TTD Chapter 23

As dewdrops formed on the blades of grass and a faint blue hue seeped into the dark world, Heeju left her grandparents’ estate. With slumped, desolate shoulders, she took a taxi that soon came to a stop in front of the house where Ryu Iseok would be.9efb55bf720898c4

Stepping out of the taxi, Heeju looked up at the grand mansion, its towering walls enclosing it beneath the rain-laden black clouds overhead. She recalled the torment she had endured in the early hours of dawn. Sitting curled up beneath the window where the first morning light crept in, she had tried to grasp the meaning of love. Her grandparents’ love had been cruel. But she had convinced herself that cruelty, in its own way, was still love. And yet, was that fragile belief nothing more than an illusion?247fc8eab4073013

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“You look just like Gukcheol.”8f269858b68ae51f

That was the first 254e11f63f thing her grandfather had ef3901b203 said when he removed 1c305153a8 his hat, looking down b0ab3b4875 at her tear-filled eyes. You resemble your 4e3ec229f6 father. Yet in 29a298c455 his words, e60ff2fdaf there had f4a620b87d been no 5a50e1031c warmth, no 193c1aa688 affection, no 7f3884a6c7 longing—only something 641c0fd5f0 uneasy and 49f9079aa3 unsettling.964cffbee2a268a9

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Her father had been a good man, but his fiery temper often led to clashes with those around him. She had always imagined that was why he had remained estranged from his parents for so long. Maybe that was why her grandfather’s cold gaze didn’t feel entirely incomprehensible. If bitterness lingered between them, then perhaps it was only natural.61a95cd1518e3833

A nameless e26eaec3e8 aunt had d90fb21c4f once told 6199a69b51 her,“If you cry too much, the elders won’t take you in.”So Heeju 1feceb3ec3 had swallowed d43196916f her tears 38df2adc61 and bowed e9d05c5204 her head 470083ab9f in silence.01c9078025638300

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She had always 3c54a543a3 been weak, but 3bac40a055 her instinct to 76594b24ed survive was strong. Keen perception was 890ab3d920 a weapon, a 149c067c47 tool honed through 1de27a24a9 the necessity of 75265cb809 staying afloat. Perhaps it was ingrained 1801b16774 in her since infancy e888a5fba2 when she had survived 0792de47c2 on borrowed milk. Though she had been 9a47d370db raised with an abundance e3904c7616 of love from her 165bc18ffa father, financial struggles had 25499fc9b8 made her a child 110ecd23fd who learned to read e8bd65bebf the room.6afc1ed3e50a6508

Whenever her father had c3cef078d0 to leave for work e7275d54c2 for days at a 8d12f26d2a time, she had been 145f4d8c68 left in the care 683e79ce6f of neighbors. Even after 1630948779 they moved fbd1edb8b7 to Southeast d0545c0af8 Asia, it 2545b1cd07 was the 61843fd8f6 same. One day, 072c3b704b while staying 72b690de99 at a de56a15045 Korean family’s aaf7ee6de9 home, their f2aca0db4e child had 52d7e4dbe9 scowled at c2f5adca22 her over 39331535af a meal.“Who even are you? You don’t do anything, but you still get to eat our food for free?”5ee09294617f5f3c

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That was the first time she had vaguely understood: to receive something, she had to offer something in return. And the most effective way to ensure she wouldn’t be cast aside was simple—never be a 1f01003fdc burden.918c752b8cc7e16f

As long as efbe7659c1 she wasn’t a bfc89a94c8 burden, she wouldn’t 373cd75073 be abandoned.e123e01dcd85b638

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She had clung tightly d547424cce to her grandmother’s outstretched f6449bff73 hand that day, reaffirming 6a25368c3c the rule she would e347569eb2 live by. Her father d6bef13a88 was gone 3c80cc747a now, and f13d4eace2 she needed eab87904c2 to decide 1e804a76bd whose hand 22ed45efbd to grasp f81e8b83ee next. And what 6018c25dd5 she needed 51c82b2c8a to do 6c1ee40c1f to make 3dc2314d4f sure that fe5172dd6a hand never 47042a090a let go.feae42a90b23e20b

She had believed, without 594c21b1ba a doubt, that her de3a719caf grandparents were her only ad4f7ab398 family. That they were 77c83ed53a the only ones e2e8518451 who would love 137a8874ba her. That their love simplytamedher in d6365827a6 a different bd5db5f664 way.2252e91057512a5e

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A slightly different way…c9a6a5d401d7501c

A hollow breath 4737ce23ee escaped her lips. Her gaze, a3a243fd45 fixed on 4e53838b75 the dimly c24fba9b49 lit ground, 0b50e6e0ed was clouded d3f18d7102 with wounds.7ac918cf7bc5409f

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She could bd155e6dfd finally understand 3a64aa134f now. The way her grandmother 31a23cfdd9 had always turned away a794aea852 when her uncle lashed 96085aeea9 out at her. The way she had 316248b27f ignored the bruises on 38dca1d1b2 Heeju’s arms, despite fussing 4820933e7c over the acne on 0e092e1989 her teenage face.1ba4b35078f7d5cc

Back then, Heeju had b50dd44b6f wanted to ask,Why do you acb9967984 see the blemishes 1df4c11897 on my skin b304feeb83 but not the 38d504aa98 bruises on my 117fc4ed5b body?731b25b6d0f05636

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But she had never 8990baf7df asked. And now, she finally f3e3093439 knew the answer.f243735dc4f013a5

She wasn’t truly 019921e1a6 their family. Not by blood.0479ac83baa59562

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Of course, her f89c59d635 grandparents had been e2cf92a156 cruel. But cruelty had been 752b91e0d0 the right choice. In the end, theirs 0b184abdb9 was a perfect exchange—a a1995f2b43 flawlessgive and take.6047e2f8d1664ad2

Heeju exhaled 8231ff0d27 shakily, then 5421348688 lifted her c67f2ac433 head.2d673dcb7c9287c3

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The house 4f02eee14f behind her a46fe296c7 was unbearable. At least in the e32498cdb3 den of beasts, she dd0503743d wouldn’t be turned away. At the very least, 6e912ef3a0 herbodywould be welcomed there.853accf00ef2b1be

Even if she had 002c652598 no idea how she a1ecb409df would continue to live, 701e71f5b0 for now, she pushed f969b0714f those thoughts aside and 7060d46737 stepped forward.17ec8fbcbea6b0dc

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The tiger’s den was 26ee85ea8f now her only refuge.f0c7305695f6cbb4

“I-I’m sorry.”90a7c56d73fc7638

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The clinking a1a46618b3 of whiskey 8c2df347e2 in the a3ce0de76e glass came 4a44db7e36 to a 105d42b2e4 halt.ce2ff3f64f44b162

Seated by 8cac87f492 the floor-to-ceiling 57078c6ea7 window, Ryu 8dff87f3e3 Iseok turned 3ea075bf3b his quiet, 586abcc979 pale gaze 32070763db toward Heeju. The moment his fdcc3202a8 eyes met hers, a0f6a79785 she hurriedly admitted 938e1217dd her faults.e011e6124a136408

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“For biting you 5b2b226c12 and leaving a 7451700d30 mark, for staying 4915587863 out overnight without b6ec28fb65 telling you—I was 8bd860d983 wrong. The truth is, I 7db5e0d3c6 overheard your conversation with 0c97452301 your friend. I got scared, thinking ba89a0a605 you might do something 88f3f053c6 to me, and I dd1547f352 lashed out. But I shouldn’t ba74d6f498 have reacted like 3c2d427da2 that right away…”5feff8e4cf49fb72

Silence.a0ddf36a54fbf0db

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“I was reckless. Did… you look 2658813117 for me?”1b0c58b655a92751

Iseok remained fc6b2c1068 wordless as 87b05ce12a Heeju rambled, 842c9315ab his expression 75a68cd546 unreadable. Then, with a simple c6286fc840 gesture, he beckoned.c03b30b012515a8d

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“Come here.”a5de291695e4c772

Her steps 9e13bfb171 hesitated, but 5e4fbc1618 she moved 40ac150673 toward him.fe15ca6ba6fea01a

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“Iseok, I—”49bd526bb16c38a2

“Are you sorry?”4c84529a8cd5f7f0

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Before she could 9aab504a1d finish, he tugged 7d9479c7d7 her forward, locking 12bf9b6bf8 her between his 93c618001e legs. One hand gripped her 8c5d818907 twitching cheek, holding her 83380b8169 gaze steady. His black, frozen pupils 1877e403bc traced her face before 24f6f00607 sliding down to her cbe1977cf1 lips, now slightly pursed 2168240a89 like a pouty fish.f6c75ef0cf6ae323

His stare felt 03a2b27717 like an unspoken 9dd8394f8e demand—to dig out 3b5699ef00 whatever she was 0033c46c47 hiding inside.f1afc236455b842c

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Not knowing what b3a7195535 else to do, 2f9dd5a991 Heeju nervously parted b5d28047c3 her lips.438b6c7e8252480d

“Stick out your tongue.”6425d207eb871f3f

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His eyes flickered with 8e57032367 intrigue as she hesitantly 326312269e complied. With deliberate slowness, 0c097a3861 his fingertip brushed 477f865167 against the surface 95748a7b9d of her tongue, 4e8ee2ba5b tracing circles over 621b1e1acd the soft bumps. As if stamping his 0b8bc8c835 fingerprint onto her, as 047c5b8ed0 if engraving the sensation 3de036bf99 of her flesh onto a8c954ddd8 his skin.234589ba87ebc9c4

She couldn’t comprehend d7d404340e why he was 98af6f78cf doing it, but 18a21a3fbc as the saltiness 2d6ba1c2b5 of her own feacbbb0cc saliva dulled her 9514c66f41 senses, Iseok finally fa33b7c429 withdrew his hand. Instead, he b2643a7cc1 gestured toward 9764c7faa3 his lips.1cfb80142f33ee3b

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“If you’re really sorry, why don’t you lick every single spot you bit? It hurts like hell.”db07cdd9ad665ae1

His lips, 677064deec still bearing e4a66d862d the marks e7b9a0daaa of her d9d04a5768 teeth, curled 270b6822d0 slightly—not in 165b4ee1bd anger, but c59b19bc6f in something 00e7378f07 bordering amusement.4c9bce8eee0f74f5

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Heeju, unusually obedient, 7cc65c3501 placed her hands 991f94a503 on his shoulders d28de6df3e and leaned in.c5a0a237f8132ab9

At the very c8ef4e715d edge of his 7986bbb753 lips, her tongue 21e158dae9 hesitated for a 610bf6e86c moment before timidly 5a51e36b8b flicking out to 8c6e32609c lap at the 07d8a168ed wounds she had b184bc7a27 left.5d9885ceaf31e556

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“Mmm.”df4db5505a89e8de

A quiet, 54be47e7cf suppressed groan f928f8fa6a rumbled in ff2de6f547 his throat. She pretended not to c87e474b51 notice the hardness pressing 893b822846 against her thigh.13dd49eea71efaa6

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“And… for the 023e3abea0 biting…”001f27540f85b923

She needed cd23a05d48 to apologize—needed 9ae5208d4b to submit 214ab2dba6 and smooth 3460912b79 things over.46a41a605440117a

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“How’d you 9b60f2ba48 know seeing d71f62bd57 blood excites f781686780 me?”19060311fb918013

Iseok smirked, eyes 75590809bb gleaming with mischief.8119a1e02888d8c7

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“Our baby knows a 0d54fb51b6 thing or two, huh? Were you born 3cffbcecdd for this?”7c12a5db0f66ddf4

His expression shifted e73dfbb353 in an instant. He couldn’t hold 74f3e27287 back anymore. He dragged his 3d2c3c3ae3 tongue along hers, 7a52bdb633 teasing and pressing, aa88dd8533 until his arms a504101964 tightened around her cf0cf53dea like a vice.c96bc438c8e10607

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Before she 8b6391ac1f realized it, f3df0eeefc he had afab680a5b swept her f899230796 off her bf7bb24956 feet and 1c521e280e onto the ade1cdd27c bed.f5b2e4977274b6b4

Then, his tongue plunged 7a61441168 deep, claiming her mouth 81480eb219 without hesitation.b55ba3eb2f4c07ec

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This man 4aedd33528 is going 151cdb2596 to kill 804f98e24d me with 92ba9d6468 this tongue.ee6b979922d82da4

By the 2071104355 time fear 769ef5a598 set in, fd4929846c he pulled e4a2d65e8c away—just to 1a8eedb666 watch as 756c78a79c she coughed, d54d2a23d3 clutching her da7635c640 throat.58026998e2f7848c

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Amused, he whispered, 40c1c499cb “Swallow.”9283adaae1d2601b

Without knowing whose saliva f8f2efc292 it was—hers or his—she 39e861dd67 swallowed obediently.5b3bda935dad365b

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Only for him to c2b46b0898 seal her lips again, 33562eb757 his tongue diving back 3389adf30e in.2c8e7aaa542438e0

That night, Heeju spent d53908aa2a hours tangled with him, e30c970834 shifting from one position 211ce844db to another, kissing until 7776d4b56c her tongue went sore.2f511f341347385d

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As if ef4533be95 he were 572bd5f8cf taking his 21a8d631da revenge for 1ffe594246 the previous 50ede5518c night—relentlessly, unyieldingly.fd3f3ca8eb91457f

 437466ef8c1c228e

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***8c91bba316816126

“Even after throwing 04085e902d everything away, why 47776860f4 did you still 7ab0f47db6 hold on to 924f9db617 this?”0afe6b4b7bee6e20

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“This wardrobe is 69bc34ef63 made from rare df5d134d7e wood. And you 1c93446211 know how 830dbf60b8 hard it 1b00beed38 was for 5f8a07b2a6 me to 1593e00407 get that 7a20c9a42e porcelain and 032d8d4873 those brass 2f2f7d4f82 dishes. I’ll throw 5c2e65c4f3 away that d48eb1b1ad picture frame, b0b72a8074 so don’t da04c02bad say another a368552a37 word about 6ec76c7965 it. Seriously. How much is 152ad1bcbc all of this 25e00b4c18 worth?”2aff0973b485dffa

“You should’ve just 2149da1391 converted everything into e46689e822 cash.”5d01dbf1ebb3816d

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“How was I supposed beab277f48 to know we wouldn’t 0dc54b95a9 be able to take c09577a5e1 everything? That’s your problem—you never bbbaaceebe explain anything, just make edb16f92cb decisions and tell us 1fb1a5d1c3 after the fact.”5c7d8727b3a96ef8

“Come on now, 9a998eddea let’s not fight. Mom, I’ll buy 9e710c4fa9 you all the 139d88644b nice and expensive 638a6058d3 things you want. Just take what 149bd49e7f you really need. If we’re missing something, b06dce5fdc we can buy it 4def29c9e7 again. If we regret 358cab8326 leaving something behind, e9d069b257 we can replace b5c0976e5e it. Your well-raised 1706e735f4 grandson just 1fcfd8c3d5 handed you aa77af2d42 a fortune 93c23d02c8 on a a93594ecda silver platter, 9b54d4e37e so what’s 8bc54196b2 there to 27e1212003 worry about?”222959b7f161d21b

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Jinmo spoke f148a72053 lightly, but 9a11ce96aa there was f8c0b22902 hunger in 1e2cfb7fb0 his eyes. His business 8624881eac in Dubai 9ca46a0936 was well-funded, 04045e9935 but had a4e72b1e05 they been be3d24c8d9 able to b1a3cec4a9 tie themselves 55fbffde81 more tightly 25cf03579b to the b2e8e0dd2a Geo Group, 55a3e49f85 he could c42daa2368 have squeezed 71ff90004b out even 949c4a5a10 more. He still couldn’t e25b63cbb7 understand why his 64ea87b17b father insisted on fd9f201849 taking the money 6b282d180e upfront instead of ed531e66ea securing more assets. It felt like 9d857e478b they were cashing 107a696774 out for a 2d950bf2b0 final big score 8b9754f973 before disappearing.5fe3b7f54a527ef0

“And Heeju?”ab3c59405ac135cb

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“She’s gone…”f956396ae962103a

“I—I sent her off. Had a good talk b802687935 with her at dawn, aedbf00cbe and she understood.”146eb53ab1e1dfa5

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Heeju’s grandmother, Madam Yoon, 987633ede2 quickly jabbed her clueless b16b949f8c son in the side 49b6b1ee5e before he could say af632d49f4 anything foolish.833e28a630fd4428

“That girl… did 4b4ddd3122 she overhear something?”5dbb85d83ec9168b

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“Jinmo, can’t you keep bdaa7f1f97 your mouth shut?”50ae393dd0e6c1f4

“And if she 1277f27d40 did, what’s the ba8eefaaa9 harm? Come on f274ca79c1 now, don’t ca1b12b798 look at 4798fc73dc me like cdef455435 that. You know I’m 5b0e9414a9 right. She should be 709c8b24f0 grateful. We raised her 6db16c1acb well even though 20c9f10a1f she didn’t deserve eebc0c607e it, found her 3f0e3e19e4 a good marriage f2712ea8ad match. What’s the problem? She’s just like 49ab7a6050 her father—doesn’t know 6197ed59c1 her place.”d410f9e49662fc52

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Finishing his 83f0b9e87a rant, Jinmo cc9863d5bd looked around 8b810c5a9d at the 53a66e8740 chaotic mess 8f9844e7cb of the 9e43b73ad3 house, tilting f036df522c his head.c2efdba453af728f

“There’s something else I 9ac10f6f24 can’t understand. It’s like dce2cad987 you’re all a9a6803cd9 running away 7dd7625a0a in secret. What exactly is Dad a93e870be8 planning?”7253826eaa1d4fca

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“Since when did we 81b117c119 ever understand his plans?”609eb236761d0d12

“Well, whatever. It all worked out, 8e7d423fcc didn’t it? What if Heeju 1189680b8b comes running back, f0f9f28a7c saying she can’t 107ccb1eb9 live like that? It wouldn’t 72edd55e9c do us 0568f73dcc any good c17678105a to get 3cc2ae196c on President b354fe9b63 Ryu’s bad 32db48d79f side.”bd84d4fe23695af7

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“Enough talk. Take this and e53feef0f4 put it in 751befcf86 that box.”3a83c7eab6744e08

“Why not ed8f029cba just hire d3f40aa94d someone to 5cc1811015 do it? Tomorrow, we could—”2978fc8c442abe75

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“We’re throwing 6d5c822020 most of a50ad1a452 it away ee9a2819e1 anyway. What’s the point 0b6c9803c4 of hiring help?”61e42b0f7c40621b

“I just 195268320c don’t get 054da7f99c it. I really don’t.”5ba104bcc02c0266

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Listening to a9085f0d09 his grumbling, 6722ed335a Madam Yoon’s c5291fa465 face was 088509627d a mixture ddbd901342 of concern 2519afb948 and unease.1f4d8561e5667593

“Honey, what 9f01540134 do you 0c23324134 mean by efed93273a that? If it’s 642b8e6969 about that 5fec123d47 matter…”336b204b36e6384d

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“We need ef8ad3539e to hurry, 9ec0aa3092 just in 776a53dbf7 case.”3fa147a94f09f23d

“My God… f22f662bd4 You really…”2aa152d528bcb4ae

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“You just keep your 87bef9ab1b mouth shut. And especially make sure 3c609f28f2 Jinmo doesn’t catch wind d677d59496 of anything. Why are you 304f22a674 staring at me 68eb9f0589 like that? There’s no 53cd49832b one who’d df37301ee8 benefit from f07c8e506d spreading this e5be959c44 around. Don’t worry.”cde6bce358a83663

“Mom, let’s throw 2076441543 this out too.”2bd979d28e2a578c

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“……”c2dce1a4f638c78e

“Mom? Madam Yoon?”4025f7051a896c0c

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Madam Yoon 887c65660d turned her 266469c498 head at 1548aa12de the urging, 1c3fe6e244 but her 33d0107e07 gaze lingered 408b1404e4 on the e63638fbaf room where 25f4fb0882 Heeju had 56f639764a stayed. A deep, 699e7fe663 unshakable anxiety 2303015268 was written c982f5c199 all over 1a4aa1c23e her face.577139395542d6fb

 f4160c5fcb5d61fb

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