Kiss the Scumbag-Chapter 122

Winston tried to ask calmly, but even to his own ears, his voice sounded anxious. Of course, the other man didn’t miss it, and soon a voice filled with arrogance came through the line.

“That’s because I built a bond with my child.”

“Exactly.”

If the man had been in front of him, Winston would have shouted to just get to the point and choke him out, but unfortunately, the other was far away. Holding back a boiling sigh, Winston continued.

“How exactly did you build that bond? It must not have been easy.”

A low chuckle seemed to come from the other side. If it had been someone else, Winston would have laughed at him too. The tragedy was that he was the one involved. Covering his face with one hand, Winston heard the arrogant voice filled with laughter again.

“Campbell, bonding is proportional to the time spent.”

An unpleasant voice followed. “My kid can easily ride piggyback because he trusts me that much. He knows I’ll never let him fall, so he climbs up on my shoulders.” 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Winston could easily imagine him sitting arrogantly, legs crossed, chin raised high. That he would one day have to beg someone was hard to believe—especially this man. Though anger welled up, Winston had no choice but to ask.

“So what’s that method, then? How did you make the kid trust you that much?”

The answer was nothing special. The man answered smoothly as if sliding on ice.

“You just have to spend a lot of time with the kid. Lots of contact, too.”

Winston’s brow furrowed deeply under his hand. The man went on, as if mocking Winston with a drawn-out tone.

“I did my best for my kid from the moment he was born. I got up early to give him milk, held him until he fell asleep. We had a nanny, but I probably held him more than she did. I carried him so much his walking was delayed.”

If the world knew that was Keith Knight Pittman boasting, everyone would be shocked, some might even laugh at how insignificant he really was.

Originally, Winston would have been among those laughing.

Now he barely held back his frustration, feeling utterly ruined. So in the end, there was nothing he could do? Because he hadn’t been there with Angela from the start?

But that was unavoidable. If none of this had happened—if Winston had never known about the father’s relationship with Yujin—he wouldn’t have doubted and would have thought Angela was his own child. Naturally, he would have been there since her birth. He wouldn’t be so frustrated listening to such ridiculous bragging.

He could have been.

The nightmare memories he’d tried to suppress returned—the image of Yujin looking at him while in his father’s arms, as vivid as if right before his eyes. The mocking face watching him in his daze. Clenching his teeth, Winston took a deep breath.

“Campbell?”

Hearing his heavy breathing, the man called his name. Unlike before, his tone was sharper—probably suspecting Winston’s state.

“I’m fine.”

Winston opened his mouth in his usual low voice.

“Don’t worry about my health. So you’re saying aside from frequent contact from early on, there was nothing special?”

Even as he spoke, Winston felt pathetic. Could there be any other method? Wasn’t that the most orthodox and obvious way?

Still, desperate for any hope, he asked.

“How about giving gifts? Ever tried that?”

The man answered indifferently.

“That’s an everyday thing. No way you build a bond just with that.”

Winston, pushing through shame, added,

“I even offered stocks, but she wasn’t interested at all.”

After a moment’s silence, the man asked sharply.

“How old’s the kid anyway?”

“Three, no, almost four.”

For the first time, the man snorted with disbelief. To Winston’s sinking morale, he calmly added in a cold voice.

“My kid is about the same age, but Spence can’t even count properly. The highest number he counts is ten. And you gave stocks? You should’ve just given him a puppy.”

“That kid’s not ordinary.”

For the first time, confidence mixed into Winston’s voice.

“Angela counts up to 100. She reads a lot of books, and listening to her talk, she seems like she’s at least eight or nine. She’s very smart—a genuine genius. If you gave her an IQ test, the number would be enormous.”

Proud as if boasting about his daughter, his mood instantly lifted. Then he delivered the final blow.

“Oh, and your kid can’t even read yet, right?”

The man didn’t answer. His sudden silence made Winston’s lips twitch into a smirk. The man dryly pointed out.

“But my kid can ride piggyback.”

Winston was speechless again. In the heavy silence, the man gave light advice as if relieved.

“Why don’t you start trying from now? It won’t be easy, but she’s still ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) a kid, right? Shouldn’t it be a bit easier now?”

Maybe so, if Angela were an ordinary child.

“Thanks for the advice. Not really helpful though.”

Winston sneered, then ended the call without waiting for a reply. Listening more would only frustrate him. Fortunately, the man didn’t call back.

What was the point of calling?

All he got was obvious nonsense—and the irritating boasting.

Maybe it takes longer precisely because Angela is so smart.

That made sense. Pittman’s kid was on a different level than Angela.

Still, belittling another’s child wouldn’t make his own situation any better.

Do people naturally become this childish when they have kids?

Winston pondered seriously. To gain the child’s approval, he had to meet her level. Instead of offering stocks, buying a puppy as Pittman suggested would have been much more effective.

...Right, just like Pittman said.

Winston brought the whiskey glass to his lips again. Something flickered through his mind. Not bad. He narrowed his eyes without thinking, sighed, and downed the whiskey in one gulp.

Let’s try that.

Determined, Winston jumped up and left the dining room. The mansion was deathly quiet. Only the sound of waves could be heard. The staff had already left, but two others remained inside besides him. Still, he felt utterly alone—as he always did after parting from Yujin.

Get a grip, don’t give up.

He deliberately took longer strides. He’d decided to start over. They promised to bury the past. If he could win the child’s heart, Yujin would have no choice but to accept him. The future with Yujin he dreamed of long ago could become reality now.

Yes, this time for sure.

Arriving at the room at the end of the hall, he quietly opened the door. Moonlight streamed through the curtains into the dark room. Even while moving quietly, the place was silent. Winston stopped by the bed, his gaze fixed for a moment. On the bed, Yujin was asleep, holding the child close. There was no more peaceful sight. Yet Winston felt bitterness and anxiety more strongly than calm.

Never again.

Clenching and unclenching his fists in the dark, he stared at Yujin.

I’ll never let you be taken from me by anyone.

“Good, Angie. You’re doing well. Now, hold your breath, breathe out, hold your breath again...”

Winston’s voice echoed through the living room. Yujin lay stretched out on a lounge chair, silently watching them.

Opening the large sliding glass door led straight to the swimming pool. There could be no more luxurious vacation than leisurely soaking in it while gazing at the sea. And now, Winston was teaching his daughter to swim right there in the pool. Of course, Yujin had no idea.

Yujin just looked at them with a strange feeling.

What on earth is that man scheming?