An Unwanted Kindness

An indescribable sense of discomfort pooled somewhere in Baek Dojun’s chest.

It was a feeling unfamiliar even to himself.

Strange.

Even as he regained his composure and told Seong Chanyeong not to try anything funny as usual, that unidentifiable emotion kept pricking at him.

‘…This is just resentment toward Seong Chanyeong.
All those unresolved feelings piling up—this must be what it is.’

That was the only conclusion he could reach.

Nothing else came to mind.

So Baek Dojun signed the breakup documents Chanyeong handed him without resistance—but at the same time, he remained wary of him.

‘I don’t know what he’s thinking. I need to keep watching him.’

All of this was simply preparation to take revenge on Seong Chanyeong.

Nothing more than settling the score for being treated like a dog under the title of fiancé.

‘Yeah… that’s all it is.’

Even asking, in a relatively gentle tone, whether Chanyeong would really be okay taking responsibility for the breakup while calmly eating that, too, came from the same place.

If Seong Chanyeong could change his attitude, there was no reason Baek Dojun couldn’t.

He tried to convince himself it was nothing more than that but then—

“I’ll handle that myself.

Stay out of it.

You’re not my fiancé anymore.”

At that one indifferent remark from Seong Chanyeong, a fire of stubborn defiance flared up inside him.

‘Says who?’

After draining him dry and tormenting him all this time—

now he thinks he can just wrap everything up with a single document without even a proper apology?

Alpha or not—this wasn’t something a person could accept.

Watching Seong Chanyeong leave after finishing his meal so lightly, Baek Dojun immediately dialed his number.

It was the first time he had ever called Chanyeong first.

But instead of a ringing tone, only an automated response played.

[The person you are calling cannot answer at the moment.
Please try again later.]

No matter how many times he tried, the result was the same.

“Ha.”

He had clearly been blocked.

Seong Chanyeong was truly trying to erase Baek Dojun completely from his life.

‘This should be a good thing.’

But it wasn’t.

A complicated mix of emotions surged through him.

Without even realizing it, he crumpled the breakup papers in his hand,

standing there in the restaurant parking lot for a long time, unable to leave.

The main character—gone.

The male leads—cut off.

I thought I could finally go live peacefully and farm.

“Secretary Choi… what is this?”

“They are land deeds.”

No, I can see that.

Unless my eyes are in my feet, anyone could tell these are land deeds.

“What I mean is—why is there more than one?”

And not just that they were all massive plots of land.

This wasn’t some peaceful rural life.

It looked like I was about to start a large-scale agricultural business.

Should I start planting ginseng and selling it monthly or something?

There was even a weekend farm plot in the middle of the city slipped in among them.

How did he even get that?

All I asked for was some remote, quiet place.

My inner commoner was screaming.

‘These premium lands are too much for me to accept.’

My goal was to completely cut ties with the original plot.

Somewhere easily accessible was the last thing I wanted.

“I tend to prepare thoroughly, so I looked into several options that might suit your preferences. That’s why there are so many.”

“So that’s why it was delayed?”

“Yes.”

Looking at the stack of land deeds spread across the table, I was overwhelmed but now I finally understood why Secretary Choi had been late.

‘Right. Of course he’d be thorough.’

“Good work, Secretary Choi.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve simply done what I’m paid to do.”

At that moment, I had no idea that Chairman Seong Gongun—Seong Chanyeong’s grandfather—was the one behind all these documents.

I only realized it when I spotted a gold envelope neatly tucked among them.

‘Huh?’

“What’s this envelope?”

“Ah… that is a gift from the chairman.”

‘The chairman?

So this is from his grandfather?’

I blinked in confusion.

Wasn’t Seong Chanyeong basically the family’s black sheep in the original story?

Seeing my reaction, Secretary Choi hurriedly defended the chairman.

“He means no harm.

He sent it with good intentions, for your sake.”

“…Alright.”

I carefully opened the envelope.

Inside a stack of checks filled with an absurd number of zeros.

What is this?

What the hell is this?

‘Is this a “take the money and leave” situation?
Like—stop dragging the Seong Group’s name through the mud?’

I suddenly felt like the poor female lead in a makjang drama being told to take money and disappear.

No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t feel positive.

‘That man doesn’t seem like the type to dote on Seong Chanyeong at all…’

Wasn’t he officially recognized as a complete troublemaker?

I thought his family hated him too.

I wasn’t exaggerating in any normal household, if your son chased after men all day, obsessed over someone, and constantly plotted harm, wouldn’t your affection run out long ago?

And this wasn’t just any family.

This was the owner family of the top corporation in the story.

There was no way they didn’t know.

“Secretary Choi.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Is the chairman… trying to cast me out?”

At my question, Secretary Choi looked startled and shook his head rapidly.

“No!
The chairman simply wants to grow closer to you, even now.”

“Why?
What about me is likable?”

“Th-that…”

See?

Even the secretary couldn’t defend it.

“Don’t force yourself to lie.
Tell him this for me—

I won’t cause any more trouble.
I’ll live quietly.”

The words scratched painfully in my throat as I spoke.

Strange.

He wasn’t even my real family—

but the thought of being cast aside like the original Seong Chanyeong still made my chest ache.

‘So I am like one of those tragic protagonists after all…
just with more money.’

“Good work, Secretary Choi.
I’ll contact you again soon.”

As I stood up with slumped shoulders, he hurriedly stopped me.

“N-no, young master!
That’s not it!
You’ve misunderstood!”

“What did I misunderstand?”

After hesitating briefly, Secretary Choi steeled himself and spoke.

“Actually… all those land deeds were selected under the chairman’s orders!”

…What?

Wait—were you also planted here as a watcher?

“I’m sorry, young master.
I’ve been the chairman’s man from the beginning.”

Once he started, he spilled everything—his double role and all.

“Ah… I see.”

“It wasn’t with bad intentions.

The chairman was worried about you, so he assigned me to assist and protect you.

In truth, the only things I reported were about your recent daily life.”

This was absurd.

He was already a legal adult—

not some child who needed constant supervision.

‘Though… he was causing harm to others before.’

Still, it was hard to believe.

It looked more like surveillance to prevent trouble than concern.

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

“Should I stake my salary on it…?”

Secretary Choi looked at me pitifully, like a trembling puppy.

I waved it off.

‘What power does a mere secretary have to refuse the chairman?’

Thinking about it that way, I couldn’t really blame him.

Maybe it was because I had already realized the housekeeper had been planted by Baek Dojun.

I stared at the checks in the gold envelope.

If this was truly the chairman’s sincerity—

I couldn’t accept it.

‘It’s too conspicuous.’

I just wanted to live quietly somewhere remote.

At this rate, I’d only end up drawing resentment from Chanyeong’s sisters.

‘Besides… I’m not even the real Seong Chanyeong.’

The personal wealth he already had was more than enough for the life I wanted.

So I decided to return the checks.

“Secretary Choi.
Get ready.”

“Where are you going…?”

“To the main house.

To see the chairman—no, my grandfather.”

At this point, it was better to meet him directly and settle things.

‘I’ll tell him I’m serious about farming…and that I’ve already broken off the engagement with Baek Dojun.’

It was something that needed to be said eventually anyway.

“Call ahead. Let’s go as soon as possible.”

“…Are you going to fire me?”

“It’s not that. Hurry up.”