Eighteen years ago……...

Kwang-Seok’s hand shot out like a viper, his fingers wrapping around Youn-Jae's wrist with a vice-like grip. Without a word, he yanked Youn-Jae violently toward him. Myung-Hwa, panic flashing in her eyes, rushed forward with trembling hands outstretched, trying desperately to pull her son back. But Kwang-Seok’s swift kick sent her sprawling to the floor, her body hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

Youn-Jae’s eyes widened in horror as he saw his mother crumpled on the floor, discarded like a broken doll. Rage and fear churned in his chest.

"Let go of me!" Youn-Jae shouted, his voice cracking with desperation as he struggled to free himself. His heart pounded against his ribs, every fiber of his being resisting.

But Kwang-Seok tightened his grip and yanked him harder toward the door. "I don’t have time for this!" he barked, the words filled with cold impatience. He shoved Youn-Jae closer to the exit, as if time itself was against him.

Youn-Jae's survival instincts kicked in. With everything he had, he latched onto the doorframe, his fingers clawing at the wood, trying to anchor himself. His knuckles turned white as he held on for dear life.

"Hurry up! Don’t be stubborn!" Kwang-Seok snarled, his eyes burning with fury. His gaze flicked toward Myung-Hwa, who was still on the floor, gasping for breath. "And you—Myung-Hwa—stay there. Don’t try anything stupid!" His voice dripped with menace, a cruel edge that hung in the air like a sword.

Youn-Jae’s grip slipped. Kwang-Seok lifted him effortlessly, throwing him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. The boy thrashed in his arms, but Kwang-Seok’s hold was unyielding, his power absolute. As they reached the outside, Youn-Jae felt his strength ebb away, his helplessness swallowing him whole. Kwang-Seok threw him into the backseat of the car and slammed the door shut with finality.

The sound of the door closing barely echoed inside the house, but to Myung-Hwa, it was deafening. Her tear-filled eyes stared at the door, every muscle in her body frozen with grief and pain. Her hands instinctively reached for her stomach, where Kwang-Seok’s kick had landed, and she winced as the sharp ache twisted deeper inside her.

From the shadows, Ji-Won, barely old enough to understand what was happening, slid the door open cautiously. He crawled toward Myung-Hwa, his small body trembling with the weight of emotions too big for him to carry. Reaching her side, he wrapped his arms around her fragile frame, trying to shield her from the cruelty of the world. He held her tightly, his chin resting on her shoulder, feeling her shaky breaths against him.

“I’m so sorry, Ji-Won,” Myung-Hwa whispered, her voice thick with emotion as she clung to him, stroking the back of his head in slow, comforting motions. Her tears wet his hair, but she didn’t care. She needed this—needed to hold on to something, someone.

Ji-Won’s wide, innocent eyes gazed up at her, searching her face for reassurance. “What will happen to Hyung?” His voice was small, scared, the innocence of youth cracking under the weight of fear.

Myung-Hwa’s breath hitched as she looked down at him, her heart aching. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hand trembled as she wiped away her tears, but the fear lingered in her eyes. “But I have to follow them. I need to get him back.” She stood quickly, wobbling on unsteady feet, her mind a whirlwind of desperation.

Ji-Won, sensing her urgency, grabbed the hem of her t-shirt, pulling her back with a pleading tug. His big eyes were round with fear. “Please, I want to go with you!”

“No, stay here!” Myung-Hwa’s voice wavered, the firmness in her tone a fragile mask for the chaos within. Her hands shook as she reached for the door, but Ji-Won clung to her like a lifeline.

“Please,” Ji-Won begged, his voice breaking. “I need to stay with you. Hyung said I should take care of you.”

Myung-Hwa’s heart clenched painfully at his words. She knelt down in front of him, her hands resting on his small shoulders, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over again. She wanted to protect him—to keep him safe from whatever nightmare waited outside. But she knew there was no choice now.

She took a deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. “Promise me you’ll stay beside me, okay? No matter what happens, you stay with me.”

Ji-Won nodded, his little hand reaching for hers. His fingers wrapped around hers tightly, as if afraid to let go.

“Okay,” he whispered.

***

Mr. Kim knocked gently on the study door, where Chairman Han sat engrossed in his book. The quiet moment was interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open, revealing Kwang-Seok and a tense Youn-Jae stepping inside. Chairman Han closed his book with a deliberate thud, his smile widening the moment his eyes landed on Youn-Jae. There was an energy in the air, one that unsettled the young boy, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

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“Oh, my top scholar is here!” Chairman Han exclaimed, rising from his seat with surprising enthusiasm. He spread his arms wide, his expression one of pride, as if welcoming Youn-Jae into an embrace that promised safety and power.

Youn-Jae hesitated, feeling Kwang-Seok’s eyes burn into him, silently commanding him to respond. The pressure in his father’s gaze was heavy, a mix of pride and threat that made Youn-Jae’s stomach twist in knots. His face remained stoic, but his hands fidgeted slightly at his sides, betraying his nervousness.

“Good evening, Chairman,” Youn-Jae said softly, bowing his head in respect. His voice wavered despite his best efforts to sound composed. His gut told him something was off. The tension was palpable, though the Chairman’s warm smile never faltered.

“Hahaha, don’t be so formal! It’s always a pleasure when you’re around. I can’t believe Kwang-Seok produced such a remarkable child like you,” the Chairman said, reaching out to pat Youn-Jae’s head. The touch, though seemingly gentle, felt invasive, as though the Chairman was laying claim to him, asserting dominance over his future.

Kwang-Seok had every intention of selling Youn-Jae to Chairman Han, seeing his own son as nothing more than a bargaining chip.

Mr. Kim, sensing the need of the situation, stepped forward. “Chairman, I’ll leave you with Kwang-Seok and take Youn-Jae outside,” he suggested, placing a firm but gentle hand on Youn-Jae’s shoulder. He guided the boy toward the door, offering a quick, reassuring nod, though Youn-Jae could feel the lingering weight of unspoken tension.

Just as they were about to step out, Youn-Jae stole a glance back at his father. Kwang-Seok’s eyes never met his; instead, they were locked forward, cold and detached. Youn-Jae felt a pang in his chest, the rejection like a knife cutting deep into his core.

As they exited the room and the door shut behind them, a sudden crash echoed from inside—the sharp sound of glass shattering against the floor. Youn-Jae flinched, instinctively looking back, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Don’t mind it,” Mr. Kim said, his voice as neutral as ever, guiding Youn-Jae toward the second floor. “You’ll get used to it.”

Back in the study, the atmosphere had turned volatile. Chairman Han’s face was red with fury as he stood amidst the shards of broken glass scattered across the floor. His eyes bore into Kwang-Seok with unfiltered rage.

"You are so reckless! How could you not be more careful? Did you even check if he was there?" Chairman Han barked, his eyes narrowed, veins bulging from his temple as his anger flared.

Kwang-Seok stood stiffly before him, fighting the urge to flinch. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but the faint tremor in his voice betrayed his nerves. "Chairman, please spare me, you know this is the first time I’ve made a mistake, when I checked the house, Seung-Ah was the only one there. It was a stroke of bad luck—He changed his schedule last minute, but I caught him in the shower. He didn’t see me. I... I had already killed Seung-ah by the time he stepped out."

Chairman Han’s eyes narrowed, his gaze cold and calculating. There was something in Kwang-Seok’s tone, something that reeked of deceit. The Chairman had learned long ago how to detect a lie, and right now, Kwang-Seok's words smelled of desperation. Unbeknownst to the chairman, Kwang-Seok had an intense altercation with Seo-Jeon. During the struggle, the mask Kwang-Seok was wearing slipped off. Aware of his mistake, Kwang-Seok quickly masked his unease with a forced calm, hoping the old man wouldn’t notice.

Chairman Han's chest heaved as he breathed deeply, trying to contain his rising fury. He sank into his chair, rubbing his temples, the tension in the room pressing down on him like a vice. "Are you sure she’s dead?" His voice was low, the menace in it unmistakable, a quiet storm ready to explode.

"Yes, Chairman." Kwang-Seok nodded vigorously, beads of sweat forming at his brow. "I made sure she’s dead. There’s no mistake."

The Chairman exhaled slowly, his fingers still massaging his temples, his patience thinning. "You need to lie low, disappear for a while," he said through clenched teeth. "Follow the protocol. You know how stubborn Seo-Joon is. He won’t let this go easily. But what can he do against me? Without my power, he’s helpless."

Kwang-Seok saw an opportunity. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Exactly, Chairman. That’s why I’m here. If you give me enough money to disappear, I’ll make sure you never see my face again. And in exchange..." His eyes gleamed with greed. "I’ll hand Youn-Jae over to you. He’s yours."

For a moment, silence settled between them, thick and heavy. Chairman Han’s gaze flickered with disbelief, then scorn. He leaned forward, his lip curling in disgust. "So now you're finally selling your own son, after all the times I've told you I want to adopt him. All because you made a mess!"

Kwang-Seok, sensing the growing impatience, straightened his shoulders, his voice hardening. "Are you giving me the money or not?"

Chairman Han scoffed, shaking his head slowly, unable to comprehend the audacity. "Unbelievable. You think you can rush me as if I don’t know you’ll blow it all on gambling?" He rose to his feet, his posture radiating power as he strode toward the vault. His fingers worked the passcode, each number punched with deliberate precision.

He opened the safe, grabbing a thick bundle of cash, then slammed it shut with a bang. Without a word, he stormed back toward Kwang-Seok, tossing the bundle of money at his feet, the bills scattering across the floor.

"Get lost," Chairman Han snarled, his voice venomous. "And never show your face again."

Kwang-Seok bent down, slowly picking up the cash. His fingers trembled slightly, not from fear but from the thrill of getting what he wanted. He looked up, clutching the bundle tightly in his fist, a smirk twisting his lips. "I still don’t understand why you’re so interested in Youn-Jae," he muttered under his breath, standing to his full height. "But at least I can use him."

Chairman Han’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he stepped closer, his presence towering. "You’re a greedy, pathetic bastard," he sneered. "But it doesn’t matter. I can’t rely on Seo-Joon anymore. He’s reckless—he’ll ruin everything. I’m sending him to America, far from here, he is a big disappointment to the family" His voice lowered, filled with calculated determination. "Youn-Jae is the one I’ll raise as my heir. He’s smart, he’s got potential. "I’ll train him myself, so don’t ever show your face near him again..." His voice trailed off, the unspoken threat hanging ominously in the air.

Kwang-Seok chuckled darkly, shoving the money into his pocket. "Good luck with that," he said, turning toward the door. Just before leaving, he cast one final glance over his shoulder, his smirk deepening. "He’s all yours, Chairman."

With that, Kwang-Seok disappeared, shutting the door behind him with a firm click.

The story doesn't end here......