“Is this what you mean by ‘handling things yourself’? Do you know what position you’re in? And you’re treating someone like Hye-mi like this? Do you know what kind of relationship the NY Group has with us? How could you do such a thing!”
“Even if it were another woman, it would be the same.”
“Is that what you’re going to say right now?”
A sharp voice echoed in the living room.
Pil-sun, with her fiery temper, was trembling with rage.
With her eyes bloodshot and ready to burst, she clenched her lips and continued.
“I have my limits too. If you don’t get married by the end of this year, don’t even dream of inheriting the Ganghwa Group.”
Hearing Pil-sun’s words, Tae-seok smirked slightly.
“When have I ever dreamed of such a thing?”
“What?”
“You should be saying this to Han Ji-tae instead.”
“Is that something you should be saying right now?”
“Mr. Chairman, stop wasting time. I have no intention of marrying one of those women you have in mind.”
Tae-seok stood up and grabbed his jacket, heading towards the door.
In the narrow alleyway, a small studio apartment
The quiet street, the flickering streetlights.
What once felt frightening had become familiar.
Having drunk too much too quickly, Lee-seo’s body was still burning from the rush of alcohol, and the dizziness was starting to creep in, making her feel faint.
The April night was still too chilly to feel like summer, with a cool breeze in the air.
Shivering slightly, Lee-seo rubbed her arms.
She walked into the dimly lit room, threw her bag on the floor, and slumped down, feeling strangely empty today.
The pounding headache in her temples spread throughout her body, making her dizzy, and as she closed her eyes, there was a loud knock on the door.
“Choi Lee-seo.”
A rough, unfamiliar voice.
“I know you’re inside, so come out for a minute.”
The pounding continued, and when Lee-seo stepped outside, several men with cold, sharp eyes were standing in front of her.
“Who are you?”
“We’re here about Choi Byeong-tae. You should have received my message. Don’t pretend you didn’t.”
The name she wanted to erase, the name she wished to forget.
The mention of “Choi Byeong-tae” made Lee-seo’s heart sink.
“You’re not answering your calls, so we came here instead.”
“Why should I answer your calls? How did you even get my number?”
“Getting a phone number isn’t that hard. Choi Byeong-tae owes us money. He borrowed a lot, and now he’s gone without a trace.”
“This has nothing to do with me.”
“Why are you saying that? We know everything.”
One of the men stepped closer, holding out a piece of paper in front of her.
“This is 100 million won. He borrowed 50 million from us, plus 50 million in interest.”
Lee-seo had been paying off the debts she and Sun-yeong had accumulated, slowly chipping away at it, hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But now, hearing 100 million, she couldn’t believe it.
“100 million? I told you, I don’t know this person.”
“You’re saying you don’t know your father?”
“Father? Who’s my father? Why would I be his daughter?”
The man’s mention of family made Lee-seo laugh bitterly.
Once, he had been her father.
Now, she had spent years chasing down his debts, working tirelessly for every penny.
Her lips tightened as she clenched her teeth.
“If you borrow money, you have to pay it back. You can’t just run away like a rat. You see this? The guarantor’s name is Choi Lee-seo. That’s your name, isn’t it?”
“I didn’t sign that. What does it even matter?”
“You’re family, right? Your father signed this in your name. What more do you need?”
Hearing the word “family,” a hollow, bitter laugh escaped Lee-seo’s lips.
The man’s words had pierced her heart.
Tae-seok’s car
Tae-seok took a deep breath as he left Pil-sun’s house and got in his car.
His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hands.
He noticed a wallet tossed in the passenger seat. It was something he had meant to return earlier but had forgotten in the chaos. He figured it would be better to return it now than later.
Checking the address on the ID, he hesitated but then started driving.
After some time, he neared the address.
But suddenly, someone jumped in front of his car. He slammed the brakes and skidded to a stop.
At the hospital
Time passed, and Lee-seo’s vision started to clear.
A deep pain throbbed at her temples.
“How is her condition?”
“Fortunately, there’s nothing serious to worry about. She lost consciousness due to a temporary shock, but she’s stable now.”
The doctor’s words made Tae-seok focus even more on Lee-seo’s face.
“We don’t need to admit her. There’s no injury from the car crash. However, her recent stress and lack of sleep have severely weakened her body, and her blood pressure is dangerously high. These factors contributed to her fainting.”
Tae-seok’s brow furrowed.
“I’ve prescribed an IV and some nutrients. She needs rest and calm.”
“Thank you.”
After the doctor left, Tae-seok stared at Lee-seo’s frail form lying in the white sheets.
Extreme stress and sleep deprivation…
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her face.
As Lee-seo regained some awareness, she faintly heard a cold, familiar voice.
“Can you hear me?”
It was Tae-seok’s voice, but why? She blinked, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
The luxurious room, the white and brown tones of the furniture, the scent in the air—none of it felt like a hospital.
“Where am I?”
“Do you remember what happened?”
She remembered running from the men, seeing the white light from a car approaching, and then the deafening crash.
But after that, everything went black.
Trying to recall more made her head spin with dizziness and ringing in her ears.
