Ch 65

“…Absolute rest. You do understand what that means, don’t you?”

Ideun sat motionless, tightly holding Ji-an’s hand as he lay in a hospital bed once again, hooked up to an IV. How many times had Ji-an ended up here over the past month? And every single time, he had heard the same words.

“Let him relax, both mentally and physically. His pheromones and hormones are acting up at the same time, which means just breathing is exhausting for him. So why does he keep passing out and getting brought in like this?”

“He’s okay, right?”

“We need to keep monitoring him, so no, he can’t be discharged yet. Absolutely not, under any circumstances.”

Ji-an usually had no pheromone scent, but today, even the baby wasn’t releasing any pheromones. It was a miracle that the baby was still holding on. And on top of that, Ji-an had been spotting, though not heavily.

“…….”

Only then did Rowoon realize how much of a mess Ideun’s face was. He wanted to ask outright what the hell had happened between them, but seeing Ideun’s expression, he swallowed the words that had risen to his throat.

“Absolute rest. No stress. Not a hotel—somewhere with nature, where he can hear birds chirping and the sound of water, where he won’t have to see too many people. Sure, eating out is nice, and hotel food is great, but nothing beats home-cooked meals. You know why simple Korean diners do so well despite all the fancy restaurants? Because good food is only good for so long. The mental stress can’t be helped, but at least let his body rest properly. If he’s important to you, let him lie in bed eighteen hours a day in a place with good sunlight and controlled temperature and humidity. Has the morning sickness started?”

Rowoon knew he was nagging, but as he continued, he noticed Ideun’s expression darkening. When Ideun hesitated and shook his head, clearly unaware, Rowoon cut himself off.

“Let him stay here for a few more days. Once we can confirm the baby’s sac visually, I’ll approve the discharge. Until then, find Ji-an a place where he can truly rest.”

After Rowoon left, leaving them alone in the hospital room, Ideun clasped Ji-an’s frail hand even tighter. If he didn’t hold on like this, he felt as though Ji-an might disappear at any moment.

He had already prepared a home just like the one Rowoon described. But they hadn’t spent a single proper night there before leaving.

This time, Ji-an would have a choice. It was the home where they, as a married couple, would live. A place filled with everything Ji-an had wanted. A home for him, for Ideun, for their child, and for Bobo.

“How’s Grandma?”

Ideun, who had been closing his eyes, feeling the exhaustion hit him alongside the relief that Ji-an and the baby were safe, lifted his head at Ji-an’s question.

“She’s fine. She’s not someone who’ll go that easily. You should be worrying about yourself, not her. You keep fainting and collapsing.”

Just thinking about her gave him a headache, but he forced himself to speak gently as he brushed Ji-an’s hair back.

“And the baby?”

The baby—before anything else? Ji-an’s eyes were full of anxiety as he placed his hand over his still-flat stomach.

“The baby’s fine. But you can’t be discharged until we see it on the ultrasound.”

“…When will that be?”

“Probably soon.”

Ji-an let out a quiet “Mm,” then suddenly chuckled. Seeing that smile, Ideun couldn’t bring himself to smile back. Ji-an looked too unsteady, as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff.

“Ahjussi.”

“…….”

“I have a request.”

“…….”

“Talk to your grandmother. Just talk. I’m not saying you have to reconcile, apologize, or ask for forgiveness. Just have a conversation. And if, after that, you decide you never want to see each other again, I won’t say a word about it. But at least give yourselves the chance to speak.”

“Ji-an.”

Somehow, Ji-an had ended up hearing both sides of the story. Adding his own situation into the mix, things couldn’t get more twisted than this. It was impossible to point to a single person as the perpetrator. The situation was too ambiguous, filled only with victims. Everyone carried their own pain. And at the center of it all was Secretary Baek.

Could one person really have manipulated so many lives?

Even as he doubted it, when Ideun recalled how ruthlessly Secretary Baek had treated him, he realized—it was entirely possible.

“I’m not telling you to do it right now. Just… don’t stop me from visiting her.”

Ji-an never expected Ideun to agree immediately. So when his silence stretched on, Ji-an took a small step back.

“Then, baby, grant me one request, too.”

A condition for a condition.

“Stay in the hospital quietly until Rowoon says you can be discharged. Don’t meet anyone except those I allow. No going outside, no matter how frustrated you get. But I’ll give you something to do in return.”

Ji-an nodded slightly. It wasn’t a difficult request. He wasn’t in a cramped shared room; this VIP suite was nicer than most hotel rooms. Eating, sleeping, and resting here wouldn’t be hard at all.

“What is it?”

“Our wedding. The house we’ll live in. I want you to choose them.”

A wedding? In the middle of all this chaos? Couldn’t it wait until things settled down?

Did Ideun think weddings were something you could just throw together in a day? Even if he didn’t know much about it, there were so many steps—booking a venue, making arrangements, and finding a house they could move into immediately. Ji-an’s lips unconsciously jutted out in a pout.

Now that he thought about it, Ideun was once again trying to get away with everything without putting in any effort.

It wasn’t like he wanted gold and jewels, a fancy bouquet, or some grand romantic proposal with Ideun on one knee, swearing eternal love. But still—he was just slipping it in like this? Even when he proposed, it had been so offhanded. And now, he was just assuming they’d get married without so much as a proper discussion.

“And you’re asking me to do this… just like that?”

The words spilled out before Ji-an could stop them.

“You always do whatever you want! I told you not to like me, but you went ahead and liked me anyway! The first time you said you loved me, you were boiling chicken breast for Bobo! When you asked me to marry you, you just blurted it out like it was nothing! Other people rent out hotels, buy gifts, get rings, plan fancy dinners, and make a big, special proposal! But I get nothing!”

Once he started, he couldn’t stop.

“You broke our bond without asking me first! I wake up, and I’m always in a different place! I was supposed to be skiing in Switzerland right now! My first international trip was to France, and now, because of you, I had to rush back to Korea!”

At some point, Ji-an had shaken off Ideun’s hand and sat up straight. His bright, determined eyes never left Ideun’s.

This wasn’t the kind of frustration that brought tears—it was the kind that made his fists clench. And when he saw Ideun’s expression shift from confusion to helplessness, to guilt, Ji-an’s mouth refused to shut.

“A regular office job that everyone does? Oh! I quit after just one day. But then, you expect me to find a house, prepare for the wedding, and handle everything? So what, I’m supposed to just say, ‘Oh, okay! I’ll do it all’? Do I have to? Grandma even gave a first-birthday ring for the little snake, and she said she’d send me off with a gold calf, a gold toad, and a jade bracelet! She was going to pack a ton of yakgwa, hangwa, and yuja tea, all sorts of delicious things. And yet! Yet! I couldn’t bring a single thing back. Haah. What else was there?”

Ji-an rattled off his words without a moment to breathe, then ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. Had he said everything he wanted to?

“……Baby.”

For the first time since meeting Ideun, Ji-an saw him hesitate, his voice lacking its usual confidence. Ji-an delivered the final blow.

“Am I right, or am I wrong?”

“……Everything my baby said is right.”

When Ideun nodded in agreement and Ji-an finally shut his mouth, the only sounds in the hospital room were the beeps of the medical machines. While Ideun appeared deep in thought, Ji-an replayed everything he had just blurted out, and his mouth hung open in shock.

What did I just say…?

The person in front of him was the CEO of a company, eight years his senior. And as for saying Ideun hadn’t done anything for him? He had fed him, housed him, clothed him, bought him things, cooked for him, taken care of him, and was even staying by his side in the hospital now. Even in all that chaos, Ideun had made sure to take care of Bobo too!

“Uh, um… Ahjussi.”

Clamping his mouth shut now wouldn’t erase what had already been said. Ji-an carefully glanced at Ideun, who looked surprisingly serious, as if he had been deeply affected by his words.

“Sorry.”

But his caution proved unnecessary. Ideun simply smiled faintly and reached out to ruffle Ji-an’s hair. Ji-an flinched slightly at the touch but didn’t pull away.

“What I meant was…”

“It’s all my fault. I really didn’t think things through. I’m sorry.”

With Ideun’s sincere apology, Ji-an had nothing more to say. The problem with this man’s apologies was that they were always so genuine, making it impossible to keep sulking. Not that he had any more complaints left, anyway. If he kept going, he’d definitely be crossing the line. Though, honestly, that line had long since disappeared.

“Can I step out for a quick call?”

“Oh! Yes, yes.”

As soon as Ideun left the hospital room—perhaps sensing Ji-an’s overwhelming embarrassment—Ji-an flopped back onto the bed like a lifeless paper doll.

“Wow, that was humiliating. Little snake, aren’t you embarrassed too?”

Burying his face in both hands, Ji-an dragged the peacefully sleeping little snake, basking in Ideun’s pheromones, into his shame.

***

Eunsook had spent the long night sitting in the same spot. Even after hearing that Ji-an and the child were safe, she couldn’t bring herself to get up or lie down. The floor was still strewn with the wedding gifts, and the pillow Ji-an had briefly rested on remained abandoned by the window.

When she first got her hands on money, it felt like she had the whole world. There was nothing she couldn’t buy, nothing she couldn’t do. Back when she sold rice soup at the market, struggling to make ends meet, she didn’t even have the time to look up at the sky. The hands that had always been wet and worn from labor became smooth and delicate. People with names worth knowing started seeking her out first, bowing their heads to her.

Now, in this cozy and peaceful place, all she had to do was lend money to those who came seeking it. That was how she built her connections, how wealth attracted more wealth. With just a word, nothing was impossible. And yet, in the end, she had nothing.

She had thought her grandson had left because he had grown independent. She never imagined he had been living under such a misunderstanding. She thought sh was curing his illness, yet so much had happened in the meantime. She used to be more perceptive when she lived among the market’s noise, constantly struggling to hold onto what little she had.

When she first heard about taking in a rut partner for treatment, she hadn’t thought much of it. Dr. Kang and Secretary Baek had both said it was common, so she let it be. It was her fault for trusting the people around her too blindly, having grown too comfortable.

She had only wanted to introduce her grandson to someone good. She herself didn’t have long left in this world, and young people should live happily. But even when she looked into suitable matches, getting in touch with her grandson was like pulling teeth.

And when she did manage to reach him, he always drew a line, saying he would handle things on his own. Then she heard that he was in a relationship with Chairman Noh’s young son, and she thought, ‘Ah, this is it.’ The boy came from a good family, was well-mannered, and had the brightest smile. And since her grandson had already agreed, who was she to object?

She wanted to pick a good day and send them off to live happily. But no matter how much she tried to reach out, her grandson avoided her. Then, another child by his side caught her eye, piquing her curiosity.

She told him to bring the kid to meet her, and the moment the boy saw her, he boldly declared—without a hint of fear—that he was her grandson’s partner. His cheeky words amused her. He was ridiculously picky, demanding this and that. But in the end, none of it mattered—he barely ate anything anyway. He spewed nonsense one moment and stole glances at her the next, making her laugh. He was an unpredictable little thing. She found herself wondering what he’d do next.

So that was the story. That’s why he had bared those tiny, dull claws at her and acted so feisty. If everything he said was true, he should’ve grabbed her by the hair and thrown her down. He should’ve trampled her, cursed her, and spat on her… But all she had done was listen to his complaints and let him turn her stomach inside out.

Even as he blackmailed her for 50 billion won, he still pleaded, ‘Don’t hate him. Hold back. I’m leaving. Please wait for me.’ He weaved those words together like a spell.

How was she supposed to express all this guilt? How was she supposed to atone for this sin? The image of his large, tear-filled eyes, his trembling lips as he bit back sobs—it haunted her. Eunsook let out a deep sigh and slowly shook her head.

“Chairwoman, I’ve brought the documents you requested.”

“Come in.”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Eunsook reached for her glasses.

“Shall I prepare breakfast?”

“What right do I have to eat? Leave me be.”

With that, she unfolded the documents Secretary Lee had brought. The moment she saw Secretary Baek’s ID photo on the first page, her fist clenched.

Starting with his personal profile, everything she had once left to her subordinates—only receiving verbal reports—was now in detailed written form.

After spending half the day going through the files, Eunsook removed her glasses and pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose.

Stocks, real estate, bonds—her wealth had continued to grow under the hands of experts. The records of the assets she had ordered to be allocated to the boy were also in there. She signed off on the portfolio, built upon prime properties. Once her approval went through, the assets would belong to the child.

“So? What happened with that Baek scoundrel?”

And then there was Baek.

They say you should never take in a black-haired beast. He had siphoned money away, tampered with every account he could. She had given him too much power.

“……He’s at an Alpha Club somewhere.”

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? That won’t cut it. He tried to kill my grandson. Lived off my money, strutted around, and even harmed my grandson’s partner. And he thinks he can live comfortably? I’ll be seeing him myself. It’s been a while since I’ve visited the winter sea. It’ll be nice to personally pick out some food for my grandson-in-law too.”

When Secretary Lee affirmed her orders, Eunsook finally rose to her feet. The exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but she was not so weak as to leave her messes unresolved.