Chapter 337: The grande finale

Epilogue

Taesan’s POV

I’m angry.

I’m seething.

My chest is burning and my eyes are also burning. I lean back in my leather exclusive seat and rub my jaw tiredly. Is it sane and safe for time to pass this fast?

"So, that’s my opinion on the topic. I hope you think about it and apply it soon" Sooin says with clear speech and perfect pronunciation to my company’s shareholders.

It’s her first meeting as the new C.E.O. she’s only twenty and she’s already speaking with the confidence of a seasoned leader.

"What about the textile production company?" someone asks and I growl lowly. The asshole is trying to throw my princess off balance. I subtly reach for my gun, but Seoha stops me by placing his hand on my thigh.

Damn it.

"Watch, Sooin has this under control" he whispers and I choose to get lost in his eyes.

It has been fourteen good years of loving him, yet every new day feels like it’s the first time I’m falling for him. His doe eyes keep getting prettier. His soft heart keeps getting softer. And his hold on me keeps getting stronger.

Is it okay for someone to be this perfect?

Fuck.

Every morning I wake up, I pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. I don’t remember doing anything good to deserve Shin Seoha. I kept fucking everything up from our day one...he shouldn’t love me this way.

He’s my little thief...my little deer...my entire world.

The sound of clapping startles me and my senses return to the room. I really do get lost in Seoha easily. Whenever I’m in public and the beast in me wants to break himself free, all I have to do is look at Seoha and everything will fall in place.

I no longer need the smell of blood. I no longer feed off the putrid smell of fear in pheromones...I now feed off my husband only.

"What’s happening?" I ask with a scowl, wondering why they’re clapping this hard. They’ve never clapped this hard for me. They’ve never even given me a fucking standing ovation, yet these fuckers are all on their feet.

"Sooin just won their hearts" Seoha says with pride and I smile.

Of course she did. That’s my fucking daughter. She might not have my blood running through her veins, but it doesn’t change the fact that she’s my pup.

The room clears out as the meeting gets dismissed and Sooin runs over to us. She hugs her mom first, and then she gives me a tight, bone-crushing hug.

I pat her back in encouragement.

"Good job, princess" I say into her hair and she pulls away to look at me.

She looks so much like Seoha. They still have the same button nose, the same doe eyes, the same hair colour, and most importantly, the same heart.

"I wanted to make you proud, dad" she confesses and I frown, cupping her face between my palms.

"Kang Sooin, you only have to breathe and I would be fucking proud of you. I have been proud of you from the moment you took your first breath and I will be proud of you till I die" I say and she falls against my chest again.

Seoha secretly wipes his tears. I can smell the love in his pheromones. He’s bursting with softness for us.

Shit.

I think I might cry too.

"Thank you for letting mom stay with us after that night" Sooin says with a sniffle, pulling away and taking the chair on my left.

She doesn’t remember what happened, but Seoha told her a child-friendly version of how we met. No guns or forced proximity was involved in that story.

"Mom, dad! We’re here" the door bursts open and our sons stroll into the room side by side. They’re only fourteen and are already so tall.

Hanuel gets to us first and kisses his mom on the cheek before falling into one of the chairs.

Bada goes straight to lying on the table and spreading his arms like a starfish. I strongly suspect Seoha to be the origin of our children’s starfish method of lying down.

"Why didn’t you two wash up?" Seoha asks and they both groan. They’ve been playing basketball these days and enjoy running around under the sun. They’ll do all that and not fucking wash the sweat off.

"Go wash up" I say and Hanuel looks at me.

"Dad, we’re at the company, we can’t wash up here" he says like he’s lecturing me and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why did you two come here anyways?" Sooin asks, swinging her feet as she addresses her little brothers, and Bada mumbles something under his breath.

"This is so suspicious" Seoha says as he narrows his eyes at the boys too.

Our twins get along a little too well. The result of their bond had been nothing short of terrifying. I don’t know if I should feel sorry for the world or if I should feel proud of them...I’ll do both.

"Ugh, this is so corny" Bada says and thrusts a gift box in Sooin’s direction. "You got me gifts?" my daughter asks her brother with a hand over her mouth, and I smirk knowingly.

Yes, my sons are potential assholes, but they’re still my sons, thoughtful and caring in their own ways.

"Congratulations on becoming the owner of Mom and Dad’s company" Bada says and Sooin takes the box from him.

"I’m just a C.E.O. but thank you, guys" Sooin says softly. She doesn’t hide her happy tears and small smile as she opens the box.

There’s a letter in it, an envelope, and a piece of jewelry.

"Oh...Hanuel...Bada, these are too much" Sooin says as she pulls out the emerald necklace. I already know where it’s from; it was my mom’s. Mom gave it to my older sister before he was murdered, I guess Taerin noona passed it to the boys as a gift to Sooin.

Fuck...I really can’t hold back the tears. Seoha is quietly watching the kids, so I turn my seat around to look outside the window.

The office where I used to oppress people now smells like my family, my home, and my true happiness.

"You drew it for me?" Sooin asks and I hear the ruffling of paper.

"It’s not a big deal" Bada mumbles and Hanuel starts to explain what the drawing is about. "It’s you as the owner of Mountain Atelier, you’re the new mountain tiger."

"Kitty cat" Bada interrupts his brother and I turn around to look at them.

"Noona is a tiger" Hanuel insists.

"No, we agreed she’s a Kitty cat" Bada says.

It’s ridiculous that they fight over their older sister and still join forces to get her a gift.

"Yah, that’s enough. Don’t tell my daughter what to be, you punks" I say in a stern voice and Seoha stifles his laughter.

"Who knows...I might be a mountain deer" she says with her eyes fixed on her mother, and Seoha’s omega eyes flash with love for his pup.

"Who knows?" he purrs at her and the tears start to roll down my cheeks.

"Is dad crying?" Sooin whispers the question with fear and Hanuel rushes to my side with concern in his eyes.

"Dad, are you okay?" he asks.

"Wow, you broke our father" Bada yells dramatically.

Fuck.

"Shut up, you two" I say, sniffling and taking Seoha’s handkerchief off his lap without permission.

"Feel free to cry, we’re your family" Seoha says, and just like that, I no longer need the rain to hide my tears and pain.

I can smile, laugh, and be whoever the fuck I want to be.

I’m free. I’m happy. I’m loved.

Grandfather...fuck you.

The end.