While they were on the phone, Dylan suddenly noticed Dao going unusually quiet. Not sure what had happened, he called out to her.
"Uh, Dao? Peach-chan? You okay?"
"Huh—ah…" Dao seemed to snap out of her trance and her wandering thoughts.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just… thinking about something. I'm a bit worried about my friend, that's all."
Dylan hummed, intrigued.
"Oh, you mean Kamakiri Mina from the SCJ Corporation? I've heard she's been blowing up lately—people found out she's gorgeous, right? But fame always comes with scandal. Sounds like SCJ's caught up in some huge controversy. The news and TV have been covering them for weeks."
Dao nodded bitterly.
"Yeah. I don't know if it's bad luck or karma catching up to them… I just know she's been going through a lot, and she must be trying to handle that mess herself. It's just—lately, I haven't been able to reach her at all. Sorry, I think too much sometimes. Don't mind me."
"It's fine," Dylan said, though he could still sense the quiet sadness and worry in her tone.
They weren't particularly close—only having worked together in a few photo shoots and fashion shows—but Dylan knew Dao's personality well enough. She was easygoing, lively, never the type to sound anxious or unsure. Hearing her like this didn't sound like her at all.
"Forgive me if I'm prying," he said carefully.
"I don't know what's going on between you two, but… if you were that close as friends, she shouldn't have gone completely silent like this. Sounds more like she's trying to hide from something. I read the papers this morning, and honestly, I was shocked. I didn't expect she'd be married to such a scumbag."
Dao blinked in surprise at his concern, then chuckled softly.
"Calling him a scumbag is putting it lightly. Mina's my best friend—there was never anything she didn't tell me… at least, not until now."
Her tone grew somber.
"She suffered a lot because of him. That marriage with Valko… it was arranged by their families. She never really had a choice."
"What? Seriously?" Dylan's eyes widened. "Damn, I didn't think arranged marriages still existed in 2036. But I guess for one of the richest old-money families in Asia, it kinda makes sense."
Dao nodded.
"Yeah. It's a long story. But maybe it's for the best that his affair got exposed. Now everyone knows what kind of man he is. Maybe Mina finally has a reason to… leave him?"
Her voice suddenly faltered. Something flashed through her mind—an uneasy intuition that made her chest tighten.
What was that feeling? Why did it feel so wrong?
She remembered that Mina and Valko's marriage had been a closely guarded secret—known only to their families and close friends. It wasn't until the recent SCJ food poisoning scandal that their marriage had been forced into the spotlight.
…And then Valko's affair was exposed almost at the same time.
With the Kamakiri family's influence, there's no way something like that could've leaked by accident.
Could it all really be just coincidence? No way.
Dao shook her head, a cold sweat running down her neck. The thought that flickered in her mind scared even her. There's no way Mina could've been the one orchestrating this… right? That would be insane.
Dylan's voice snapped her out of it.
"Dao? What's wrong? You're lost in thought again."
"Huh?" Dao blinked, startled, then rubbed her temple.
"Oh—yeah. Just thinking too much."
"About your friend Mina again, huh?"
"…Yeah."
Dao's voice softened. No matter how she tried to sound fine, her heart was heavy with worry. Dylan could hear it too.
"I think you should talk to her directly," he said. "From what you've said, she sounds like the kind of person who keeps everything bottled up. But if you've been through thick and thin together, silence like that isn't right. Maybe try meeting her in person?"
Dao let out a dry laugh and shook her head.
"How could I? She won't even pick up my calls…"
Her voice trailed off as her thoughts deepened.
If her suspicions were right—or even if they weren't—she couldn't shake the feeling that Mina was in trouble. In the high-society underworld, anything could happen.
Maybe Dylan was right. She couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Even if Mina refused to talk, Dao had to find out the truth.
"…You're right," she said finally. "I should look into it."
Dylan chuckled, relieved to hear the determination in her tone.
"That's the Peach-chan I know. That's what friends do—you don't give up on each other."
Dao laughed too, though she decided it was time to change the topic before it got too heavy.
"What about your little sister? I heard you came to Starfall City to find her. Did you ever track her down?"
Dylan looked a bit startled by the question. His expression dimmed for a second before he gave a halfhearted smile.
"…Yeah, I found her about two months ago. She seems… fine. Not like I feared. But she's changed a lot—dyed her natural blonde hair black, lost a lot of weight. She said she met a man she loves… and that she's pregnant with his child."
"What!?" Dao exclaimed.
"She's pregnant? Wait—so she ran away, shacked up with some stranger, and got pregnant? Do you even know who the guy is? Is he Vietnamese or something?"
But Dylan only shook his head helplessly.
"I don't. She just said he's a wealthy businessman—too busy to register their marriage yet. The whole thing sounded off to me. But no matter what I said, she wouldn't listen… so I had to let her make her own choices."
Dao frowned, clearly upset on his behalf.
"There's no way he's that busy he can't even sign a marriage form! What if your sister's seeing a married man? Oh—shoot, I didn't mean it like that! Sorry!"
Dylan didn't seem offended. He just gave a weary smile.
"You're not wrong to think that. Honestly, I've had the same suspicion. But no matter how I asked, she wouldn't tell me. It's like… she already knows the truth, and just chose not to care. No regrets at all. At this point, no matter how much I worry, there's nothing I can do."
Dao could hear the helplessness in his voice. Dylan truly loved his sister—he'd crossed half of Asia just to find her. And this was how it ended. How could it not hurt?
Dao whispered softly, almost to herself.
"That poor, foolish girl in love… I just hope she's okay now. Especially if she's still keeping that child…"
---
In a luxurious mansion on the outskirts of Starfall City at night, armed guards stood watch both inside and outside, their presence covering every inch of the estate.
Inside one of the bedrooms—Nayeon's room—the girl lay fast asleep under a thick, warm blanket. Suddenly, her door creaked open ever so slightly.
A sliver of light from the hallway spilled in, outlining the shadow of a tall, unnervingly slender woman. Her long white hair shimmered faintly in the dark, and her pale eyes glowed with an unnatural brightness. As she stepped closer, her elegant face became clear—it was Jou Liu Yu.
Yu stared at the sleeping Nayeon for a long moment, her expression unreadable. It was as if she wanted to make absolutely sure of something. Once she was certain Nayeon was truly asleep, Yu quietly moved deeper into the room.
She stopped by the bedside. Her tall frame cast a shadow that seemed to swallow Nayeon whole. The girl's gentle breathing continued, unaware of the silent figure looming over her. Yu's face remained emotionless, but there was a faint glimmer of fascination in her gaze.
Then, slowly, almost tenderly, Yu reached down. Her long, pale fingers grasped the blanket near Nayeon's chest and lifted it just enough to reveal the girl's thin nightgown—loose at the neckline, exposing the delicate curve of her chest, with no bra.
Nayeon's breathing was calm, her small chest rising and falling rhythmically under the soft fabric. The motion made Yu pause for a moment, her eyes flickering with something—an emotion she couldn't quite name.
"Hmmm…"
Yu exhaled softly, her breath catching in her throat. But her intent had nothing to do with Nayeon's body. Her real target was the pendant hanging from the girl's neck.
It was a small metal locket, finely engraved with Nayeon's name. Yu knew there was a tiny mirror hidden inside. The pendant suddenly gave off a faint glow, as if to confirm her suspicion.
Yu reached out cautiously. The moment her fingertips brushed against the metal, a jolt of energy shot through her hand like an electric shock. She flinched and drew back, frowning—a rare crack in her calm.
"That's impossible…" she murmured.
"Has it really recognized Kim Nayeon as its true master?"
She had tried countless times before, but the pendant always rejected her. It seemed that now, Nayeon and the pendant had become one—bound in a way Yu could no longer break.
Even so, Yu couldn't just let her go. Not yet.
Quietly, Yu buttoned Nayeon's nightgown back up and pulled the blanket over her again. Before leaving, she glanced at Nayeon one last time, something unspoken lingering in her eyes. Then she slipped out of the room and closed the door.
Darkness returned.
Moments later, Nayeon's eyes snapped open. She sat up, staring toward the door, her heart pounding in her chest. Her fingers clutched the pendant tightly.
"So that's what you were after…" she whispered, trembling.
She had seen Yu's secret room—the strange hidden chamber filled with photographs of her, and eerie paintings of nine-tailed fox spirits. None of it could be a coincidence. Somehow, it had to be connected to Shana.
If Yu was after the pendant, then it must have something to do with Shana—though whether that was good or bad, Nayeon didn't know. Her instincts screamed that she must never hand it over, no matter what.
But staying trapped here wasn't an option either. Who knew what Yu would do if Nayeon kept resisting?
She clenched her fists, breath unsteady.
How could she possibly escape this place?
---
A few days after Valko's affair scandal broke out, SCJ Corporation had practically frozen. The company hit rock bottom for several days straight. Then, out of nowhere, the media reported that Haruna Kamakiri had been reinstated as CEO of SCJ. But it wasn't to defy public opinion—it was a desperate move to stabilize the emotional aftermath among the victims.
That morning, a public press conference was held and livestreamed. Haruna stepped onto the stage in a white suit. Following her was Mina, dressed in an elegant black dress, along with several assistants and corporate attorneys who acted as SCJ's spokespersons. Naturally, Valko, the center of the affair scandal, was nowhere to be found.
It was a cruel sight—two sisters, Mina and Haruna, standing side by side again after that affair had torn everything apart.
Facing dozens of cameras and flashing lights, Haruna felt humiliated to the bone.
Most of the reporters' questions weren't even about the food contamination scandal—they were about the leaked beach intimate photos of her and Valko.
No matter how hard the SCJ representatives tried to steer the topic away, the questions grew filthier, more invasive.
That's the truth about the press: a swarm of greedy parasites who only wanted to dig deeper under women's clothes, not to ask about the 163 hospitalized victims who actually mattered.
But no matter how disgraceful it was, Haruna had no choice. She had to be there. Part of this mess was her fault.
Still, she cursed Mina under her breath, grinding her teeth, forcing herself to bow before the cameras.
"I—Haruna Kamakiri, CEO of SCJ Corporation—would like to bow my head and apologize to all the victims and their families for my failure in the product inspection process. I…"
She clenched her jaw hard, then forced out the next words.
"I… hereby resign from my position as CEO of SCJ Corporation. From now on, I, Haruna Kamakiri, will no longer be involved in any decision-making or corporate affairs of SCJ."
The moment she said that, the press room exploded like a beehive kicked open. Reporters surged forward, their cameras flashing like machine guns.
"Ms. Haruna! Are you saying you had no responsibility in the tainted pork imports!?"
"Ms. Haruna, please answer! Was Mr. Valko involved? Did you two collude together!?"
"MS. HARUNA! How long exactly did your affair with Valko last!?"
The barrage of questions was deafening, almost violent. Some even tried to leap past the barricades, their aggression making Haruna feel like she was about to be physically attacked—if only in her imagination. Panic clawed at her chest.
That was when Mina stepped forward, grabbed the microphone, and stood protectively in front of her sister. Her voice was calm—eerily calm. Smooth, professional, and perfectly measured.
"We have already addressed every question regarding the matter in this press conference. As for the ongoing investigation, SCJ has been cooperating fully with the authorities, and the final conclusion will be made public soon. Please wait for official statements from the police. Regarding any unrelated or inappropriate personal questions, we will not be answering. This conference is now concluded."
And with that, Mina and her team escorted Haruna off the stage, leaving behind a room descending into chaos.
It took a lot of effort just to reach the car and drive away. Even traffic was a nightmare due to the protesters blocking the road.
They had to reroute, and by then Haruna had lost all composure. She slammed her fists into the front seat, screaming,
"ARRRGHH! DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL! THOSE PUS-HEADED SCUM!"
Beside her, Mina remained as composed as ever—expressionless, cold, her MacBook resting on her lap as her fingers continued to type.
Her tone was detached, mechanical.
"You'll have to visit the hospital this afternoon. Apologize to each patient in person, offer compensation, and deliver the scholarship funds. Once that's done, you can rest."
Haruna glared at her. That smug, emotionless attitude made her sick. But yelling or breaking things inside the car wouldn't change anything. She half-opened the car door as if to jump out and end it all.
Her voice trembled with fury.
"So, are you happy now? Is this what you wanted? I've fallen this far—does it satisfy you? The CEO's seat is yours now. You must be so damn pleased, huh?"
Mina's fingers froze on the keyboard. She slowly closed her MacBook and turned to look at Haruna—her face still cold, unblinking.
"That's funny," Mina said quietly. "You're the one angry and miserable, but shouldn't I be the one feeling that way? What do you expect me to do, Haruna? Should I scream at you? Slap you across the face? Or should we just stop the car right here and pull each other's hair out?"
Her blunt, icy words made Haruna go silent.
She wanted to curse again, but the words just wouldn't come. Only a few muttered sounds escaped her lips.
Mina watched her sister closely. She knew exactly how much Haruna despised her.
And yet, she asked softly—a question she hadn't planned to ask.
"Don't you… worry about Valko at all?"
The moment the name left Mina's mouth, Haruna snapped.
"Him!? That damn peasant!? Why the hell should I care about him!? He deserves to die! A pathetic man who grovels to women, can't even take responsibility for his mess, that bastard can rot in hell! You keep him as your husband if you want—I don't give a damn!"
Mina blinked, slightly stunned by her sister's venom. How ridiculous, she thought. Not long ago, Haruna and Valko were naked together in some hotel room, whispering sweet nothings behind her back—and now, just like that, it all meant nothing.
Mina had to admit, a part of her felt… disappointed.