Chapter 27
Hee-yeon followed behind Seok-woo, looking almost dead.
The musty smell of the stream from her body suddenly rose up, making her stomach churn.
Still tense, she went into his room. He shut the door firmly behind them.
“Explain.”
“Fine. I borrowed Mina’s phone for a moment.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t use a phone that’s being monitored.”
Instead of making excuses, Hee-yeon looked straight at him. She even lifted her chin stiffly so she wouldn’t seem suspicious.
“Who did you call?”
“Do I have to say that too?”
“Of course.”
“The child’s father.”
“The child’s father?”
A wrinkle formed on his neat forehead. He seemed curious at the sudden mention.
Seok-woo didn’t know the details—that she had become a single mother at a young age. Making up a “father” on the spot to deceive him was impulsive, but it worked as a decent excuse.
“It’s my private life, so I’ll say no more.”
“Hmm…”
He crossed his arms, wearing a meaningful expression. She couldn’t help but hold her breath.
His piercing gaze felt like it was looking straight into her.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Of course not.”
“Listen, Kang Seok-woo. I may be your hostage, but I don’t think I need to explain personal matters unrelated to finding my brother.”
Hee-yeon straightened her back even more. There was deep suspicion in his eyes.
So he didn’t believe her.
Still, what could he do? There was no proof. And since it was her personal matter as a single mother, it would be strange for him to press further.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. It’s true. There’s no reason for me to lie about something like that.”
Not wanting her lie to be exposed, she kept her eyes steady. A brief silence followed. It made her hands tremble, but soon he nodded.
“Fine. I’ll believe you for now.”
“Ah…”
The strength drained from her body.
After hearing her answer, he took a step closer. Reflexively, she stepped back, but that only narrowed the distance. He leaned forward, his gaze threatening.
“But if you betray me, be prepared for the consequences.”
Hee-yeon swallowed hard.
“Yes… then you can do whatever you want to me.”
“Whatever I want? Does that mean you’ll come into my bed too?”
“……!”
She hiccupped in shock at the unexpected words.
It felt like he was openly showing desire toward her. Or maybe he simply needed a partner.
Since the previous keeper had been driven out, the position beside him was empty. Did that mean she might become his night partner, just as others assumed?
“Even if you’re not my type, sometimes a man just needs a woman.”
“There’s no need…”
“Do you really have to think so deeply about holding a woman?”
“……”
She couldn’t answer.
“If we’re going to act, we should do it properly.”
“I—I…”
“Don’t think you can avoid it by saying you’re a mother. I know you had those kinds of thoughts about me too.”
“…That’s not true!”
“Sure it isn’t.”
Suddenly, he pulled her in, and she was drawn straight into his arms. Her heart pounded wildly.
“Ah…”
“Still not?”
When his hand brushed along her lower back, she felt like she might faint. The heat from when their bare bodies touched in the abandoned mine rose up again.
Her face crumpled as heat slowly spread. She even began to imagine herself being held by him.
She tried to push his arm away, but somehow couldn’t move.
“Don’t tease me.”
“This is fun.”
“I may be your hostage, but I’m not your toy.”
She said it to escape his temptation. But at some point, she realized she was becoming painfully aware of him. It was only natural—being drawn to an attractive man.
“I know. That’s why I’m treating you with as much respect as I can.”
“Ha…”
His solid body pressed against her. Her eyes widened, and her gaze fell on his lips.
Why…
Why do those lips not feel unfamiliar?
It felt like she had touched them before.
That’s impossible. No matter how out of it she was, nothing like that could have happened.
His eyes gleamed differently now.
What is that look…?
In the suffocating tension, just as her thirst for air grew unbearable—
Knock.
She snapped back to her senses.
“What?”
“Ms. Park Sun-hee is here.”
His face twisted instantly.
“Go out.”
Only then was Hee-yeon able to leave his arms. When she stepped outside, the woman she had seen before was there, calling for Seok-woo.
“Kang Seok-woo! Seok-woo!”
“Seriously…”
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?”
“Leave.”
“What? Who’s she? Did she become your personal keeper? Let go! Let go of this!”
The woman saw Hee-yeon and shouted at Seok-woo. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her outside.
Watching them leave while struggling, Hee-yeon finally let out the breath she had been holding.
Seok-woo looked at his mother with an irritated expression.
“Are you really going to treat your own mother like a stranger every time?”
“And you? Didn’t I tell you not to come and go freely when Chairman Cha isn’t here?”
Chairman Cha was extremely sensitive about security. He had entrusted Seok-woo to strictly manage who entered the residence.
“Isn’t this too much? To you, Chairman Cha is more of a parent than I am, right?”
“You’re just realizing that now?”
The one who made Seok-woo into a proper man, when he had been living like trash in the back alleys, was Chairman Cha.
If he hadn’t met him, he would have lived his whole life fighting in the streets.
Regardless of what others said, Chairman Cha was his benefactor. Seok-woo had built JM Capital with his own ability, but without Chairman Cha’s capital, it wouldn’t have been possible.
“Hey! Kang Seok-woo! I’m the mother who raised you, changing your dirty diapers!”
“Ha.”
“You’re laughing? I handed over all the best people from our side, and now you make them wash dishes? You should repay that properly.”
“I’ve already repaid more than enough.”
Seok-woo clenched his teeth. Over the years, he had given Sun-hee hundreds of millions in money as repayment.
All his childhood, she threw him scraps of food while drowning in alcohol and men. He had already paid enough for being raised like that.
“That’s not enough.”
“You’re still greedy.”
“Greedy? This is all for you.”
“At least make your lies believable. You just want to open a business for your new boyfriend.”
Seok-woo thought of her boyfriend, ten years younger than her. The man, who used to cling to rich women, had fallen out of competition with age and ended up with Sun-hee.
“Hey! Kang Seok-woo! Just because you became a company CEO, don’t act so high and mighty to your own mother. No matter what, you’re still my son!”
“Damn it…”
Seok-woo turned away. Ignored, Sun-hee screamed curses behind him, but he didn’t react.
His insides felt like they were boiling. It made him sick.
The familiar, moldy smell seemed to creep back.
That disgusting smell—
His childhood flashed before his eyes: his mother tangled with new lovers, soaked in bodily fluids on filthy bedding, while he cried himself to sleep without eating.
Nausea rose in his throat.
But the moment he saw a clear, calm face, the feeling disappeared.
It was Hee-yeon.
At some point, she had followed and was now standing at a distance, watching him and Sun-hee.
Damn it.
Did she find out?
It didn’t matter—everyone already knew he was the son of a bar woman.
But for some reason, him being exposed in front of her made him unbearably ashamed.
“…Um, I…”
He frowned. If she had heard everything, she might misunderstand. What Sun-hee said wasn’t entirely true. She picked women who couldn’t repay their debts but were attractive, paid off their debts, and took them into her business.
From the beginning, Sun-hee seemed to have her eye on Hee-yeon. He had to make it clear that she was his woman so there would be no misunderstanding.
“Let me borrow your lips.”
“…What?”
“I need that woman to believe you’re my personal keeper.”
“…Ah…”
Her lips parted in shock.
“Do as I say. Unless you want to take your clothes off in front of those men.”
