RACA 38

The reason he followed Chairman Jang was because he thought he might be the one to finally give him a clear answer to the question that had puzzled him the most all this time.

“It’s not that. I just heard that you pressured him to get married, and when he refused, you said if he didn’t want to marry, he should at least have a child with an Omega.”

Eunsol spoke honestly, watching closely for any change in his expression or the look in his eyes. Chairman Jang stroked his clean-shaven cheek and let out a low, “Hmm…”

“Well, that was a bit roundabout. Seems there was room for misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“Yes. What I wanted wasn’t simply for Jaebeom to have a child. If that were the case, I could’ve just slipped an Omega to that bastard when his rut came. Wouldn’t that have been the quickest way?”

Thinking about it, he was right. Eunsol nodded immediately, and Chairman Jang tapped his cane on the ground emphatically.

“I did my part with sincerity. I tracked down Omegas who were available and arranged several meetings, but it was that bastard who kept making excuses and turning them down.”

“You set him up on dates?”

But Pyo Jaebeom wasn’t the type to comply willingly. Just as Chairman Jang said, he could easily picture him inventing all sorts of reasons to avoid those meetings.

“Dates? What dates! I just arranged for Alphas and Omegas to meet naturally. Well, in modern terms, a blind date? That’s about it. Don’t mistake me for some stuffy old fogey.”

True enough, just looking at his attire now proved it. He subtly flaunted luxury brands, but at first glance, he appeared down-to-earth.

In contrast, the secretary standing behind Chairman Jang like a guardian post exuded a more intellectual and sophisticated aura.

‘Kind of like a strict banker or someone from the securities industry.’

Getting on the wrong side of someone like that would be exhausting. If you sensed you’d done something wrong, you’d better apologize immediately. Miss the timing, and you’d likely suffer for half a year.

This judgment stemmed entirely from Eunsol’s experience of encountering someone with a similar demeanor on set and getting thoroughly screwed over. Come to think of it, he did resemble that person back then.

“But what can you do? He slips through my fingers like an eel every single time. Guess I’ll just have to tell him to bring it over himself now.”

“Did you know the CEO posted a job ad?”

“Oh? Did he?”

Chairman Jang glanced at the secretary standing behind him. His questioning gaze made the man bow his head.

“Huh… That guy. Well, he sure has a knack for coming up with ideas.”

Eunsol couldn’t understand why he was wearing that look of admiration again.

‘So this is what they mean by “blood is thicker than water.”’

At this point, it seemed undeniable that the entire sequence of events leading up to his pregnancy had indeed been orchestrated by Pyo Jaebeom. The problem was that he’d ended up bearing the full brunt of the consequences!

“So you went looking for Jaebeom after seeing that job posting, huh?”

“No.”

Chairman Jang looked puzzled at Eunsol’s denial. He stated it even more clearly for his benefit.

“I was kidnapped and held captive.”

“What?”

Chairman Jang looked stunned. He turned to his chief secretary, signaling for a proper explanation.

“It appears some misunderstanding led to this situation.”

Misunderstanding? That’s your perspective.

Do you understand how it feels to wake up and find yourself kneeling before gangsters?

Do you understand how it feels to hear that a stranger claiming to be your father took all your money and ran off?

‘Forget all that, who could possibly understand this situation? I lived my whole life as a beta, suddenly became an omega, and now I’m pregnant!’

Eunsol stomped his foot in sudden fury. Chairman Jang, who had been urging the chief secretary to elaborate, turned his head around at his abrupt outburst.

“Oh. You need to be careful. You can’t act recklessly in the early stages. Of course the baby is a dominant alpha, but it’s just starting to grow.”

Even amidst this, Chairman Jang’s words, prioritizing the fetus over him, made him feel resentful.

“Exactly! This wasn’t my choice. My opinion wasn’t considered at all in this contract. What do you make of this situation, CEO’s Father?”

Eunsol deliberately addressed him not as Chairman, but by his role as Pyo Jaebeom’s father. But all he received in return was an enigmatic gaze.

It wasn’t just Chairman Jang; the secretary was giving his a similar look too.

‘What the hell? Why are they acting like this?’

Just as Eunsol stood there bewildered,

“Pwah! Pwahaha! Pwahahahaha!”

A laugh soon erupted from Chairman Jang. It was such a lighthearted chuckle, unbelievable coming from a gangster chairman.

As if that weren’t enough, he tapped his cane on the floor repeatedly, looking as though he’d just witnessed some brilliant comedy. Watching this, Eunsol felt both bewildered and distinctly uneasy.

“I really like you, you know. You’re perfect for Jaebeom! You’re a perfect match! Perfect, perfect!”

Seeing him laugh so heartily after making him feel uneasy only made him more resentful.

His displeasure must have shown on his face. Even as Eunsol pouted, Chairman Jang kept laughing heartily, making everyone else feel uneasy.

If the secretary hadn’t cleared his throat to signal him to stop, he didn’t even want to imagine how long he would have kept it up.

‘No wonder Jaebeom dislikes him.’

They say people dislike those who resemble themselves most. To Eunsol, Pyo Jaebeom was Chairman Jang’s spitting image.

Even though he was his foster father and clearly not related by blood, his expressions, gaze, mannerisms, and even tone of voice were uncannily identical.

“Hah, ha, oh dear. My stomach hurts.”

Chairman Jang’s expression shifted as he tapped his cane on the floor with glee. His piercing gaze made Eunsol tense involuntarily.

He’d thought he had a kind face, but now he understood why he was a gangster chairman.

“Hey, is Jaebeom tracking your location or something?”

“Huh?”

What was he talking about? Eunsol tilted his head in confusion before realizing Chairman Jang was looking over his shoulder. The chief secretary was staring at the same spot.

Following their gaze, Eunsol turned around too.

“Are you two having a secret meeting here?”

Not far away, Pyo Jaebeom stood with his arms crossed, leaning casually against a pillar.

“Ah, a secret meeting? It’s not that grand.”

Chairman Jang countered Pyo Jaebeom’s remark. His earlier stern expression had completely melted away, returning to his usual affable, hamburger-mascot-like face.

But Eunsol wasn’t fooled this time. He’d just confirmed that look was entirely fabricated.

“Of course it is. Meeting in such a secluded spot usually means you’re discussing something secret, right?”

Without a hint of reserve toward adults, Pyo Jaebeom casually took a seat beside Eunsol.

Eunsol glanced at him plopping down before turning his gaze back to Chairman Jang.

“You tell me. What were you doing here?”

As if displeased with Eunsol being with Chairman Jang, Pyo Jaebeom addressed him. It was less a question and more a challenge.

“As you can see, we were having tea.”

“Hm?”

Now that he noticed, his voice sounded similar to Chairman Jang’s. Realizing where Pyo Jaebeom’s behavior originated, Eun Sol felt a strange sensation.

“I had no choice. I was taking a walk when he suddenly appeared and demanded we leave immediately. What could I do?”

“That behavior reminds me of someone,” Eunsol remarked, glancing back at Pyo Jaebeom. But this shameless alpha seemed utterly disinterested in deciphering the meaning behind his words.

“What an inconsiderate person. If that’s the case, you should’ve contacted me immediately.”

Instead of responding to his brazen remark, Eunsol held up both hands. He waved his hands brightly, indicating he had no means to contact him. Pyo Jaebeom smirked at his cheerful gesture.

“Fine, whatever. You just stay like that. I’ll be the one doing the searching. Now, Chairman, please tell me. What did you call this kid in for?”

Crossing his right leg in a cocky posture, his tone was polite but his attitude showed no respect for elders. Strangely enough, this demeanor suited Pyo Jaebeom perfectly.

“What else could it be? I just wanted to meet the Omega who’s living with you. Right?”

Eunsol had no intention of readily agreeing with Chairman Jang, who was seeking his approval.

“When he asked how I met the CEO, I told him I was kidnapped and held captive.”

“Huh?”

That was Chairman Jang’s reaction. Pyo Jaebeom, as if to say ‘See that?’, stared at Eunsol. It seemed like he was daring him to continue, so Eunsol didn’t hold back.