Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: Trying Hard to Play the Part of a Proper Dad**

Tears that had gathered in Tae-yeon's eyes were trapped like a dam behind her long lashes, then suddenly overflowed, streaming down her face. Watching Tae-yeon bite her lip and weep, Choi Hyun-seo let out a sigh.

" My makeup is going to smudge. What's the problem? Yoon Ji-won was my college friend, and we dated for a while. But she got married early. It was a marriage of convenience arranged by her family, and since the in-laws seemed to get along well, I guess it was convenience at first but turned into love. She's doing well. She has nothing to do with me. Did that really become such a problem?"

Tae-yeon caught her breath at Choi Hyun-seo's words. The real issue wasn't the question itself but the way he refused to ask anything and simply remained silent. Of course, it was a contract. They were a couple bound by contract, a mother and father. After a whole year, this unchanging contract relationship was slowly wearing her down.

This man was unfazed, yet he was pressing her alone into a sea of self-loathing. Standing there without a word, Tae-yeon felt Choi Hyun-seo speak calmly.

"You could have asked me directly. If it was about Yoon Ji-won, I could have told you everything. But Yoon-woo’s birth mother is you, Min Tae-yeon. I won't accept any other questions besides that."

The soothing words came out gently, like warm comfort. Tae-yeon bit her lip harder.

"I understand, Director. But..."

His lips immediately covered hers. His tongue traced along her lip line, licking her lips rhythmically, then pushed deep inside. The wild kiss continued, making her lipstick completely smeared, without giving her a chance to breathe.

While holding her waist tightly, Choi Hyun-seo didn't stop the kiss. His hands slid lower from her waist, pressing even deeper until their bodies met where their heated desire collided. Without any time to clear her muddled mind, the relentless kisses turned into pure heat that surged upward.

"Min Tae-yeon."

Choi Hyun-seo called her name softly, then moaned beside her ear.

"Just... just be there. No matter what, you have to."

It sounded like she had misheard. The inexplicable desperation hidden in the word "you have to" was amplifying his contradictions. Choi Hyun-seo twisted his head and pushed his tongue even deeper. The clear sensation of wetness below made her dizzy, yet he held her tightly and asked.

"How is it? Have you calmed down? You're at a birthday celebration right now."

That was exactly what Tae-yeon wanted to say. She was at a birthday celebration right now—why was he kissing her so lewdly?

Choi Hyun-seo let out a small sigh near her ear.

"There are places for people to gossip. Even here. Still, I have to go out and check on the guests. I also have to send Yun-woo back here. If people stay too long in crowded places, it could cause trouble."

That was true. He handed her a tissue and said.

"Fix your makeup and come out."

"I understand, Director."

Her heart was hurt. She knew that the increasing frequency of her heart being hurt was not because of Choi Hyun-seo, but because of herself.

How much longer was she supposed to live like this?

Would it be solved after two years?

What if she completely left his side? Would that solve everything?

But Yun-woo was only a year old now. After his second birthday, there would always be other things to do at the right time. If she left Choi Hyun-seo and lived only as Yun-woo's mother, would she even be able to bear it?

Even if she looked like the perfect wife of Choi Hyun-seo, the reality was stark. Choi Hyun-seo’s subordinate. Everything was just an act.

No matter how much she had felt Yun-woo's status as the sole heir of Miwoo Group on his hundredth day, it was even more evident on his first birthday. Chairman Choi had given land on the hundredth day and a villa on his first birthday. But there was more.

Two days later, Yun-woo appeared on the media as the youngest shareholder of Miwoo Group. Because of this, Chairman Choi came directly to Choi Hyun-seo's house.

Since it was Saturday, Choi Hyun-seo was about to go to work a little late when Chairman Choi, who had come early, was sitting in the center of the living room. On either side of him sat Choi Hyun-seo and Tae-yeon.

"You gave the shares to Yun-woo without telling me? Why didn't you inform me earlier?"

"I thought you would oppose it."

Choi Hyun-seo answered calmly. Chairman Choi's face did not look good.

"You did it with your own will, right?"

"Yes. Since it was my shares, I gave them to him. Besides, it doesn't affect the management rights."

"Right. Of course, it's fine. But isn't it too much for such a young child to carry?"

"Would it be heavier than what Father gave me? The shares I've been managing are cheaper in price than the villa Father gave. In terms of money alone, it's not much."

Of course it was. But unlike money, shares were related to management. Chairman Choi raised an eyebrow.

"But everyone is watching. A child who has just turned a year old is a shareholder. Isn't it better not to do something that draws too much attention?"

"No. I plan to properly handle and give them once every ten years. No one will be able to ignore that Yun-woo is the successor to Miwoo Group."

While listening to the conversation between Chairman Choi and Choi Hyun-seo, Tae-yeon was dumbfounded. Why was it so urgent? It wouldn't be too late even after he became an adult. It was clearly rushing something that should be done slowly, something Choi Hyun-seo wouldn't normally do.

Chairman Choi nodded at Choi Hyun-seo.

"Right. They say you'll get tax benefits once every ten years, but how much is that really? Why are you in such a hurry? There will be many things to leave to Yun-woo in the future. But it's good not to have people focus on him too much since he's too young."

"I have told you all to lower the photos. Choi Yun-woo's name will eventually be known anyway. I will never upload the photos. It won't be good for a child's face to be sold."

"Right. I gave that order too. Have a second and a third. Why are you so attached only to Yun-woo?"

With a cold expression, Choi Hyun-seo slowly continued to Chairman Choi.

"Still, the eldest son is the eldest son. The child's position should be set by the father."

Chairman Choi didn't say a word. When Tae-yeon looked at the two, their relationship felt unusually tense. Choi Hyun-seo looked straight at Chairman Choi with wide eyes.

"That's right. Since our Yun-woo is the eldest son."

"Do you have to always be like that toward your father? Isn't it time to stop?"

It was just one word, but the look of dissatisfaction was full on Chairman Choi's face. Chairman Choi, who had been staring fixedly at Choi Hyun-seo, stood up.

"I should go."

"Understood."

Tae-yeon saw Chairman Choi off without a word. The eldest son. Now that she thought about it, she had heard that Miwoo Group had a brother besides Choi Hyun-seo. But she had never seen him once, and the family had never mentioned him.

That's right. It was something about being in the United States. She had thought about it vaguely, but she didn't seem to like asking about the family unless it was related to work. But after Chairman Choi left, Tae-yeon asked.

"Director, I heard you have a brother, don't you? I heard the company knew about it that way. But I never got to meet him."

Suddenly, Choi Hyun-seo's eyes became extremely sharp.

"Employees know about Choi Myung-seo's existence? How interesting. It's a person that the parents have forgotten, but others remember."

Choi Myung-seo. She couldn't remember exactly, but she had heard something like that. A son born from the stepmother.

"Do you have any more questions?"

Choi Hyun-seo's cold face asked, and Tae-yeon shook her head.

"No, Director. But giving the shares to Yun-woo seems too early. I don't want the child to feel burdened."

The cold face of Choi Hyun-seo twisted into something malicious.

"Deputy Manager Min. Are you interested in the share transfers of the owner family?"

It was a word that cut like a knife. Yun-woo was her son. No matter how much she had raised him that way, at this moment, their statuses had completely divided. Choi Yun-woo is the owner family, and I am Deputy Manager Min.

In one word, even if I raised him with all my strength, this child is of a different royal family from me.

Tae-yeon looked straight at Hyun-seo and said.

"I'm hurt."

"What?"

"Yes. Of course, it's true that I made the contract and am raising Yun-woo. But I'm raising him with all my strength. Yet you say it so dividedly. It's too hurtful."

Choi Hyun-seo looked at Tae-yeon with an even colder face.

"Wasn't that a condition of the contract? To raise Yun-woo with all my strength. Isn't that right?"

Tae-yeon had nothing to say. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit them back.

"Yes, Director. But Director, you said it many times. Yun-woo is my son, right? Until the day I die, I am his birth mother. As long as I am Yun-woo's birth mother, I will speak out about anything that hurts him."

"What?"

"Whether or not you listen to my words, I will say it. Don't make Yun-woo suffer. The child should be raised like a child. If I put all kinds of burdens on him, will he grow up properly? What kind of father does that? Have you ever thought about what it really means to be a father? Don't just hand it over to me—properly play the part of a dad!"

Their blazing eyes met. Choi Hyun-seo's cold eyes reached Tae-yeon, but she fiercely resisted with her gaze, slammed the door shut with a bang, and entered the room.