How could he ever atone for the sin he’d committed against Yu-jin?
How hard must it have been for him, wandering the streets with a child in his belly? He had to dig through trash for scraps to eat, and when even that proved fruitless, he was pushed to the brink—so desperate that he resolved to sell his body. Just imagining how tormented Yu-jin must have been was unbearable. He had endured all that just to protect the child. And yet, what the hell had Winston done?
Shame boiled in his gut like acid. There was only one thing Yu-jin wanted. To never have Angela taken from him.
And that was completely fair. From the very beginning—when the child was conceived, through every moment until now—Winston had done absolutely nothing for them. What right did he have to make any claim now?
In the darkness, Winston could do nothing but endlessly replay his guilt and remorse. Until the dim light of dawn crept in from the distance, the past continued to torment him. And nights filled with this kind of suffering… they weren’t going to stop. They’d stretch on and on—for decades, even—until the day he died.
***
The next day, Yu-jin was in unusually good shape. He’d finally gotten a full night’s rest for the first time in ages, and he ate a decent meal, too. Though he’d promised Winston they’d go to the hospital, he actually felt like maybe it could wait a little longer. First, he needed to take care of a few urgent matters. While playing with little Angela and the foal, he made a call to Grant from the study.
“How are you holding up? Feeling any better?”
Grant’s voice was full of concern. Yu-jin replied that he was doing much better and asked if he could take a look at the manuscript draft he’d sent.
“I’m not sure if the pacing is holding up well… I mean, I like it, but…”
“Of course it’s good! I’ll check it out right away. Oh, that reminds me—”
Grant, who had been all enthusiasm, suddenly seemed to recall something important.
“If you’re okay with it, how about doing a reading next month? A bookstore reached out with a request.”
“A reading?”
Yu-jin blinked in surprise and let out a sheepish laugh.
“Thanks, but… isn’t that something only famous writers do?”
The idea of holding a public reading when he’d only published one book felt surreal. Embarrassing, even. He wasn’t sure if he should be flattered or if someone was pulling a prank. But Grant practically shouted in protest from the other end of the line.
“Yu-jin, do you really not realize how popular you are right now? You’re breaking records every week! ‘November’s Children’ has been number one for weeks!”
“Number one? Still?”
The book had been out for months. Was it really still topping the charts? Yu-jin was stunned, and Grant chuckled as he replied.
“Yeah, it is. It dropped a couple times, but it’s stayed in the top three the whole time. Oh—and we’ve been contacted by several international publishers. We’re reviewing their offers, and we’re thinking of accepting once a few terms are negotiated. I’ll send you the details by email…”
And that wasn’t all. There were party invitations, signing event requests, limited edition giveaways—it felt like a whirlwind of events and attention waiting just around the corner. How did this even happen? It was like a dream he hadn’t realized he was living in. Grant went on and on, saying more than Yu-jin could even fully absorb, then added one final thing.
“Shall we issue your royalties as a check? Or would you prefer a direct deposit? Just let me know your preference—I’ll have it processed right away.”
“Royalties? There’s still some left?”
Yu-jin asked in surprise. He’d received a decent amount from Grant while he was on the run from Winston, so he had assumed the balance would be in the red by now. But there was still money left? In response, Grant burst into hearty laughter.
“Of course, Yu-jin. You’re going to be shocked.”
Still bewildered, Yu-jin said he’d take it by check. Grant agreed without hesitation.
“Alright, I’ll speak to my secretary now. But try not to faint when you see the amount—it’ll be more than anything you’re imagining.”
Even after saying a quick goodbye and ending the call, Yu-jin sat there stunned. He gave his cheek a cautious pinch—ouch, very real. Was this actually happening? Was this really not a dream?
As he was still rubbing his tingling cheek, a knock came at the door. A moment later, the butler entered. After offering a brief nod in greeting, he addressed him politely.
“You have a guest. Shall I bring them in?”
“A guest?”
Yu-jin, suddenly tense without realizing it, instinctively glanced at the time. It was already well past five. He was startled. He hadn’t noticed how long he’d spent on the phone with Grant. Feeling oddly embarrassed, he blinked at the butler, who continued speaking.
“Yes. He said he’s here on Mr. Campbell’s request, but that he’d prefer to explain the details to you in person.”
“…Who is it?”
His heart tightened with anxiety. Not knowing anything made it worse. Warily, he asked the question, and the butler quietly walked over and sat across from Yu-jin with the large desk between them. He placed a small card down on the desk and slid it across to Yu-jin. As Yu-jin picked it up, the butler spoke.
“His name is Mr. Nathaniel Miller.”
As Yu-jin’s eyes scanned the name on the business card, the same name echoed in his ears. His eyes went wide in shock, and the butler added calmly, without much emotion,
“He’s the head of Miller Law Firm.”
***
Yu-jin remained in a daze the entire time. Even as he walked toward the parlor to meet the man, it still didn’t feel real. Was Winston really being sincere yesterday? Did he move this fast? And the head of Miller Law Firm came here personally?
Hoo…
He finally reached the parlor and, after taking a deep breath to steel himself, he knocked on the door. He waited a beat before opening it and saw a man rising from the sofa.
Gasp.
Yu-jin involuntarily sucked in a breath. The man, with hair so blond it bordered on silver, was massive. Yu-jin had gotten used to Winston’s imposing frame, but seeing a stranger with such a towering presence was an entirely different experience.
He’s kind of… like Winston…?
The man standing before him was easily close to two meters tall—maybe even taller. Yu-jin couldn’t tell exactly, but the sheer size alone was overwhelming. And it wasn’t just his stature that reminded him of Winston.
Violet eyes.
This man had the same trait. Yu-jin felt himself tense up involuntarily, but to his surprise, there was no scent. Not even the faintest trace of pheromones. He must’ve deliberately suppressed them. Whether that was something Winston had arranged ahead of time or simply a professional courtesy to the client, Yu-jin couldn’t say.
Courtesy from someone with that trait? Doesn’t suit them at all.
But that wasn’t all. Maybe it was unavoidable, given the height difference, but the way the man looked down at him was unbearably arrogant. The fact that someone like this had come all the way here because someone asked him to—it didn’t match at all. He looked like the kind of person who had never taken orders from anyone in his life. That cold, expressionless face was already grating. Yu-jin stiffened his voice on purpose.
“Hello. I’m Seol Yu-jin.”
He aimed to establish a bit of distance, to give himself some control in the conversation. But to Nathaniel Miller, that little gesture was nothing more than an amusing attempt. Skipping any return greeting, he went straight to the point.
“You already know who I am, so let’s skip the formalities.”
And then, right in front of Yu-jin, who gasped in disbelief, he continued without blinking.
“Let’s get straight to business. I’m very busy.”
He sat down on the sofa first without hesitation, and Yu-jin, momentarily speechless, followed reluctantly and took the opposite seat.
“I’m busy too…”
“Good. According to Mr. Campbell, you’re looking to draw up a custody and general guardianship agreement for the child.”
Nathaniel cut him off without a second thought, reaching into the inner pocket of his tailored jacket. He pulled out a slim wallet, retrieved a small business card, and handed it to Yu-jin.
“You can discuss everything with this person. They’ll draft the contract exactly as you want.”
Yu-jin glanced at the card on the table, then looked back at Nathaniel.
“Aren’t you handling it directly…?”
His voice was uncertain. Taken aback. Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.
“I don’t handle trivial matters like this, Mr. Campbell.”
His reply was dry and condescending, as if it were obvious. The dismissiveness stung, and Yu-jin’s face flushed with embarrassment. He snapped back.
“Then why did you bother coming here in the first place? Wasn’t this supposed to be a discussion about what you’re handling?”
“My firm’s lawyers are extremely busy, Mr. Campbell. Myself included.”
Nathaniel’s voice remained ice-cold, but the sarcasm underneath it was unmistakable.
“For simple paperwork like this, there’s no need for a personal meeting. But the client wanted to meet you face-to-face to build trust. That’s the only reason I’m here.”
He made it sound like this, too, was merely another checkbox on a to-do list. Irritated, Yu-jin snapped at him.
“If Winston paid you that much money, shouldn’t you be the one handling this personally?”
He tilted his chin defiantly. Nathaniel slowly curled one side of his lips into a smirk.
“Money, you say?”
In that instant, a chill ran down Yu-jin’s spine.
Buddy chill tf out these alphas needs to be more humble