His voice was utterly cold. Thanks to that, Yu-jin could finally face him without being shackled by the shadows of the past.
Get a grip. It’s all in the past now.
“I was just out for a walk, and I ended up here… What about you?”
This time, he wouldn’t be able to avoid it. As Yu-jin spoke, he realized that Winston had deftly dodged answering his question. Sharp as ever.
Winston responded in the same emotionless tone.
“I was looking for you. There’s something I need to say.”
“Something to say? To me?”
Yu-jin widened his eyes, unaware that Winston had used the deflected question to buy time and come up with an excuse.
“It’s not about canceling the contract.”
Winston’s icy denial made it seem as if he had read Yu-jin’s fleeting moment of hope. Well, of course not. Yu-jin quickly deflated, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. There was no way the will had changed in the meantime, after all.
Just as he was about to refocus on what Winston was saying, something suddenly irked him. Even though they were standing apart, Winston, already towering, appeared even more imposing atop his horse. Before Winston could speak again, Yu-jin let out a sigh and made a half-hearted request.
“Hey, could you get down from there? Unless you’re trying to break my neck.”
He even forced a smile for good measure, but Winston’s expression remained unchanged.
Figures. He never listens to a word I say.
Yu-jin wasn’t even surprised. Maybe, deep down, he had already expected this.
But then, unexpectedly, Winston moved. With graceful ease, he swung his long legs over and dismounted. Yu-jin’s eyes widened in surprise as he watched. Winston gave his horse a light pat on the neck before turning and walking toward him, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
It only took a few steps for him to close the distance. Standing before Yu-jin, Winston finally spoke.
“McCoy will come today to review the documents and handle the legal proceedings. The wedding and reception will be held at the estate.”
The fact that Winston had actually listened to him and dismounted was shocking enough. But the words that followed left Yu-jin utterly speechless.
So, it’s really happening.
Winston and I are really getting married.
“Uh… Yeah.”
It still didn’t feel real. Yu-jin responded awkwardly, unable to grasp the reality of it. It was as if he were trapped in an overly vivid dream.
Even with Yu-jin’s dazed reaction, Winston remained indifferent and continued speaking.
“My secretary will take care of the preparations. You just need to follow instructions. I picked a date at random—hope that’s not a problem?”
“You already set a date?”
Didn’t he just say they were submitting the paperwork now?
Yu-jin stared at him, stunned, but Winston merely muttered indifferently,
“Is there any reason to drag it out? Our goal is clear, isn’t it?”
“Well… yeah, but still.”
Reluctantly accepting the situation, Yu-jin sighed before asking, “So, when is it?”
The thought of explaining this to the child made his head spin, but when he heard Winston’s response, his mind went completely blank.
“Two weeks from now.”
“Two weeks?”
He repeated the words without thinking, prompting Winston to curl his lips in a mocking smirk.
“Yeah. What’s the problem? The sooner we get this over with, the better it is for you too.”
He was talking about the execution of the will. Winston clearly wanted to fulfill his obligation as quickly as possible and get Yu-jin out of the estate. Not that it mattered—Yu-jin would run away before that ever happened.
“…No, nothing.”
After a slight pause, Yu-jin shook his head. Winston took that as the end of the conversation.
“If you need anything, tell Kane. He’ll pass it on to my secretary.”
“…Got it.”
Yu-jin forced out a response, his voice flat. He could feel reality closing in, yet he still wasn’t ready for it.
Two weeks.
A long, heavy sigh escaped him.
“Is that all? About the wedding?”
Running a hand through his hair, he asked weakly. But Winston didn’t answer.
Yu-jin hesitated, confused by Winston’s silence. His unwavering stare made Yu-jin uneasy. Feeling unsettled, he cautiously called his name.
“Winston?”
He saw it—Winston hesitated for just a split second. A flicker of something unrecognizable flashed through his eyes. Confusion? No, that couldn’t be. Yu-jin must have imagined it. There was no reason for Winston to react that way.
Then, Winston’s firmly pressed lips finally parted.
“How long are you planning to keep taking that garbage?”
“…Huh?”
Yu-jin blurted out dumbly, caught completely off guard. Winston, his face as cold as ever, continued.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I already told you—it won’t work on me. Take properly regulated medication. I don’t care if you ruin your body with side effects, but if you make yourself infertile, you’d better be prepared for the consequences.”
For a moment, Yu-jin’s heart plummeted.
If he found out he was already infertile, could he just blame it on the illegal suppressants?
After being cast out from The Most Perfect Delight, Yu-jin had stopped taking inhibitors. The reason was simple—he had no money. The cost of suppressants could buy an extra meal for the child. Wasting it on himself would have been unthinkable.
But there was no point in explaining that. Winston wouldn’t believe him anyway, and Yu-jin had no desire to share his pathetic circumstances. Winston mistakenly thought Yu-jin took illegal suppressants out of pride, but in truth, pretending to take them was what actually preserved his dignity.
“…I won’t take them anymore.”
When Yu-jin answered obediently, Winston stared at him for a long time, as if he couldn’t trust him for being this compliant.
“I’ll be watching.”
As expected, Winston didn’t believe him at all. The conversation was over. Yu-jin instinctively knew that. Seeing Winston turn away to leave, Yu-jin panicked and reached out.
“Wait!”
Winston hesitated before slowly turning his head. His gaze dropped downward, and when Yu-jin followed it, he was startled.
“S-Sorry.”
Without realizing it, he had grabbed Winston’s sleeve. Flustered, he quickly let go and apologized. Winston said nothing, but he lightly flicked his sleeve twice, as if shaking off something dirty.
The action stung. But Yu-jin masked his feelings and lifted his chin defiantly. Go ahead, do whatever you want—I won’t even flinch. That was what he wanted to say.
“When will I get the money?”
A faint crease appeared between Winston’s brows. Yu-jin noticed it but didn’t hesitate to continue.
“I need to use it. The sooner, the better.”
After all, wasn’t that exactly how Winston saw him? A money-hungry whore? If that was the case, there was no reason to pretend otherwise. It was better to play the role and focus on his goal.
As expected, Winston’s expression hardened, his patience clearly wearing thin.
“After the wedding, a checkbook will be issued under your name.”
His voice was as dry as a machine. Looking down at Yu-jin with his usual arrogance, he added condescendingly,
“You seem desperate to start spending right away, but people always have to pay a price to get money—whether through labor or something else.”
Of course, he knew that.
He had learned firsthand how hard it was to earn even a single dollar. Every day had been a brutal reminder.
But there was no point in correcting Winston’s misunderstanding. He wouldn’t believe him anyway, and Yu-jin had no energy to waste on something so pointless.
“I’d say I’m paying my fair share. I have to marry you and sleep with you, don’t I?”
The words slipped out before he could think. The moment they did, Yu-jin held his breath. He silently praised himself for the sharp retort—but dreaded the backlash.
Right now, he was alone with Winston. There was no one around to help him.
I should’ve held my tongue just a little longer.
As fear crept up his spine, Winston spoke. A cold sneer twisted his lips.
“Is that what you think your price is? You’re overestimating your worth.”
