Cold Daughter of Taekook

CDT 28

Taehyung lay back against the pillows, his body still aching from the accident, the weight of the cast on his broken arm pressing him further into the bed. The room was quiet except for the gentle clink of the spoon against the bowl as Varisha carefully hand-fed him soup. She hadn't said much since the accident—since the day she finally broke down and apologized for the coldness she'd carried since her mother's death.

But there was something on her mind today. He could feel it in the way she hesitated, her movements slower than usual.

"Dad, can I ask you something?" she finally spoke, her voice tentative but serious.

Taehyung hummed, his eyes barely open as he nodded for her to continue.

"I know you loved Eomma so much," she said, her voice faltering. "And you still do. That's why I don't understand... why you didn't pick up our calls. When you left for that business trip, it wasn't like you. When you were here, you never left Eomma's side in the hospital, not once. But when you went away..." Her words trailed off, thick with the emotion she had been holding back.

Taehyung's heart clenched at the sound of his daughter's confusion and lingering hurt. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he spoke, the weight of his guilt palpable in the air.

"You're right, Varisha. I loved your Eomma more than anything. Not being there when he needed me the most..." He paused, his voice cracking slightly. "It's something I'll never forgive myself for. But it wasn't because I didn't want to be there."

Varisha frowned, her grip on the spoon tightening as she watched him closely.

"I trusted Karen," he continued, his voice dropping. "I left everything in her hands when I went on that trip. I told her—explicitly—that any calls from the hospital, from home, from you or your mother, should be forwarded to me immediately. But she didn't do that."

Varisha's eyes widened slightly as she listened, her breath catching in her throat.

Taehyung's expression darkened, the memory of that time rushing back, a wave of frustration and regret overwhelming him.

In the flashback, Taehyung sat at his hotel desk, papers scattered in front of him as he tried to focus. The silence gnawed at him. He hadn't heard from the hospital, and the longer it stretched on, the more restless he became. He was just reaching for his phone when Karen entered the room, clipboard in hand, as efficient and calm as ever.

"Taehyung-ssi," she said smoothly, standing just a few feet away. "There's a situation with the investors. I think we should review the strategy for tomorrow's meeting."

He barely glanced up from his phone. "I'll deal with it. Let me check in with my wife first. I haven't heard from the hospital today."

Karen hesitated, stepping closer with a subtle smile that barely touched her lips. "I didn't want to disturb you with those calls," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "You've been under so much stress already. I thought it would be better if I screened them. I wanted to make sure you were focused on the business."

Taehyung froze, his phone still in his hand, a sinking feeling settling in his chest. "What do you mean you've been screening the calls?"

Karen offered him a disarming smile. "You didn't need the extra worry right now, especially with how crucial this deal is. I've been handling everything back home."

Taehyung's grip tightened on the phone, his heart racing. "What calls have I missed?"

Back in the present, Taehyung's voice trembled slightly. "She didn't tell me, Varisha. She kept everything from me. She thought she was protecting me from stress, but I never asked her to make that decision for me. By the time I realized what was happening... it was too late. Your Eomma... he was already gone." His voice cracked, the weight of the memory too much to bear.