Instant Regrets Book II

Chapter 45

Jennie stood in the doorway of their bedroom, watching Jiyong as he sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through his phone absentmindedly. The tension of the past few days had weighed heavily on both of them, but tonight, Jennie wanted to approach him gently. She knew the conversation they were about to have would be difficult, but she wanted to soften the blow before diving into it.

With a small, warm smile, she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, resting her head on his back. "Hey," she whispered softly, her breath tickling his neck. Jiyong tensed slightly, sensing there was something more behind her affectionate gesture, but he said nothing, allowing her to continue.

Jennie came around, her hands resting on his chest as she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. Jiyong kissed her back, his lips lingering on hers for a moment longer than usual. There was something in the way she kissed him tonight—a tenderness mixed with hesitation. He could already sense the storm brewing.

"I missed you today," Jennie said, her voice sweet, trying to ease into the conversation. She stroked his cheek, hoping to keep the mood light a little longer.

"I missed you too," Jiyong replied, his voice quiet but guarded. He set his phone aside, knowing full well what was coming. He had heard the whispers, pieced together the clues. But he didn't want to rush Jennie into saying it.

Jennie took a deep breath, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "Jiyong… there's something I need to talk to you about." Her voice wavered, her nerves suddenly betraying her.

Jiyong nodded, maintaining eye contact with her, his expression unreadable. "Go on."

Jennie bit her lip, her heart racing as she prepared to say it. "I spoke to Dr. Lim... about finding a match for Hyeong’s bone marrow transplant."

Jiyong remained silent, though his jaw tightened slightly. Jennie continued, unaware of his growing tension.

"Lisa... might be a potential match." She hesitated, watching for his reaction. "I know it's complicated, and I know how you feel about her, but this might be our best chance to save Hyeong."

Jiyong clenched his fists subtly, but kept his expression neutral. Inside, anger surged through him. He had already anticipated this conversation, knowing it would come, but hearing Lisa’s name still hit a nerve. The idea of her being involved in their son’s life—especially in such a critical way—made his blood boil. But for Hyeong's sake, he couldn’t let his anger take control.

"Jennie..." he began, his voice steady though it cost him a great deal of effort to keep it that way. "I get it. I understand why you're considering this, and I know you're doing it for Hyeong." He stood up, stepping away from her, trying to compose himself. His back turned to her, he let out a long, measured breath before continuing. "But Lisa? Of all people?"

Jennie felt the shift in his tone, the underlying anger bubbling just beneath the surface. She took a step toward him, reaching out, but stopped herself. "Jiyong, I know it's hard for you, but Hyeong doesn’t have time. If Lisa is a match, we can’t let our past issues with her get in the way."

Jiyong turned around, his eyes dark with restrained emotion. "I don’t like this, Jennie. I don’t like it at all." His voice trembled slightly, but he kept his anger in check. "But I get it. I know this is about saving our son. I’ll do what I have to for him, but don’t expect me to be okay with her being back in our lives."

Jennie’s heart sank, guilt and anxiety swirling inside her. "I’m not asking you to be okay with it. I’m just asking you to put Hyeong first. For him, Jiyong, not for us."

Jiyong’s fists clenched again, but he nodded, his voice tight. "I am putting him first, Jennie. That's the only reason I’m even considering this."

For a moment, the room was filled with a heavy silence, the weight of their shared pain and fear hanging between them. Jennie stepped closer, resting her hand gently on his arm. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice fragile. "For trying to understand."

Jiyong looked down at her hand, then back into her eyes, his emotions swirling between anger, love, and the deep fear of losing their son. "Just know... this is for Hyeong. That's all."

Jennie nodded, tears welling in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him again, resting her head on his chest. Jiyong hesitated before wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly. They both knew this was only the beginning of a long, difficult road ahead.