Shana returned to the luxury hotel suite at the break of dawn. The life of a chairwoman was simple in theory but overwhelming in reality—most of the workload could be pushed onto others. She had left the bulk of the mess to Mr. Hung and her secretary, Miss Oh, who were not only handling the paperwork but also investigating the thugs who had wrecked Nayeon's house.
As for Nayeon's whereabouts?
Shana sighed, slipping off her scarlet stilettos. At this point, the police were her only hope. The worst-case scenario was Mina finding Nayeon before they did. If that happened… silencing her to erase loose ends wasn't unthinkable.
Shana had fought and played with alot of tyrants across thousands of years. Yet this time, her opponent wasn't some dark despot—it was a perfectly ordinary human girl with a mind as sharp and calculating than any man she'd ever known. The absurdity of it all was that both of them revolved around the same person: Duyen, a kindhearted, simple girl.
Would Duyen be able to withstand this storm?
Shana pushed open the bedroom door, her lips curling into a quiet smile at the sight of Duyen still fast asleep on the crimson velvet king-sized bed. She was curled beneath the heavy blanket, bare and unguarded, as if she didn't even realize Shana would come back. But Shana always came back—for her.
And perhaps Duyen never noticed, but even in her sleep, a faint glow flickered softly within her chest.
Shana moved closer. She brushed the bangs from Duyen's face and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, brimming with emotions she could barely contain. Her hand drifted lower, settling unconsciously on the warm spot where that strange light pulsed beneath Duyen's skin.
Her eyes softened, narrowing just a little.
"You'd better protect her well…"
What's happening to me?
Shana asked herself that silently. She couldn't even remember the last time she had wanted to do this—touch, protect, love. Was she becoming no different than some ...mortals?
The thought startled her into a foolish little laugh. Impossible. How could such a thing happen? And yet, ever since she'd met this tomboyish girl, with all her noisy, troublesome friends, Shana simply couldn't leave Duyen behind.
Mythical being or not, she had never believed in destiny. Fortune-tellers, historians, prophets—they all repeated the same tiresome lines until she grew sick of hearing them. Whether the foretold darkness came tomorrow, or in another thousand years—did it even matter?
Because in the end, love toppled all.
"Duyen," Shana whispered to the sleeping girl, "I wonder how you'll change it. That's why I want to help you… because somehow, every single day, you're changing me."
Dangerous. So very dangerous. They were bound to each other now—until death pulled them apart.
A sudden vibration from the phone beside Duyen's pillow snapped Shana from her thoughts. She cast a glance at the sleeping girl, then carefully picked up the flip phone.
The sender was obvious.
Her expression cooled as her eyes skimmed the conversation. This was the part she didn't like about Duyen: she was far too forgiving, even to people who didn't deserve it.
"She must be thrilled right now…" Shana muttered under her breath. "Gloating because she tricked my precious Duyen, is that it? And what exactly are you so proud of, you pitiful woman?"
The messages revealed Mina complaining that her husband, Valko, was cheating on her. Shana let out a low, unimpressed "Oh." Not surprising at all.
She shut the phone, setting it back quietly on the nightstand. Then she stripped off her lace dress until her bare, alluring body was free of every stitch of fabric. Sliding under the thick velvet blanket, she nestled close to Duyen, pressing her thighs against the girl's in a slow, teasing rhythm. The room filled with soft, wet, moaning sounds only the walls would ever hear.
---
The next afternoon, still at the same hotel, Duyen was in the dressing room, slipping into the custom-tailored suit ordered earlier that week.
It was a high-neck, luxury black suit with a sleek, form-fitting cut, sharp shoulders, and a tapered waistline that flattered her frame. The collar stood elegantly, paired with fine fabrics—cashmere, Italian velvet, satin sheen—that radiated understated opulence. Metallic buttons and delicate threadwork glimmered faintly under the light. It wasn't just clothing; it was a statement. And it elevated Duyen's slender figure into something striking.
She clipped a silver barrette into her hair to finish the look. Even she had to pause and stare at her reflection. It felt like she was looking at someone else entirely.
Across the room, Shana, lounging on the sofa with a magazine, lowered it and smirked proudly.
"Well, well. Who's this handsome gentleman?"
Duyen flushed. She couldn't tell if Shana was teasing or complimenting her.
"It feels… weird."
Shana arched a brow, stood up, and slipped her arms around Duyen from behind.
"Weird how, baby? Not satisfied? We've still got a few hours. I could always take you shopping for something else."
Duyen shook her head quickly. "No, that's not what I meant."
A sly grin curled on Shana's lips as she leaned closer, hot breath brushing Duyen's ear.
"Or maybe… you'd rather wear that dress instead."
Duyen jumped, ears burning red, body turning soft in Shana's hold. She tried to wriggle free, but Shana only laughed louder, tightening her grip.
Sure, Duyen admitted, the suit was exquisite and powerful. It gave her an aura she never thought she could carry. But the mirror still unsettled her. Something inside whispered that the reflection wasn't truly her.
Maybe it was because she couldn't shake the memory of her heavier self from four years ago. Even if it belonged to the past, it was still part of her. And maybe—just maybe—it would take her more time to accept the person in the mirror.
She sighed. Relief? Guilt? She didn't even know what she was supposed to feel, not while Nayeon was still missing.
But there was something she wanted to see for herself at this party.
Sensing the tension, Shana threaded her fingers through Duyen's gently, as if lending her strength. Startled, Duyen turned—and their lips brushed by accident. Or was it on purpose?
Shana only winked playfully.
"Don't you dare flirt with any other woman at that party, got it?"
Duyen's face turned crimson. "I'm not going there to flirt with anyone."
Shana shrugged. "Of course, of course. Just don't forget that little 'auto shut-down' switch of yours. Better watch out."
Duyen chuckled, recalling the last time she fainted—after Mina's unexpected kiss. The thought made her uneasy. Would Mina dare try it again? Probably not, not with Valko present.
Still, why had Mina kissed her in the first place?
---
Later, the two of them descended into the hotel lobby. Shana was ready to summon her Mercedes to take Duyen to the Yelsulin alumni banquet. But before her car even arrived, another did.
A gleaming red Maserati MC20 pulled up front, top down, revealing the woman inside.
Mina.
Her hair was softly curled at the ends, and under the glow of the hotel's neon purple-blue lights, she looked like she had stepped out of a dream. She wore a short, form-fitting black dress with a plunging V-neck, baring her delicate shoulders and petite chest, braless, with the faintest lovely nubs outline showing beneath. Her pale skin glowed against the night, her fur coat slipping off her shoulders in a calculated gesture of casual allure.
The sight stole Duyen's breath away. Mina was dazzling. Shana, on the other hand, rolled her eyes.
How the hell did she know Duyen was staying here? And that outfit—matching black with Duyen's suit? Coincidence? Hardly. She'd revealed her hand without meaning to. Unfortunately, Duyen was too naive to see it.
Mina's heels clicked as she approached, her smile warm and intoxicating.
"Duyen. I came to pick you up."
"Uh, I—Hi Mina…" Duyen stammered, her cheeks burning.
But wait. How did Mina even know which hotel she was at?
Before Duyen could ask, Mina was already brushing her fingers along her arm, gazing at her with tender, almost worshipful eyes.
"This outfit… it's perfect on you. No—it's only perfect because you're the one wearing it."
"Th-thanks?" Duyen muttered, unsure. Mina had never complimented her like this before. It felt over the top, unsettling even.
Beneath Mina's tenderness was something darker, twisting, suffocating. She called it : "care."
"Ahem."
Shana's deliberate cough cut through the moment. Mina shot her a sharp side-eye, but Shana only smiled slyly.
"Well, isn't this convenient? Driving up to this hotel by pure coincidence, right when Duyen happens to be here?"
Mina's smile didn't waver, but her silence was its own warning.
Keep your mouth shut, bitch.
Shana smirked inwardly, resting a hand on Duyen's shoulder. Her fingers traced the curve slowly.
"Actually, this works out. With Miss Mina here to escort Duyen, I feel… reassured. Such a shame I can't join you both—I've got matters at the company that still need my attention."
Mina's eyes flickered in faint surprise, then narrowed. For a moment, she almost looked triumphant. Of course Shana couldn't attend; the event was for alumni only. But Duyen's heart clenched. She didn't want to go alone. And though Mina was right beside her, something about it felt wrong.
Mina only tightened her grip on Duyen's hand.
"Yes, I'm sure Miss Chairwoman has plenty of pressing duties. We won't keep you. Duyen, let's go."
She looped her arm through Duyen's, tugging her insistently toward the car.
"W-wait—!"
Duyen tried to look back at Shana, but Mina's teeth ground together, her hold tightening as she pulled her faster.
The next thing Duyen knew, Mina had buckled her seatbelt before she could even speak. Mina slid into the driver's seat, one hand casually grazing Duyen's thigh, her smile gentle—yet shadowed with possession.
Duyen felt like a fly tangled in spider silk. She glanced back through the window, guilt twisting her chest.
"See you la—"
But before she could finish, the Maserati roared off, leaving Shana glaring after it.
"Well, well. That little brat. Looks like she's not even trying to hide her true self anymore," Shana muttered, hands on her hips.
From about twenty meters away, the dark outline of an old black Toyota loomed into view.
Shana chuckled under her breath.
"Finally. Took you long enough to show up…"