Chapter 2
There was another knock on the door of Lee Soo’s office after Seo Hee had left. Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Still gazing out at the city lights glittering through the window, Lee Soo gave permission to enter. The door opened, and a neatly dressed man stepped in, carrying a large bouquet of roses in one hand.
“She’s gone?”
The cautious question came from Park Jae-min—Seo Hee’s husband, and Lee Soo’s brother-in-law. His tailored suit fit his tall frame perfectly, and his looks were more than decent.
“Yeah. But why are you even knocking between us? You could’ve just come in.”
“I just wanted to be careful. I told her I had a meeting—what if she found out?”
Jae-min slipped his arm carefully around Lee Soo’s waist. He already knew the topic could make her displeased.
Even as he pulled her close, Lee Soo’s voice stayed cold.
“She went to see Grandpa.”
“I know.”
“Then?”
“She said she was going to Pyeongchang-dong, but I was worried she might come back…”
At that, Lee Soo roughly brushed off his hand and spun around to glare at him.
“Are you that scared of my sister?”
“No, it’s not that I’m scared—”
“What’s so terrifying about Han Seo-hee!”
Her voice rose sharply, and Jae-min faltered with an apologetic look—so different from the confident tone he used with Seo Hee.
“I’m sorry, Soo. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just meant…”
Then, he dropped to his knees and held out the roses he’d brought.
“I was wrong, Soo.”
“……”
“And this.”
He reached into his pocket and took out a small ring box. When he flipped it open, a sparkling ring gleamed under the office light.
“My Soo finally deserves this now.”
“Oppa…”
“I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”
Lee Soo’s anger melted in an instant. She gazed at him, eyes glistening, completely moved. Their burning eyes met and tangled in the air.
“Oppa… I love you.”
“I love you too. I really do.”
Without knowing who moved first, their lips met. In the very spot Seo Hee had stood moments before, the two shared a deep, shameless passion.
Their lips rubbed together; their breaths mingled. Soon they collapsed onto the sofa, hands wandering over each other’s hidden places. The deeper their touch grew, the heavier their breathing became.
“Haah… So, you think Seo Hee fell for it?”
Jae-min murmured in a thick, heated voice, his words brushing her ear. The whisper made Lee Soo’s body shiver. She clung to his neck, trembling.
“What if she didn’t? Ah! That tickles.”
“Hold still. I haven’t even really started yet. You’re sensitive tonight.”
“That’s because you keep touching the sensitive spots.”
“Of course. Who knows your body better than I do?”
Her lips curled upward, pleased by his words.
“Do you do this with Seo Hee, too?”
The sudden name made Jae-min’s brows furrow.
“Why are you bringing her up now? Can’t we just focus on us for once?”
“Focus on us? How can I, when Seo Hee is always between us?”
Lee Soo snapped. Used to her moods, Jae-min soothed her, tracing the new ring around her finger.
“The moment we’ve been waiting for is almost here. We’re so close.”
“I’m still mad, though.”
“My pretty girl’s mad?”
He lifted his head from her chest, lips still pressed against her pale skin, looking up at her.
“You’re even prettier when you pout like that.”
His teasing made Lee Soo finally give in. She let out a small laugh, then bit her lip to hide it.
“What? You laughed just now.”
“I did not.”
“Well, you’ll have plenty to laugh about from now on.”
As he finished speaking, his hand slid slowly upward from her waist.
“Ahh—tickles!”
“It’s supposed to tickle.”
His hand slipped into intimate places. With his wife, Seo Hee, he was always cold and distant—but now, he looked every bit the tender, untamed beast.
“Soo.”
“Hmm… what?”
Her reply came out in a breathy, trembling voice. He left faint marks on her white skin as he murmured:
“Everything’s going down tonight, right?”
“Of course. Everything’s perfectly ready. Tonight, our future depends on it.”
“So once tonight’s over, it’ll be just you and me? Forever?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Just a few more hours, then. After tonight, we can finally be happy—without Seo Hee. And Shinsung Group will be ours.”
Instead of answering, Lee Soo wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her legs around his waist.
Without knowing who moved first, they kissed again—wildly, desperately.
In that moment, Han Seo-hee didn’t exist in their world.
Only the future they were about to seize did.
The study lights blazed brightly, looking just as they always did—except for one thing.
Lying beside the large desk was a man.
It was Grandpa—Chairman Han.
“Grandpa?”
Seo Hee’s cautious steps froze. It didn’t take long to notice the dark, wet pool beneath him.
It felt like all the blood drained from her own body.
“Grandpa!”
She dropped to her knees and turned him over, gritting her teeth as she struggled with the dead weight of his limp body.
“Ahh!”
A scream tore from her throat when she saw the knife buried deep in his abdomen. Gripping the handle, she let out another piercing cry.
“Grandpa! Grandpa!!”
Her white skirt was already soaked red with his blood; her hands were drenched as well. But there was no time to think about that—she had to check if he was still alive.
She bent down, listening for breath—nothing. She pressed trembling fingers to his neck—no pulse. His skin was already cold.
“No… No, this can’t be happening. Grandpa wouldn’t just… go like this.”
Dazed, she shook her head. Maybe if she got him to a hospital—maybe there was still time.
“Is anyone there?!”
She shouted toward the door, but only silence answered. It had been strange—how quiet the house was when she came in. Where were all the people who always stayed by her grandfather’s side? Wasn’t there anyone here?
She fumbled through her pocket.
I need to call for help. Call for help first.
Her hands shook as she unlocked her phone, but her mind was blank.
“I need… an ambulance…”
She couldn’t even recall the numbers—119, 112—nothing. Panic erased every thought. Then she spotted Jae-min’s name in her call log.
She pressed it. The line rang, but no one answered.
“Jae-min, please—pick up.”
She licked her dry lips nervously. When the automated voice said the call couldn’t be completed, she hung up—and saw Lee Soo’s name next. She tried again. Still no answer.
She had no idea the two were wrapped in each other’s arms at that very moment.
“Why isn’t anyone answering…”
Her voice trembled with tears. Her mind was chaos—dark, confused, desperate.
She dropped the phone and clutched the knife handle, not knowing what to do. That was when loud sirens pierced the silence outside.
Wailing sirens— like the sound of salvation. Footsteps rushed toward the house.
“Over here! My grandfather—he—”
Before she could finish pleading for help, a shout cut her off.
“Hands up!”
“Please, help me—”
“Drop the knife! Hands where we can see them!”
A police officer leveled his gun at her. Seo Hee blinked, confused—why was he aiming at her? Why were they treating her like a criminal?
More officers burst in, surrounding her. They pulled her forcibly away from her grandfather’s body.
One of them checked the old man’s pulse—no heartbeat, no breath. Then he drew out handcuffs and began reciting the Miranda rights.
“You are under arrest as a suspect in the murder of Han Jong-in. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”
Click.
The cold metal around her wrists sent a chill through her entire body. Everything after that felt unreal.
The officer’s words grew distant, echoing in a blur. The people lifting her grandfather’s body looked like a dream.
Even as they led her out of the study, Seo Hee couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. Her unfocused gaze filled with tears, and they streamed endlessly down her pale cheeks.
