TCE 01

Chapter 01

Clang!

“What the hell is this supposed to mean!”

A shard that had scattered in all directions grazed my cheek.

The sting was unpleasant, but without showing it, I looked up at my fuming father.

“No matter how I think about it, I just can’t understand. You couldn’t even tie down that useless man and let things turn out like this?”

I knew his anger would eventually land on me.

I stared at the broken German teacup on the floor, covering my face with both hands.

“What should I do, Dad? This is so unfair… I’m so upset. I really thought I was going to get married…”

At my trembling shoulders, my father—Go Kyung-cheol, president of Haseong Apparel—hesitated briefly.

He must have realized that, no matter what, his daughter was also a victim in all this.

“What are you crying for! Is being dumped something to be proud of? And to some worthless little tramp, no less!”

Of course, he was still not the type of person to offer his daughter even a shred of comfort or sympathy.

I peeked through my fingers and quietly clicked my tongue.

Not a single tear is coming out… Should I stab my thigh or something?

Just in case, I pinched my opposite calf with my toes under the table.

Damn, that just hurts.

She’d never been the type to cry easily, so this little act was torture for her.

“Just thinking about people gossiping about this makes me want to wake up in the middle of the night screaming. My own daughter, Go Woo-ri, dumped because she couldn’t even handle that half-wit fiancé!”

Yes.

It had been a month since I learned that my fiancé, Ha Yoon-jae, had another woman.

That month passed helplessly, and now, he and his mistress had announced their marriage—scheduled for today.

“That damn half-wit, how dare he… how dare…”

A man who’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted in life, my father was far more enraged at the blemish this put on his reputation than at my broken engagement itself.

But his poor daughter was about to rattle him even more.

“So I’m just supposed to live the rest of my life being looked down on and mocked by people? Me? Go Woo-ri? I can’t live like that. I won’t! I can’t even go outside. I can’t do anything! What am I supposed to do!”

“Shut up! You’re not even half as good as your brother!”

Go Woo-ri. Age twenty-eight.

Educated well, and again, and again—sharp enough to help lead the company’s growth.

He’d once bragged that my brains were just like his, but now he was tossing me away like an old rag. Not that that was the important part now.

“For now, go abroad for a while.”

That was the important part.

Gotcha.

I lit up inside but quickly changed my expression and looked up.

“A–abroad?”

“That wedding is today, so you’re leaving today. I don’t care where—find the earliest flight out. Call Secretary Kim as soon as you land.”

“H-how long will I be gone? A week? A month?”

“Are you stupid? You think it’ll blow over that fast? Just stay put until I call you back. Don’t even think about working in the meantime!”

Exactly what I wanted.

I barely stopped my lips from curling into a smile as I got to my feet.

“Get out now!”

Right until the very last moment, this cold and loveless man stayed the same.

Click.

Leaving my father’s anger vault—no, his study—I was greeted by my stepmother.

“What a shame. All your careful preparations down the drain, huh?”

She must have been listening from the hallway, arms crossed, gaze sharp.

I tilted my head slightly, and she began circling me like a vulture.

“You shouldn’t have held your nose so high waiting for him to come to you. Do you know who Ha Yoon-jae is? He’s the heir to the Yeongdo Group. You can’t just try to leash a man like that with your pride. A woman should—”

“You prepared something good for me, right?”

She stopped mid-sentence. Her round eyes lowered.

“What are you talking about?”

“The wedding gift. The one you got ready even before the matchmaking meeting.”

“…What about it?”

“Give it to me.”

“What?”

“It’s mine anyway. You have great taste, after all. It’d be a waste to just let it sit there.”

Shrugging, I flashed her a bright smile.

“I’ll wait.”

Of course, I didn’t plan to wait long.

As soon as I landed in New York, I’d hound her relentlessly.

Heading straight outside, I called my secretary.

—Yes, miss.

Crossing the wide garden, I quickly reached the parking lot.

“I’m leaving right now.”

—Understood. I’ll wrap things up here and catch the next flight out.

“Alright. See you there.”

After ending the call, I climbed into the driver’s seat.

The red sports car was my prized possession among all the cars I owned.

In the rearview mirror, I spotted the bag I’d packed earlier.

“The only thing poor, dumped Go Woo-ri has left is time and money.”

Muttering like someone mocking themselves, I smirked and started the engine.

I’ll grow old beautifully in paradise.

That was my firm resolve.

But moments later, the car was filled with the sound of a ringing phone.

Rrrring. Rrrring.

The number flashing on the dashboard was unfamiliar, unregistered. I frowned and took the call.

“This is Go Woo-ri.”

At my clear voice, the caller spoke.

—You sound brighter than I expected.

“Who is this?”

—Ah, you didn’t even save my number?

The relaxed tone instantly gave away who it was. My face twisted.

“Ha Yoon-jae.”

The last person I expected to call.

Today—four hours before marrying another woman—my ex-fiancé had decided to make his first contact.

I pressed harder on the gas.

“We’re at the point where even deleting each other’s numbers wouldn’t be enough, aren’t we?”

—Well, I figured we’re the kind of people who’d remember anyway.

In the worst possible way.

His absurd remark made me feel disgusted toward a man I’d barely even seen face-to-face.

“What do you want? Don’t tell me you’re calling because you regret today and want to swap brides.”

I kept my voice as biting as possible. He chuckled dryly, then spoke slowly.

—I can’t shake the feeling that I’m the one being played here.

“Why? Afraid I’ll do something? Too bad for you—that’s your problem, not mine—”

—Exactly.

He cut me off, his voice now heavier.

—If you’re the kind of person who’d pull something, why haven’t you done anything?

My chest twinged. I gripped the wheel tighter and scoffed.

“You’re saying I’m wrong for not doing anything?”

—Time doesn’t matter when you want to act. I thought you were someone who’d do whatever you wanted.

This cunning bastard. I glared at the invisible man on the other end.

“What’s your point?”

I didn’t want to waste any more words on him.

Apparently, he felt the same.

—You’re doing well.

“…What?”

—Keep doing nothing and stay quiet. If anything happens to that person, you…

My grip on the wheel tightened further.

With a faint hiss of air, he finished:

—Life might get a little more interesting.

Click.

That elegant threat snapped my frayed nerves.

The light changed, and I stepped on the gas.

“I feel sorry for the woman marrying you, but congratulations. On your wedding. You bastard who deserves to be buried in concrete.”

Without listening for a reply, I hung up and slammed my palm on the wheel.

“What on earth does she see in a guy like that?”

Maybe… he was warm to the woman he loved?

“Ugh, no way. Gross. I hate it.”

Just imagining it twisted my face in disgust. I frowned, picturing that pale, bony woman with thick glasses.

Love?

The word was so foreign it felt like a puff of empty air.

What is it like to be loved?

No—what even is love?

Was it love when my father remarried his mistress right after my mother died? When my stepmother puffed herself up with my father’s and brother’s power?

A laugh full of scorn escaped.

“They can keep it.”

Unfortunately, there was no love for me.

“Passengers for Korea Air Flight 13:55 to Honolulu, please proceed to Gate 2…”

At the announcement, I checked the ticket in my hand.

It was my flight. I rose leisurely from the VIP lounge and looked around the airport beyond my sunglasses.

It might be the last time I’d see Korea.

“Hm.”

Not that I’d miss it much.

Maybe the car, though.

I’d probably think about the red sports car sitting in the airport parking lot waiting for its owner.

With a casual farewell, I entered the gate. That’s when I realized my vision was too dark.

Ah—sunglasses.

I shrugged and slipped them off, tossing them into my large bag.

Clink.

A sound that shouldn’t have been there made me pause and open the bag.

“What the…”

Resting against my sunglasses was a ring I’d never seen before.

A platinum ring set with a carat diamond.

“No way…”

Holding it up, I quickly remembered where I’d seen it—on the finger of that woman clutching her belly. The one thing I’d done to be as provocative and malicious as possible.

It ended up here?

When I’d thrown it aside, it must have bounced off the wall and fallen into my bag.

Now I understood why Ha Yoon-jae had called. Stealing a wedding ring? That’s a pretty top-tier act of malice.

“Well, serves the bastard right.”

Masking my surprise with a smile, I tossed and caught the ring like a toy as I boarded the plane.

“…?”

Thunk.

Something snagged at my ankle. A strange hesitation rose just one step before boarding.

After a brief pause, I rolled my shoulders and moved to my seat.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move.

It felt like a rope was tightening around my neck, dragging me helplessly into the depths.

“Ah… ahh—ugh.”

My eyes rolled back, and spit dribbled from my lips, but he didn’t loosen his grip.

Demon-red eyes bared monstrous fangs.

“You damn bitch, you think you can play with me?”

“Aah! S-someone help! Kyaah!”

Right then and there, one person’s world came to an end.

“On the Korea Air flight to Honolulu departing at 13:55 today… due to a mental illness… a passenger has died…”