"Let it come," Joonseo had said, "This time, I'll be ready."
But how do you prepare for something when you don't even know what's coming?
That night, I couldn't sleep.
I kept replaying Yuna's words in my head.
"Someone else is trying to get between you two. Worse than Jieun."
What could be worse than my step-sister, who practically wrote the definition of "vile"? My gut twisted, but Joonseo lay next to me, breathing slow and steady, one arm slung across my waist protectively.
Part of me wanted to wake him up and tell him everything. But the other part—the one still scarred by betrayal, heartbreak, and lies—told me to keep quiet until I had more proof.
So instead, I scooted closer and pressed my face against his chest, holding him tight. Maybe I was the one who needed protecting.
The next morning, Joonseo dropped me off at the company.
"You good?" he asked, fingers brushing my cheek gently as we sat in the car.
"Yeah," I lied. "Just tired."
