“Are you telling Director Yoon?”

“Yeah.”

Director Yoon was an old friend of Vice Chairman and currently served as the Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Since childhood, they had been close as uncle and nephew.

Jaehyuk was anxious. Just imagining something terrible happening to Arin made him shudder. That was when he was about to get into the car.

“Wait a moment. Let me talk to you.”

Min Yujin blocked his way.

“Step aside. I don’t have time to talk to you right now.”

“Just a moment. It won’t take long.”

“Huh.”

Jaehyuk’s eyebrows twitched.

The timing was perfect.

Seeing Min Yujin, who already knew about his schedule, in front of him, he quickly turned his head.

“You.”

Jaehyuk’s gaze at Yujin became colder and colder.

“Is this your doing?”

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Did you give orders?”

“Oppa, it’s not like that. I came to tell you what my father said about the VAN department store today.”

“Get lost.”
Min Yujin was pushed away, but she once again blocked Jaehyuk’s path like a sturdy stone.

“Is it because of Choi Arin, that woman? Think about the company, Oppa. You know that woman won’t be any help.”

“Min Yujin.”

Ha.

It was the moment when everything fell into place.

Arin’s sudden outing and destination. The place she arrived at was Yoon Kyungsook’s house, and Han Taesu appeared.

Min Yujin blocked my way.

Behind all of this was my mother.

“You, don’t show up in front of me again.”

“Oppa!”

“Get rid of this woman.”

There was no time.

Jaehyuk roughly pushed Min Yujin aside and got into the car. Min Yujin yelled, asking him to open the door, but soon she was caught by the security guards.

‘Please, let nothing happen.’

The bodyguards Jaehyuk hired were from the top private security team with the highest fees. So, they would protect Arin at all costs.

Moreover, Chief Yoon, who received his call, would secretly mobilize the police. Using power privately was something he didn’t like to do, but now was not the time to conceal such actions.

‘Please be safe, Arin.’

The anxiety that grew with every breath seemed to swallow him.

However, despite his wishes, the situation turned for the worst.

“Vice Chairman! I’ll change the destination.”

It was when the running car had just entered the city expressway. In a frantic voice, a director alerted Jaehyuk.

“The vehicle carrying Madam is moving towards Paju. Yoon Kyungsook and Han Taesu’s remaining gang are also in that vehicle.”

“What?”

“The police and the security team we requested are quickly chasing the vehicle. We will head there as well.”

He was afraid.

A few years ago, the shock he felt when he found Arin on the black night sea resurfaced.

No, even greater fear and dread overwhelmed him.

After Arin left him, Jaehyuk decided to dedicate his life to protecting her, even if she didn’t know. He would do whatever it took to hold her hand again.

Begging to God while taking her to the hospital, he promised to do anything if she could be saved. Even if it meant giving up his life, he begged for her survival.

He bit down hard on the tender flesh inside his mouth in the rising emotions and fear.

‘Please, don’t be late this time…’

“Hurry. Quickly.”

Luck was on his side.

The long road he took to where she was,

“The vehicle carrying Madam took a road towards Imjingak, not Paju. It has made a U-turn and is now heading back to Paju. It should align with our arrival time.”

Even after the director’s words ended, Jaehyuk couldn’t feel relieved.

“The police…”

“They are sounding sirens, but there is no sign of them stopping.”

“Sigh.”
I thought it was luck. However, the unease wouldn’t disappear until I saw her face with my own eyes.

“We have arrived.”

As I bounced out of the car, the scene that unfolded was the sight of Kyungsook and Hantaesu’s group planning to flee, holding Arin hostage.

Arin was scared. The shining object under my neck, bathed in light, seemed like it would pierce my throat and enter if I moved even a little.

“Don’t do this, please. Why are you doing this?”

With large teary eyes, Arin looked at Kyungsook standing beside me.

“So tell those people to back off.”

Kyungsook was already out of her mind.

The men from Kyungsook and Hantaesu who took me hostage were sincere. That’s why it was more frightening.

On the opposite side, security guards and the police faced each other.

“Put down the weapons immediately. If you don’t put them down now, we can’t help it from this side either.”

Even with the police warning through the loudspeaker, the man standing behind her didn’t flinch. Instead, he sarcastically mocked them.

“Why don’t you give it a try? The moment you come close, be prepared for this woman’s life to end. Dying might be a good way for everyone.”

Perhaps because of the blade in my throat, they couldn’t easily approach.

Sobbing.

Tears that had been held back finally poured out. The only thought was that I might die like this.

‘Oppa.’

The face that came to mind in this situation was his.