Seol Yu-jin also hesitated at the unexpected reaction. What’s going on? He tilted his head in confusion, but Winston remained frozen in place. He didn’t blink, nor did his pupils waver in the slightest. Instead, he slowly parted his lips, his face blank as if he had completely zoned out.
Feeling awkward for no reason, Yu-jin averted his gaze and licked his dry lips. At that moment, he felt the child in his arms stiffen.
Huh?
Puzzled by the sudden reaction, Yu-jin glanced at Angela, who hesitated before sneaking a wary glance at Winston. Ah, could it be because of Angie? Guessing at Winston’s behavior in his own way, Yu-jin relaxed his tense lips into a smile, his affection for his daughter making him an unabashed fool for her.
“Angie, you need to say hello. Say, ‘Nice to meet you.’”
His gentle encouragement only made Angela grumble unenthusiastically before immediately burying her face in Yu-jin’s shoulder. The sight was so endearing that Yu-jin couldn’t hold back a chuckle as he continued speaking.
“Isn’t Angie absolutely adorable today? It’s her first time with this hairstyle, and it suits her so well! This dress—we bought it last time we went out…”
Yu-jin went on and on about how beautiful his daughter was, unable to stop himself. Initially, he had only planned to greet Winston briefly and return to their room, but once he started talking, it became impossible to hold back. His cheeks even flushed as he lavishly praised her, his throat growing dry from the endless compliments.
Yet, Winston still did nothing but stare at his face.
Yu-jin tilted his head slightly toward Angela and added one final remark.
“Today, Angie is the cutest in the whole world.”
Right, isn’t that true? He nuzzled his cheek against his daughter’s soft one, and at that moment, Winston—who had stood there with his lips slightly parted—finally made a sound.
“…Yeah.”
His voice was low and rough, laced with a breathy undertone. Yu-jin, still holding the child, looked down at him. What’s with him? Was he just surprised because Angela came to greet him?
A thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Could it be… because Angela is too cute?
Seeing Winston’s stunned expression, a wave of guilt washed over him. Just how terribly had he dressed her before for him to react like this? The realization that he might not have taken proper care of such a beautiful child pained him.
He gazed at his daughter with a remorseful expression, but then—he felt something strange. A gaze.
Turning his head, Yu-jin found Winston still standing there, completely motionless. Puzzled, he called his name.
“Winston?”
Winston’s gaze lingered on Yu-jin’s slightly parted lips. Then, as if just now realizing something, his dazed expression faltered. His eyes widened ever so slightly, and his lips moved as if he were about to say something.
Yu-jin waited, unconsciously tensing. But then—Winston suddenly furrowed his brows.
Startled, Yu-jin instinctively shrank back. Winston mumbled something under his breath before, out of nowhere, he leaped up the stairs—three steps at a time.
“H-Huh…?”
In an instant, Winston had ascended the stairs, stopping right in front of Yu-jin. Startled beyond words, Yu-jin gasped, instinctively swallowing hard. But Winston didn’t even spare him a glance. Instead, he stormed past at an incredible speed, striding down the hallway.
The butler hurriedly chased after him, practically running. In their absence, only Yu-jin and Angela remained, standing in the quiet space they left behind.
“What… was that?”
Yu-jin murmured absently, staring at Winston’s retreating figure. But as soon as he snapped back to reality, he quickly turned his attention to his daughter, checking her expression. Fortunately, Angela didn’t seem particularly shaken.
Relieved, Yu-jin let out a soft sigh before speaking in a gentle tone to keep Angela from getting scared.
“You did well, Angie. Were you scared just now?”
Honestly, he had never intended for Angela and Winston to run into each other so often. He had planned to keep them apart as much as possible.
But still… he is her Papa.
Even if they acted like strangers, something about the situation unsettled him. Since today was a special occasion with the party, he had taken a deep breath and decided to introduce them. But the outcome had been far from what he expected. Winston’s strange reaction, and even Angela’s peculiar sensitivity—it all made Yu-jin uneasy.
“Huh? No.”
Angela shook her head firmly, making Yu-jin even more confused. So, she wasn’t scared?
“Was it because of the scent?” he asked.
Angela hesitated before mumbling, “Yeah… But I wasn’t scared since Daddy was here. It just… suddenly got really strong.”
Yu-jin frowned. “Suddenly got strong?”
Surprised, he repeated her words. Angela nodded.
“At first, it was faint, but then all of a sudden, it became really intense. It wasn’t like before, when it felt like it was crushing me or anything, but…”
She tilted her head, searching for the right words. Then, as if coming to a realization, she spoke with a serious expression.
“It felt… ticklish.”
“Ticklish?”
“Yeah.”
Angela nodded again as if confirming her own statement.
“It was like someone was tickling me here.” She placed her small hands over her chest. “It made my heart race.”
Watching her press her hands to her chest and sigh in a breathless, excited way, Yu-jin blinked a few times before—ah—he laughed.
“That’s just because Angie is too cute.”
“Huh?”
“That’s right.” Yu-jin rubbed his cheek affectionately against hers.
“You saw it, right? Mr. Campbell was completely stunned when he saw you. Today, Angie looks like a real princess. There’s no child in the world as beautiful as you.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
As Angela’s eyes sparkled with delight, Yu-jin pulled her into a tight embrace and smothered her cheeks with kisses.
There was no doubt that Winston had acted strangely. But Yu-jin was sure it had nothing to do with him.
There was no way that man would ever look at him like that and lose himself.
So, there was only one explanation.
Angela coming to greet him must have caught him off guard.
His reaction seemed excessive for something so simple, but Yu-jin decided to ignore it. Instead, he turned to his daughter with a smile.
“From now on, let’s wear lots of pretty clothes, Angie.”
The will stated that they were to be provided with every comfort necessary for a pleasant life. That meant he could buy Angela new clothes. Yu-jin made up his mind.
Even when they left this place, he would take a few sets of new outfits for Angela.
That much should be fine, he reasoned.
Watching the massive new chandelier being installed, he pushed aside the uneasy feeling lingering in his chest.
After all, to these people, that was nothing more than pocket change.
***
The moment Winston entered his room, he ripped off his suit jacket and flung it onto the sofa. It landed with a heavy thud. The butler swiftly retrieved the discarded jacket, draping it over his arm, then hurriedly bent down to pick up the tie and cufflinks that came flying right after.
“I’ll prepare your change of clothes.”
He addressed Winston’s retreating figure, but there was no response. Winston simply slammed the bathroom door shut behind him.
Without hesitation, he stepped into the shower and turned on the cold water. Icy streams cascaded down his body, but no matter how much the freezing water poured over him, the heat burning within refused to subside.
“Fuck!”
With a curse, he slammed his fist against the wall. It did nothing to change the situation.
What the hell was that?
Yu-jin was taking inhibitors. He was certain of it. There hadn’t been the slightest trace of pheromones in the air.
And yet—why?
Why had he completely lost himself the moment he saw Yu-jin standing on that staircase, holding the child, looking down at him?
His soft cheeks had been tinged with a delicate flush. His neatly combed hair exposed his smooth, rounded forehead. His nose was perfectly shaped, flawless in its curve. And beneath it—those lips. Those damned lips.
Winston clenched his fists and struck the wall again, over and over. But he barely felt the pain. He was too shaken.
The second he saw Yu-jin’s face, he had frozen completely. Only his heart had pounded furiously, as if trying to tear out of his chest.
Just like the first time he had laid eyes on Yu-jin.
Ah, but that image—the way Yu-jin had stood on that landing, smiling, their child in his arms—wasn’t that the very vision Winston had longed for, dreamed of?
How many times had he wished for this?
To have Yu-jin there, welcoming him, holding the child they created together?
Get a grip. That’s not your child—it’s your father’s.
Winston spat curses at himself.
Yu-jin had betrayed him. And worse, he had given birth to his father’s child.
That was an undeniable fact.
Forcing himself to focus, he deliberately steadied his breathing. Slowly, his mind cooled, logic creeping back in.
Don’t forget the objective.
He repeated it to himself, cold and detached.
This arrangement was only temporary—an agreement made for the sake of the inheritance. Once Yu-jin became pregnant, everything would be over.
Yes, that was the only goal.
Shoving all other thoughts aside, Winston reached for the shampoo and started washing his hair.
The party was only hours away.
There was still work to be done.
Winston finished his shower quickly and stepped out of the bathroom, ready to proceed.
