Minah's fingers trembled as she reached for the chopsticks resting neatly on the tray. Her grip was unsteady at first, but her movements grew more natural with each bite. The savory warmth of the instant noodles coated her tongue, and she realized just how empty her stomach had been. She hadn't eaten since noon. She'd been too anxious, too cautious.
Hyun Soo watched her quietly, his shoulders easing a little as he let out a subtle breath of relief.
"Glad you're eating," he said with a smile, almost to himself.
Minah didn't respond, but her posture had softened—just a little. After she finished the last noodle, she gently pushed the tray toward Hyun Soo, still holding the hem of her dress in her fist... but with less tension than before.
Then the man—the one with the commanding voice—stepped closer.
Minah's gaze lifted slowly.
He was tall, with the kind of presence that filled the room even without trying. His sharp suit clung effortlessly to his broad frame. His eyes—cool and unreadable—landed on her with a mixture of calculation and something else. Something harder to name.
Han Jaewook.
He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down—not too close, but close enough that she could feel the shift in air.
"I'll see you again very soon," he said, tone calm, almost gentle. "I'll ask Hyun Soo to send you home."
Minah blinked at him. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
"I still have things to take care of," he added, reaching into his coat pocket.
He held something out toward her—simple items, but they made her chest tighten.
A small bottle of pepper spray.A tube of topical cream for bruises.
"Take these," he said, his voice low. "Just in case."
She took them slowly, her fingertips brushing his for a split second. He didn't flinch.
Neither did she.
And somehow… that felt like the beginning of something.
_____
Jaewook watched Minah silently as she left the room.
Her fragile figure, her hesitant steps… her silence—it all burned behind his calm expression. The moment the door shut behind her, his jaw tensed. His hand, still resting inside his trouser pocket, curled into a tight fist.
He was angry.
But his anger was never loud. It simmered beneath the surface, controlled, razor-sharp.
Turning on his heel, Jaewook strode down the hallway toward his office. The walls were modern, minimalist—cold steel and dark marble. As he stepped inside, the room glowed under the artificial white of LED lights. No sunlight ever touched this space. Thick black curtains draped over every window, blocking the ultraviolet rays that threatened to burn his skin.
He walked straight to his sleek black desk and picked up his phone.
One call.
"Kang Ho," he said, voice flat.
A pause. The other end picked up immediately.
"Yes, sir?"
"I want Minah's full, updated personal profile," Jaewook ordered. "Everything."
"Understood. And the second task?"
Jaewook's gaze hardened as he stared at the reflection of himself in the black glass window. His voice dropped to a steely growl.
"Minah's foster family. Their company has been embezzling funds and laundering money under different subsidiaries."
He took a breath.
"I want every shred of evidence. I'll report them anonymously. Public backlash, legal crackdown, blacklist status—I want it all. But listen carefully..."
A pause.
"Do not lay a single finger on Minah."
Kang Ho didn't question it.
"Yes, sir. I'll start immediately."
The call ended. Jaewook set the phone down, but his fists remained clenched.
They had used her. Betrayed her. Humiliated her.
Now, they would pay.
And this time… she wouldn't even have to say a word.
_____
Hyun Soo gently eased the SUV to a stop in front of Minah's house. The soft purr of the engine faded as he turned to her with quiet sincerity.
"We're here," he said. "If anything happens... text this number."
He handed her a small, folded slip of paper. The number wasn't ordinary—it was encrypted, directly connected to Jaewook, Hyun Soo, and Kang Ho. A lifeline she didn't realize she'd need so soon.
Minah gave a small nod and took the paper, placing it gently into her wallet.
But as she moved, a photo slipped out—fluttering silently into the SUV's floor.
Hyun Soo caught a glimpse of it. Two teens in the photo, smiling in front of a mall, holding cotton candy. One of them was clearly a younger Minah, the other a boy with warm eyes and carefree joy.
A piece of her past, now lost in the backseat without her knowing.
Minah opened the car door slowly and stepped out. She took a deep breath, trying to steel herself.
The walk back to the house felt longer than it was. Familiar steps. Familiar door. But everything felt... heavier.
Inside, the air was cold.
She could hear the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall and the distant sound of a housemaid wiping something in the kitchen. The usual silence of a place where she never quite belonged.
Then—footsteps. Coming down the stairs.
Sana.
Her stepsister descended with an exaggerated smile, her heels clicking like a countdown.
"Oh," Sana cooed, mock surprise painted across her perfect face. "You're home early. I was actually going to surprise you later… but now that you're here, no point hiding it."
She held up her phone dramatically.
"I'm marrying Yoon next week."
Minah's eyes flickered, but her expression didn't change. Her hands trembled slightly behind her back.
Sana smiled wider—something cruel behind the gloss of her lipstick.
"Yoon wants to talk to you." She pressed a button and put the phone on speaker.
"Minah!" Yoon's voice exploded through the speaker. "How could you? You cheated on me!"
Minah blinked. Her lips parted slightly in disbelief.
"I gave you everything you wanted, and now you're with that guy? I never thought you'd do something so low. But you know what? Fine. Let's end this. I'm marrying Sana. She treats me better than you ever did."
Sana's smirk was venomous.
Minah stood still.
Silent.
But not because she was weak.
This silence… was a prelude.