KISS THE SCUMBAG Chapter 45

As he stroked her cheek, Angela furrowed her brows and said with a pout,

“But what if he asks us to pay for it? We don’t have any money.”

Yujin barely managed to swallow the sigh that was about to escape him. It was all his fault that the child was so worried about money. Yujin struggled to look happy, trying his best to put his daughter at ease.

“I told you it’s not like that, Angie. Don’t think that way. You can play with them as much as you want. I’m sure Mr. Campbell would want that even more.”

To persuade Angela, Yujin pointedly turned to look at the playroom as he continued.

“Think about it. If he just wanted to look at them, why would he have bought so many toys? It’s upsetting when you buy a gift for someone and they don’t play with it, right?”

Angela’s face showed clear signs of wavering. For a young child, having to hold back the desire to play when there were so many toys was an all-too-cruel test. As she hesitated, her gaze trailing Yujin’s toward the playroom, Yujin stroked her hair and added,

“Okay? So it’s okay to play with them. Let’s thank Mr. Campbell later. That’ll be enough, okay?”

The child seemed to think for a moment before nodding slightly. Smiling, Yujin carried Angela toward the playroom.

“What shall we play with first? Want to go on the slide?”

When Yujin asked, Angela hesitated before saying, “Doll,” in a small voice. Watching his daughter hug what was clearly a brand-new baby doll and carefully feed it with a plastic nursing bottle, Yujin barely suppressed another heartbreaking sigh. Even though he had told her it was okay, it was obvious she was extremely tense, terrified that something might happen to the toys.

As long as we are here, I must make sure Angie lacks nothing.

He didn’t know why Winston had done this, but as long as his daughter was happy, that was all that mattered. No matter what Winston called him or how he treated him.

“Shall we eat breakfast on the balcony tomorrow morning, Angie?”

At Yujin’s question, Angela looked at him, startled.

“Can we really?”

“Of course. Though, I do need to get permission from the owner of the room.”

As he added that with a smile, Angela immediately wore a nervous expression.

“Who is that?”

Yujin put on a deliberately serious face and said,

“Well… I hope he gives us permission, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.”

Seeing the child freeze up completely, Yujin opened his mouth with a solemn expression.

“Angie, there is a very cute and wonderful little girl, and I would like to eat breakfast with her on the balcony tomorrow. Would that be okay?”

“Huh?”

Angela couldn’t immediately grasp Yujin’s joke and widened her eyes. Yujin tried his absolute hardest to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside and continued politely.

“She is such a kind and lovely child that I really want to have breakfast with her. May I invite her to your balcony?”

Angela only blinked, still looking bewildered. She was a bright child for her age, but Yujin couldn’t help but laugh as he realized the difficulty level might have been a bit high.

“Angie, it’s your room! You’re the one who needs to give permission.”

“Uh, uh?”

Angela’s eyes slowly grew wider. The look on her face, as she began to grasp the meaning of his words bit by bit, gradually turned into surprise. Yujin said with a bright smile,

“Yes, Angie. I’m asking you. The owner of this room.”

“Ah… Aaaah.”

Only then did his daughter fully understand. She looked up at Yujin with her mouth open as wide as her eyes. It seemed she had finally realized that this room really was her own. Watching the look of wonder slowly wash over his child’s face, Yujin asked softly,

“Would that be alright, Angie? Do you give your permission?”

“Uh, yes!”

A beat late, Angela nodded. Her eyes, looking up at Yujin, were full of joy and sparkling brightly.

“Of course, permission granted! I love it!”

The child leaped into his arms and showered Yujin’s cheeks with kisses. Hugging her tightly, Yujin laughed and asked,

“Shall we have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow? With maple syrup. And milk.”

Hearing her favorite menu, Angela couldn’t contain her excitement; she let out a loud “Waaah!” and ran around the room. Yujin watched his daughter’s face with a heart full of warmth.

∞ ∞ ∞

Perhaps because she was overexcited from the massive events of the day, Angela had trouble falling asleep. Yujin deliberately gave her a bath early and had her eat dinner before putting her in her pajamas at an earlier time than usual.

“I’m not sleepy yet, Daddy.”

Looking at the child’s still-bright eyes, Yujin smiled and stroked her cheek.

“You have to sleep soon so we can eat breakfast on the balcony tomorrow morning.”

“O-kay.”

Angela nodded obediently, climbed into bed, and looked up at Yujin.

“From today on, I’m sleeping alone, right?”

“That’s right.”

Yujin felt bad for his child, but it was something she had to experience someday.

“I’ll stay by your side until you fall asleep, Angie.”

He had considered telling her one of the stories he usually made up, but he soon came up with an idea.

“Shall I bring you a doll? I saw one about this big—would you like to sleep with it?”

Thinking of the dolls piled up in the playroom, he spoke, and Angela was startled before quickly shaking her head.

“No, that’s okay. Max is fine.”

“Max?”

It was the first doll he had ever bought for her when she was born, and the only one she possessed. Thinking of the old, worn-out, and dirty doll, Yujin suddenly realized another possibility.

“Are you worried that a new doll might get broken?”

When he asked cautiously, Angela didn’t answer immediately. The child lowered her eyes, hesitated, and then mumbled in a small voice,

“I just like Max.”

Yujin watched his child for a moment before ultimately bringing the doll to her. After receiving the doll from Yujin, Angela hugged it tightly to her chest and closed her eyes. Yujin sat by the bedside telling her stories until she drifted off, and once he confirmed she was in a deep sleep with her signature comfortable breathing, he kissed her forehead and left the bedroom.

Alright, now.

Once he closed the door behind him, he let out a deep, involuntary sigh. After exhaling slowly, he steeled himself and looked to the side. Winston had already returned home. Yujin had noticed his car pulling in through the window earlier.

He’s on the other side of that door.

Yujin looked at the tightly shut door and swallowed hard. He felt an impulse to just run away, but he knew very well it was impossible. Forcing himself to picture his daughter’s face, he lashed himself forward.

He managed to knock, but there was no sound from inside. Is he already asleep? If so, that would be a relief.

But Yujin knew that was a vain hope. He took one more deep breath before reaching for the handle. When he finally opened the door, the sound of it echoing through the quiet mansion startled Yujin as if his heart had dropped.

Through the slowly opening door, the familiar scene of the room came into view. And the moment he discovered the man sitting alone by the window with his legs crossed, Yujin stopped in his tracks, still holding the door handle.

Winston had removed his jacket and tie but was still wearing the rest, including his vest. He saw a bottle of liquor and a glass on the tea table. The brown liquid in the glass was nearly at the bottom. Has he been drinking since he got home?

Even in that state, he was looking at a tablet resting on his thick, raised thighs, tapping at the screen. Occasionally, he would check his smartphone. Yujin began to understand why he hadn’t looked up even though he must have heard the door.

Working until this hour?

Yujin was inwardly surprised, but if this was the reason Winston had been so quiet since he got home, it made sense. Perhaps he hadn’t sought Yujin out specifically because he was busy working.

An Alpha Prime doesn’t get drunk or addicted. He had heard that it took an enormous amount of alcohol to make them intoxicated. Therefore, there was no way he was drunk from just one bottle of whiskey.

Then everything that happens next will be in his sober mind. Yujin steeled himself and lifted his chin. What could possibly get worse? He had already heard every cruel thing there was to hear.