Baekhyun stared at nothing. The image of Chanyeol’s broken eyes at his misunderstanding replayed over and over again in his head. It’s dark in his room, but he had no strength in him to stand up and turn on the lights. In a few hours, minutes, the light of the dawn will seep through the spaces between his curtains, signalling another day.

Another day of expecting Chanyeol to be waiting for them outside his work, but to end up being disappointed. He had his knees drawn up to his chest, hugging them. He did not expect to feel as empty as he was feeling again now.

Hollow, incomplete, and emptier than before.

Baekhyun doesn’t even have the will to get out of his room, and if not for his responsibilities as a father to Choon hee, he would be here all day, staring at nothing and trying to stop the pain that’s filling up his heart.

Alas, he does have to do what he has to. He has to wake his daughter up and prepare her for school. The thought that perhaps, today when he got out of work he would see Chanyeol in the parking lot waiting for him, was also a driving force for him.

Baekhyun was toying with his phone. It’s been two weeks since he last saw Chanyeol, his contact number staring glaringly at Baekhyun. Tempting him, daring him to click on the call button. Call him once and for all. Ask him what happened to him, explain the misunderstanding he had. Even if Baekhyun knew he doesn’t have to explain himself, he wanted to. If it could erase the sad and hurt from Chanyeol’s eyes, then he would.

“Just do it, Baekhyun. Just call him,” he said to himself. He’s been trying to justify and ease what he’s feeling. “Call him, because you’ve moved on and you've got nothing to worry about.”

Before he could click on the call button, a co-worker knocked on the door of the break room where he was in. “Baekhyun, someone is looking for you in the boss’s office. Said it’s something urgent.”

“Oh. Alright. Thank you!”

Baekhyun’s smile was ready, he was expecting some sort of good news from his boss, Joongi, because they were expecting some, but what he didn’t expect was the scene that really welcomed him.

Inside the room, talking very animatedly with Joongi,was the woman he hates the most in his life. Mrs. Park, the chairman of Park Industries and the most powerful woman in all of the country. The iest of all too.

The moment their eyes met, Mrs. Park’s smile turned from her practiced one into the most sinister and sadistic smile one could make. It sent shivers up and down Baekhyun’s spine. The bad kind of shivers.

Flashbacks to the first and last time Baekhyun met the said woman still had him scared and nervous to be in her presence. Having her here only meant one thing. She’s found out about Chanyeol and him seeing each other again. Albeit none of it was his fault; it being partly Chanyeol’s insistence to be in his and Choon hee’s presence and fate bringing the three of them together again.

“Baekhyun, you’re here! You didn’t tell me you knew Mrs. Park.” Joongi patted him on his shoulders on the way out of his office. Baekhyun was speechless, standing frozen by the door. “Where are you going?”

“Mrs. Park wants to talk to you in private, so I’ll leave the two of you alone.” Joongi smiled at him kindly, Mrs. Park probably hadn’t told him anything yet. Of the reason why they knew each other and why she’s there and wanting to talk to him. Baekhyun had a hunch.

Once alone, Baekhyun didn’t make a move to go to closer to her who’s quietly observing him, eyeing him from head to toe. She was like a lion ready to pounce on her prey, just like all those years ago when he told him to go away from Chanyeol.

“You look well, Byun Baekhyun.” Her predatory voice still sent chills up Baekhyun’s spine in fear and spite.

“Yes, no thanks to you.” Baekhyun glared back. No way in hell was he going to let her step all over him again.

“Grew some spine over the years, didn’t you? Not scared of anything now?” She smirked, taking out her cigarette and lighting it. She puffed and blew smoke in the closed room, engulfing them in smoke for a moment.

“I grew more than a spine. I grew the ability to not tolerate es like you anymore.”

Mrs. Park laughed out loud. “Really? Is that why you’re back in my son’s life? And now with that bastard of yours? Thought I'll hand over my company to you and your child?”

Baekhyun’s fists were closed tightly. “Don’t you dare call my daughter a bastard. If anyone is a bastard here, that’s you. And I didn’t come back to your son’s life, he willingly kept on coming back here to be with me and our daughter.”

The famous chairman still eyed him, and smirked. “I still don’t understand why my son loved you, loves you, when you’re” she waved her hand around, no one.” Not even worth to be married to a family like ours. But he was willing to give it all up for you?”

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun was frowning. Chanyeol wasn’t willing to give it up for him. He chose his inheritance over him and their unborn child. “Cha