*NEXT DAY*
The doorbell rang through the house like a sharp command, its echo ringing in Ji-hyun's ears. The sound was jarring, sudden. Min-soo was unpredictable, and visitors to his domain were even rarer. She had no idea who would be standing at the door, but she knew better than to hope for anything ordinary. Min-soo's world was anything but.
The butler answered the door, his movements as fluid and precise as always. Ji-hyun stayed near the window, staring blankly at the distant city skyline. Her thoughts circled back to Sera—cold, calculating, her eyes so full of disdain. The woman's words, like knives, twisted inside her, leaving her feeling like an intruder in her own life.
A woman's voice broke through the heavy silence.
"Min-soo is home?" It was light, but sharp as a whip.
Ji-hyun turned, her heart racing. The woman who stepped into the entryway was tall, with long, sleek black hair pulled into a tight ponytail. Her posture was perfect, every movement deliberate and smooth. There was something about her that immediately screamed control, something Ji-hyun could feel radiating off her.
She didn't acknowledge Ji-hyun immediately, her gaze trained solely on the butler. "Where is he?"
But then, as if on cue, her eyes flicked over to Ji-hyun. The change was immediate, a flicker of disdain crossing her face like a veil before she masked it with a thin, insincere smile.
"Well, well," the woman purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "you must be Ji-hyun." She didn't even wait for a response. "I'm surprised you even found the time to meet me. After all, I don't expect much from someone in your... position."
Ji-hyun's stomach twisted. There was no mistaking the venom in her tone.
"I'm Soo-jin," the woman continued, her smile growing just a little too wide. "It's amusing, isn't it? You've come into his world, and I'm left to watch from the sidelines. I suppose that's what happens when you don't know your place." Her eyes raked over Ji-hyun like she was a piece of furniture—a worthless object in her way.
Ji-hyun couldn't move. The tension between them felt suffocating.
Soo-jin took a step closer, her heels clicking against the marble floor, each step measured, calculated. "I must admit, I didn't expect Min-soo to settle for... someone like you. But then again, I've always known that he likes to keep things interesting." She tilted her head, eyeing Ji-hyun like she was a puzzle she couldn't quite solve.
The sarcasm in her words stung, but Ji-hyun forced herself to remain calm, trying to mask the rising discomfort.
Soo-jin let out a soft laugh, low and almost mocking. "You must think you've got it all figured out, don't you? You think you've found your place here, that you've... won something." Her voice lowered, almost purring, "Trust me, Ji-hyun, you haven't even begun to understand the kind of man Min-soo is."
Ji-hyun's throat tightened. Soo-jin wasn't even hiding the fact that she hated her. The weight of it pressed down on her chest.
"I've spent years in his world," Soo-jin continued, her tone smug, as if she were recounting an achievement. "I was his world. But I suppose I'm not supposed to be surprised. Men like him always get bored, don't they?" Her smile turned bitter, almost mocking. "He was never the type to settle for long."
Ji-hyun's heart skipped a beat. The words hit her hard, and she couldn't ignore the painful truth in them. She wasn't just here because of love. Min-soo was always playing a game—one she didn't understand, but that Soo-jin had already mastered.
"Oh, I don't blame you," Soo-jin said, her voice suddenly saccharine sweet again. "You're just a replacement, after all. He always has a type. I guess you're lucky enough to fit the mold." Her eyes gleamed, her self-satisfaction obvious. "But don't get too comfortable. You won't be here for long. Min-soo's... attention is fleeting."
Ji-hyun tried to steady her breath, but it felt like the walls were closing in. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.
Soo-jin stepped even closer, her presence suffocating, towering over Ji-hyun. "I know what it's like to be at the center of Min-soo's world. He needs control. Always. And you?" She leaned in just enough that Ji-hyun could feel her breath. "You'll never be more than a distraction, something to fill the space until he grows bored."
Ji-hyun's hands clenched at her sides. The words felt like an accusation, a reality she hadn't wanted to face.
Soo-jin tilted her head, her smile now cold, almost cruel. "It's cute, though. How you think you're something special to him. I was once, too." She ran a hand through her hair as if to demonstrate just how effortlessly she owned the room. "But I'm different. I know my worth. You'll never understand what that feels like, Ji-hyun."
The venom was unmistakable. Soo-jin wasn't just praising herself—she was crushing Ji-hyun beneath the weight of her own inflated ego.
Soo-jin took a step back, her gaze sharp and calculating. "I suppose you'll figure out your place eventually. Min-soo's world is all about knowing your role." She gave a soft, dismissive laugh. "I'm sure you'll learn. Eventually."
Her eyes flickered toward the door, her attention waning, but before she left, she turned back to Ji-hyun, her smile darkening.
"I'll be around," she said lightly, but the threat in her voice was unmistakable. "Don't forget, Ji-hyun. Min-soo might think you matter right now, but don't be fooled. You're just another one of his games." Her lips curled into a smile that was all teeth. "And when the game ends? He won't even remember your name."
With that, Soo-jin turned on her heel and walked out, her presence lingering like the aftermath of a storm.
Ji-hyun stood frozen, her body tense, her mind reeling with the weight of Soo-jin's words.
A replacement. A distraction. That's all she was to him.