Pay With Your Heart

518 Dan-Han’s Confession

The crying and hugging continued for quite some time, and when they were finally settled — Dan-Han’s aunt clingingly holding onto the child like she’d never let go — he beckoned on their attention and they all turned to him.

“Now that we have that settled, I’d like to make one more announcement.” He said and everyone’s countenance suddenly became serious as they stared at him.

Dan-Han had once again reaffirmed to them that he never he had an announcement to make there was always a huge reveal to be made.

He shifted his eyes to his uncle and Aunt, who were impatiently waiting to have say what he wanted so they could focus on their grandchild.

“Uncle, aunty, I owe you an apology, because these past few weeks I have caused you pain and made you have a hard time. I’m sorry.” He apologized and bowed, much to everyone’s astonishment.

His aunt looked at him with surprise. “Dan-Han, what are you saying? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Or did he? She mused.

Dan-Han silently looked at her for a while and encouraged himself to go on with the truth.

“The truth is, Ji-Tae isn’t really sick of cancer as you were all led to believe. As a matter of fact, Ji-Tae isn’t sick at all, and he’s only reacting to the drugs I’ve been secretly feeding him for a while now. That’s has been the reason for his condition.” He confessed.

Everyone looked at him with shock surprise and confusion, except for Jae-Hyun, Tae-Ho and Eun-Sun, who he had told the truth

.....

Ji-Tae wasn’t sick? And he has been drugging him? Were the questions running through everyone’s mind.

“Jae-Hyun is this true?” Father Lee turned to Jae-Hyun and asked as he was certain he would be aware of it if this was true.

“Yes, sir.” Jae-Hyun simply replied, and father Lee turned towards his son with a look of shock.

“You really are something, aren’t you Lee Dan-Han?” He dryly chuckled, before looking over to his brother, who was staring at Dan-Han as if trying to process what he had just heard.

“Are you saying, he’s not going to die?” Dan-Han’s uncle finally asked after sometime.

“Yes,” Dan-Han nodded.

“And he’s perfectly fine.” His aunt asked with a tone of shock and disbelief.

“Yes.”

“And you did this because?”

“I thought bringing him to death’s door would make him realize how stupid he has been, and probably make him see things differently. I wanted to teach him a lesson.” Dan-Han answered her.

A short wave of silence blew across the room.

“And didn’t you think that lesson was too much, especially for your uncle and his wife?” Father Lee questioned and Dan-Han glanced at him.

Of course, he knew that, but Ji-Tae left him no other choice.

“Ji-Tae has done much worse, and we know it. Same way we also know nothing else can bring that boy to his senses.” He sharply answered. And they need not forget, he was also to blame for what happened to Eun-Sun and their child.

Another short moment of silence elapsed.

Dan-Han took a short breath and sighed. “I’m sorry I made everyone go through this, but it was either this or I threw him into jail or had him killed.” He told them flatly.

“But you could have kicked him out.” His father presented him with another option which he seemed to have missed, not liking the fact that Dan-Han had tortured everyone in the family these past weeks when he knew it was all a ruse. Ji-Tae was an unnecessary pain to everyone in the family, but he was still family, and death was no way to threaten a member of the family.

Dan-Han almost scoffed at his father’s display of annoyance, and he was almost tempted to remind him of all his atrocities towards him and Eun-Sun these past months, but he stopped himself as the man has slowly being warming up to Eun-Sun these past weeks.

“And haven’t we sent him away before?” Dan-Han cocked a brow and asked.

“Kicking Ji-Tae out and cutting him off, means giving him more room to continue with his mischief. Who knows how far he’ll go when he’s out of the family.” Maybe much more than they’d ever expect.

Dan-Han didn’t want to fully admit it, but he knew Ji-Tae was a lost cause, and so did everyone at the table.

Another moment of silence followed before his uncle spoke up.

“So do you think it’ll work?” He inquire from Dan-Han. “Do you think he’d want to change?” Because he was slowly beginning to doubt he would, seeing how he had treated his own child and the woman he had bore a child for him.

Dan-Han shrugged as he lowered himself to his seat. “I don’t know, and that’s why I decided to inform all of you. I don’t know what to do with him, and if this plan is working. But if you want me to tell him the truth—”

“Don’t.” His uncle suddenly interjected, and his brother looked at him in surprise.

“What are you—”

“No, Ji-Sun. The boy has caused us so much pain and damage. He can’t continue living the way he’s been living, if he does what will become of him when he gets to our age? What would we tell this little girl here as she grows. Having the taint of a failed family member is something we shouldn’t impose on her. She would be mocked for having a monster for a father even though it wasn’t her choice.” He said.

“Let’s save her that future embarrassment and do all we can. If Dan-Han thinks this might help him, then he should do it, not just for him, but for all of us, for our peace. If having a child can’t help him, maybe dying will.” He firmly said.

Everyone silently pondered on his words till Ji-Tae’s mother spoke up. “I agree with my husband. Keep him there for as long as you can. It’s better knowing he’s there than anxiously thinking what other mischief he’s up to. And maybe he’d be tortured enough to pay for the trouble he has caused this child.” Her arms tightened around the little girl, who was still seated on her lap.