How to Have a Baby Secretly

In the office, still before the sun had fully set, Kang Jinwook sat at his desk, flipping through documents with a serious expression.

Ding dong. Ding dong.

At that moment, his phone, which had been set on the desk, rang cheerfully. Kang Jinwook scowled and stared at the screen.

He wasn’t particularly interested in things. So, he typically left the ringtones and notifications set to their default settings. It didn’t matter since he usually kept the phone on vibrate anyway.

But sometimes, the settings would change like this. It seemed like it was time to upgrade to a different model.

Narrowing his eyes, Kang Jinwook stared at his phone. The series of messages that came through, interrupting his focus, were all photos.

With a quick swipe of his thumb, he checked the photos. They showed Choi Seonu wandering around the market. There were dozens of pictures taken in just a few minutes.

The high-quality professional camera captured the scene vividly. The last photo showed Choi Seonu from behind as he entered the market.

Kang Jinwook stared at the trivial scene for a while before scrolling through the messages exchanged earlier.

[Choi Seonu is waiting at the bus stop to take the bus.]

[The bus has not arrived for 20 minutes, and Choi Seonu is dozing in his seat.]

Above the message was a photo of Choi Seonu, his head resting against the transparent wall of the bus stop, asleep. He was sleeping so soundly that his mouth was slightly open.

Kang Jinwook smiled faintly and sent a reply.

[Ask where he's going and give him a ride.]

[Understood.]

A reply from the guard came almost immediately. After a while, a message arrived, saying that the guard had picked up Choi Seonu and was taking him to the market. Another photo followed soon after.

After confirming all the details, Kang Jinwook set his phone down as if nothing had happened. Pressing his furrowed brow, he thought.

Choi Seonu had asked for a week off and immediately headed to Jeju Island. He assumed it was just a trip, but it wasn’t. As soon as he arrived, he went to look at houses, and he signed a contract on the spot.

"Why?"

It almost seemed like he didn’t want to stay with him anymore. Why? What was the reason? Did it really mean he was going to break up with him?

Knock. Knock.

At that moment, a knock on the door broke his train of thought.

"Come in."

It was Secretary Kwak who entered. His face was expressionless, but his eyes betrayed his discomfort.

"What’s going on?"

Kang Jinwook asked coldly, and Secretary Kwak hesitated before reluctantly responding.

"Vice President Kang Jin-tae has come to see you."

Kang Jinwook frowned. He had called earlier asking about Choi Seonu’s whereabouts, and now he had come all the way here?

"Yo... Kang Executive Director. Are you done with your busy work?"

Secretary Kwak, who had been talking to Kang Jinwook, froze as Kang Jin-tae, with a smug expression, barged into the office.

"What are you doing here?"

"What’s with the cold attitude? I had some work nearby, so I thought I’d drop by."

Kang Jin-tae spoke in a casual tone while glancing around the office. He then looked back at Kang Jinwook.

"Where’s Seonu? I didn’t see him in the secretary’s office. Did he really quit?"

Kang Jinwook’s expression tightened further at the unwelcome attention. Secretary Kwak watched the two men. Although they were brothers, their relationship was not good.

It was because their mother was from a different family, and they were competing for the position of next chairman of Taeseong Group.

Kang Jin-tae had been considered the most powerful successor for a long time, but as Kang Jinwook began to show his extreme talent, Kang Jin-tae had gradually been pushed aside, which made him hate Kang Jinwook even more.

Given their already strained relationship, it didn’t seem like Kang Jin-tae’s appearance here was for any good reason. The mention of Choi Seonu was even more unsettling.

"What does it matter?"

"Of course it matters. Why wouldn’t it? Despite how it looks, I’ve been keeping an eye on Seonu. So, did you really bring him to your house?"

He had mentioned something similar over the phone earlier. Kang Jinwook glared at Kang Jin-tae with disapproval. His gaze was sharp, as if he could strike at him with just his eyes.

But Kang Jin-tae didn’t drop the smirk from his face.

"But did Seonu really go to your house? Is he staying there? Why?"

Kang Jin-tae asked with a curious look in his eyes. He had heard rumors that Kang Jinwook and Choi Seonu’s relationship had become rather unusual.

It was surprising that they had gotten so close that Kang Jinwook would take him home. Kang Jin-tae knew very well that Choi Seonu hadn’t received any proper treatment while being next to Kang Jinwook all this time.

Yet, the fact that Choi Seonu had sold his house and, yesterday, Kang Jinwook had personally taken him to his own house was strange.

"Why? Do you really want me to marry Choi Seonu? Ah, I guess that would be better for you. After all, you’re the one who attached a beta who can’t even have children next to me."

Kang Jinwook replied coldly, and Kang Jin-tae shrugged.

"Ah, that wasn’t my intention. It’s just that Father arranged a position for the benefactor’s grandson. Of course, he also meant for you two to grow closer while you help each other out. Isn’t that right?"

Kang Jinwook didn’t respond. Instead, he placed the document he had been looking at into the drawer and locked it before standing up. He then passed by Kang Jin-tae and left the office.

The employees in the secretary’s office, who had been eyeing the situation, quickly turned their gaze away. They were just as tense as they had been with Kang Jin-tae’s unexpected appearance.

Kang Jinwook briefly scanned them, then his eyes lingered on an empty desk for a moment. It had been the place where Choi Seonu had sat for three years.

A nameplate reading ‘Employee Choi Seonu’ was still stuck on the partition. Kang Jinwook frowned for a moment before casually leaving the secretary’s office. Secretary Kwak closely followed behind him.

"I’ll make sure to talk to Father. It seems like you two are getting along well lately. Hmm?"

While waiting for the elevator, Kang Jin-tae came closer and said something irritating. Kang Jinwook didn’t bother responding.

Just then, the elevator doors opened. Kang Jinwook stepped inside first, followed by Kang Jin-tae.

It was an executive-only elevator, so it went directly to the basement without stopping. As the doors opened and they got off, a few employees gathered, probably done for the day.

"Haewon, come to the airport early tomorrow."

"Got it. I’ll get there an hour before, right?"

"Yeah."

The man standing next to Im Haewon replied cheerfully.

"I’m excited; it’s my first time in Jeju since college. But who else is going?"

At Haewon’s question, the man quickly answered.

"Besides me, two from the General Affairs Team, one from the Sales Team, and three from the Domestic Business Department."

"All our close friends are going, huh?"

"Of course. They’ve been looking forward to it. Haewon, you’d better prepare well too."

"Okay, I will. I’ll sleep early today, so I’m not late tomorrow."

Among the group chatting, Kang Jinwook noticed two familiar faces.

One was Im Haewon, who worked in the Overseas Business Department, and the other was someone he vaguely recognized but couldn’t place.

"Ah, Executive Director!"

While they were talking, one of the group noticed Kang Jinwook and bowed in greeting. The others around them followed suit, bowing their heads as well.

Kang Jinwook scanned them briefly, nodded in acknowledgment, and headed to the waiting car. Before getting in, his eyes briefly lingered on the man standing next to Im Haewon.

He definitely remembered seeing that face somewhere, but he still couldn’t recall where.

Well, I must have seen him somewhere.

Kang Jinwook concluded that he probably ran into him around the office.

The bigger problem lay elsewhere.

"What are you doing here?"

Kang Jinwook shot an irritated glance at Kang Jin-tae, who was already sitting in the car waiting for him.

"Just drop me off on the way."

Kang Jin-tae replied nonchalantly with a smile. Kang Jinwook glared at him in dissatisfaction.

"Get out."

"Why be so stingy? Just give me a ride on the way."

Kang Jin-tae said with a grin. Kang Jinwook didn’t reply. His cold glare was answer enough.

"Always so rude."

Secretary Kwak, sitting in the front passenger seat, nervously glanced at the rearview mirror.

Both Kang Jinwook and Kang Jin-tae had notoriously bad tempers, which was the problem. In the past, they often fought with each other, with Kang Jin-tae instigating things and Kang Jinwook responding with reckless force.

Surely they wouldn’t do that in the car?

"Get out."

Kang Jinwook said only that, glaring at Kang Jin-tae. Kang Jin-tae made a face of displeasure but didn’t respond.

By then, the driver had opened the back door, signaling that he would forcibly remove Kang Jin-tae if needed.

"Tch."

Kang Jin-tae clicked his tongue and stepped out. He deliberately slapped the driver’s shoulder loudly.

Kang Jin-tae continued to irritate Kang Jinwook and walked to the back of the car. His own car was parked there, following them the entire time.

Thud.

The sound of a door closing was heard, and soon after, the black luxury sedan passed by Kang Jinwook’s car. Kang Jinwook stared coldly at the car as it drove off.

"How much does Kang Jin-tae know?"

Kang Jinwook asked, watching as the car carrying Kang Jin-tae disappeared into the distance.

"It seems he doesn’t know about Jeju. But he does know that you were hospitalized and that you resigned from the company."

Secretary Kwak’s response made Kang Jinwook furrow his brows. There was nothing but things he disliked lately.

At that moment, his phone, which he had kept in his pocket, vibrated. Kang Jinwook immediately pulled it out to check the contents.

[Choi Seonu has arrived home.]

The message came with a photo. Kang Jinwook’s expression softened slightly as he read it.