Exchanging Fates

“You have a younger sister, right?”

Yes.

Park Jaeyoung.

Her body was very weak, currently recuperating in Canada…

She was one of his mother’s fragile fingers, whom he might see only once or twice a year.

But why was she being brought up all of a sudden?

“Yes.”

“Did you know your younger sister manifested as an Alpha?”

Jaekyung was startled.

An Alpha…

As far as he knew, she had been a Beta.

But she was much younger than him.

She had just become an adult, and now she manifested as an Alpha?

No, it wasn’t impossible.

He himself had manifested from Beta to Omega.

“Judging by your expression, I guess you didn’t know.”

“Yes…”

“She manifested as an Alpha, not a dominant one.

But unfortunately, her body is very weak.

That’s why Chairman Park personally came to our hospital and pharmaceutical company.

He asked us to save his daughter.”

Father?

No way.

She was a Beta with a weak body, so naturally, their father had paid little attention to her.

Sending her to Canada wasn’t to heal her with advanced medical techniques.

It was to remove her from sight because seeing her would be bothersome.

He had never called her, even once a year, and never inquired about her well-being.

And now he had personally come to NI Company asking to save her?

Was it because she manifested as an Alpha?

Because the family now had a successor?

So an Omega like him was no longer needed…

“By chance, our researchers had identified the cause of her illness, and we had developed the drug after clinical trials.

So Chairman Park must have been even more desperate.

But the drug is rare and difficult to produce, so it’s worth any price.

We didn’t intend to release it, so we were hesitant…

And then Chairman Park made an offer.

He promised Jaekyung to us and also to collaborate with NI Company.

In a way, it’s a very small condition.

Right?

We accepted that condition at an outrageous price.

Now, Director Han needs even a small amount of leverage.”

So that’s why.

The reason no one could stop him or explain anything…

He had thought it was an exchange, Alpha daughter for Omega son, a mere formality of negotiation, but he hadn’t imagined this reason.

“It’s not a bad deal for you either, Jaekyung.

Dominant Omegas are undervalued in this world.

At best, they end up as the concubine of a retired old man or the partner of some mediocre Alpha or Beta entrepreneur.

But for you, it’s the position of the successor’s partner in NI Company.

You’ll enjoy a lifetime of luxury, so perhaps you should even be grateful to Chairman Park.”

Perhaps.

If he had been born into an ordinary family, it wouldn’t matter whether he was a dominant Omega, Alpha, or Beta.

He could live doing what he wanted, enduring hardships along the way.

But this world was different.

As Director Ji said, at best, Omegas only end up as concubines of retired bosses… or sold off mediocrity.

In that sense, this marriage was clearly a loss for NI Company.

“Even if Rewang Group were behind me…

Director Han could have met a better family, a better partner.”

“Of course.

Even after announcing your marriage, requests keep coming.

He could have chosen Taeseok’s mistress.

But… we don’t deal with overly large families.

It gets complicated.

We must control things to a manageable degree.

Being a dominant Omega is a flaw, but you’re smart, so we chose you.

You won’t make mistakes, right?

You understand how your actions might harm the family, don’t you?”

You’re an easily controlled puppet.

Why does he have to phrase such a simple idea so elaborately?

He thought knowing the reason would give him a way to escape.

But hearing it, there was no escape.

Choice was a luxury, desire a risk.

His only sister… so far away that he couldn’t properly care for her.

Even saying hello occasionally was difficult due to being busy.

Yet she always called him “oppa” and smiled.

Jaekyung closed his eyes, thinking of her.

Even so, how could he trade a human life for anything?

If his actions caused his sister to lose the chance for treatment, how would he carry that burden for life?

How would he face his mother’s tears?

He clenched his fists.

“Thank you… for telling me.”

“I’m glad your curiosity is satisfied.

As a precaution, I’ll say this: it’s too late to cancel the marriage now.

We must preserve our dignity.”

“…I won’t cancel it.

Please… proceed with the marriage.

I will… do my best.”

“I’m relieved to hear that.

All you need to do is marry and support Director Han.

And bear a child to continue the family line.

That’s your duty.”

A child… his child with that man.

“Can Jaeyoung recover?”

“The first dose has shown good progress.

There are five doses in total…

But no matter what happens, it will succeed.

You need not worry.”

“Yes… I’ll get up now.”

Jaekyung stood and left Director Ji’s study, intending to visit the gallery.

He tried to walk normally, but his legs wobbled.

He barely opened the door, patted his chest, and walked to the restroom.

He locked the door, sat down, and gasped for air.

No tears came.

It was time to accept everything and resign himself.

That night, Jaekyung texted Han Taeseok.

He asked when they could meet.

Han Taeseok didn’t ask his opinion and set the time, date, and place.

They met the night before the press conference, at his office.

It was 11 PM.

Almost everyone had left, yet he was still at his desk working.

True to father, true to son, even after hearing Jaekyung arrive, he kept reading documents.

Jaekyung stood quietly for ten minutes, suddenly finding the situation absurd.

He had to get used to this.

This was his life from now on.

“You seem busy, so I’ll leave.”

Only then did Han Taeseok stop flipping documents, close them, stand up, and direct Jaekyung to a seat on the sofa.

Jaekyung experienced déjà vu.

“I heard you asked your mother why she chose Park Jaekyung.”

It wasn’t surprising that he knew about that day.

No doubt Director Ji had laughed and told him everything.

“Yes. I was curious.

Why I was chosen.”

“Did you hear a satisfactory answer?”

“Yes.”

“Then you have no questions for me.”

“No.”

“…Why did you want to meet me?”

“I have one request.

And I’d like to add this request before tomorrow’s press conference.”

Han Taeseok leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs, giving a look that said, go on.

“I’d like a clause preventing interference in each other’s private lives.”

“Private life?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds odd, as if you have… another private life?”

He looked at him with a subtle, piercing gaze.

Jaekyung shook his head, sensing his intent to probe him.

“You’ve probably investigated me completely.

I have no current relationship, nor a secret affair.

I won’t start one after marriage.

You needn’t worry.

If you want, you may continue to assign people to me.

I will do my best in my assigned role.

Everything expected of me as Director Han’s partner.

But… sometimes I will need free time.

If I don’t have it, I may want to give up, even escape.”

“One word: you need time as Park Jaekyung, not only as Han Taeseok’s partner.”

“Yes.”

He spent days reflecting.

After hearing Director Ji, he considered confronting his father with complaints, but thought it useless.

His father wouldn’t bend his will.

Even if he did, what about Jaeyoung?

Still, he needed something to protect his own existence.

Otherwise, he would collapse alone in the world.

“Very well. Let’s do that.

However, let’s specify affairs explicitly.

You may trust me, but people’s actions are unpredictable.”

“If you wish, Director, that clause can be added.

Of course, it applies to you as well.

I hate messy matters, like a three-way confrontation in a drama.”

Han Taeseok slightly furrowed his brows at that.

“Then, I’ll assume we’re done. I’ll leave now.

See you at the press conference tomorrow.”

All matters were concluded.

Jaekyung rose, greeted Han Taeseok, and left the office without hesitation.

He checked the time.

The minutes standing idly, waiting for a word, were longer than the actual discussion.

And it would probably be like that in the future too.