“Now that I hear it, you’re right.”

Yuri’s clear eyes sparkled as they turned towards Jeho.

“Jeho, you hurt me……”

For a moment, Jeho’s eyes narrowed as if he was tense.

Perhaps he was about to burst out with the suppressed truth, and I tensed up.

After staring at Jeho for a while, Yuri shook her head lightly with a faint smile on her lips.

“It’s okay. When you play with fire, you can get hurt and feel pain.”

“Playing with fire?”

“Yes, we’re playing with fire now, aren’t we? You haven’t forgotten our promise not to constrain each other, have you? That this relationship will end when Jeho returns to America.”

I don’t know what happened last night, but Yuri was once again cutting herself with her sharp tongue.

I wanted to tell her not to do that, to please tell me what was wrong, but now that she knew everything, I couldn’t do that anymore.

Jeho looked at Yuri with dry eyes, hiding his complicated feelings. Right now, he needed to go along with her tune.

“Of course I haven’t forgotten. We’re enjoying it so thrillingly.”

“I’m glad. That neither of us has changed.”

“But still……”

Taking one step closer, Jeho wrapped his arm around Yuri’s slender waist and pushed her against the wall. As if it was an unexpected action, she slightly frowned. However, she didn’t push him away or try to escape from his arms.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. Or feel pain.”

Jeho grasped Yuri’s chin and looked at her with languid eyes. As he lowered his head, his soft breath touched her lips like a tickle.

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Whispering softly as if to soothe her, he applied force to his fingertips to open Yuri’s mouth and covered it with his lips.

Haa.

Inhaling a hot breath, Yuri grasped Jeho’s shirt collar with both hands.

[This is the timeline separator]

“As expected.”

Director Kwon’s eyes flashed with interest as he scanned the photos handed over by Secretary Nam.

The photos captured Congressman Jung Tae Hyuk dropping off Yuri in front of Congressman Chae’s house.

Yuri bowed her head in greeting and immediately went inside the house, but Congressman Jung was unable to start his car and lingered in front of the house for quite a while, which was clearly captured in the photos.

There was definitely something going on.

Thanks to the high-performance lens that zoomed in, Congressman Jung’s expression was revealed as vividly as if he were right in front of them. It couldn’t possibly be an expression towards a political rival’s daughter. It was an expression that held a very deep story.

“Investigate Congressman Jung Tae Hyuk’s side as well. He’s likely to know Congressman Chae’s weaknesses best.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As Secretary Nam withdrew, Director Kwon once again stared intently at the photos.

This is getting interesting.

A sinister smile appeared on Director Kwon’s lips.

[This is the timeline separator]

Friday, the last working day of the week, had finally arrived.

Jeho, who had taken a day off, stayed at home instead of going to work. It was to prepare the guest room for Yuri to stay from this weekend. He could have hired someone, but Jeho wanted to decorate it with his own hands.

But before he could even start working properly, Woo Gyeol suddenly barged into the house.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

Woo Gyeol explained that it wasn’t something to be discussed over the phone and sat down on the sofa.

“Right now, Teacher Jin is on a mission in Europe. I can’t reveal the details, but he’s roughly chasing a drug supplier smuggling from Europe to Korea. Anyway, look at this photo first.”

Jeho expressionlessly looked at the tablet PC that Woo Gyeol handed over. A brutal photo that seemed to have captured a murder scene filled the screen.

“The news hasn’t been released yet. The woman was killed at the scene.”

In the photo, a blood-soaked man and woman were lying on the floor. Woo Gyeol pointed at the woman with his finger.

“The man is currently in a coma. It seems the murderer erased their traces and fled. The man in a coma is the drug supplier. The murdered woman is the drug supplier’s girlfriend.”

“So what?”

“At first, I thought it was a drug-related murder case, but……”

Woo Gyeol continued speaking while hurriedly opening an envelope. Inside were photos of Minwoo staying in Paris. The paparazzi hired by Woo Gyeol took photos every day without fail and sent them to Korea.

“Do you remember this woman?”

Woo Gyeol picked out one photo from many and handed it to Jeho. In the photo, the woman was embracing Minwoo in a dark alley.

“Well?”

“It’s the woman Minwoo picked up at a bar recently.”

Woo Gyeol paused for a moment and put down the tablet PC next to the photo.

“She’s the same woman who was murdered. The local police now consider Minwoo the most likely suspect.”

As Jeho frowned, Woo Gyeol met his gaze and slowly nodded.

“You probably felt it while looking at the photos. This woman’s beaten appearance is very similar to the women who have been abused by Minwoo so far.”

Woo Gyeol was right. Jeho’s face contorted in perplexity as he looked down at the photo. He knew that Minwoo wasn’t in his right mind, but he didn’t know he was crazy enough to commit murder.

“Cause of death?”

“They say airway obstruction occurred due to vomiting from the beating, leading to cardiac arrest. If emergency treatment had been given in time, she might have lived, but the perpetrator just left the scene.”

Jeho glared at the photo in front of him with an unbelieving face.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What the hell is all this about?”

Director Kwon, who had rushed home after hearing the news, approached Madam Na with a grim face. Usually, Madam Na would scold him for raising his voice, but today she said nothing.

Damn it!

Director Kwon inwardly cursed at his wife’s attitude. If Madam Na was like this, it meant that something really serious had happened.

Worried that someone might hear, Director Kwon looked around. Only then did Madam Na sigh and gesture for him to come closer.

“I sent everyone away. There’s only you and me in the house now.”

Still not feeling at ease, Madam Na spoke in a hushed voice.

“Where is that bastard now?”

“Fortunately, he’s left France. But most European countries have extradition treaties, so it’s not safe.”

“Extradition? So Minwoo really…”

“Be quiet, shush!”

Despite saying there was no one in the house, Madam Na covered her mouth with her finger, afraid someone might hear.

“It’s not Minwoo’s fault. That girl must have been in a drug-induced state. That’s why she went into cardiac arrest just because Minwoo hit her a little.”

“Get a grip, you!”

“Are you crazy? Are you saying it’s our Minwoo’s fault?”

Instead of answering, Director Kwon glared at Madam Na with bloodshot eyes. It wasn’t him who was crazy, but his shameless son and his wife who kept covering for him.

Committing murder!

He shuddered at the fact that his son had become a murderer. What was even more appalling was that neither Minwoo nor Madam Na seemed to take the situation seriously.

Apparently, right after the incident, Minwoo had called Madam Na and told her everything that had happened.

Including the story of how, just as he was trying to leave the dead woman’s house, a man who seemed to be the woman’s lover came in, so he had no choice but to strike the man’s head with a marble sculpture.

That idiot! What if someone had overheard the call!

“No one knows yet, right?”

“No one knows.”

Only then did Director Kwon loosen his tie and slump down on the sofa. He wanted to catch his breath for a moment as his head felt like it was about to burst. But Madam Na continued chattering.

“He hasn’t been named a suspect yet. That woman apparently had many men. Maybe the boyfriend who’s in a coma might take all the blame. So I was thinking…”

“Shut up!”

For a moment, Madam Na’s eyes widened.

“What did you just say?”

“I said shut up. Shut that trap of yours!”

It wasn’t a refined thing to say at all, but Madam Na couldn’t talk back.

After all, the only person who could solve this problem now was her husband. Though displeased, she decided to endure it for now.

Director Kwon let out a long sigh, covering his face with both hands as if exhausted.

Just then, the mobile phone left on the table started ringing. He ignored it, but when it kept ringing incessantly, Director Kwon snatched up the phone and shouted.

“What on earth is it?”

[Director, something terrible has happened! Manager Yoon, well…]

Director Kwon’s face suddenly contorted hideously as he silently listened to the other person.

“Hey, say that again. Who did you say got their hands on that?”

As if it never rains but it pours, an unexpected incident had occurred simultaneously.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ms. Yuri, aren’t you going home?”

A coworker approached Yuri on their way out and asked. It was burning Friday, and the office was in a festive mood as everyone seemed to have plans. Only Yuri was calmly focused on her work.

“I will. After I finish what I was doing.”

“Do you have any special plans for this weekend?”

It was probably just a passing question, but Yuri bit her lip and made a troubled expression. From tomorrow, the weekend, she was supposed to stay at Jeho’s house. It wasn’t the first time she had stayed at his house for a day or two, but this time was different.

“Then I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Have a good weekend.”

Left alone in the office after everyone had left, Yuri turned her head towards Jeho’s seat. Today, he had taken a day off and didn’t come to work.

I’ll see him tomorrow anyway… but she missed him even though she hadn’t seen him for just a day.

Huh, and I’m supposed to be getting revenge like this.

Yuri smiled bitterly and focused on her work again. But it didn’t last long before she put down the digital pen in her hand. Her mind was too complicated to continue.

It might be better to just go home and pack her things. She hadn’t said what time she would go to his house tomorrow, but she expected it to be sometime after lunch.

Just as she was about to pick up her bag after turning off the computer, her mobile phone on the desk started ringing.

Yuri unconsciously frowned as she checked the caller ID on the screen. It was a call from someone she hadn’t expected at all.

“Hello?”

[Yes, Yuri. How have you been?]

Director Kwon’s voice flowed through the phone. Yuri couldn’t readily answer the question “How have you been?” How could he ask such a question when he clearly knew what his son had done?

When no answer came from Yuri, Director Kwon cleared his throat and continued speaking.

[If it’s alright with you, I’d like to see you…]

“What’s the matter?”

[It’s not something to discuss over the phone. I’d like to talk face to face.]

To be honest, Yuri had no desire to meet Director Kwon. Even when things were good with Minwoo, she had been wary of Director Kwon. Unable to control his temper, he would yell at the drop of a hat.

“I’m a bit busy, so it might be difficult.”

[…Well, you’ll have to make time even if you’re busy. It’s a very important matter.]

“If it’s about Minwoo…”

[No, it’s not about Minwoo. This is about you and your family.]

Director Kwon’s voice, speaking lowly as if threatening, sounded somewhat ominous.

“What do you mean about me and my family?”

[It’s not something to discuss over the phone, that’s why I’m saying we should meet.]

After pondering for a moment, Yuri finally agreed to meet Director Kwon. She was uncomfortable with him bringing up not just her affairs but her family’s as well.

“Then now would be fine.”

[Alright. Are you at the company now? I’ll send a car there.]

Right after ending the call with Director Kwon, Yuri’s phone rang again. This time it was a call from Jeho. Was he calling to ask what time she would come tomorrow?

As soon as she pressed the call button, Jeho skipped greetings and asked a question right away.

[Have you left work?]

“I’m still at the company. I was about to leave.”

[Want to have dinner together? I’m near the company right now.]

“I don’t think I can. I have a prior engagement today.”

[Are you meeting Ms. Hyunkyung?]

“Yes.”

Although she had agreed to meet Director Kwon, Yuri let Jeho misunderstand that she was meeting Hyunkyung. If she said she was meeting Director Kwon, it was obvious he would ask all sorts of questions.

She felt guilty about lying, but she justified it to herself, thinking that he had been lying all this time too, so what’s the big deal, and ended the call.

20 minutes later, the car sent by Director Kwon arrived in front of the company. A man got out of the driver’s seat and opened the car door for Yuri. As she was about to get into the car without thinking, Yuri slightly frowned upon seeing the man’s face.

“…You?”