The Contract of Silence

“I would like to confirm the agreement between the two of you.”

The lawyers, after a long discussion, drafted the agreed terms on a tablet and handed it to Jaekyung and Taeseok.

They took turns reading each clause aloud, explaining the details, until one of them pointed to a section.

Article 4 — Regarding Relationship Execution.

“This part must be agreed upon between the two of you.”

It was an awkward moment.

‘Relationship execution’— that could only mean… sexual relations.

To have to discuss that in front of strangers, and to imagine such a thing with a person he barely knew, whose eyes he’d never properly met, whose voice he’d barely heard—it made no sense to Jaekyung.

He was confused.

But then—

“Clause one. The marital relationship will be consummated on the agreed date.”

As if he had been waiting for this, Han Taeseok spoke in a cold, businesslike tone.

“Clause two. The couple will have one son and one daughter. If two sons are born, they will continue until a daughter is born.”

It was absurd.

Jaekyung clasped his trembling hands together on his lap.

His palms were sweating.

His opinion wasn’t needed here.

Even his own lawyer nodded along and took notes on what Taeseok said.

They were discussing the most intimate aspect of marriage, yet the man never once looked at him.

Jaekyung felt sick.

He wanted to run away from that room, but he couldn’t show weakness.

It was his pride, so he endured it in silence.

“The wedding preparations will be handled entirely by both companies. You only need to attend the ceremony.”

“We will also manage the press coverage, so please ensure no articles are leaked.”

The contract—one that ignored Jaekyung’s will entirely—was finalized.

As the lawyers stood up, they added one last warning: to behave properly until the wedding.

Han Taeseok and the NI Company’s attorney left together.

Jaekyung’s lawyer followed behind, immediately calling the chairman of Jaewang Group to report.

Left alone in the lounge, Jaekyung finally allowed himself to cry.

He could feel the person named Park Jaekyung slowly disappearing.

“Mr. Park… Jaekyung?”

“Ah…”

A voice calling his name snapped him out of his thoughts.

In front of him stood a man in his forties—a Beta—with a name tag that read “Store Manager, ON Store.”

The man held Jaekyung’s resume in his hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Do you really want this job?”

The manager looked at him, unimpressed.

Jaekyung nodded.

“Yes! I do. I know I’m lacking, but please give me a chance. I’ll work hard!”

“Your voice is nice and loud, that’s good. But you’re a bit older… Night shifts might be difficult. And you’re an Omega…”

The manager looked him over again, skeptical.

“N-no, I can handle night shifts. And as for being an Omega… I take my suppressants regularly. Besides, I’m a recessive one, and… my bond hasn’t been broken yet, so I’m still… fine.”

“Bond? You were married?”

Since the resume didn’t state his marital status, the manager scanned it again and asked.

“Yes, I was married… but divorced. Still, the bond remains.”

That had been one of the conditions of the divorce—maintaining the bond.

The manager’s expression said he didn’t understand.

Normally, people broke their bonds after divorce.

Knowing that, Jaekyung could only smile faintly.

Even in an interview, such private details were not something to pry into further.

“Well, fine. We’re short-staffed, so can you start tomorrow? Midnight to 7 a.m.?”

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

Jaekyung bowed deeply and left the convenience store, clenching his fists in triumph.

It was the first job he’d earned through his own strength and experience.

A small convenience store, barely ten pyeong wide, at the corner of a crossroad—yet to him, it felt larger than any corporation.

He would start small, step by step, until he could stand on his own.

So that one day, he could be a person he wouldn’t be ashamed of.

Humming softly, Jaekyung walked with a bounce in his step.

Passing by the darkened shop windows, he saw his reflection.

His shoulders were straight, his head held high.

His eyes were bright.

Even though his outfit was just a T-shirt and cotton pants, he looked better than he had in five years.

Back then, walking behind that man, his head was always lowered, his shoulders heavy, his clothes suffocating.

The reflection in the glass had never looked like Park Jaekyung.

But now—it did.

Only the man who used to stand beside him was gone.

Seeing the store manager earlier had reminded him of those lawyers.

The memory still hurt.

He regretted not standing up then—not saying he couldn’t go through with the marriage.

He kept regretting, again and again.

So from now on, he swore—he would live without regrets.

Jaekyung headed back to his small officetel.

On the way, he bought an armful of his favorite fruit and hugged it close as he walked.

For the first time, the moment itself felt truly happy.

“Hello.”

“Come in.”

At Director Ji’s voice, Jaekyung’s body tensed instinctively.

He didn’t mean to, but there was something in her tone—sharp, commanding—that made people shrink.

And those piercing eyes… no doubt, Han Taeseok had inherited them from her.

Today, Director Ji wore a purple dress with matching shoes and a pearl necklace, her slim figure defying her age as her heels clicked elegantly on the floor.

Jaekyung followed cautiously behind her.

Three days ago, she had called out of nowhere—ordering him to come to Han Art Gallery at a specific time and date.

He had cleared his schedule for the handover at work, but hadn’t dared refuse.

“From now on, as the spouse-to-be of NI Company’s Executive Han, you must pay more attention to your appearance.”

She spoke without looking back as she walked ahead.

Though he had straightened his clothes after running there, she must have noticed the disarray.

Jaekyung murmured softly, “I’ll be careful.”

“Do you like art?”

“Ah… well…”

“Be honest.”

“I don’t.”

“Good. Then from today until the wedding, you’ll come to the gallery every day and study art while working.”

“What?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

She stopped walking and turned to face him.

“Is there an issue?”

“I-I’m sorry. I need to hand over my duties at the company before the wedding.”

“Then work during the day and come here at night. You don’t do overtime, do you?”

“N-no, ma’am. I’ll do that.”

“Good. The spouse of NI Company’s successor traditionally manages the family gallery. If you and Executive Han live well together, I’ll entrust it to you. So you must learn. Understand?”

“Yes…”

His chest tightened.

Even in this bright, open space, Jaekyung felt he couldn’t breathe.

Director Ji didn’t care about his discomfort.

She lectured him about art, about the gallery, explaining in meticulous detail.

Jaekyung listened attentively, taking notes, but she still seemed dissatisfied—clicking her tongue, glaring several times.

Each time, he could only respond, “I’m sorry.”

“Oh my, Director Ji, you’re here.”

A woman entered, draped in fur and jewelry.

Jaekyung recognized her immediately—the wife of the vice president of Sangham Construction.

Beside her stood a beautiful young man—clearly an Omega.

“Oh, welcome.”

Director Ji instantly shed her cold demeanor, greeting the woman warmly.

“It’s been a while, Director Ji.”

“My goodness, Eunho? You’ve grown so well! I heard you’re a dominant Omega now. You must be so proud, ma’am.”

“Hoho, yes. Now we just need to find him a good match and get him married.”

“He’s turned out so well—you won’t have to worry.”

Jaekyung felt out of place.

Could he say he should leave now?

While he hesitated, the lady from Sangham spotted him and gasped.

“Oh my, isn’t that the Jaewang Group’s eldest son?”

“Ah, let me introduce you. Jaekyung, come here.”

At Director Ji’s call, Jaekyung quickly stepped forward, forcing his stiff face into a polite smile.

She introduced the lady, and Jaekyung bowed respectfully.

“But why is Jaekyung here?”

“He’s soon to be part of our family.”

“Oh, so he’s the one who’ll be marrying Executive Han. My goodness.”

The woman sighed softly, as if pitying him.

“If only my Eunho had been born a little earlier, graduated faster… maybe we could’ve matched him with Executive Han instead. Too bad.”

Of course.

Bringing her Omega son here—that was her plan.

Director Ji surely saw through it too, yet she only looked on with feigned regret.

Jaekyung smiled anyway.

He would have to get used to moments like this.

So he smiled even more naturally.

After that day, Jaekyung stopped by Han Art Gallery every evening after work.

He studied the painters’ lives—their birthplaces, eras, the meanings behind each painting, the feel of the colors, even the types of paper and pigments used.

He remembered once hearing a professor on TV say that in Korea, the people who understand the value of art best are the chaebols.

He’d laughed back then, thinking it was a joke.

But now, he realized—the professor had been serious, and right.

His parents often gifted and received paintings, and he knew they were expensive—but not that expensive.

At Han Art Gallery, no painting was priced under a billion won.

The most expensive one, by painter Jin, displayed on the third floor, was valued at 6.7 billion.

The moment Jaekyung heard that, he decided never to go near it.

Thankfully, Director Ji didn’t trust him enough yet to teach him how to handle it.