“Phew.”
Georgina let out a long sigh as she leaned back against the passenger seat of the car. Charlotte, sitting in the driver’s seat, glanced at her before making sure her seatbelt was fastened, then started the car.
“Today was really enjoyable, don’t you think?”
As soon as they were alone, Georgina spoke excitedly. Charlotte mumbled, “Yeah, well…” trying to be vague, but of course, Georgina paid no attention and continued talking on her own.
“I’ve never seen such an adorable child before. And my god, can you believe she’s only three years old and already that smart? I was completely smitten.”
“I agree.”
For the first time, Charlotte responded with genuine agreement, a faint smile touching her lips.
Georgina, thrilled, sparkled with excitement and wiggled her shoulders in a little seated dance.
“See? It was a good idea for us to come together, right? Let’s go again next time. Charlotte, Angie, and even Yu-jin all said they were fine with it, didn’t they?”
“Well, that’s…”
Charlotte trailed off awkwardly. But once again, Georgina paid no mind and went on.
“Charlotte, about Yu-jin… Isn’t he just stunning? I was honestly shocked. I’d heard bits and pieces about him, but no one ever told me he was that beautiful. And it’s not just about being good-looking; it’s his whole aura, you know? I found myself just staring at him without even realizing it. If anything, the fact that he’s an Omega and a man is what keeps it in check—if he were a woman, can you even imagine? He’d be breathtaking.”
She sighed, resting one hand against her cheek, murmuring as if lost in thought.
“He looks like one of those tragic protagonists from classic literature. You know, like Werther or Ophelia? Goodness, why didn’t anyone tell me about him sooner?”
As Georgina continued indulging in her own fantasies, Charlotte reluctantly responded.
“Well… it’s not exactly the kind of thing that comes up naturally in conversation.”
“This is great! That means I’ve taken one step closer.”
Even as her voice wavered with doubt, Georgina nodded firmly to herself. Charlotte, startled, momentarily took her eyes off the road before quickly refocusing.
“What do you mean?”
Charlotte asked, and Georgina replied with absolute confidence.
“Aren’t you curious about what really happened in that mansion?”
“…What?”
Charlotte was caught off guard once more. Her voice jumped nearly two octaves higher than usual, but Georgina simply lifted her chin and smirked.
“Everyone’s been keeping quiet about it. You don’t know the details either, do you? Don’t you really want to find out what happened between Yu-jin, his grandfather, and Winston? We have to figure it out.”
“Well…”
Charlotte hesitated before reluctantly speaking.
“You already have an idea, don’t you? I mean… it’s not exactly something you say out loud, but… Yu-jin was… caught between his father and Winston in a… certain way…”
Charlotte, unable to bring herself to say it outright, kept resorting to vague pronouns. But Georgina bluntly laid it out.
“So what you’re saying is, both his grandfather and Winston slept with Yu-jin.”
“G-Georgina!”
Charlotte gasped, utterly horrified, raising her voice in shock. For the first time, Georgina’s expression turned serious.
“That’s what doesn’t make sense. I had a feeling just from looking at Yu-jin’s face, but after spending time with him today, I’m even more convinced. There must have been some kind of serious misunderstanding.”
Charlotte’s eyes darted between the road ahead and Georgina’s face, her anxiety growing. But Georgina, still deep in thought, absentmindedly stroked her chin and continued.
“Think about it—Yu-jin isn’t just good-looking; he’s one of the most strikingly beautiful Omegas out there. And yet… with an old man? Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”
“There are plenty of young people who get involved with wealthy older men,” Charlotte pointed out carefully.
“Well, sure, but…”
Even with that rational counterpoint, Georgina’s expression remained grave.
“Of course, considering the Campbell family’s wealth, it’s not impossible that Yu-jin was involved with the grandfather for financial reasons. But Winston was right there.”
She spoke as if building a logical argument.
“Winston is his age, young, handsome, competent, and the heir to the family. If Yu-jin had just waited a little longer, he could’ve had the entire Campbell estate. So why would he go for both Winston and the grandfather? That’s what I don’t get.”
“There are people in the world who do things like that,” Charlotte replied, her tone carefully neutral.
“If something did happen between them, my bet is on the grandfather forcing it.”
“Georgina!”
Charlotte immediately snapped, cutting her off. Her expression darkened, clearly displeased.
“There are plenty of people who don’t care about age as long as there’s money involved. And for all we know, Yu-jin might be a lot more… open to these things than he looks. What does it matter? It’s all in the past now. His father is gone. Don’t get too involved—this is something between adults.”
Georgina silently studied Charlotte’s profile before shifting her gaze back to the front. The once talkative girl had fallen into a rare silence, which made Charlotte uneasy. She let out a quiet sigh, knowing full well that someone as naturally curious as Georgina wouldn’t just drop this. She would keep digging, keep poking around the family affairs, until she got what she wanted.
But what could Charlotte do to stop her?
She simply kept driving, telling herself, I don’t know anything. I didn’t see anything. Just like always.
Georgina stared out the window, mulling over Charlotte’s words. She understood the underlying message loud and clear: Don’t go stirring up trouble by digging too deep.
But there was no way in hell she was going to just let this go.
There was no way she’d miss out on something this interesting.
Her heart pounded with anticipation as she made up her mind.
She would uncover whatever it was the adults were hiding—no matter what it took.
***
“Haaah…”
Yu-jin collapsed onto the sofa, completely exhausted. It felt like a freight train had run him over. No—maybe it was a truck. Either way, it didn’t matter. The only thing certain was that he was utterly drained. The only one still bursting with energy was Angela.
“Today was so much fun!”
Angela squealed, bouncing up and down in place. Her flushed face and bright eyes made it clear that she was still riding the high of excitement. She kept chattering away, unable to contain herself.
“Georgina is so funny! I know we’re going to be best friends! Daddy, she said she’d invite me to her room next time! She has a teddy bear she’s been sleeping with for over ten years, and she’s going to introduce us! Daddy, daddyyy—”
She tugged at Yu-jin’s arm, shaking it insistently, but he had no energy left to respond. Only a teenager could possibly keep up with a child’s stamina. But seeing Angela so happy, practically bursting with joy, was a rare sight. And so, despite his exhaustion, Yu-jin couldn’t help but smile.
“Did you really have that much fun?”
He ruffled her hair as he asked, and Angela nodded so vigorously it was a wonder her head didn’t come off.
“Daddy, I really want to write the invitation right now! Can I? Please?”
“Of course, that’s fine.”
Forcing his tired body to move, Yu-jin pushed himself up from the sofa.
“Let’s ask Kane if we have any nice stationery. Or… should we go buy some tomorrow?”
“Uh…”
Angela, who had been practically bouncing with excitement, suddenly froze. Her face fell ever so slightly, and Yu-jin quickly caught on.
“I just thought it’d be nice to get some fresh air,” he said hurriedly. “Why don’t we go out together, hmm?”
“Mm…”
Angela still looked uncertain. It was obvious what was bothering her—she was thinking about the fact that Yu-jin couldn’t ride in cars.
No. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to push forward. I have to overcome this.
If he couldn’t ride in a car, he would never be able to escape. He had to get used to it.
He needed to start somewhere. Tomorrow. I’ll start by going out to buy stationery.
Just as that thought solidified in his mind, Kane entered the room and spoke.
“Pardon me. If you’re looking for stationery, we have paper embossed with the family crest. Perhaps that would be suitable?”
Yu-jin blinked in surprise and turned to look at him. Angela also gazed up at him, her eyes wide with curiosity. Kane continued in his usual, formal tone.
“It is the same paper we use for invitations and official correspondence. Would you like to use it? Naturally, it can be placed in an envelope bearing the family seal as well.”
“That sounds perfect!”
Angela cheered, clapping her hands. Then, without hesitation, she started twirling in circles around the room, giddy with excitement.
Yu-jin let out a quiet sigh of relief as he watched her.
