Choi San, a revered and feared mafia boss, reigns over Seoul's underworld with an iron fist, his influence extending seamlessly across both legal and illegal domains. But his empire is shaken to its core when his beloved daughter, Eun-ji, is kidnapp...
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The drive to the hospital was quiet, but the kind of quiet that buzzed with unspoken thoughts. I sat in the passenger seat, my hand resting lightly on my stomach as I gazed out of the window. The early morning sunlight cast soft golden hues across the dashboard, and the rhythmic hum of the car was the only sound breaking the stillness.
Eun-ji's absence lingered in the air. She'd been so excited about the ultrasound, bouncing on her toes as she begged to come along. But school had to come first, and while she pretended to be okay with it when we said goodbye, I'd caught the small pout on her lips. The memory made my chest tighten.
"I wish Eun-ji could've been with us," I said softly, breaking the silence. I glanced at San, who was focused on the road, his grip on the wheel relaxed but firm. "She's going to be so upset that she missed this."
San's lips curled into a faint smile, his eyes flickering to me for a brief moment. "She'll get her turn," he said gently. "We'll bring her next time. And we'll show her the pictures when we get home. She'll be excited about that."
I nodded, leaning back in my seat. "I know," I murmured. "But it's not the same. I just want her to feel included, you know? This is a big change for her, too."
"She's already included," San replied, his voice steady. "You've made sure of that. You're doing everything right, Woo. She's going to love being part of this, just like she loves being part of everything else."
His reassurance brought a small smile to my lips, but my heart still felt heavy. My thoughts drifted to the meeting San had planned for later in the evening. He hadn't mentioned it much since the last time we'd talked about it, but I knew it was weighing on him. The man who wanted to meet him wasn't just some random outsider—he was calculated, determined, and, from what I'd overheard, dangerous.
I glanced at San, his profile calm and composed as he navigated the streets, and swallowed my worry. He didn't need to know how much this was eating at me. He already had enough on his plate. Instead, I forced a small smile and said, "I'm just nervous about the ultrasound."
San's gaze flicked to me again, his eyes searching mine. "You sure that's all it is?"
"Of course," I lied, hoping my voice didn't give me away. "It's just... a lot to take in, you know? First time and all."
He nodded slowly, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "We'll handle it together," he said simply. "You're not alone in this."
When we arrived at the hospital, San parked and quickly came around to my side, opening the door for me like he always did. His hand rested lightly on my back as we made our way inside, his presence grounding me as we navigated the hallways to the maternity wing.
As we settled into the waiting room, I couldn't help but glance at the other couples around us—some holding hands, others cradling their baby bumps with quiet anticipation. It felt surreal, sitting here, knowing that in a few minutes we'd be seeing our baby for the first time.
