Chapter 11
His skin was dark, his gaze sharp, and his hair dyed red, with lips that were torn—he had a very fierce appearance.
Piercings hung from his ears, and a sparkling gold watch on his wrist glimmered in the sunlight, seemingly a testament to luxury. Just by looking at him, it was clear he was a man wrapped in money.
“Executive Cha.”
Seok-woo’s words startled her. Executive Cha—this was the person Min-ah had mentioned.
He was none other than the only son of Cha Myunghwan, the owner of this mansion. Her lips dried up from the tension.
“Executive Cha? At home, shouldn’t you be called the young master?”
Cha Ki-heon looked at Hee-yeon’s chest. The way he looked—almost licking it with his eyes—made her uneasy. The person who should have been tense was Seok-woo, yet it felt like she was being humiliated. Seok-woo stepped forward as if to protect Hee-yeon.
“The only person I serve is the chairman. Do you really want to hear ‘young master’ from me?”
“Just because you pampered a dog, you think that makes you human?”
“Hmph.”
“You’re laughing?”
A soft, snickering sound came from him.
“Well, it’s funny. A rat covered in filth criticizing me.”
“You bastard… No matter what I say, you won’t budge? Do you even have pride?”
“As you can see, I’ve been through the wringer. Nothing affects me.”
“I want to see how long you can stay so arrogant. That old man will hand the company over to me this time. Then, your swagger will end. With that handsome face of yours, you’ll end up kowtowing to rich people all your life.”
Hee-yeon’s hands trembled. She could feel the invisible tension between the two men.
It was clear their emotions were entangled.
“Looking forward to it.”
“You should. How many fools would pay just to see that face?”
“Well, I’m expensive, so not just anyone can have me.”
“Go wallow in the gutter. In the end, you’ll have to strip, as that world demands. You still don’t get it.”
Hee-yeon tilted her head. What was he talking about? That “world”—could he mean the entertainment or nightlife industry? Cha Ki-heon’s words were shocking and careless, yet they seemed to have almost no effect on Seok-woo. He merely opened his shoulders wider. The muscles along his back twitched, as if a black tiger tattoo beneath his skin might burst out.
She swallowed hard.
“I make money with my head, not my body. Unlike some people.”
“You arrogant bastard… You mocking me?”
Finally irritated, Cha Ki-heon threw something, but it didn’t reach Seok-woo and sank into the water.
“Did it sound like that to you?”
“Just you wait. That pretty one… you’ll see her too.”
Hee-yeon shrank back. As Cha Ki-heon’s footsteps faded, Seok-woo turned around.
He ran his wet hair through his fingers in annoyance.
“Be careful around him at all times.”
“I heard from someone here that the chairman’s son treats women poorly. But since I’m considered someone who came here sold into debt…”
“He still won’t touch you. I’m your dedicated keeper.”
“Huh?”
“You’d think I’d take you to bed.”
“Ah… y-yeah, that’s right.”
Most assumed that Seok-woo’s dedicated keeper included nighttime duties. Whether true or not, it implied that Seok-woo would pick the woman he liked most as his keeper.
Right now, the person Hee-yeon needed to be most careful of was Seok-woo. Judging by the atmosphere, the two were clearly adversaries, and if any secret they hid reached his ears, it could be disastrous.
“I guess we should stop swimming. That thug came earlier than expected.”
“I’ll give you a towel.”
“You should wrap the towel around yourself.”
As she tried to get out of the water, Seok-woo’s gaze lingered on her blouse.
She hadn’t noticed, but being wet, her underwear was visible. She blushed in embarrassment. She didn’t notice that Seok-woo’s brief glance made him feel something unusual.
“Ah…”
“……”
“Then, I’ll help you change and get ready to go out.”
Hee-yeon came out of the water, quickly wrapped herself in a towel, and ran. Seok-woo’s gaze followed her, but she couldn’t sense it.
While running, she almost collided with someone.
“Hee-yeon,”
“Ah, Min-ah.”
“That was close.”
“You saw?”
She hadn’t noticed anyone else, but Min-ah seemed to have arrived quietly.
“I was carrying drinks. I was so worried. I thought they might actually fight.”
“The two of them aren’t getting along?”
“Not at all. The chairman trusts the representative more than his son, Executive Cha.”
“Just as I thought…”
Her assumption was confirmed. Their mutual caution indicated a power struggle. Any organization had disputes for control, and especially between the son of a crime boss and the person trusted by the boss.
“They’re enemies. So always be careful. Even if you’re the representative’s dedicated keeper.”
“Thank you.”
Hee-yeon smiled at Min-ah’s kindness.
“We have to help each other.”
“Yes. I’ll go change now.”
She hurried into the building to change.
Around Seok-woo, it felt as if invisible black smoke surrounded him.
His loyal subordinates, including Chief Joo, were crouched tensely. Cha Ki-heon, who had been traveling around the world, had unexpectedly returned to Korea sooner than anticipated.
“He arrived earlier than planned.”
“Indeed.”
“Could it be that something leaked outside, causing a mess?”
“Do you not trust our people?”
Seok-woo shook his head.
“I do, of course. But after getting one harsh surprise….”
“Anyway, we need to be careful. He mustn’t take an interest in us.”
“Yes.”
“By the way, where did that Sopilmo guy disappear to?”
“I don’t know. We searched the mountains thoroughly, but he’s gone. I think he’s left the area.”
It was maddening. All traces of Sopilmo had vanished. Humans need food and water, yet there was no trace in the forest.
“How far is the nearest village?”
“…Well, there’s a big village nearby, but it will take more time. Since it’s rural, there are hardly any CCTVs like in the city.”
“One month. One month. We must find him within that time.”
“Yes. I’ll tell them to move faster.”
Chief Joo carefully closed the door and came out. Outside, the search team looked exhausted.
But now was not the time to worry about their fatigue. Cha Ki-heon’s arrival in Korea was a serious threat. His attention was solely on Seok-woo, determined to destroy him.
They had to search even more discreetly. Several lives were at stake.
That evening.
Putting aside the confrontation between Seok-woo and Cha Ki-heon earlier, Hee-yeon focused on her own concerns.
It wasn’t time to worry about Seok-woo.
“Who am I even supposed to be worried about?”
As an hostage, she could only wait and hope that Pilmo would regain consciousness.
Meanwhile, Ye-rim, sitting beside her coloring, asked:
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“This place is nice, isn’t it?”
“Really?”
The mansion was large, and the staff also had good welfare. The furniture matched the grandeur of the house. The room, though only one, was spacious enough for Ye-rim to play.
Although small, the view outside the window included a garden full of blooming flowers. Flowering trees stretched like a picture, filling the room with a fragrant scent.
“Yeah, it’s really beautiful. My friends are curious because they come in fancy cars… what should I say?”
