AOA 20

After the regression, I had felt this kind of dissonance several times. It was as if my feet were lifting off the ground and I were about to be sucked somewhere.

When confused, shock worked best. I deliberately slapped both my cheeks with my hands.

The sting snapped me to my senses.

“That hurt.”

I rubbed my tingling cheeks. There was still a lot to do. I couldn’t just space out over something like this.

I sat down in the nearest chair and picked up my phone. I needed to let my sibling know I had arrived safely.

*

The next day, I went around greeting the elders of both families with Baek Mugyeong.

The first place we visited was my biological father’s house. Since it was close to the newlywed house, we had decided to start there.

The person most delighted by the news that I had manifested as an omega was, of course, my biological father. He burst into hearty laughter, saying his biggest concern had vanished and all that was left now was for me to give birth to a healthy baby boy.

My stepmother gave a meaningful smile and said if the couple’s relationship was good, children would come quickly. Only Jeong Guhyeon sat there with a face like he’d chewed dung, saying nothing.

We only had a cup of coffee at my biological father’s house before heading to the home of Baek Jinseok, the chairman of Daesong Group. Rather than a house, it was more like a mansion. Aside from Baek Jinseok, Baek Jaehan and his wife Im Songyoon, who lived separately, were also present.

Baek Jinseok already knew that I had manifested as an omega. He was just as pleased as my biological father.

“Hahaha, to think you manifested right after going on your honeymoon. You two must be fated.”

“I think the medication worked well.”

I replied calmly. Before the regression, it had taken me two years, and now I had manifested after just a few months, I couldn’t pinpoint the reason. Perhaps it was because I had been prescribed a neutralizer after the comprehensive medical exam revealed I’d been given a manifestation delay suppressant.

Either way, manifesting as an omega at this point hadn’t been part of the plan. What worried me most was that this new variable made the future unpredictable.

I was especially uneasy seeing Baek Jaehan. Before the regression, he had smiled and offered polite words like a proper elder. But now, his face was rigid, and he hadn’t relaxed once. It felt like he was holding himself back from storming off to confront the hospital staff.

Fortunately, thanks to Im Songyoon smoothly continuing the conversation by supporting Baek Jinseok’s words, the atmosphere didn’t turn sour. But knowing what kind of person Im Songyoon was, I couldn’t let my guard down.

With her aura of a wealthy madam, Im Songyoon had been one of the people who tormented me most before the regression. She would casually say in public that it was pitiful for Baek Mugyeong to live with a halfwit who couldn’t even manifest as an omega. She once made me do all sorts of menial tasks, saying that if I’d been sold off, I should at least be worth the price.

At the time, I hadn’t been in my right mind, so I’d gotten through it cheerfully, feeling no shock. Now, just recalling it made me furious and my heart pound.

“Dear, now’s the time to tell Grandpa you’ll give him a great-grandchild. That’s how you win his favor.”

“I’ll do my best, Grandfather.”

Even with Im Songyoon’s urging, I kept my words as restrained as possible. If I, freshly married, acted smug just because I had become an omega, I’d quickly fall out of favor.

“I could tell from the wedding day that my granddaughter-in-law is prudent. That’s good, it’ll match well with Mugyeong. You two might find each other a bit dull, but that’s how marriages last. Ah, right. I’d prepared this. Take it.”

Baek Jinseok pulled something from inside his jacket. Inside the transparent case were a bankbook, a seal, and a card. No one present could fail to understand what this meant.

And I had been waiting for this moment. I tensed my face to avoid smiling and deliberately made a surprised expression, looking back and forth between Baek Mugyeong and Baek Jinseok.

My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I was thrilled.

“Grandfather, this is…”

“It’s a gift. I’ve put some allowance in it.”

“I couldn’t possibly…”

“Oh now, when an elder gives you something, you say thank you and accept it quickly. My arm’s getting tired here.”

So far, it was exactly like before the regression, not a word out of place. I quickly stood and politely accepted the case with both hands.

“Thank you, Grandfather.”

“It’s not much. Just buy something tasty and a few trinkets, it’ll run out quickly. But a gift like this is the least I can do to score points with my granddaughter-in-law, right?”

“An allowance from the chairman of the top corporation in Korea, it’s heavy.”

“Hahaha, it’s just paper. Not that heavy.”

Baek Jinseok, speaking like a kind grandfather, made me respond stiffly. But he seemed to like it and burst into laughter.

Before I manifested as an omega, I tried my best to stay in Baek Jinseok’s good graces. The original plan had been to wait a year or so and then say I felt too sorry and that a divorce would be best.

But unlike before, manifesting as an omega during the honeymoon had thrown everything off. I started thinking that maybe I could highlight the conflict between me and Baek Mugyeong.

Baek Mugyeong had said he didn’t have sex with men, even if they were omegas. Choi Jaeha had confirmed that firsthand. If I said we couldn’t have children and wanted a divorce, it might work.

Regardless of the plan, I couldn’t afford to fall out of favor with Baek Jinseok. As Baek Mugyeong had said, the divorce would be at Baek Jinseok’s discretion.

I acted like a nervous new employee meeting the company chairman for the first time. Even though I was giddy over the nine-figure allowance, I stayed tense, which made my performance all the more convincing.

As our conversation continued, time passed and we decided to stay for dinner. The people gathered around the table were daunting.

Baek Jinseok, Baek Jaehan, Im Songyoon, and Baek Mugyeong. There couldn’t be a more uncomfortable dinner, I thought, sighing. Still, having received the money I’d hoped for, I was determined to act my part till the end.

Just like before the regression, I was sure to get indigestion, but I cleared every bowl. Not being able to give witty answers to Baek Jinseok’s questions was one thing, but picking at food would’ve been an obvious display of discomfort. So I forced myself to eat.

After dinner came fruit and cinnamon punch as dessert. Only after finishing that could we go home.

“Mr. Baek Mugyeong. If we pass by a convenience store on the way, could we stop for a moment?”

Sunday was the chauffeur’s day off. So Baek Mugyeong was driving today.

I waited for the car to start moving before speaking. We had brought digestive medicine from the honeymoon, but I figured the drinkable kind would help more, so I made the request in advance.

“Is there something you need to buy?”

“A digestive. The liquid kind.”

“You said your digestion gets worse when you’re nervous.”

“Yes.”

I could feel his gaze flick toward me, but I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes. My stomach only felt slightly unsettled now, but if it got worse, I’d end up nauseated with a headache.

Before the regression, I had rushed straight home and suffered terribly. Thankfully, medicine could fix it, so I needed to take it in time.

“Before thinking about medicine, you should’ve said your stomach hurt and excused yourself.”

“It was my first meal with the chairman.”

“For someone who says they want a divorce, you seem awfully eager to impress him.”

Baek Mugyeong’s tone was sharp. It sounded like it carried a few scoops of disdain, not just my imagination.

I had no energy to explain that I wanted to get on Baek Jinseok’s good side to ensure a safe divorce. My stomach felt too nauseous, so I kept quiet.

“Whatever you do, the chairman won’t care. What he wants is clear. So don’t act foolish.”

His tone was like a biting wind in the middle of winter. Especially that last line—don’t act foolish—cut deep. I was doing my best, struggling to make it work, and hearing that stung.

Once again, I didn’t say anything. Baek Mugyeong also said no more and focused on driving. A little while later, he stopped in front of a convenience store with decent parking.

I quickly ran inside, bought several bottles of liquid digestive, and returned.

As soon as I buckled my seatbelt, I opened a bottle and drank it. I didn’t want to wait until we got home and feel worse.

While I was doing that, Baek Mugyeong spoke again.

“Mr. Jeong Minchae. What are you planning to do with the allowance the chairman gave you?”

Still pressing on my stomach, I turned to him in confusion. This was a conversation that hadn’t happened before the regression.

If it was a continuation of yesterday’s talk about not being foolish, it kind of made sense. But bringing up the allowance seemed out of the blue.

“I’ll use it well.”

Still smarting from the foolish comment, I replied curtly. I was startled by my own cold tone but composed myself. Knowing the future gave me full confidence I’d use it very well.

“It’s very rare for the chairman to give out cash as an allowance. He usually gives gifts. A building, a car, or a watch, for example.”

“So?”

His words were so loaded I couldn’t help but respond. It was something I hadn’t known before the regression.