By Zephyria “Mr. Campbell, good morning.”
As soon as she saw him, the secretary stood up from her seat and greeted him first. Winston nodded briefly and entered his office.
He took off his suit jacket and hung it up, then sat down in his chair and took out a cigarette. Right on time, the secretary came in with coffee as he lit it. While listening to the secretary’s voice as she continued her report along with the day’s schedule, his thoughts wandered to irrelevant places.
He was now commuting every day from the island where Yu-jin was. While Winston was away, the employees were guarding him, so he wouldn’t even dream of running away again. Besides, Angela was in Winston’s hands, so he wouldn’t even dare to think about it anymore.
According to the Butler’s report, Angela was doing very well. With no guardian to protect her, the Butler subtly mixed in his personal feelings, saying that she was “a very strong-willed child,” as she ate well and played well, just like usual. It was quite unusual for him, who rarely showed his emotions, but Winston didn’t care. As long as the child was doing well, that was all that mattered. He would also keep his promise to let them meet every week, provided that Yu-jin listened to him obediently.
As long as I have that child in my hands, he won’t have a choice.
He was in an absolutely advantageous position. Nevertheless, an unsettling feeling lingered. The fact that Yu-jin loved his father’s child so much kept bringing other meanings to mind. Suspicions that he was trying hard not to see.
Could it be that Yu-jin really loved his father?
He would have preferred a whore who was blinded by money. He could fill her up with money and sex as much as she wanted. But if he loved his father, there was absolutely no way.
He frowned deeply, then took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. It’s okay, Winston thought as he inhaled the smoke. Anyway, I’m the one holding the gun now. Yu-jin doesn’t have any cards.
He buried the unknown unpleasantness that remained in a corner of his mind with alcohol every time. But that wasn’t enough. Yu-jin didn’t seem to care about the baby in his belly at all. He was drinking when he told him that, and he didn’t stop him from smoking in front of him. Maybe it was really Winston’s child.
“Mr. Campbell?”
The secretary cautiously called him, seeing her boss with a furrowed brow. Winston simply waved his hand as if to tell her to continue. The secretary hesitated for a moment and then continued her report. Winston’s thoughts went back to where they were before.
All possibilities are just that, possibilities. If you focus only on what is certain now, the situation becomes much clearer.
Whether Yu-jin was pregnant or not, whose child it was, it didn’t matter. What was certain was that he was full of the desire to leave Winston at any time. He even managed to seduce another man in the meantime.
What a joke.
Winston had no intention of letting him go. He wouldn’t have met Yu-jin again, but now that he had voluntarily rolled into his hands like this, would he do such a stupid thing?
It wasn’t enough to keep Yu-jin locked up and watched like this for the rest of his life. Then.
At that moment, the most certain card he had flashed through his mind.
* * *
“Wow!”
Angela exclaimed loudly in amazement at the variety of teddy bears filling the indoor space, which was twice the size of a soccer field. That wasn’t all. In the center was a tower of teddy bears reminiscent of a Christmas tree. The child ran to the tower with all her might, excited. Winston moved leisurely behind Angela, who craned her neck as far as she could and repeatedly expressed her admiration.
It’s easy to captivate a child.
He had dealt with countless businessmen who could swallow a hundred snakes and still have room. What was so difficult about winning the heart of a mere three-year-old child? Until now, Angela had shouted that she hated Winston and had always run away or hid, but he hadn’t been particularly interested either, so it was mutual. If he treated her well enough, she would quickly fall for him. Children are all simple.
Looking down at the child holding the teddy bear he had bought her preciously in her arms, Winston was confident that his thoughts were correct. If he bought her something she liked and soothed her today, she would quickly fall for him.
The specialty store of the teddy bear brand that Angela was holding was filled with countless toys and dolls. Winston said generously to the child, who seemed to have already lost her heart.
“You can pick out whatever you want.”
“Really?”
Angela looked up at Winston with wide eyes. He nodded with a softer expression than usual.
“Of course. I’ll buy you everything, so take a look around.”
The child gasped for breath as if she was about to have trouble breathing. Seeing Angela quickly look around and then run in one direction, he chuckled.
Too easy.
* * *
It was about four hours later that Angela returned to Winston, who was sitting leisurely drinking coffee. He thought she was quite patient, but just as he was getting bored, a smile naturally appeared on his face when he saw the child’s face.
“Did you pick everything out?”
He asked kindly, but the only doll the child was holding was a small teddy bear with a pacifier in its mouth. At least the large teddy bear she had brought was on her back. Thinking that maybe the bodyguards were holding them, Winston turned his gaze, but they, who had been following the child, were empty-handed. Winston turned his gaze back to the child and asked.
“Did you tell the staff what toys you wanted?”
There must be more. There were so many that she couldn’t carry them all, so she must have made a separate list. Maybe she would even ask him to buy the entire store. Winston was even thinking of taking out his cell phone to order his secretary to buy the entire store, but his expectations were completely off.
Angela shook her head and looked down at the doll in her arms.
“This is all I need.”
“…What?”
Winston thought for a moment that he had misheard. The child answered firmly to him, who had unconsciously frowned.
“This is the doll I want. There aren’t any more.”
Winston was speechless for a moment. Even now, there were children all around them, running around among all kinds of toys and begging their parents. But this child only wanted one doll, with a guardian in front of her who was willing to buy the entire store. Did that make sense?
Winston stared at the child’s face for a moment, calmed his emotions, and spoke in a calm voice.
“I said I’ll buy you everything? You don’t have to hold back, just tell me what you want. Or should we go together?”
Maybe she didn’t have the courage because she was alone. Winston tried to understand the heart of a girl who was not even half his size for the first time in his life and stood up from his seat. In Angela’s view, Winston’s face, which seemed to reach the ceiling, was raised as high as she could, and the child answered clearly.
“No, this is all I need. Thank you.”
Seeing Angela so resolutely express her gratitude, Winston was at a loss for words. It was hard to accept, but the child was sincere. As proof, Angela turned around before Winston and walked straight ahead with a vigorous step.
“Where are you going?”
The bodyguard hurriedly followed and asked, and the child answered as if it were obvious.
“To the door. I bought a doll, so I have to go home now.”
The bodyguards looked at Winston, seemingly embarrassed. Winston, who had been silent until then, finally frowned and shouted at the back of the child’s head, who was already so far away, in a slightly raised voice.
“The door is on the right!”
At that, Angela stopped abruptly as if stepping on the brakes and quickly ran to the right. Winston, watching the bodyguards hurrying after her, slowly moved his feet belatedly. The smile had already disappeared from his face.
When he went outside, Angela was already sitting in the back seat of the car in her car seat. Winston exhaled briefly and bent down to get into the car. The child, who was holding the newly bought doll and the existing doll in her arms, fastened her seat belt neatly without even looking at Winston, stubbornly fixing her eyes straight ahead. The moment Winston saw her profile, an ominous imagination flashed through his mind.
It might not be as easy as I thought.
He quickly shook off the unpleasant thought that had suddenly come to mind. What could be so difficult about a mere three-year-old girl? It would just take a little time.
Maybe she just didn’t like that store.That was a much more plausible conclusion. Winston leaned back comfortably in his seat, thinking he should instruct the Butler to arrange another event.
Even then, Winston still didn’t realize he was dealing with the world’s most fastidious three-year-old girl.