TTD Chapter 23

As dewdrops formed on the blades of grass and a faint blue hue seeped into the dark world, Heeju left her grandparents’ estate. With slumped, desolate shoulders, she took a taxi that soon came to a stop in front of the house where Ryu Iseok would be.ac6b70df5a560762

Stepping out of the taxi, Heeju looked up at the grand mansion, its towering walls enclosing it beneath the rain-laden black clouds overhead. She recalled the torment she had endured in the early hours of dawn. Sitting curled up beneath the window where the first morning light crept in, she had tried to grasp the meaning of love. Her grandparents’ love had been cruel. But she had convinced herself that cruelty, in its own way, was still love. And yet, was that fragile belief nothing more than an illusion?bdae32dbc9cf3c0f

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“You look just like Gukcheol.”038d023fd6362a68

That was the first 43d7dc5c21 thing her grandfather had d9af550512 said when he removed 0c3c04989b his hat, looking down 66b1676ae5 at her tear-filled eyes. You resemble your father. Yet in his 82e25cd4c3 words, there had 51c7eb7631 been no warmth, e4f7b1c2bd no affection, no 80637c9b86 longing—only something uneasy b3f6728ef9 and unsettling.468c0685fa9a772c

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Her father had been a good man, but his fiery temper often led to clashes with those around him. She had always imagined that was why he had remained estranged from his parents for so long. Maybe that was why her grandfather’s cold gaze didn’t feel entirely incomprehensible. If bitterness lingered between them, then perhaps it was only natural.3f553b549881f061

A nameless aunt had a5b4847035 once told her,“If you cry too much, the elders won’t take you in.”So Heeju had 7d580fa3de swallowed her tears a789468ded and bowed her cbb04810ce head in silence.335049f8808e97d7

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She had always 77a32b9e1e been weak, but 3926d96143 her instinct to 66b9cb15cb survive was strong. Keen perception ededd5b492 was a 797244f699 weapon, a 6fd13a5c83 tool honed a69e087d71 through the a7689fb36d necessity of 4c9d84e281 staying afloat. Perhaps it was ingrained edfae8b875 in her since infancy eda1802d95 when she had survived 2d726b190b on borrowed milk. Though she 659e14a541 had been 0329b06c95 raised with 950daa556e an abundance 3c9ec494a7 of love f4875c9d5a from her eba0c1b339 father, financial 40d56d83a8 struggles had 0879127a3c made her 1d94b8a8ea a child c8f9602f00 who learned a56afb8047 to read 14e115ed00 the room.67eb8405c5ae7096

Whenever her father 5b3c66e199 had to leave 4afcff4331 for work for 0ae86567a8 days at a 0158ee0ee2 time, she had 573404296d been left in 3c59f9d358 the care of 76274c5075 neighbors. Even after they moved a8480abf29 to Southeast Asia, it 6ecd48c0b0 was the same. One day, while 9a8249ecf8 staying at a 6198c0d700 Korean family’s home, 86948aa7b3 their child had 9873212e2c scowled at her 63c3581d8e over a meal.“Who even are you? You don’t do anything, but you still get to eat our food for free?”0fffb8ac2391b1e6

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That was the first time she had vaguely understood: to receive something, she had to offer something in return. And the most effective way to ensure she wouldn’t be cast aside was simple—never be a 027abb98ed burden.4291ea4ae80b9ae6

As long as she 1f2233f10f wasn’t a burden, she f731dccb4c wouldn’t be abandoned.504bd7e79b79ab88

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She had clung tightly 3b7d2a104d to her grandmother’s outstretched ce0ed27ce6 hand that day, reaffirming f9eeadddd1 the rule she would 2cd18543e6 live by. Her father was gone 45e6726581 now, and she needed e3af9e78bb to decide whose hand bae1852fd1 to grasp next. And what she needed d956a705e3 to do to make 1fe62c0937 sure that hand never 37c2d36a42 let go.80c96945dc44a58b

She had 7070b56008 believed, without 0b8d88825c a doubt, 55022ef3d9 that her 348307ed10 grandparents were 8b63b0c306 her only e72dce45f4 family. That they were the c4aefe5998 only ones who would 42b12902a9 love her. That their love 036a244ae1 simplytamedher in a 498afb6f9f different way.624fda036d119cd5

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A slightly different way…f1cf62e9f1296d13

A hollow 948a9c081e breath escaped 97153c6152 her lips. Her gaze, 88ad789e11 fixed on 9c15d59ff2 the dimly b46d7a5513 lit ground, d90b42aea1 was clouded f955286bc7 with wounds.9c7f6839a7d72a87

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She could 43476a7078 finally understand 86fdc6d406 now. The way her b05cec8bd1 grandmother had always b1655276df turned away when b21808dc65 her uncle lashed 5235fc5789 out at her. The way she had c9195eb6a1 ignored the bruises on e3b0cb4a63 Heeju’s arms, despite fussing f189ffe315 over the acne on 6c5e0d7dd9 her teenage face.a71f947099fadcb9

Back then, eb7e561cf4 Heeju had b88b84401e wanted to 9b1cfaaca4 ask,Why do you see d45663d14d the blemishes on my 05cf4a70c1 skin but not the a5a18910a9 bruises on my body?8554b4963de351d0

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But she 42164d4faf had never bede524a1c asked. And now, 71b3af7e68 she finally 46331ff718 knew the 9bf1cef981 answer.9194e5367ffaff24

She wasn’t truly 25e26f4a01 their family. Not by blood.3c2a0b66fa5a2f39

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Of course, her 6f242fe42f grandparents had been fc2cd22d7d cruel. But cruelty 580fcca16b had been 3a8a071818 the right e15cc3fb05 choice. In the end, theirs 613a84d584 was a perfect exchange—a db94937012 flawlessgive and take.5b8dd1ba5d48b5f1

Heeju exhaled shakily, 26bf5bc579 then lifted her 6ae59168d9 head.e26c2f738cfc0df8

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The house behind her bbe26445d6 was unbearable. At least d1d2c20f71 in the 5205c9b943 den of b7eff9709e beasts, she 5577f11d0c wouldn’t be 09e101fc0f turned away. At the very least, 533abfa217 herbodywould be welcomed there.b32068d5358dc3e8

Even if she had 6383c67018 no idea how she 399321cd38 would continue to live, 3a93141a20 for now, she pushed 4ff4160009 those thoughts aside and c3a8280e5a stepped forward.4840e1465b118077

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The tiger’s den dd2811a7a0 was now her 1cbb7c55b9 only refuge.d80aa2297dfe7d2d

“I-I’m sorry.”a479e1bc053a165a

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The clinking ceeb9dd408 of whiskey 368cdceb1f in the 65f7e38d36 glass came 65270cb906 to a 3a3027f655 halt.2777b195a45a630d

Seated by the floor-to-ceiling a8d508ccde window, Ryu Iseok turned 3d6dabba61 his quiet, pale gaze 352f7e73ce toward Heeju. The moment his 6e5ae8d626 eyes met hers, 4dbb86f251 she hurriedly admitted adc0d07bac her faults.e38ff48c35263b65

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“For biting you and 544097e28e leaving a mark, for 81d31ba169 staying out overnight without d1ca131c6e telling you—I was wrong. The truth is, I fb77156668 overheard your conversation with 28911cc041 your friend. I got scared, thinking 4bf98355d7 you might do something 99895386a8 to me, and I 36131a225c lashed out. But I shouldn’t 0eb7ccd824 have reacted like 1875af8639 that right away…”7ef8d6ff7cfe53a6

Silence.45817d11c0d1ad96

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“I was reckless. Did… you look 512798dc33 for me?”6076b5e95f98a9a6

Iseok remained wordless 82c31f8c44 as Heeju rambled, 3c406377c0 his expression unreadable. Then, with a simple b54ca96043 gesture, he beckoned.d5d39c57061fd64d

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“Come here.”39ac827699374ffb

Her steps hesitated, 02a59b1389 but she moved e2800e3dd0 toward him.9051560410236d6f

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“Iseok, I—”2b39c1613ccb6739

“Are you sorry?”fb55e6a0eb23fef5

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Before she 11d18b5294 could finish, e2f2061882 he tugged e6bfd09583 her forward, 85dd6dab20 locking her e951aa6d58 between his b654cc36ba legs. One hand gripped 73a6d72ccc her twitching cheek, a100778dad holding her gaze ad5f1417c7 steady. His black, frozen 88cdf2ea3e pupils traced her b45483081d face before sliding 68abdfc6e2 down to her eb333bb333 lips, now slightly 4a8ef13e12 pursed like a 1c8bfa13a2 pouty fish.980b532599efcdd5

His stare felt de1e4ae39b like an unspoken fd25e57178 demand—to dig out c0ef5ba3c2 whatever she was 2668a819fc hiding inside.362eee8b65bf4562

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Not knowing what else ab41820cad to do, Heeju nervously c702bd178b parted her lips.b6ae880b7c328f3b

“Stick out bb19400672 your tongue.”212fac0b7393c251

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His eyes flickered with 8bc0775764 intrigue as she hesitantly 570b70339d complied. With deliberate slowness, his 439f181cc5 fingertip brushed against the 2d0ed0685f surface of her tongue, acbf2969a3 tracing circles over the 2251eb6592 soft bumps. As if f5581f7722 stamping his db7534893b fingerprint onto 8699188497 her, as 35afbe970f if engraving 0e7d07f63d the sensation 453b02e9e8 of her 50a84ddbd5 flesh onto 7a73ee71f8 his skin.cb8b2c479385796b

She couldn’t comprehend 1086ae008c why he was ef6fe57720 doing it, but eb8cb2ea7e as the saltiness acb50bb9dd of her own 3e5221b391 saliva dulled her b0a68d72d6 senses, Iseok finally fe9b0ac203 withdrew his hand. Instead, he 49910bba76 gestured toward dee62463ae his lips.f03ea1556381e1ae

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“If you’re really sorry, why don’t you lick every single spot you bit? It hurts like hell.”26cc122b4bd614a0

His lips, still bearing 8a25a821a5 the marks of her b46208d094 teeth, curled slightly—not in af6879f9fa anger, but in something ec1c4b7478 bordering amusement.722bb3b9d4a43ae0

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Heeju, unusually 7daf2fadf3 obedient, placed 7e39f4f660 her hands 5af1e3e43d on his 3a3f36f06b shoulders and 889375bb3d leaned in.ffcc4a419e38fd60

At the very edge c19d88a69f of his lips, her 23bdd7ded6 tongue hesitated for a f9a44480c2 moment before timidly flicking cb7b513911 out to lap at 86da64d804 the wounds she had 71f52324d4 left.46441d7a63c05096

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“Mmm.”796b154ed5a53ff6

A quiet, suppressed groan 4dab75ff24 rumbled in his throat. She pretended not to 9b466f0d96 notice the hardness pressing bbb770900a against her thigh.3804aab47cca6422

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“And… for the 40f07e1fab biting…”c99cd8d950570a11

She needed 94b53e738b to apologize—needed 863d99bd50 to submit 570efdeabb and smooth a74d683870 things over.d60ab0b2e13ff6a1

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“How’d you 87bff75e94 know seeing d63ead4305 blood excites 644ceab363 me?”e63d9e2ffca58df8

Iseok smirked, cff758e9fd eyes gleaming 56b4b37899 with mischief.b8f1aa002d4095fb

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“Our baby e1d4c2f940 knows a 72f916e10b thing or 485c92a50a two, huh? Were you born 3970a04044 for this?”08add7f243d7feec

His expression shifted in 7b7fdb47ad an instant. He couldn’t f3ed98eff5 hold back 6ac3d930fa anymore. He dragged his tongue c023cb38d7 along hers, teasing and 0cb5176a37 pressing, until his arms 9d3f789596 tightened around her like 809d0ac48a a vice.142eb4ea73fca698

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Before she 388d5c5937 realized it, 865bdeae48 he had 49fa61cd46 swept her 0bf0510927 off her 8037aa4934 feet and 8595051259 onto the d714f8dc64 bed.9ef2b765bb6c30ea

Then, his tongue plunged a7716f3a36 deep, claiming her mouth 62e2ff5e3a without hesitation.7ef25a02a72ad92a

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This man c93e2a3aa4 is going 08af4f0522 to kill cbf7cda786 me with 6e60f6e35b this tongue.31067332c7f55008

By the 9e06e627dd time fear 9c19482838 set in, cccff5d62d he pulled 829a7ba706 away—just to f9508eb944 watch as 045438278a she coughed, 811639da47 clutching her 168cc07a73 throat.c7f3f3d2ecd44d03

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Amused, he whispered, “Swallow.”bb39c2ab42315bde

Without knowing whose saliva 48aebcc31d it was—hers or his—she 5050996e51 swallowed obediently.4473d7fae492a57c

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Only for ef4c7e77b6 him to 2c2ab3a803 seal her 1e2a5ffd96 lips again, 1a8291a8d2 his tongue bc45d55181 diving back 9aec6318d2 in.ea8b58e8adc04f70

That night, f5d3e0bd85 Heeju spent f16f7ea9f3 hours tangled c1f483497e with him, 3a559b9e42 shifting from 7bf6705e50 one position f626dc1b0b to another, dbaad549ec kissing until 3487cdc852 her tongue dc49fba9df went sore.5e3a775ea203990d

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As if he b23c3d4da5 were taking his 9f3fb80b54 revenge for the 3e8631ce41 previous night—relentlessly, unyieldingly.99451e8f274692f1

 9040772e7b710d27

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***49e38de6ec6be195

“Even after throwing everything 96a5464c3d away, why did you 6ddb701a44 still hold on to bc8f900511 this?”717979f5d2250799

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“This wardrobe 4d76e9dfc6 is made cc5cc73e6a from rare ba826aeb73 wood. And you de5e911d77 know how 11122f9b94 hard it faecca978f was for c25e07df7c me to e80e0cc382 get that 5bbe0932e6 porcelain and e475591683 those brass 28aebe20f0 dishes. I’ll throw away 033753c5a8 that picture frame, 64deebed55 so don’t say 2d94243f19 another word about 7db184c67d it. Seriously. How much 4b7625f408 is all 6b81c76567 of this 08693611ff worth?”1135a703a3a95473

“You should’ve just 44fec4f9b9 converted everything into 3fc46c78db cash.”4b87c339526db989

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“How was 1b624467ce I supposed de5760716f to know dd69606a7d we wouldn’t fcb9822341 be able 2c03266ba7 to take b395a229ed everything? That’s your be7fdbf225 problem—you never 7067c45d1d explain anything, d4f71a6361 just make e715139782 decisions and 994860951b tell us e8182054f7 after the 32e0cd11b7 fact.”6bacc6068598bec8

“Come on now, let’s 556d16f270 not fight. Mom, I’ll buy you 59722b7447 all the nice and 8d222e5d22 expensive things you want. Just take what 7f6b9ade69 you really need. If we’re f420ce4a0f missing something, a4bbcb9304 we can d891203171 buy it d4ec6d0ce5 again. If we regret 9a80909c2a leaving something behind, 3bf4fbe864 we can replace ca164c7fe2 it. Your well-raised grandson just a85a214b9d handed you a fortune a0f1727f35 on a silver platter, 2e09fe309c so what’s there to a6e7fd65d1 worry about?”1067684f90303d3f

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Jinmo spoke lightly, but 468acc0728 there was hunger in 41ddd5a461 his eyes. His business in Dubai 867906c884 was well-funded, but had 1ce7329605 they been able to 1c64a4a683 tie themselves more tightly 4949f14e9b to the Geo Group, f129ffae1f he could have squeezed 8febb2e263 out even more. He still couldn’t 99d7b19966 understand why his 98e5af0b44 father insisted on ddeb1df16f taking the money ba1ea6b1cd upfront instead of d363042a9a securing more assets. It felt a876109152 like they 23d09c9e1c were cashing 502b2d2ad9 out for b773cf948f a final 201c517c7f big score 75a66c5a99 before disappearing.8866b0aacf9ee6a2

“And Heeju?”e9c626d0560aeb2f

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“She’s gone…”7db2f504a8bc5259

“I—I sent 199618a136 her off. Had a good talk 57e7c7bc0a with her at dawn, 9dff1dfa81 and she understood.”17b7629971c1e1bb

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Heeju’s grandmother, Madam 4933500d73 Yoon, quickly jabbed 7aab7919e2 her clueless son 85c3df2c23 in the side 6917282b50 before he could 99263def26 say anything foolish.78d167d1c4dd99bb

“That girl… did a67b90f4bf she overhear something?”8f9063d00e1a25f7

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“Jinmo, can’t you 7abd8e331d keep your mouth 4cd8d73adf shut?”17efcf00a7eaf7ac

“And if she d382cae794 did, what’s the bc04e1549e harm? Come on f05acd5717 now, don’t c7fc84dbdf look at dcef90e284 me like 0e1fc37a72 that. You know 503525395e I’m right. She should be f47bf3b9d9 grateful. We raised her c4a4124eb6 well even though 4c964b46fb she didn’t deserve 2378c921a9 it, found her 2b22a56c5d a good marriage 805b548650 match. What’s the problem? She’s just like her de3c70845a father—doesn’t know her place.”805b7b1a3acbf42b

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Finishing his e2e6a4a19c rant, Jinmo 2fd81e467d looked around 8a7bbd889b at the 181d9da21f chaotic mess 104cb5a238 of the 8f15d042d6 house, tilting 240a2d808a his head.86877d643ea759d7

“There’s something else f1f67711f2 I can’t understand. It’s like 631426c622 you’re all 6bd7dd778d running away 400d7b7faa in secret. What exactly is Dad 5d36e7fc44 planning?”f207b3196bbb58ff

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“Since when did 03041c057d we ever understand c13b5e8b33 his plans?”25f998cc1d677b48

“Well, whatever. It all 843e4980a1 worked out, c3c55b02d3 didn’t it? What if Heeju 33a665a006 comes running back, 15dca47e8f saying she can’t 3429d7f1c1 live like that? It wouldn’t 390201e638 do us 90009b707d any good e532a7fc9a to get 704a92730c on President d2188437f5 Ryu’s bad 36f15c4916 side.”6b072f3426d7d09d

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“Enough talk. Take this and 733f6c28b7 put it in 6cbb7e4f4b that box.”c002f8f1b9776e7d

“Why not just 45f2efb437 hire someone to 80e46f67db do it? Tomorrow, we could—”804bb27b37bd2292

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“We’re throwing most 9102af7e05 of it away af7bc86033 anyway. What’s the point 18002e284b of hiring help?”4719a87590dda4cc

“I just don’t get 13feb20d54 it. I really don’t.”691172aa8ad0d251

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Listening to his grumbling, b3f978bfdd Madam Yoon’s face was 1b2cc7d874 a mixture of concern 173a142006 and unease.df699480bc3bfa27

“Honey, what fd5c43141f do you b325ba71b9 mean by 57a77fb5b7 that? If it’s about c39d02d1e1 that matter…”d4dccfadeea18411

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“We need to hurry, 18334c44a7 just in case.”30f327620158faba

“My God… 79e4e64b8c You really…”26dc9bbe151d27a1

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“You just keep aec9f3f107 your mouth shut. And especially 3eb345e552 make sure 572089e0a4 Jinmo doesn’t 9751dd3ef4 catch wind 49628cb6dd of anything. Why are you fb13b8d9b4 staring at me 81ec5c77aa like that? There’s no 78eced732f one who’d 124b184e07 benefit from 5159aa17f0 spreading this 609892dea2 around. Don’t worry.”19e4760881b21d84

“Mom, let’s throw f70cf1c32d this out too.”006f836ae2b033f8

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“……”e5446d238b9952b0

“Mom? Madam Yoon?”20e2e40751d9546e

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Madam Yoon turned a9e5972fe6 her head at b0e52913be the urging, but 769052a14d her gaze lingered d7d1fa5f54 on the room b2018eb16c where Heeju had 2af562b567 stayed. A deep, unshakable anxiety c5656274c0 was written all over afce5af15c her face.8d7f320074baa6eb

 f6b457b690e12a80

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