KTS 112

“Daddy!”

Angela, oblivious to everything, happily threw her arms around Yu-jin’s neck. Hesitantly hugging her back, Yu-jin belatedly came to his senses and frantically pulled her away, checking her over.

“Are you okay, Angie? Did anything happen?”

Angela tilted her head, looking puzzled at his anxious questions.

“Yes, I’m fine. I was playing nicely. Right, Mr. Campbell?”

Unexpectedly, Angela looked at Winston and asked. And it didn’t end there. Winston nodded at Angela with a faint smile.

“Yes, she was a very good girl.”

As if to say, “See?” Angela looked at Yu-jin with a confident expression. Yu-jin couldn’t understand what was going on at all.

It was then that Yu-jin noticed the doll that Angie was holding for the first time. The large teddy bear, which would have reached about Angela’s waist, was a recent fad, and the genuine article cost a whopping $1,000. Among parents who couldn’t afford to buy their children the real thing, a similar-looking $100 fake doll was popular, but of course, the one Angie was holding now wasn’t the $100 fake.

“Angie, this…”

Yu-jin trailed off, feeling uneasy, and Angela immediately smiled brightly and hugged the doll tightly.

“Mr. Campbell bought it for me, saying it would be my friend while Daddy was away.”

“What?”

Yu-jin’s mind reeled for a moment. What had Winston told his daughter to explain the situation? He couldn’t have honestly told her that Winston had kidnapped and imprisoned him. Besides, his daughter’s cheerful reaction was completely different from what he had imagined. As Yu-jin floundered, unsure of how to react, Angela continued to chatter on, oblivious.

“Did you come because you were worried? I’m fine. I can endure anything!”

Yu-jin belatedly realized that Angela’s voice was higher and more excited than usual. Just as he was thinking that she didn’t seem to be simply excited to see him, Angela’s face flushed red and she dropped a bombshell.

“Because it’s for my sibling!”

A chilling silence fell. Yu-jin’s mind completely froze. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

“…What?”

After a long pause, that was all he managed to say. Unaware of Yu-jin’s reaction, Angela answered innocently.

“I’m getting a sibling. But Mr. Campbell said that Daddy is weak and needs to rest. I miss Daddy, but I can endure it. It’s okay, for the baby!”

Yu-jin could only stare blankly at his daughter’s face. Angie was asking him a string of questions about who would name the baby, whether it would be a brother or a sister, and whether the baby could share her bed when it was born, but he didn’t answer a single one. He just blinked, and at that moment, Winston, who had been watching, stepped forward. He walked leisurely to Yu-jin, bent down, grabbed Angela under the armpits, and lifted her up effortlessly. Yu-jin reached out hastily as his daughter was suddenly moved away, but Winston easily pulled Angela away from him.

“There, Angie. Now do you believe me? Don’t worry about Daddy, he’s doing well.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Angela nodded obediently and looked up at Winston, saying,

“I’ll be good and wait patiently from now on. Thank you for giving me Victor.”

She had even named the bear. Winston simply nodded in response to the child’s polite greeting. Yu-jin could only watch helplessly as Angela was being deceived by a con man right before his eyes.

* * *

“What the hell did you do to my daughter?”

After they were finally alone, Yu-jin exploded with the anger he had been holding back. Winston closed the door behind him and strolled leisurely across the room, pointedly taking out a cigarette and putting it in his mouth. Only after lighting it with a lighter and exhaling the smoke did he finally answer. With a faint smile.

“You didn’t tell her the truth either, did you, honey?”

Of course not. If he had revealed in front of her that it was all a lie and that Winston had actually kidnapped and imprisoned him, Angela would have been not only anxious but also confused. He couldn’t possibly tell her the truth for the sake of the child. But now it was different. Yu-jin unleashed the pent-up fury he had been suppressing.

“Not only did you lie to my child, but you also bribed her? Do you think my daughter can be swayed by just a teddy bear?”

“Of course, it’s temporary, honey.”

Winston chuckled briefly. As if he couldn’t believe it.

“But you made my lie a reality.”

Yu-jin was even angrier because it was true. He couldn’t bear the fact that everything had gone according to this man’s plan.

“You knew I would escape?”

Yu-jin barely managed to lower his voice, but he couldn’t control his ragged breathing. As he glared at him, his shoulders heaving, Winston chuckled again. He wanted to ask him what was so funny, but there was no time. Suddenly, Winston reached out, and Yu-jin reflexively flinched. Winston paused his hand in mid-air and frowned briefly. As if he didn’t like his reaction.

The hand that had lingered for a moment moved again. And then Winston grabbed Yu-jin’s arm.

“…Ouch!”

Yu-jin involuntarily exclaimed and grimaced, but Winston didn’t let go. Winston stared down at the arm, where the wound had reopened and blood was seeping out, and said as he exhaled cigarette smoke.

“There was no need to inflict such an injury, honey.”

A sneering expression turned towards Yu-jin.

“Wouldn’t it have been enough to just say that the baby was in danger?”

He was momentarily taken aback. Why hadn’t he thought of that? He had even lied about being pregnant, but he had forgotten that important fact. His mind was so full of Angela that he had acted too hastily.

Could he have guessed? That it was all a lie?

With his heart pounding wildly, Yu-jin hastily shook off Winston’s hand. He was afraid that his racing pulse would be detected. He raised his eyes with a pale face, but Winston was just looking down at him with narrowed eyes. The sight of him mechanically bringing the cigarette to his mouth gave Yu-jin a glimmer of hope.

“Don’t you know that you have to be careful what you wish for? What if something really happened? Did you want that to happen?”

He waited, hoping that Winston would believe him, but he didn’t say anything. What was he thinking? As Yu-jin grew increasingly anxious, he nonchalantly smoked his cigarette and said,

“Now that you’ve seen that Angie is doing well, that’s enough, right?”

He put on an almost affectionate tone and smiled. Yu-jin had a feeling he already knew what he was going to say next.

“Are you going to send me back?”

“The walk was long enough, wasn’t it?”

Winston suddenly moved. Startled, Yu-jin quickly backed away, but embarrassingly, he was heading for the table. He stubbed out his cigarette on the ashtray, straightened up, and turned to look at Yu-jin.

“I’ll give you time to say goodbye to your daughter. Don’t worry, I’ll let you see her one day a week.”

He wanted to argue about how he could trust him, but he wasn’t in a position to do so. Yu-jin could only hope that he would keep his promise. Winston added as if making a final pledge.

“I trust that you won’t say anything that would make your daughter anxious.”

It was an extremely gentle tone, but it was nothing more than a threat to Yu-jin. He bit his lip and turned around without a word, leaving the room.There’s no way, I have no choice but to go back.

Yu-jin reluctantly accepted reality. Was he being hasty and only making Winston more wary? He felt uneasy again, but for now, he had to listen obediently.

There will definitely be another opportunity.

Yu-jin steeled himself and moved his feet. He needed to take another deep breath before opening Angela’s door. He took a deep breath in and out, then pulled the handle. The door opened, and his daughter, who had been playing alone in her room, ran to him with a bright smile.

“Daddy!”

Yu-jin hugged his daughter tightly as she nestled into his arms and took a deep breath. He thought he could faintly smell the sweetness of her. He showered her face with kisses and asked with a voice full of longing,

“Are you going to be okay alone?”

“Yes.”

The child nodded with a surprisingly resolute face. His lie had caused this misfortune. Yu-jin regretted it deeply and asked,

“Aren’t you scared of Mr. Winston?”

“I’m still scared.”

Angela answered honestly. Yu-jin froze for a moment, and then she continued in a clear voice.

“But it’s okay, I can endure it as much as I need to.”

Angela added, like an adult, to Yu-jin, who couldn’t say anything.

“Mr. Campbell promised that he would keep Daddy and me healthy and safe. Can I trust him, Daddy?”

Yu-jin couldn’t answer easily. He opened his mouth, took a deep breath, and replied.

“…Of course, you can.”

He couldn’t say anything more and hugged her tightly. Feeling the warmth of the child hugging him back, Yu-jin vowed.

I’ll definitely succeed next time.