DDB Ch 12

Heritage Beyond Foundation.

On the surface, they claim that the revival of culture and arts forms the foundation’s core.

But the roots of Heritage were in a bank of shame.

From individuals to nations, common organizations, and companies. Since the early 1900s until now, Heritage has grown annually due to those who entrust their indelible, or rather, unerasable, shames.

As mentioned before, the main clients are scattered worldwide, from state agencies, companies needing image management, celebrities in the same vein, to individuals with much to hide.

Naturally, this includes the Mafia, Triad, and Red Mafia.

Who killed whom to become the boss, who provided political funds to whom, who is colluding with whom—Heritage knows everything. In the end, all that information became the lifeline of the world.

Given this situation, wasn’t it natural for Heritage to grow into a massive, global organization?

They had no boundaries.

Using cultural revival as an excuse and those damn ‘secrets’ as a shield, they cunningly infiltrated each country.

They overthrew governments, shook companies, and ruined individuals. Thus began the operation called Operation Lady Rescue.

[Extract someone’s ‘secret’ from them.]

If their weapon of secrets was no longer secret, they would lose their power.

Ten years ago, the collaboration between the National Intelligence Service of Korea and British intelligence was for this reason.

In the small island of Yusando off the West Sea of South Korea, where the Heritage Beyond headquarters is located:

The operation to open the door of the Shame Vault deep underground on that island.

The key was the painting.

The first chairman of Heritage Beyond, a lover of art, registered his most cherished painting as the key to open the vault’s door, stipulating that the inheritor of the painting would become the next chairman.

The owner of the painting would rule the world…

That painting was Caravaggio’s “The Pleasure of Donna” (The Lady), which Jiwoon calls “Guinevere.”

Britain aimed to recover a painting that was originally a treasure of their royal family, while Korea sought to infiltrate with their agents.

The two intelligence agencies planned a joint operation, hiring the best technician for the replication of the painting.

That person was Jiwoon’s father, Seo Beom-soo.

The core of the operation led by the two nations was to replicate the painting like copying a key, ultimately to open the vault door.

They worked on it for two years and were nearly at the stage of success, even popping champagne prematurely.

As is often the case with early celebrations… the operation ultimately failed.

Personal gain over national interest, greed for money over duty. Such petty human desires ruined the plan.

Ten agents deployed in the operation were killed, and only Seo Beom-soo and his daughter, both civilians, were barely smuggled out.

Hidden in a safe house for about three months, just two days before they were to flee to England:

They, relentlessly pursuing, finally found Seo Beom-soo and killed him brutally.

The alley soaked in blood was horrific. The white walls of the safe house, stained with dark red blood, emitted a dreadful smell.

If Ishin hadn’t arrived just in time to hide Jiwoon, her blood would have been splattered in that gloomy alley too.

The high school daughter of Seo Beom-soo.

Though Heritage knew of Jiwoon’s existence, they didn’t bother to chase her down, assuming she lacked the ability to replicate the painting even if she were alive.

It was a stroke of luck that they didn’t know the hands that had perfectly replicated the painting were those of Seo Jiwoon.

So, she could feel safe until now, but now Jiwoon stood before Heritage Beyond as a technician.

Thus, they must not know that Seo Jiwoon is that Seo Beom-soo’s daughter. The fact that the National Intelligence Service had been hiding her all this time is also a secret.

They mustn’t give any cause for suspicion.

Seo Jiwoon must be nothing more or less than a genius restorer and replicator from a restoration workshop in Florence. She shouldn’t provoke curiosity or interest.

“Listen well.”

By now, the car was entering Yusando below Incheon’s Yeongjongdo. As expected, Jiwoon’s face was full of tension as she looked out the window.

“Right now, [Heritage Beyond] is a double-edged sword for you. You can get hurt whether you pull or push.”

Jiwoon slowly blinked her large eyes at Ishin’s words. Her brown eyes trembled.

“Hide your flaws. You’re just an ordinary technician sold for money.”

Given the nature of the organization, Heritage is interested in anything unusual. They’ll dig, investigate, and seize. So, don’t give them any reason to.

“Keep your words to a minimum, and behave quietly.”

The pupils in her eyes dilated then contracted.

The mischievous worry hung on her drooping eyes.

“I’m not confident…”

“You don’t have to be confident. Just do it.”

Ishin, with a stern look down, picked up something he could use to move and manipulate Jiwoon.

“Only then can you touch the painting as much as you want.”

Jiwoon, who was here because of her obsession with the painting, shuddered slightly.

Ishin’s cold voice quietly enveloped her.

“You’re going to meet the head of Heritage now.”

“…”

“He has to acknowledge you as a technician for you to touch the painting.”

Jiwoon’s breathing made a quiet noise in the silent car.

She bit her plump, red lips hard and let out a voice that sounded somewhat deflated.

“So, if he doesn’t allow it, I can’t touch ‘Guinevere’?”

Guinevere.

It was the bait that brought Jiwoon here in the first place. They had lured her with a photo of the painting to the underground parking lot.

Clearly, Guinevere was a tool to move Jiwoon, but it was also a blade hanging over her neck. Therefore, she mustn’t reveal that.

“Forget about Guinevere.”

“You said to replicate it earlier!”

“The painting you’ll replicate is ‘The Pleasure of Donna’.”

“The Pleasure of Donna?”

“That’s Guinevere’s… real name.”

This was the dilemma from the start.

Jiwoon should know Guinevere but act like she doesn’t. Ishin must protect her but also use her.

“Do you remember what I said that day? Right before you fell asleep.”

Two weeks ago.

The day Jiwoon and Ishin first met at the Belvedere Hill warehouse.

The words Ishin left before Jiwoon fell asleep…

Jiwoon, her brown eyes darkening, slowly recalled those words.

“Forget the painting, and forget me too. You weren’t here, you saw nothing…”

Ishin smiled deeply as she repeated his words without a single mistake.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Then he quietly continued.

“The painting doesn’t exist. That’s why you’re trying to replicate it.”

Jiwoon’s eyes narrowed.

Ishin’s words were laden with multiple meanings.

The painting does exist. The photo Ishin sent Jiwoon proved that.

But it seems that fact is a secret to [Heritage Beyond].

Jiwoon doesn’t know about Guinevere, nor does she know about Ishin.

They didn’t meet that day, and she was only commissioned to replicate the painting.

It’s fine to talk to the police, but she must keep this from the person at the top of [Heritage Beyond].

So, is Baek Ishin, while being part of [Heritage Beyond], also trying to hinder them and act against their will?

“…Then, what do I get?”

Jiwoon’s voice trembled slightly with excitement.

Having guessed her intentions, Ishin furrowed his brows and raised one eyebrow crookedly.

“Isn’t living in my house and eating breakfast together enough?”

He’s someone you can talk to.

“That’s the price for replicating Guinevere.”

Jiwoon’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

“You need to pay separately for keeping secrets.”

Then, Ishin’s eyes also crinkled in a smile.

“I’ll let you meet Guinevere. You’ll have to do a good job restoring it.”

It was a smile that mirrored Jiwoon’s. Then he said what she most wanted to hear.

“It’s your Guinevere. Your painting.”

“…”

This man is crazy.

Jiwoon’s lips twitched.

As she tried to keep her lips from spreading into a smile, Ishin’s face tilted towards her, casting a shadow.

“So…”

His voice was as low as his gaze.

Even though it wasn’t intended, she swallowed dryly.

“Listen to me. Okay?”

Her shoulders and throat, tense with effort, swallowed the tension.

Her stomach churned strangely as she looked into his dark eyes that seemed to engrave her image.

Jiwoon nodded quietly.