"No." Baekhyun's voice rang out throughout the room.

    "What?" his father seemed taken aback at the sudden response.

    "I said I refuse. Whatever you threaten me with, you can't make me give up on her because I won't. Don't you forget that." he growled. "If that's all you have to say, I'll be taking my leave now." Baekhyun glared at his father one last time before turning around to leave the suffocating room.

    "So you're saying that you don't care what happens now?" Mr. Byun smirked, remembering that he was still the one with the advantage.

    Baekhyun stopped.

    "I'm going to protect those who are important to me by myself, whatever it takes." Baekhyun replied without hesitation still with his back turned. He took two steps forward when he stopped mid-step. "I think it's funny. They were more of parents to me in several months than you ever were my whole life. What do you think about that, hm?"

    Mr. Byun stayed silent.

    "Oh that's right. I was never really a son to you anyways. Just someone to continue your oh-so-precious company." With that, Baekhyun stepped out from the room. Once again.
    
    This scene was all too familiar. At age 8, he had run out of the room crying because his father scolded him for missing a problem on the test. At age 11, he had stomped out of the study in rage that his father didn't allow him to go out with friends. At age 15, he had stormed out because they had had a huge fight about his future. At age 18, he slammed the door behind him because he didn't want to take on the company. And here he was again, determined to erase his so-called father from his life.     

    His whole life, he had tried his best to satisfy his father, tried to earn a compliment from him. Every time, he was only scolded for not trying harder, for not being the best. He had said that only the best succeeds. If Baekhyun wasn't the best, then he couldn't be his son. So Baekhyun had tried harder in hopes that if he reached the top, he would finally have a warm father who complimented him. Now that he came all the way up here, he realized he was wrong; his father didn't change but only demanded more from him, such as giving up the one he loved. Han Nana.

    That was when it hit him. He wouldn't do this anymore. He didn't want to do this anymore.

    So he left. He left his father behind him.

    Mr. Byun stared at the open door for a second before he hastily pulled out his cellphone from his pocket. He dialed a number before pressing the phone to his ears as he counted the number of rings. After the third one, a familiar high-pitched voice answered.

    "Ah, Jessica. How have you been?" he started out with a sly smile. "Nothing much. I was just wondering about your thoughts in getting married to my son... Ah, I'm glad you think of it that way. No, It would be a pleasure for me!"

    A pause.

    "Ah... Baekhyun hasn't.. agreed.. to it yet but I'm sure that with a few tweaks here and there, this marriage could be possible. No, is possible should I say?" Jessica's giggle could be heard across the line. "If you just follow my words carefully, you'll be able to get Baekhyun."
    
    Mr. Byun sank back in his arm chair. He would make Baekhyun regret.

    Just then, a shadow loomed over him and he turned around, face remaining emotionless. "Is there anything you need, dear?"

    "Oh, cut the crap. I wasn't going to say anything but I don't think I can just pretend as if I'm not here anymore." Mrs. Byun huffed, pushing back her hair that was bothering her. "Baekhyun may be your son too, but he is my baby that I carried for 9 months! I'm not going to just stand by anymore like I did for the past 20 years. I'm not going to let you ruin my son's life because of your dirty greed and pride."

    Mr. Byun merely blinked at her, and seeing that he wasn't getting angry or anything, it only gave her more fuel.

    "Everyday, I was waiting for you to come back to your old self. I blamed it on the craploads of work and stress that you had to carry so I was always in the back, not saying a single word when you would rant your stress out to poor Baekhyun. So all I could do was comfort him when he was crying. I thought you would return when you passed the company to him. But I was wrong. I can see that quite clearly now, and I'm going to do everything I can to stop you." she glared at him before quickly leaving the room. She didn't forget to slam the door behind her as if to emphasize her anger.

    As he stared at the closed door, Mr. Byun smiled. No, not a cold smile that was rather scary. It was a genuine smile that reached his eyes. Seeing his wife angry like that, he was reminded of how he had first met her. He had caught her eyes during college, when she had started arguing with him in defense of her friend. During the time, she had caught him off guard because she had been the first to stand up to him unlike others who didn't dare to. Now that he thought about it, it was a wonder how she had been able to go 20 years without raising her voice at him. For a moment, he felt like apologizing to his wife at least.

    No, he told himself. He had built a wall the past decades to block away anything that would prevent him from being the top. That was why he had grown so cold to the rest of the world. He wouldn't let one argument knock all his work down.

    He wouldn't.

Short update for y'all.

You know, I find it very discouraging that this story has 454 subscribers and I get like 10 comments per chapter. I mean, come one. I know that I barely update but that's because I have zero motivation to write for this story. Why? Because there's no comments to motivate me to keep writing.

I always feel like no one really reads my chapters because there's so little feedback. I'm always envious of stories with like 20 subscribers who are always active because that shows that they're truly enjoying the story that the author takes time to write.

Me? I just feel like I'm doing a bad job as an author. I know one can never satisfy everyone but this? is a little too much.

Idk. I mean, I'm not pathetically asking you guys to upvote for me just because I want you to. It's just a comment. Like. It takes a minute max. I get that there's a lot of silent readers out there cuz for one, I am one. But I'm pretty sure that 440 people are not all silent readers.

Yeah.. Idk. Just feeling pretty crappy right now, and if you did happen to read this instead of ignoring this.. don't write stuff like "ohno. I'll comment more" or "don't worry, i really like your story" Instead why not try leaving an actual good comment that will make me want to write more, yeah?

Have a good day.