That was the day when I first met him again. The day when he was around Chaeyoon's brother's room, even I didn't know what was his intention. But, I felt something weird will happen soon when I saw his full black attire with the mask.
Although I didn't meet him for so long, I was familiar with his gesture. He looked somewhat dangerous right now. His sight at the door reminded me of when I first caught him up meeting with Go Seokjin before he left the company. They were in a serious talk before he handed his resignation letter the next day. 

'Is Chaeyoon true? Go Seokjin started it all?'

I didn't know he would become like this. It reminded me of when Chaeyoon told me about her parents that were passing away because of Mount. The one I hope that it wasn't true but, seeing him right in front of a collapsed Ridge's Director, turned me to start believing what Chaeyoon had said. 

'No, you shouldn't believe someone first. Find the facts first!' 

I sighed and suddenly I watched him fleeing from Chaeyoon's brother's room when he saw Chaeyoon came nearer. Narrowing my eyes out of curiousness, I stopped the doctors and insisted to announce his death. If he was there when Chaeyoon's brother state dropped it wouldn't impossible if he keeps roaming around Chaeyoon's brother the next time. 

Me, who was coming with the idea that shouldn't be used. Someone's life wasn't something that could be played with. Of course, the doctors won't do it. At first, they thought that I was trying to do something that would drown them too. But, as times passed by, the doctor finally knew my intentions. The sudden dropped states of him, initiated the doctor to call me. It was turning even stranger when it happened multiple times. I do know that what I have done, was something unusual but, I still need him to match the puzzles that were scattered everywhere. 

"Thanks, Doctor!" I said in relief on the phone when the doctor finally called me. As the doctor agreed with my insane idea, the only thing left was convincing Chaeyoon to be on the same side as me. 

*****((()))*****

"THIS IS BECAUSE OF MOUNT! THIS IS BECAUSE OF YOU! I TOLD YOU MOUNT KILLED MY FAMILY! GO AWAY!"

She screamed in front of me while tightening her grab on my collars and hitting my chest right after telling her the news she doesn't want to hear. That was the normal thing I should get when I suddenly announced her brother's death, right after she happily told her friend, Hari, that her brother almost regained his consciousness. As the villain, I became someone unemphatic for her.

And also another one was she already lost her belief in me since then. I didn't know when it started, but it must be that day when she first came to my company. 

'Sighed'

Even after knowing the pathetic facts I had, I am still as calm as it is. I was just feeling that I have no right to throw my anger. The fact that she is happy just enough to me, especially about her pregnancy. 

'What a trash? I said that her happiness is enough for me?'

And now, I announced her brother's death news to her. Mocking at myself that made me being expressionless, I saw how she was being tortured after hearing that news. 

"GO AWAY JISUNG-SSI! YOU ARE SIMILAR TO THEM. YOU..."

Her screams gave me more grieve especially when I felt the hit on my chest turned harsher. Looking straight at her desperate eyes, I tried to make myself tougher to see her like that. Holding my anger for me. For me who don't know the way to release her remorse. Until I felt my tightened jaw, I grab her hand that hit me tightly.

"Listen to me!" I said and at the same time, I saw her being frozen. "He is still alive..."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YOU JUST TOLD ME..." 

"Chaeyoon-ah. Believe me!" 

"How can I believe you when you changed your words in an instant???" 

"I saw him..." 

"Him?"

"The one who might kill your parents."

"How can I..."

"I moved your brother to a more private room. I moved him to another hospital."

"Why did you do that?"

"We should give Mount what they want..." I paused when I say that thing. This kind of thing successfully put me into a dilemma. Mount the one that I lead and Chaeyoon the one that I love. "I mean, I won't betray Mount but, I also can't let you go..." I sighed. 

"I know it's impossible to betray Mount, but I will try to look for the truth. I will try to be fair and if Mount did that, I will take responsibility. As the director..." 

"What kind of responsibility?" She asked me in caution. Her sight shows them all. Afraid, awareness, and scare. Gulping my throat in pain, I hardly spoke. 

"I will do whatever do you want..."

"Even when we should separate?" 

'Why did she ask that?'

Swallowing my pain from the question, I tried to put her situation in my shoes. If I were her, I would ask the same question. The awkwardness after all the incidents and all the things that happened to us. We would never be the same again.

But, how hard I try to accept as she wants, I couldn't dismiss my ego that I am not her. Closing my eyes to redeem my mixed emotions, I put my smile slightly trying to be sincere so that she would put her belief in me.

"I will..."

*****((()))*****

Far from the place where she was standing with black attire, I took a seat on the place where I can see everything on the ceremony. Taemu and Hari helped her in the funeral ceremony instead of me. Taking the charge, they worked well from afar. Even though Hari is not Chaeyoon's relatives, but I can see her sincerity in protecting her. They helped me when I wasn't around. 

If tons of reporters weren't coming I would stand beside her but, I couldn't show myself as Ridge's rival. The companies rivalry that is already spreading since then which I just knew and it became worse when Go Seokjin was reported to the police which I didn't know what was the reason and the strange one was Ha Jonghyun, Ha Chaeyoon's brother was found bleeding in his room news were spread at the same time. 
But it wasn't my intention right now. The important thing was him. The one that always lingered to Chaeyoon's brother's room. Even now, he looked calm as nothing had happened. Bet, he was satisfied inside knowing Ha Jonghyun had died. 

Tasting the dishes from the ceremony, I ate that while hiding myself. Grinning, I just felt relief after feeling he wasn't that aware of my presence in the ceremony. I meant, he was there bravely giving a tribute to Chaeyoon's brother. Slowly, I gulped my soju on my right side on the table when he greeted Chaeyoon. Scrunching my eyebrows in curiosity, I saw their natural interaction for some minutes. He took time longer to greet her. 

"Who is he for the God's Sake?' 

-----

Three days after the funeral ceremony ended without something bad happened. Accompanying her to her apartment, I put my best to help her to recover from the fatigue. Sitting on the floor while she was sitting on the couch, I massaged her calves and talking by myself to the unborn child of mine. 

Sighing, I thought that was the most pathetic way of mine to get closer with women. But, it was the only one that can help us out from the cold. Every time we were in the same room, the coldness of us couldn't be hidden. We were close as vein and blood but then we are as far as sun and earth. 
Taking much longer to talk to me or covered it as I talk to my unborn child, I gave up on asking myself. I looked at her tired face, already sleeping while caressing her tummy with her back leaning on the couch.

"Is it hard for you, Honey?" I sighed and put her leg slowly to the floor.

Waking up from where I sit, my hands slowly lifted her from the couch to her bed in bridal style. As she slept on the bed comfortably, I pulled the blanket to wrap her. Mesmerizing her sleeping face from the bedside, I smiled looking at her calm breathes. 

"I am trying to make up for us also ours," I grabbed her hand tightly while looking at her almost shown tummy. This was when I am talking to her. The most comfortable situation that I always wait to talk to her since we separated. 

"I will try to figure it out. Just wait for it! I won't give up on us." 

-----

I opened the apartment door only to catch the two of them frozen in front of me. Peeking at the Chaeyoon's bedroom, I sighed holding in my urge to laugh.

"Chaeyoon has a sensitive feeling indeed," I gazed at the presence of Taemu who already fixing his tie uneasy when he saw me opening the door.

"It is..." 

"Drive me home, Taemu-ya! I need to change my outfit," I said as looking at another frozen woman beside him. "Hari-ssi, I need to go home first. If she needs something, just call me!" I winked and linked my hand to Taemu. 

"Hari-ssi..." Taemu hardly tried to look behind me waving his hand to Hari. 

"Enough for today, Mr. Taemu!" I smirked while dragging him even faster. 

*****((()))*****

Straying my sight outside I looked at him who was driving silently after I catch him with Hari. 

"Do you love her?" I asked nonchalantly breaking the ice in the car.

"What do you mean...ehmmm"

"I am a man, too." 

"Director..." 

"Alright, that is your privacy though," I smirked. 

"Director, why do you have to go there every day?" The question tickled me. The question that made me do this thing. Going back and forth from her house to mine almost every day. I sighed and pulled out my phone to scroll the photo of him. The one that might be the one who made a fuss between Mount and Ridge. Right when the car stopped when the traffic lamp showed a red light. Without words, I handed my phone to him. Once, he looked at the phone curiously until he adjusted his glasses. 

"Who is he, Director?" 

"I saw him near Chaeyoon's brother's room, I suspect him for being..."

"Director..." he stopped me and drove the car when he saw the green light. "Director, what do you want me to do?" I glanced at him with a smirk. 

"The footage when Chaeyoon almost got stabbed. And the footage near her brother's room."

"Do you think they are the same person, Director?" He asked me carefully. 

"I don't know. At least I can figure it out after watching the footage," 

"Alright, Director!" 

"Ah... and also. Why he is linked to Ridge and Mount."

"Did he work in Mount, Director? I never see him..." he stopped the car suddenly on the edge of the quiet road. "Don't you say..."

"He was my secretary before you came."

*****((()))*****

The next two days,

Taemu was already standing in front of me with his tired eyes behind his glasses. With a weak move, he handed me a USB on my table. Already knowing what is inside, I let out a  big smile. Proud of him who was hardworking and being loyal to me also Chaeyoon, with the help of Hari's presence. 

"As I predict from Taemu..." I grabbed the USB and at a fast pace opened the folders from it on the computer. When I found the folder of the footage of Chaeyoon and her brother's room, I clicked the folders immediately. The footage played in the monitor as I leaned my back to the chair in curiousness about what will happen through the footage.

"As you said before, it is the same person. Shin Woohyun. The secretary of the late director of Ridge..." the news tickled my heart and when he said "the late director".

"Does he still work there?"

"Yes, he is working for Ha Chaeyoon's Director." 
Unconsciously, I grabbed the nearest paper on the table as I woke up from I sat. Gritting my teeth in anger letting out my hand hit the table with my fist. 

"Does he something bad when he works at Ridge?" I asked. 

"We still don't know what is happening? But, we should keep it first for us. Because, he is the trusted person of Ha Jonghyun, Ha Chaeyoon's brother."

"What do you mean about a trusted person?? He almost..."

"At least, we still can protect her, Director."
He said while fixing his glasses. 

"He almost kills her!" I raised my tone.

"Yes, Director. But, she can't fire him without reason. Especially, he came to the company by her brother's choice. The one who can fire him is the late Ha Jonghyun. Or else, she will be in danger if she fires him in sudden." His words made me raise my brow uneasy. 

"Do you know something about Ha Jonghyun?" 

"I watched the footage first, Director." 

"How far do you know about that?"

"Only when he was being moved to another hospital, Director." 

"Okay... I can't do anything about this."

"The only one we hope is he regained his consciousness soon and solve the problem with him. He is the only one who knows both Mount and Ridge informations." 

"Taemu-ya, can you find something before he turned to this current condition."

"Alright, Director!" He bowed slightly to me. 

"And also ask Hari to be with her every day even in her companies ..." I paused and looked at his sincere gaze."...please!" 

*****((()))*****

Four months later...

Months full of torture after knowing the truth that the one who want to harm Chaeyoon was around her every day. Even though Taemu had already convinced me that she will be fine with Hari beside her. But still, the presence of my unborn child got me more thrilled. With the condition of her tummy that started showing, I grew worrier.

We often met as the Wooden and Mount representatives outside professionally, but we met every day in her apartment. With the responsibility as a father, I took care of them. The way when she threw up and needed something to release her fatigue but we never passed the line. Being a pregnant woman that also led two big companies by herself, led me to take care of her pregnancy. Especially when I found out someone dangerous was beside her every day.

Since I found that she is a part of Ridge and also has an urge to drag Mount down, we never came back to the relationship we ever had before. And also our part as the highest position in our companies we should draw the line more precisely. 

Even though I know that Mount already did a foul by sending our secretary to Ridge. But, the fact that we were together. Not only together but, now she is pregnant. There are no other ways for me not to do that as a responsible father. Trying my best to be on her side when she is pregnant got me more familiar with where she lives and the couch I always use to sleep on while she was sleeping with Hari in her bedroom.

Sighed with a hidden smile, I pulled my blanket to cover myself and facing to her bedroom door. Massaging my forehead, I put on a smile when the view of her putting a sonogram photo of our child on the table beside the folded blanket when I was in the bathroom quietly.

The baby started growing bigger in her womb. Only knowing that the baby is healthy was enough for me. At least the baby, still grew up strong inside even though the mommy was struggling hard on her companies while waiting for her brother to wake up from his coma. 

"You have the strongest mother in the world, Dear," I whispered to the picture with a slight smile.

*****((()))*****

The next day,

Go Seokjin Uncle came to my room in the early morning with the expression that I knew. He hated the fact I was going easy with Wooden's decision or for sure it was Chaeyoon. The rival we should avoid at first. But, I do the opposite. I was closer to her even though it was for a personal reason. 

"Director," he said with his cracked old voice. He wiped his white hair as relieving his urge to throw his anger at me. His gritted teeth and tightened jaw showed it all. "If we are still being like this, we will collapse soon."

"Why are you praying that kind of hope?" I smirked while playing with my pen on the table, dragging my chair closer to the table with my feet. 

"Director, we should take this seriously!" He raised his tone to me. Instead of answering his question, I smirked. "Director, the last way is you should ask Ridge Director to do the merge." 

"You said the same thing as my father's" I sighed. "Don't you even think that everyone might think that I am using her?"

"Director, it is for..."

"Uncle!" I broke the pen I played with before and looked straight at him. "We still don't solve the companies issues. I can't make a decision when it is still vague." 

"Company works every day, Director!" I looked at how hard he holds his anger with his tightened grip. 

"Or how about you tell me more about the lost files of the financial department first?" I grinned.
 
*****((()))*****

Taemu came to me in a rush right after Go Seokjin Uncle met me. Closing the door slowly not to be too shown by everyone outside, he then went to my table. 

"Director!" He said as gasping his breath. While fixing his glasses, he peeked to the windows in suspicion. "Chaeyoon-ssi is in danger!" 

"What do you mean?" I scrunched my brows in worry.

"I heard Go Seokjin Senior, called someone!" He gasped out of breath. Taking time he managed his breath for a while before blurting the words I don't want to hear. "Woohyun, yes Woohyun. He was told to do the same this night. I don't know what he means with the same but, the one I know Chaeyoon-ssi is in danger right now." 

-to be continued-

A/N:
Hi my lovely readers ^^
Another late update heheh ^^

But, hopefully you still can enjoy this story ^^

With love,
Byeol-nim ❤