TTS Vol 2 Ch 11.2

He’s a different person. A completely different person. 

Why does he treat Park Chigyeong like that? 

His eldest son, who he cherishes the most.

Taeri nervously bit her thumbnail, a habit she’d developed. She happened to glance up at Assemblyman Park, and,

“…!”

The moment their eyes met, chills ran down her spine. Assemblyman Park’s gaze, looking down at her from over Gong Yunseon’s head, was unsettling, inhuman.

The moment she met that cold gaze, a thought suddenly struck her.

Perhaps the reason Park Sihyun insisted his brother was different from their father was because Assemblyman Park only revealed his true self to Park Chigyeong.

Because Chigyeong was the one who resembled him the most, the only blood relative in this house who could understand him, the only one who could satisfy his greed. Not these ignorant fools.

Did Assemblyman Park, like Chigyeong, see his family merely as tools to satisfy his own desires? Was that why Chigyeong was so precious to him, why he wanted to control and manipulate him? And when things didn’t go his way, did he resort to exploiting his son’s weaknesses to force him into submission?

It was similar. Eerily similar to how Park Chigyeong treated her.

Taeri trembled but didn’t avert her gaze. Assemblyman Park, who had been scrutinizing her for a while, suddenly clapped his hands.

“Well, that was delicious.”

He put on a friendly smile, like a chameleon quickly changing its colors.

“Our youngest should go get ready for work, and my dear wife, would you help me pick out my outfit for today?”

“Oh, alright, alright.”

Gong Yunseon and Park Sihyun dispersed like obedient puppets.

Now, only Assemblyman Park and Taeri remained. Mrs. Shin was still there, but he seemed to ignore her completely.

A heavy silence filled the room. Assemblyman Park placed his hands on the table, leaned forward slowly, closing the distance between them, and spoke in a chilling voice.

“My dear girl, I told you to make yourself comfortable, but not this comfortable.”

His eyes, meeting hers, were colder than before.

“You should have stayed asleep. Why were you wandering around?”

Taeri placed her fork on the table and lowered her head, like a small dog trying to avoid a fight.

“Assemblyman, I… I didn’t see anything, and I didn’t hear anything.”

“That’s impossible. I saw you, Miss Kang Taeri, and I even heard your footsteps. You have eyes and ears, don’t you?”

“Assemblyman, I truly don’t know anything. And I… as soon as my father’s case is resolved, I want to leave this house and forget everything. I’m not a part of this family. Even if I am, I might as well not be. I just want to live quietly, Assemblyman. I mean it.”

She couldn’t handle Assemblyman Park, and frankly, she didn’t want to. She didn’t have the energy or the reason.

Park Chigyeong was already more than enough to deal with.

All she wanted was for her father to be released from prison so she could escape this hell. That was all 24-year-old Taeri wanted. So she smiled and wagged her tail. Even if it was degrading, she had no choice.

“……”

Assemblyman Park stared at her for a long moment, her face pale as a sheet. Then, he tapped his knuckles on the table and turned his back to her.

“Alright. From now on, you will stay asleep at night. Just like now, with your eyes, ears, and mouth shut.”

From now on… The words choked her.

Even if her time in this house would eventually end, it would never be for Park Chigyeong.

* * *

The Special Investigations Unit, tasked with a case handed down from above, a case where the target and arrest had already been decided, gathered in front of the former precident’s residence for a surprise search and seizure.

Reporters, like hyenas smelling blood, swarmed the area. nd soon, the front door creaked open, and a middle-aged man stepped out.

It was the former president, the subject of the investigation. He sighed, his eyes scanning the prosecutors holding blue boxes emblazoned with the prosecution’s emblem.

“I’m Prosecutor Park Chigyeong from the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office, leading this investigation. We appreciate your cooperation.”

Chigyeong, his face utterly impassive, showed him the search and seizure warrant.

“What is the meaning of this? Without any prior notice?”

“If we gave you notice, it wouldn’t be a surprise raid, would it? We’d be here for a friendly visit.”

“You people really… have no qualms about ruining someone’s life, do you?”

“A mere civil servant like myself has no power. I simply follow orders from above.”

Park Chigyeong, who had been murmuring in a low voice, continued speaking with a dramatic sigh, as if he was now tired of making small talk.

“We’re attracting quite a crowd. Please step aside and cooperate. That’s all I ask.”

The man standing in the doorway pressed a hand to his throbbing temples and turned back, shuffling back into the house. His shoulders slumped, his steps heavy.

With the path clear, Chigyeong nodded to the prosecutors behind him, signaling them to enter. He repeatedly checked his watch as they gathered the designated items and placed them in the boxes.

The search and seizure had started later than expected, and it was already past 6:30 p.m.

Fucking hell, why today of all days? 

Chigyeong clicked his tongue, clenching his jaw, and loosened his tie.

He tossed the black tie into one of the boxes and straightened up. He took out his phone and called Taeri, pressing the phone to his ear.

Ring… ring… ring…

He heard only the ringing tone, but there was no answer. Annoyed, he walked towards a nearby balcony on the second floor. Leaning against the railing, he looked down. The reporters were still swarming the front gate.

He looked down at them with disdain, took out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth. He flicked his lighter, his eyes on his phone screen as the call went to voicemail. He dialed the number again.

Ring… ring… ring…

He couldn’t get Kang Taeri out of his mind all day. More precisely, the image of her retreating figure. Her running away from him. It angered him unbearably, the thought that it might be the last he ever saw of her.

As if anxious, he took a long drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly. The surrounding area became hazy with smoke, obscuring his vision. He couldn’t see clearly. Just like his future with her.

Ring… ring… ring…

Chigyeong, his cheeks hollowing with each drag of the cigarette, then reached into his other pocket. He pulled out Taeri’s cloned phone and checked the screen. The name that flashed on the screen was a work of art.

[Asshole]

He didn’t know when she’d changed his contact name, but he thought it was perfect.

Ring… ring… ring…

Kang Taeri wasn’t answering her phone. They were supposed to meet at 7. 

Did she run away because she was afraid of my father? 

Or because she was terrified of me cloning her phone?

No, that couldn’t be it. She wouldn’t irresponsibly run away, abandoning her father’s case. Not when his father’s future was in his hands. She wasn’t that foolish.

Is she deliberately not answering? Why? What’s wrong this time? What displeased her? Did this damn cloned phone upset her again?

Why would she that upset her? In this day and age, when even house dogs get microchips implanted in them in case they run away or get lost, what’s the difference between this cloned phone and a microchip implanted in her for her safety?

Click. 

The call went to voicemail again.

Bitch.

Park Chigyeong flicked his cigarette butt away and took out another cigarette, putting it between his lips. He spun the lighter wheel to ignite it and inhaled deeply. His hand, rubbing the back of his neck, was unusually restless.

Why isn’t she answering? Did she run away? Impossible. Is she ignoring me on purpose? Is she this pissed off about the phone? Kang Taeri wouldn’t do that. Did my father do something to her? No, my father wouldn’t do that.

If he did, I’ll wring his neck with my own two hands. Why isn’t she answering? Did she really run away? No way. But why isn’t she answering? 

Why isn’t she answering? 

Why isn’t she answering? 

Why isn’t she answering? 

Fuck, why isn’t she answering?

As he took a drag of his cigarette, his cheeks hollowing, Chigyeong felt a tug on his pants leg.

He looked down, his dark eyes cold. A little girl, about six years old, was looking up at him. The president’s granddaughter, probably. It seemed the family hadn’t been able to escape when the prosecution suddenly barged in.

“Mister, who are you? Why are you taking my grandpa’s things? Are you robbers?”

Chigyeong didn’t bother putting out his cigarette, even with the child standing before him. He simply kept inhaling and exhaling the smoke repeatedly, then crouched down to meet her eyes directly.

He stared at her large, bright eyes for a moment, his thin eyes narrowed, took a few more drags of his cigarette, then flicked it away.

“You’re right. We’re here to completely ruin your grandfather’s life.”

“Huh?”

“You won’t understand now. You should study hard, little girl. Your comfortable life is over.”

“Over?”

“Yes. After your grandfather, we’re going to take everything from your parents too. Your family will be ruined.”

“Huh?”

The little girl with pigtails tilted her head from side to side, trying to understand his words. Chigyeong didn’t smile, not even once, at the cute child. He simply crushed the child’s innocent world with his indifferent expression.

“That means your family will become beggars because of us.”

Park Chigyeon stood up again. He turned away coldly, leaving the child alone.

As he walked back inside and picked up a box, his phone rang.

It was his Kang Taeri.