By Zephyria Yu-jin also paused at the unexpected reaction. Why is he doing that? He tilted his head, but Winston stood there without moving. He didn’t even blink, and his pupils didn’t even waver. He slightly parted his lips. His face was blank, as if he was in a daze. Yu-jin felt embarrassed for no reason and licked his dry lips. At that moment, he felt his daughter, who was in his arms, pause.
Huh?
Puzzled by the sudden reaction, Angela hesitated and glanced at Winston. Ah, is it because of Angie? Yu-jin, who jumped to conclusions about Winston’s behavior, relaxed his face and smiled like a fool for his daughter.
“Angie, you have to say hello. Say, ‘Welcome.'”
As he said affectionately, Angela mumbled with a reluctant face and immediately buried her face in Yu-jin’s shoulder. Yu-jin couldn’t help but laugh at the sight and continued.
“Isn’t Angie so pretty today? This is the first time she’s had this hairstyle, but it’s really cute and suits her well. This dress was bought when we went out last time…”
Yu-jin continued to list how pretty his daughter was. In fact, he was just planning to say hello and go back to his room, but once he started talking, he couldn’t stop. Before he knew it, his cheeks were flushed and he was praising her non-stop, but Winston was still just looking at his face. Yu-jin finally leaned his head towards Angela and added.
“Angie is the cutest in the world today.”
As he rubbed his cheek against his daughter’s cheek, Winston, whose mouth had been open until then, made a sound for the first time.
“…Yes.”
The low, sunken voice was full of breath and hoarse. Yu-jin still held the child in his arms and looked down at him. Why is he doing that? Is he surprised that Angie came out to greet him? Suddenly, something flashed through his mind.
Could it be because Angie is so pretty?
Seeing him so surprised made him feel guilty. How badly did he dress her usually, that he had made such a pretty child look so bad because he hadn’t taken care of her properly? His heart ached.
As he looked at his daughter in his arms with a pitiful face, he suddenly felt a strange gaze. He turned his head and saw that Winston was still standing there motionless. Yu-jin wondered and called his name.
“Winston?”
His gaze slowly lingered on Yu-jin’s slightly moving lips. Winston, who had been standing there blankly until then, seemed to belatedly pause, and his blank expression disappeared. His eyes seemed to widen gradually, and he moved his lips as if to say something. Yu-jin waited nervously, but Winston suddenly frowned.
Startled, Yu-jin flinched, and he seemed to mutter something before suddenly skipping three steps at a time.
“Hic…”
Yu-jin was so startled by the sight of him rushing up to the landing where Yu-jin was standing that he gasped. Winston passed by Yu-jin and walked down the hallway at an incredible speed. The Butler chased after him as if running, and only Yu-jin and Angela were left in the empty space.
“What…?”
Yu-jin, who was staring at the receding figure and muttering blankly, soon remembered his daughter and hurriedly checked her complexion. Fortunately, Angela didn’t have any particular reaction. Yu-jin sighed in relief and spoke in a soft voice so that Angela wouldn’t be scared.
“Good job, Angie. Were you scared just now?”
In fact, he didn’t intend to have Angela and Winston meet this often. He was planning to keep them from seeing each other as much as possible.
But he’s her papa…
Even if they didn’t know each other, Yu-jin felt uneasy for some reason. Today was also the day of the party, so he had made up his mind to have them greet each other, but the result was different from what he expected. Winston’s strange reaction and his daughter’s subtle expression made Yu-jin worried.
“Huh? No.”
He was puzzled when he saw his daughter shaking her head. Wasn’t she scared?
“Is it because of that scent?”
When Yu-jin asked, Angela mumbled that it was right.
“I wasn’t scared because Daddy was there, but it suddenly came at me…””Suddenly, me?”
Startled, Yu-jin repeated his daughter’s words, and Angela nodded, “Yes.”
“It was faint at first, but suddenly it got really, really strong. It wasn’t like it was pressing down on me like before, but, um…”
Angela tilted her head, as if searching for the right words, then opened her mouth with a serious expression.
“It tickled.”
“Tickled?”
“Yes.”
Angela nodded again, as if to confirm.
“It tickled here, like someone was tickling me. It made my heart race.”
Watching his daughter place her small hands on her chest and let out an excited breath, Yu-jin blinked a few times, then chuckled, “Ah.”
“It’s because Angie is so cute.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Yu-jin rubbed his cheek against his daughter’s cheek and said, “You saw it earlier, didn’t you? Mr. Campbell was surprised when he saw you. Angie is like a princess today. There’s no child in the world as pretty as Angie.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
Hugging Angela, who was now sparkling with excitement, Yu-jin peppered her cheeks with kisses. Winston’s strange behavior was definitely not his fault, he thought. There was no way that man would be so captivated by Yu-jin. So, there was only one answer.
Angie surprised him by coming to greet him.
That seemed like an overreaction, but Yu-jin ignored it and smiled at his child instead.
“Let’s wear pretty clothes often from now on, Angie.”
The will stated that they were to be provided with every convenience to live a comfortable life. He should use that to buy Angie clothes, Yu-jin resolved.
He should also take a few new outfits for Angie when they leave this place.
That much should be okay, he added to himself, pushing aside his uneasy feelings as he watched the new, enormous chandelier being installed.
After all, that much wouldn’t even be a pittance to these people.
* * *
As soon as he entered his room, Winston ripped off his suit jacket and threw it onto the sofa. The Butler, quickly picking up the clothes that had landed with a heavy thud, hung them over his arm and then repeatedly bent over to pick up the tie and cufflinks that followed.
“I will prepare your change of clothes.”
The Butler spoke to Winston’s retreating figure as he headed straight into the bathroom, but Winston simply closed the bathroom door without replying. He immediately stepped into the shower booth and turned on the cold water without hesitation. The icy stream flowed down his entire body, but his feverish state showed no signs of subsiding.
“Damn it!”
He punched the wall with a curse, but it didn’t change anything. What the hell was going on? Yu-jin was definitely taking suppressants. He hadn’t sensed any pheromone scent at all.
But still, why?
Was it because he had been mesmerized when he saw Yu-jin standing on the stairs with the child in his arms, looking down at him?
His soft cheeks were flushed with a faint blush, and his neatly combed hair accentuated his round forehead. His moderately sized nose had a smooth and perfect line without any curves, and below that were his lips, those damn lips.
Winston, recalling the memory, repeatedly struck the wall. He was so agitated that he didn’t even feel the pain. The moment he saw Yu-jin’s face, he had completely frozen. Only his heart was pounding like crazy. Just like when he had first seen Yu-jin. Ah, wasn’t Yu-jin standing on the landing at that time exactly the image he had longed for?
How much had he dreamed of Yu-jin smiling and welcoming Winston with their child in his arms?
Get a grip, that’s his father’s child.
Winston relentlessly cursed himself. Yu-jin betrayed him. And he even had his father’s child. That will never change.
He deliberately took measured breaths, trying to calm himself. His mind gradually cooled down, and reason returned.
Don’t forget your purpose.
Winston coldly reminded himself. They had only agreed to this temporarily for the sake of the inheritance. If a child is born, everything will be over. Yes, as long as Yu-jin gets pregnant.
He stopped thinking and began to wash his hair. There wasn’t much time left until the party. What he had to do was clear. Winston quickly finished his shower and left the bathroom.