By Zephyria “You’re going to see Yu-jin?”
His mother spoke first with a frown. Winston didn’t like Gordon and Lady Catherine standing behind her, but he suppressed his emotions and replied.
“It’s been three months since I last saw him. I think I’ve recovered a lot now, and I think I can see Yu-jin.”
Until now, he had been forbidden from visiting because his condition was critical. At best, he saw his mother’s face every few days, and he only heard that Yu-jin was doing well.
Of course, Winston didn’t take those words at face value. He knew what kind of looks his family gave him. Considering that they had often spoken ill of Yu-jin even before he was attacked by the robber, he could easily guess.
But until now, there was nothing he could do. It was all he could do to take care of himself, and he still couldn’t walk without crutches, and the pain was still ongoing.
He had no choice but to leave Yu-jin in their care, but now it was different. More than anything, he wanted to see him soon. His heart burned whenever he thought of Yu-jin trembling in fear alone. My lover, my one and only life.
He was everything to Winston.
“Let me see Yu-jin right now.”
Winston glared at them with bloodshot eyes and gritted his teeth. At the sight of her son, Mrs. Campbell sighed deeply as if she was at a loss for words, Gordon distorted his face, and Catherine was flustered and didn’t know what to do.
“Aren’t you curious about what happened to those robbers?”
Gordon was the first to speak. That was also an important issue, but right now, Winston wanted to make sure Yu-jin was safe first.
“I’ll listen after I see Yu-jin.”
Gordon sighed in exasperation at his stubborn attitude. Eventually, they gave in first.
“Okay, I understand.”
Mrs. Campbell spoke in a quiet voice.
“I’ll let you meet him as you say. But first, listen to what we have to say.”
“I won’t listen if it’s about Yu-jin. I know what you’re going to say.”
Mrs. Campbell silently stared at her son, who was sneering without hesitation. At a slight wink, Gordon rummaged through the inside pocket of his suit jacket as if he had been waiting.
“Here.”
Gordon said mockingly as he threw something onto the bed where Winston was sitting.
“We’ve been hiding this for your sake until now, but if your condition has improved that much, there’s no need to hide it anymore. See for yourself how that slut was deceiving you.”
Dozens of photos came into Winston’s view. The photos spread out on the bed were all so filthy that he didn’t even want to touch them. Ha, Winston let out a short sigh and picked up the photos. He tore the photos of Yu-jin naked and entangled with men to shreds in front of his family, then opened his hand holding the fragmented photos outside the bed. Without even looking at the photos scattered on the hospital floor, Winston opened his mouth.
“This is all fabricated. Do you think I’ll fall for this kind of trickery?”
His belief was firm. But even seeing her son like that, Mrs. Campbell didn’t waver at all.
“I thought you might say that.”
Mrs. Campbell said slowly, touching her forehead.
“But it doesn’t feel good to hear you actually say it. That Omega has bewitched my husband and even my son like this, how could she…”
“Don’t speak badly of Yu-jin. It won’t change my mind.”
Winston glared at his mother with fierce eyes.
“Yu-jin bewitched Father? Do you know how old Yu-jin was when he came here? If you really think that young child seduced Father, I’m sorry, but Mother, you’re crazy.”
“Winston!”
“Mother, are you okay?”
Gordon raised his voice, and Catherine grabbed Mrs. Campbell’s arm as if she had been waiting. Mrs. Campbell only looked down at Winston with a cold face and said nothing.
“He may have been innocent at first.”
His mother opened her mouth slowly. She continued, as if savoring each word.
“But he must have changed after he manifested as an Omega. Isn’t that what Omegas are like? Aren’t they the kind who are obsessed with that act and spread their legs all the time?”
“Are alphas any different?”
Winston retorted, but Mrs. Campbell received the words as if she had already expected them.
“Yes, alphas are the ones who are driven crazy by that Omega and rush at them. So you know, don’t you, what happens when you’re driven crazy by pheromones.”
“Yu-jin is different.”
“That’s just your wish. How can you overcome instinct?”
Winston was furious, but no matter what he said, he couldn’t convince her. No one, including his mother, believed that they were different.
The fact that they were different was the only truth and everything, so when that fact was denied, he lost the will to speak any further.
“Enough, let me see Yu-jin. Where is Yu-jin?”
Winston changed his attitude to ignoring them altogether. Mrs. Campbell stared at her son’s face for a while before opening her mouth.
“If you want to see him that much, why don’t you go and meet him yourself?”
Winston frowned unconsciously at the cold voice. His mother continued to speak.
“There’s no point since you don’t believe anything we say. If you like him that much, go and meet him yourself. We won’t interfere with that anymore.”
Unexpectedly, she backed down too easily. Winston, who had expected more opposition, was bewildered by the unexpected situation.
“…What’s the catch?”
“The catch? Watch your mouth!”
Catherine intervened, questioning Winston suspiciously.
“We’ve been holding back and telling you this for your sake, but you’re being too rude. How can you do that? At least pretend to listen…”
“That’s enough, Catherine. Stop now.”
His mother stopped her daughter in a cold voice. Still fixing her gaze on her son, she continued to speak.
“If you don’t listen to any truth we tell you, we have no choice but to wait until you realize it yourself. Let him be, Winston will be the one to regret it later.”
Mrs. Campbell narrowed her eyes and added.
“We have no choice but to wait, do we?”
Winston only stared at her without saying anything. As if to say, just tell me where Yu-jin is.
“We’ll take care of the discharge procedures, so wait until then.”
His mother continued.
“If your body has recovered that much, there’s no reason for you to stay in the hospital, is there? We’ll have a car waiting for you after the discharge procedures are completed, so take that. It will take you to where Yu-jin is.”
Mrs. Campbell twisted the corners of her mouth towards her son and sneered.
“I hope your faith doesn’t break.”The last words sounded like a curse. Mrs. Campbell didn’t say anything more, turned, and left the hospital room. Gordon and Lady Catherine followed, and Winston was barely left alone. Casually, his gaze drifted to the torn pieces of the photograph left on the bed. Inopportunely, his eyes met Yu-jin’s, who was staring blankly, lost in a daze, and with a curse, he gathered all the remaining pieces of the photo and threw them into the trash can.
Someone is manipulating Yu-jin’s photos and spreading them.
Winston firmly believed it. There was no way he would betray him.
I have to see him soon.
Otherwise, this unpleasant feeling wouldn’t go away. He wanted to hold Yu-jin soon, breathe in his scent, and feel relieved. If Yu-jin said he was okay, everything would go back to normal. Just like before.
There’s no way Yu-jin would do something like that.
Winston constantly repeated to himself. It’s all a lie. They’re trying to separate me and Yu-jin. Doesn’t he know better than anyone how innocent and pure he is?
Yu-jin only has me.
The same was true for Winston. No one could replace Yu-jin. They were each other’s only existence.
But why.
Winston felt cold sweat on his palms and clenched his teeth.
But why do I keep getting this ominous feeling?
He was bothered by how composed his family, including Mrs. Campbell, had been. They couldn’t have thought this trickery would work on him, so why were they so calm?
Why did they give up so quickly?
No, don’t think about it anymore.
He shook his head to shake off the doubts that kept arising. Was there any need to wait? He could just get in the car and go right now.
Winston didn’t hesitate any longer and got out of bed. Immediately, a pain shot through his entire body, and with a groan, his knees buckled. Huffing and puffing, he remained still for a while, then barely managed to pull himself together and slowly stood up. He called the bodyguard who was waiting outside, got help changing his clothes, and barely managed to leave the hospital room. By the time he barely got into the car, his whole body was soaked in sweat.
“Are you alright? If you’re having a hard time, there’s medicine in the console box…”
Following the driver’s worried words, Winston opened the console box. His hands were shaking so much that it took him three tries to complete the simple action.
Winston fumbled inside the console box, took out water and medicine, and swallowed them all at once. In the quietly running car, he kept his eyes closed, waiting for the medicine to take effect. And hoping it would save him from this terrible pain.
But the nightmare was just beginning.