IH 10

Chapter 10

He connected the phone.

O-What should I do?

He knew she had used that phone. There had definitely been no one in the room—so where had the call been intercepted?

“N-No. It’s fine. I can call later.”

Heeyeon brushed it off vaguely. At once, his gaze turned cold. He strode closer. Her throat tightened, making it hard to breathe.

“You think I’m a joke, don’t you? It was So Pilmo who called, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t.”
“He was shot. Lost a lot of blood. He probably went into shock. If that’s the case, there’s only one person he’d ask for help.”

He spoke with certainty. His strong jaw flexed, and it felt as if he might catch her in a lie at any moment.

Please.

Calm down.

There’s no proof.

Right—the phone was cloned. She could just say she didn’t want her private conversations overheard.

Struggling to steady her chaotic thoughts, Heeyeon finally spoke.

“Do I look like an idiot? He can be reckless, sure—but he wouldn’t come looking for me when he knows I’m being monitored. And I didn’t want to use a cloned phone when my private life is being exposed.”

“Lies.”

“Is that what you want to hear? Then watch.”

Heeyeon immediately called her aunt. To avoid suspicion, she deliberately used the regular landline.

“Aunt, it’s me. You did well. We’ve been running nonstop for ten years—this is a good chance to take a break.”

—Heeyeon?

“Yes, really. You’ve always wanted to travel. You worked so hard raising us. Take some time off and rest properly.”

—O-Okay. All right. You take care too.

Having run a business together for ten years, they were perfectly in sync. Without mentioning Pilmo, they exchanged pleasantries carefully and hung up.

She snapped her head around and glared at him.

“Is that enough?”

“……”

“You don’t have anything else to say, right? Then excuse me.”

She wanted to leave the room immediately. The tension that had been holding her upright threatened to collapse. Being in the same space as him was exhausting.

As she crossed the wide room, a hand suddenly seized her waist. She was yanked back against him.

Her limp body collided with his chest. She stiffened like a wooden board. Her breath caught in her lungs.

With his grip on her waist, her body pressed against his lower half.

There.

A twitch.

Beneath his clothing, something hidden throbbed. Heeyeon stopped breathing.

The air felt suffocating. She shrank inward as he bit down hard on his lip.

“No.”

“Let—let go. Where are you touching?”

His fingers brushed over her lips. It felt as though every compressed blood vessel burst at once. A wave of disgust surged through her.

He’d said she was only a keeper—but did he see her as someone to warm his bed at night? Did he suspect she was deceiving him? Was this his way of punishing her?

“You faltered.”

“What?”

“Your voice.”

“Haa… let go.”

She twisted to break free, but he tightened his hold and shoved her against the wall.

She slid back until she was trapped between the wall and his chest.

What should I do…

She had managed to stay composed in front of him all this time, but this kind of proximity was enough to shake her.

The scent emanating from him made her body tremble.

“……”

“Let go! I don’t want to deal with a sadist!”

She shouted.

“……Where did you hear that?”

“Ah… people were talking….”

“And who’s a sadist?”

“Well… you….”

“I wondered what misunderstanding you had. Don’t tell me—you thought the woman who ran off with your brother was my lover?”

“……What?”

Unmatched puzzle pieces scattered in her mind.

“No.”

“Th-Then whose lover…?”

“The Chairman’s.”

“W-Wait. The Ch-Chairman? Then my brother… the boss’s woman…?”

“That’s right.”

“……!!”

Heeyeon’s face drained of color. The lover of Chairman Cha Myunghwan. From what she had seen through phone searches, his hidden history was bound to be far more extravagant—and darker.

What do I do… My brother is really going to die.

“He committed a very dangerous act. Not only did he dare take the Chairman’s woman, he also stole company secrets.”

“……”

“So you’d better cooperate as much as possible. If even one of those items is damaged, I won’t be able to protect you.”

It was horrifying.

If it was discovered the item had been lost, it would be over instantly. The terrible ending she imagined would become reality.

At least Yerim has to escape…

If only Yerim could be sent somewhere safe.

What should I do?

She resented everything about this situation—even the man holding her hostage.

“Protect? That’s laughable.”

“You’re not just a hostage, are you? As you can see, I haven’t even touched a finger on you.”

“How can I believe that? I’ve heard what a dedicated keeper does….”

“Does?”

She didn’t want to say it out loud. Strangely, as time passed, her chaotic mind began to settle.

“N-Never mind. Anyway, if I get in touch with my brother, I’ll tell you right away. In return, guarantee my daughter’s safety—and mine.”

“I promise.”

Only then did he lower his arm. The moment an escape route opened, she ran back to her room without looking back.

Bang—

As soon as the door shut, she collapsed to the floor. Gradually, fear overtook her face.

After that, every landline in the house disappeared except the one in the living room. With too many eyes watching, she couldn’t call her aunt from there. Her line of communication was effectively cut off.

Fortunately, no message had come from her aunt—but that meant she had no way of knowing what was happening.

A phone.

She needed a phone that wasn’t cloned.

How… where could she get one?

Her mind was consumed with the need to contact her aunt.

Her complicated gaze drifted toward the mansion’s pool.

A man leisurely enjoying the afternoon in the water.

Though it was only early June, summer heat had arrived quickly, so he swam every day.

Like a massive seal, he cut roughly through the water, swimming back and forth. She counted to thirty before giving up.

Heeyeon stood beside the pool holding his robe, waiting for him to finish.

“Do you want to swim?”

“No.”

“You can come in.”

“I’ll pass.”

His unusually gentle tone made her stomach churn. It felt as though he were mocking her.

Even now, he swam leisurely as if none of this concerned him, glancing at her frequently.

Is he enjoying this situation?

He looked as though he’d discovered a new toy.

What should I do?

Oppa… will you find the item? If you do, can we all return to our places like nothing happened? Will our lives be safe?

She worried desperately about Pilmo—whether he had regained consciousness, whether his life was in danger.

“Ah—”

Suddenly, cold water splashed her. She looked up to see him floating in the pool, staring at her.

“No matter how much you think about it, there’s only one answer. So Pilmo. Find your brother quickly.”

“I want to find him too.”

“You have one month left. Before the Chairman is released.”

“……O-One month?”

“After the final trial, he’ll be out immediately. Bring back those items before then.”

“H-Hey. What power do I even have— Ah—!”

A long hand shot out and grabbed her collar. Splash—

She fell straight into the pool.

Thrown off balance, she flailed—but he caught her waist and steadied her.

Startled, she grabbed his shoulders. He was wearing only a triangular swimsuit, and the shape beneath it was unmistakable.

……!

This man is aroused.

Why.

Why is this happening?

Confusion washed over her. She didn’t know why he was aroused, but seeing the bed untouched for days made her wonder if he simply needed a woman.

No way.

Really?

A keeper… even at night?

“What are you imagining?”

“…Nothing.”

“Why? Are you turned on?”

She jumped in shock. The corner of his lips curled up—so sexy it threatened to steal her reason.

Her heart pounded wildly. Beneath the water, his lower body strained against the fabric as if it might tear through.

And then—

An irritating voice rang out.

“The guard dog’s having fun with a pretty girl.”