WRL 4

Chapter: 4

A Cruel Man

He was a cruel man.

Taeyeon stood there without being able to answer. Her frightened heart pounded wildly. The face of the pregnant woman she had seen earlier flashed in her mind, and her hands trembled.

“How is the baby’s mother? Is she already dead?”

“No. Not yet.”

That meant she was still alive. Somewhere in this hospital, the baby’s biological mother was alive, and yet Taeyeon had to lie there pretending to be the mother of a perfectly healthy child, claiming him as her own.

Hyunseo continued in a businesslike tone, as if giving work instructions.

“First, tell Assistant Manager Min’s mother. Say you gave birth to my child. I’ll stay by your side. Tell her it’s my baby and that we’re getting married soon. She’ll forgive you.”

“My mom mustn’t be shocked.”

“Shocked? She should be happy. You’re becoming the wife of a man like me.”

He spoke as if it were only natural, but Taeyeon shook her head.

“Do you think she’ll believe it? It hasn’t even been three months.”

“Then make her believe it. That’s what ability is, isn’t it? I don’t hire incompetent employees. If you didn’t have at least that much ability, I wouldn’t have started this with you. It’s a matter of will.”

She had nothing to say. Closing her eyes, Taeyeon thought. It wasn’t impossible for her mother to believe it. They didn’t bathe together or anything. If she said she had hidden it well, maybe her mother would accept it.

Her mother had spent more time hospitalized than at home. Hyunseo must have taken even that into consideration.

Hyunseo picked up Taeyeon’s phone from the table and handed it to her. He wanted her to call her mother right in front of him.

“Now?”

“Let’s finish it today. It’ll be hard to make time again.”

Taeyeon took the phone and called her mother. As the signal rang, her heart felt heavier.

—Taeyeon, where are you?

“Mom. I’m in Seoul.”

—Really? Did you just arrive?

“Mom… actually… I gave birth. I had a baby.”

—What? What are you talking about? You had a baby?

Hearing her mother’s shocked voice, Taeyeon glanced at Hyunseo beside her. He tilted his chin, signaling her to continue.

“When I said I was going on a trip, it had already been over six months. The baby came earlier than expected. Maybe because it was hard. It’s our company’s executive director’s child. The owner’s family.”

—What? Where are you now? Which hospital?

At that, Hyunseo took the phone from her.

“Hello. This is Choi Hyunseo. I’ll come pick you up. I’ll apologize properly in person.”

—All right. But… is it a boy? Or a girl?

“A healthy boy.”

—You really had a son? Our Taeyeon?

As her mother’s words trailed off, the call ended with a brief farewell. Hyunseo set the phone down and gave the next instruction.

“Let’s go to the nursery. The baby’s been moved there. I’ll support you. To others, it should look like a mother who just gave birth can barely walk, right?”

Before she could refuse, his long arm wrapped around her shoulders. They began walking slowly. Still in her hospital gown, Taeyeon followed with his support. The firmness of his arm and the deep woody scent that filled her lungs every time she breathed left her mind in turmoil.

Even when they reached the nursery, it didn’t feel real. Then Hyunseo’s voice rang out beside her.

“Choi Hyunseo and Min Taeyeon’s son.”

At his words, a nurse smiled and brought the baby over. The baby’s eyes were already open; he parted his lips slightly, then closed his eyes again.

“Ah… this baby…”

Her lips trembled as she looked at him. Hyunseo finished the sentence for her.

“Our baby.”

He was such a fragile life, yet simply looking at him filled her with awe. At the same time, she thought of his real mother, and her heart ached.

Holding the baby, the nurse smiled.

“He was born a little early, so he weighs less than the others. But he’s healthy, thankfully. He’s so handsome. Then again, seeing the parents, of course he would be.”

Just as Hyunseo had said—that something urgent had come up and she needed to return early—the baby had been born before the due date. Looking at him, Taeyeon remembered the name: Yoonwoo.

“Yoonwoo…”

She murmured softly, and Hyunseo said,

“You must be tired. Let’s go back in.”

He spoke like a husband—like a caring husband concerned for his wife. As they turned to leave, she saw the nurses whispering while looking at Hyunseo.

A man handsome enough to draw anyone’s gaze. And yet inside him was an unspeakable cruelty. At least, to Taeyeon—who had once harbored a one-sided love for him—he was unbearably cruel.

Back in the hospital room, Hyunseo said as if confirming,

“Yoonwoo. He’s your child now, Ms. Min Taeyeon. You understand?”

“Yes. I understand very well.”

A brief silence followed as he sat down on the sofa. Taeyeon, seated on the bed, didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t lie down in front of him, nor could she do anything else. The awkward, heavy air made sweat bead on her skin.

But Hyunseo remained unfazed, checking his phone and making work calls. Nearly an hour passed with Taeyeon sitting quietly. It was Hyunseo who broke the silence.

“Your mother will be here soon. She’s almost arrived.”

“Yes.”

“Do well in front of her. Show the joy of having a son—and your brave love for me.”

Brave love for him? Did this man know she had once loved him alone?

“Publicly, Assistant Manager Min fell for a third-generation chaebol she could barely even look up to—and ended up pregnant first. That qualifies as brave love.”

“Yes.”

She let out a quiet sigh of relief. Like a guilty thief startled by her own shadow, her heart had lurched.

Soon after, her mother entered the hospital room.

“Taeyeon, what is this? You had a baby? So you were traveling around Europe pregnant?”

Kyungja was too shocked to speak. Her daughter, who had never kept secrets, had deceived her. Thinking back, all the photos Taeyeon had sent during her trip showed only backgrounds and her face—never her body.

She hadn’t found it strange at the time, only wishing her daughter would take better photos. So that was why.

Kyungja looked at Taeyeon lying in bed, then turned her gaze to the man beside her. Hyunseo bowed politely.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you earlier, Mother. I’m Choi Hyunseo.”

“What is all this? Giving birth like this? Getting her pregnant without telling anyone?”

Kyungja’s heart ached only for her daughter who had just given birth. How could something like this happen? So suddenly, without anyone knowing?

Facing her resentment, Hyunseo lowered his head.

“I’m sorry. We’ll get married soon.”

“Mom, he’s our company’s executive director.”

“I know. You told me. The son of the Miu Group. Even so. To me, you’re still my precious daughter. Even if we’re not chaebol…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence. The gap between their families was too vast. She had only hoped her hardworking daughter would marry a kind man. She had even thought Shin Noeul—the landlord’s son and her coworker—would be nice.

He was gentle, worked at the same company, and understood her situation. Even that had seemed like aiming high. But now this was the son of the company’s owner.

“How did it come to this? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? Why have the baby before the wedding?”

Hyunseo spoke in a steady, deep voice.

“I’m sorry. My family might oppose it. We wanted to marry with as little opposition and noise as possible. I truly apologize.”

With such sincerity in his face and voice, Kyungja could only sigh. Of course a conglomerate family wouldn’t easily accept a girl living in a rooftop rental. In that sense, having the child first could be seen as consideration. With that logic, she couldn’t argue further. And thankfully, the baby had been born.

Taeyeon, putting on a proud expression and exaggerating slightly, raised her voice to fulfill her role.

“It’s a boy. We’ve even named him.”

“You already named him?”

“Mr. Hyunseo chose the name. He really wanted a son, and his family is happy too.”

Had her simple daughter always had this side?

Kyungja nodded at her daughter’s happiness.

“Well, since it’s come to this… congratulations. What’s his name?”

“Yoonwoo. Choi Yoonwoo.”

“Really? Let me see him.”

“I’ll escort you, Mother.”

Mother. When the word left Hyunseo’s mouth, Kyungja’s eyes widened. He looked at Taeyeon and said gently,

“Taeyeon, I’ll take Mother to see him.”

With a tender touch, he brushed her hair from her forehead and caressed her cheek. The gesture looked so affectionate that Kyungja felt reassured.

Taeyeon tried to smile back at him. It was astonishing how the same man who had called her “Assistant Manager Min” just moments ago could act so convincingly.

“Taeyeon, you’ve worked so hard. I’ll show our Yoonwoo to Mother.”

Hyunseo held Taeyeon’s hand and even pressed a kiss to the back of it.