Chapter 101
Cheong-yeon’s legs gave out, and he braced himself against the wall with his hand. After barely managing to support his body, he forced strength into his eyes. He found his own weakness pathetic as tears threatened to spill out unsightly.
“So why… I told you I never want to live with you again! That I don’t want to go back! I…!”
“I still don’t understand,” Do-heon murmured, looking down at the furious Cheong-yeon.
“You really prefer living among inadequate people, receiving inadequate treatment, more than living with me?”
“You were the one who made me most miserable. Living with you, Director Moon Do-heon, was the worst time of my life! Why don’t you understand that? Not these modest current circumstances…!”
I’m sick of you.
Cheong-yeon couldn’t finish what he was about to say and swallowed empty air. Having forgotten to breathe for a moment, his chest heaved greatly.
“Even if today’s result had been pregnancy, I would never go back to you. What’s the big deal about having a child? I’d just raise it alone.”
Do-heon’s composed expression twisted subtly. He lifted his chin as if displeased with Cheong-yeon’s words.
“Why? When the best option for your child is right in front of you.”
“…”
“You’d deliberately choose the worst option when the best is right in front of you.”
Do-heon muttered as if he had never even considered the possibility that Cheong-yeon might not return to him if he became pregnant.
Cheong-yeon was left speechless for several seconds by such arrogant attitude.
“…Is that all you think? You thought I’d come back? To Moon Do-heon who shamelessly slept with me while hiding the fact that pregnancy could occur between divorced partners?”
“If today’s test result had been pregnancy, you would certainly have come back to me. Since that would benefit both you and the child.”
His tone suggested that rather than feeling guilty or remorseful, he was actually disappointed that it wasn’t a pregnancy.
Benefit? The word from his mouth sounded utterly surreal.
“What better environment could there be to raise a child than by my side?”
How could he say it would be beneficial for him to get pregnant and return to Do-heon in this situation?
He spoke strictly of gains and losses like someone who didn’t care at all about the other person’s feelings.
But as Cheong-yeon had already told Do-heon, even if the test result had been pregnancy, he wouldn’t have even considered the option of remarrying him.
The emotional rift had grown too deep to return to him as if nothing had happened.
“I clearly gave you chances. Multiple times. You were the one who walked to my room that day, and sleeping with me was part of your choice.”
Do-heon’s words were correct. This reality wasn’t created by Do-heon alone.
“I admit this situation is partly my choice. That’s why I took the test, isn’t it? Fortunately, no child was conceived.”
Cheong-yeon glared at him, grinding his molars.
“And what? Benefits? In a situation like this, no one pursues benefits while calculating like you, Director. If you wanted to persuade me, you should have taken the completely opposite approach. What you’re saying now is…”
“Humans naturally move according to their interests. Isn’t that natural?”
“Not everyone is like that.”
Cheong-yeon bit his lower lip hard. Each moment of pretending to be strong in front of Do-heon felt overwhelming. He felt that if he relaxed his tension even slightly, he would collapse and burst into tears.
“…Suddenly I feel grateful. For making me realize again that you’re the worst.”
I was foolishly confused. The last words had to be swallowed as emotions welled up.
Cheong-yeon hurriedly turned around and took steps to escape from this place.
“Yoo Cheong-yeon.”
“Let go, you bastard!”
When Do-heon grabbed his arm from behind, he shook it off with all his might.
Fearing Do-heon might follow, Cheong-yeon forced strength into his staggering legs and fled toward the stairs.
As soon as he left the hallway, the tears that had been pooling flowed down his cheeks. Cheong-yeon wiped away the tears collected at the tip of his chin with his clenched fist, suppressing his sobs.
Do-heon, watching that retreating figure, took a moment to regulate his sparse breathing. He took out his phone and called his assistant who was waiting below.
—Yes, Director.
“Cheong-yeon will be leaving the building now. Follow him and take him home directly.”
After finishing his instructions in a monotone voice, he immediately removed the baseball cap he was wearing and roughly brushed back his disheveled hair.
*
On his way home, Cheong-yeon bought a pregnancy test kit for Recessive Omegas. After purchasing all the remaining test kits at the pharmacy, he only felt relieved after coming home and confirming once more that the result was negative.
Even though he knew that the test he had received at the hospital earlier was more precise than this plastic device, his anxious feelings wouldn’t subside.
He planned to test once a day until all the ones he bought today ran out.
“Haah…”
Staring intently at the clear single line on the test kit, Cheong-yeon pushed away the dark thoughts that were crowding in like storm clouds.
‘Yes. He was trying to bring you back to his home even if it meant causing an unwanted pregnancy.’
But no matter how he tried to empty his mind, the words he had heard from Do-heon today stubbornly clung to his consciousness, painfully stirring his insides.
Just how selfish could he be? Did he make such remarks without hesitation knowing what pregnancy meant to an Omega, especially a Recessive one?
Resentment toward Do-heon bubbled up again from inside his solar plexus. Cheong-yeon took a deep breath and exhaled, cooling his chest that had heated with anger.
When he went to the bathroom to wash his face and looked in the mirror, his eyes were red and swollen. Pretending not to see his still damp eyes, Cheong-yeon washed his flushed face with cold water.
“Bastard.”
He still thought and acted exclusively from his own perspective. As if he had no interest in the other person’s wounds. Once again, he was utterly disgusted by the man’s behavior.
After enduring him sickeningly for three years, when had he started relying on him again? He felt like going crazy from the pathetic nature of his own self for trusting Do-heon again.
Did Do-heon want a child so badly that he would inflict such wounds on him? Or was it because he was reluctant to let go of someone he had trained to his own liking?
He didn’t know. From the beginning, he was someone who had never understood Do-heon. And the same was probably true for him as well. He would think of him as a foolish person who chose hardship over a comfortable and abundant path.
The two were as different as heaven and earth, unable to accept each other’s perspectives. And they would never understand each other for the rest of their lives.
After washing his face, Cheong-yeon checked the schedule that his manager had sent, despite his distracted state. Tomorrow’s first schedule was in the late afternoon. At least he had time to get a good night’s sleep.
For now, all he wanted was to rest. Cheong-yeon climbed into bed, pulled the blanket over his head, and closed his eyes. Perhaps from crying too much, his head felt hot and throbbing.
He briefly considered taking medicine but gave up on getting up because he had no energy to move. Sleep soon washed over him.
*
The next day.
After sleeping as if he had passed out, his mind was much clearer than yesterday. Although he wasn’t in a good mood, at least Cheong-yeon could more objectively distinguish what he needed to do going forward.
First, he found and took out the contract he had signed as a condition for receiving sponsorship from Do-heon. He placed it on the desk and read the contents from beginning to end.
Cheong-yeon wanted to terminate the sponsorship contract that had sex as its payment.
Fortunately, this contract didn’t specify a duration.
Do-heon had said that only he could terminate the contract when he wished, but that claim wouldn’t hold legal effect.
If he firmly insisted on not meeting anymore, given Do-heon’s personality, he wouldn’t resort to one-dimensional threats like forcing physical contact.
Unless it was preventing him from ever setting foot in the entertainment industry again, he wouldn’t choose direct violence at the very least.
Strangely, even after being betrayed by Do-heon, he still believed that the man wouldn’t harm him.
“I still have the security deposit…”
Cheong-yeon recalled the security deposit from the room he had found himself previously. And he calculated how to sustain his lifestyle if Do-heon withdrew all material sponsorship.
Surprisingly, he wasn’t afraid of Do-heon taking away the benefits he had provided. Even if his quality of life would deteriorate, he had confidence that he could at least take responsibility for himself.
He was prepared to accept it even if it meant never being able to act again. If only he could end his connection with Do-heon, who had deceived him by proposing to sleep together to conceive a child.
Although he hadn’t entered the entertainment industry lightly, he wanted to shake off Do-heon with an even heavier heart.
After organizing what he needed to say and think, Cheong-yeon immediately called him. He intended to suggest meeting to talk, but Do-heon seemed to be working, as the call didn’t connect.
With no choice, Cheong-yeon contacted Secretary Shim.
—I’ve answered the call.
“It’s me. Is Director Moon Do-heon at the company right now?”
*
As Cheong-yeon headed to Do-heon’s office, he recalled the day he first accepted the sponsorship offer. Back then, he had walked down this same corridor and gazed at the same door.
Secretary Shim, who had come out to meet him, walked ahead of Cheong-yeon, passing the secretary’s desk and stopping in front of the office door.
After knocking lightly twice, Do-heon’s voice sounded from inside, telling them to enter.
“Let’s go in.”
Secretary Shim opened the heavy door and gestured politely.
After taking a deep breath, Cheong-yeon bowed his head in greeting before entering the office.
“…”
As if they had been in a meeting, three elderly executives were sitting on the sofa inside.
The unexpected visitor made them straighten their backs and clear their throats, stopping mid-sentence.
Do-heon, who had been sitting in his desk chair with his legs crossed, receiving reports, stood up.
“Let’s end here for today. My ex-husband has made a sudden visit, so it would be difficult to continue our discussion.”
At the word “ex-husband,” everyone’s gaze suddenly fixed on Cheong-yeon.
“…Ah. Understood, Director. Please review the documents and let us know your thoughts separately later.”
Do-heon nodded as he buttoned his loose jacket. The executives exchanged glances before leaving, and Cheong-yeon, who had been standing awkwardly, tightly gripped the contract in his hand.
“You came earlier than I expected.”
Do-heon spoke as if he had anticipated Cheong-yeon’s visit.
While Cheong-yeon’s insides were burning because of yesterday’s events, Do-heon treated him calmly as if nothing had happened.
“Sit down?”
“No need. I’ll be leaving soon.”
Do-heon’s inscrutable dark eyes looked Cheong-yeon up and down.
“Since you said you expected me to come, you probably know what I’m going to say. I’ll just say it directly. I want to terminate the contract I had with you, Director.”
Cheong-yeon approached where Do-heon was standing and placed the contract on the large wooden desk.
“Please void it.”
“You said you wanted to be an actor.”
“I don’t want to anymore.”
After swallowing dryly, Cheong-yeon answered in a clear voice.
“I’m not trying to terminate it empty-handed. For all the costs you’ve supported me with, I’ll pay everything back, even if it takes time.”
“As if you know how much it is.”
Do-heon tilted his head slightly. With one hand in his pocket, he picked up the contract Cheong-yeon had presented with the other.
“If there’s more you want, I’ll bear that too. But if…”
“If?”
“If you absolutely refuse to terminate it, just cut open my stomach.”
“Hmm.”
Instead of responding to Cheong-yeon’s words, which were half persuasion and half stubbornness, Do-heon remained silent for a while as if thinking about something.
Cheong-yeon added:
“Even if I have to work part-time jobs for the rest of my life, I can’t maintain this contractual relationship anymore.”
“Are you sure?”
Do-heon asked quietly.
“What about the CF you’ve already signed? The CEO of Pin Entertainment who was your manager, the drama director and writer who cast you for your potential, the investors, your dedicated manager.”
“What are you talking about?”
He had come here resolved to quit being an actor. He hadn’t come to discuss other people connected to him.
“What about the stylist who supported you since your days as a singer and even changed jobs just to work with you?”
“Those people have nothing to do with me.”
“Min Hye-rin, wasn’t it?”
Cheong-yeon frowned, not understanding Do-heon’s intention.
“Is it okay if all the people who gathered for you collapse because of you alone?”
At the question, asked as if he was genuinely curious, Cheong-yeon felt his heart sink to his feet.
“…Director.”
Only then did Cheong-yeon belatedly understand what his words meant. Do-heon fingered Cheong-yeon’s thumbprint at the bottom of the contract, made with wine.
“I don’t think it would be okay.”
His tone was already one of certainty. And it was true.
“Cheong-yeon.”
At the soft voice that wrapped around his ears, Cheong-yeon’s eyes trembled helplessly.
“I won’t lay a finger on you. You’ve lived with me for three years, so you should know that much.”
“…”
“In other words, I can do whatever I want to people other than you.”
“Are you… really insane?”
Cheong-yeon glared at him in disbelief. He hadn’t expected him to nullify the contract so easily.
But the Moon Do-heon he knew, while selfish, was a reasonable man. At least, he had believed he wasn’t someone who would use force to make him comply, which is why he had come here.
“Take until Friday to collect yourself and come to our meeting place.”
Threatening by mentioning other people was completely unexpected.
“Just like you’ve been doing until now.”
It felt like the fragile trust he had been clinging to was shattering into pieces and scattering into the air.
Cheong-yeon faced the man staring at him. In his impeccably straight posture and beautiful face, there was no trace of any human aspect.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
