Ji-Hyun's vulnerability was raw and unmistakable. She sat still, head bowed in quiet surrender, the dim light painting soft shadows across her delicate features. The silence at the table crackled with tension. As she nervously picked up her fork, her eyes flicked toward him—drawn, unwillingly, to the magnetic pull of his gaze.
"You'll come running to me soon enough," he murmured, his voice a low, husky purr that rippled down her spine. His smile was slow, devilish—a promise wrapped in sin, laced with the kind of danger that made it impossible to look away.
But then the phone rang.
The sharp sound shattered the spell between them. He rose, every movement fluid, controlled, and elegant. Ji-Hyun's gaze followed his retreating figure, her breath caught in her throat. For the briefest moment, she saw something behind the mask—fury, pain, a crack in his icy composure.
Left alone in the silence, Ji-Hyun's thoughts spiraled. What had he meant? What desires did he hide behind that polished smile? What had she just stepped into?
Her chair scraped softly against the floor as she stood, unsteady. She climbed the stairs, the soft carpet muffling her steps. Then she froze.
A voice—low and furious—echoed from the end of the hall.
She followed the sound, stopping in front of the final door, slightly ajar. She peered inside—and gasped.
A man, bloodied and bruised, slumped in a chair. Her husband stood over him, rage etched into every line of his body. The man said something—spiteful, sharp—and Ji-Hyun's eyes locked with his for a moment. In that single glance, she felt his pain, his terror.
Then the gunshot.
The body collapsed to the floor.
Ji-Hyun screamed. The sound tore from her throat as she stumbled back, crashing into a vase. Glass shattered around her feet.
"Get Ji-Hyun!" Min Soo barked.
She ran.
Out the front door. Into the cold night.
The wind slapped her face, but she didn't stop. Her bare feet pounded against the driveway. She made it to the street—hope blooming in her chest—when strong hands seized her from behind.
"No! Let me go!" she cried, thrashing wildly.
But the arms tightened. Her body was dragged back, her will no match for the strength of the men pulling her toward the house. The darkness of the estate loomed ahead once more.
Inside felt colder now. Cursed.
She trembled, unable to meet Min Soo's gaze. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her dress, the fabric soft—but alien. Nothing about this moment felt like it belonged to her.
"Don't be afraid," he said softly, stepping closer. "I won't hurt you."
She looked up—just for a second. His face, so devastatingly beautiful, was now terrifying.
"You killed him," she whispered. The words trembled out of her, laced with disbelief. "You… killed him!"
Min Soo's face remained unreadable. "Some men need to be punished," he said. "It's how others learn."
"No!" she sobbed, backing away. Her chest heaved. Her arms wrapped around herself as if to hold her soul inside. "You're a monster!"
He took a slow step forward, unshaken. The space between them pulsed with tension.
Then, without warning, he scooped her into his arms. She struggled at first—but his grip was firm, not cruel. Steady. He carried her through the house like she was something precious, not broken.
"Clean up the mess," he said coldly to his men.
Up the stairs. Down the hall. Her body trembled against his. Her sobs were quieter now—soft hiccups of heartbreak and confusion.
He pushed the bedroom door open with his foot, stepping inside. Gently, he laid her down on the bed. She turned away from him, her tear-streaked face pressed into the pillow.
"You weren't supposed to see that," he said quietly. He knelt beside her, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek. His fingers lingered, soft as a breath.
"Don't be scared, little bride," he added, his voice both a whisper and a warning. "I would never hurt you. But don't try to run again."
Each word landed like a chain around her heart—gentle in tone, but heavy in meaning.
She turned her face slowly toward him, eyes glassy with unshed tears. Her voice cracked.
"Who are you?"
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