Childhood Friend of the Zenith

“…….”

Gulp.

I swallowed dryly. Seeing my father appear made it happen naturally.

Even more so—

‘Why the hell did he bring her back?’

The human who had run away earlier was now dangling from my father’s hand. That girl, Gu Seon, the daughter of this household.

She struggled, squirming desperately to break free, but my father’s grip didn’t loosen.

“Hey! Let me go already!”

Gu Seon kept shouting, but my father remained the same. He only alternated his gaze between me and Gu Seongyeol, his eyes wide in shock.

No matter how much Gu Seon protested, he didn’t pay her any attention.

Or rather, he was in no state to pay attention to anything else.

“What did you just say?”

Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes blazed as he spoke. That voice alone was enough to render both me and Gu Seongyeol speechless.

“……Cheolwoon.”

Jin Yeonryeong looked at my father in astonishment, meeting his gaze.

“……I greet you, Mother.”

At that, my father properly greeted Jin Yeonryeong.

“I was unable to visit right away due to other matters, but upon hearing that you had collapsed, I hurried here at once…”

His sharp eyes flickered as he turned to look at Gu Seongyeol.

“I can’t seem to understand what I just heard. Clan Leader.”

A slight edge crept into my father’s voice. At that moment—

“What’s there not to understand?”

The one still caught in my father’s grasp, Gu Seon, spoke up.

“You heard everything, you idiot. They said there’s another spot in our family. You listened to the whole thing, so why are you acting all confused—Kyaaaah!”

Gu Seon let out a scream.

“It hurts! It huuurts!! I’m sorryyy!!”

It seemed that my father had tightened his grip around her neck. As soon as she apologized, her screams began to subside.

“Ggghhh….”

“Clan Leader.”

Ignoring Gu Seon’s cries, my father turned to Gu Seongyeol.

“Is what I just heard true?”

“……”

Gu Seongyeol couldn’t answer. He could have just denied it. But perhaps the reason he couldn’t—

‘Because he knows my situation…’

Because he knew that I was his son’s child.

‘…And because of Grandmother’s gaze.’

Jin Yeonryeong’s stare practically screamed that if he didn’t answer properly, he wouldn’t be left alone.