The boardroom smelled like fear and expensive panic.
Kang-woo sat at the long table in a loose black shirt that hid the slight swell starting to show under his waistband. Morning sickness had hit him again on the way in, but he'd puked in the private bathroom and washed his mouth with the same calm face he used to wear when collecting debts.
Ji-woon stood at the head like a king ready to burn the kingdom down. "The vote is now. Any director who sides with Min-jae loses everything I own in this company."
Min-jae sat three seats away, lawyers flanking him like bodyguards. He smiled that same film-director smile. "Touching. But the board knows the truth. Our Omega is unstable. Pregnant by who knows who. And DNA tests prove he's not even Han Seung-ho. Custody of the child defaults to the family. That means me."
Kang-woo's hand went to his stomach without thinking. The baby wasn't even showing much yet, but he already felt it like a tiny fist in his gut. "Try taking this kid from me. I'll gut you in front of the cameras and smile while I do it."
A director cleared his throat. "CEO-nim… the press is outside. If we don't remove the… complication, the stock will—"
Ji-woon slammed a folder on the table. Papers flew. "The complication is my Omega and my child. Anyone who votes against me gets their shares frozen by morning. I've already bought the banks that hold your loans."
Three directors turned white and switched their votes on the spot.
Min-jae's smile finally died. "You can't do this. He's a fraud. A street rat wearing our name."
Kang-woo stood up slow. The room went quiet. "Yeah. I'm Choi Kang-woo. Used to break legs for money. Now I'm carrying the next Kwon heir. You want to fight me for it? Come on then. I've fought bigger assholes in worse suits."
He walked straight up to Min-jae, grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands, and yanked him close enough to smell the fear.
"Touch my baby and I'll make sure the only thing you direct again is your own funeral."
Security moved in. Min-jae was dragged out still spitting threats about emergency court orders and DNA proof.
Ji-woon pulled Kang-woo against his chest the second the door closed, big hand splayed protectively over the small bump.
"You're mine," he said against Kang-woo's hair. "Both of you. And I just burned half the board to keep you."
Kang-woo let himself lean in for two seconds. Then his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out and read the new message.
Court papers filed. Emergency hearing tomorrow. We're taking the kid. See you in family court, princess.
Kang-woo deleted it, but the nausea came back worse than before.
The power struggle had just grown teeth and a lawyer.