Suho looked up and smiled. "Please, have a seat."
Hyunwoo smiled and sat down. "Mr. Kang, this is about the second installment of the investment for your family business," Suho began.
"I already spoke to your father. He mentioned you'd be handling the paperwork since you're now the power of attorney."
Hyunwoo nodded.
Suho gave him a serious look. "Make sure you don't repeat the same mistake as last time. Your sister saved you this time," he said, his tone firm but calm.
Hyunwoo's smile faded a little, and he couldn't meet Suho's eyes. "Yes, I'll be careful this time," he replied.
Suho nodded and handed him a file. "Here are all the details. I've already discussed them with your father. Just ask him to confirm everything officially once."
Hyunwoo nodded, stood up, and said, "Thank you."
Just as he turned to leave, Suho spoke, "Don't you want to ask how your sister is doing?"
Hyunwoo froze for a moment, then smiled awkwardly. "She's with you, so I'm sure she's fine," he said.
Suho raised an eyebrow. "You trust me that much with your sister?"
Hyunwoo's smile wavered. Suho leaned back slightly. "You do remember, I married her for a purpose. Don't you think you should be a little more concerned?"
Hyunwoo forced a small laugh. "I trust you, Mr. Kim. Even if it's a contract marriage, I know you'll take care of her during the agreement period," he said, trying to sound confident.
Suho studied his face for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Well, thank you for trusting me."
Hyunwoo nodded and quickly left the office. Suho's smile slowly faded, a darker expression settling on his face as he watched Hyunwoo disappear through the door.
At the penthouse, Hauen let out a long sigh, staring blankly at the negative test strip before tossing it into the dustbin. "How many nights do I have to go through this to get a positive?" she muttered, tugging her hair in frustration.
She sat on the edge of the toilet seat, her chest tight. Each night was getting harder, not because of the act itself, but because of the way it was changing her. The way he touched her, the warmth in his voice, even when he was drunk, the gentleness that slipped through his guilt, it all felt too real. Too intimate.
What started as a deal was slowly turning into something she couldn't control. Every night, he came to her as someone lost, and every morning, he left as if nothing had ever happened. And that was what broke her the most.
She didn't want to feel this way. Didn't want to fall into a love that had no place to go. Because he wasn't hers. He belonged to someone else. And all these soft, stolen moments, they only existed in the space between his drunken haze and her unspoken heart.
She ran her fingers through her hair, breathing hard as if trying to steady her heart. "No, Hauen… don't," she whispered to herself. "He loves Yerin so much. Don't become the poison in their sweet love story. Don't be the reason for something bitter in their life."
Her chest tightened as she looked at her reflection. "Just give him what he wants and get out of their lives. You promised yourself you'd help them be together, so don't ruin it with unnecessary feelings," she told herself firmly. "He cannot be yours."
She lightly patted her cheeks, forcing a faint smile, and walked out of the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the kitchen.
"Bora, what are you cooking?" she asked, her tone soft but strained. Bora turned, surprised by her sudden energy. "Just some stew for lunch, ma'am."
"Let me help," Hauen said, rolling up her sleeves. She moved beside Bora, chopping vegetables and talking about little, meaningless things, anything to keep her hands busy and her mind distracted from the one thought that kept looping in her heart: He'll never be mine.
Night fell, and Suho walked in as usual, hands in his pockets, looking fresh and calm. Hauen was sitting on the couch, her head lowered.
He gently patted her shoulder, and she looked up. He smiled. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "I was just thinking."
"Thinking about what?" he asked.
"I tested again today… but still no results," she said softly, disappointment clear in her voice.
He sat beside her. "Don't stress yourself, Hauen."
She sighed. "I can't help it, Suho. We've already tried three or four times this week, but nothing's happening. Usually it doesn't take this many attempts. Our reports say we're both healthy, but still…" She trailed off, frustration showing in her tone.
He looked at her quietly, then reached out and patted her head gently. "Don't worry, we'll get a positive result soon. Just don't overthink it," he said softly.
She looked up at him, her eyes stinging, but she tried to hold back her emotions. "You know how we've been doing this, putting ourselves through such uncomfortable situations, especially you, and still, there's no result." She buried her face in her hands, sighing deeply.
Suho didn't know what to say; she looked truly stressed and drained.
After a moment, she looked at him again. "Let's go to the doctor tomorrow. I feel like something's not right. We should get checked again," she said seriously.
He studied her face, noticing the concern in her eyes. "You're sure about this?" he asked.
She nodded firmly. "Yes. Let's consult one more time. We've followed everything correctly, but nothing's working. I feel like we're missing something… or doing something wrong."
He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll book an appointment for tomorrow. We'll visit the doctor."
She nodded, but the worry on her face didn't fade. He noticed it immediately. "You're worrying too much," he said gently. "You look more stressed than I am."
She looked at him, her eyes calm yet heavy. "I have to," she said quietly. "I don't want to drag this any longer. The sooner we get a positive result, the better it'll be for both of us."
Something about her tone made his heart skip. There was a strange urgency in her voice, like she was running from something, or trying to protect herself from breaking.
"You sure you're okay, Hauena?" he asked again, watching her closely.
She nodded with a faint smile. "I'm fine." Then, when he reached for the bottle on the table, she said softly, "Not today. I don't want to take any risks. You can drink if you want, though."
He looked at her for a long moment, something about her restraint, her tone, felt different tonight.
He smiled lightly. "Okay then, let's talk about something."
She looked up at him, her tone calm but distant. "What's there to talk about?"
He leaned back. "Something about ourselves, maybe?"
A faint smile curved on her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. "We shouldn't talk too much about ourselves, Suho. You know this is a contract. Once it ends, we'll go back to being strangers."
He chuckled softly. "Why? We can still keep in touch. Maybe even be friends."
She looked at him for a long second before replying, her voice quiet but heavy. "I don't want to be."
His smile faded. "Why not?"
Her lips trembled slightly as she smiled again; this time, it carried a hint of pain. "Because after everything… after I give you your child, how could I possibly stay in touch when that baby will grow up right in front of me as a stranger?"
The air fell silent. His expression shifted, his smile gone, replaced by something unreadable.
She smiled softly, her voice steady but honest. "I can't do that… I don't want that to happen. No matter what, deal, contract, business, in the end, the truth is I'll be the mother of the child, and I won't be able to forget that when I'm around."
She looked up at him, eyes earnest. "So… once I deliver the child, I won't be in your life. Just… take care of that little soul."
He met her gaze, sensing the weight behind her words. He took her hands in his. "I will. And that's my promise… to the mother of my child."
Her eyes flickered with emotion, and she blinked quickly to hide it. She smiled faintly, trying to lighten the mood. "Okay… that's too much emotional talk."
He returned her smile, his gaze lingering on her. She felt it and spoke softly, "Well then… good night. It's late." She stood up.
"Good night," he said quietly, watching her. Her figure disappeared down the hallway, but his eyes followed her until she vanished from view.
The next day, they sat in front of the doctor, going through the reports.
"Everything looks fine, the sperm count, egg quality, and even your intimacy pattern. By now, you should have gotten a positive," the doctor said.
Suho frowned and glanced at Hauen. "Then why aren't we?"
The doctor paused, thinking. "Is your diet okay?" she asked Hauen.
"Yes, I'm following your chart," Hauen replied.
The doctor nodded. "Alright… did you get your period this month?"
Hauen shook her head. "No, not yet."
"Okay, wait for a week and continue as usual. We'll check again after that," the doctor advised.
Hauen closed her eyes, lost in thought, while Suho looked at her with concern. He then nodded to the doctor. "Okay, we'll come back in a week."
The doctor smiled and nodded.
That night, Hauen was in the kitchen, filling her water bottle, when her eyes landed on a shelf. Frowning, she reached for a strange box and pulled it down. As soon as she opened it, her eyes widened in shock.
"What the… fuck?!" she gasped.