“Wait…!”
Yu-jin shouted, pale with fear, as Winston shot to his feet, unable to contain his rage.
No—he can’t leave. I have to stop him!
Not even thinking about what would happen next, Yu-jin moved to stand up in a panic—only to be hit with a wave of dizziness that made him shut his eyes.
“Yu-jin!”
Winston, who had been on his way out of the room, turned ghostly pale and cried out at the sight of Yu-jin collapsing forward.
“Yu-jin, are you okay?”
Urgent footsteps echoed near his ears as Yu-jin bent forward, trying to catch his breath. Winston rushed over to the bed and spoke in a quick, flustered tone.
“Should I call a doctor? Right, the physician said you needed a full check-up. Let’s go tomorrow. I’ll take you on my way to work… No, wait, maybe we should just go to the ER now? Yeah, that’s better. Get tested right away, and if you’re admitted…”
His panic was written all over his face. Flustered and rambling nonsense to himself, the man finally tried to just scoop Yu-jin up in his arms.
“I-I’m fine!”
Yu-jin quickly slapped his hands away. His face was drained of color, and cold sweat clung to his temple, but his eyes remained resolute. Winston froze, hand awkwardly suspended in the air, and stared at him. Tension thickened in the space between them. Breathing hard, shoulders rising and falling, Yu-jin swallowed dryly and forced himself to speak.
“W-what are you planning to do with Angie…?”
His face had gone sheet-white, and his expression was riddled with fear. Caught off guard by a question he hadn’t expected, Winston blinked, confused.
“What?”
That was all he managed to say, but Yu-jin didn’t care. Grabbing Winston’s arm, clinging to him in desperation, he cried out frantically.
“Please, don’t take Angie away from me! I can’t live without her… please!”
The last word came out as a piercing wail. Winston quickly grabbed Yu-jin’s arms, trying to calm him down.
“What are you saying? Take Angie away from you? I would never do that.”
“Don’t lie!”
Yu-jin shouted back, his eyes bloodshot with fury as he glared at him.
“You’ll do anything if it means fulfilling the will! You need Angie to get your hands on the Campbell family, on the company! I can’t have children anymore, so the only way to fulfill Harold’s will is with her…!”
His voice was hoarse with panic. Yu-jin started coughing, shoulders trembling, and finally collapsed from the dizziness. Winston could do nothing but hold him in his arms, completely at a loss.
“So that’s it…”
Winston muttered to himself in a daze, his voice barely a whisper as Yu-jin leaned against his shoulder, breathing shallowly.
The reason you never told me that Angie is my child…
…was because you were afraid I’d take her from you.
Winston felt the world tilt. Suddenly, everything made sense.
That’s why you let people think she was Harold’s child.
Even when they spat those cruel insults at you.
“You wouldn’t have believed me anyway.”
Yu-jin, still struggling to catch his breath, whispered hoarsely.
“I don’t know what’s in that thing, but if what you say is true, then it must be some kind of evidence, right? If that hadn’t existed… would you have changed your mind?”
He let out a bitter, scoffing breath, then added,
“No matter how much I said it, you never would’ve believed me.”
Winston had no defense. He wanted to protest that it wasn’t true—but his actions had already said enough. He’d made it painfully clear how deeply he had hated and distrusted Yu-jin all this time.
That day, when Yu-jin had come to him, clinging to the last shred of hope and said he was pregnant…He hadn’t even listened. Just tossed him out onto the street.
The more he recalled the past, the more he was consumed by guilt and self-loathing. If it were possible, he would’ve gladly died right then and there. But that would be far too easy. That wasn’t what Yu-jin wanted—not in the slightest. And it certainly wasn’t how Winston should make amends.
Then…
Then what can he do?
“I’ll never take Angie away from you. Never.”
It took him a long time to find the words, but Winston finally murmured them. As he gently caressed the frail body in his arms, he kept speaking, voice soft but firm.
“No one’s going to take Angie from you. I promise.”
He felt Yu-jin flinch in his arms. The lifeless body that had been slumped in defeat seemed to gather some strength again. Slowly, Yu-jin pushed himself upright. Winston reluctantly loosened his arms, even though he didn’t want to let go. Yu-jin straightened his back and looked him in the eye. The gaze he met was filled with suspicion. He was questioning whether Winston truly meant what he said.
And of course, he had every reason to. Winston accepted the distrust in silence, bitterly.
“You won’t even tell Angie that you’re her papa?”
Yu-jin’s voice was cautious, almost testing him. Winston answered truthfully.
“If you don’t want her to know, then she doesn’t have to. Not for the rest of her life.”
“What…?”
Yu-jin blurted out, startled by the answer. Winston, watching his reaction, continued.
“I’ll give up custody, too. If you want, I’ll put it all in writing.”
What’s wrong with him? Is he trying to deceive me again?
It was more than possible. Winston was the kind of man who’d do anything to secure his inheritance. This could very well be another calculated act. Yu-jin glared at him with all the suspicion he could muster and replied coldly,
“Fine. I want it in writing.”
Surely, he’d panic or change his tune now. Yu-jin waited for the inevitable backpedaling, certain of it—but instead, Winston simply nodded.
“Alright. I’ll prepare it.”
“What?”
Yu-jin blinked, dumbfounded again. But Winston’s face remained unchanged as he spoke in a flat tone.
“I’ll have my attorney draft the papers. We’ll need to review the legal aspects, so it might take a little time. But I’ll make sure it’s ready as soon as possible. Just wait for me.”
Yu-jin was left speechless by how readily Winston agreed. He just blinked, stunned, as Winston spoke again.
“You should get some rest now. You don’t look well at all.”
Wrapping an arm gently around Yu-jin’s back, Winston carefully helped him lie down on the bed. Yu-jin let himself be guided, bewildered, and only after he was lying down did he finally open his mouth.
“How am I supposed to trust your lawyer?”
There it is. That’s the trick, isn’t it? You think I’m going to fall for that?
Yu-jin’s voice came out sharp, laced with suspicion. Winston, watching him with calm eyes, replied,
“Don’t worry. I’ll hire a new attorney—just for you.”
“A new lawyer?”
“Yeah.”
Winston nodded without hesitation.
“I’ll go through Miller Law. That should satisfy you, right?”
Miller?
Yu-jin’s eyes widened. That was the Miller Law Firm—the most renowned legal powerhouse not just on the East Coast, but across the entire U.S. A firm that had never lost a case, one famous for winning any trial it took on—and charging a fortune to match.
“I’ll cover the legal fees. You can talk to them about anything you want.”
That’s when Yu-jin thought he’d found the flaw in Winston’s plan.
“You’re paying them, and you expect me to believe they’ll listen to me? Do I look like an idiot to you?”
“Exactly.”
The second Yu-jin snapped at him, Winston responded in a flat tone, as if expecting it.
“That’s the job I’m hiring them for—to defend you and accommodate your demands to the fullest.”
“And I’m supposed to believe that?”
Yu-jin asked again, distrustful. Winston looked at him steadily. The phrase you reap what you sow floated through his mind.
“See for yourself.”
His voice was quiet as he continued.
“I’ll have my secretary book you an appointment first thing tomorrow. Meet with them in person. Talk to them. That way, you can decide for yourself.”
Is he serious?
Yu-jin tried to convince himself it couldn’t be real—but for a brief second, he wavered. Still narrowing his eyes warily, he waited. And right then, Winston added,
“But there’s one condition.”
Of course there is.
Yu-jin wrinkled his nose in skepticism—but Winston’s next words took him by surprise.
“Go to the hospital tomorrow. Get a full examination and let the doctor give you a diagnosis.”
What?
Yu-jin flinched, caught off guard, but Winston finished with the same calm voice.
“That’s my only condition.”
Yu-jin just stared at him, dumbfounded. What the hell is this turn of events? He couldn’t wrap his head around where this conversation was even going. But Winston straightened his back, as if he had nothing more to say.
Then, as if something had caught his eye, Winston turned his gaze to the side. He picked up the USB lying idly on the bedsheet and opened his mouth.
“Look at this later.”
Despite bringing it all this way for Yu-jin to see, it seemed he had suddenly changed his mind. Yu-jin, realizing too late, reached out to snatch it—but it was pointless. Frustrated, he snapped,
“What are you talking about? Give it here—”
“It’s nothing special. Just a video of Andrew running his mouth about what drugs he gave you and how.”
That’s it? And he suddenly changed his whole attitude because of that?
Besides, it wasn’t even proof that Harold hadn’t slept with him. No—Winston was definitely hiding something. What the hell was on that USB? Yu-jin grew curious, but Winston’s tone left no room for argument.
“Later.”
He followed it up with a casual, almost lighthearted comment that only made it worse.
“Once you’re feeling better, it won’t be too late. Honestly, you’ll probably regret watching something so trivial.”
Without dragging it out any further, he stepped away.
“Get some sleep, Yu-jin.”
“Winston…”
Yu-jin called out to him again, but Winston didn’t stop. He left the room.
Click.
The sound of the door closing echoed in the now silent space.
Hoo…
Leaning against the door, Winston rubbed his tired eyes—then paused, struck by a sudden sense of unease. He looked down at the USB in his hand, and his expression darkened immediately.
It’s better to destroy this.
No—he had to destroy it.
Winston stared into the void.
A video of Harold trying to rape a drugged-up Yu-jin… something like that must never exist.
Miller’s mentioned. I wonder if NATHANIEL will represent YuJin?