Chapter 14

“Executive Director.”

Im Haewon called out to Jinwook again, snapping him out of his thoughts. Jinwook turned his gaze to the Omega standing before him.

Even now, the pheromones he detected were different from what he had experienced two months ago. Could it have been another Omega’s pheromones back then?

But the only person present at the time had been this new hire.

Or perhaps not.

Back then, his rut had been imminent. Maybe he’d caught a whiff of pheromones from another unseen Omega nearby.

For a fleeting moment, Sunwoo’s face flashed through Jinwook’s mind, but the image dissipated like sand slipping through his fingers.

“Bring it to my office.”

Jinwook’s cold words cut the air as he stepped into the elevator. Im Haewon opened his mouth as if to say something, but the doors closed mercilessly before he could.

Descending to the underground parking lot, Jinwook climbed into his car, parked prominently in the front, and drove off immediately.

“Secretary Gwak.”

Speeding recklessly out of the lot, Jinwook made a call.

“Yes, Executive Director.”

“Deploy people immediately to track down Choi Sunwoo. Use every resource and method necessary. Do you understand?”

Without waiting for a reply, Jinwook hung up.

Despite his urge to rush, the evening traffic was heavy with cars stopping and starting, the roads choked with congestion.

Scowling, Jinwook glared at the vehicles blocking his path. If only there were a shoulder lane—but in the city, such luxuries were rare.

Maybe I should just plow through them.

Before his dangerous thoughts could take root, his phone rang, breaking his focus. His eyes flicked to the device mounted on the dashboard, and his expression darkened at the name displayed on the screen.

[Kang Jintae]

His half-brother.

“What do you want?”

“You could at least greet me properly when you answer the phone.”

“Get to the point.”

Jinwook’s tone was curt, making it clear he wasn’t interested in small talk. A sigh came through the line.

“What would I expect from you, really?”

If you expect nothing, then why call? Jinwook thought but kept silent, unwilling to engage in a pointless argument with his brother in his already foul mood.

“I heard Sunwoo put his house on the market as a quick sale. What’s going on?”

The words barely registered before Jinwook slammed on the brakes.

Screech!

The car skidded to a halt, tires scraping against the road. The vehicle behind him braked sharply as well, its driver angrily honking in response.

“What?”

“What, you didn’t know? Sunwoo listed his house earlier today.”

“What are you talking about?”

“For someone who’s so ‘interested,’ you sure don’t seem to know anything. The listing went up an hour ago. Check it yourself.”

As Jinwook glared into the rearview mirror at the honking car behind him, unease prickled at the back of his neck. Sunwoo hadn’t returned home all evening, and his phone had been disconnected.

A bad feeling washed over him.

“I told you to take care of Sunwoo. He’s the only bloodline left of the benefactor’s family. Do you have any idea how much Father cares about him? If you let this slip—”

Jinwook ended the call abruptly, cutting off Jintae’s lecture.

Shifting his foot from the brake to the accelerator, Jinwook floored it.

Vroooom!

The car roared forward as Jinwook weaved aggressively through the gridlocked traffic like a rogue force.

Vehicles parted around him in startled chaos, accompanied by blaring horns, shouts, and curses. None of it fazed him.

Breaking every speed limit and ignoring traffic signals, Jinwook made his way to the hospital where Sunwoo had been treated.

Screeeeech!

With a piercing screech, Jinwook’s car slid to an abrupt stop in the hospital parking lot, skewed at an awkward angle. He jumped out and strode inside, his imposing Alpha pheromones radiating palpable anger.

The oppressive aura made everyone he passed recoil instinctively.

“Sir, can I help—”

A nurse near the doctor’s office spotted Jinwook and tried to intervene, but he ignored her and flung the door open.

The office was empty.

Jinwook’s expression darkened further, his brows knitting tightly.

“Where’s the doctor?” he demanded, turning his sharp gaze on the nurse.

“W-who are you?”

The nurse stammered, too intimidated to approach him. But when Jinwook’s glare intensified, she answered automatically.

“They… they’ve gone home!”

The nurse, a Beta, wasn’t usually sensitive to pheromones, but the overwhelming pressure from Jinwook’s dominant Alpha aura was unavoidable.

Her hands trembled as she reached under the desk for the emergency button to call security. Before she could press it, Jinwook turned and left abruptly.

The nurse exhaled shakily, sinking into her chair. As relief washed over her, a new worry surfaced. What if he really went after the doctor?

No way… He doesn’t even know where they live, she thought, shaking her head to dismiss the idea.

But what she didn’t realize was that Jinwook was relentless and disturbingly resourceful.

Exiting the hospital, Jinwook called Secretary Gwak again.

Sunwoo adjusted the contact information on his phone as Secretary Gwak forwarded the doctor’s address.

“Go ahead and wait there,” Jinwook ordered.

“Yes, sir.”

Without hesitation, Jinwook entered the address into the navigation system and sped up, his car tearing through the streets as recklessly as before.

When he arrived at a quiet residential area, he pulled over in front of a villa where a group of men was already stationed outside.

Jinwook strode in without pause. On the third floor, more men, including Secretary Gwak, were waiting outside an apartment door.

Bang, bang, bang.

Secretary Gwak nodded a greeting to Jinwook before knocking on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Open the door.”

The voice inside sounded tense. Gwak’s response was brusque, offering no details about his identity. Unsurprisingly, the door didn’t open.

“Who’s there?”

The voice came again, more nervous this time.

“Open the door,” Jinwook said, his tone sharp and commanding as he interjected before Gwak could answer.

Recognizing Jinwook’s voice, the occupant hesitated but eventually opened the door. Han Soojin stood there, her expression rigid as she faced him.

“Where’s Choi Sunwoo?”

Jinwook didn’t bother stepping inside, his question laced with impatience.

Han Soojin’s eyes widened briefly before she schooled her features into a more neutral expression. She thought she was masking her reaction well, but Jinwook caught the subtle shift immediately.

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me. Now.”

Jinwook’s pheromones surged, oppressive and threatening, making the air around them feel suffocatingly heavy. Han Soojin’s jaw tightened as she stubbornly met his gaze.

The truth was, she was just as worried about Sunwoo. Their last conversation had left her unsettled. But telling this man anything felt wrong.

She had her suspicions about who Sunwoo’s child’s other biological parent might be. Sunwoo had mentioned that he couldn’t remember the circumstances of their encounter due to a heat cycle’s side effects. And this man, with his overbearing and aggressive demeanor, seemed like a likely candidate.

Han Soojin feared that if Jinwook learned about the pregnancy, he might try to take the child away.

“Contact Sunwoo. Right now. He’s in danger,” Jinwook demanded, his tone edged with what sounded like genuine concern.

Han Soojin paused, surprised by the emotion she thought she detected in his voice.

Sunwoo slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling above him.

Where am I?

For a moment, he couldn’t figure out where he was, panic flickering at the edge of his thoughts. Then, as his gaze moved around the room, realization struck: he was in a hotel.

“Oh, right.”

Sitting up, he reached for his phone, which had been tossed haphazardly on the nightstand, and checked the time. It was just past 5 a.m.@@novelbin@@

Feeling thirsty, he climbed out of bed and opened the small fridge in the corner. Inside were two bottles of water neatly lined up.

Pouring himself a glass, Sunwoo downed it in one gulp, the cool liquid clearing his head. As clarity returned, hunger gnawed at him.

I didn’t eat dinner last night, he recalled.

He’d been so preoccupied, almost entranced by his actions, that he’d skipped dinner and gone straight to sleep from sheer exhaustion. Now his empty stomach demanded attention.

I guess I’ll stop by a convenience store.

Grabbing his wallet and phone, Sunwoo hesitated as a thought struck him. He remembered the conversation he’d had with Han Soojin yesterday and wondered if she might have tried to call him, only to find his old number disconnected.

She’d probably be worried.

Deciding to reach out, Sunwoo pulled out the business card Han Soojin had given him and sent her a message.

[Doctor Han, this is Choi Sunwoo. I’m sorry about yesterday. I just wanted to text you in case you were worried about not being able to reach me. Don’t worry, I’ll call you soon.]

For a moment, he considered telling her that this was his new number, but he decided against it. If Jinwook pressured Han Soojin later, she might be forced to reveal his contact information.

I’ll explain everything when I call her, he thought. But that resolve lasted less than five seconds—his phone rang loudly, startling him.

“…?”

The caller ID displayed an unregistered number, but Sunwoo recognized it as Han Soojin’s. After a brief hesitation, he picked up.

“Hello?”

“Sunwoo? Is that you, Choi Sunwoo? Thank goodness!”

Han Soojin’s rapid, relieved voice poured through the receiver. For the first time, she didn’t address him formally, her tone a mixture of worry and relief.

“Doctor…”

“Sunwoo, what’s going on? Where are you?”

“Well, I…”

“You said you wouldn’t call again, and then you disappeared! Do you know how worried I was?”

Her voice trembled slightly, betraying her concern. Sunwoo lowered his gaze, guilt weighing on him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Where are you? You’re not in trouble, are you?”

“No, I just… I needed to get away for a bit. I’m sorting some things out.”

“Sorting things out? Where are you right now?”

After hesitating, Sunwoo finally named the city. He heard a loud crash from the other end of the line.

“Doctor?”

“Ah, sorry! The chair tipped over. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Sunwoo stepped inside. The slight delay in his response seemed to make Han Soojin more anxious.

“You’re not thinking of doing anything drastic, are you?”

Her voice was cautious, laced with suspicion. The elevator doors closed, and the weak signal distorted her voice slightly.

“Of course not. Sorry, Doctor, but I’ll have to hang up now.”

Sunwoo quickly ended the call before she could respond further. Unfortunately, Han Soojin’s last words—“You’re not thinking of…”—cut off mid-sentence, leaving her more worried than reassured.