, a father leeching off his daughter to the bone.

The expensive watch, the flashy suit, the wrinkle-free handsome face. He was a bottomless pit, squandering so much money on his appearance.

A human more useless than a parasite, a man who would even extract the marrow from his family.

Still unable to escape her hellish family life despite being a top actress, Jung Hwa, feeling nauseous at this dreadful reality, bit her lip as she stared at Yoo Byung Hwan, whom she couldn’t even bear to call ‘dad’.

“Am I really your daughter?”

As she asked, barely suppressing the lump in her throat, Yoo Byung Hwan stopped eating and gave a half-hearted laugh.

“Of course, why do you ask?”

“Because I’m sick of you.”

“What, sick of me? Where did you learn to talk so rudely…”

Byung Hwan’s words trailed off as Jung Hwa took something out of her handbag.
“I won’t talk long. Let’s end it with this. Who knows how many people Yoo Jung Hwa owes money to? That’s what scares me the most. And it’s all because of you!”

“Really? I know you’re not scared.”

“Shut up. Just know that I have no more money to give you!”

Byung Hwan, used to hearing such words, first checked the amount in the bank book thrown on the table.

“If this is the last, is this all? Hm, it’s not enough. It should at least be enough to buy a building…”

Byung Hwan, never satisfied with the amount he just received, drew out his words like a snake’s tail.

“Really, do I have to do this?”

“So, are you saying you’ll give more, or not?”

Byung Hwan teased his daughter with a slippery tone.

“…….”

Jung Hwa was utterly disgusted by her father’s excessive greed. She had anticipated this and was prepared, but she didn’t want to resort to that method.

After hesitating for a while, Byung Hwan affectionately called his daughter.

“Mikyung….”

But he was immediately silenced by Jung Hwa’s sharp response.

“Yes! There was a Yoo Mikyung who sucked up to you! But the daughter you sold, Mikyung, is dead! Why do you keep looking for her? How many times do I have to say it? I’m… Yoo Jung Hwa!”

A parent? Don’t make me laugh! You insane bastard!

“Fine, I’ll give you more! But just know this marks the end of whatever father-daughter bond we had!”

After Jung Hwa’s outburst, there was a moment of silence.

Her anger seemed to have subsided a bit. Waiting for this moment, Yoo Byung Hwan cautiously brought up her last statement.

“So, how much more will you give, and when?”

“More than you can imagine. I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

Jung Hwa’s voice was as dry as the early winter drought, as if she had given up on even being angry.

It was daytime in Seoul, but evening in Vancouver.

So Yeon’s mother, Cho Yeon Hee, was holding a smart-looking child in her arms on the screen.

“Hi, my son.”

[Dash]I love you, Mom.

So Yeon, facing the phone on a stand, waved brightly at her son.

“Has our Hyun Woo been well?”

[Dash]I miss Mom a lot.

“Mom missed our Hyun Woo very, very much too…”

The small child, not yet 30 months old, had clear features and long eyelashes. Seeing his face, So Yeon felt a surge of emotion and couldn’t finish her sentence, pressing her lips tightly together as her eyes turned red.

“It’s time for Hyun Woo to sleep, isn’t it?”

[Dash]Yes! Grandma said she will take Hyun Woo to Seoul in thirty nights. Then every day…

The child, his lips as red as cherries, babbled earnestly. His speech was still immature, but it made him all the more endearing. That’s why So Yeon’s gaze and smile lingered longer than usual.

“Mom wants to see you soon, too. More than Hyun Woo can imagine…”

Her breath was uneven, and her voice trembled slightly. But since she couldn’t cry, So Yeon showed an even brighter smile.
Cho Yeon Hee, understanding the meaning behind her dazzling daughter’s smile, was also moved. However, her voice remained bright and firm.

[Dash]Has our Hyun Woo grown a lot? It’s so wonderful that he’s growing up healthy and well. But how about you? Are you okay? It’s okay to catch a cold, but you always get seriously sick during the changing seasons. You seem a bit thinner than before.

“Still, I didn’t catch a cold this spring. And I’m really healthy. I’ve been taking the supplements you sent regularly and exercising diligently, so don’t worry, Mom.”

[Dash]Health is not something to be taken for granted. Anyway, you must take care of yourself, especially for Hyun Woo’s sake.

Yeon Hee’s concern for her child was evident, a classic case of parental love.

“I’m going abroad soon for a shoot. After I finish that, I can see you and Hyun Woo.”

[Dash]Yes. Your dad was very happy to hear that you’re appearing in a drama. But don’t overexert yourself trying to do too well. There’s nothing more important than taking care of yourself.

“Of course, Mom. I’ll keep that in mind.”

[Dash]Be especially careful on the set. We were so shocked when you had that accident last year. It was so hard for you.

“I know, Mom. I’ll be really careful.”

Yeon Hee, sensing the conversation might lead to tears, shortened the call.

[Dash]You said Spain, right? I always say this, but please be careful. I can’t live if you get hurt again.

“Hehe.”

[Dash]Don’t just laugh carelessly!

“Yes, I’ll remember everything, Mom.”

So Yeon ended the video call, conveying her love to Hyun Woo and Yeon Hee.

But how could she forget the sight of the small, babbling lips and the tiny hands waving ‘goodbye’? Her vision blurred with tears.

With tears streaming down her face, So Yeon went to the bathroom and doused her face with cold water, unable to distinguish between tears and water.

But the tears, like the weight of life she had to bear alone, were a never-ending fountain, no matter how much she tried to expel them.

Shortly after, So Yeon exited the bathroom with slumped shoulders and closed the door.

“Mommy!”

Startled, So Yeon’s back hit the bathroom door with a thud.

The sight of someone sitting on the sofa in what should have been an empty living room was surprising enough, but the fact that it was Tae Seo Jun shocked her even more.

At first, she thought it was a hallucination. A fleeting image of him, always alive and breathing in her heart, crossed her retina for a brief moment. But it was indeed him, and even his smooth voice confirmed it. The man in her sight was definitely real.

“It’s not like you’ve seen a ghost. Don’t be too startled, Eom So Yeon.”

“H-how did you, the director, come here…”

“The door closer was broken, so the door was open. I didn’t want to disturb Eom So Yeon during her video call, so I just watched.”

“……!”

Caught!

For a moment, So Yeon was frightened, thinking he might have realized something. Her heart sank once more.

As she struggled to speak, Seo Jun’s intense gaze swept through the house. The first thing his eyes landed on was the lace curtains, beautifully tinted by the sunlight.