AOA 116

I held back from looking around to see where Baek Jaehan was. The conversation just now reaching Baek Jaehan’s ears was only a matter of time.

The people who heard Baek Jinseok’s bombshell remark all started chattering. They told Baek Mugyeong to hurry and give the chairman a great-grandson, to hurry and get the gifts, and to work hard at night, showering him with encouragement and advice.

I could not say here that we had decided not to have children. Baek Mugyeong seemed the same, he did not say anything either.

In the end I nodded and worked hard to act like the obedient granddaughter-in-law.

Before regression, around this time, I had started to suffer seriously from the side effects of the drugs. My thinking and judgment were dulled, I made mistake after mistake, and people around me laughed at me.

Fortunately my memory at least had no problem, so I remembered clearly that a special incident would happen today at Baek Jinseok’s birthday banquet.

It was hard to forget. At the height of the banquet, some man knelt before Baek Jinseok and shouted loudly, calling him great-grandfather.

He said it was their first meeting, he introduced himself as Baek Gyeongbin, the grandson of Baek Jinkyun, one of Baek Jinseok’s younger brothers. With such a sudden commotion, of course everyone’s eyes turned toward him.

Even then Baek Gyeongbin shouted at the top of his lungs. He said he had come to see his great-grandfather, that he had no other way so he had committed rudeness. At his cries everyone only whispered, not knowing what to do. The bodyguards stationed around the banquet hall only watched.

In the end it was Baek Jinseok who settled the situation. He said it was his first time seeing his nephew’s grandson, then called the man separately and went up to the study on the second floor.

It seemed the situation would end that way. The people left behind all started talking among themselves.

Baek Jinseok had many brothers, but until now the only one he kept in touch with was his youngest, Baek Jinhyuk. It was no secret that he did not know whether the rest of his brothers were alive or dead. So when suddenly a man claiming to be Baek Jinkyun’s grandson appeared, it was natural that everyone would be interested.

While everyone was throwing out comments asking what would happen now, another accident broke out. The chandelier in the men’s lounge fell.

There were not many people in the lounge. But when the chandelier shattered, the shards that scattered injured the people nearby, some seriously, some lightly.

The piercing screams marked the end of the banquet. While the accident was being handled, people left one after another. I too was led away by my biological father’s hand. He scolded me for not staying with Baek Mugyeong, that was an extra.

That was the extent of my memory of Baek Jinseok’s birthday banquet.

Ironically it was thanks to Baek Yeongseop that I later learned how the events of that day were handled. In late winter, Baek Yeongseop called me out to a members-only club. Drunk, he snickered and said the old man had been thoroughly disgraced.

It was true. During the birthday banquet of the chairman of one of Korea’s leading companies, the bloodline of a brother he had cut ties with appeared, and then a chandelier fell and badly injured the guests. Saying his face had been lost was not enough.

Baek Jinseok even refrained from public activity for a while.

Anyway, Daesong Group moved busily to handle the aftermath. First they paid a huge settlement to the guests hurt by the chandelier shards, and arranged for them to receive the best surgeries at the group’s hospital. Baek Yeongseop grumbled that they had been bled dry because of it.

I also heard about Baek Gyeongbin who had barged into the banquet. The reason he came was money.

After his father died early, Baek Gyeongbin squandered the inheritance and soon not only became penniless but fell deep into debt. Cornered, he found out his great-grandfather was Baek Jinseok and planned to get money from him. He believed that Daesong Group or Baek Jinseok would not neglect blood ties, at least for the sake of face.

But his expectation was wrong. Baek Jinseok flatly refused, saying he had no money to give to the likes of him.

Enraged, Baek Gyeongbin pulled a knife from his clothes and threatened before the guards dragged him out. He said if he did not get money, he would die right there.

At that very time the chandelier fell and chaos broke out, so Baek Gyeongbin’s disturbance was quickly subdued out of sight.

Baek Jinseok did not report him to the police for a knife disturbance. Instead he buried his existence completely.

He shut Baek Gyeongbin away in a mental hospital abroad, not even in Korea. As if dumping dirty trash across the river.

Before regression, when I heard from Baek Yeongseop about Baek Gyeongbin, I did not feel anything. My broken mind only took it as information.

But now, after regression with a clear head, I worried that maybe my future would turn out like that. My biological father was a man who would do such a thing.

That was why I decided to pretend not to know about today’s event. If I said something wrong, it could cause suspicion.

Bringing a knife while saying he came to ask Baek Jinseok for help already showed he was out of his mind. In any case, no one was hurt by that incident. Only Baek Jinseok’s dignity would take a big hit, so I decided to stay as a bystander.

I checked the chandelier in the men’s lounge first. I saw that two wires were cut, and I called a mansion worker who was passing by. The butler who managed the mansion appeared, and I stayed until I saw them move the location of the men’s lounge, then I left.

I had stopped the chandelier from falling and hurting people, so that was enough.

So I only wanted to greet Baek Jinseok and go home early. But because of Baek Jinseok’s bombshell declaration, too many people clung to him. After dealing with them half-heartedly, I hid behind a pillar.

With my back turned, I sipped water, then someone spoke to me.

“What are you doing here? Why are you hiding?”

It was Choi Jaeha. When I saw his familiar face, I let out a sigh of relief and answered.

“There are too many people. When did you come?”

“Earlier. I was late because I was following my dad around, greeting people. Where is Mugyeong-hyung? I need to see you two together to know if my intuition is right.”

Choi Jaeha was very interested in the relationship between me and Baek Mugyeong. When I told him things were going well with Baek Mugyeong, he was very happy, as if it was his own matter. He also advised me to have sex diligently, saying that a handsome man like Baek Mugyeong was rare.

On top of that, he insisted that Baek Mugyeong liked me. He said he could tell from Baek Mugyeong’s eyes, and he even said he would attend Baek Jinseok’s birthday banquet for that reason. When he focused on something, he truly had immense drive.

Even before regression, Choi Jaeha had shown up at Baek Jinseok’s birthday banquet. That time too, it was to see Baek Mugyeong.

“He’s probably talking with the elders.”

“Ah, right. I heard Chairman Baek said he would give Mugyeong-hyung a big and fine gift. He also told Unhyeon that he should resemble his mother. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Then the chairman must really have made up his mind. The ball Baek Yeongseop lobbed up is enormous.”

It was just as Choi Jaeha said. Baek Jinseok not only spoke significantly to Baek Mugyeong, but also to his other grandchildren.

To Baek Sujin’s eldest son, Baek Unhyeon, he said that he too was a person of the Baek family, and that he should resemble his mother and be steady.

It was natural that the surroundings stirred at Baek Jinseok’s words. Until now, Baek Jinseok had not stopped Baek Sujin from bringing her children to family events, but he had always said that even if their surname was changed, maternal grandchildren were not Baeks.

Not only that, but he even asked about the recent situation of Baek Daehan’s children, who had been treated coldly until now as the only betas among the brothers. Considering that Baek Jinseok had usually only received their greetings without saying a word to them, it was a surprising change.

At Baek Jinseok’s sudden change, the banquet attendees gathered in small groups and whispered. They said that since Baek Jinseok was disappointed in Baek Yeongseop, he might split the group and pass it on separately. It was natural that the solid succession structure of Baek Jaehan and Baek Yeongseop looked shaken.

Choi Jaeha laughed openly, showing his teeth, glad that Baek Yeongseop, who was not here, was the one taking the blow. I also felt pleased.

But I could not laugh carelessly. Baek Jaehan was the kind of crazy man who had pushed his nephew with a truck. He would not just sit and take it.

“There he is. He’s really popular.”

I already knew that Baek Mugyeong was where Choi Jaeha was pointing. He was surrounded by many people. Especially, the proportion of young omegas was quite high.

“If you’re not careful, someone will steal him. Go link arms with him or something. That’s how you put them in check.”

“Link arms? No way.”

“Get a sense of crisis. Marriage doesn’t mean it’s over. Mugyeong-hyung is a whale among big catches. Besides, he’s a dominant alpha. You know that if he locks eyes with someone, it can be over right away.”

We were married based on conditions. In this circle, it was common to have marriage separate and lovers separate.

Baek Mugyeong was not only a very desirable son-in-law, but also an attractive alpha. There must have been more than a truckload of people who wanted him as their lover.

Even so, I trusted Baek Mugyeong’s words that he would not cheat. We had decided to get to know each other, and I did not think he would openly turn his eyes to someone else.

But since we were not really dating yet, Baek Mugyeong’s heart could still change. It was only a possibility, but when I thought that way, I felt bad.

“Wow. She’s hitting on him. Are you really going to just stand there? Go stand by his side.”

I could not tell what was supposed to be “hitting on.” But the long-haired woman was definitely too close to Baek Mugyeong.