Billionaire Baby Daddy

09. Dara

“I think it’s clean, Dara.”

I glanced up from the sink where I’d been angrily scrubbing the same pan for the last ten minutes. Angry at myself…

Bom sat at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee as she watched me. She’d taken half the day off to run a few errands and stopped by to discuss the cake she wanted me to bake for her wedding and ended up staying. It felt nice to have a friend again. I’d lost touch with most of my old friends after Ilwoo and I had gotten married, and I wasn’t ready to reach out in the middle of a custody battle, because I knew I wouldn’t be a good friend.

“Sorry,” I muttered, rinsing the pan one final time before putting it on the rack. “When I’m anxious, I clean.”

Bom grinned, then put her hands up in surrender. “Hey, don’t let me stop you. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t break your wrist before you made my wedding cake.”

Snorting in amusement, I wiped my hands on a dish towel before taking a seat next to her. “We definitely wouldn’t want that, now would we?” I couldn’t help but laugh again at the mental image. Only I would be able to do something like that. Hey, Mom. Um, sorry. I broke my wrist cleaning a pan. Think you can come to the hospital?

We talked for a few more minutes before she left. Jisoo was spending the morning with my mother, so I had at least another two hours before I had to pick her up for our appointment with Dr. Choi. With Bom gone, I threw myself back into cleaning.

As I scrubbed the dried food off of Jisoo’s highchair, my mind couldn’t stop replaying my conversation with Jiyong. I kept picturing the expression on his face. When I’d first entered his office, he’d been warm and inviting. The kiss had been completely unexpected, and yet, when I saw him leaning in, I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. I didn’t want to. And honestly, I didn’t want it to end. But, he’d called me in for a reason, and I knew I couldn’t allow myself to get distracted. His lips…

It was familiar but still exciting. It had felt like the start of something new.

Then his mood had switched, and suddenly he’d seemed withdrawn. Right after I told him I had a reason for the DNA test.

The guilt of my secret ate away at me.

You are a chicken, I scolded myself. A big one, too.

I should have been honest with him about Ilwoo and the custody hearing from the beginning. Damn it. I should have told him yesterday. By holding back, I thought I could make the situation clean and uncomplicated. I should have known better. Nothing about our situation was easy—or simple.

He had shut down when he thought I had ulterior motives. He probably thought I was coming after his money or something.

I was tempted to call Jiyong and explain myself, but I stopped when I remembered I would see him later. If our conversation went badly, I didn’t want to risk him not showing up to the appointment. So, I continued cleaning the apartment until it was sparkling, then changed my clothes and left to get Jisoo.

The doctor’s office was plain and anonymous, located on the first floor of a three-story brick building where various other businesses operated. It was clean, quiet, and nondescript. Its character was oddly fitting, given the reason we were there. After filling out some paperwork, I paced the threadbare carpet in the waiting room with Jisoo, who was excited to see and touch everything she could get her little hands on. I’d just managed to stop her from standing on one of the chairs when Jiyong strolled in, dressed in a gray business suit, complimented by a burgundy tie.

He wore a worried expression, although when Jisoo clapped excitedly and bounded toward him, he did give her a smile. He reached down and tousled Jisoo’s hair before he finally made eye contact with me.