CBL Ch 4

“If your daughter consents, then I suppose it doesn’t matter how shameless they act. Whether they go to a hotel together or hole up there for days on end. That way, she’ll be bound somewhere and taken care of.”

He was speechless. Was that something a father with a grown daughter should say? How was this any different from human traffickers, who only aim to sell her off for the highest price?

“As you wish.”

“Thank you. If only my Yongjin or Beomjin were half as capable as you, I wouldn’t have these worries.”

Yoo Namcheol was now just a tiger without teeth. For all the guidance he had given Hyoshin to reach this point, he must have once had a sharp eye for people and a discerning insight.

The elderly chairman lightly patted Siheon on the shoulder, adding more empty words.

“If it weren’t for the fact that CEO Kwon already has a marriage prospect, I’d have tried to marry one of my daughters off to you by any means.”

“Thank you just for saying so.”

“Incidentally, Yisoo is downstairs. Why don’t you stop by for a cup of tea and say hello since you’re here?”

“Shall I?”

Chairman Yoo turned to join him but then hesitated, as his primary bank’s manager had arrived unexpectedly, leaving Siheon to go downstairs alone. It was for the best, really.

A moment later, the elevator doors opened to reveal a lounge decorated like a hotel suite. Yoo Yisoo, seated inside, slowly raised her head. Their gazes met in mid-air.

Siheon realized instinctively. Yoo Yisoo bore no resemblance to her father, her brother, or any other relatives. Not in appearance, but in essence.

Yoo Yisoo was a different type of person altogether. And she was unlike Kwon Siheon as well.

＊＊＊

Kwon Siheon had no memory of their first meeting ten years prior.

It was, admittedly, his fault. If she had acted a bit more wisely back then, Kwon Siheon wouldn’t have lost part of his memory due to a severe head injury.

It was by no means intentional. She had simply wanted to help an injured man whom cats had gathered around, drawn to him as they often were.

The man was lying down, surrounded by stray cats he usually fed. At first glance, with his long lashes and smooth, neat forehead, his delicate features made her think he was a woman.

But his broad shoulders revealed otherwise. Blood was trickling from a tear along his side, as if slashed by a lion’s claw. It made her think of the first-aid kit on the basement shelf.

When her older brother, Yihyun, had injured his knee after a fall down the stairs yesterday, she had personally fetched the kit, applied medication, and bandaged it. They couldn’t even suggest going to the hospital these days. Her eldest brother, Yoo Yongjin, was constantly waiting for an opportunity to have Yihyun institutionalized.

“There’s too much half-blood in this family. We can do without one weakling. What’s the point of keeping that useless thing around?”

“What the hell?”

The man, sprawled in the brush behind the house, hissed at her like a cat when their eyes met.

“First time seeing a person? Beat it.”

“Excuse me…this is our family property. Our villa.”

Yisoo adjusted her glasses and responded calmly. She was frightened by the man’s fierce glare, but the blood was more concerning.

“How did you get in here?”

“Your caretaker was passed out drunk. So I slipped in through the back gate. Why?”

“It looks like you need medical treatment.”

“You know who I am?”

“No…”

“Then what makes you so confident in approaching me?”

Yisoo brushed lint off her skirt and hugged the cat rubbing against her. The cat purred and pressed its head affectionately into her, leaving fur on her freshly brushed skirt, but she didn’t mind.

“…You’re hurt.”

“…”

“I heard that people who love animals are never truly bad.”

“Bullshit. There are tons.”

He sighed heavily.

“Where do you live, in some parallel universe? There are plenty of people who dote on their own dogs and cats at home but act like jerks outside. That’s if they’re lucky—they’ll dump their sick pets secretly like real beasts when they’re no longer cute.”

“…”

“I’m just going to lie here for a bit, so mind your own business and leave. …You didn’t see anything. Got it?”

＊＊＊

“My name is Yoo Yisoo.”

“Who asked? God, what a nutjob…”

He laughed in resignation, but his hand pressed against his forehead, the veins on the back of it bulging as if to say he wouldn’t let this slide.

“The red-roofed building over there is our villa. There’s a first-aid kit in the basement annex; I’ll treat your wounds.”

Just then, a few black cars came to a halt at the foot of the hill, and men with wooden clubs began to swarm out.

“Hey! Search down the hill, not the back mountain. The top area is private property, and he’s injured, so he couldn’t have gone far.”

Just hearing their menacing shouts made her hair stand on end. They were clearly gangsters, like something out of a movie or drama. When their footsteps receded, Yisoo, who had been lying low, finally lifted her head.

“You’re being chased by those people, aren’t you? What crime did you commit?”

“Got bored, joined a gambling den, and they went nuts when I took all their chips. They threw a fit, but it’s not my fault they couldn’t handle it.”

The man flopped down again, brushing back his disheveled hair, revealing deep cuts along his wrist.

“That’s just an excuse. They figured out who I am and want to use me as leverage. My family’s filthy rich.”

“…”

“What? Don’t believe me?”

“No…I do.”

The watch on his wrist was the same brand as Yoo Yongjin’s. It was a limited-edition model that was hard to get, even with money. And it looked even pricier than Yoo Yongjin’s, shimmering with luxury.

“Come with me before they catch you. I’ll hide you in the storage room.”

“And if you change your mind and turn me in to them?”

“…Why would I?”

Her plan was simple—just treat his wounds, bandage him up, and then sneak him out of the house.

“Don’t worry. I’m not on their side.”

“And how can I trust that?”

“If you stay here, you’ll get a nasty infection.”

Upon closer inspection, he had a deep abrasion on his instep as well. He could sit up but didn’t seem able to stand—likely a sprained ankle.

“Don’t you have a phone?”

“No.”

“Go borrow one from someone.”

“There’s no one I can borrow from. My older sister and younger siblings don’t have phones either….”

She couldn’t ask the housemaids either. They reported every suspicious move to her father and Yoo Yongjin.

“Damn.”

He spat blood between his teeth. It looked like he’d either dropped or shattered his own phone during the fight.

“Fine, lead the way. But make no mistake. If you double-cross me and call anyone, you won’t get away with it either.”

“……”

“Got it?”

“Yes. …Still, please ask me for help first.”

“What?”

“Only then would I have a reason to help…. Housekeeper Kim… one of our housemaids told me that only those who ask for help should be helped to avoid trouble later.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. So what, you’re saying you’re all eager to help me out of your own goodwill, but you want me to formally ask because some lady told you it’s safer to help only those who ask? Huh?”

“……”

“Seems like you’re no ordinary person yourself. Besides, it’s clear you’re a bit clueless, given that you don’t seem to be afraid of someone like me.”

He let out a laugh, half-amused, but quickly stopped. Then, still lying down, he turned to look straight at Yisoo.

“Hello? Nice to meet you. Could you help me out a bit?”

With an utterly serious gaze, something stung sharply in the center of her heart.

“Please, I’m asking. Help me, will you?”

“……”

“Is that good enough?”

In the end, she helped Kwon Siheon, leading him down a hidden route free from CCTV to the basement. She rummaged through the kit, applying everything from anti-tetanus ointment to bandages and painkillers, then laid him down in a corner of the basement.

“How old are you?”

“How about you? When you ask someone’s info, you should offer your own first, shouldn’t you?”

“Fifteen.”

“……”

“I told you. Won’t you tell me?”

“Well, what age do you think I am?”

“Nineteen? Maybe twenty…?”

“Close enough. Anyway, don’t you have any cigarettes? Alcohol? Nothing like that down here in the basement?”

“…No. And wouldn’t that be a bad idea considering your condition?”

“Kid, what do you know? Just stay quiet if you don’t understand.”

Though still sprawled weakly on the floor, he was unrestrained in his words. Something about his disregard for life made her feel sorrier for him. She was curious about his story, but there wasn’t time for more questions.

Perhaps from the effect of the medication or from lying down in a warm place, he soon drifted off to sleep. Once she was sure he was completely asleep, Yisoo quietly called her brother Yoo Beomjin to ask for help.

It was such a naive decision. She shouldn’t have dragged a fragile, timid person into the situation.

Though not as brutal as Yoo Yongjin, Yoo Beomjin was unable to escape the shadow cast by his father and eldest brother. The moment Beomjin mentioned it to Yongjin, he immediately stormed down to the basement to confirm the man’s presence. And when he saw that the thorn in his side had landed right in his lap, he could hardly contain his glee.

At that time, Yisoo hadn’t yet realized that he was Kwon Siheon, grandson of the unified Shinmyeong Church’s leader and a sworn enemy of Yoo Yongjin. Nor did she know that many people coveted the heads of that religious sect’s grandsons: Kwon Woo-hyuk, Kwon Siheon, and Kwon Igyeol.

The senior leaders of Shinmyeong Church were divided into two factions—those loyal and protective of the Kwon brothers and those who sought to eliminate them to pave the way for a new era. How could a mere middle schooler like her have known that?

And yet, that high-value bounty had practically walked right into their villa basement. For Yoo Yongjin, it was a gift from heaven. As someone who had been at odds with Shinmyeong Church for years, it was the perfect chance to form a solid alliance with Kwon Giyeong, Kwon Siheon’s uncle, who had his eye on the church’s leadership.

“This is perfect. Just try telling Dad about this, and I’ll make sure Yihyun gets it too, you got that?”

Hyoshin Construction had a business-friendly relationship with Shinmyeong Church, and whenever her father Yoo Namcheol criticized his eldest son’s incompetence, he often compared him to Kwon Woo-hyuk, the church leader’s eldest son.

The second son, Kwon Siheon, had entered Harvard’s economics department on a scholarship, stirring up yet another wave of resentment in Yoo Yongjin, who had dropped out after a year despite all the money poured into getting him in.

“Big brother, please don’t! I beg you, don’t do this….”

“You crazy brat! Get out of my way, will you?”

Yoo Yongjin mercilessly beat his ten-years-younger half-sister. Even as her glasses shattered and she was kicked and struck, Yisoo clung to him, pleading, refusing to let go. In the end, Kwon Siheon was dragged out of the annex, battered and bruised, and taken away somewhere.

She prayed he would survive. A man who was gentle enough to draw the loyalty of stray cats surrounding him for protection.

Cats only approach people who truly care for them, especially feral cats that keep their distance from humans.

Please, God, don’t let him die.

Despite her face swollen from Yongjin’s violence, her lips bloodied, and her body covered in bruises, Yisoo didn’t think to treat herself. She spent hours sobbing in the basement, praying he would survive.

If he died because of her, she knew she would live with that guilt forever.

＊＊＊

Kwon Siheon survived. But along with his injuries, all memories of her were excised.

When they met again in the company lounge two winters ago, she had felt relieved. She thought it was for the best.

But as time passed, she began to wonder if it truly was. Especially on their last day in New York. Every time she recalled her own cries mingling with the sound of rain, she grew less certain.

It wasn’t until after she returned to Seoul that she realized he hadn’t been demoted to a mere janitor and bodyguard for Shinmyeong Church because of that accident. She only later discovered he had volunteered to guard her.

Her eyes shot open, and she bolted upright.

Her hands tingled, blood circulation cut off. Once again, pitch-black darkness greeted her, and her limbs throbbed, as if untied after years of confinement.

Yisoo had been confined in this luxurious bedroom for five days now. The Victorian-style room with its floral wallpaper, window shapes, fireplace, and antique furniture looked like a movie set. The door was always locked from the outside.

Fortunately, she could open and close the terrace doors overlooking the sea, which helped her breathe easier. So long as she didn’t get too close to the railing, her fear of heights stayed in check.

She barely managed to stand and stared into the mirror, seeing a stranger’s face—one that looked not like a twenty-five-year-old but someone closer to thirty-five, or even a haggard forty-five, despite the lack of wrinkles.

None of the clothes hanging in the dressing room fit anymore. In just a week, she had lost so much weight that everything draped loosely on her, too baggy to wear.

When she realized that her sister Yijin had truly passed, she was paralyzed with shock, unable to breathe. Several times a day, she suffered from hyperventilation, fainting, only to take medication and repeat the cycle.

Though they were half-sisters and hadn’t seen each other often due to Yijin studying abroad in the U.S. since childhood, Yijin had genuinely cared for and shown love to both her and Yihyun. The shock of her loss was overwhelming.

They had promised each other every night, holding hands, that no matter what, the three of them would rely on each other to get through this crisis and, one day, be happy together.

And now Yihyun was…

＊＊＊

— We’re looking into Lee Yihyun’s whereabouts. Pestering the secretaries won’t help, so sit tight and wait.

That was what Kwon Siheon had told her over the phone three days ago. He sounded like a different person from the sneering, sarcastic man who, just days before, had asked why he should even help her.

Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. Kwon Siheon…!

Yisoo wiped her tear-streaked face and slipped into one of the loose-fitting clothes. Pressing the call button for the secretary, a Korean woman entered, pushing a cart with breakfast.

“Miss, you have to eat properly today. You’re risking serious health issues. IV drips can only sustain you for so long.”

“I will, Miriam. By the way… has CEO Kwon Siheon arrived yet?”

“He should be coming by tomorrow, I think. I heard he may have located your missing brother.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

Yisoo almost overturned the porridge tray. Overwhelmed with relief, she grabbed Miriam’s elbow and asked again.

“Are you sure? He really found Yihyun’s location… did he say he found my brother?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard from his secretary, Mr. Kim Jaewon. They’re still searching, but it seems he’s confirmed your brother is alive.”

Taking a deep breath, Yisoo nodded. Like Miriam, she felt a surge of hope that Yihyun was indeed safe.

If he had been presumed dead, Kwon Siheon would not have simply said he found his location. This was the man who had dismissed Yijin’s death with a single, detached word: “Deceased.”

“So please, Miss, gather your strength and rest. The CEO clearly cares about you a great deal, so everything will work out just fine.”

“Huh? No, that can’t be…”

The idea that he cared for her felt absurd. Given what had happened a year ago, it seemed impossible. Especially considering his words the day Yihyun disappeared.

Were you thinking you’d lean on that past connection from a year ago? Then you must also remember my final warning, right? I told you not to seek me out again. That you didn’t want to deal with a thug like me, didn’t you, Miss Yoo Yisoo?

Then why had he changed his mind?

As sorrow for Yijin and worry for Yihyun mingled with confusion over Kwon Siheon’s unexpected aid, a heavy tangle of thoughts clouded her mind.

“Oh, I assumed you were the CEO’s fiancée,” Miriam said suddenly. “But since you aren’t, I’ll hold my tongue. Please, forget I mentioned it. My apologies.”

“His fiancée… Are you saying Mr. Kwon Siheon is engaged?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? Then you truly aren’t his girlfriend! Yes, his fiancée is the second daughter of Assemblyman Park Shinhyeon. A two-term congressman from the ruling party, though he rarely appears in the news.”

A sinking feeling hit Yisoo’s chest. The emotion spreading through her was unmistakable relief, nothing else.

She’d heard of potential matches a year ago; it seemed he had finally gotten engaged.

“She might not be well-known, but her family amassed wealth over the years through underground money lending and land speculation since the ’70s. Yet with our CEO’s wealth, their family’s fortune pales in comparison… honestly, who knows if the engagement will hold. These days, marriages fall apart even after vows are exchanged, let alone during the engagement stage… oh, I’m talking too much again. I’m sorry.”

Clearing her throat, Miriam opened the balcony doors wide, fastening the curtains to the walls, clearly trying to change the subject.

“Anyway, today is one of those rare clear days. It usually rains a lot this time of year… on days like this, sunbathing on the terrace or enjoying the sea breeze can lift your spirits. Later, I’ll ask the CEO if you might be allowed to step into the garden.”

Yisoo nodded in agreement. Now that Yihyun’s whereabouts were known, she could lighten her heart a bit and start planning her next steps.

Hearing about Kwon Siheon’s engagement made her feel slightly unsteady, but it wasn’t surprising. She, too, had been introduced to various prospective partners as part of her father’s marriage deals.

Had her father not gone bankrupt, she might have even set a wedding date with one of them. Until his death, her father had constantly pressured her to stop delaying and settle on a match. So, whether Kwon Siheon was engaged or married, it was his private life, and it had nothing to do with her.

Get it together, Yoo Yisoo.

The spring sunlight streamed in through the softly swaying curtains. But just as soon as relief and calm filled her heart, the weight of Yijin’s death and the looming uncertainties returned, leaving her feeling heavy-hearted and hopeless.

Yisoo gently stroked the urn containing Yijin’s ashes and bowed her head. Overcome by grief, tears spilled down her cheeks, her throat choked up as if it would burst.

I shouldn’t be like this… I need to stay strong for Yihyun.

Yisoo wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and forced herself to drink water to soothe her clogged throat. Little did she know then that soon even grief like this would feel like a luxury.

＊＊＊

“They’ve pinpointed Lee Yihyun’s location. I’ll head there.”

That night, Kwon Siheon had barely entered her room before he read the secretary’s message and turned to leave again. Without thinking, Yisoo grabbed his elbow.

“I’m coming with you.”

“…”

“I’ll just stay in the car so I won’t be in the way. Please.”

Narrowing his eyes, he looked her over as if to tell her to check herself in the mirror. But in the end, he relented.

“Stay in the car. If you step out and get yourself killed, I’m not responsible. It’d be ridiculous if the brother were fine, but you ended up dead instead.”

“I’ll stay in the car, I promise.”

“Alright, then. I won’t step in to protect you.”

Kwon Siheon’s harsh words didn’t faze her. As long as Yihyun was safe, she could endure any insults he hurled.

Her family members had died one by one. Her mother, who passed away when she was young, her youngest sibling, Yikyung, who died from a fall while studying abroad in the U.S., her father, who succumbed to the shock of the company’s bankruptcy, followed by two older brothers who were murdered in succession. And just days ago, her older sister, Yijin, was shot dead right in front of her.

Now, only the twins remained. If she lost Yihyun too, it felt like the world would come to an end. The certainty that everything would crumble, leaving her without even the will to survive on her own, was unbearable.

Consumed by that fear, Yisoo boarded the car driven by another of Kwon Siheon’s secretaries, looking like a shell of herself. Kwon Siheon’s sedan sped along the coastal road, eventually arriving at a deserted industrial area that resembled an abandoned factory complex.

She wanted to get out immediately but held back, recalling her promise to stay quiet, and she watched Kwon Siheon’s every move intently through the window. He disappeared into a pitch-dark container building with a group of men, not even a streetlight illuminating the area.

“Yihyun, are you safe? Please, please let there be nothing wrong…”

She lost track of time waiting, her gaze fixed on the entrance like a puppy awaiting its master’s return. After a while, the woman in the driver’s seat handed her a phone.

“Miss. I guess we’ve got your brother. Take a look at this.”

At the secretary’s words, hinting they’d found Yihyun, Yisoo quickly looked at the screen. She covered her mouth with one hand, barely suppressing a scream. The sight of her brother was horrifying.

Yihyun looked as if he’d been tied up for days, lying limp on the warehouse floor. His cracked lips were swarmed by flies, and the blood trickling from his broken forehead had dried, resembling congealed paint. The crusted blood on his chin looked like dark, scabbed-over bruises.

“Yihyun! Yihyun….”

Yisoo bit her lips hard enough to draw blood. The pain in her chest was unbearable. While she’d been staying in something akin to a luxury hotel suite, her brother had been tortured into this condition.

They weren’t even human.

She hadn’t expected them to act honorably. Her distant cousin, Yoo Hyuksoo, was as ruthless as Chairman Yoo Namcheol and her eldest brother, Yoo Yongjin, had been. But even if they were desperate to find the missing funds, she hadn’t thought they’d stoop so low as to hang him up on a wall and interrogate him.

Her cousin, who was already ill and frail. How could they do this to him? Were they even human?

“Let him go. Lay him on a stretcher.”

A voice called her attention on the screen. Kwon Siheon’s men seemed to have broken in, starting their assault on Yoo Hyuksoo’s group, pushing through the guards stationed inside the warehouse. Screams, groans, and brutal impacts echoed like background music.

“Ms. Yoo Yisoo.”

Kwon Siheon’s deep voice addressed her. His straight nose appeared in the shadowy frame. Only then did Yisoo rub her tear-soaked eyes with her hand.

“Lee Yihyun is safe. Other than a few abrasions and severe malnutrition, he has no serious injuries, although the psychological trauma is another matter.”

“Th-thank you. Thank you so much…!”

“We’ll transfer him to a hospital for now. Now, what do you want to do with Yoo Hyuksoo?”

A puff of cigarette smoke drifted across the dark ceiling on the screen. He held the cigarette between his fingers, then placed it between his lips.

＊＊＊

“After investigating, it turns out Chairman Yoo’s acquaintance with the Hong Kong Police was also part of a plot by your cousin, Yoo Hyuksoo, to lure you and your sibling here. So, what should we do? Your cousin is begging for mercy. Should we just let him go?”

Yisoo’s clasped hands trembled. Yoo Hyuksoo wasn’t even human; he was a vile beast. As long as he was alive, he’d surely continue tormenting her and Yihyun.

“Would you rather hand him over to the police? He’s wealthy enough that if extradited to Korea, he’d likely hire the most expensive legal team and get off with a slap on the wrist.”

“I…”

Yisoo tightened her grip on her hands. Her teeth chattered, making it hard to speak. Her swollen eyes grew damp again.

“Get rid of him. So that he can never bother us again.”

She could hardly believe herself. The words felt like poison, each syllable hanging in the air.

“Please, Mr. Kwon Siheon.”

On the other side of the screen, only screams, shouts, and the sounds of things breaking could be heard. The cigarette smoke, presumably from Kwon Siheon, was the only evidence he was still there.

“So, you’re asking me to kill your cousin?”

Just then, whether by coincidence or intention, the video cut out, leaving only Kwon Siheon’s voice. It sounded as though he was trying to make her confirm her request. Yisoo took a deep breath before opening her mouth again.

“Yes.”

A scratchy, metallic sound made her open and close her eyes.

“This is your line of expertise, isn’t it? Whatever the cost, I’ll pay it. I swear.”

A dry chuckle, faint as a ghostly whisper, seemed to mock her desperation.

“I’ll do anything. Anything to protect my brother and myself.”

If Hyuksoo disappeared, his gang would disband, scattering to the winds. After all, they were only in it for the money. With no more cash flow, she could be at ease regarding that side of the family.

“As long as he’s alive, Yihyun and I…”

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

Kwon Siheon’s interruption stopped her desperate plea. The mocking laughter returned, more refined now, as if she were facing two personalities at once.

“Are you truly prepared to do anything? To pay for the removal of your cousin?”

He persisted in calling Hyuksoo “your cousin,” as if emphasizing her guilt and pressuring her conscience.

“…Yes.”

“Anything?”

“Yes. I’ll do anything.”

“You’re aware of what I want from you, aren’t you?”

For a moment, she was at a loss for words. She hadn’t forgotten the way he’d pressed close to her body a year ago. Far from it—those sensations had clung to her memory.

The warmth he’d pressed between her legs was intense, almost painfully so. The hard, unyielding fabric pressing against her left her breathless.

The thickness of the layers between them, the barrier of clothing, seemed utterly meaningless. It felt as if she were suffocating, crushed under the weight of him.

“Let’s be clear. If I return after dealing with Hyuksoo as you wish, you will be waiting for me in the way I desire.”

“…”

“In my bedroom. That’s the price for sparing Lee Yihyun and taking care of Hyuksoo.”

One life saved, the other ended.

His voice was eerily calm, entirely at odds with the words themselves, filling her ears with a gentle tone that chilled her to the bone.

“Say no if you don’t want to.”

Yisoo bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Kwon Siheon had nothing to lose; the moment she said “no,” he’d hand Hyuksoo over to the police immediately.

Yoo Hyeoksu didn’t kill Yihyun. He didn’t even inflict any serious injuries. As Kwon Siheon had pointed out, he’d likely get away with only a slap on the wrist. Only Yihyun and she knew for certain that Yoo Hyeoksu was a dangerous person, willing to harm even his own cousins.

“No.”

The taste of blood lingered on her tongue. Yisoo licked her lips, muttering almost to herself.

“I’ll do as Mr. Kwon Siheon wishes.”

An eternity of silence passed. Somewhere, a dreadful scream resumed from the screen, which had flickered on and then off again. It seemed that Kwon Siheon had signaled his men to continue.

― Hold to that promise.

That ended the conversation with Kwon Siheon. Yet the call itself wasn’t disconnected, as though urging her to listen to her cousin’s final moments. Yisoo’s ears were filled with a monstrous roar, not even human.

― Y-Yisoo! Spare me! I swear, I’ll never touch any of you again! I swear, I swear—AAAH!

Yisoo covered her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. If she kept listening to those horrible sounds, she felt she would go insane.

― Ugh, AAAAAH! Ah, ah, AAAH!

The room where Yihyun had been confined moments ago turned into a scene of utter chaos. With silent tears streaming down her face, Yisoo fumbled to press the end-call button.

The only comfort was knowing that Yihyun was no longer in that hellish place.

＊＊＊

Dysautonomia.

Siheon left the final details to his subordinates and got into his car. The vehicle carrying Yoo Yisoo had already departed for the Stanley Bay estate some time ago.

Leaning back in the rear seat, he casually reviewed the briefing on Lee Yihyun’s chronic illness. The diagnosis wasn’t difficult to understand. It meant his autonomic nervous system was impaired, causing him to feel weak and unsteady frequently.

His left leg, weakened due to a childhood car accident, hindered his walking. The report described the tibia fracture in excessive detail.

Lee Yihyun had the delicate face of his twin sister. But although he was tall, he looked as frail as a piece of paper, like he might collapse with the slightest touch. In the entertainment world, he might actually be popular with a “frail beauty” concept.

Just then, his phone rang. It was a trusted aide who had taken Lee Yihyun to the hospital.

― Sir, as you instructed, we’re ready to transport Lee Yihyun to the airport once he completes emergency treatment. Upon arrival, we’ll arrange for him to be admitted to the VIP section of our Paju branch for special care.

“Do that. Ensure security is tight as well.”

― Understood, sir.

He had already spoken with Director Kim of the group’s healthcare foundation’s convalescent hospital. Kim was a man of few words, someone reliable to entrust for now.

The problem is…

Siheon loosened his bloodstained tie and rested his head on the headrest. The problem was Lee Yihyun’s sister. Now what would he do? He had intended to sell her to recoup his losses once she returned to Korea, yet he had just taken her only remaining family member on a plane to be admitted to his own hospital.

“Sir, the report you requested arrived just now. Would you like to review it?”

Kim Jaewon, seated beside the driver, turned to him. Siheon nodded, and the file was sent to his phone.

There was only one video of Yoo Yisoo with a man—someone she had once been set up with for marriage. The footage showed Yoo Yisoo meeting at a hotel café with Ha Hyunmo, the only son of a solid domestic REIT group, Mirae Construction. It was a top-secret fact that the lounge at G Hotel, one of Shinmyeong’s assets, was constantly under surveillance.

Ha Hyunmo, looking like an idiot in an expensive suit, was frowning. Yoo Yisoo was quietly gazing down at her teacup the entire time.

― But why don’t you like me? Is it because my family’s roots are in organized crime? Well, all construction companies have those connections. Can you name a midsize company that hasn’t used muscle?

The man kept up a monotonous tone, only talking about himself. His outfit, covered in luxury logos, was as tacky as his speech.

― And what’s so great about Hyoshin’s lineage? So what if your family’s distinguished? That’s ancient history, and your father’s been married three times. Isn’t your family tree practically a rainbow? And your oldest brother is practically a criminal.

Siheon exhaled a low sigh, his gaze fixed on the screen showing Yoo Yisoo.

― I’m sorry. I have nothing new to say.

Yoo Yisoo kept her gaze on her teacup, calmly apologizing. She then rose from her seat and gave a slight bow.

― I apologize for the inconvenience. I’ll be going now.

Her slender figure was visible even under her thick winter coat. Her skin appeared as delicate as if it would burn under winter sunlight, and her long hair was neatly tied. Her reserved demeanor radiated an unapproachable elegance, making her seem superior to her half-reclined companion.

― Whoa, really? You’re just leaving like that?

― Please don’t contact me again. Goodbye.

― Tch, look at her. Growing up like a hothouse rose, ignorant of the real world, only to act all high and mighty. Just watch, I’ll knock you off your pedestal somehow.

As if he had an affliction that prevented him from speaking without starting with “Tch,” Ha Hyunmo muttered repeatedly, unable to tear his eyes off the woman getting into her sedan in the outdoor parking lot.

Even Siheon’s gaze was drawn to the white ankles and calves just before the car door closed. He turned off the short video and looked out the window.

He suddenly felt curious. Why had Yoo Yisoo not yet been married off?

A year ago, she had attended over twenty matchmaking meetings in three months. Yoo Yisoo had treated every man equally. She maintained a strict wall, drew clear boundaries, and never revealed her true feelings.

＊＊＊

In a way, he couldn’t understand the late Chairman Yoo. If he’d truly wanted to marry off his daughter, he wouldn’t have employed a bodyguard to monitor her physical distance from suitors. That crafty old man wouldn’t have respected his daughter’s wishes.

Was he aiming to transfer her, untouched and in pristine condition, to her final owner?

Siheon couldn’t help but sneer. The father, who had married three times and kept a string of mistresses, had wanted that for his daughter.

“If only I hadn’t known you, CEO Kwon, I wouldn’t have become so particular. My sons are hopeless, so my ambition for the finest son-in-law only grows higher.”

It was something Chairman Yoo had often muttered whenever he drank, repeating it like a mantra. In the end, he hadn’t found anyone suitable as a son-in-law and kept biding his time. Even allowing someone as foolish as Ha Hyunmo to hover around his daughter as a stalker.