It’s fortunate that Angie made a good friend.
Even in his exhaustion, a small smile formed on his lips. It had been a much more enjoyable time than he had expected. Not just Angela, but even Yu-jin had a rare, peaceful moment. He never would have imagined that he could laugh and chat so freely with members of the Campbell family.
He had assumed that simple politeness would be enough, but to his surprise, he had genuinely engaged in the conversation. Charlotte, too, gradually grew more comfortable and was able to talk with them without difficulty. Of course, she still seemed to be carefully gauging the atmosphere, but compared to the beginning, she had relaxed considerably. By the time they parted ways, they were seriously considering when they would meet again.
They wouldn’t be leaving immediately, so it should be fine to build some connections in the meantime… Even after they left, it seemed possible that they could stay in touch—if they wanted to, that is.
That was a thought for later.
After calmly instructing his daughter to put away her toys herself, Yu-jin silently watched over her. As she busily moved about the spacious room, tidying up the mess she had made, an unconscious smile formed on his face.
It had been a peaceful day.
And suddenly, Yu-jin realized why. From the moment he had woken up until now, he hadn’t seen Winston even once. He had no idea when the man would return, but at the very least, it wouldn’t be today.
For now, he was free.
As that thought crossed his mind, a realization struck him.
Wasn’t today the perfect opportunity?
Before he knew it, Yu-jin shot up from his seat, instinctively glancing at the closed door—only to slump his shoulders in frustration.
Where did he think he was going when he didn’t even have access to a car?
Letting out a deep sigh, he rubbed his forehead. Angela, noticing her father’s strange behavior, called out to him with a hint of concern in her voice.
“Daddy?”
Snapping out of his thoughts at his daughter’s anxious tone, Yu-jin quickly forced a reassuring smile and shook his head.
“It’s nothing, Angie. I just suddenly remembered something.”
There had to be a way.
Even if he managed to get a car, he’d need a solid excuse for leaving the estate. On top of that, he’d have to shake off the bodyguards.
What the hell did he even need bodyguards for?
Frustration boiled up inside him, but he couldn’t let his daughter see. Struggling to suppress his emotions, he swallowed his anger. Before, his only concern had been getting into a car. But now, he realized there were even more obstacles to overcome.
This was going to be harder than he thought…
A sinking feeling settled in his gut, and his brows furrowed. Angela, watching her father’s expression twist, tilted her head in confusion.
***
It had been thirty minutes since the plane had come to a stop on the runway.
The time to disembark had long passed, yet the man remained motionless, propping his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
The cabin crew exchanged nervous glances, uncertain what to do. Finally, the secretary stepped forward on their behalf.
“Mr. Campbell, we’ve arrived. Do you have any instructions?”
The secretary carefully avoided getting straight to the point, but Winston didn’t respond immediately. After a brief pause, he finally spoke.
“No, it’s fine.”
Everyone held their breath, worried that he might not move at all, but fortunately, Winston understood the underlying message. Rising from his seat, he took long strides forward, and the waiting staff quickly straightened their posture, standing in line on either side.
He greeted them as usual, but there was something distant about him, as if his mind was elsewhere. His words were brief, almost perfunctory, and he left in a hurry. The employees exchanged puzzled glances before quickly preparing to leave for the day. The secretary, too, rushed after Winston, ensuring that he got into the waiting car before offering a polite farewell.
“Then, Mr. Campbell, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Winston gave a short nod, and the car slowly drove away. Watching as the security vehicle followed behind, the secretary finally relaxed her shoulders only after both cars disappeared from view.
The short trip was finally over.
Though, to be honest, it had been more of a personal matter for Winston than an actual business trip.
It must have been something about his partner.
Driving home in her own car, she reflected on the situation. The only reason he would have arranged a meeting with that officer was for that, right?
What exactly had happened?
She had been waiting outside, but when Winston finally emerged, she had been shocked. His face had been deathly pale, as if every drop of blood had drained from his body. And from that moment until now, he had barely spoken, only uttering a few necessary words.
There was no doubt in her mind—something must have happened between him and that officer.
But what?
She had no way of knowing, but she couldn’t shake her curiosity. Just as she was trying to put it out of her mind and focus on work, another unexpected event shook her the very next morning.
While preparing breakfast before heading to work, she was startled by an incoming call from her boss.
“What? Right now?”
It was an order she hadn’t anticipated, but there was no room for argument. Flustered, she hastily agreed before hanging up.
What the hell is going on?
Unable to contain her frustration, she ended up grabbing handfuls of her own hair in exasperation.
***
“Mmh…”
A small groan escaped as Yu-jin stirred, slowly waking from sleep.
As he cautiously opened his eyes, a familiar sight greeted him—the walls and ceiling of his bedroom, the window, the curtains, the morning sunlight streaming in…
And Winston.
Yu-jin spotted the man sitting in a chair, lost in deep thought.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Should he pretend to be asleep? Or just wake up?
It was only a brief hesitation—barely a second or two—but it turned out to be unnecessary. Winston had already sensed his movements and was looking directly at him.
Damn it.
Yu-jin inwardly cursed. It was too late to pretend to be asleep now. Left with no choice, he met Winston’s gaze while still lying down, and an odd silence settled between them. The man who usually mocked him with biting sarcasm was unexpectedly quiet. Perplexed, Yu-jin slowly sat up.
“When did you get back?”
He asked reluctantly, already half-expecting to be ignored. It wouldn’t have surprised him. He was already preparing himself for the dismissal when, to his surprise, Winston actually responded.
“Dawn.”
Yu-jin blinked in shock at the quiet reply. It was just a single word, but something about it felt… off.
There was no hostility.
The sharp-edged demeanor Winston always carried around him seemed oddly subdued. Maybe he was imagining things. That had to be it. There was no reason for the man to suddenly change overnight. Reassuring himself of that fact, Yu-jin was about to let it go when Winston spoke again.
“Nothing happened while I was gone?”
Yu-jin couldn’t hide his surprise as he stared at him. He had been so sure he was wrong, but Winston’s behavior was throwing him off all over again.
What’s with him? Did something happen?
“Did you go to the hospital or something?”
Yu-jin wondered if that was the reason Winston had suddenly cleared his schedule for an entire day. Winston tilted his head slightly, as if the question didn’t make sense to him. Feeling uneasy, Yu-jin continued.
“I mean, did the doctor tell you something bad? You’ve been acting weird.”
Winston didn’t reply immediately. He simply stared at Yu-jin, his expression unreadable. For some reason, Yu-jin’s heart pounded uncomfortably in his chest.
No way—was it true?
His anxious gaze must have given him away because Winston finally spoke.
“No.”
After a long pause, he added in a slow, measured tone, “I didn’t go to the hospital. And I’m not dying of some terminal illness, either.”
“O-oh, okay.”
Yu-jin suddenly felt embarrassed, fumbling over his words. Saying thank god felt strange, but so did apologizing. Awkwardly averting his gaze, he mumbled in a half-scolding tone.
“You were acting so weird, I thought maybe something bad had happened. But never mind.”
His words trailed off weakly.
Winston suddenly let out a quiet chuckle.
Yu-jin froze.
The laugh was brief, almost fleeting, but it was definitely there. And Winston, as if it were nothing, casually added,
“If you were hoping for something, I’m sorry to disappoint. But I’m in perfect health.”
Of course.
Yu-jin realized, a little too late, that he had worried for nothing. His mood soured instantly, and he decided to be just as snide in return.
“Oh, what a shame. That would’ve been a great chance for me to become the heir to the Campbell fortune.”
Yu-jin braced himself, fully expecting another sharp-tongued remark in return. But to his surprise, Winston didn’t respond with his usual sarcasm.
Instead, he just stared at him.
The way Winston’s eyes bore into his face made Yu-jin uneasy, and before he knew it, he was stammering.
“W-why are you looking at me like that?”
Silence fell between them again.
Winston still didn’t answer. He just kept staring, his gaze unreadable.
Something about him felt incredibly off today. Yu-jin found himself growing restless, unconsciously trying to gauge Winston’s mood. Finally, after what felt like forever, the man spoke.
“I met him.”
“…Met who?”
The words tumbled out urgently, almost desperate.
His heart was pounding again, this time with a sense of unease that he couldn’t quite explain. An inexplicable dread crept up his spine, making his fingertips tingle with nerves.
And then, Winston finally said the name.
Slowly. Deliberately.
“Sam Brown.”
