OMS 65

“Congratulations from the bottom of my heart!”

[Well…I’m not sure if this is something to celebrate.]

“Of course, it’s worth celebrating. If the baby takes after Lee Hee-soo, it’ll be beautiful. Oh! And I’m getting discharged tomorrow.”

[I know. Come quickly. I feel like I can only breathe properly when you’re by my side.]

Kim Yoon-ah held the phone and smiled brightly. “Yes, I will!” However, after hanging up, her smile faded, replaced by a look of worry. While Lee Hee-soo’s pregnancy was cause for celebration, not knowing who the father was led to all sorts of concerning thoughts.

The one fortunate thing was how much Lee Hee-soo’s personality had changed. Since childhood, Lee Hee-soo had always struggled with depression and anxiety. Though outwardly gentle and kind on the surface, he was internally troubled, and after marriage, his symptoms worsened to the point where he couldn’t survive without antidepressants.

But look at Lee Hee-soo now. He had gone a complete 180, full of energy, confidently outspoken, and laughing more. If only the baby situation could be resolved…if they could just find out who the father was….Secretly, Kim Yoon-ah hoped that it was Kim Jun-han. They were legally married, after all, and he at least had the power to ensure the child would grow up safely.

Collecting her complicated thoughts, Kim Yoon-ah got out of bed. She could now walk comfortably without crutches or a wheelchair. As she was gathering her coat to go for a short walk, someone knocked on the door.

There shouldn’t be anyone at this hour. The caregiver maybe?

The door opened without warning, and Kim Yoon-ah froze at the sight of an unexpected visitor. Kim Tae-han strode in wearing a black coat and carrying a fruit basket.

“Nice to see you. It’s been a while. How are you feeling?”

“What brings you here…?”

“Just dropping by. A get-well visit, you could say.”

Discharged tomorrow and now this visit…Kim Yoon-ah suddenly grew tense. After the accident, Lee Hee-soo and Kim Tae-han had grown rapidly closer, which worried her. Plus, having heard that the baby was likely Kim Tae-han’s child made her even more anxious.

Oblivious to her thoughts, Kim Tae-han set down the fruit basket and sat on the sofa.

“This is our first time meeting alone like this, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is…”

“Sit down. I’m not going to eat you. You’re being too cautious. Making me feel rather awkward with you just standing there.”

“Haha, of course not.” Kim Yoon-ah reluctantly sat down. Then Kim Tae-han got straight to the point.

“It’s nothing major, but I don’t know if you’ve heard, Lee Hee-soo is pregnant.”

“I know…”

“Did they say whose child it is?”

Kim Yoon-ah remained silent. Lee Hee-soo had said he didn’t know whose child it was. While Kim Tae-han was the likely possibility, even that wasn’t certain.

“I haven’t heard…”

“No? Then could I ask for your help?”

“My help? For what?”

“You’re the only one Lee Hee-soo truly trusts.”

“…”

“Actually, I came here to vent. There I was, waiting under the persimmon tree with my mouth wide open, when some bastard flew in and snatched my precious fruit. Wouldn’t you say that’s unfair?”

“I’m not sure what you mean…”

“Come on, you know. You’re a sharp person.”

“…”

“I’m not asking for much. Right now, Lee Hee-soo is weighing us both in his hands like a scale. Honestly, I don’t know which way he’s leaning toward. That’s why I was wondering if you could help me.”

“I unconditionally follow whatever Lee Hee-soo decides.”

“I know. You’d give your life for Lee Hee-soo. But have you thought about this? If the baby is mine, do you think Kim Jun-han would just sit quietly?”

“Are you saying…Mr. Kim would do something harmful?”

Kim Tae-han pulled out a photo from his pocket and placed it on the table. Kim Yoon-ah’s eyes wavered when she saw it.

“You know Park Jae-min? Lee Hee-soo’s lover.”

Kim Yoon-ah remained silent once more.

“Do you know where he is?”

“I…don’t know who that is….”

Seeing her deny it til the end, Kim Tae-han smiled. So this is why our Lee Hee-soo likes you so much.

“Until recently, he was locked up in a villa in Gangwon-do. Guess who did that?”

Kim Yoon-ah looked up in surprise, and Kim Tae-han didn’t miss the opportunity.

“Want to hear something more interesting?”

“…”

“My brother had Park Jae-min locked up in a dog kennel, but he vanished without a trace. It’s reliable info from a friend who manages the villa. I’m sure you can guess why he disappeared?”

He made a slicing gesture across his neck. Kim Yoon-ah couldn’t close her mouth after he made that gesture. She knew Lee Hee-soo’s lover had disappeared, but kidnapping? Imprisonment? And then killed by Kim Jun-han? Get it together. Kim Tae-han is like a snake. He might be lying to fulfill his own desires.

While she was still watching him warily, Kim Tae-han’s eyes sparkled.

“The most surprising part is yet to come.”

Kim Yoon-ah closed her eyes and covered her ears.

“I don’t want to hear anymore!”

“Aw, why not? I was going to tell you who killed Lee Hee-soo’s father.”

Kim Yoon-ah jumped up from her seat and challenged him.

“That’s nonsense! The congressman died while being investigated about Seil Group’s slush fund!”

“Of course, that’s what happened. Because someone provided crucial evidence to the prosecutors. Not just that. They also pushed to investigate Congressman Lee Gi-cheol and Seil Group together. Can’t you guess by now? Who benefited the most after Congressman Lee’s death? Hmm?”

Kim Yoon-ah knew that when Seil Group, Daesan Group’s competitor, was shaken by that incident, Daesan Group had reaped enormous benefits. Could Kim Tae-han’s words be true? Did Kim Jun-han really drive Lee Hee-soo’s father to his death? As she struggled with her confusion, Kim Tae-han drove the final nail in.

“Kim Jun-han eliminates anyone who gets in his way. Lee Hee-soo could be next.”

Kim Yoon-ah couldn’t hide her confusion. She wanted to defend him confidently, saying it couldn’t be true, but the fact is, she knew very little about Kim Jun-han? While she hoped things would work out between them as they were legally married, if Kim Jun-han was really connected to those incidents, Lee Hee-soo definitely wouldn’t be safe around him.

“Now you understand? Why I came to see you?”

Watching the wavering Kim Yoon-ah, Kim Tae-han smiled slyly.

“Please save Lee Hee-soo. From the clutches of that devil, Kim Jun-han.”

***

Park Dong-sik, after leaving the hospital, sat on a park bench to clear his head. Perhaps due to the cold weather, there weren’t many people in the park, but a young couple approached pushing a stroller. Though the baby’s face was covered with a vinyl cover, the couple appeared to be happy.

“If they’re twins, would we need two strollers…?”

He muttered to himself before snapping back to reality and shaking his head. What am I thinking? We haven’t even decided whether to keep them or not. Then he fell into another pit of imagination, Lee Hee-soo in the middle, with Kim Jun-han and Kim Tae-han walking happily on either side, each pushing a stroller.

Hmm, while lost in thought, Park Dong-sik turned on his phone and searched for something.

[Twins with different fathers]

Though the doctor said the chances were lower than being struck by lightning, there were surprisingly many cases. However, the more articles he read, the more his face hardened.

[Casey was ultimately murdered by Jack, one of the twins’ fathers. The tragedy brought about by infidelity was truly horrific. The children grew up without a mother, and Jack is currently serving a life sentence.]

Shit…what kind of article is this…?

He clicked another article, but this one wasn’t any better. It was about how both suspected fathers turned their backs, leaving the mother to raise the children alone with great difficulty. The comments were all abuse. A whore’s ending. An omega’s shame. Such holes should be plugged up.

“Damn it…”

Park Dong-sik clicked his tongue and tilted his head back. Ah, I need a cigarette. Searching his pockets, he found only a handful of candy instead of cigarettes. He looked up at the gray sky, sighing deeply.

[Instead, get rid of the baby.]

[Get rid of it, and go live as Park Dong-sik. That’s my condition.]

Madam Song’s 60 billion, the old man’s building roughly worth 45 billion after searching, Kim Tae-han’s villa at 20 billion, and Kim Jun-han’s 100 billion…If this were an auction, Kim Jun-han would win the bid. Then what?

Let’s say he gets divorced, terminates the pregnancy, and takes the 100 billion. Could he live smoothly after that? Would it be possible to escape Kim Tae-han’s obsession, never meet Kim Jun-han again, and live his own life? There was no such thing as a free lunch. There’s always a good reason when someone decides to offer that much money.

If I become a stain on Kim Jun-han’s reputation, how would the other man react? Suddenly, he remembered the man imprisoned in the villa. The man who ran barefoot through the snow to survive had somehow transformed into Park Dong-sik’s image. He shook his head to clear away the intrusive thoughts.

Just then, he heard footsteps and opened his eyes to find two unfamiliar men standing before him.

“Hey, I’ve been watching you, you’re really pretty. How old are you?”

Park Dong-sik looked them up and down. Early twenties, maybe. These kids barely out of diapers were openly showing desire in their eyes.

“Why ask about someone else’s age?”

“Want to play with me? I’ve got something good.”

“Something? What?”

One of them took something from his jacket and showed it briefly. It was a small plastic bag containing white powder. Probably not flour they’re selling. Taking Park Dong-sik’s silent stare as agreement, one of them casually put his hand on Park Dong-sik’s shoulder.

“Or we could play three-way. We’re both worth trying, you know.”

The guy made a gesture of grabbing and shaking his dick, and Park Dong-sik smiled before bending down to pick up a stone at his feet. Then he suddenly grabbed the guy’s hand, pinned it to the bench, and struck it. The man screamed “Aah!” and rolled around clutching his hand, while the other backed away in shock.

“What the fuck?!”

The man quickly reached into his jacket, and Park Dong-sik warned him while holding up the stone.

“Pull out that knife. I’ll put a hole in your head.”

The hesitating man cursed before running away with his injured companion in tow. Park Dong-sik sighed softly and threw away the stone he was holding. What utter trash showing up to interrupt my thoughts. He flopped back down on the bench with heavy sighs, but no conclusion came, and his mind kept growing distant.

Ah, God. Why didn’t you give me a smart head to navigate this crisis along with just this body…

While lamenting, his phone vibrated in his coat pocket. The caller turned out to be Kim Yoon-ah. We just talked. What could it be? When he answered, Kim Yoon-ah’s voice on the other end seemed somehow tense.

[Lee Hee-soo. It’s me. Can you come here for a moment?]