Deal Breaker - Chapter 54

And it wasn’t only Kanghyeon who would be made miserable by that unwanted choice.

“Children are environmental destruction.”

A father who would treat his own child with that mindset. The thought made her pity the child.

A father who would give only fair, detached kindness, without love. One day, the child might feel it too.

Han Kanghyeon would be a bad father because he was a good man. Hyeji didn’t want her child to be something like an unwanted box of chocolates someone had been forced to accept.

It’d be better if neither of them ever knew.

She drew a small check mark next to her last option. Then, almost unconsciously, she drew a second check, just as small.

The closer she came to a decision, the more doubts grew. Was it really alright for her to make such a huge decision all on her own? Sighing, Hyeji lifted her gaze, only for her eyes to be caught by the black text in the center of her monitor.

She realized it only now. There was one other condition attached to termination besides pregnancy.

Upon Party B becoming aware.

As long as Party B didn’t know that Party A was pregnant with his child, the contract wouldn’t be terminated. In other words, if Kanghyeon never found out, she could remain his exclusive Guide.

This feels like it was put there on purpose…

Hyeji had spent years watching Kanghyeon review contract clauses with lawyers, and she knew him well. He was thorough to the extreme, and every word in a contract held weight. This meant Kanghyeon had already given her his answer through the contract.

Even if you get pregnant, whether you have it, raise it, or whatever, don’t tell me.

‘Yes, Director. I’ll do as you wish.’

Her hesitation vanished in an instant.

‘Good. I always wanted a child, even if I didn’t get married.’

She’d thought about getting a sperm donation, but she ended up getting it by accident. She did feel a little sorry for the Director, who never planned to be a ‘donor’. All the more reason she had to hide this.

Resolving to tell a lie that would keep everyone happy, Hyeji stole a glance at Kanghyeon, who was still on the phone, and slid the scrap paper under her desk.

Whiiirr.

The sound of the shredder tearing paper to pieces made Kanghyeon glance over, phone still to his ear. Their eyes met, and Hyeji curved her eyes into a smile. At the hint of confusion in his gaze, she turned her head away.

He would never know the meaning of that smile for as long as he lived.

There was one more hurdle left.

* * *

“My Royal Grandmother, Princess Hyeji’s home.”

When she got home from work, Hyeji had two paper bags in her hands, filled with glutinous rice donuts and twisted crullers that her grandmother loved.

“Oh dear, we could’ve fried these at home. Why’d you buy them?”

Despite the scolding, her grandmother ate four of them in one sitting. You’re supposed to eat something sweet before hearing shocking news. Generosity comes from carbohydrates, after all.

After washing up, Hyeji lay down with her head on her grandmother’s lap, studying her expression. Only after listening to her grandmother recount another ‘spring is in the air’ story about a gentleman suitor did she finally begin her confession.

“Grandma, Princess Hyeji messed up.”

Her grandmother’s eyes went round. Hyeji took her grandmother’s wrinkled hand and placed it on her own lower belly. She didn’t need to say it aloud. Her grandmother set the cruller back on her plate and let out a deep sigh before asking,

“A girl who’s never even dated… Who’s the bastard? Who did this to you?”

“Just some handsome guy.”

When Hyeji called him handsome, her grandmother gave a dry laugh.

“Does the baby’s father know?”

“No, not yet. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell him.”

“…Is he married?”

Ah, Grandma. Please stop watching those extreme, melodramatic makjang dramas.

“No. We just got tangled up because of work, and it turned out like this. It’s not like we’re in love. He’s a decent person, but… he doesn’t seem like someone who’d make a good dad.”

The baby’s biological father. Genetic donor. Sperm donor. Call it what you will, but he wasn’t a man suited to being a father, nor did he want to be.

“Good grief, you should’ve been careful.”

“I know…”

Her grandmother gazed down at her sulking granddaughter and let out another heavy sigh.

“Well, what’s done is done. Spilled water can’t be scooped back up.”

The hand resting quietly on Hyeji’s belly began to rub it in soothing circles, like a healing touch.

“How far along are you?”

“About three months.”

She’d learned in school how to calculate pregnancy weeks, but that was so long ago she couldn’t remember. The OBGYN would tell her anyway. Since the incident had been two and a half months ago, she guessed three months.

“Are you going to keep the child?”