Cozy Obsession

“But Father, if I find that it’s too much for me while I’m learning, can I quit in the middle?”He deliberately added a condition. After all, people become more desperate when they can almost grasp something but can’t quite reach it. He needed to show that he could change his mind at any time, maintaining the upper hand.“As you learn, you’ll pick it up quickly. Just trust me. I’ll be there to help you every step of the way.”“I’m counting on you.”“Here’s our company introduction. Sit and read it before the meeting.”Kwak Yoonseong handed Heemin the prepared materials. The document contained detailed information, including an overview of the company, which, although it seemed far off, would be very useful when preparing for a real job in the future.Knock, knock.“Director, the executive meeting will start soon. Please head to the conference room.”Time had flown by as Heemin was absorbed in the document, a rare indulgence in reading. He stood up, a bit tense, at the staff member’s notification.In truth, the moment he was asked to attend the meeting, an idea had popped into his head—an excellent idea to carry out his original plan by staying behind in the director’s office.“Heemin, let’s go.”“Yes, Father.”He stepped out into the hallway with Kwak Yoonseong. It was just a quick trip to the meeting, but seeing Kwak Yoonseong immediately lock the office door was a testament to his thoroughness.‘It’s no use, Kwak Yoonseong.’The one who would eventually hand him the key to the office would be Kwak Yoonseong himself. He would make sure of that.“President Cha, is it okay if Heemin attends the meeting too?”As he steeled himself, Yiheon and Secretary Jeong emerged from the president’s office. It was clear they had timed their appearance after eavesdropping on the conversation.“I’m fine with it, but I’m not sure if Heemin will be okay. There are a few Alphas among the participants.”“I think he’ll be alright today since he’s in good condition. I’ll let you know if he struggles.”“Don’t push yourself too hard. I’m worried.”“Alright, I won’t.”It was hard to tell if Yiheon had caught on to his plan or if he was genuinely concerned. However, even with this unexpected turn, Heemin didn’t seem fazed. If anything, he appeared calmer than usual.He followed the others to the meeting room. Sure enough, just as Yiheon mentioned, several Alpha employees were present, and as soon as he stepped inside, he felt a slight dizziness.“…Ugh.”He pretended to gag, covering his mouth deliberately. The mixture of various scents made him slightly nauseous, but it wasn’t the overwhelming pressure he felt when facing Chairman Yoon. Still…“Ugh, ugh.”He held his breath, forcing himself to dry heave, feeling the blood rush to his face. Heemin squeezed out tears, pretending to be overwhelmed by trauma.“Are you okay?”Turning his back to the staff to hide his retching, Kwak Yoonseong asked with feigned concern.“I’ll be fine if I drink some water.”He wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes with his fingertips and forced a faint smile. It was a silent plea, signaling that he would somehow endure despite the sudden resurgence of his trauma.“Secretary Jeong, get some water.”Since this was an important meeting with key executives, there were bottled water and paper cups on the table. Heemin weakly gripped the water bottle handed to him by Secretary Jeong and slowly sipped the water.“Cough!”Perhaps too absorbed in his act, the water went down the wrong pipe, causing him to choke. As he dropped the bottle and coughed violently, he heard the murmur of people around him.“Hurry back to your room. What if you collapse again?”“I-I’m okay now.”He raised his hand to reassure Yiheon, who was patting his back, and straightened up. After clearing his throat with a few more coughs, Heemin glanced at Kwak Yoonseong, signaling for an introduction so he could make an impression on the staff.“Heemin, introduce yourself. This is Lee Jongchan, the head of the research lab. And this is Park Gyutae, the regional manager of the Central branch.”“Hello, I’m Seo Heemin.”Heemin bowed politely, and the two men, who had been watching him with uneasy expressions, visibly relaxed and spoke up.“Just as we’ve heard, your son is quite composed.”“You must be very proud, Director.”Seeing them flatter and fawn over him, Heemin could understand why Kwak Yoonseong was so eager to seize the company. It was impossible not to crave the power to climb to the top and be revered by everyone.“Please take your seats, everyone. I’ll distribute the meeting materials.”The employee who had once brought him snacks stepped up to the podium, signaling the start of the meeting. Sitting beside Kwak Yoonseong, Heemin quietly focused on the screen, directing all his attention to the Alphas’ pheromones filling the room.“Next, we’ll have the first-quarter financial report. Director Kwak, please begin.”Finally, the moment he had been waiting for arrived. Just as Kwak Yoonseong was about to speak into the microphone installed on the desk,“Ugh!”He suddenly stood up, covering his mouth as if he couldn’t take it any longer. All eyes turned to Heemin.“Ugh…”He staggered a few steps, pretending his legs were about to give out. He caught a glimpse of Kwak Yoonseong’s face, now filled with alarm at his precarious movements. Smiling inwardly, Heemin gently closed his eyes and collapsed.“Seo Heemin!”As his body hit the floor, strong arms caught him. Yiheon, who had caught the falling Heemin, shouted in a rough voice.“Get a hold of yourself, Seo Heemin! Stay with me!”Heemin opened his eyes slightly to look at him. His act, honed through past experiences of fainting, seemed to be working. Yiheon’s face had gone pale, drained of color, confirming the success of his performance.“Get on my back. Let’s go to my room quickly.”“…I want to go to Father’s room and, ugh, rest. You’re an Alpha too, so right now, it’s just…”With a short breath, Yiheon pushed away from Yiheon, who was holding onto his shoulders. Then, as if pinned to the spot, he weakly extended his hand to Kwak Yoonseong, who was standing there looking down at him.“Father, give me the key. I’ll go into the room and, whew… lie down.”This time, there was no way he could refuse the request. Every employee in the meeting room was watching Kwak Yoonseong.“What are you doing? Give him the key quickly.”Yiheon shouted at Kwak Yoonseong, who hesitated and didn’t readily hand it over. Suppressing his pheromones as much as possible to avoid unleashing them, Yiheon’s sharp glare seemed even more threatening, causing Kwak Yoonseong to flinch and shrink back.“W-wait a moment.”Kwak Yoonseong’s hand trembled slightly as he took out the key ring. Though his face was filled with concern and worry, being conscious of the gazes around him, this situation was clearly very troublesome for him.He pulled out only the key to the executive’s office from the ring. Then, handing it to Heemin as if it was a gesture of affection, he scolded him.“If you’ve been feeling unwell, you should have told your father instead of being stubborn and surprising everyone. Go rest now.”“I really wanted to attend the meeting… I’m sorry, Father. …Ugh.”Shivering like someone overwhelmed by fear, Heemin clutched the key to his chest. It was such a great performance that he couldn’t help but be impressed with himself. If this were a Understanding Theater class, the professor might have stood up and applauded. His heart swelled with pride.“Secretary Jung! Carry him quickly!”Yiheon seemed to panic as Heemin looked like he might faint at any moment, and hurriedly had Secretary Jung carry him on his back.“I’ll escort him and return right away.”Secretary Jung, holding Heemin’s limp body, adjusted his posture and spoke as if trying to reassure Kwak Yoonseong.Having worked beside him for a week and understanding his personality, Secretary Jung subtly conveyed that there was no need to worry. It made him seem quite remarkable. If sharpness could take human form, it would probably be Secretary Jung.“Director Kwak, please continue with your presentation.”Yiheon returned to his seat and fixed his gaze on the meeting materials as if nothing had happened. The tense atmosphere in the meeting room was quickly quelled by his words.Carried on Secretary Jung’s back, Heemin left the meeting room. There wasn’t much time, so he wished he could just run. But knowing that Kwak Yoonseong would check the CCTV footage, he kept his body limp and continued to groan in pain. This prompted Secretary Jung to quicken his pace noticeably.“I’ll open the door for you.”Even though Secretary Jung knew Heemin was faking, he didn’t show it. He accepted the key, opened the office door, and sat Heemin on the sofa, then brought him two glasses of water as before. He treated Heemin like a sick patient, just as anyone would expect.‘Their acting skills are no joke.’The game was practically over. They could have relaxed and let their guard down, but both Yiheon and Secretary Jung remained consistent in their behavior. Of course, Heemin was no different.“I’ll be leaving now.”Click.The door closed, leaving Heemin alone in the office. Lying on the sofa like a dead man, Heemin quickly got up.The tension was still there, a rigid calm like the calm before a storm. He approached Kwak Yoonseong’s desk with steps even more cautious than when he’d secretly crept to the fridge after a fight with Yiheon.After one last check of his surroundings, he inserted the copied key into the lock on the top drawer and turned it. The tightly locked drawer opened, revealing the bag Kwak Yoonseong treasured.‘I finally did it!’His heart raced. He resisted the urge to shout for joy, unzipped the bag, and took out a thick notebook. The edges were dirty from frequent handling, and the cover was worn out.He took out his phone and immediately checked the contents. Each page detailed when, how much, and why money had been exchanged.‘Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million, hundred million…’Though he had expected it, seeing it with his own eyes was still astonishing. Even as a layman with no knowledge of such things, he could tell the scale was enormous. Given that Kwak Yoonseong had been receiving kickbacks as a percentage of the delivery price, the amount he embezzled alone would be in the billions of won. The company’s losses would be in the hundreds of billions.Click, click, click.He started taking pictures, but the loud shutter sound was annoying. It felt like the noise would escape into the secretary’s office in the hallway.Uneasy, he abandoned the idea of taking photos and began recording a video instead. For now, it was more important to prove the existence of the ledger than to document the details.Step, step, step.How much time had passed? The faint sound of footsteps reached his ears. Startled, Heemin froze, clutching the ledger.“……”He feared that all his efforts would be in vain. A cold sensation spread from deep within his stomach. Terror and trembling gripped his heart.He quickly put the ledger back into the bag, focusing all his attention on the sounds. His fingers trembled uncontrollably, but he restored everything to its original state and swiftly locked the drawer. The footsteps were getting closer.“I excused myself and came down early. How are you feeling?”Just as Heemin leaned his head back against the armrest of the sofa, Kwak Yoonseong entered the office. Gripping his wildly beating heart, Heemin struggled to sit up.“My stomach still feels queasy.”He wasn’t sure how he managed to respond to him. It felt as if he was really suffering from trauma; his vision was blurry, and his limbs felt numb. The tension had left him so drained that his whole body ached as if he’d been beaten.“I was planning to have lunch with the branch managers, but maybe it would be better if you went home today. You’re still sweating.”Kwak Yoonseong approached his desk and pulled the drawer handle. But the firmly locked drawer only rattled slightly and didn’t budge. Relief washed over his face. It was almost amusing how obvious it was.“Would it be alright if I stayed here a little longer until Yiheon returns? I want to say goodbye before leaving.”“Do as you wish.”Heemin wanted to show the photos and videos he had taken to Yiheon as soon as possible. Leaning comfortably against the sofa, he calmed his breathing and waited for the meeting to end.“Director, it’s me. May I come in?”After some time had passed, a light knock was heard, followed by Yiheon’s voice from outside the door.“I-I’ll come out!”Heemin stood up, his arms and legs trembling. Though it seemed natural for someone to help him up, Kwak Yoonseong only glanced sideways at him with little interest. If he were truly “Seo Heemin,” such indifference might have hurt his feelings.“I’ll see you tomorrow, Father.”“Alright.”He gathered the materials Yiheon had given him and moved with him to the president’s office. As soon as they entered, Yiheon adjusted the blinds, ensuring no one could easily peek inside.“Whew… I thought I was going to die from the tension.”Finally free from Kwak Yoonseong’s sight, Heemin felt his constricted chest ease up.“You still have that habit of scaring people half to death. I was startled.”Yiheon, sitting in a chair, patted his thigh, signaling Heemin to come over. Obediently, Heemin perched on his lap and handed him the phone containing the evidence photos.“Still, I did well, right?”“Yes, you did well.”“Aren’t you going to give me a reward?”He playfully pulled back the hand holding the phone, as if he wouldn’t give up the evidence without receiving something in return.“A reward?”Yiheon furrowed his brow, pondering for a moment, before his lips curled into a smile. He then leaned forward, offering his lips.“Ah, not that.”Heemin pushed Yiheon’s face away as it came close. He had gone through so much trouble, practically acting his heart out to obtain the evidence, and now Yiheon wanted to take it without any effort. It was annoying.“Let’s go yachting again once everything is settled. We can fish, eat sashimi, and watch the sunset… and do other things.”“Do other things?”“You know exactly what I mean.”Heemin pressed down on Yiheon’s lap, their bodies in close contact. As Yiheon’s hardened member pressed against Heemin’s rear through the fabric, a heated gleam appeared in his dark eyes.Seeing the anxious, heated look in Yiheon’s eyes made Heemin smile. It was amusing to see how Yiheon was so consumed with longing for every word and action of his.“I’ll do anything you want.”Yiheon, as if he couldn’t wait any longer, swept away all the papers and pens on the desk with his arm. Watching the scattered papers on the floor with some regret, Heemin was suddenly lifted and laid on the now-empty desk.“But first, let’s start with a kiss.”Hot lips urgently pressed against his. As Heemin thought about how they always seemed to end up kissing in the president’s office, he wrapped his arms around Yiheon’s neck.Yiheon’s tongue delved deep into his mouth, exploring his palate and teeth before curling around his own tongue. At the same time, Yiheon’s hands quickly unbuttoned his shirt and slipped inside his underwear.It seemed Yiheon intended to go beyond just kissing in this office. Though the hard desk was slightly uncomfortable against his back, Heemin soon lost all coherent thought as Yiheon’s potent pheromones clouded his mind.* * *[Arriving in 15 minutes.]He glanced down at his phone, which he had hidden under the table. The prosecutor would arrive soon. There was no need to keep appeasing Kwak Yoonseong any longer.‘Freedom at last, you bastard.’Over the past week, Heemin had spent half his days with Kwak Yoonseong. He had been excited about receiving management lessons, but instead, he spent his time making coffee, shredding piles of documents, and fixing the constantly jamming printer—menial tasks that consumed his days.It was clear that Kwak Yoonseong’s ultimate goal was to draw “Seo Heemin” in to secure management rights, not to provide him with any real teaching. Though it infuriated Heemin, he had to play along quietly to avoid raising any suspicion about his plan. Instead of enjoying company dates with Yiheon, he found himself mentally exhausted, collapsing as soon as he got home each day.“Where are you going?”As he inwardly cursed Kwak Yoonseong, he saw him take a jacket off the coat rack and put it on. The sight of him about to leave at this crucial moment made Heemin’s eyes widen in shock.“I have an appointment. You should wrap things up soon too, Heemin.”“Suddenly, when there’s still so much work? You didn’t mention any appointments yesterday.”Heemin needed Kwak Yoonseong to stay until the prosecutor arrived. If he left with his bag now, they wouldn’t be able to secure any evidence at the scene. After going through all the trouble of getting people here, it would all be for nothing. His heart pounded with anxiety.“Do you remember Branch Manager Park Gyutae from before? He suddenly requested an urgent meeting, so I’m heading out to see him. I don’t think I’ll be back at the office, so you should head home as well.”Was this just a coincidence? Or was it the original story’s forced plot driving this tragic turn of events?His legs trembled uncontrollably at this unexpected development. It felt like all the blood in his body had dried up.“Did you get permission from Yiheon? You said yourself that you need your superior’s approval before leaving. And your superior is Yiheon, Father…”“That’s a rule for regular employees. Why would I, an executive, need President Cha’s permission?”Kwak Yoonseong dismissed Heemin’s feeble attempt to persuade him, straightening his clothes. Technically, Yiheon was his superior, but Kwak Yoonseong clearly found it annoying that Heemin, not even a formal employee, was questioning his attendance. His expression twisted as he smoothed out the wrinkles in his sleeve.‘What do I do? There are still 15 minutes left. This is bad.’Not only had Heemin failed to keep him in check, but he had also irritated him. He became anxious, feeling like no words could prevent him from leaving now. Cold sweat trickled down his back.‘No, I can do this. I have to.’Everything depended on him. He had to find a way to keep Kwak Yoonseong from leaving. Taking a deep breath and moistening his dry lips with his tongue, Heemin quickly spoke up.“Can’t you go tomorrow? I have something I need to discuss with you, Father.”“What is going on?”“It’s something very important. It’s a matter so serious that it could change my life and my father’s by 180 degrees.”Heemin, silently apologizing to Yiheon, who might be eavesdropping on their conversation, delivered a line that seemed straight out of a soap opera.“…I’m pregnant with Chairman Yoon’s child.”Kwak Yoonseong, who had been leaning over to pull his bag out of his desk drawer, froze at the sudden bombshell.“…What? Chairman Yoon’s child?”“Yes. I felt a bit off, so I took a test, and it turns out I’m pregnant.”“Is that true?”He seemed quite shocked. He thought Heemin had a good relationship with Yiheon without any issues, but it turned out that wasn’t the case.It made sense, though. When Heemin had a heat cycle, Yiheon even skipped work to take care of him. Despite knowing there would be rumors, Yiheon made Heemin take business lessons to spend more time together.But now, instead of Yiheon’s name, Chairman Yoon’s name came out of Heemin’s mouth. The confusion was so overwhelming that it paralyzed his thoughts for a moment.Moreover, Chairman Yoon was an old man nearing eighty, and the age gap with ‘Seo Heemin’ was nearly fifty years. Even though Chairman Yoon was a dominant Alpha, it was hard to believe that Heemin could be carrying his child.“It’s hard to believe, isn’t it…? I can’t believe it myself, so it’s only natural.”He spoke in a soft, crawling voice while deliberately rubbing his belly. As if ashamed of having cheated on his partner and caused such a big scandal, he dropped his head, and Kwak Yoonseong approached him.“What exactly happened? Were you close with the chairman?”“I met him a few times with Yiheon, so I became familiar with him. The chairman is also a well-known art collector, and he really liked my paintings. Last month, we had a private dinner, and I made a mistake…”At the word “mistake,” Kwak Yoonseong chuckled. The expression on his face showed that he found it amusing that Heemin, who had always acted so prim and proper, would do something like this.“There’s no chance it’s President Cha’s child?”“None at all. The timing doesn’t match.”As Heemin firmly denied it, Kwak Yoonseong rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache and fell into deep thought. He had planned to use ‘Seo Heemin’ to take over the company, but now he was about to get caught up in a scandal involving infidelity, of all things. And the opponents were none other than Cha Yiheon and Chairman Yoon Daeho.He might be able to handle Yiheon with his wits, but Chairman Yoon would be a different story. The sudden storm left Kwak Yoonseong’s face in utter confusion.“I thought nothing would happen during the heat cycle, but I guess I was wrong. What should I do, father? Yiheon might think it’s his child… sob.”This was the ultimate soap opera plot. Heemin felt truly sorry for Yiheon, who was probably fuming after hearing Chairman Yoon’s name being used so carelessly. But in a situation like this, only such a shocking move could keep Kwak Yoonseong around longer.Unable to hold back the laughter bubbling up his throat, Heemin covered his face with both hands. His shoulders shook as if he was crying, and Kwak Yoonseong let out a long sigh, seemingly convinced.“Did you tell President Cha? About the baby?”“No, not yet. I just found out yesterday…”Heemin wiped the tears that had spilled out from laughing and answered. If it had been his real parents, they would have grabbed him by the hair and beaten him senseless, saying it was a life-or-death matter, but Kwak Yoonseong did not. He remained silent, only worried about his own safety.The prosecutor, who seemed to be getting increasingly uneasy due to the prosecutor’s delay, became anxious. Afraid that Kwak Yoonseong might suggest discussing the matter again tomorrow, Heemin, unable to suppress his nervousness, suddenly shouted in an excited tone, as if he had lost his mind.“I’ll never get rid of it! Even if I have to become a single father, I’ll raise the child to the end, so don’t try to stop me!”When Heemin protectively hugged his belly and huffed, Kwak Yoonseong looked extremely surprised. It was unusual for ‘Seo Heemin,’ who didn’t even express his emotions to his biological father, Seo Jaehan, to react this way.“Who said anything about getting rid of it? Why are you jumping ahead?”“I really want to have it. It’s a life that came into being… sob.”“Calm down. President Cha might hear.”Kwak Yoonseong, who had been comforting Heemin in a low voice, spoke in a calm tone as if he had finished calculating everything in his head.“Let’s inform the chairman first. If you try to hide it, you’ll only end up suffering.”“Do you think that will be okay…?”“From what I know, he lost his wife a long time ago and has no children. Even though he’s old, he might be happy to have an heir. It’s a good thing for the group, too. President Cha will surely understand, even if he feels upset at first.”Kwak Yoonseong’s eyes gleamed with ambition as he thought that he might be able to take over Woonshin Group as well if things went well.Though he was an Omega, Kwak Yoonseong was born unable to bear children. In this world, where people were valued based on their traits, he was treated worse than a Beta. He used any means necessary to dominate those who looked down on him.If he became in-laws with Chairman Yoon, he would gain the overwhelming power he had only dreamed of. The sight of his greedy smile sent a shiver down Heemin’s spine. No matter how you looked at it, he was trying to use his adopted son’s child as a tool. What a vile man.Heemin glanced at Kwak Yoonseong, who was engrossed in his delusions, and checked the time. Fifteen minutes had already passed. The appointment time was approaching.Just then, while he was focused on the noise outside the door, a loud commotion erupted.“You can’t go in there! I said you can’t go in!”Suddenly, the office door burst open, and men holding blue plastic boxes with the prosecutor’s logo stormed in.“What is the meaning of this?”Kwak Yoonseong, who was running toward the desk, was blocked by a tall man with drooping eyes. The man, showing his badge in front of Kwak Yoonseong, identified himself.“Mr. Kwak Yoonseong, I’m Prosecutor Im Yongjun from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. We are conducting a search and seizure due to embezzlement allegations. Please come with us to the prosecution office.”“Embezzlement allegations? What are you talking about? I’ve never done such a thing. This must be a misunderstanding. I’m being wronged!”“If you’re innocent, you can clear your name through the investigation. Let’s not waste time and go.”Despite his mild appearance, the man didn’t seem easy to deal with. Holding Kwak Yoonseong’s arm to restrain him, the man motioned to the investigators to secure all the documents in the office.“This drawer is locked.”“Take it all with you.” As the drawer containing the ledger was taken by the investigators, Kwak Yoonseong began to have a fit, screaming at the top of his lungs.“What do you think you’re doing, arresting an innocent man? Have you lost your minds? This is a blatant abuse of power! Abuse of power, I tell you! Let go of me! Let go, now!”The shrill shouting was enough to make one feel faint. But despite his desperate resistance, the man simply grabbed Kwak Yoonseong by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out of the room.“How could this happen to my father…?”Unable to finish his sentence, Heemin’s eyes welled up with tears. He turned his head away, clearly disappointed.“Please, Heemin!” Kwak Yoonseong called out pitifully, but when Heemin avoided eye contact, refusing to respond, Kwak Yoonseong continued to protest, unwilling to accept that it was all over.“Heemin, I never embezzled anything. You believe me, don’t you? Those people are lying to trap me. Someone who’s envious of me must have set this up!”“……”“Heemin, you’re my son! If no one else, you should trust me!”It was almost pitiful to see him clinging to his last hope, believing that ‘Seo Heemin,’ who was supposedly carrying Chairman Yoon’s child, would save him. Rather than reflecting on his mistakes, he was still trying to find a way out, not realizing that this very escape would be his downfall.“The truth will come out during the investigation. I’ll see you in the visitation room, Father.”At the cold tone in Heemin’s voice, Kwak Yoonseong’s face turned ashen. Heemin, without even looking at him, clutched his chest as if to console his wounded self, trembling as if on the verge of collapsing from shock.“…It’s over.”Once the shadow at the end of the hallway disappeared, and even the onlookers had returned to their stations, the breath Heemin had been holding finally escaped. The tension released, leaving him utterly drained.“Well done.”Yiheon supported Heemin, who was swaying from exhaustion, and he leaned back against Yiheon’s solid chest, looking up at him with a mischievous expression, quite different from the pitiful face he’d shown while swallowing his tears over his foster father’s betrayal.“Didn’t I do well today? At this rate, I might debut as an actor.”He was so proud of how much his acting skills had improved that he felt like he’d performed a dangerous stunt. Timing had been everything—without his efforts, they might have missed their prey right in front of them. The timing had been so tight.But instead of sharing in his satisfaction at how cleanly they’d dealt with Kwak Yoonseong, Yiheon spoke seriously, without a trace of a smile.“You, though…”“Yes?”“What? You said you were carrying the old man’s child?”“Oh, that… I figured I had to pull off a melodrama to keep him hanging on…”The smile that had been playfully tugging at Heemin’s lips faded, replaced by a weak grin. He’d expected Yiheon to first give him some praise before asking questions, but instead, Yiheon cut straight to the point.“…Do you want to have a child?”Contrary to Heemin’s expectation that Yiheon would be furious, veins bulging at his temples, his reaction was surprisingly lukewarm. He seemed more concerned about the mention of pregnancy itself than about using Chairman Yoon’s name.“You said you wanted to give birth so badly.”As Heemin blinked, speechless at the sudden question, Yiheon added another remark, his voice tinged with bitterness.Was it because of his position within the organization? His probing tone carried a sense of bitter regret, as if he were someone who could never, or should never, have a child.Now that Heemin thought about it, the original ‘Cha Yiheon’ hadn’t been particularly keen on having children either. Even now, Yiheon was meticulous about contraception, using condoms every time they were intimate.Facing him, Heemin answered calmly, as if to reassure him.“I’m still too young to have a child. I don’t have the confidence to give birth, let alone raise one.”Though he liked babies very much, it would be a disaster if he got pregnant, especially with the ending of the story approaching.When the wick of a candle burns down, the flame goes out; when conflicts and crises are resolved, the novel ends. At this point, the last thing Heemin needed was to get pregnant. He couldn’t bear the thought of being separated before even getting to experience the joy of parenthood.“You’re right. A kid can’t have a kid.”Yiheon lightly shrugged his shoulders, signaling that the topic was closed and ready to move on.“Get ready to head out. I’ll treat you to pizza as a reward.”“Pizza?”“Don’t like it? I was going to let you order whatever you want.”“No! I love it! That sounds awesome!”For the past week, Heemin had been eating with Kwak Yoonseong. Despite the expensive meals, they had tasted bland and joyless, making each meal an ordeal. He’d felt as though something was stuck in his throat every day.This reward more than made up for all the hardships.* * *“Heemin!”As soon as the door to the visitation room opened, Kwak Yoonseong, dressed in prison garb, called out pitifully.“How are you holding up, Father?”With a sour expression, Heemin asked the man on the other side of the transparent barrier. Since arriving in this world, he’d been through all sorts of things, but he never imagined he would end up in a prison visitation room. And it was all because of Kwak Yoonseong.“How is Chairman Yoon doing?”“What? Chairman Yoon?”Heemin was baffled when Kwak Yoonseong suddenly asked about Chairman Yoon’s well-being instead of the usual check-ins. Anyone would think they were close, though they’d never even met.“Tell him I’m innocent. Embezzlement? I have no idea how that ledger ended up in my bag.”“……”“I think Deputy Do held a grudge after leaving the company and framed me. There haven’t been any deals since Do left, right? It must have been him. No one else would pull something like this.”“…Father.”Heemin felt disgusted as Kwak Yoonseong now tried to drag Do Junyoung into the mess. The words “Please stop this” hovered on the tip of his tongue. However, he knew that getting angry now could jeopardize his bigger plan. So, Heemin barely managed to suppress his anger, quietly watching Kwak Yoonseong.“Heemin, can’t you ask the Chairman to get me out of this? The Chairman wouldn’t want his future in-law to be imprisoned, right? So, maybe if you could just…”“I don’t think that’s possible.”Heemin cut him off, halting the endless stream of words. After taking a short breath to steady himself, he spoke to Kwak Yoonseong in a soft yet firm tone.“It wasn’t a pregnancy. He had a vasectomy after his wife passed away.”“…What?”“The test must have been faulty.”Heemin’s bright, innocent expression left Kwak Yoonseong’s face crumpling in despair, like a crushed tin can.