Genre: Angst, Smut, Fluff, exes to co-parents to lovers au, second chances au.
Synopsis: Jeon Wonwoo, the calmest and untainted CEO to ever exist, gets his world shaken up when he finds you as the legal department head at his own company and your only registered family is a little guy who resembles him a bit too much.
Alternatively, you are smooth in onboarding Wonwoo into your son's life but problems arise when he tries to slide back into yours.
Warnings: Themes of co parenting, mentions of past difficult pregnancy, misogynistic slurs being used at workplace, minor accident, profanities, heartbreak, secret identity, workplace jargons.
Drop Date: Anyday next month.
Check out the masterlist for THAT'S SHOWBIZ, BABY! Please support all the amazing writers white putting up so much effort!
Thanks to @lovetaroandtaemin, Ally for coming up with this beautiful banner (even after I ate her ears off and made her do several banners for this one), I'm really grateful!
TAGLIST is closed.
Main story out now checkout here!
At the sound of the door closing, your gaze lifts.
Wonwoo walks towards you, in large but steady strides, just as you have remembered. He stands in front of you, at a distance. Your gazes meet and the time stops.
Wonwoo hasn't changed much, his eyes hold the same depth. He, you assume, still likes his hair side parted with locks clipped so they don't fall on his face. The scent of the same perfume lingers in the air, the one which he had always claimed as his signature. The frame of his glasses aren't geometric anymore, he goes with pilot nowadays.
And before your mind could trace back on the memory lane deeper, you decide to slip into the momentum.
Because, he's the man, who had broken your heart, had left you alone to pick up the pieces on your own.
“Mr. Jeon”, you bow to him, giving a small smile. Your heart beats erratically, as you continue to speak, “You must be busy so I won't take much of your time.”
The title you call him by is foreign to Wonwoo's ear. It always used to be strings of sickly sweet nicknames.
He watches the changes time has brought upon you. You no longer seem like the carefree law major from back then. You, no longer are the girl who'd cry over smallest things, speak the first thought that comes to your mind.
While Wonwoo loses touch with the current predicament, you line up several documents on his desk in specific order.
It's exacting because you used to know him so well, maybe even now if he hasn't emerged entirely as a different person. You see the way his eyes are on you but the dilated pupils give away the fact that he's running miles in his head.
So you wait, wait for him to come back to the present, to this moment.
And he does, a few minutes later. You can tell it by the way his gaze locks into yours right away, his lips curling down in slightest.
“How have you been, Y/N?”
His voice strikes a chord in your heart, before it reaches your ear. The voice that you used to love so much, the voice that sung you to sleep on restless nights, the same voice which called when your name, it summoned your soul.
Years of preparation goes down in the trench as you're about to break down at the first set of words you hear from him.
But you can't, you're not the same vulnerable Y/N, who used to strip bare in front of her lover.
“I think we have more important matters to discuss, Mr. Jeon.”, you speak through your gritted teeth.
“But you promised you'd answer all my questions.”, Wonwoo reminds you calmly.
“And this is what you want to know?”
“Out of all things, first and foremost, yes this is what I want to know.”
You find it ironic. Trapped in by his words, you answer truthfully, “I just can't sum up everything but I have been holding it in, thanks to Wonjae.”
Wonwoo perks at the mention of your son's name, well his as well.
“The first document is about me as Wonjae’s legal guardian, consenting to you conduct a DNA test.”, your gaze is gentle as you point at the bunched papers, “I don't want any questions, any fingers raised at my son in future.”
“But I don't–”
“I request you to conduct one.”
Your sharp tone shuts up Wonwoo completely, though not willing, he nods.
His gaze sweeps across the rest of the document which promotes him to ask, “What are the rest of these documents for?”
Your eyes turn somber. You've studied law, practised it. You know all the nooks and crannies and you're a mother who is raising her son against all odds.
“The second document is a contract that states that if you don't want to be associated with Wonjae then the fact that he’s your son will be concealed and never brought up by me. If I ever do so”, you turn the pages and show him the space left blank, “You can fill up the breach statement and penalties in this section, I have left it blank.”
Wonwoo gapes at you in disbelief, “What do you think you're trying to pull here?”, he speaks in a low tone but you can hear the agitation ringing in it, “What do you think of me, Y/N?”
You don't deem it necessary to answer his questions and proceed further to explain the contents of the last document.
“If you have any concerns about me working in your company and see me as a threat or identify me as someone who has the potential of stirring up trouble then you can ask me to resign but under the conditions that I work here until I find another job.”, your attitude has shimmered down from being hyper to nonchalant, now that you have done your part.
Wonwoo observes you in disbelief and at himself in distaste because he's the reason behind the version you are currently showcasing.
“Also, I have prepared the clauses for custody just in case you're willing to share responsibilities in future. I'll bring it to you if you decide to be a part of Wonjae's life.”
You say terms, speak things all in legal language and Wonwoo just listens.
“I would have suggested you to run these documents by your legal team to cite any negotiations or catch any flaws but unfortunately, it would mean that I'd be the person you'll need to work with.”, you smile sardonically, “So it would be better if you contact someone who's not affiliated to this company.”
He wonders if things would have been different if he stayed and in the midst of the storm that whirlwinds in his head, he asks, “Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant?”
What a simple question to ask. But are all questions meant to have an answer?
“Would you have stayed?”
Silence falls upon.
You give him a knowing smile, “Just when you were leaving, I asked you something, do you remember?”
Yes, he remembers, all of it. The way you had chased him to the station, your face wet, eyes bloodshot from crying. The way you just stood in front of him, mumbling the last question you had as the train entered the platform.
“What if I have something important to tell you, something that could change our lives? Would it make you stay?”
“There’s nothing left to salvage. Nothing's gonna stop me from leaving. This is the end for us.”
It answers his previous question. It makes sense now, he didn't only leave you, he had abandoned his unborn child as well.
Some fences cannot be mended, some bridges can't be cemented. Just like this relationship, which once bloomed beautifully, is now wilted.
