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Chapter 4
At that moment, the sound of knocking snapped her back to her senses.
“Chief Joo.”
“Come in.”
When the door opened, a man she had never seen before entered. He immediately dismissed Hee-yeon.
“You may leave now. Do the cleaning in an hour.”
“Yes, then… I’ll…”
Hee-yeon turned around. As she walked toward the door, she could feel someone’s gaze burning into her back.
It felt like he was still watching her.
That man…
Come to think of it, she didn’t even know his name.
In a way, Hee-yeon had become both a hostage and, outwardly, someone with a different “job.”
‘A keeper…’
Seok-woo burst into laughter at Hee-yeon’s boldness. The guy who had dared to strike him from behind and run away was no ordinary bastard—but his younger sister had guts too.
Fearless—it must run in the family. Or perhaps the sister had even more nerve.
So Pil-mo hadn’t just run off with Chairman Cha’s mistress. The mistress had taken the chairman’s secret slush fund—gold bars—and a USB containing confidential files. The money was one thing, but if those secret files in Pil-mo’s possession were ever exposed, they’d all be as good as dead.
—“Chairman Cha Myung-hwan of JM Capital, Korea’s second-largest financial company, is under investigation for bribing public officials and suspected money laundering. Due to the risk of flight, he has been detained, but as evidence is insufficient…”
Chairman Cha Myung-hwan was being investigated on multiple charges, but he would soon be released.
Chief Joo continued his report.
“We’ve sealed everyone’s lips tight. Aside from a few people, no one knows the two ran off.”
Pil-mo’s escape with the chairman’s mistress was top secret. Chairman Cha had trusted Seok-woo enough to entrust him with both his woman and his villa. He trusted Seok-woo more than his own children. But if word reached him that Seok-woo had slipped up here, Seok-woo’s life wouldn’t be guaranteed.
No matter how many people stood behind him, he ultimately could not defy Chairman Cha.
“Good.”
“I trust our own men, but I’m worried about Director Cha. He’s returning next week…”
Director Cha was Cha Myung-hwan’s only son. A typical spoiled rich heir who did nothing but squander his life.
At least it had all happened after he’d left on an overseas trip with his new girlfriend.
“I’ll handle him.”
“Yes… But I’m uneasy. Wouldn’t it be better to lock her up in the villa? Especially with a child involved…”
“No.”
“….”
“She has to stay by my side to be a proper hostage.”
By now, Seok-woo’s investigation into Pil-mo was complete. The siblings had only each other in the world. Pil-mo was said to care deeply for his sister.
Though he had been such a troublemaker he hadn’t even graduated high school, he still sent her money every month. That showed just how much he cherished his only sibling.
If they kept her, Pil-mo would eventually make contact. A hostage was safest when kept under direct watch. Since Pil-mo’s life was on the line, she wouldn’t reveal that she was a hostage herself.
Seok-woo recalled the moment Pil-mo had been shot in the leg at the end.
“We’ve blocked the skies and the sea. There’s nowhere for him to run. He’ll definitely try to get help from that woman.”
From the airport to the ports used for smuggling, everything was already locked down. He would never be able to leave Korea.
“Once I set things right, I’ll kill him. With my own hands.”
When she returned to the room, Ye-rim had just woken up and was waiting for her.
“Our Ye-rim is awake.”
“Mom, where are we?”
Ye-rim’s eyes darted around curiously.
“This is where Mommy will work.”
“Mommy’s not selling tteokbokki?”
“Uh… no. For now, Auntie-Grandma will run the shop.”
“…What about my kindergarten?”
“Of course you’ll still go.”
If Ye-rim suddenly stopped attending, someone might report it immediately. He would surely let her attend—though it was farther away now. He must have calculated even that.
“For a second, I thought I was going to a different kindergarten.”
“No.”
“Okay!”
“Our Ye-rim must feel uncomfortable with the change in environment… I wonder…”
She was only five years old.
Watching Ye-rim, who was mature beyond her age, made Hee-yeon’s heart ache. At an age when she should be whining and clinging, she instead became her mother’s source of strength.
“No! I like it.”
“Huh?”
“Look over there. Mom, it’s so… so pretty.”
Though it was a basement, beyond the window was a stretch of grass. It seemed to connect to a garden, where unknown flowers were planted.
“Ah… I see. Our Ye-rim likes it. But Ye-rim, this isn’t our home. You mustn’t wander around.”
“I know! I’m already five.”
When Ye-rim proudly held up five fingers, Hee-yeon hugged her tightly. Holding her daughter close, she took a deep breath.
My Ye-rim.
Mom will definitely get you out of here.
Just a little longer.
Let’s endure a little more.
Just then, someone pounded hard on the door. Startled, Hee-yeon looked toward it.
“Ye-rim, read your book for a moment.”
“Okay, Mom!”
When Hee-yeon opened the door, several young women wearing identical outfits stood outside. All of them were glamorous beauties.
“Where were you sold from?”
“Excuse me?”
“Everyone here’s from bars. Paying off debts with their bodies.”
It seemed the women had come together out of curiosity about the newcomer. Shocked by what she heard—and worried Ye-rim might overhear—Hee-yeon stepped away from the doorway.
“Ah… well… I also had debts…”
She vaguely blamed debt. She’d been told not to reveal she was a hostage, so she had no choice.
“So you’re not from a bar? Figures. I said it before—someone who looks that clueless can’t handle customers.”
“Excuse me?”
“They said you brought a kid too. A single mom? Wow, they even accepted a kid?”
“Listen…”
They had clearly come to size her up.
“You’re lucky. You got assigned to serve CEO Kang. Some of us would kill for that.”
“CEO Kang?”
“Are you wearing makeup?”
“No.”
One woman suddenly rubbed Hee-yeon’s red lips as if to check. Disgusted, Hee-yeon slapped her hand away. The woman glared at her murderously.
“Don’t touch my face without permission. And don’t speak casually to someone you just met.”
“Wow, this is unbelievable…”
“Aren’t we all in the same situation? Are you trying to pull rank? Coming in a pack like this is pathetic.”
“You—!”
Since middle school, she had helped her aunt Young-sook with business, toughening up through all kinds of hardship. She wasn’t someone to be cowed by petty hazing like this. She would not tolerate being bullied.
One woman tried to lunge at her, but another stopped her.
“That’s enough. Don’t make a scene.”
“Unni!”
“Quiet. Do you want to get kicked out like Aeri?”
“N-no…”
Who was Aeri? They’d said the position of that man’s exclusive keeper was vacant. Had the previous one been kicked out?
As suddenly as they had come, the women retreated in a group. Sighing, Hee-yeon stepped toward the stairs leading upstairs—then felt a gaze.
She looked up.
A man was standing above, looking down at her.
It was him.
The man whose name she didn’t know. Was he the so-called CEO Kang?
The faint smirk on his lips seemed to mock her.
“I believe I ordered cleaning.”
“I was just about to do it.”
“Don’t forget the bathroom.”
“Yes.”
She trudged upstairs. Just as she was about to pass him, he spoke.
“Kang Seok-woo.”
“Yes?”
“My name. Kang Seok-woo.”
“Ah. I don’t need to know your name. I can just call you CEO.”
“You should at least know the name of the man holding your leash.”
Hee-yeon shot him a sharp glare.
The arrogance ingrained in him carried the aura of a dominant predator. She had been poor her whole life, but she had never abandoned her pride. “Leash”—as if she were a dog.
Humiliation burned inside her. But if she had to wear two faces to protect her family, she could endure it.
“Be careful. Even a dog on a leash can bite.”
His lips curved. Slowly, he leaned closer. Her heart dropped.
His approaching lips brushed her earlobe. As he moved them to whisper, her entire body tingled unpleasantly.
“Interesting.”
It felt as though all her nerves were drawn toward him. Uncomfortable, she stepped back quickly.
“And even if we stay here, please let Ye-rim keep going to kindergarten.”
He let out a scoff. “Do you even understand your situation?”
“Times have changed. If a child who always attends suddenly stops showing up, they even suspect parental abuse now.”
