🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 28
At that moment, in the United States.
From early evening, Seo-hee’s expression wasn’t good.
<Am I really his biological son? Has Dad lost his mind?>
Just remembering what Jong-min said before he stormed out made Seo-hee’s heart sink. She had never once spoken harshly to Sang-wook, even in their loveless political marriage.
Even when he cheated and brought home a child from an affair, she accepted it.
Because she couldn’t say she was completely without blame for his infidelity.
<Let’s not have a child of our own. Let’s focus on raising Jong-min well.>
<I feel like I’d be sinning against my sister who passed away first. I don’t think I can share a bed with you.>
Sang-wook showed open displeasure, but Seo-hee did not bend her resolve.
She had married him in place of her older sister, who had been Sang-wook’s original arranged-marriage partner.
A marriage that only needed to fill each other’s interests.
Her sister Seo-hyeon had declared she would never enter a loveless marriage and eventually created her own family years later.
But that happiness was short-lived due to a car accident.
In the end, stepping in to complete the political marriage felt like making Seo-hyeon’s death meaningless.
“Honey.”
While eating dinner at the dining table, Sang-wook lifted his head.
“Did you say something to Jong-min?”
She was uneasy.
Afraid Jong-min might have found out.
“What do you mean?”
“He said he thinks you’re planning to hand the company down to that child.”
Seo-hee’s voice trembled pitifully.
“Is it true?”
Growing up under a strict father, she never learned how to voice her own opinion.
Women should be docile. Support their husbands well.
That’s what her parents taught her, so unless it was about Jong-min, the two rarely had any real conversation.
“I… I’m asking if it’s true.”
At the clarity of Seo-hee’s voice—something he’d never heard before—Sang-wook set down his spoon.
The sound wasn’t loud, but Seo-hee’s hands flinched. Thinking of Jong-min, she clasped her trembling hands together.
“Nothing’s been decided yet. I understand what you’re worried about, but I’ve never once thought of Jong-min as anything other than my son.”
Those last words brightened Seo-hee’s expression noticeably.
As part of receiving a major investment through their marriage contract, Sang-wook had added Jong-min to his family register. From the beginning, whether the child was his blood or not didn’t matter.
“I just think a company should be inherited by someone capable.”
“J-Jong-min can do well too.”
The brightness that had returned to her face faded again.
“He’s just very sociable, that’s why he has lots of friends. He hasn’t found business interesting yet, but if someone guides him well, he’ll do fine.”
Seo-hee kept defending Jong-min earnestly.
Sang-wook knew how she had raised Jong-min as if he were her own. And he had planned to give Jong-min the company.
At least—until Han-gyeol appeared.
“Let’s wait and see for now.”
Sang-wook lifted his spoon again and continued his early dinner.
As Seo-hee said, sociable Jong-min was once again at Club Leo tonight.
“Dude, your company hit the jackpot, didn’t it?”
At Jeong-gi’s words, Jong-min smirked arrogantly.
“Oh, that?”
[Headline] Clover Electronics’ Robot Vacuum ‘LOROVER’ Sells Out Immediately Upon Pre-Order
Clover Electronics’ new robot vacuum ‘LOROVER’ sold out its first batch within two hours of release, proving its high popularity.
Its innovative foldable-arm design and ultra-slim 7.34 cm structure…
The microwave explosion turned out to be user error, and the new product became a hit immediately thanks to its high-spec technology. Articles praising Korea’s technological innovation poured out everywhere.
Yet Jong-min felt crushed.
Just when Clover Electronics was rising in prestige—he had expected to inherit it. The thought that Yoo Han-gyeol might snatch it all away made his insides twist.
A brat with not a single drop of shared blood—daring to covet what wasn’t his?
“Wow, YouTubers are already reviewing it? They must’ve gotten early units.”
Jeong-gi joked that Jong-min should get him one too.
They played the highest-view review video—nothing but praise from beginning to end.
“Man, as long as this thing doesn’t explode at home, isn’t this gonna beat Seri Electronics?”
Jeong-gi hyped him up, but Jong-min latched on to something else.
“So if it does explode, we’re screwed?”
“Bro, it’s not a walking bomb. Chill. Can’t even joke around with you.”
Jeong-gi lightly smacked his shoulder, regretting his own words.
After what happened last time, he thought Jong-min would quit this group completely, so he was relieved he showed up again.
Of course, there was one main reason Jeong-gi catered to him—
It didn’t get simpler than this kind of “cash cow.”
“Yo, drinks on me tonight!”
As expected, Jong-min rang the golden bell and climbed onto the table. Red fireworks burst inside his head one after another.
That half-breed bastard—let him choke on shit.
Laughing with a twisted grin, Jong-min shook a champagne bottle and sprayed it at the ceiling like fireworks. If he couldn’t have something, crushing it to the ground felt better.
After work, Somang—who was about to head straight to bed—turned around.
“What—who’s this baby?”
She sat down on the floor when she saw the puppy tapping its front paws excitedly in front of the sofa.
“They said they’re going on their honeymoon, so I agreed to watch him for a few days.”
Siwon named one of the five doctors from the 885 group.
“Haven’t they been married for a while?”
“They must finally have the time.”
Siwon filled the puppy’s water bowl with bottled water.
“How old is he? What’s his name?”
Somang lay on her stomach beside the food bowl, her voice full of excitement.
“Two years old. His name’s Gamja.”
“Gamja? Potato?”
The puppy, with water all around its mouth, bounded around the living room.
“Hmm, he looks kind of like a poodle… but also like a Shih-tzu.”
“He’s adopted from a shelter, so they’re not sure. They said he’s a mutt.”
“A mutt?”
At that word from Somang’s mouth, Han-gyeol—walking toward the living room—froze.
He’d heard that word hundreds of times from Jong-min and never flinched. But hearing it from her froze him in place, cold sweat trickling down even though she wasn’t referring to him.
His feet wouldn’t move, as if nailed to the floor.
“No wonder he’s so cute!”
At Somang’s bright laughter, the weight on his feet finally lifted.
When he entered the living room, he saw Somang happily chasing after the puppy, a soft smile blooming across her face.
“But aren’t purebred dogs cuter?”
At Han-gyeol’s offhand remark, Somang scowled deeply and covered Gamja’s ears with both hands.
“Gamja, don’t listen to that.”
“He can’t understand anyway.”
Even at Siwon’s realistic comment, she firmly kept the puppy’s ears covered.
“He understands everything! Don’t you know the onion experiment?”
Han-gyeol sat on the sofa, and Somang stroked the puppy’s curly fur.
“And mutts are better. They inherit only the cutest, healthiest genes from all their parents.”
Just like our Gamja. She lifted him up and danced lightly.
“Gamja, let’s live to 100, okay? I’m sure your mom and dad gave you only the best things. So don’t ever feel small!”
As if seeing the puppy with her eyes wasn’t enough, she kept taking photos nonstop.
And Han-gyeol couldn’t take his eyes off her—the way she called Gamja lovingly, pouring sweet words over him.
Somang was that kind of person.
Someone who never judged people on her own whims—strong-willed and warm-hearted.
Wherever she went, good people naturally gathered around her, and within them, she always shone brightly.
And that light—did she know it gave someone the strength to survive another day?
The image of Somang reflected in Han-gyeol’s eyes lingered for a long time.
The desire he had barely managed to suppress flared up again—hot and red.
