KTS 74

“Ah.”

At the short exclamation, Yu-jin, who was smiling and talking to another guest, paused and raised his head. Winston opened his mouth towards Yu-jin. With a smiling face.

“Angie seems very sleepy, I should put her to bed.”

It was already late at night, heading towards midnight. Yu-jin realized that he had been so engrossed in the party that he had missed the child’s bedtime and felt embarrassed.

“Give her to me, I’ll…”

“I’ll put her to sleep. You stay here.”

Winston carefully readjusted the child, who already had her eyes closed and was leaning her head on his shoulder, and tilted his head. It seemed like he was kissing Yu-jin’s cheek, but the intention was different.

“Don’t let your guard down, you have to finish well.”

Yu-jin’s eyes widened at the low whisper, but Winston, who raised his head, continued to speak as if nothing had happened.

“Well, excuse me for a moment. The child has fallen asleep.”

He looked back and forth at the group he was talking to and asked for their understanding, and everyone nodded with a kind smile.

“He’s so caring, I never knew Mr. Campbell had that side to him.”

Someone said, watching Winston’s retreating figure. Only then did he realize the meaning of what he had said.

People believe that we are a truly happy family who cherish each other.

It was a bitter truth, but he had to cooperate with him. Because that was the way for Angela and Yu-jin.

“He dotes on the child very much.”

Yu-jin said with a smile, but inwardly he was wondering.

What does Winston gain from doing that…?

Everything he did today was amazing. Starting with the sudden announcement about Angela and Yu-jin, he had been constantly by Yu-jin’s side, holding Angela in his arms while talking to people, and if the child seemed to want something, he would give her a drink or take her to the bathroom before Yu-jin could. People would have seen it clearly. How much Winston cherished Yu-jin and the child. Yu-jin himself almost fell for it.

As time passed and the party became more lively, Yu-jin adapted to the atmosphere. Of course, it was thanks to Winston, who had always been by his side. He was consistently kind and respected Yu-jin.

Just like before.

He knew that there was no point in recalling the past, but the memories kept coming back. Along with him, the emotions he had forgotten were also revived, and Yu-jin felt embarrassed.

I swore I would never waver.

Besides, Winston had clearly said it, hadn’t he? That all of this was a play. The words he whispered in his ear might have been a warning not to be mistaken.

But…

Yu-jin felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Even though he knew it was all a lie, he couldn’t help but be swayed by Winston’s kind words and actions.

So, this is how weak a person’s heart is.

Seeing him hold and care for the child made him feel even more disturbed. What if we had ended up together without anything happening back then? If Winston knew that Angela was his daughter, and if Angela knew that he was her papa.

That scene would have become our everyday life.

Even while talking to other people, his mind seemed to be wandering somewhere else.

* * *

The door opened with an eerie creak. Winston opened the door with his shoulder and strode across the room. The lights were not on, but the moonlight coming through the window brightly illuminated the bedroom. He carefully laid the child on the bed, took off her shoes, and placed them under the bed. Looking down at the sleeping Angela with a deep breath, he felt strange. The child, who had been shouting and rejecting him, had surprisingly not cried once throughout the party. Of course, Winston also knew that she was often looking at Yu-jin’s face, but he pretended not to notice. Perhaps the fact that Daddy was with her gave the child enough strength to endure.

…Was she about three years old?

If she was the father’s child, that would probably be the right age. Maybe even older. If she had a relationship with her father while meeting Winston, she could have been pregnant before that.

Isn’t she a bit small?

He didn’t know much about children, so he couldn’t be sure. Maybe he was just too big, so the child looked relatively smaller. Anyway, he felt a little impressed that such a small child had managed to suppress her emotions and endure so bravely. Winston, who had gently stroked the child’s hair, looked at her face for a while before taking his hand away. Unlike when he came in, he crossed the room with a slower pace without making a sound, and he closed the door as quietly as possible.

With a small click, the door closed, and Winston held the doorknob for a moment before letting go. He was about to turn around to head back downstairs when.

He stopped moving when he saw an unexpected figure standing in the hallway. The other person also made a knowing gesture with a sly smile, as if he had been waiting, when his eyes met his.

“Wow, that speech earlier was really good.”

Winston stared at his brother, Gordon, who was walking towards him, with a blank face. Gordon continued to grin and slowly approached.

“Bringing a omega of unknown origin and her child into the Campbell family, if Mother knew, she would be incredibly angry. Is it fortunate that she didn’t come today? She almost collapsed.”

“I never told her not to come.”

When Winston said bluntly, Gordon shrugged his shoulders.”She must have foresight, right? My mother knows everything.”

Winston wondered if he was drunk. He didn’t want to deal with a drunk, so he ignored him and was about to turn away when Gordon suddenly grabbed Winston’s shoulder. He frowned, clearly displeased, and spoke in a low voice to his brother.

“You’ll be in trouble if you fall for that guy again.”

Gordon was still smiling, but his eyes were serious. Winston shook off his hand and said matter-of-factly.

“I know as much as I need to know about Yu-jin.”

“Oh, really?”

Gordon narrowed his eyes and asked meaningfully. As Winston was about to leave, Gordon asked from behind.

“Then do you know that he has a criminal record?”

Winston paused for a moment. Gordon waited with pleasure for him to react. Winston slowly turned his head and opened his mouth.

It took him a little longer to make a sound.

“…What?”

* * *

Hoo.

Yu-jin, who had been smiling with his lips pulled up as much as possible, was tired of it and excused himself to a corner of the party. He took a sip of water and took a breather, and he seemed to be coming to his senses little by little.

So far, so good. It was quite late, and people were starting to leave. Just a little more and I can make it.

He emptied the remaining water and took a deep breath. Suddenly, someone appeared in front of him.

“Hi!”

The woman who greeted him with a cheerful voice looked like a teenager. Who was she? He frantically searched his mind, but nothing came to mind.

Of all times, this had to happen when he was alone. He was flustered and couldn’t react for a moment, but she, who was about the same height as Yu-jin because she was wearing heels, continued with sparkling eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you for the first time. Or is it the second? I said hello at the wedding, but you probably don’t remember, right? It was just a brief, fleeting glance.”

Looking at her bright smile, she didn’t seem like she would be upset if he didn’t recognize her. Yu-jin carefully apologized, “I’m sorry.” But she smiled nonchalantly and held out her hand.

“I’m Georgina. Lady Catherine’s daughter, Winston’s sister. Her only daughter. So, I’m Winston’s niece.”

Yu-jin’s eyes widened at the unexpected introduction. A Campbell family member? And she’s greeting me so casually?

Georgina said to Yu-jin, who was unconsciously looking around.

“I’m the only one who came here today. Well, to be exact, I came with Gordon’s family. My parents didn’t come.”

“Ah…”

He thought he understood a little, but he was still confused. But why me? Georgina added, as if she had guessed what he was thinking.

“I’ve been looking for a chance to say hello since earlier. But it’s getting so late, and I wanted to say hello to Angela too.”

She pouted her lips and held out her hand again. Yu-jin belatedly took her hand, and Georgina smiled and squeezed it tightly.

“I’ve really wanted to see you, Yu-jin.”

Georgina’s face was full of curiosity.