THE ROOFTOP OF THE WEALTHY FAMILY

THE WEALTHY FAMILY Chapter 9: "The Rooftop Choice" ∼5,120 words 12:03am. Fu Mansion. Rooftop. Ha-rin was shaking. The text: Meet me. 12am. Rooftop. Or I leak them to the press. -T She shouldn’t go. Clause 8.1 said: No contact without Ji-hoon present. But if Tae-joon leaked fake results... Ji-woo’s life would be over. She took the elevator. 12:15am. Rooftop. Wind. Tae-joon was there. Smoking. Envelope in his hand. "You're late," he said. "Where did you get that?" Ha-rin asked. "I have friends in the lab," he smiled. "5 days is for poor people." He held up the envelope. FU JI-HOON vs PARK TAE-JOON PATERNITY TEST Ha-rin's mouth went dry. "Let me see." "First," Tae-joon stepped closer. "Sign this." He pulled out papers. "Full custody to me. You get visitation. 1 day a month. And you stay away from Ji-hoon." Ha-rin's hands fisted. "No." "Then I leak this to Dispatch in 10 minutes," he said. "Headline: CEO FU'S WIFE HAD AFFAIR. CHILD NOT HIS." Ha-rin felt like she would throw up. The door banged open. Ji-hoon. Black suit. Wet from rain. Furious. "What are you doing here?" he barked at Tae-joon. Tae-joon didn’t flinch. "Negotiating. Your wife was about to sign away your son." Ji-hoon's eyes went to Ha-rin. To the envelope. To Tae-joon. He walked between them. Shielded Ha-rin. "Give it," he said. "Or what?" Tae-joon laughed. "You’ll sue me?" Ji-hoon pulled out his own phone. Hit play. Audio: Tae-joon's voice: "I have friends in the lab. 5 days is for poor people." Tae-joon's face went white. "Tampering with court evidence," Ji-hoon said softly. "10 years. Minimum." Tae-joon threw the envelope. "Fine! Take it!" Ji-hoon caught it. Didn’t open it. He looked at Ha-rin. "Are you okay?" She nodded, crying. "I was scared for Ji-woo." Ji-hoon pulled her into his chest. Right there on the rooftop. In front of Tae-joon. "Then let’s go home," he whispered. "We open this together." They left Tae-joon standing in the rain. --- 1:00am. Fu Mansion. Ji-hoon's Study. Just them. Ji-woo asleep upstairs. The envelope sat on the desk. Unopened. Ha-rin couldn’t breathe. "What if... what if it’s him?" Ji-hoon took her hands. "Then we still fight. You’re still Ji-woo’s mom. And I’m still the man who chose you." He tore the envelope. Silence. He read it. Once. Twice. Then he looked up at her. Eyes red. "99.9999% probability," he said. "Fu Ji-hoon is the biological father." Ha-rin collapsed to her knees. Sobbing. Ji-hoon got down with her. Held her. "Shh. It’s over. We won." "Why?" she cried. "Why me?" "Because you’re mine," he said. "Contract or not." He kissed her forehead. Then her cheeks. Then her lips. For the first time. Not for cameras. Not for Clause 8.1. Because he wanted to. --- Next Morning. Press Conference. Ji-hoon stood at the podium. Ha-rin and Ji-woo beside him. "Good morning," he said. "The results are in. Ji-woo is my son. And as of today, I am filing for full custody and divorce from Park Tae-joon’s harassment. Also..." He took Ha-rin's hand. "Mrs. Fu and I are expecting. Baby #2." Cameras exploded. Ha-rin's eyes went wide. "What—" Ji-hoon squeezed her hand. "Surprise," he whispered. --- chapter 9 completed Written by Omah C BEAUTY