FTC Chapter 1(Part 6)

If Seoyeon ever became a problem, she could be branded a criminal and thrown into prison—forever.

 

Meanwhile, Hyunju, with the right media spin, could emerge as the tragic victim of a disgraceful child. The betrayed mother. The wronged CEO. The sympathetic figure.

 

At the end of that memory stood Jaebin.

 

“Eight years. You’ve had it easy, haven’t you?”

 

“Taking the fall for the filth. Killing on command.”

 

The Beom Jungang faction, to which Jaebin belonged, had been handling Mare Group’s dirty work for the past eight years.

 

On the surface, Mare polished its image through charity and goodwill, presenting itself as a respectable corporation. But behind closed doors, every illicit operation—the threats, the bribes, the beatings—was executed by Beom Jungang.

 

And among them, Jaebin was the most exceptional.

 

He executed Mare’s orders with chilling efficiency—coercion, blackmail, violence, even murder. Like a machine, he followed orders flawlessly.

 

After seeing his abilities, Dojun had quickly relayed Hyunju’s commands to him. From that moment on, Jaebin thrived, orchestrating every illegal act for Mare. By the time he turned thirty-three, he had already gained the trust of Boss Park Juncheol, rising as the new leader of Beom Jungang. His appointment as CEO of Domok was just further proof of his unparalleled skills.

 

But at some point, Hyunju began to see him as a threat.

 

To keep him in check, she had proposed that he leave Beom Jungang and Domok altogether—to become her man instead.

 

Jaebin had rejected her. Instantly. Without hesitation.

 

“Running both your business and mine—don’t you think that’s asking too much? Quit, and come to me instead. I’ll set you up with a comfortable position.”

 

That was the moment everything changed.

 

The moment Jaebin defied her for the first time, Hyunju resolved to destroy Beom Jungang.

 

According to her plan, Jaebin should have already been dead by her hands. His knowledge of Mare’s darkest secrets should have disappeared along with him.

 

His absence should have shattered Beom Jungang, leading to a complete collapse of Seoul’s underground market, allowing Hyunju to seize control without opposition.

 

Domok should have fallen.

His men should have been arrested.

They should have been erased from existence.

 

“I apologize. I should have checked more thoroughly…”

 

“That’s not what I want to hear.”

 

Dojun lifted his head. Hyunju’s expression was kind, but beneath it, her rage swelled to an uncontrollable degree.

 

“Tell me the solution.”

 

“…”

 

“What if that thug didn’t just stop at the ledger? What if he has something even worse hidden?”

 

“…”

 

“How many lives do you think are tied to that ledger?”

 

She didn’t need an answer. Dojun already knew.

 

“Thousands of futures, careers, and money—all belonging to Mare Group. And me.”

 

“…”

 

“And your own future as well. That ledger has the power to crush everything.”

 

Dojun had never anticipated this level of defiance.

 

All this time, he had merely followed orders, ensuring Mare’s dirty work was handled cleanly. He received reports, then destroyed them immediately—erasing all evidence that could hinder Vice Chairwoman Go Hyunju’s ambitions.

 

But what he never expected was Jaebin—the man they trusted to carry out the crimes—would be secretly collecting evidence against them.

 

That he had been stealing their financial records behind their backs.

 

That he would turn the very proof of their crimes against them.

 

“So what should we do?”

 

“Wait and hope that Woo Jaebin has a change of heart and hands over the ledger?”

 

“…”

 

“No. We need to find a weapon to strike back before the two-month mark.”

 

“And what exactly is that weapon?”

 

Hyunju rose from her seat and walked over to the desk, where a bottle of whiskey sat untouched. She twisted the cap open, pouring the amber liquid into a glass. The city lights of the Han River shimmered outside, undisturbed by the late hour. Taking a slow sip, she let the burn settle before filling another glass.

 

Dojun watched silently. He didn’t need her to say anything—he already understood her next order.

 

Hyunju extended the second glass toward him.

 

“A month should be enough to steal it, Director Nam.”

 

“Yes, Vice Chairwoman. But… why—”

 

“Why haven’t I told you to kill him?”

 

Dojun fell silent. She had anticipated his question perfectly.

 

“This time, I’ve set up a much more elegant trap.”

 

“…”

 

“Right around his neck.”

 

Jaebin’s voice echoed in her mind.

 

“I have prepared both a notarized will and a recorded statement in anticipation of the Vice Chairwoman’s attempt to kill me. If Woo Jaebin dies before December 31, 2034, and this will is made public, it will confirm that his death was an act of murder, orchestrated by Vice Chairwoman Go Hyunju of Mare Group.”

 

The final line had been the most damning—a trigger that would immediately upload twenty years’ worth of slush fund ledgers onto the web the moment of his death.

 

Dojun took the whiskey from her, his voice breaking the silence.

 

“I want to marry Baek Seoyeon.”

 

A proposition only a truly audacious hunting dog could make.

 

Marriage to the sole heiress of Mare Group.

 

Jaebin had clearly realized that Hyunju was trying to kill him—and instead of running, he had played his hand masterfully. If Mare Group and Domok were bound by marriage, then no one—not the company, not the organization, and certainly not Hyunju—would be able to lay a finger on him without igniting a war.

 

Hyunju drained the rest of her whiskey.

 

Was this… a relief?

 

After all, he hadn’t demanded money for the ledger. He had demanded a marriage that could shake the entire nation.

 

“It’s not a problem.”

 

“…”

 

“He’s not the same kind as me.”

 

Hyunju smiled at Dojun—a breathtaking expression that defied her years.

 

“You know the truth, don’t you?”

 

“Position is what makes a person.”

 

* ~ *

 

Seoyeon was woken up by the sound of her phone ringing. An utterly unwelcome noise. Ever since the wedding announcement yesterday, unknown numbers had been calling nonstop. Now that it was early morning, it had started again.

 

She didn’t need to pick up to know who it was.

 

[Miss Baek Seoyeon, your sudden wedding announcement—was it Chairman Baek Jinwoong’s dying wish?]

 

Nosy people. Reporters who didn’t even bother with greetings or apologies, jumping straight to their questions. Half-awake, Seoyeon kept her eyes half-closed, listening to his words without responding. The large window in her room allowed unnecessary sunlight to flood in, casting a bright glow over her bed.

 

[Still, announcing your marriage on the day of Chairman Baek’s funeral seems rather quick. Is there some business-related issue between Mare and Domok?]

 

The relentless curiosity was exhausting, but ignoring it only made it worse. With a sigh, Seoyeon opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She was used to waking up in unfamiliar places, but this one felt particularly uncomfortable.

 

“What time is it?”

 

[Pardon?]

 

“I just woke up because of your call, reporter.”

 

[It’s… 7:21 AM.]

 

“Do reporters start work at seven in the morning?”

 

[Then could you at least explain why the announcement was made so quickly?]

 

The way he spoke, it was as if she had scheduled an interview for exactly 7:21 AM.

 

Seoyeon sat up and pulled the curtains shut, blocking out the morning light. Just as the reporter had said, the wall clock confirmed it—7:21 AM. I really did spend the night here. She glanced around the unnecessarily spacious guest room, wondering what kind of day awaited her. She had been in the middle of a busy season. The plan had been to open her gallery this winter, but now she was suddenly the main character of a high-profile wedding that the whole world would be watching. That plan was as good as dead.

 

[Miss Baek Seoyeon? Can you hear me? Miss Baek Seoyeon?]

 

Without answering, she ended the call. That alone should have been enough of a response.

 

For a moment, she simply stood in the middle of the room. The silence was almost eerie. Tying her hair up, she headed for the bathroom. Whatever was going on, she needed to focus on the tasks in front of her.

 

Being dragged into this house was not her choice. But if she wanted to escape Mare, she had to do it on her own terms.

 

When stressed, work harder. She repeated the thought like a mantra as she planned out her day. Go to the office. Keep working. Act as if nothing had changed. Ignore the bastard who owns this house.

 

It had barely been two months since she opened her gallery. She was in the middle of an important period. Just because some unexpected events had shaken things up didn’t mean she could afford to lose focus.

 

Click.

 

After washing up and brushing her teeth, she stepped out into the hallway. It was silent. But only in the hallway.

 

…

 

The moment she stepped into the living room, she saw a familiar silhouette.

 

Woo Jaebin.

 

Standing in front of a full-length mirror near the sofa, he was tying his necktie. Even though he knew she had entered, he didn’t turn to look at her. His hands moved with practiced ease, and even from where she stood, she could see the scars that still covered them.

 

I should have just stayed in my room.

 

She had just decided to turn back when—

 

“Wash up.”

 

“…What?”

 

“We’re going out.”

 

Another order.

 

Since yesterday, all she had been hearing were orders. Her mother’s demand that she get married. His command to get in the car, then to live in this house. And now, he was deciding where she would go, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

 

How was she supposed to accept this ridiculous situation?

 

“Go where? Me?”

 

Jaebin only looked at her after finishing his tie.

 

She was standing there in a cobalt blue dress—the same one she had worn yesterday. Sleeping in pajamas somehow felt like she would be accepting this absurd situation, so she had refused to change. Her bare legs were fully exposed, her face devoid of makeup. But Jaebin’s gaze didn’t waver to her face, her legs, or even the curve of her neck. It didn’t go anywhere near them.

 

“Are you planning to show up like that?”

 

“…”

 

“There are less than two weeks left.”

 

Two weeks.

 

It took her a second to realize—that was how long until the wedding.

 

Seoyeon bit down on her lower lip.

 

“Wash up and come out.”

 

With that, he walked past her.

 

At that moment, she grabbed his arm.

 

Her fingers barely wrapped around his thick forearm, but she held on tightly.

 

“Let me warn you.”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t ever give me orders.”

 

Even in the long, spacious hallway, Jaebin’s presence felt overwhelming.

 

Her breath slipped through the narrow space between his tie and his neck, warm and sharp. It slid beneath the fabric of his shirt.

 

“And if you so much as lay a finger on me again, like you did yesterday—”

 

The red imprint of his grip was still faintly visible on her right wrist.

 

Her eyes flashed, cold and sharp.

 

“I will kill you. For real.”

 

 

Jaebin’s expression flickered as if amused.

 

Seoyeon’s grip tightened, as if she could break his arm just by holding onto it.

 

If she really had to endure this miserable excuse for cohabitation, then this was a warning she had to give.

 

This bastard, trying to ruin her life completely, as if taking her mother wasn’t enough.

 

This filthy dog who wanted to use her to become a part of Mare Group.

 

Her mind boiled over with searing rage, filling with unfiltered curses.

 

…

 

And yet, Jaebin easily pried her hand off his arm.

 

Despite how hard she had grabbed him, he removed her grip effortlessly, like brushing off a child’s hand.

 

Her breath hitched.

 

“Then I’ll die for you.”

 

Seoyeon swallowed.

 

His dark eyes locked onto hers, sinking deep into her vision.

 

A smirk.

 

“As many times as you want.”

 

Then he walked past her, disappearing down the hall.

 

What the hell…

 

Seoyeon let out a breathless laugh, staring at his retreating figure.

 

An indescribable humiliation burned in her chest.

 

But what made her angrier—

 

Was the fact that, for a split second, that look in his eyes had made her hesitate.

 

* ~ *