CBL Ch 3

1 Year Later

Banners displaying traditional Chinese characters fluttered in the damp March breeze, with slogans like “Establishing laws and order that respect human dignity” and “Hoping for a better tomorrow, reflecting on a responsible life.” But inside a large room, even larger than the warden’s office, a chilling winter-like atmosphere hung in the air despite the blazing sun beyond the windows.

“H-help, please… haahk!”

From the attached bathroom, strange, gasping sounds—like someone drowning while washing their face—kept escaping. Water splashed as Siheon pushed the back of the new inmate’s head back down, his limbs flailing in desperation.

Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium…

As Beethoven’s Ode to Joy swelled in the background, Siheon’s phone rang just as he shoved Yoo Beomjin’s head deep into the toilet and pulled out a cyberknife.

With the knife clenched between his teeth, Kwon Siheon glanced at his phone screen. The number was unregistered, and when he didn’t answer, the ringing continued persistently.

He pressed the answer button, adding pressure to his foot on Yoo Beomjin’s head. Normally, he would’ve ignored the call, but something told him today was different—an odd feeling that he had to answer it.

― Kwon Siheon?

And his instinct was right.

― Is this Kwon Siheon’s phone?

The voice on the other end was urgent, but clear and strong. Siheon immediately recognized it. The image of a face as white and translucent as snow came to mind. Even after a year, the memory was vivid.

It was Yoo Yisoo.

“Yes, this is he.”

Feigning calm, he responded as though he didn’t know who it was, a silent smirk curving his lips out of cynical curiosity.

“And who might this be?”

What could the high-and-mighty princess want after a year of silence? Their last encounter wasn’t exactly pleasant. To be precise, he’d tried to forget her by rubbing himself against her clothes.

― It’s Yoo Yisoo. I believe you remember me.

Of course, he remembered. How could he forget someone with whom he had exchanged such sweet words and rough sensations in their final meeting?

“It’s been a while.”

His greeting was laced with sarcasm.

“Miss.”

― I’m contacting you with a request. I don’t know exactly where you are right now, but…

Her voice, as pitiful and melancholic as her face, continued cautiously. It was steady, deliberate—like a teacher disciplining a disobedient student. Calm but restrained, a tone so seductive it could raise the arousal of even a passing stray dog.

― Please help me.

A request came out of nowhere.

― I’m begging you. Someone is after my younger brother, Yihyun. It seems to be people from the side branch. We’re in Hong Kong right now, and I heard you’re in the area as well.

Yoo Beomjin, who had briefly lost consciousness, groaned and thrashed about again, like a floundering fish. Siheon lifted his foot off his head just before he could raise it, only to crush it down again with his heel, showing no mercy. Water splashed out of the toilet as his body convulsed.

“Ugh… urgh…”

Before the person on the phone could ask what the noise was, Siheon quickly spoke.

“That’s correct. I’m in the Stanley area of Hong Kong right now.”

More precisely, he was an inmate at Stanley Prison, the most heavily guarded prison on Hong Kong Island. And tomorrow was his release day.

― I’m sorry to ask so suddenly, but could you come here? I promise there will be compensation…

“Are you formally hiring me?”

He cut off her desperate voice sharply. He had no intention of moving a single step unless money was involved, but he wasn’t desperate enough to take on a job he didn’t want.

“Like your father hired me a year ago to protect you.”

His voice was filled with irritation, and at the end of it, a cold sneer lingered—directed at no one in particular. A year had passed, and now he was no longer in a position to carry out such requests himself. But he didn’t mention that.

― Yes, I’ll formally hire you.

“Location.”

After a brief hesitation, Yoo Yisoo gave an address. Sham Shui Po redevelopment area? While he mentally stored the address, a sense of suspicion arose. Yoo Yisoo wasn’t alone. Yihyun, and possibly Yijin, might also be with her.

Chairman Yoo Namcheol had considered those illegitimate children the most insignificant, yet they were still his blood. Siheon had expected them to be in Stanley, Repulse Bay, or the Peak—certainly not in a crime-ridden district full of brothels and bars.

What could she possibly offer as compensation? They didn’t seem to have any cash on hand.

“It’ll take about an hour… maybe two at most. Lock all your doors and windows, and don’t answer any calls or open the door until I get there. Wait for me to call you back on this number.”

― Thank you. And one more thing, have you heard anything about Beomjin? He’s been hiding in Macau, but we haven’t heard from him in a week, and we don’t know if he’s alive.

“Ah.”

Siheon stashed the cyberknife back into his coat. At the same time, the splashing of water subsided. Yoo Beomjin’s struggling body stopped moving.

“Yoo Beomjin is dead.”

He had just taken care of that himself. Siheon pulled the limp body, dressed in a prison uniform, out of the toilet and laid it on the floor. Chairman Yoo Namcheol’s second son, and Yoo Yisoo’s half-brother, lay bloated, eyes turned white.

With Chairman Yoo dead, there was no need to maintain loyalty to him anymore. Yoo Namcheol’s two sons, Yoo Yongjin and Yoo Beomjin, had handed Siheon over to his uncle Kwon Giyeong ten years ago, eagerly awaiting their opportunity. He’d learned this while waking up in the hospital, battered and with gaps in his memory.

And he had quietly waited for his payback time to come, all while pretending to stay close to Yoo Namcheol.

― W-what?

“It seems you didn’t know. He got caught up in a gambling brawl in Macau a few days ago, and he was sent to Stanley Prison, where he met his end.”

Siheon calmly explained while removing the soaked prison uniform. Yoo Yisoo remained silent for a moment before responding, clearly shaken. Even though they were half-siblings, they hadn’t been particularly close, yet the shock was evident in her voice.

“Are you okay?”

― Yes.

Her voice wavered slightly but quickly regained its composure.

― Please hurry. I’m begging you.

“I will.”

Siheon hung up the call and pressed the summoning bell carelessly. A group of local guards entered and began tidying up the scene with practiced efficiency.

Among them was Officer Hwang Jungshik, who had recently been promoted to rank 7 from rank 8. Two days ago, a team from Korea’s Correctional Association had visited correctional facilities across Asia, and he had joined the group.

“Sir, it’s been a while,” said Hwang Jungshik.

“Indeed. We only ever met in the visiting room back in Korea.”

Hwang Jungshik’s eyes held a strangely enigmatic look as he politely bowed his head. It was understandable—after all, being assigned to handle VVIP criminals like Siheon was already absurd enough, and now he had to deal with this mess overseas.

“I have an urgent matter, so I need to leave right away. Let’s go through the formalities,” Siheon said.

“Excuse me? Right now?”

For a few seconds, Hwang Jungshik stammered, at a loss for words. But he quickly regained his composure and, with guidance from the interpreter, headed toward the warden’s office. All this, just to move the release date up by a single day.

Approval came within ten minutes. While his subordinates expertly handled the body, Siheon, already outside the prison, informed his ever-waiting secretary, Kim Jaewon, of their destination and climbed into the car.

There was no time to savor the feeling of freedom after six months, nor any point in seeking peace. This mission, after all, had been a self-assigned one: to assassinate a top figure in the Hong Kong organization.

It was also his final mission before returning to his homeland and assuming his role as the head of the Shinmyeong Group and the Shinuehoe (信友會), with Jungshik by his side.

✶⋆.˚

“I had no one else to contact. Except for him,” Yisoo muttered, as if making an excuse to a nervous Yijin, who was biting her nails.

“Yeah, I get it. But… do you really think he’ll take our side?”

“We have to try to convince him. He did agree to come….”

Even after a year, Kwon Siheon’s number was still saved on Yisoo’s phone. Desperation had pushed her to call him, and after a moment of doubt, the call connected.

First, Yoo Yongjin, the eldest son, and now even the second son, Yoo Beomjin, were dead. Yijin, their younger brother Yihyun, and Yisoo were barely able to process the shock. The fear of who might be next gripped them by the throat, leaving no room for anything else.

Yisoo anxiously waited for the ringing to stop. She hesitated, debating whether to call him again to ask where he was, but then she spotted Kwon Siheon’s figure approaching the apartment through the window.

Her heart sank. Memories of their wild encounter in the rain a year ago resurfaced as vividly as if it had happened yesterday.

“Unnie, over there.”

“He’s here? Good. I’ll do the talking. You go into the room, okay?”

“No, I can’t. I made the call. You should go to the room instead….”

“Fine. Then I’ll talk, but stay behind me and don’t say anything. Understand?”

Seeing the concern in Yijin’s eyes, Yisoo nodded. Less than a minute later, the doorbell rang.

Yijin rushed to the door, staring at the man who appeared faintly on the monitor screen. No matter how much she studied him, he didn’t look like the notorious man she had heard about.

“Wow. Why does he look so handsome? Is that really him?”

Standing beside her, Yisoo nodded.

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“It’s true, then. We’ll have to trust him. Out of everyone in the family, only you and Father have met Kwon in person.”

It was no wonder they were surprised. Kwon Siheon, the next head of the Shinuehoe, looked so clean-cut and respectable that he didn’t fit the image of a “butcher” who dirtied his hands with blood and filth.

Yijin pressed the button on the monitor to unlock the door. As soon as the door clicked open, the man stepped inside without hesitation. Yisoo took a step back, trying to calm her racing heart as she positioned herself behind her sister, Yoo Yijin.

“I’m Kwon Siheon,” he introduced himself.

Yijin inhaled sharply. He looked even bigger and more imposing in person than he had on the screen. He pulled out a mask and covered his sharp nose with black fabric.

“Sorry, I think I’m coming down with a cold.”

“Oh, um, I’m Yoo Yijin. You spoke with my sister Yisoo earlier. By the way, did anyone follow you…?”

“No one,” he replied firmly, dismissing the suspicion. His deep baritone voice remained steady and calm.

“The people on my side are professionals.”

His sharp eyes met Yisoo’s anxious gaze over Yijin’s shoulder. Startled, Yisoo quickly composed herself, masking her unease.

“Hello, it’s been a while since we last met,” she greeted, her voice tense and dry. Facing him in person made her heart pound far more than it had during their phone conversation two hours earlier.

“Thank you for coming,” she added.

“Yes,” he simply replied.

Kwon Siheon responded calmly, as if he had interpreted her dryness differently. His sharp eyes gleamed even more intensely, likely accentuated by the mask he wore. He turned back to face Yijin.

“Let’s hear the details. Is there anyone else in the house?”

“Yes. Yihyun is sleeping in his room. He’s not feeling well….”

Yijin clasped her hands tightly at her waist and took a deep breath. She then briefly explained the situation that had led the siblings to suddenly flee to Hong Kong.

It was not much different from what he had already been briefed on during his trip. Even while Siheon had voluntarily been locked up for six months in Hong Kong’s famous Stanley Prison, incidents in Korea had been unrelenting, with no exceptions for the business world.

HS Construction Group, formerly Hyoshin Construction, was a resilient mid-sized construction company that had managed to survive despite the aggressive influx of foreign capital into the construction industry. However, facing a brief liquidity crisis, it unexpectedly declared bankruptcy, despite having been in a state of profit, shocking everyone in the industry.

They had been negotiating with financial institutions for emergency funding and, at worst, could have even tapped into private loans. Yet, their cash flow dried up, leading to a profitable company going under. Many suspected political interference behind the scenes.

The upcoming 23rd presidential election’s primary candidates had already started their campaigns, and right before the bankruptcy, the late Chairman Yoo Namcheol—who had died of a heart attack—had fallen out with Kwak Bugyeong, a prominent candidate for the ruling party. Once close friends, their relationship had soured in recent years, as Yoo Namcheol had supported Kwak’s political rivals in the opposition party, contributing to their campaigns.

From Kwak’s perspective, it had been a painful betrayal by a longtime friend. But as time passed, Kwak had made a miraculous political comeback, becoming a central figure in the ruling party once again.

Hyoshin Construction’s downfall had coincided with Kwak’s resurgence, leading many to suspect it was his act of revenge. While this theory circulated within the financial and political spheres, some believed there was more to the story. Siheon’s presence here was partly to uncover the hidden truth, particularly regarding anything beyond the slush fund Chairman Yoo had allegedly hidden overseas.

“As you may already know, after our father passed away last month and the company went under, we were suddenly sent to hide in Macau. We were staying at a hotel that used to belong to him when someone targeted Yihyun….”

Yijin tried to maintain her composure as she explained their desperate situation. Siheon listened quietly, never interrupting.

After the chairman’s death, the extended family and executives had scattered, while the direct heirs were left to fend for themselves. Due to their father’s three marriages, with different mothers for each sibling, they were not a united front. Whether it was because of the different mothers or simple human selfishness, they couldn’t come together.

Yoo Yongjin, the eldest son, had sold off his shares and even his personal assets, but it wasn’t enough to clear the debts generated by reckless investments through the group’s shell companies. Other companies with even the smallest debt relations to Hyoshin Construction were desperate to find and swallow up the hidden slush fund.

Eventually, Yoo Yongjin had been found dead in Manila after being chased by someone. The clean, discreet result was the handiwork of Shinuehoe.

“We know nothing about the slush fund hidden in various places. Father must have handed over the confidential documents to Yongjin or Beomjin, but Yoo Hyeoksoo seems to think we know where the money is,” Yijin continued, not even pausing for breath.

“But we can find the money to pay you, Kwon. If we can just get back to Korea, we could—”

“We’ll talk about that later. For now, why did you come to Hong Kong?” Siheon cut her off.

“Fortunately, there’s an old friend of my father’s who holds a high position in the Hong Kong police. We reached out to him for help, but we haven’t heard back yet….”

“I see.”

Kwon Siheon nodded, showing he understood their fear. He unconsciously touched the ring on his left hand. The heavy gold ring bore the symbol of Shinuehoe (信友會), the powerful organization tied to the global religious group United Holy Life Church and the Shinmyeong Group.

At that moment, Siheon’s and Yisoo’s eyes met in the air. Yisoo quickly averted her gaze as if guilty of something. Kwon Siheon, unaffected, continued speaking.

“If you’ve reached out to a friend in the HKPF and haven’t received a response… should I contact them for you? If you give me a name, photo, or any other information, I can investigate immediately.”

His deep voice cut off abruptly as he lifted a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Footsteps could be heard outside the door.

“Go to your rooms. Both of you.”

His hand instinctively reached for the knife on the fruit plate as the doorbell rang, giving the women no time to react.

The doorbell’s chime, as worn and shabby as the apartment’s exterior, reverberated sharply. The two sisters froze, staring at each other. There was movement from the hallway beyond the L-shaped corridor, likely from Yihyun waking up.

“Who’s there…?”

A crackling sound accompanied the flickering monitor on the wall. A group of men stood outside, and the knocking on the door grew louder.

“Miss Yoo! Open the door, please. We are here on behalf of Mr. Chung, the head of the police department, regarding your request for protection.”

The heavily accented English, with a strong Cantonese tone, claimed they were here under the orders of the Hong Kong police chief to protect the family.

Siheon stifled a laugh. Ridiculous. Real police wouldn’t be advertising the name of a high-ranking official at someone’s doorstep.

“Get out the window. Now.”

Siheon motioned toward the darkening window as dusk settled. Most Hong Kong apartments had iron gates installed at their entrances. This one, however, didn’t.

“What? But they’re Father’s friend’s men! They just said Mr. Chung—”

Yijin’s words were cut off as the doorknob rattled violently, followed by a blunt, forceful thud.

Only then, as if realizing the situation, Yijin and Yisoo’s faces turned deathly pale. Even Yihyun, who had already looked like a ghost, became as pale as a corpse.

The situation escalated quickly.

While the intruders were busy breaking down the door, all three of them hurried toward the window. Fortunately, since the apartment was on the ground floor, escaping through the window itself seemed easy enough—though they wouldn’t get far.

As the three of them argued about who should go first, Siheon calmly drew a Glock from inside his jacket. Before the group could smash the door completely, he swung it open himself.

Gunfire erupted, momentarily deafening him, but it wasn’t unpleasant. If flames pleased his eyes, then the sound of bullets firing was a melody to his ears.

Siheon’s men rushed in, flanking the intruders and finishing the job almost as quickly as it had begun. But this was far from over.

One of the attackers, bleeding heavily, was already fleeing beyond the riverbank. More of them would come soon. Siheon quickly ran to the window, glancing down. Yoo Yisoo was helping Lee Yihyun, who was sprawled in the flowerbed.

And Yoo Yijin was…

That fool—what was she doing rummaging through drawers as if gathering valuables? Crazy woman, didn’t she realize every second counted?

“Why aren’t you getting out yet?” Siheon shouted.

“Just a moment! I need the kids’ passports and money…”

At that moment, a cold presence crept up behind Siheon, triggering all his senses. His body moved instinctively, rolling to the side.

Bang! A missed bullet embedded itself somewhere in the wall. Bang! Bang! The second and third shots hit their marks, striking Yoo Yijin in the forehead and neck in quick succession. The thick envelope in her hands dropped, scattering money everywhere.

It took less than a few seconds for Yijin’s life to completely drain from her body. Siheon stared at her lifeless form, her eyes wide open, and clicked his tongue.

Damn it. He had told her to forget the passports and just get out. What use were they now that she was dead?

✶⋆.˚

There was no time to react to the gunshots. The men who had impersonated the commissioner’s men were now swarming the alley, like a pack of zombies in human disguise.

“Yihyun, this way, up the outdoor stairs… Yihyun!”

Suddenly, from the neighbor’s balcony, a shadow lunged out and grabbed Yihyun, yanking him inside with shocking strength. He disappeared before Yisoo could even process what had happened.

“Yihyun! Hyunah!”

Bang! Bang! Gunfire echoed again, and gas, like tear gas, spread in a haze. Desperate, she found herself unable to move. Her eyes stung, her nose burned, and she struggled to breathe. Yisoo let out a scream, jumping on the spot in panic.

Someone grabbed her shoulder, pulling something over her head. In an instant, her vision went black, and her voice was muffled by fabric. A powerful grip lifted her effortlessly, slinging her over someone’s shoulder.

“Shh. I’m… saving you… so stay still,” a deep voice mumbled.

It was Kwon Siheon. She couldn’t hear well with her ears covered, but she was sure it was him. Relief broke through her overwhelming fear. Was he the one who had grabbed Yihyun earlier?

Somehow, she felt reassured. Maybe one of his men had taken Yihyun to safety? It made sense since Siheon had shown up right after Yihyun disappeared.

“Wha… what about Yihyun?”

The question hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t finish it. She was too disoriented, slung over the broad-shouldered man like a ragdoll. Every step he took made her head spin and her breathing labored.

Beneath the fabric, she saw a crimson pool spread out below. Yisoo clenched her lips and squeezed her eyes shut. The stench of blood filled the air, and the house had long since become a battlefield. Siheon re-entered the house, barking orders to his men.

Yijin, her sister…

It was only then that Yijin came to mind. When she had struggled to help Yihyun out the window, Yijin had still been inside.

“Clean this up. Get the car ready.”

From the man’s orders, it seemed like the fight had ended in their favor.

“Wait, stop! Let me down!” Yisoo shouted, kicking her legs as she stared at the blood-stained floor. Reluctantly, Siheon set her down.

“W-where’s Yijin? And Yihyun… my brother, where is he?”

Kwon Siheon looked down at her coldly. His white dress shirt, tie, and even his earlobes were splattered with blood, as if it were a pattern. Yisoo flinched, trembling under a sudden wave of fear, stepping back.

“Yijin… is she with Yihyun?” she asked.

“Yoo Yijin,” Siheon began, his voice as flat as ever, “is dead.”

His words were harshly matter-of-fact.

“I don’t know about Lee Yihyun, but Yoo Yijin was shot and died instantly. She was taken to the hospital, so you can say your goodbyes when they prepare her body.”

“What… are you saying?”

“It looks like Lee Yihyun was taken by them. If they have demands, they’ll likely keep him alive. As for Yoo Yijin… it was probably a stray bullet.”

Yisoo blinked slowly, staring blankly at him. Did she even comprehend his words? It was hard to tell if she was in shock or just about to faint while standing.

“You’ve… got to be mistaken.”

Siheon frowned. It was his first time witnessing someone’s pupils change so rapidly, right before his eyes. It was like watching a black wave crash violently against a crystal-clear lake.

“She must still be breathing… Take me to the hospital… Please…”

Yoo Yisoo was breathtaking. Her face was milk-white, and a soft pink hue flushed her neck, collarbones, wrists, and fingers. She hadn’t changed at all from a year ago.

If anything, her delicate beauty had only deepened since then. She was so distraught over her sister’s death that it made Siheon want to pin her to the ground and have his way with her right there.

“I need to go to the hospital… Please find Yihyun…”

Her perfectly sculpted features and fragile, slender figure, combined with her curvaceous hips and voluptuous chest, would drive any man crazy. She was a body built to send men into a frenzy.

She was too precious to throw into Shinuehoe’s brothels, though that was her eventual destination.

After all, Siheon was also one of Hyoshin Construction’s creditors. Chairman Yoo’s debts weren’t large, but collecting them, with interest, meant there was no better option for him. Securing Yoo Yisoo’s body was just the first step toward reclaiming something from the hidden funds or the mysterious asset everyone was after.

For now, securing her and monetizing her was the best course of action. According to his own creed of never losing a single penny, there was no other option.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

Siheon flicked his finger against her forehead. Instead of pity, he felt an overwhelming sense of frustration and foolishness.

“Everyone’s dead but you. If you don’t get your act together, you’re next.”

“…”

“Your pathetic brothers, and now Yoo Yijin just died 10 minutes ago, shot dead. Lee Yihyun is as good as dead too.”

Yoo Yongjin had been brutally tortured and killed by a Shinuehoe official in the Philippines, and Yoo Beomjin… well, Siheon had personally taken care of him about two hours ago. But there was no need to share all of that with Yoo Yisoo. They weren’t exactly siblings who would mourn each other.

“Help… help me.”

‘Help me.’

It was the same desperate plea Siheon had heard when he had shoved Yoo Beomjin’s head into a toilet and pressed the call button on his phone. That same voice from a year ago echoed sweetly in his ears again.

“Please save me… save our Yihyun… sob…”

Tears slid down her porcelain-like cheeks, as if they were painted on. Despite her crying, her face remained perfect—untouched by the sorrow, or maybe it just looked that way to him.

“Please save Yihyun…!”

Siheon looked down at Yoo Yisoo, his expression cold and unwavering. The sight of her desperate pleas didn’t stir a single emotion in him. His hand, still smeared with wet blood, brushed across his jaw.

“Why would I?”

He wiped the bloodstain from his hand on the barrel of his gun. It was then that Yoo Yisoo’s eyes noticed the Glock in his hand. Her gaze fell from the gun to Siheon’s face, her demeanor suddenly different, more shaken.

Siheon’s lips curled into a contemptuous sneer.

“You called me to this filthy back-alley hellhole, claiming you had some job for Jungshik. And now, here we are—turns out you’ve got nothing. Not money, not even anything worth my time. Hell, I’m the one who’s gotta collect on Chairman Yoo’s debts now.”

Yoo Yisoo’s pupils trembled violently, reacting to his sudden shift in tone.

Siheon’s sneer deepened.

“Dragging me into this mess, with nothing to show for it. Were you hoping our past would mean something? Hm?”

“…”

“Then I guess you remember my final warning too: ‘Don’t let me see you again.’”

‘Let’s never see each other again. I don’t know what I’ll do if we meet next time.’

“Kwon Siheon, please…”

“You better remember what you said back then, too. That you didn’t want anything to do with a lowlife thug like me.”

Yoo Yisoo stumbled, falling onto the blood-soaked floor. First her knees buckled, then her arms, and finally her head drooped as though her neck had been half-severed. Her head sank towards the floor, about to hit it.

“…You’re something else. A real princess, huh?”

Before her head touched the ground, Siheon scooped her up. Yoo Yisoo was as lifeless as her sister now, but her tightly shut eyes remained different, like they would never open again.

✶⋆.˚

The first time Siheon met Yoo Yisoo, a year and three months ago, was infuriating to say the least. Infuriating and… unforgettable. So much so that he had tossed and turned that night, consumed by his own lust, even dreaming about her.

Yoo Yisoo (23)
4th-year student at Korea Women’s University, majoring in Applied Statistics
Fourth of six siblings in the Hyoshin Construction Group family

Registered for a language exchange program at NYU from December to February.

The language program was just a cover for a series of arranged meetings with wealthy overseas Koreans. Chairman Yoo Namcheol of Hyoshin Construction was determined to see his children break into international markets.

‘Send me a trustworthy bodyguard next month. My fourth daughter has an important mission for the family. Yijin should go first, but her mother’s reputation is a mess, so we’ll start with Yisoo. She looks just like her mother, stunningly beautiful—I’m worried someone might lay a hand on her.’

At the Chairman’s request, Siheon had personally volunteered to protect Yoo Yisoo.

‘You must be quite concerned. Let me personally escort your daughter.’

‘What? That’s not necessary. You’re a busy man, and it’s not even in the country.’

‘Consider it my gratitude for all the business Chairman Yoo has given us.’

His reasoning sounded noble, but there were two real motives behind it. First, it was to dig deeper into the Yoo family’s weaknesses. His uncle, Kwon Giyeong, had left a scar on Siheon’s scalp eight years ago, selling him out to Yoo Yongjin. Siheon still hadn’t forgotten that betrayal.

And second, it was because of the image of Yoo Yisoo that had lingered in his mind ever since he saw her photo a few days prior. Among Chairman Yoo’s six children from three different marriages (now five, with the passing of his youngest daughter, Yoo Yikyung), Yisoo was the most mysterious.

Half of the siblings remained hidden from the public eye. Only the eldest son, Yoo Yongjin, and the second son, Yoo Beomjin, occasionally appeared at public events. The youngest daughter, Yoo Yikyung, had died years ago from a fall while studying abroad in America.

But it was purely by chance that Siheon had spotted Yoo Yisoo and her twin, Lee Yihyun, on the hospital’s CCTV footage. At the time, Siheon had surveillance in place at the hospital, which was owned by Shinmyeong, because a politician’s son was secretly receiving treatment there.

‘Feel free to use them as you see fit. They have no connection to our side. I’ve received your investment, so no information will be withheld.’

‘Thank you, Chairman.’

In the end, Yoo Namcheol entrusted him with his daughter’s security. Siheon had four tasks to carry out. Essentially, the duties of a regular bodyguard, which he would have assigned, were passed on to him.

Close protection during outings. Accompany her to matchmaking meetings once a week to ensure her suitors didn’t overstep their bounds. Refrain from physical interference, while still fulfilling his role as a bodyguard.

However, he was not to intervene in anything Yoo Yisoo agreed to or consented to.