Chapter : 45
Junpil’s SUV sped down the highway, slicing through the air.
Lee Seol, sitting in the passenger seat, kept her eyes fixed on the black sedan reflected in the side mirror.
Taesin was following at a safe distance behind.
Her mind was filled with nothing but what Taesin had said.
She still couldn’t believe they could capture Myung Hyun-joo.
How much had she hated that woman.
The woman who had caused her mother’s death, stolen her father’s company, and destroyed an entire family without an ounce of guilt.
From the day she discovered that her father was having an affair with that woman, Lee Seol’s world had begun to crumble.
It was when she was in her third year of high school.
Her father had invited the company’s executives for a dinner.
Myung Hyun-joo attended as a director in charge of finance.
For a director, she was excessively beautiful and young.
Even though her mother’s health was poor, she busied herself all day attending to the guests.
During the main course, her father and that woman left the table.
Bored with the adults’ conversation, Lee Seol went upstairs and caught sight of her father embracing that woman.
Even after noticing Lee Seol, she smiled seductively, a face Lee Seol could never forget.
And those eyes, glistening with desire and mockery.
Her mother, shocked to learn not only that her husband had an affair but also that he had sold the company at a low price, collapsed and never fully recovered.
“What are you thinking about? You haven’t said a word for a while.”
Junpil asked.
“Just… my mind is a bit tangled…”
“Are you worried about something?”
“No. Shall we stop by a rest area? I’m a bit hungry.”
“Alright. Let’s take a short break and grab something to eat.”
As Junpil maneuvered the car toward the rest area, he glanced behind.
“There’s a car following us.”
Could it be that they’d been noticed?
“Are you sure you saw it?”
“No, it’s been following us since we left your house.”
Two black sedans were right behind them.
Taesin parked slightly ahead, while another car stopped beside Junpil.
Men covered in tattoos on their arms and bodies got out. Seeing their faces, they were some of Choi Mookwang’s subordinates whom they had encountered before.
“Hey. Are you following us?”
Junpil asked, and the men glared.
“You should mind your own business and go your way.”
“Any complaints?”
Lee Seol tugged Junpil’s arm.
“Let’s go, sunbae.”
“Seems like those guys really are following us.”
“Choi Mookwang went to Seoul today too. I guess they’re tailing us.”
“How do you know that?”
“He came to the shop this morning.”
“That bastard must have nothing better to do. Or maybe he’s really interested in you?”
Junpil cursed, clearly annoyed, muttering about how scummy they were.
“What if they keep following us?”
“We’ll lose them once we reach Seoul.”
“That’s not hard.”
Lee Seol glanced at Taesin’s car as they walked toward the rest area building.
He didn’t get out.
While Lee Seol bought coffee and snacks, Choi Mookwang’s subordinates returned to their car, carrying various snacks as well.
They arrived at the wedding hall around 4 p.m.
Junpil successfully shook off Choi Mookwang’s subordinates and brought Lee Seol to the wedding hall.
“I’ll pick you up later.”
“No need. Have fun, and we’ll meet when we leave tomorrow.”
“Alright then.”
After sending off Junpil, she went to meet her aunt.
Her aunt, who was getting her bridal makeup done, teared up and hugged Lee Seol.
“Aunt, congratulations. Don’t cry, you’ll ruin your makeup.”
Her mother’s youngest sister was only ten years older than Lee Seol, so she felt more like an older sister than an aunt.
They had been very close when they were young.
“You’ve been through so much. I’m sorry I couldn’t help even though I knew you were struggling.”
Lee Seol didn’t reach out her hands to her aunt.
She couldn’t burden her aunt, who hated her brother-in-law for causing her sister’s death and ruining the company, with extra trouble.
Still, her aunt had helped her a lot when she was in difficulty, allowing her to endure this long, so Lee Seol hoped her aunt could live happily ever after.
“Aunt, you look really beautiful today. Like an angel.”
“You’re prettier.”
“Aunt…”
“Stay at our house tonight. I’ve set up a small room as your room, so you can sleep anytime you come.”
“Thank you, aunt.”
Her aunt would spend the night at the hotel after the wedding and leave for the honeymoon the next day.
A vibration-free truck for transporting art stopped at the front entrance of a luxury officetel.
At the gate, the security guard checked Taesin and Namhyun’s identities as well as the truck’s cargo, then let them inside.
They were filling in for employees who were supposed to deliver the art today.
Taesin parked the truck at a space near the entrance and opened the rear door.
Namhyun climbed onto the truck, lifting an enormous framed painting—so large that he had to stretch his arms to hold both ends—onto a wheeled cart, and Taesin set it down on the floor.
The work proceeded efficiently.
After receiving approval from the homeowner, the management staff opened the access door and swiped a keycard for the elevator to reach the 22nd floor.
At the 22nd floor, a tall, strong man opened the door.
He was Myung Hyun-joo’s bodyguard and lover.
She apparently brought him everywhere.
Inside, the city spread out along the river beyond the spacious living room.
Taesin’s own home wasn’t far from here, so it was a familiar view.
Expensive paintings, ceramics, and sculptures were placed throughout the house.
This was the same woman who had destroyed a family, yet she was living in luxury in this high-end officetel.
The man pointed to an empty wall in the living room.
Taesin and Namhyun laid a green cloth from the entrance to the wall and moved while wearing shoes.
They laid a thick cloth under the wall and placed the painting on it.
Once unwrapped, the painting by Joseon-era artist Lee Myung-gi was revealed.
It was a work worth a billion won, obtained by Namhyun through the museum director mother to approach Myung Hyun-joo.
“Wow…!”
Myung Hyun-joo appeared, holding a wine glass, her hair wet as if she had just showered, wearing a silk robe.
Despite being forty, she looked young and beautiful.
It was no wonder no one could recognize her.
Approaching the painting to look closer, she handed her wine glass to Taesin.
Pretending to take it, Taesin twisted her arm behind her back, binding her.
“Ah!”
A short scream echoed.
“What are you… doing?!”
Her bodyguard lunged at Taesin.
He quickly handed the woman to Namhyun, dodging the man’s attack and pushing him aside.
The wine glass fell to the floor and shattered.
Taesin kicked the man, who hit the wall and collapsed.
As Taesin moved to subdue him, the man drew a pocket knife.
Unexpectedly, Taesin’s arm was cut, bleeding.
He grabbed the attacking arm, twisted it, and struck the man’s chest with his knee, pinning him to the floor.
The knife dropped.
Namhyun tied the woman’s wrists and ankles with cable ties, gagged her with a scarf, and helped Taesin restrain the man.
“You okay? You’re bleeding.”
“I’m fine.”
While Namhyun sat the two back-to-back and tied them together, Taesin wiped the blood off the floor with tissue and wrapped his arm with a bandage he found in the living room drawer.
Taesin picked up Myung Hyun-joo’s personal phone from the living room table.
Since this was not a work phone, spyware couldn’t have been installed on it.
“Untie me.”
Namhyun removed the scarf, and the woman glared at Taesin fiercely.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
Dressed identically in black clothes, masks, and hats, and with similar builds and heights, it was impossible to tell Taesin and Namhyun apart.
“Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. Let’s talk after you’re untied.”
