Thrilled by Madness - Chapter 102

What Soyeon drank was not poison, but bottled water.

However, at the moment of swallowing it, it wasn’t water.

The fear that twisted her heart every time she stood at death’s door. The wound festering with pus that had to be exposed no matter how terribly painful.

It was the victim’s pain that she had to embrace fully as her own. And she was someone who could swallow real poison multiple times if it meant protecting the one she loved.

But the sudden surge of nausea was an intense revulsion towards Yoo Jung Hwa that even strong willpower couldn’t control.

“I’ll step outside.”

As Soyeon spoke, Seo Jun’s gaze fixed on her darkened rapidly. Her complexion, holding back the urge to vomit, was so pale she looked like she might collapse at any moment.

“Go ahead.”

“…”

Soyeon, mustering strength under his worried gaze, conveyed with her eyes that she was entrusting the rest to him and walked out of the villa with determined steps. She had done her part and wanted to get away from this dreadful place as quickly as possible.

It was right after Eom Soyeon disappeared from sight.

“Right? It’s not that you hate me, but that girl trapped you using the child as an excuse? She seduced you to lure me into a trap?”

Jung Hwa, seizing the moment, looked at Seo Jun and rambled on frantically.

Hoping he would show her at least a bit of sympathy. Being even more greedy, she wished he would treat her now as he had long ago. When he had seen her as a woman.

If only he would ignore someone like Eom Soyeon, if only Tae Seo Jun would turn a blind eye, today’s events could be quietly buried. Not wanting to let go of that faint hope, Jung Hwa sat on the sofa, maintaining a pitiful expression with trembling eyes.

Yoo Jung Hwa still hadn’t grasped reality.

Before and after the filming site fire incident, Bong (manager) had mobilized his network of private detectives and investigators to gather dozens of pieces of information related to Yoo Jung Hwa.

And so he learned about her false life.

In a way, he could understand the lies Yoo Jung Hwa started to hide her unfortunate family history. But the fact that the biggest reason he was initially attracted to her, her passionate demeanor, was just an empty shell, made the relationship they had maintained for two years feel all the more futile.

Moreover, it was shocking and utterly absurd that Yoo Jung Hwa’s misdeeds, which had continued for about four years, had targeted Eom Soyeon. But what was even more unforgivable was that even at this moment, Yoo Jung Hwa was completely unaware of what wrong she had committed.

So she needed to be taught how heavy her sin was. The false world she had created with her vain obsession needed to be shattered to pieces. So that she could no longer make any excuses. So that she could no longer do anything.

Seo Jun, not even bothering to scoff, looked emotionlessly at a spot other than Yoo Jung Hwa and shouted loudly.

“Everyone, come out!”

The reception room of this villa had a mezzanine structure, and Seo Jun had been looking down from the upper floor railing all along. And the detectives had been observing the situation from the room adjacent to the reception room where Yoo Jung Hwa and Eom Soyeon were.

As the door opened and several policemen and plainclothes detectives came pouring out, Jung Hwa, shocked at the sight, jumped up from the sofa and stumbled backwards towards the window. She looked around with a pale face and shouted at the top of her lungs.

“What is this nonsense! Do you know where this is! I’ll sue all of you for trespassing!”

“A criminal suing the police? That would be interesting.”

Seo Jun threw his heavy voice at Jung Hwa as if it wasn’t even funny.

“Tae Seo Jun, this is really funny! You tricked me again? What exactly did you do, hiding even the police in this house?”

“Evidence for judgment.”

“What…? Judgment?”

“All your words and actions have been recorded. That will be evidence in court.”

Although it couldn’t be direct evidence, Yoo Jung Hwa’s admission of her misdeeds in her own voice was still a significant gain. No matter how much she claimed innocence, a judge who saw and heard today’s confession would not likely acknowledge Yoo Jung Hwa’s innocence.

The police quickly removed the cameras they had installed around the reception room. Jung Hwa, who had been watching this blankly for a moment, rather than admitting her wrongdoing, glared at Seo Jun as if to kill him and sneered viciously.

“Ha, this is really funny! Do you think I don’t know that secretly filmed footage has no legal effect?”

“Well. If the cameras were installed with the consent of the owner of this villa, Han Seung Jae, wouldn’t that change things?”

“What? That person…?”

If what I just heard is true, it means Han Seung Jae knew about this and didn’t even give me a hint?

No, no way! This can’t be!

The complete failure of Yoo Jung Hwa’s scheme was partly due to Han Seung Jae’s betrayal. However, Jung Hwa couldn’t believe this fact unless she confirmed it directly with that damn bastard.

Just then, the phone she had dropped earlier caught her foot.

Jung Hwa quickly picked it up and made a call.

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At the same time, the place where Han Seung Jae was having a drinking party was a high-end club in Gangnam.

Drrrr…

He didn’t answer the phone that kept ringing again and again.

His lower lip was clenched, with a scab on it. It looked quite painful. Han Seung Jae, moistening his injured lip with alcohol, just stared at the vibrating phone with a skewed gaze.

Trembling and sweating profusely at Chairman Tae Seok Ho’s threat to dismantle , Han Hwa Jang was summoned to the headquarters’ chairman’s office and severely reprimanded.

That was yesterday, and the traces of pain from being thoroughly beaten with a golf club by his father in that place were engraved like medals not only on his lips but all over his body.

Though he wouldn’t have to suffer that humiliation again, Han Seung Jae’s innate character flaw was that he cared about nothing but his own gain.

His approach to Yoo Jung Hwa was for personal revenge, and helping her was just for fun. After all, it was nothing more interesting than Yoo Jung Hwa shaking up Tae Seo Jun on her own without being told to.

However, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future to chew up Tae Seo Jun, the de facto representative of . The most urgent task for Han Seung Jae now was something else.

He needed to make the violent organization he had long been in collusion with and Yoo Jung Hwa unrelated to himself. Only then could he swallow in one bite without any hindrances. For that, it was the timing to turn his back on them and cut ties cleanly right away.

In that sense, perhaps.

Han Seung Jae tossed the continuously vibrating phone into an ice basket with a thud. Then he poured expensive whiskey into the ice bucket as if showering it. Until the glass bottle was completely empty.

His expression, chuckling as he watched this, was no different from that of a crazed beast.

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“Ha, why aren’t you answering the phone!”

No matter how many times she called, she couldn’t hear Han Seung Jae’s voice. But Jung Hwa, unable to give up like this, quickly tried calling that man with the dialect, even though she knew it was already over. But he was the same.

“…Bastard!”

Her face, tinged with bewilderment, crumpled like a piece of paper.

“That bastard, if he’s the gangster boss, he’s probably already at the police station. Han Seung Jae, as you know, has gone off the grid. From now on, Yoo Jung Hwa should pay for her crimes, right? Attempted murder, solicitation of murder, and that’s not all.”

Seo Jun told Yoo Jung Hwa in a solemn voice what was about to happen to her.

“No! I don’t want to!”

Thud! Crash…

Jung Hwa shouted and simultaneously threw her phone, shattering the large glass window with a loud crash.

Picking up a sharp piece of glass was instinctive.

Seeing this, Seo Jun spoke while leisurely moving his legs.

“Do you want to see blood again? I’d rather not. For your sake too.”

Jung Hwa’s eyes momentarily brightened as she watched Seo Jun’s approaching movement. Isn’t he saying this out of concern for me now? If she could just wedge in a little more here, it seemed like a small breakthrough might emerge from this predicament.

“We were good before we broke up, weren’t we? If only Eom Soyeon hadn’t come between us…”

However, the nonsensical words that Jung Hwa’s bright red lips uttered only invited anger.

“Shut that mouth!”

It was an instant.

Bang!

The already broken glass window was completely shattered by Seo Jun’s fist, even the bars.

“Eek!”

Startled by the sound of the thick window bars breaking, Jung Hwa slumped down on the wooden floor. The glass she had been holding was thrown far away.

“It was good, you say? Me, who doesn’t want to remember a single bit of Yoo Jung Hwa?”

“…”

He didn’t even cast a cold glance at Jung Hwa, who was too frightened to even open her mouth. Standing tall, Seo Jun gazed out the window, staring into the distant darkness of the night, and spoke calmly.

“You, who can’t distinguish what shouldn’t be done, learn repentance until you die. I, who am a sinner to Eom Soyeon for the sacrifice forced upon her because of me and you, will also live reflecting. Let me say this last thing, if I see you again, I won’t be human then.”

As soon as Seo Jun finished speaking, he walked out of the villa without looking back.

This is the end?

Why me!

Why me, who only struggled not to see such a dirty sight!

“Huh huh huck…”

Tears that had been dry welled up in her eyes and fell. It was tears like blood that she had never shed before. Even as the approaching police put handcuffs on her wrists, Jung Hwa wept bitterly without moving.

‘Do you know how hard it is for me because of your mother who ran away? So you have to make a good impression on the boss no matter what, Mi Kyung. This dad needs to get promoted for you to survive too. If you have no money and no power, you have to live like this.’

Her father’s voice that had brushed past her ears in unfortunate moments.

‘The dust is still there, where are you going home to…’

‘This is fine, so clean the master bedroom thoroughly again, Mi Kyung.’

And the creepy, hoarse voice of the old boss that she had tried never to recall again after escaping her dark past seemed to be heard in her ears once more.

What’s the use of regretting now?

How did I endure, how did I live, this can’t be happening! How can the world do this to me!

Jung Hwa kept repeating these words even as she was dragged away by the police.

The hot tears did not stop even while riding in the police car.

It was a quiet night that no one could disturb.

The feather-like breath touching his chest was soft. A languid smile settled on Seo Jun’s lips as he focused on that ticklish sensation.

Soyeon, entrusting her back to his slowly caressing large hand, closed her eyes gently with her cheek resting on his broad chest. But sleep didn’t come.

The complicated feelings she had while watching the car carrying Yoo Jung Hwa drive away remained the same even after coming to Nonhyeon-dong. No, they ached more and more as time passed.

Although she had done evil things, wasn’t she someone he once cared for? Although she was the victim and couldn’t forgive her for threatening Hyun Woo, his feelings about pushing his former lover off the cliff with his own hands must be so complex that he could neither laugh nor cry.

Soyeon could fully imagine how Seo Jun might be feeling. But even though she wanted to comfort him, she couldn’t, so Soyeon tried to seek sleep that hadn’t come by closing her eyes tighter.

That’s when it happened.

“Soyeon.”

Seo Jun slowly cupped Soyeon’s chin to make her look at him.

The drowsy voice was so affectionate that she couldn’t help but open her eyes. Soyeon looked at Seo Jun with curious eyes.

“What is it?”

“I think I know what thoughts are in your head. I want to tell you that’s not it.”

“What thoughts do you think I had? I wasn’t thinking anything, you know?”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Even though I know how you’re feeling just by listening to your breathing?”

Soyeon, caught in her lie, blushed from her face.

“What’s wrong with my breathing?”

“Usually it’s not like this, but right now the end of your breath falls heavily.”

“…”

Really, he knows everything.

Soyeon, slightly raising the corners of her mouth, couldn’t deny his words.

“I’m telling you this in case you misunderstand… I was only thinking about you. And I’m not feeling bad either.”

“…”

Soyeon fluttered her thick, long eyelashes repeatedly.

Because this man who was reciting her thoughts exactly was fascinating. She was confused, wondering if he really could see right through her mind.

The one thing she could be sure of was that his eloquence, which quickly made even a heavy heart flutter, was very impressive. Moreover, he only chose words that didn’t seem boastful at all, so she couldn’t help but believe him.

As Soyeon thought, Seo Jun’s words always contained only the truth. Especially in front of Eom Soyeon, he was even more so. Although it might be somewhat selfish, in his realistic mind, there was only Eom Soyeon.

A man who gets excited because of the lovely Eom Soyeon, who hurts when Eom Soyeon hurts, who always worries for Eom Soyeon. Seo Jun, who had become such a man without knowing when it started, didn’t dislike this version of himself.

“About Hyun Woo. Should we have brought him from Gahoe-dong?”

As he said, they were the only two in this house.

‘You must be tired from dealing with a big matter, so you two go straight to Nonhyeon-dong. Since Hyun Woo has come to Gahoe-dong, I’ll keep him for a few more days.’

This was Chairman Tae’s unilateral order.

Of course, he wasn’t a son who always followed his father’s wishes, but Seo Jun wanted to do so just for today.

Eom Soyeon, who was happiest when with Hyun Woo, always took care of her son first even when her body was tired. That’s why they came straight home, but he too, as a father, couldn’t help but miss Hyun Woo.

“If we go to get him at this dawn, won’t your parents be surprised?”

“I’m just saying, who said we’re going?”

When Soyeon asked, Seo Jun feigned innocence, retracting his words, and gently raised his eyebrows.

Somehow, it felt like he was being pushed aside by his son. It wasn’t that he felt bad, but he didn’t want to miss this good opportunity to monopolize Eom So Yeon’s attention.

One of his hands still languidly caressed So Yeon’s back. Tae Seo Jun slid that hand down and pulled her waist, embracing her.

“…”

Feeling his hardened frame against her body, So Yeon opened her eyes wide. Seo Jun, who seemed to roughly know the reason, smiled playfully and closed the small remaining gap even more.

“I’ll just stay like this.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not…”

While saying he wasn’t, the color of his eyes grew increasingly darker. So Yeon, who couldn’t misunderstand the meaning, immediately refuted.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re not, that’s why.”

“If it’s not that it’s not, then it must not be, right?”

“Oh, why are you talking so confusingly?”

“If you’re confused, think of it in a good way.”

“No…”

So Yeon stared at Seo Jun’s face, who had started the wordplay, and at some point, she chuckled. Even though the face of the lying man should look hateful, it didn’t at all.

So Yeon couldn’t dare resist this temptation from Tae Seo Jun.