TL | Chapter 48 | Are You Jealous?

“It wasn’t a coincidence that Natasha came near the Luciano building, but approaching me was.”

At Seowon’s explanation, Iden frowned in disbelief but held back, waiting for him to continue.

“If she has no interest in the casino, then why come to Korea at this particular time?” Min asked.

Seowon sighed, glancing back at him. “She says she’s here on personal vacation. But given the timing, with us watching her, she thought it’d be best to let us know we don’t need to bother.”

Iden let out a dry chuckle. “Do you believe that?”

“Whether I believe it or not, that’s what she said.”

Seowon wasn’t insisting that anyone trust her words. It was something easy enough to verify with a little investigation. Besides, Iden himself had said just a few days ago that it was unlikely Galayev would be interested in the casino.

“Right. If it has nothing to do with the casino, there’s no reason to care about her being in Korea. But why appear in front of you?”

Iden still couldn’t understand why Natasha would approach Seowon just to deliver that message. Even if it was a coincidence, it felt unsettling.

“She probably knows enough about us to think I’d be the best person to deliver the message to you.”

Seowon was hinting at the obvious—he was Iden’s partner. Would Iden have believed the message if it had come from any other security staff? He’d probably have been suspicious they were a Galayev spy. In that regard, Seowon was the only person Iden would trust without question.

“That’s all?”

Iden still regarded Natasha’s presence with caution.

“Actually, she also mentioned being here to meet the CEO of RF Pharmaceuticals. Seems they needed her help.”

“The CEO of RF Pharmaceuticals is the RF Group heir. Ilya’s spouse,” Min added. The timing was certainly curious, but if she was here to assist RF Pharmaceuticals, it made more sense. The pharmaceutical industry wasn’t Luciano’s focus, so whatever RF Pharmaceuticals was up to was unrelated to them.

“Maybe it’s the same reason you wanted to meet Natasha yourself, Iden. She probably didn’t want our attention but also didn’t want to just appear at Luciano and spark unnecessary suspicion. This way, she could draw a clear line without directly meeting you.”

Iden scowled but didn’t argue with Min’s reasoning. It was, in essence, a subtle signal to respect boundaries and leave each other alone—no need for them to meet.

“If it really has nothing to do with the casino or the attempt on my life, there’s no need to focus on her.”

“Still, I’ll check RF Pharmaceuticals’ activities just in case,” Min said, stepping out to make the arrangements.

Iden watched Seowon intently. He seemed lost in thought, barely aware of Iden’s gaze.

Did Natasha really seek out Seowon just to clarify her entry was unrelated to Luciano? Had she chosen him solely because he was Iden’s partner?

One thing Iden had learned after a lifetime of dealing with endless complications was that true coincidences were rare. So he couldn’t accept Natasha’s explanation at face value.

“Ha Seowon.”

His voice was low, but Seowon didn’t respond.

“Ha Seowon.”

This time he called a bit louder, and Seowon finally turned to look at him.

“That’s all?”

Seowon tilted his head, not fully understanding.

“Natasha. Was that all she said?”

Seowon met his gaze for a moment, then nodded slowly.

“What else would she have to say to me? It’s not like I’m some major player in Luciano.”

Natasha and Seowon had never met before, and although Seowon was involved in security, he had nothing to do with the mafia business. He even avoided being present whenever Iden was on work-related calls or video meetings. He wasn’t interested in mafia affairs, so it would’ve been pointless to try and extract information from him.

Natasha probably knew that Seowon was Iden’s partner, even his marked mate. If she’d wanted to harm Iden, she wouldn’t have sent Seowon back unharmed.

Logically, there was nothing alarming. Perhaps she really did just want to set boundaries, as she said. So why did it still feel so unsettling?

“What was Natasha like in person?”

Iden had never met her in person, only heard rumors from the underground world.

“She was beautiful,” Seowon replied without a second’s hesitation, making Iden’s brow twitch slightly.

“She had a great figure too,” he added, his tone innocent.

“And she smiled a lot. So different from what I expected based on her profile…”

Seowon realized too late how Iden’s expression had hardened as he casually complimented another woman. He hadn’t expected Iden’s face to twist like that.

“Don’t tell me…”

He almost asked if Iden was jealous, but stopped himself, sensing he might be digging his own grave.

“I’m jealous. More than I thought I would be.”

Iden said it bluntly, without leaving room for misinterpretation.

“If you weren’t marked, I’d be worried you might actually like her.”

Seowon didn’t know whether to laugh or scoff at such an absurd idea.

“Why would I be interested in her…”

He trailed off, recalling that her file had listed her as an Alpha. Iden’s words carried the unspoken assumption that, as an Omega, Seowon could be attracted to any Alpha.

With that thought, he sighed. “You really don’t trust me, do you?”

Iden met his eyes with a firm look. He didn’t deny it, but he also seemed reluctant to confirm it, his brow furrowing deeply.

“I… think I kind of get it now.”

At first, this Iden had felt so different from the Iden hyung he knew, making him hard to understand. But as they lived together and he heard more about his life, he started to see why.

Unlike Iden hyung, Iden hadn’t lived a stable life. Living in constant danger and uncertainty as a mafia figure had certainly affected his views on relationships. That was probably why he’d used marking not as an expression of trust but as a means to hold on tightly.

Did ‘Ha Seowon’ understand that about him? Knowing all this, did he still choose to accept him? Maybe… he had even felt sympathy for him.

“Don’t waste energy on silly things like this. You already have enough on your plate.”

Deciding not to draw out the ridiculous discussion, Seowon shifted the conversation.

A few uneventful days passed. Iden, who had been wary of Natasha, saw photos of her working alongside the RF Pharmaceuticals CEO and finally accepted her explanation. As promised, Galayev showed no interest in the casino business, and the Luciano team’s vigilance over Natasha gradually faded.

Liam, the Underboss, had wanted to have a meal with Seowon before returning to the United States, but Iden had come up with various excuses to avoid it. Ultimately, Liam left without seeing Seowon.

Hong Kong and Japanese companies had belatedly joined the casino bid, with the government stalling for time, claiming they needed to compare various conditions. The Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism confidently reassured them that Luciano had a 90% chance of winning. Even though Luciano had invested a lot in this project, Iden remained vigilant.

While he kept an eye on the Hong Kong and Japanese competitors, there were no signs of any new attempts on Iden’s life, leaving the identity of the person who hired the assassin unknown.

The lack of progress in finding the culprit behind the assassination attempt bothered Iden more than the sluggish pace of the casino project. Not knowing who the enemy was meant the threat could arise at any moment.

On the surface, things seemed peaceful, but it felt like they were walking on thin ice. If the culprit’s goal was to keep Iden tense and on edge, they had succeeded.

On the weekend, Seowon woke up at his usual time, brewed coffee, and stood by the living room window. He wished he could open the window for fresh air, but Iden had insisted they never open the windows in case of a potential sniper.

Ding-dong. The sudden ring of the doorbell made him turn instinctively toward the intercom. He doubted it was Min since it was the weekend, and it seemed too early for any expected visitor. Walking over, he checked the intercom screen, and his face hardened at what he saw.

On the screen was the face of an unfamiliar man.