TL | Chapter 49 | Uninvited Guest

Once again, the intercom buzzed, but instead of answering, she just stared at the face of the man on the screen. Who was he? No matter how much she searched through Seowon’s memories, there was no trace of this person.

Could it be that the dead “Ha Seowon” knew this guy? He had the confidence to ring the bell so boldly, which meant he probably wasn’t a killer. Then again, you never know. Iden’s house was surrounded by walls rigged with every kind of trap imaginable to prevent any intruder from getting in. The only way in was for either Iden or herself to open the door.

“Who is it?”

Iden came out of his study into the living room, glancing at her. Seowon, instead of answering, gestured toward the intercom screen with her eyes. Iden, now closer, took one look at the man’s face on the display and sighed shortly.

“What the hell is he doing here?”

Luckily, Iden seemed to know him. Judging by how he referred to him, it seemed they knew each other pretty well.

“Who is he?”

“Rodney Scorsese.”

Hearing his name, she had no clue who he was. Iden noticed her clueless expression a beat later and added, “Liam’s son.”

“Didn’t he go back to the United States?”

“He did.”

“Then why…?”

She couldn’t understand why Liam’s son would be in South Korea if Liam had already left. However, it seemed like Iden had an idea. He frowned slightly before pressing the intercom’s call button.

“Iden! What’s with the delay? Hurry up and open the door!”

Rodney started talking endlessly, despite Iden not saying a single word. Iden’s frown deepened as he watched Rodney pounding on the front gate.

“Get lost.”

Seowon blinked, surprised by Iden’s blunt response. Was it really okay to treat the son of an Underboss so coldly?

“If you don’t open up, I’ll break in on my own.”

The man on the intercom had a playful smile, but his eyes sparkled, showing he was serious.

“Go ahead and try if you’re fine with getting full of bullet holes.”

Iden replied indifferently. He definitely seemed more comfortable around Rodney than with most people.

“That’s just harsh. I flew for over ten hours to get here. If you keep this up, I’ll make a scene right here, let everyone know that the Luciano heir lives here. Cops coming and all that—is that what you want?”

Rodney’s childish threats were kind of ridiculous, especially since he was also in the mafia as Liam’s son. However, it seemed to work on Iden. Glaring at the intercom, he let out a long sigh before opening the gate.

“Did ‘Ha Seowon’ know him? And if so, what was their relationship like?”

If she had to face him, she’d better find that out first.

“You don’t need to know. Just ignore him.”

Rather than “yes” or “no,” Iden’s answer was “you don’t need to know.” Seowon stared at him, slightly dumbfounded. Was this really someone she could ignore? They seemed pretty close from the way they interacted… Before she could process her thoughts, she sensed someone approaching the entrance.

“Iden! You need to open this door too!”

Rodney, now at the front door, knocked again. Iden shook his head with a look of irritation and went to open the door.

“Wow, it’s been forever! Let’s see if you’re still alive.”

The moment Rodney came in, he practically lunged at Iden for a hug, but Iden turned his body to dodge him. Rodney pouted a little, disappointed, but then froze when he noticed Seowon standing further inside.

“Seowon…”

Her name slipped from his lips. So he did know Seowon. What was she supposed to do now? She didn’t have any information on him, and pretending not to know him would definitely come across as strange.

“So, Seowon really is alive.”

Rodney mumbled as if to himself, stepping closer to her. His gaze lingered on her face, then slowly moved downward. He seemed to be checking that all her limbs were intact, glancing at her chest and abdomen before letting out a short sigh.

“Can I take a look?”

He suddenly spoke in Korean, which was surprising enough, but the meaning behind his words left her even more stunned.

“Stop talking nonsense and back off.”

Iden approached, grabbing Rodney’s face and pushing him away from Seowon.

“It’s fascinating! I just wanted to see if there’s still a bullet wound in her stomach!”

She finally understood why he’d asked to take a look. Since “Ha Seowon” had died from gunshot wounds, he wanted to see if any bullet scars were left. Even though his Korean was clumsy, his blunt phrasing could easily shock people.

“You’re so cruel.”

Rodney complained to Iden.

“How could you keep this a secret from me, knowing Seowon’s alive?”

Most people reacted similarly when they saw Seowon. First, they were in disbelief, and then they’d question if she was really “Ha Seowon.” But Rodney’s response was a bit unique. He didn’t care whether Seowon was alive or dead—he just seemed upset that Iden hadn’t told him.

“Why would I tell you?”

Iden’s cold reply made Rodney’s face fall, looking like a scolded puppy. Like Liam, Rodney didn’t fit the typical mafia image, just in a different way.

“Why are you here?”

Iden made no attempt to hide his annoyance. But Rodney, as if used to it, didn’t care in the slightest. Watching them, Seowon couldn’t tell how close they really were. Rodney acted like an old friend, but Iden’s response was just ice-cold.

“Why else? I came to protect you.”

Rodney poked a finger into Iden’s chest with a mischievous smile, like a playful kid. Iden smacked his hand away with a sigh.

“I don’t need it, so get lost.”

“That’s the third time you’ve told me to get lost, and it hasn’t even been five minutes.”

No matter what Iden said, Rodney kept chatting away.

“Doesn’t matter if you hate it. My dad, sure, but even the boss asked me to come here and make sure you got back to the States safely.”

“When the job’s done, I’ll head back.”

“It’s not that they’re worried about you finishing up here. Their concern is for your safety. I’m the knight sent here to protect you.”

“As if.”

Iden scoffed and turned away, uninterested. Rodney, unfazed, looked over at Seowon. When their eyes met, he gave a friendly smile. His face looked genuinely kind, making him resemble Liam.

“With Seowon around, I doubt I’ll need to worry much.”

Rodney seemed to respect “Ha Seowon’s” skills as a bodyguard.

“But wouldn’t I be better to use as a shield than Seowon?”

Turning back to Iden, he said this with a grin, but his words had a clear meaning. If someone had to die in Iden’s place again, it’d be better if it were him instead of Seowon. This time, Iden didn’t even bother replying and just glared coldly at him.

“I’ll be staying here from now until you head back to the U.S.”

Rodney said, sprawling out on the sofa.

“Says who?”

“You won’t really kick me out, will you? Right, Seowon?”

Rodney switched to broken Korean, looking at Seowon. He seemed to realize begging Iden was pointless and turned to her for help. Not knowing how to answer, Seowon glanced at Iden.

“I hate hotels. I want to stay next to Seowon.”

At Rodney’s words, Iden’s expression grew even icier. Seowon swallowed a sigh, realizing that anything else Rodney said would just make things worse.

Not knowing the full nature of her connection with Rodney, she felt an urge to gather more information about him.

“I’m going to change and come back.”

She went into the bedroom, planning to call Min and ask about Rodney. That’s when Iden seemed to notice she was dressed in a comfortable shirt and shorts after her nap. He scowled, gesturing for her to go inside.

“I think you look fine as is.”

Rodney’s unnecessary comment made Iden’s expression even more hostile. Seowon, not wanting to be caught between them any longer, quickly went into the bedroom and called Min.

[Is something wrong?]

Min sounded surprised since Seowon rarely called him first.

“Well… A man named Rodney Scorsese showed up.”

[Rodney?]

Min sighed audibly at the mention of Rodney’s name.

“Is he not on good terms with the Director?”

[No, it’s not that… Is he acting overly friendly toward you?]

He hadn’t gone overboard, but he was certainly being familiar. Not sure how to answer, Seowon stayed silent, and Min muttered that he could imagine the situation.

[Rodney’s one of the few people who’s close with the Director. Right after he moved to the States, Rodney was introduced as a friend around his age and someone to talk to. The issue is, Rodney liked you—Seowon. I don’t know how serious he was, but he kept trying to get close to you, even after you bonded with the Director. That might actually be why the Director rushed to bond with you—because of Rodney.]

Ah. Now it made sense why Iden had told Rodney to get lost right away. It wasn’t about Rodney being mafia or the son of an Underboss. It was because Rodney had openly pursued “Ha Seowon,” even in front of a man with such a fierce possessiveness and jealousy.