A Call He Couldn’t Escape

The moment I saw the incoming number on my phone, my heart dropped.

Not knowing who it was made the feeling even worse.

From experience, I knew this much—

Good feelings were usually wrong, but bad premonitions hit every time.

‘This… feels like one of the Alphas or Chairman Seong.’

There weren’t many numbers saved in my phone right now.

Secretary Choi.

The workers he had hired for me.

And the animal hospital.

That was it.

I was a transmigrator dropped into a novel with no connections.

There was no way I had friends here.

Only people I needed to avoid.

‘It’s unlikely his family would call me though…’

Still, if anyone were to somehow track down my number and try to contact me—

The original characters were the most likely.

One of the Alphas.

Or… Chairman Seong.

“I should’ve at least memorized their numbers.”

For someone used to smartphones, memorizing numbers felt impossible.

And honestly, there was no reason to memorize the numbers of people I wanted to avoid.

I had cut them off cleanly and left.

I thought I’d never hear from them again.

But the phone kept ringing.

Ignoring it felt wrong.

Answering it felt worse.

‘Please… let this be a scam call…!’

For the first time in my life, I genuinely hoped it was a phishing call.

If it was just someone trying to steal money, I could hang up and block them.

Clinging to that fragile hope, I carefully answered.

“…Hello?”

There was silence.

Then suddenly—

[Chanyeong! It’s your grandfather! Your grandfather!]

The booming voice nearly burst through the speaker.

“Chairman?!”

[What do you mean chairman! Can’t you even call your grandfather properly?!]

“Ah… yes. Sorry. Grand…father.”

Of course.

My bad feeling hadn’t been wrong.

Chairman Seong had actually tracked down my number and called me himself.

‘But how did he even get my number?’

I had thrown away the old phone and gotten a completely new one.

New number. New carrier. Everything.

Before I could even process it, he started complaining in a tearful tone.

His gruff voice scolded me nonstop, making my ears hurt.

[How could you leave the hospital and move out without a word? Did you not think of your worried grandfather at all?!]

At this point, it almost felt like punishment for unilaterally breaking off my engagement with Baek Dojun.

‘I really want to hang up… but…’

If I did, I had a strong feeling he’d show up in person next.

So I endured it.

He sniffled and continued.

[You heartless grandson… leaving without telling your family. Do you know how worried everyone is?]

“Well… I can’t tell you where I am.”

[Why not?!]

“If I tell you, you’ll come and drag me back home.”

I didn’t know what his intentions were, but blindly following him would only get me trapped again.

And I had no desire to return to that cold household.

‘There was never anyone on Seong Chanyeong’s side there.’

Even if he sounded gentle now, that could change anytime.

And then I’d be discarded again.

I absolutely refused that.

‘I didn’t escape just to go back.’

If I returned now, everything would collapse.

I had already told Seo Eunsu and the others I’d never see them again.

If I got dragged back, they’d definitely think I was lying.

‘They’ll just say the same things.’

That Seong Chanyeong was a liar.

That it was all a scheme.

That he was beyond saving.

‘If I go back, I won’t be able to escape the story again.’

So there was no going back.

“Right, grandfather?”

[…You’re right. If I knew where you were, I would’ve gone to get you immediately.]

“I’m really fine. I like where I live now.”

[Like it? With your condition, I should be bringing you back immediately!]

‘…My condition?’

What condition?

I was perfectly fine.

“Really, I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about. Honestly, I could live here for the rest of my life and be happy.”

The moment I said that—

[Don’t say that! Don’t say such things!]

He exploded.

[Why would you die?! You should live a long life, even until you’re old enough to smear walls!]

…That’s a bit much.

‘I didn’t think that would make him this angry.’

I meant it sincerely.

Farming here with Janggun was genuinely fulfilling.

The night sky, the quiet life—

It was peaceful.

But he sounded furious.

“Um… I was joking. Are you mad?”

[Of course I am! Do you know how that sounds?!]

I could even hear banging noises through the phone.

And another voice in the background—

“At this rate, you’ll collapse before he does.”

Wait.

Someone could talk to Chairman Seong like that?

He bickered briefly with his doctor, then spoke again.

[You may not believe it, but I am truly worried about you. That’s why I tracked your number and called.]

His tone softened.

For a second, I almost believed him.

“Thank you. But I really like it here. I just want to live quietly from now on.”

I made it clear, as gently as possible—

I had no intention of returning.

This peaceful life was too valuable.

Then—

Unexpectedly, he sounded like he was about to cry.

[Then… are you saying you’ll never see your grandfather again?]

…What is this?

This wasn’t how he was supposed to act.

Was this some alternate version of the story?

There was no way.

“…I’ll visit during holidays. Would that be okay?”

A white lie.

I had no intention of going.

At most, I’d send farm produce through Secretary Choi.

But even that didn’t satisfy him.

[So you really won’t come back? If you do, I’ll make sure your family treats you properly—]

“Grandfather.”

My patience snapped.

“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of going back. I think you already know that.”

[…]

Finally—

He fell silent.

Of course he understood.

He was just pretending not to.

I let out a quiet breath.

“Grandfather… we both know, don’t we?”

“My parents, my sisters… they don’t need me.”

“They wouldn’t even be sad if I disappeared.”

No one had contacted me.

That alone said everything.

His sisters were too busy fighting over inheritance to care.

‘He’s not that different either.’

Whether it was guilt or appearances, I didn’t care.

“Please remember what I said before. I want to be free.”

I didn’t want the burden of the Seong family anymore.

“I don’t want anything from that family. So please… just think of me as someone who doesn’t exist anymore.”

It was better for everyone that way.

Or at least—

That’s what I thought.

Because the next moment—

[It’s… my fault.]

…What?

Why was he apologizing?