Yu-jin was momentarily taken aback and turned to look at his daughter. It was Winston’s pheromone scent. His heart clenched at the thought that Angela might have been scared like before, that something might have happened to her.
“Did Mr. Campbell find you?”
He asked cautiously. Angela nodded and began explaining what had happened. Her words came in fragments, but Yu-jin listened intently, nodding occasionally.
Angela had held her breath inside the rabbit hole, straining to listen, but the sound of the rain drowned out everything else. The only thing she could discern was that the sweet scent was growing stronger and stronger.
Her body, already trembling from the cold, froze completely. That scent. A wave of fear surged through her as memories of that suffocating pressure came rushing back. If someone had been there with her, she might have burst into tears. But the fear of being alone kept even her tears at bay. She held her breath and curled up as small as possible, desperately wishing for the scent to disappear.
I want to see Daddy.
Just as she thought of the one person who made her feel safe, the only one she could rely on, her eyes welled up with tears.
“There you are.”
“Aaaaaahhh!”
Angela let out an ear-splitting scream at the face that suddenly appeared at the entrance of the rabbit hole. Her shriek pierced through the heavy rain, making Winston momentarily step back. But even then, Angela continued screaming—over and over, her cries ringing through the downpour.
By the time her voice grew hoarse from exhaustion, Winston leaned forward again. This time, however, he kept some distance and spoke.
“What are you doing in a place like this? Come out.”
His voice was weary, but Angela only flinched and shrank back further, refusing to move. She was frozen in terror, and Winston let out a sigh, his breath visible in the cold rain.
“Your daddy is very worried about you. Come on out.”
At the mention of ‘Daddy,’ Angela stiffened. Just hearing the word made her eyes brim with tears again. Seeing her hesitate, Winston continued.
“I’ll take you to him. Don’t you want to see Daddy?”
Just as Yu-jin’s heart could endure anything for the sake of Angela, the same was true for her. The words struck deep, shaking her resolve. She was still afraid of this man, but she missed her daddy too much. After hesitating, she asked in a trembling voice,
“Do you think Daddy is really mad at me?”
“Has your daddy ever been mad at you before?”
Winston countered. Angela shook her head. Slowly, he extended his hand toward her.
“Then don’t worry and come out.”
The rain was still pouring relentlessly. Angela hesitated, staring at the man waiting for her beyond the rabbit hole.
I want to see Daddy.
That longing gave her the courage she needed. The sweet scent was still frightening, but she decided to be brave.
Angela hesitated, slowly crawling out of the rabbit hole while Winston simply waited. He remained perfectly still, one hand extended toward her, showing no impatience. Watching him, Angela cautiously made her way outside. Finally, as she pushed her head past the entrance and into the pouring rain—
Huh?
She suddenly felt something drape over her head. Startled, she let out a small yelp, but in the next moment, she realized that the biting cold she had felt all over her body had eased slightly. Winston had taken off his coat and wrapped it around her from head to toe before pulling her into his arms.
“Don’t move, or you’ll slip.”
His low voice carried a quiet warning before he effortlessly swung himself onto the horse. Holding the reins in one hand and the child in the other, he rode swiftly through the storm, heading back to the estate.
As Yu-jin listened to his daughter’s small tale of adventure, a flood of emotions washed over him, leaving him momentarily speechless. Guilt weighed heavily on him—guilt for having slept soundly while his child was out there, trembling in fear. He felt deep sympathy for Angela, who had faced her terror all alone. But the emotions he felt toward Winston were just as complex.
He went that far for Angie.
It wasn’t just that Winston had gone out of his way to search for Angela. He had also waited patiently for the frightened child to gather her courage and step outside on her own. And most of all, he had returned her safely to Yu-jin’s arms.
Didn’t he hate Angie?
Winston still believed Angela was Harold’s daughter. Yu-jin had been certain that he wanted nothing to do with her. He had never imagined Winston would go to such lengths for Angela.
Not after the way he humiliated me.
What the hell is Winston really thinking? Yu-jin knew for certain that Winston loathed him. But his actions were making Yu-jin waver.
Don’t get your hopes up.
He forced himself to snap out of it. Nothing has changed. No matter what Winston was thinking, it wouldn’t change how he felt about Yu-jin.
Yeah. Don’t get weak.
As he steeled himself, Angela suddenly spoke, her small face filled with concern.
“Will Mr. Campbell be okay? He got really wet because of me… What if he catches a cold?”
She was genuinely worried about Winston. Extreme Alphas were nearly immune to illnesses like colds, thanks to their pheromonal resilience. But would Angela understand that? Yu-jin briefly considered how to explain Winston’s genetic traits before deciding to postpone the conversation.
“He’s an adult, so he’ll be fine.”
He gently patted her head, but Angela still looked troubled. “Still…” she murmured, trailing off gloomily. Seeing this, Yu-jin quickly offered an alternative.
“How about we thank him tomorrow? Would that make you feel better?”
He thought it was a reasonable compromise—but he was wrong. The moment he spoke, Angela flinched, her shoulders tensing, and her pupils dilated. Yu-jin paused, noticing her reaction.
“You don’t want to? Are you still scared of Mr. Campbell?”
At his question, Angela lowered her eyes and pressed her lips tightly together. Her expression was serious, as if lost in deep thought. Yu-jin watched her for a moment before speaking again.
“You don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to, Angie. Mr. Campbell will understand how you feel.”
Yu-jin spoke gently, but Angela still seemed conflicted. Her eyes darted around as she hesitated before cautiously voicing her thoughts.
“I think… it would be okay if that smell wasn’t there.”
“…Huh?”
Yu-jin blinked in surprise. Angela nodded.
“That scent… it’s too scary.”
She shuddered as if recalling a chilling memory. It was clear that facing Winston wouldn’t be easy for her.
Maybe once she grows up and understands Extreme Alpha traits, she’ll feel differently…
But Yu-jin quickly dismissed the thought. By then, his connection with Winston would already be severed. Angela would have no reason to understand Winston’s nature.
“Then how about writing him a letter?”
“A letter?”
Angela’s eyes widened at the suggestion. Her reaction was noticeably different from before, and Yu-jin smiled as he elaborated.
“Yes, you can write a message for Mr. Campbell on a card, and I’ll deliver it for you.”
Even before Angela responded, Yu-jin already knew what she would say. The light in her eyes and the relief on her face spoke louder than words.
“Yeah! I’ll write a card. I like that!”
“Good.”
Yu-jin smiled warmly at her.
“Now, how about going to sleep? You can write the card tomorrow. Mr. Campbell is probably sleeping too.”
“Mm. Good night, Daddy.”
With her worries settled, drowsiness quickly overtook Angela. She rubbed her eyes as she mumbled her goodnight. Yu-jin kissed her cheek and gently stroked her hair.
Not long after, Angela fell into a deep sleep, her breathing even and calm. Yu-jin sat there for a moment, watching her peacefully, before finally standing up.
He picked up the tray with the empty soup bowl and stepped out of the room. Just then, the door to the adjacent room opened.
Yu-jin glanced toward it instinctively—and froze.
A doctor and the butler emerged from Winston’s room. The moment they spotted Yu-jin, they hesitated as well.
Why is there a doctor in Winston’s room…?
Suspicion flickered in Yu-jin’s eyes. Just as he was about to ask, the butler cleared his throat with an awkward cough. As if on cue, the doctor gave Yu-jin a quick, polite nod before hurriedly walking away. The butler, now standing in front of Yu-jin, spoke.
“Do you have any business here?”
