Seoha's pov
Kang Taesan pats Sooin's head once, gives his employee a loaded glare and just stares at me with blank face.
The tension between us is palpable as I gulp, feeling heat crawl underneath my skin and shame make me divert my eyes.
This man is letting me go with his wallet, his child, his employee, his black card and his password.
The calmness terrifies me. Who exactly is this man?
We walk away from the alpha and when I look back, I find that he's on his phone with his back turned, he looks just how he looked minutes before I dared to rob him.
Calm, domineering and commanding.
If I had known, I would have kept my hands to myself and I wouldn't be in this mess.
"Daddy, daddy, carry me" Sooin says and lift her arms for me, "I can't, baby, my clothes are wet" I say and ruffle her hair, she pouts but doesn't complain.
The woman next to me holds Sooin's hand securely, but doesn't say a word, she still looks pale from her boss's words…he didn't say anything to me and I'm this terrified.
"Daddy here!" Sooin points at a restaurant door, the place is expensive and decorated with gold light, "daddy" Sooin calls impatiently and drags us in.
My legs are as heavy as logs of wood as I realize; I will be spending money that isn't mine in a place like this…what if the alpha tells me to repay? I hardly afford a cup of coffee, not to talk about an expensive version of a meal I can make at home.
I look at the nanny, and she avoids my stares as we sit at a table close to the door, the both of us sit with Sooin in our middle.
Three of us, the same space and different atmospheres.
Sooin is buzzing with energy but is well mannered and keeps her hand to herself, the nanny is fiddling with her finger and I'm panicking.
"Is…" I start and lower my voice before leaning into the nanny, "is the boss scary?" I ask and she looks at me with wide eyes, "n-no, no never…Mr Kang is a kind man" she says automatically.
Her words give me the answer I need, I need to get out of here, and on cue my phone rings.
An unknown number.
"Daddy, work too?" Sooin asks as soon as I pick up the phone, this is my chance to run, my opportunity to save myself.
"I'll be back" I say and get up to leave the restaurant when Sooin holds my hand, she looks up at me with those big eyes that stop my heart, "you will come back fast, right?" she asks and I nod.
My heart is lodged in my throat, I can't lie to her, neither can I tell her the truth, my life is in danger in every way.
When I leave the restaurant and the call has ended.
"Please…" I mutter as I dial the number again, hoping it's my lawyer calling to tell me it was all a mistake, calling to inform me that I was at the wrong house, that I am not homeless.
"Please…h-hello?" I say as soon as the receiver accepts the call and the voice that comes through makes me freeze. It's Daeshin.
"Seoha-ya" he says in that voice that I have grown to love too much.
"Bye" I say and I'm about to end the call when he asks me to wait, "Baby, wait, please" he says and I smell my pheromones in the air turning sour.
He does have an unforgettable hold on me, and I hate it so much, "what do you want?" I ask, still keeping the phone pressed to my ear.
"Baby come home, wandering out there alone without me is dangerous" he says in a small voice, and I bow my head, my omega whines as he considers it…this is the alpha that has protected us for years.
My legs take a step forward, ready to run back home to him when I hear Sooin's squeal from inside the restaurant, loud and lively.
New man. Seoha. You're a new man.
Without warning, I end the call and return to the restaurant, I find Sooin smiling at her nanny as the woman entertains her.
"Daddy!" she screams as I approach and take my seat; the smell of the food, the brightness of the little girl and the buzz of the restaurant does plenty to silence the pain inside me.
Stupid, stupid heart.
The rest of the dining goes by in a blur and in one hour thirty minutes, we are ready to return to Taesan.
I keep my heart ready to leave them, return the wallet and find my way…maybe return…
"Good, you're back" Taesan's deep voice drags me out of my thoughts, and I look up at him, he looks even darker, angry even.
"Yes…" I say and hold out the wallet to him but he doesn't take it, "dad, I'm sleepy" Sooin says, interrupting us as she rubs at her eyes.
"Come here princess" he says and she walks over to him, letting him lift her up, "I want to sleep there, you and daddy and me" Sooin says, snuggling into her father's neck.
"Of course" Taesan says with a nod before diverting his attention to the nanny.
"You're dismissed Minah, return tomorrow morning by seven am" Taesan says, and the nanny bows before fleeing, running from the man she called kind.
Once it's me and him again, the air turns thick and heavy.
"Sir, I would like to apologize for…" I start and he turns around, "room 204" he says and starts to walk away without looking back at me as he makes his way to the elevator.
"Kang-ssi" I try again and he growls at me, "Sooin is a light sleeper, do not wake my daughter" he says, and I swallow my apology, keeping my hands in front of me where he can see them.
When we arrive at the door of the room, he opens it with the keys and steps in.
I stand at the door still holding out the wallet and pleading in my mind…please, please let me go.
"What are you doing?" he asks and I open and shut my mouth, unsure of what my response should be.
"Get in" he growls and my body moves on its own past the threshold and into the room, heart pounding wildly and eyes darting around the room.
"If Sooin says sleep here, you sleep here, understood?" he asks…no, command and I whimper loudly.
I'm done for.