Breaking Off the Engagement

“Don’t worry too much.

Still, I think it’s a good thing that you’ve finally taken an interest in Chanyeong, and that the boy himself has found something he wants to do.”

“And here I am, an old man…having to hear what my grandson wants through a secretary I planted…”

‘Here he goes again.’

Doctor Kim pressed a hand to his forehead.

Ever since entering andropause, with his male hormones and Alpha pheromones noticeably reduced, Chairman Seong Gongun had become overly sensitive—even the smallest things made him emotional.

It was a complete contrast to the cold-blooded man he had been in his youth, and it was driving Doctor Kim insane.

‘Endure it.

I can’t let the relationship between grandfather and grandson fall apart like this.’

Holding onto that sense of duty, Doctor Kim soothed his friend and tried to lift his spirits.

“What matters isn’t the method.

What matters is that you know now—even if it’s late.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. So from now on, show Chanyeong a lot more affection.

And, have that secretary of yours find him the perfect piece of land he’d like.”

“…Alright.”

He had connections to spare, and there was no land that Seong Group—the top company in the country—couldn’t acquire.

Strength returned to Chairman Seong’s shoulders.

His mind was already filled with fantasies of finally growing close to his grandson.

“Hey, don’t scare the boy, alright?

Take it step by step when getting closer to him.

You know what I mean, right?”

“Ahem. Who do you think you’re talking to?

I’ll handle it just fine.

I’m Seong Gongun—the chairman of Seong Group.”

At that, Doctor Kim looked at him with even more suspicion, but Chairman Seong ignored it without a care.

“Secretary Choi, it’s me.

We must give our Chanyeong the best farmland, so stall things a bit.”

[Excuse me? But the young master seemed to want it arranged as quickly as possible…]

“Enough. Do as I say.

This is an order from his grandfather.”

Though Secretary Choi had no idea what Chairman Seong was planning, he obeyed—after all, the man paid his salary.

[Understood. I will report it to the young master that way.]

“Good. Keep a close eye on my grandson as well.

If anything happens, report it immediately.”

And so, Secretary Choi could not carry out Chanyeong’s request right away.

He had to wait while Chairman Seong ordered a nationwide search of every possible property.

[Chairman, this is Secretary Choi. The young master says he wants land in a remote area, so I’m reporting in.]

“Yes, yes. Understood.

Tell him you’re still looking a bit more.”

‘This grandfather will prepare the best surprise gift.’

Chairman Seong was completely lost in his grand fantasy.

He had already imagined dozens of times walking up with the land deed, embracing his grandson, and tearfully asking how much he must have suffered.

“I hope Chanyeong likes it…And maybe… shows me a smile too.”

Honestly, he didn’t want to let him farm.

But since the boy said he wanted to, he was holding back and compromising.

His real plan was to grow close to his grandson first, then gently persuade him to give up on farming.

While Chairman Seong was busy daydreaming and overpreparing, Seong Chanyeong was—

“What is it? What brings you to see me of all people?”

“Baek Dojun.”

“What is it, Seong Chanyeong?”

“Starting today, let’s break up.”

“…What?”

He was requesting to call off the engagement with Baek Dojun—the fiancé and one of the main culprits behind Seong Chanyeong’s downfall.

If there was one lesson I learned from going to apologize to Seo Eunsu, it was this—

I needed to cut ties with the male leads as quickly as possible.

“What kind of person is that violent?
He’s basically a raging wild boar.”

Ugh… it still hurts.

The marks Joo Taegang left on my wrist still throbbed.

What had been bright red on the first day had now turned into a blotchy bruise.

“Brute strength with no brains.

A dominant Alpha with zero manners.”

The clothes I wore that day had been completely stretched out at the collar, so I had no choice but to throw them away.

As I tossed them, I wished the horrible memory of my first encounter with Joo Taegang would disappear too—but that didn’t happen.

After returning to Seong Chanyeong’s house, I suffered from nightmares for days.

Dreams where people around Chanyeong found out I wasn’t the real him and abandoned me.

–”You’re not the real Seong Chanyeong?”

–”Then where is my son?
Give my son back!”

‘And there was another one…’

A nightmare where the male leads, thinking I was the real Chanyeong, destroyed me just like in the original story.

That one was far worse.

Because it felt so real.

In the dream, I was surrounded by them.

They smiled at me as I stood at the edge of a cliff.

Behind them, an enraged Seo Eunsu quietly watched.

–”Finally, we can get rid of this leech-like stalker.”

–”Eunsu, you’ve suffered long enough.
You’ll never have to see even the tip of Seong Chanyeong’s hair again.”

–”Go fall into hell, Seong Chanyeong.”

They spoke sweetly to the one they loved, and spat venom at me—

nudging my barely hanging fingers, urging me to die.

In the dream, I was clinging to the edge with one hand, begging for my life.

If I fell, there was only death.

–”Please, save me!
I—I’m not Seong Chanyeong!
I’m not!”

Even when I confessed the truth, nothing changed.

–”So what?”

–”Still lying to the end, Seong Chanyeong.”

–”You think we’d believe that?”

–”We’re not falling for your bullshit anymore.”

Tap.

That was the end.

They stomped on my fingers, and I couldn’t endure the pain—I fell.

A vast darkness opened its jaws, ready to swallow me whole.

–”Let’s never meet again, Seong Chanyeong.”

“Ugh—AAAAAAAH!”

I woke up screaming.

Even in the dream, they didn’t believe me.

Not my words—nor the real Seong Chanyeong.

They mistook me, the fake, as a liar—and made sure to kill me.

“Hah… hah…Thank god. It was just a dream.”

‘I need to get away from them. As fast as possible.’

I changed out of my sweat-soaked pajamas, determination hardening inside me.

I had to leave and start farming.

That was the only way I’d survive.

Having read the original story, I couldn’t take the nightmare lightly.

There was no guarantee the other male leads wouldn’t act like Joo Taegang.

If anything, they’d likely see me as a nuisance—and try to get rid of me.

‘Even Baek Dojun…’

Though it wasn’t shown in the original, he had planted a housekeeper to monitor Seong Chanyeong.

Even that housekeeper didn’t like him.

Baek Dojun might not go that far—but if he wanted to eliminate Chanyeong using someone else, it was entirely possible.

‘What if he poisoned me…?’

A chill ran through my body.

To prevent the worst-case scenario, I needed to act first—and completely derail the original plot.

“I need to survive first.
Yeah.”

I didn’t feel any attachment to this novel anyway.

So there was no reason to feel guilty about ruining it.

Decision made, I picked up my phone and found Baek Dojun’s number in the contacts list.

After a few seconds, a low, composed, yet gentle voice came through.

[……Hello?]

‘That voice…’

Hearing Baek Dojun’s voice—the one I had overheard from beyond the front door—made my stomach churn.

Maybe it was because of what happened with Joo Taegang.

Even though his voice was smooth enough to rival a voice actor’s, it still felt suffocating.

“Hey, Baek Dojun.

It’s me. I called because I have something to say.”

[What is it this time? Do you need another errand dog like last time?]

The soft, pleasant tone instantly turned cold and annoyed.

My shoulders shrank instinctively, but I held firm, recalling that nightmare.

“It’s not like that. Baek Dojun. At least hear me out.”

[If it’s not that kind of dog work, then what is it?]

I felt a surge of irritation at the mess the real Seong Chanyeong had left behind—but I forced myself to stay calm.

I just needed to get through this moment.

Endure it.

Once everything is cut off, I’ll go live my happy farming life.

“It’s something important. I want to… tell you in person.”

[…What is it?]

I wanted to say it outright—

Let’s break off the engagement, you piece of trash.

But I held back.

If Baek Dojun sensed something strange, it could complicate things.

And there was also the concern that he might refuse to break off the engagement due to the business benefits tied to Seong Group.

So I decided to settle it face-to-face.

“If you’re curious, I’ll have Secretary Choi reserve a restaurant.

Come there.

Tomorrow, 1 PM for lunch.

Clear your schedule.”

Since I didn’t know Seong Chanyeong’s food preferences, I asked Secretary Choi to send me a list.

From that, I chose a high-end traditional Korean restaurant, and the reservation was smoothly arranged.

[My schedule’s free… but what exactly are you planning, Seong Chanyeong?]

“It’s nothing much. It’ll be good for you too.”

Just as I was about to hang up after saying that, Baek Dojun called out to stop me, his voice suddenly urgent.