Chapter 10
The woman’s small, delicate shoulders trembled.
Even though she was trying desperately to hold back her tears, every suppressed sob reached his unusually sensitive ears. Rather than irritating him, the sound was so sorrowful that, for some reason, it tugged at his attention.
Just as he found himself unconsciously focusing on her quiet crying, the elevator suddenly came to a halt.
The lights went out.
A narrow, pitch-black space.
The trauma he had been suppressing with medication came crashing back.
“Ah…”
Taejo reached inside his jacket and let out a quiet groan.
His schedule had fallen apart, and he’d been rushing around for several days without stopping by the hospital.
Of all times…
He had forgotten to take his medicine for the first time.
He tried to endure it through sheer willpower, but eventually he couldn’t breathe anymore and collapsed onto the floor.
“…Excuse me, are you okay?”
Still sniffling, the woman finished pressing the emergency button before turning toward him.
But he couldn’t answer.
“You… you have to breathe!”
The moment she realized something was wrong with his breathing, she quickly eased him down onto the floor and supported his head on her lap.
“Hey, stay with me.”
“It’s okay. Breathe… slowly.”
“That’s it. Focus on my breathing.”
Her voice remained calm, steadily guiding him back toward stability.
Just as her blurred silhouette began coming into focus, the last thread of his consciousness snapped.
When he woke up again, he was in a hotel room.
“Are you alright, Young Master?”
Executive Director Choi, who had arrived ahead of everyone else, looked utterly pale.
“What happened?”
“The elevator had been scheduled for maintenance, but one of the employees forgot to put up the warning sign.”
“…What?”
“I’m terribly sorry. I should have made sure everything was checked beforehand…”
“…Forget it.”
He had genuinely thought he was going to die.
Yet somehow…
He had survived again.
“…The woman who was with me?”
“Pardon? Was there someone else besides you, Young Master?”
Executive Director Choi’s expression immediately hardened.
Taejo’s trauma was a secret known only to his parents and himself.
Claustrophobia.
Nyctophobia.
And, because of chronic insomnia, extreme sensory hypersensitivity.
Those conditions were precisely why Taejo rarely appeared in public and why every detail about him had been kept under the strictest confidentiality.
Whoever that woman was, it would be troublesome if she had learned about his illness or discovered who he really was.
Even more so if she intended to exploit that knowledge.
“I’ll find out immediately.”
Executive Director Choi hurried off to investigate and soon returned with an unexpected report.
“The employee said that as soon as the elevator doors opened, the woman explained your condition and then simply left.”
“…”
“The hotel staff tried to stop her regarding compensation, but she refused and walked away.”
“…Really?”
If she had known who he was, she should have tried to create some kind of connection.
Instead…
She had simply disappeared.
“The elevator’s CCTV had been shut off because of the maintenance, and the hallway cameras only caught her with her head lowered, so her face wasn’t visible. We checked her description, but she doesn’t appear to have been a hotel guest.”
“…We’ll wait.”
“If she plans to use this against me, she’ll approach me eventually.”
For a while, the existence of that mysterious woman continued to bother him.
Then three years passed.
No one ever appeared claiming to know what had happened that day.
His suspicions had been completely misplaced.
She had simply helped him out of pure kindness.
And yet…
Does she not even remember?
To him, it had been an unforgettable memory.
Unlike him, who had never seen her face, Kang Sua had clearly seen his.
Yet she didn’t remember him at all.
To her…
It had simply been an insignificant incident, something not even worth remembering.
For some reason, that realization irritated him.
Even now, he could vividly recall her voice, her breathing, even her scent from that day.
Of course, he could ask her directly if she remembered.
But if she had already forgotten, there was no reason for him to be the one exposing his weakness.
After all…
He was the heir to Taesan Group.
The burden resting on his shoulders was anything but light.
Thud.
The sound of a book closing pulled Taejo back from his thoughts.
Sua glanced at him after shutting her book.
“…Leaving?”
“Yes.”
She answered briefly before standing.
Taejo silently followed behind her.
Without saying much, Sua went about her business as though he weren’t there.
She stopped by the stationery section.
Picked out several more books.
Hands tucked into his pockets, Taejo quietly watched her every move.
Being treated like nothing more than a shadow…
That was a first for him.
Everything Kang Sua did felt strangely refreshing.
Only after paying and leaving the bookstore did Sua finally stop walking.
“Shall we go our separate ways now?”
“…Sure.”
The moment he agreed, relief visibly spread across her face.
“Here.”
She stretched out her hand.
Taejo blinked slowly.
“It’s the diffuser from the bookstore. You said you liked the scent.”
“…Why are you giving me this?”
“You bought me lunch. I don’t like owing people.”
Taejo tilted his head in confusion.
It had only been a piece of bread.
“Hurry and take it.”
She urged him.
She wouldn’t even meet his eyes, only holding out the paper bag.
She seemed…
A little embarrassed.
He accepted it, staring blankly at her before finally bursting into laughter.
Well…
This was another first.
Everyone who knew his background wanted something from him.
Those who didn’t either dreamed of spending a night with him or wanted to show him off like a trophy, showering him with gifts.
But Kang Sua…
She treated him indifferently.
Yet she still showed him these small, thoughtful acts of kindness.
“…You’re a kind person, Kang Sua.”
Her eyes widened.
She looked as though she were wondering how he knew her name.
“I heard it that day.”
As Taejo took a step closer, Sua instinctively flinched but stubbornly lifted her chin.
“I like you.”
The way you’re completely uninterested in me…
That’s exactly what makes you comfortable to be around.
“W-What do you mean…?”
She took a cautious step backward.
“I told you, I’m not hitting on you.”
“You really do think every man in the world falls for me, don’t you?”
“You’re the one acting in a way that makes people misunderstand.”
“I’m naturally kind.”
“To kind people.”
“…Kind people?”
“That’s right.”
“You seem kind, Kang Sua.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected compliment, Sua could only blink repeatedly, unsure whether she was supposed to feel pleased.
“You still have my number, don’t you?”
His question reminded her that the napkin with his phone number was still inside her bag.
“…No.”
“I threw it away.”
The lie slipped out before she realized it.
“Hah… Do you know how hard that number is to get?”
“…What?”
“Give me your phone.”
Taejo took the phone from her hand.
After powering it on, he called himself.
His own phone vibrated.
“Save it.”
He lightly shook his phone.
“When you need my help…”
“Call me.”
“I’ll grant you one favor.”
“Anything.”
“…What?”
“I’m someone who can do that.”
He grinned.
“Finding someone.”
“Ruining someone’s life.”
“Or… if you need money.”
“I can do that too.”
“…Why?”
“To repay my debt to you, Kang Sua.”
“I thought we’d already settled everything with this.”
She gestured toward the paper bag.
“Take care, Kang Sua.”
Hooking the paper bag on one finger, Taejo gave it a playful swing before turning away.
* * *
Sua stared blankly at the small business card.
More specifically, at the bright red Gothic lettering printed on the yellow card.
Perfect Solutions for Every Problem
Fast. Accurate. 100% Confidential
Mr. Jung — Working with Trust and Integrity
It was the card the man had accidentally dropped while walking away.
It had slipped from his jacket and fluttered down right in front of her feet.
“If you ever need help, call me.”
“Don’t let your pride get in the way.”
She remembered the smooth smile curling at the corners of his lips as he said it.
“Finding someone.”
“Getting revenge on somebody.”
“Or… if you need money.”
He had spoken as though he were some omnipotent being.
So she’d wondered what kind of work he did.
He’s an errand service employee?
Only now did his occasional rough language and questionable behavior make sense despite his elegant appearance.
Even his expensive-looking sports car and designer clothes.
Well…
They probably wouldn’t see each other again.
Coincidences didn’t keep happening forever.
The more pressing issue was the dozens of missed calls and text messages from Mihyang filling her phone.
Stuffing the business card deep into her bag, Sua got out of the taxi and walked into the alley.
Her home was a detached house located in the affluent neighborhood of Seongbuk-dong.
No matter how disgraced a politician became, wealth accumulated over decades didn’t disappear overnight.
He must have made plenty of dirty money behind the scenes.
If only that man weren’t my father.
Sua forced her increasingly heavy legs forward.
“I’m home.”
“Sua…”
Mihyang was waiting for her in the entryway.
The expression on her face was unusually dark.
Sua’s heart instantly sank.
“Mom… what happened…?”
“Ah, it seems Miss Sua has arrived.”
A familiar voice drifted from inside the house.
