Suho sat beside Hauen, his expression unreadable as the doctor smiled warmly at them. they are at the hospital for a check-up.
"Mr. Kim, since she had her period recently, you'll both have to start the process from the beginning," the lady doctor explained, her tone kind but clinical.
"It's not that hard, you both are young. But make sure you maintain a good diet, and start your… love nights, consistently after two weeks. Four to five times a week should be good practice to get positive results."
She smiled again. "Other than that, everything looks fine."
Suho gave a curt nod. "Thank you, doctor."
Hauen kept quiet, her hands folded over her purse, eyes fixed on the floor as though she wanted the conversation to end.
Outside, the air was cool. The drive back was wordless. The hum of the car engine filled the silence, but not the space between them. Suho dropped her off at the penthouse without saying much and drove off to his office, leaving her standing at the door with a dull ache in her chest.
Back inside, the penthouse felt vast and quiet, too quiet. Hauen wandered into the kitchen where Bora was preparing lunch, humming softly to herself.
"Can I join you?" Hauen asked, leaning against the counter.
Bora shook her head immediately. "No, ma'am. This is my job. You should rest."
Hauen smiled faintly. "That's okay. I'm just bored sitting around all day doing nothing."
Bora gave her a worried look. "Mrs. Kim strictly instructed me not to let you stress out until the baby comes."
Hauen sighed. "Everyone is so obsessed with this baby."
Bora smiled. "It's kind of a ritual for them, ma'am. The Kims have followed this legacy for generations."
Hauen tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hmm… I noticed that. But Suho's grandfather seems different. He's more forward-thinking, even though he's from the older generation."
Bora's eyes flickered. "Yes, ma'am. But because of him… all this baby pressure exists."
"What?" Hauen frowned. "Because of him?"
Bora hesitated, glancing around as if afraid someone might hear. "Please don't tell anyone I said this, ma'am. Since you're family now, I feel you should know. I overheard something while working at the Kim mansion…"
Hauen leaned in slightly. "What is it?"
"Haraboji made a will," Bora said quietly. "It states that after him, the Kim legacy and property will pass to the first child born in this generation. Which means… your future baby."
Hauen froze, her mind processing the words. "The first child…" she repeated slowly. "But then, why all this rush? The baby can be born anytime, right?"
Bora exhaled, lowering her voice even more. "Actually, there's a silent competition inside the Kim family, ma'am. It's not just about your baby. The will says the first baby born in this generation inherits the legacy. Sir has two cousins. If their baby is born before yours, the inheritance goes to them."
Hauen stared at her, stunned. "So… that's why my mother-in-law is so desperate for me to conceive first?"
Bora nodded. "Yes, ma'am. That's the reason. There's more going on behind this 'baby wish' than you think."
Hauen's eyes lingered on Bora for a moment, studying her face. "And why are you telling me all this?"
Bora swallowed. "Because you seem innocent, ma'am. Trapped in a contract marriage with half the truth. I don't want you to end up hurt or left behind when things turn ugly. At least now… you'll know what's really happening."
For a few seconds, silence filled the room except for the faint simmering sound from the pot on the stove.
Then Hauen gave a faint, resigned smile. "Whatever it is, Bora… I'm not worrying about it. My job is to give Suho a baby, that's it. After that… what happens doesn't matter to me."
Bora hesitated, then nodded softly. "As you say, ma'am."
They both turned back to the kitchen work. Yet, in the quiet clinking of utensils and the aroma of cooking, Hauen's thoughts lingered, not on the meal, but on the secret she had just learned.
The Kim mansion's walls, she realized, held more than just tradition. They hid a silent war.
Two Weeks later
Two weeks passed, and Hauen slowly began adjusting to her new surroundings. She stayed in constant touch with her family, and thanks to Suho's first installment of the promised investment, her father's business was saved from immediate bankruptcy. On the other hand, Suho's family had grown increasingly curious about the "good news," and somehow, he kept managing to handle their questions without raising suspicion.
That night, Hauen went to the kitchen to fill her water bottle before bed. Just as she twisted the cap open, she heard someone clear their throat. Startled, she turned around and found Suho standing by the doorway.
"Oh, hi," she greeted softly, offering a polite smile.
He nodded once, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Actually… the doctor said it's your ovulation period, right?"
She blinked, surprised by the bluntness. "Ah… yes," she replied quietly.
He shifted on his feet, blinking a few times as if avoiding her gaze. "I think… we should try from today."
An awkward silence filled the kitchen. Hauen forced a small smile. "Oh… um, yeah. Give me five minutes, I'll just finish this," she said, holding up her bottle.
He nodded again and waited, standing still by the counter until she was done.
"Come," she said finally, gesturing toward the hallway. He followed behind her silently.
On the way, she hesitated before speaking. "Actually… I wanted to say something."
"Hmm? Go ahead," he replied, glancing at her briefly.
She took a quiet breath. "I understand, this is really awkward for you to do something like this with me when your heart clearly belongs to Yerin."
He stopped walking.
The hallway light cast a faint glow between them, his expression unreadable.
She smiled faintly, breaking the silence again. "I actually came up with one thought," she began hesitantly. "Why don't you just… You know, have Yerin get pregnant instead? It'd be easier for you to convince your family then. They wouldn't have a choice but to accept her. And that way, she'll be officially yours, and the child… well, it would be your love child."
Her tone was almost playful, like she was handing him a billion-dollar idea.
Suho just stared at her, expression unreadable.
Realizing how ridiculous it might've sounded, she chuckled awkwardly. "Don't mind me. It's just that… babies should be made with love, not like this," she said softly, her eyes briefly lowering.
He raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. "From where do you even come up with such ideas?"
She blinked, caught off guard by his tone. "What? It actually made sense, didn't it?" she asked, half-defensive, half-embarrassed.
He exhaled through his nose, the corner of his lip twitching into a faint smile.
She blinked again,
"Yerin is very precious to me," he said, his voice showing the affection he has for Yerin. "She has a fear of giving birth. And even if I had married her with my family's consent, I'd never put her through that. I would've gone for other options. But right now…" he paused, his jaw tightening, "things aren't going the way we want. We're left with no choice but this."
His words were cold, factual, yet beneath them, there was something unspoken, heavy.
Haeun stood frozen, staring at him. Damn… what a caring man, she thought silently. Yerin's so lucky to have someone like him.
She didn't even realize she was lost in her thoughts until his voice snapped her out of it.
"Are you planning to stand there like a statue?" he said sharply. "Should I just cancel the contract and find someone else?"
She startled, shaking her head quickly. "N–no! I'm coming…"
She hurried after him, setting her water bottle aside as her heart pounded. Suho stood by the bed, his expression pale, tense, a man forcing himself to do something he didn't want to. Every line on his face screamed conflict.
He looked like he wanted to run away.But he couldn't.He had no choice.