Jiho’s breath wavered explosively. Staring fiercely at the red traffic light overhead, he continued to breathe heavily, his entire body seething with unfamiliar, boiling emotions.
Hiding in a dark bathroom to avoid someone was a first for him.
With his vision blocked, his other senses heightened. Jiho concentrated on the conversation outside.
Oh Jong-hyuk, still with a foul mouth, continued his threatening demands for money.
The gratitude he felt for having a job that allowed him to punish criminals was immense. Regardless of his relationship with Rajin, Jiho was determined to unravel Oh Jong-hyuk’s suspicious activities.
What if he had known Rajin earlier? Could he have improved her situation?
Feeling ridiculous for pitying her yet unable to help, and for needlessly making her cry under the guise of comfort. He was utterly pathetic.
“Hah.”
Jiho lowered his left hand, which was gripping the steering wheel, to smooth his collar. The image of Rajin clutching his shirt, trembling, flashed in his mind, igniting a fire.
“That trash is going on a trip tomorrow? Suddenly needs a large sum of money?”
The ‘urgent need’ probably referred to Oh Jong-hyuk’s inability to let go of his lowly habits. And what about LA and the Bahamas?
The Bahamas, a commonly used tax haven.
What business could a talent agency CEO have there? Jiho pondered various possibilities since the mention of the Bahamas. Perhaps dealing with the funds of a company that Myungjin Group had already closed down.
The sudden raid on Myungjin.
With the special investigation breathing down Myungjin’s neck, they would be a significant threat.
In that case, wouldn’t Myungjin need someone beyond suspicion? Not an employee with Myungjin’s badge but someone utterly unsuspecting.
Oh Jong-hyuk, with a history of loyalty across generations, was perhaps the perfect errand runner.
And Kim Yu Jun holding the purse strings of the agency as well.
‘Is that why Kim Yu Jun turns a blind eye to Oh Jong-hyuk’s gambling?’
Borrowing money locally and repaying it into a domestic account was a typical money laundering tactic. Oh Jong-hyuk already had a history of being punished for the same charge.
Jiho’s mind worked rapidly.
What if he used Oh Jong-hyuk’s method against him? By getting Rajin’s account number and freezing the entire account for a plausible reason? A creditor, duped into lending a large amount and then stuck with the account, would surely trip up Oh Jong-hyuk.
‘Using Oh Jong-hyuk, I could even snag Kim Yu Jun.’
Moreover, it would provide a reason to raid the agency’s office, and the proud president’s trip could be a good opportunity for Jiho, given proper preparation.
Driving on the quiet road, Jiho started planning how to deal with Oh Jong-hyuk.
As he began to see a clear outline, he felt slightly relieved from the guilt of not being able to help her before. However, it was only momentary, as Rajin was going to Myungjin’s main house.
“She’ll do well. She has to.”
Jiho reassured himself, almost like a mantra.
The Rajin he had observed so far was adept at handling situations and wouldn’t return empty-handed.
Without being told what to do, she always delivered more. She would probably be all ears at Myungjin’s main house, not missing a thing. In fact, restraining the enthusiastic Rajin was a priority.
“Let’s go to the office first.”
Setting his destination, Jiho made a call via Bluetooth.
In the car, where only brief responses from the other side were heard, Jiho didn’t say much.
“I’m returning to the office.”
[We’ll leave immediately.]Ending the call simultaneously without further explanations, Jiho sped up.
A timeline formed methodically in his mind.
The streetlights whizzing by, Rajin’s image becoming clearer in his thoughts.
“That trash, calling someone else disrespectful.”
If Oh Jong-hyuk had uttered one more insult to Rajin, Jiho might have lost his patience and stormed out.
He sped into the company parking lot, fuming with curses at Oh Jong-hyuk, and immediately headed to the office.
Passing the brightly lit office, Jiho stopped in front of a brown door.
Knock, knock.
The door opened promptly in contrast to the soft knocking.
Ho Jin, who had been buried in his desk, looked up.
“Ho Jin, bring the documents on Myungjin’s foreign investments to my office.”
“Why not go home with a fluttering heart after meeting our goddess? Why are you back here?”
Ho Jin grumbled openly while gathering the documents.
“Can’t stand it anymore. Need to expedite taking out the trash.”
“Weren’t you going to check schedules before summoning Kim Yu Jun?”
Ho Jin, assuming Kim Yu Jun was the target, remarked as he set the documents on the cart.
“No, not Kim Yu Jun, Oh Jong-hyuk.”
“I passed that case to another department. What happened?”
“He was verbally abusive to Rajin, then demanded 2 billion won.”
Ho Jin’s eyes hardened as he slammed down a thick file.
“Is he insane? So, what now?”
“She cried, that woman.”
“The only thing he’s fit for is unemployment, making our goddess cry! Seriously.”
Knowing the company’s situation, Ho Jin rolled up his sleeves.
“Let’s dig into his criminal activities while he’s away in the U.S. and Bahamas.”
“And if we find something?”
“Arrest him at the airport!”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
