Xiamen's father stared out the tall windows of his study, the city lights bleeding into the night like threads of cold fire.
His voice, when it came, was low—too calm.
"Haoyu…" he repeated.
"A child I was never allowed to meet."
The butler lowered his head. "Yes, sir."
"And now," the old man continued, "I hear he's been seen… inside Hong Yi's company?"
The butler's throat tightened. "Yes, sir. With Miss Xiamen. And Mr. Hong Yi himself."
Silence cracked through the room like ice.
Xiamen's father turned, his eyes sharp as a blade.
"So she returns not only with secrets—"
He stepped closer, each word falling like judgment.
"—but with a child she refuses to explain."
The butler tried to steady himself. "Sir, shall we investigate quietly?"
"Quietly?"
The old man's lip curled.
"No. I want everything—everything—on the man who fathered that child." Look like I need to meet my daughter also .
He slammed his cane against the marble.
"Find out what kind of dirty blood she has dragged back into my house."
Meanwhile, back in the garden…
Haoyu had settled onto Hong Yi's shoulders, small fingers tangled in his hair like he had always belonged there.
Xiamen walked beside them, arms crossed, but her steps had lost their rigid edge.
She hated how natural they looked together.
She hated even more how safe Haoyu seemed with him.
"Careful," she muttered.
Hong Yi's eyebrow lifted. "I have him."
"That's the problem," she murmured beneath her breath.
He heard it.
Of course he did.
But instead of the sarcastic retort she expected, Hong Yi simply said softly:
"Xiamen… I would never let him fall."
Her heart twitched. Just once.
But she didn't look at him.
Couldn't.
Not when his voice carried a tenderness he never gave anyone else.
Haoyu giggled. "Mom, Mr. Hong Yi said he'll buy me unicorn ice cream and fish snacks—"
"I said no such thing," Hong Yi protested again.
Xiamen exhaled, almost a laugh.
Almost.
But then—
A phone rang in Hong Yi's pocket.
He shifted Haoyu carefully to his other side and answered it.
His body stiffened immediately.
Xiamen noticed.
She always noticed.
"What is it?" she asked.
Hong Yi's jaw tightened.
"Your father."
He paused, eyes darkening.
"He sent someone to investigate Haoyu."
Xiamen stopped walking.
Her pulse dropped like a stone.
"My father… is investigating my son?"
Hong Yi lowered the phone.
"He knows Haoyu exists."
She scared If Papa finds out that this is my and Hong Yi's son, he might have him kidnapped. Like me, I won't let my son become puppet for his benefit, i need to do something,
Xiamen father side ,
Night fell over the Xiamen estate like a drawn curtain when the old man made his final call.
"Send a team to Busan," he ordered, voice icy and absolute.
"If Xiamen's been hiding the child's father, the truth will be there."
"Yes, Chairman," came the crisp reply.
"Discretion," the old man added.
"No one must know it comes from me."