The 9th episode, aired on the 14th, showcased the deepening bond between Doo-joon (played by Choi Jin-hyuk) and Hee-won (played by Oh Yeon-seo), strengthening their inner selves.
In this episode, Hee-won narrowly escapes a crisis thanks to Doo-joon's quick thinking, but a bigger storm soon follows. News breaks that Doo-joon allegedly impregnated a company employee and pressured her to have an abortion. Despite the chaos, Doo-joon tells his father, Chan-gil (played by Son Byung-ho), "Some of it is true. I have someone I love, and she is carrying my child," prioritizing Hee-won's well-being over his own.
However, Chan-gil warns, "Before being a woman's man, you are the owner of a company. Your words affect thousands of livelihoods. You know who's behind this. Your sister-in-law is waiting for you to make a mistake. Acknowledging her will give her a reason to bring you down," leaving Doo-joon conflicted.
Meanwhile, Doo-joon's sister-in-law, Jung-eum (played by Baek Eun-hye), continues her schemes, even confronting Hee-won. She warns, "I leaked the article. My goal is to bring Doo-joon down. This is between him and me, so break up with him before you get hurt."
Jung-eum further fuels the fire by gossiping to Doo-joon's mother, Sook-hee (played by Kim Sun-kyung), questioning the legitimacy of Hee-won's pregnancy, thus intensifying her plot to undermine Doo-joon's mental state.
As calls for Doo-joon's resignation grow, he finds himself cornered. Hee-won offers to publicly deny the rumors, but Doo-joon insists, "I don't want that. If you do, your achievements will be dismissed as my doing, leading to more misunderstandings," vowing to protect her.
Meanwhile, Min-wook expresses his feelings to Hee-won, saying, "I hate seeing you struggle," but Hee-won remains resolute, "This is my choice. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I want to focus on what I can do rather than regret my decision. Thank you for your concern. I'll overcome this. I'm strong in crises."
Despite her resolve, Hee-won chooses to distance herself from Doo-joon, evoking sympathy. As Doo-joon evades reporters, they share a brief moment alone, but Hee-won suggests, "Let's pretend we don't know each other," shocking him.
She continues, "I can't handle this life, and I don't want our child to suffer. So, let's keep our distance," reluctantly breaking up with him at Chan-gil's request, hiding her true feelings for Doo-joon's sake.
At the episode's end, Doo-joon takes a bold stand, declaring to the press, "There was no coercion, no abortion pressure, no womanizing. But it's true that I have someone I love, and she is carrying my child," acknowledging his relationship with Hee-won.
When asked, "When did you truly fall for her?" Doo-joon replies, "When she said she'd give up her dreams," adding, "She is precious to me. I can't lie about her. Criticize me all you want, but please refrain from attacking her," publicly confessing his love for Hee-won.
'I Have a Baby' is a romantic comedy about two people who vowed never to marry, only to find themselves in a whirlwind romance after a one-night stand. It airs every weekend at 10:30 PM.
By Da-yeon Jeong, TenAsia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr