Each year, the patrons of the Good Hope Orphanage organize fundraising events to support the institution. These meetings are held at the orphanage itself, and this year, Mrs. Hwang is serving as the host. She is determined to execute the event flawlessly, aiming to subtly showcase her superior organizational skills to the other patrons. The moment she received the call about the missing funds, she dropped everything and hurried straight to the orphanage along with her husband leaving her son under the care of the driver to drive him to his piano class that afternoon.
Mr. Hwang had only come to the orphanage at his wife's insistence, and he was visibly agitated at the thought of wasting precious business hours. Needing a moment, he stepped out into the garden to smoke. There, he saw two young boys playing in the dirt, their clothes soiled and rumpled.
Prompted by a nearby Sister, one boy dutifully approached and greeted him. The other, however, remained frozen on the ground, visibly intimidated by the Chairman's stern and imposing demeanor.
But then his gaze settled on the timid boy. A jolt of recognition ran through him—the child bore a striking resemblance to his own son, Bae Hoon. For a heart-stopping moment, he almost believed it was him. The illusion shattered when the first boy called out, "Joo Wonie, come here! Greet this uncle." The reluctant boy—Joo Won—finally approached. Mr. Hwang looked upon them with disdain; he held a deep-seated contempt for children of unknown origin and thought to himself, "Damn Bastards" and saw the orphanage itself as a blight on a prime piece of real estate—one he would rather see replaced with a profitable hotel, if not for the need to maintain a charitable public image.
He was thinking this while he got a call from the hospital.
There was an accident in the news. Rescuers are running to save lives. They said that multiple fractures were there. A truck hit the car from the side where a child was sitting. The point of impact was the car's passenger-side doors, which absorbed the brunt of the collision. The force of the heavy truck caused the smaller car to crumple inward, shattering the side windows instantly. The car was pushed several meters sideways, skidding violently across the road until it came to a halt, tires screeching against the asphalt. Both the driver and the child were rushed to the hospital but the child could not be saved. It was Bae Hoon, Hwang Bae Hoon who lost his life that day. The Chairman and his wife's only son, only heir to the Hwang group died that day at the age of 7 and half. But the news did not report this. Both the parents had to urgently leave the meeting to rush to the hospital.
A wave of unimaginable terror crashed over Mrs. Hwang the moment she heard the word "accident." Her mind, betraying her, conjured the very worst-case scenario, and the world dissolved into darkness as she fainted from the sheer force of her despair. She does not remember how she got home and in her bed. But when she regained consciousness, it felt like a dream.
She awoke 2 days later to a miracle. The same son she had already mourned was there, solid and real before her eyes. Was she dreaming it all that the doctors told them that their son died on the operation table? Maybe. It felt too real though. She did not question since the news given by Secretary Baek and the Chairman himself of his only minor injuries slowly permeated her shock, but in that moment, all that mattered was the feel of her son's heartbeat against hers—a precious rhythm she had thought was lost forever. Through tear-blurred eyes, she clung to him, her sobs now those of overwhelming relief.
"My Bae Hoon!" she cried, her voice ragged with guilt and relief. "I'm so sorry I let you go alone! It was my fault. Forgive me, my son. I will never leave your side again." Her sobs were overwhelming.
Mr Hwang gently urged his exhausted wife to rest. Mrs. Hwang, reluctant but obedient, kissed Bae Hoon's forehead and begged her husband to watch over their son. And went back to bed. She was too weak but now happy. She was also bit worried that her son looks thin now. The light of his face vanished. But it did not matter as long as he is alive. She will nurse him back to health. Thinking these, she slowly fell into a deep sleep.
She was utterly unaware that the child she embraced was not her son, but Joo Won—a replacement secretly delivered into her lap. This deception was known only to three people for now: Chairman Hwang, his secretary Mr. Baek, and the corrupt orphanage warden.
Thus, at just seven years old, Joo Won was not adopted but installed into the family. He was given the bedroom of the deceased boy and, soon after, his very identity was erased and replaced. He became Hwang Bae Hoon, the perfect son for an insane mother and a living trophy for a proud father who only pretended to be his father.
The rumors surrounding the real Bae Hoon's death were dark: whispers pointed to a staged accident orchestrated by a business rival. However, the truth was never investigated. This was due partly to Mrs. Hwang's fragile mental state; the reality would have shattered her completely. But the primary reason was cold corporate calculus: Chairman Hwang feared the devastating impact such a news would have on the company's share prices, and he prioritized the stability of his empire over justice for his son.
3 days ago
Mr Hwang with the help of his secretary buried his son secretly that night after which he ordered Secretary Baek to follow his orders about what to do next.
The Chairman's son had been shielded from the public eye, so very few people knew his face. Seizing this opportunity, the Chairman found a replacement for his deceased son at the Good Hope Orphanage.
Without a hint of hesitation, Chairman Hwang called the orphanage warden. The man voiced no moral objection to the sinister plan; his only concern was the size of the payment. A substantial sum was handed over, and the deal was struck: the warden was to drug Joo Won—the spitting image of the deceased heir—into unconsciousness and deliver him to the Chairman.
An opportunity unveiled itself to the warden when a squabble broke out among the children over the last piece of candy. Seizing it, he did the unexpected: instead of his usual furious shouting, he calmly distributed cookies to each child, affectionately insisting they eat them under his watchful eye. Each one was laced with a potent drug designed to dull their senses and render them unconscious—a silent, efficient way to ensure no child would interfere with his sinister plan. The drug worked it magic. The children fell asleep too soon. The sisters, surprised, retired to their own quarters.
Under the cloak of darkness, the warden crept into the dormitory. He managed to carry the heavily sedated boy out of the building, but as he hurried across the grounds, his foot caught on a stone. He stumbled, and Joo Won's small, limp body fell from his arms onto the cold earth. The drug held its power, however, and the boy remained still and silent, his eyes shut tight against the world.
When Joo Won finally awoke, a dull, mysterious ache pulsed through his entire body. His mind, still foggy with sleep and residual sedatives, scrambled for a reason but found none. He had no memory of the night's terrifying journey.
His eyelids fluttered open to the soft light of an opulent, unfamiliar room. Disoriented, his gaze landed on two angry looking men whispering something to each other in the doorway - one authoritative and another subordinate. Seeing Joo Won opening his eyes, the nurse in the room, who Joo Won did not notice went running and told something to the two men.
The authoritative figure approached him. It was the man he saw at the orphanage. Mr Hwang! Bae Hoon tried to run away to hide. The other person, the subordinate one caught a hold of him.
Chairman Hwang approached, his expression cold. He caught Joo Won by the collar, pulling him up short. His voice dropped to a terrifying, gravelly whisper that chilled the boy to the bone. "Listen to me, boy," he hissed. "From now on, you will do exactly as I say. If you don't, your friend at the orphanage will be hurt. You know I visit there often. You don't want anything to happen to him, do you?"
Joo Won trembled violently, shaking his head in a frantic, silent no.
The Chairman's grip tightened. "Good. Now listen carefully. Your name is now Hwang Bae Hoon. You will forget the orphanage ever existed. If you ever tell anyone—anyone—that you are not my son, I will have your friend killed. You will call this woman 'Mother' and you will call me 'Father.' Do you understand?" Mr Hwang handed him over a photo of the lady of the house.
Paralyzed with terror, Joo Won could only stare, utterly speechless. His wide, tear-filled eyes drifted past the Chairman to a silver-framed photograph on a nearby desk—the image of a smiling, happy boy he didn't know. The boy whose life he was now forced to steal