Late in the afternoon, in one of the old streets of Seoul.
Hyoyeon arrived at a hospital linked to the Kwon Family. But, because a long time had passed since she last visited, the hospital had already relocated and it was unclear where the staff had gone. So, it was practically impossible to find any old medical history on the Kwon Family.
The Kwon Family obviously didn't know about any secrets either. Otherwise, they would have made a commotion and not remained quiet.
But, if her and Han Ji-eun weren't related, why would their DNA results say otherwise? What secret could there be? Who could provide an answer?
The explosion from 19 years ago was obviously deliberate, and the fact that Han Ji-eun wasn't worried about doing a DNA test with Taeyeon showed that she had nothing to fear.
Due to urgency, Hyoyeon received the second round of DNA results before Han Ji-eun. But, no one expected, when they saw the results, even the doctors were shocked.
"Ms. Lee, the third sample is related to both the first and second sample. In fact, they are both a 99.9% match. Did you happen to bring two samples from yourself?"
"Doctor, are you certain? What if I was to tell you that the DNA samples came from two different people?" Hyoyeon asked.
"If the two people are of the same age, it could be possible that they are twins. In fact, with such similar results, they are likely to be identical," the doctor replied seriously.
"So, what you're saying is, when an identifical twin has a child, the other twin's DNA will also be a match, making it impossible to identify the birth mother?"
"Scientifically, yes," the doctor replied. "So, generally speaking, if a twin was to steal the identity of their sibling, it is very difficult to differentiate between them. The only option is to check their fingerprints."
Fingerprint...
Hyoyeon looked at her burnt fingers; even her only option was void.
Even so, there was already no doubt that Han Ji-eun was her sister. But, why didn't the Kwon Family know about this?
Most frightening of all, Hyoyeon realized Han Ji-eun may have planned the explosion 19 years ago to take over her identity.
In other words, Han Ji-eun was aware of everything. To change her fate, she was willing to do anything, including killing her own twin sister.
She stole her identity...
...her husband...
...her son...
...and her career.
She stole everything, including her life...
This was much too frightening...
Hyoyeon couldn't comprehend this. She never expected things to be so complicated and never expected Han Ji-eun to have such a complex identity. Above all, she wondered how long Han Ji-eun had been setting up her trap before she pulled off the act from 19 years ago. Han Ji-eun was unimaginably cruel.
Hyoyeon couldn't understand how she suddenly gained a twin sister, so she returned to Hyatt Regency in a daze. There were many things she wanted to say to Tiffany, but, in order not to expose herself, she resisted the urge to do so.
Although Han Ji-eun was her actual sister, she had stolen her identity without mercy.
"Auntie Lee, what happened? Why do you seem like your mind is elsewhere?" Tiffany noticed there was something strange about Hyoyeon. She also sensed that Hyoyeon's mood had changed dramatically after stepping out for a while.
"Fany, do you think scenes from movies could happen in real life?" Hyoyeon asked.
Tiffany sensed something was wrong, but she did not ask Hyoyeon further. She simply smiled, "Art is inspired by real life, but real life far exceeds art. We see plenty of news everyday and we experience many complicated events that can not be replicated. Why do you ask?"
"I'm just posing a theoretical question: if a relative stole everything that belonged to you, what would you do?"
Tiffany looked at Hyoyeon; the answer was simple, "Hwang Na-ri once tried to steal everything that belonged to me, but, the entire Seoul witnessed her fate."
"Auntie Lee, you must know, whether it's parents, siblings or children, no one has the right to take away things that belong to others, because it is what defines a person's individuality."
"But, what if they actually succeeded?"
"Then snatch it back in the same way."
However, what Han Ji-eun did, was not snatch - she attempted murder!
Hyoyeon understood that it was time for Han Ji-eun to experience the same pain that she had gone through.
Especially since she realized, Han Ji-eun must have specifically chosen to use an explosion to dispose of the truth, in case Hyoyeon returned one day to get back what belonged to her. Because, an explosion, was the only way to destroy her appearance and fingerprints, so she could never defend herself.
What a cruel scheme!
"Thank you, Fany."
"Auntie Lee, if you are facing any unfairness, let me know."
Hyoyeon immediately shook her head. She was going to personally pay Han Ji-eun back for what she had done.
Meanwhile, Tiffany pretty much figured out what Hyoyeon's real identity was.
However, she did not expose her immediately. After all, it was much too unbelievable...
She instead waited until Taeyeon returned that night before she whispered in his ear,
"Auntie Lee asked me a lot of questions today. I think she already has the answer, but she only just figured it out."
This was also Tiffany's first experience with a problem like this. So, in the spur of the moment, she couldn't decide what to do.
"Let's wait and see what Auntie Lee wants to do," Taeyeon said as he gently stroked Tiffany's hair. "If things are really the way that we think, then she must have endured the pain from her scars and suffering for many years."
"Just pretend you don't know anything," Tiffany nodded in agreement. "Just thinking about it makes my hair stand on end."
"By the way, if that's really the case, then the person who previously helped me and diverted the public's attention must have been Auntie Lee."
After speaking, Tiffany lifted her head and looked into Taeyeon's eyes. Seeing his dark and piercing glare, Tiffany immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, "Don't worry, the truth will eventually be revealed."
Taeyeon did not say anything. He simply looked at his watch and reminded her, "It's time to get some rest."
"If...I'm just saying if...Han Ji-eun actually treated Auntie Lee so badly. Then I think Han Ji-eun should be stabbed a million times. Death would not be a sufficient punishment for her!"
Taeyeon remained silent. He simply helped Tiffany lay down in bed and placed his hand on top of her protruding belly, "Has the baby kicked you today?"
"It has been really good and peaceful inside my stomach."
"You should get some sleep then."
After speaking, Taeyeon tried to get up off the bed, but Tiffany held onto his wrist, "Tae...if the baby turns out the way that Han Ji-eun said and is actually born with an illness, what should we do?"
"You can't trust her words!" Taeyeon placed a kiss on Tiffany's forehead. After coaxing her to sleep, he left the bedroom.
However, as he stood on the second floor, looking down at Hyoyeon who was cleaning the living room, his eyes glazed over with extreme coldness.
Without mentioning Hyoyeon herself, both Taeyeon and Tiffany were not people that should be provoked.
...
The next morning, Hyoyeon left Hyatt Regency with the intention to buy some daily products from the nearby shopping mall. However, as she reached the entrance of the estate, one of the security guards blocked her way, "Ms. Lee, someone left you a note to meet them in the underground carpark."
Needless to say, it was obvious who the note was from. Hyoyeon did not intend to respond to the note, but the security guard said in a helpless tone, "Ms. Lee, could you please do me this favor? Otherwise, I will be put in a difficult position."
Hyoyeon understood Han Ji-eun's tricks; she had already been good at scheming 19 years ago., So, she simply replied in a cold tone, "Speak to the person that is making things difficult for you. It has nothing to do with me."
After speaking, Hyoyeon turned and left.
Han Ji-eun did not dare to seek Tiffany and Taeyeon for revenge, so she had no choice but to target a mere 'servant'.
But, who would have thought, even a mere servant by Taeyeon's side wasn't easy to go up against...
After Hyoyeon finished shopping, she casually told Tiffany about what had happened, so she could be prepared.
After listening to Hyoyeon, Tiffany realized that she had neglected Hyoyeon's safety. Hence, she gave Taeyeon a phone call and asked him to take proper precautions.
At this time, Tiffany could sense that Hyoyeon could no longer hide her hatred towards Han Ji-eun.
...
That afternoon. Hilton Hotel.
Although Annie had already signed on with another agency, she acted like nothing had changed in front of Irene and Suho.
It turned out, she was the new actress that had been added to 'The Savage Wars'. This was due to the fact that the agency Xie Tong introduced her to, was fairly rich and powerful.
"Actually...I've thought of another way to help you get revenge. But, you need to make a small sacrifice." Annie's new boss was a 40-something-year-old man. He sat on the hotel room's sofa wearing a neat suit and holding onto a wine glass, appearing gentle and well-mannered. But, no matter how stupid Annie was, she could sense what was really happening.
Previously, when she signed her contract, it was simply due to her hatred for Suho.
But, her mind was clear today. So, she understood what this 40-something-year-old man had planned.
"President Wang, I think it's time I go home..." Annie stood up to leave, but President Wang quickly ran over and blocked her way.
"You are already a part of my agency. Would I hurt you?"
Annie took a few steps back in fear. Just as she was about to call for help, the man directly threw her over his shoulder, "How could you wish for fame without sacrificing a little? What kind of reasoning is this?"
"You have no power nor status. Did you think, apart from your face and body, I'd have any interest in any other part of you?"
In a panic, Annie completely forgot to retaliate. By the time she reacted, her body was already pressed beneath President Wang's body and her clenched fists were held in place...
"How dare you try and hit me. If you dare to make a move today, I will destroy your reputation. Not only will you not get any roles from now on, you will no longer be welcome in the industry!"
After hearing this warning, Annie hesitated for a moment...
Because of her hesitation, President Wang knew what she was thinking. So, he continued to coax her, "Did you think your opponent is clean? She is but Suho's bed buddy. Otherwise, why would he be bias towards her? You wouldn't actually believe that people admire your abilities, right?"
"This industry does not lack ability!"
"As long as you are willing to be my woman, the villain in 'The Savage Wars' will be yours. I can use money to have Irene replaced."
"Of course, if you refuse, you should be aware of your fate..."
Thinking of Irene and then reflecting on herself, Annie finally relaxed and calmed down.
Upon discovering Annie's weakness, President Wang boldly pressed Annie below his body again.....
After he satisfied his desires, President Wang stood by the bedside and put on his clothes. He then turned around and looked at the huddled up Annie and spoke with a very different tone to earlier, "From now on, you can be my mistress. I promise that you'll get whatever you want."
"You told me that you'd replace Irene!" Annie mumbled from beneath the blankets. "Apart from that, I also want Suho to be completely destroyed!"
If not because of these two people, she would not let her guard down and let this man have his way.
If not because of Suho, she would still be an innocent university student!
"That's no problem at all. I will let you proudly sign with my agency and give you the best resources."
Annie was well aware that President Wang merely thought of her as a new toy. Once a new person came along, she would become a pair of old shoes that he'd throw aside.
Even so, she was still going to make Suho and Irene pay for what they had done first!
...
Seoul's night was noisy and vibrant.
Suho was in the middle of preparing the contract with the US producers, when he received a phone call.
"Irene has been replaced because she does not have a clean background! You shouldn't have concealed her history of being a scammer."
Suho had never met a production crew that changed their minds so often. As a result, he felt his body burn up in anger.
"But, the contract has already been prepared..."
"We won't sign it. We've already signed another actress."
Suho rested his forehead on his hand in frustration and reminded himself to control his anger, "I think the production crew owes me an explanation. Otherwise, I'll see you in court."
"We have the best team of lawyers in the US. If you want to go to court, then be prepared to waste your time. It won't affect the progress of our film at all. I simply called today to give you a notification."
"Do you guys know how to respect contracts?" Suho couldn't control his anger in the end, "I'll talk to you in person. If news of this spreads, it won't be of any benefit to you."
"No need! Who do you think you are? You are just a rookie director!" After speaking, the man immediately hung up the phone, with no regard for Suho's frustration.
Suho almost threw his phone on the floor in anger. These American men were much too despicable.
All the talk about scamming was merely an excuse to have Irene replaced. So, he couldn't wait to see who had the guts to replace Irene!
As it was late at night, Suho did not go to Irene and Annie's apartment. He instead told Irene about the changes over the phone so she could be prepared, in case 'The Savage Wars' was sly enough to announce the changes publicly and shock her.
But, Suho didn't know how to tell her. As soon as he opened his mouth, all he could say was, "Have you ever been replaced for no reason when you were an extra?"
Irene was smart. From Suho's tone of voice, she could tell what he was hiding, so the corners of her lips twitched as she asked, "Can I still trust you as my manager? How could a simple action role be replaced?"
"A representative called me directly to say that they were replacing you. In fact, they completely overthrew the contract we had already signed. I'm assuming someone ordered them to do so. I haven't looked for the producers yet, so you should be prepared for the worst."
"I don't know if this incident is an attack on you or me. So, be careful."
Irene lay in her bed and rolled her eyes. She may not have many strong points, but she had experienced many ups and downs. Even if she got replaced, she would not feel defeated like Annie.
"That's why I refused to film an American sci-fi film. How could the Americans be trusted?"
"Think of it as experience. Although I don't like the Americans either, I can't deny that they are, in some ways, better than us." After speaking, Suho remembered the pain around his hip bone, "By the way, did you kick me yesterday?"
"Yes, I kicked you!" Irene revealed straightforwardly. "Did I forget to tell you that I hold grudges?"
"Suho, you are very fortunate that I only kicked you three times. I've already noted down the way you've angered me."
Suho let out a gentle laugh. His head hurt because of Irene; it was too hard to determine her motive and thoughts.
But, it was fine...
Because, taming a person like this was exciting and challenging.
...
Irene answered her phone while she was in the dining room, so Annie practically heard her entire conversation with Suho. After all, Irene had never been a secretive person, so she never considered keeping her voice down when talking.
"Have you been replaced?" Annie stood in front of the dining table with a glass of milk. Of course, she wouldn't easily give up on a chance to mock Irene.
"Yep, I've been replaced. Your wish has come true," Irene wasn't upset nor discouraged as she looked at Annie calmly.
"You're not upset?"
"It depends who I'm facing," Irene smiled.
"Irene, I don't have another meaning to my words..."
"It doesn't matter whether you do or not."
"Since it doesn't matter, let's have a drink to celebrate our losses."
Irene thought she had expressed herself clearly: she did not want to talk to Annie anymore. But, Annie ended up approaching her with a wine glass and a bottle of wine. In fact, it was a fairly expensive bottle of red wine.
"This bottle of red wine was prepared by my father to celebrate me securing the role in 'The Savage Wars', but..." Annie explained as she filled Irene's wine glass.
Irene did not respond at first. Was she kidding? From an early age she had already learned to be wary of others. So, she pretended not to accept Annie's offer and remained seated on the sofa.
Annie appeared relaxed. She did not care what Irene was thinking as she picked up her wine glass and inhaled the drink.
After making sure that Annie was fine, Irene finally took a small sip.
The two women did not say a word as they took turns drinking from their glass. By the time midnight came around, they were both already on the floor, still holding onto their glasses with flushed cheeks.
Irene was an average drinker. Whenever she drank, her body would quickly heat up.
Seeing the situation, Annie spotted her opportunity and gave Suho a phone call, "Mr. Suho, are you asleep?"
"What do you think?" Suho was sitting in his study room trying to resolve Irene's problem.
"Well...Irene is a bit upset about being replaced, so she had a few drinks with me tonight and is all heated up now. I originally wanted to take care of her, but I'm not feeling too well either. I was wondering if you could send someone over to take care of her. I'm a bit worried that she's got alcohol poisoning."
"OK, I know what to do. You can go to sleep first," after listening to his phone, Suho convinced Annie to sleep first before he stood up, put on his jacket and headed for Irene and Annie's apartment.
After arriving at the apartment, the first thing he saw was Irene sitting on the floor with a wine bottle in her hands. He shook his head at the sight. Didn't she act like she didn't care about being replaced?
In reality, Irene didn't actually care about being replaced. She simply wanted to drink...
Suho crossed his arms and let out a laugh before he relaxed and knelt down before Irene. He then gently slapped her face, "Wake up, you drunkard!"
Irene opened her eyes. Seeing the man in front of her, she couldn't help but touch his body, "Why does my dream feel so real. I can even touch you."
Suho: "..."
"Don't think that if you enter my dreams, you have the right to bully me as you please. Let me tell you, I can still bite you!" After speaking, Irene pounced onto Suho and forced him onto the ground. She then aimed for his neck and bit down without hesitation.
Suho couldn't make a sound. He simply held back the pain, "Are you a dog?"
Irene was satisfied with her bite. So she lay down on his body and fell asleep.
However, just like Annie had said, Irene's body was heating up.
It looked like alcohol poisoning.
Suho immediately carried Irene into her room and tried to lower her temperature. However, the innocent gesture was painful to watch for Annie.
So, the sight of the two people being affectionate was turned into photos and stored in Annie's phone...
"Suho, you just wait to be destroyed."
Annie was determined to completely destroy the two people. In fact, she felt like she could give Suho a huge blow.
However, she never imagined, the people she was getting herself implicated with, was Taeyeon's sister and Tiffany's good friend...
...
[Tiffany's secret lover involved in another scandal: Takes things too far with stunt double.]
[Exposed: Suho treated young models indecently when he was still a manager.]
[Yonna's death caused by Suho's player-like behavior!]
By buying a place on the search rankings, posting a GIF online and allowing the media to hype up previous news, the video of Suho and Irene quickly appeared on the biggest media outlets.
_"People in the entertainment industry have always been this dirty. Isn't Suho the director of 'W.H.'? I quite liked him before, but I never imagined him to be so 'liberal'."
_"Same with the stunt double. She directly pounced over and bit him."
_"The media should learn from this. This is what you call true evidence. We can clearly see them cuddling and entering a room together. This is how you expose someone!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the producers of 'The Savage Wars' grabbed onto the perfect timing to announce their reasoning for replacing Irene.
"After discovering that the two have an indecent relationship, the producers of 'The Savage Wars' have decided to replace Irene."
It was the time of day when the sky was not completely bright, but could be seen slightly peeking through the clouds, while the houses in the vicinity were still blurred shadows.
Crown Empire were the first to receive news of Suho's scandal. As soon as Tiffany found out, she subconsciously looked at Auntie Lee.
Hyoyeon didn't understand what was going on. But, as soon as she looked at Tiffany's phone and saw the game that her daughter and Suho were playing, her face involuntarily turned pale. She then pulled out her own phone and gave Suho a phone call. But, because Suho had spent the entire night taking care of Irene, he was currently lying unconscious on the sofa.
Hyoyeon paced back and forth inside the living room, so Tiffany comforted, "Auntie Lee, I can guarantee that things aren't the way it appears."
"But..." Hyoyeon began to stutter, "But..."
"Trust me. This must be a misunderstanding," Tiffany pulled Hyoyeon down so she could sit next to her.
"That best be the case. Otherwise, how is Irene going to continue living?" Hyoyeon did not care if Irene got famous or not. She just wanted her daughter to remain innocent and not have to carry any bad nicknames. "Why did this happen after she just signed a contract for a great role? Mr. Suho wouldn't have really..."
"Don't worry, he wouldn't," Tiffany definitely had the right to vouch for Suho's character.
Hyoyeon looked at Tiffany seriously before she relaxed. She did not know Suho well, so she couldn't trust him. But, when it came to Tiffany, she definitely trusted her....
Tiffany looked at Hyoyeon's worried expression and began to feel a little bothered by the incident.
If Hyoyeon was actually Taeyeon's mother, then that meant, Irene was Taeyeon's stepsister.
With the added fact that she liked Irene's personality, Tiffany decided that she wasn't going to just sit on the sidelines.
Thinking of this, Tiffany immediately gave Chanyeol a phone call, "Help me find out who the producers and directors are for 'The Savage Wars'."
Tiffany wasn't going to use Crown Empire to deal with this matter. Firstly, she was just a signed actress, and secondly, Taeyeon was just her husband and manager. At times like this, she needed to draw a clear line between herself and Crown Empire.
There was no reason for Crown Empire to exhaust efforts and resources to help an unrelated actress.
"Fany..."
"Don't worry. I won't just sit idly by and do nothing," Tiffany guaranteed.
...
Suho was eventually awoken by the sound of Annie's voice. She was in a panic as she handed him her phone, "Mr. Suho, look!"
Suho sat up on the sofa and completely awoke after seeing the news, "What is this about?"
"I'm not sure. I saw this news as soon as I woke up."
Suho immediately looked at his phone and discovered he had 20-30 missed calls. Amongst them were calls from Hyoyeon.
Suho walked into the bathroom and gave his face a wash. After regaining his composure, he thought about the incident carefully and realized...there was only one person which could have taken the photos...
So, he immediately rushed out of the bathroom and grabbed onto Annie's wrist, "Why did you do this?"
Annie froze for a moment in surprise, "Mr. Suho, what do you mean? I didn't do this..."
"Apart from you, there's no fourth person in this apartment that could have captured such a clear photo."
"Mr. Suho, it really wasn't me. If it was me, I would have run away by now. Why would I sit around waiting for you to catch me? It really wasn't me..." Annie's expression was sincere and innocent.
The expression on her face as she retreated made Suho actually question whether there was a ghost in the apartment.
Afterwards, Suho threw away Annie's arm and warned in a cold tone, "If I find out that you were the one to stab us in the back, I will treat you the way that you have treated Irene today."
Annie looked back with watery eyes like she had been frightened. As she huddled up to the side, Irene appeared from her bedroom and said to the two, "What's happening here?"
Suho looked at Irene without responding. He simply picked up his jacket from the sofa and walked away as he warned, "It's best if you don't leave the apartment today."
"What's wrong?"
Suho walked away without responding.
Irene was still in a confused state as Annie gestured for her to quickly look at her phone. Of course, as Irene held onto the phone, Annie tried to defend herself, "It really wasn't me. I wouldn't do it unless I have a death wish."
Irene glared at Annie without another word. After she read through the entire news article, she looked at Annie in seriousness, "Tell me, do you think this scandal has the capability to destroy Suho's career?"
Annie shook her head, gesturing that she was unsure of the consequences.
"In that case, I'm sure you can answer this next question. Who took this photo? And how did it get leaked to the public?"
"I really don't know."
"Fine. I know you're good at acting innocent. In that case, we will do as I say. If it wasn't you, then it should be no issue for you to step out and vouch for Suho, right?"
Annie did not look pleased. After a short pause, she finally replied, "Last night when you appeared to be having a fever, I also vomited quite a lot. I called Mr. Suho for help, but before he arrived, I was already asleep in my room. I have no idea what you guys did. So, how am I suppose to vouch for him?"
Irene glared at Annie, trying to understand what she was thinking.
But, she had absolutely no idea what this woman was thinking.
"If I find out that you did this, I will drag you down to the grave with me."
After speaking, Irene turned towards the door. She originally wanted to step out and assess the situation, but the apartment was already surrounded by reporters.
Yet, how did Suho sneak out without anyone knowing?
"Fine, I'll step out and vouch for Mr. Suho." Perhaps she wanted to prove her own innocence, or perhaps she actually wanted to help Suho, a moment later, Annie said to Irene,
"I'll vouch for Mr. Suho. There was never anything going on between the two of you to begin with, so I will definitely clarify for the two of you and myself."
Another person wanted to clarify themselves...
"You said it. Let's wait for Suho to organize everything," Irene said.
Annie nodded before quickly returning to her room and regaining her composure.
But, was she really going to vouch for Suho?
She was going to let them see a good show.
Irene naturally didn't trust Annie, so she immediately made a phone call to Hyatt Regency and recalled the entire incident to Tiffany.
After hearing the story, Tiffany laughed, "Why did you ask Annie to vouch for you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Annie's words mean nothing to the public."
"Since you're pretty much certain that Annie did this, but she still hasn't confronted you, the answer is simple. She mustn't have achieved her motive yet."
"If she does something even worse, it will be because you are still keeping her in close proximity, allowing her to observe your every move."
After hearing Tiffany's words, Irene felt her knees go weak. Although she had witnessed many incidences in the industry, when she actually had to deal with it first hand, she didn't know how to handle it.
She was normally wild and arrogant, but when it boiled down to a critical moment, she was weak and of no help.
"What should I do?" Irene asked Tiffany. "How can I prevent Suho from being implicated?"
"What? Are you beginning to feel that you treated him a bit unfairly in the past?" Tiffany chuckled.
Irene was caught off guard by Tiffany's question as she began to question the cause of her worries.
She was well aware that Suho was talented, whereas, she was just a non-ambitious stunt double. If Suho's reputation was destroyed by the scandals this time, she would probably live the rest of her life in guilt. She did not like the feeling of owing others.
"Fany unnie, can you tell me how I can help Suho?"
"You don't need to do anything. Just wait patiently and that's already enough," Tiffany replied. "Don't give Annie the chance to attack you nor Suho again."
"Am I supposed to do nothing then?"
"At a time like this, there's nothing you can do."
Tiffany was very straightforward. Her words were like a warning directed at Irene's selfishness. If she continued being the way she was, then not only Suho, but many others would also suffer.
"OK then, I won't do anything," Irene said before she hung up the phone. Afterwards, she had the urge to give Suho a phone call, but she quickly realized, she would be of no help.
So, she entered the living room and analyzed the space instead. According to the angle from which the scandalous photo was taken, the culprit was definitely standing in the doorway of Annie's room.
Irene held back her anger and knocked calmly on Annie's bedroom door.
Behind the door, Annie was holding onto her phone. As soon as the door opened, she handed the phone to Irene,
"The situation has escalated. Director Chen Feng has announced that he has canceled Mr. Suho's contract for 'Concubine Ning'. According to the current rate of progression, I'm afraid Mr. Suho will go through a long period with no work."
After looking at the latest news article, Irene handed the phone back to Annie and pulled out her own phone to interrogate her, "Only from this spot and from this height could someone manage to capture this logo in this way. Am I right?"
Annie looked at the comparison photo that Irene took from her doorway and fell silent.
"Even if you don't admit to it, I can find more evidence. You can stop acting, Annie."
Annie lifted her head; her eyes were red like she was trying to endure something. But, a moment later...
...she nodded her head and laughed. Her laugh was extremely arrogant, "So what if it was me? Does it still matter who exposed everything?"
"Perhaps, you can hold a press conference and tell everyone that I planned everything. Do you think anyone would believe you?"
Irene did not say a word. She simply threw a punch directly into Annie's face and knocked her onto the floor, "I know you hate me, but why would you treat Suho this way?"
Annie lay on the floor rubbing her injured face and sneered, "Don't you feel that he is biased towards you?"
"No, I don't!"
"That's because you are stupid. Couldn't you tell that Suho brought me here just to provoke you into working harder? Previously, when 'The Savage Wars' was selecting their cast, you rejected the contract and Suho promised that he'd give the role to me. But, what happened in the end? He didn't even mention my name to the director. He was simply waiting for you to change your mind."
"All that he had said about equal chances and allowing the director to decide was rubbish. The opportunity was always yours and I never stood a chance!"
"Do you know how bad this has hurt me?"
"As a university student, I thought I had made progress and was about to debut. But, what happened in the end?"
"Even though he tried to make up for it afterwards, he ignored the fact that I wanted to be treated equally and that I wanted to develop my career overseas. As soon as he found out that I had failed my audition, he didn't even attempt to fight for the opportunity. You still don't think he's biased?"
After listening to Annie's argument, Irene was dumbfounded. She had no idea what Suho had done for her without her knowing.
"When you said that your game console needed fixing, he immediately took it home and fixed it himself. On the surface, you appear to be at a disadvantage, but in reality, you are actually the person that he favors."
"So, why do you think I am treating Suho this way? It's because he asked for it!"
Irene knelt on the floor and grabbed Annie's shirt. She then raised her fist, ready to throw another punch. Annie did not intend to dodge. She simply stretched her neck, ready to accept the blow. However, at this time, the door to the apartment suddenly flew open...
5-6 men rushed in. As soon as they approached Irene they immediately started beating her painfully.
Irene couldn't possibly beat 5 professional bodyguards, so she huddled up on the floor without moving...
The lead bodyguard helped Annie off the floor and asked, "Are you fine?"
"Grab her!" Annie said with no time to care about her pain.
The bodyguards did as instructed and grabbed onto Irene. As soon as Annie saw this, she quickly walked over and threw a punch at her, "This punch is payback." She then threw another punch, "This punch is a bonus."
Annie then stood up straight and dusted off her body. Her expression quickly changed as she looked down arrogantly at Irene.
"Did you think that this is over? Actually, I was the person that stole your role in 'The Savage Wars'. I would have never been satisfied until you were replaced. Didn't you say that you wanted to be a stunt double? And weren't you a reckless person? From now on, you can be as reckless as you want..."
"The good show is yet to come! This time, without Suho, I wonder who would still be available to save you."
After speaking, Annie turned around to leave. As she left, she said to the lead bodyguard, "Teach her an industry-style lesson."
"Yes, watch your step, Ms. Annie."
The scene that followed was something that Irene wanted to erase from her memory.
The so-called 'industry-style lesson', meant being surrounded by the group of men as they urinated all over her.
The revolting smell spread from the top of her head to the rest of her body.
The thought of it filled Irene with a murderous intent. She was willing to sacrifice herself in order to kill Annie.
Although no one could prove that Annie had started the scandal, everyone knew, without a doubt, it was her.
Tiffany asked Sunny to investigate the matter through her small channels of contact. As a result, Sunny came back to her with news that Annie had been overly intimate with a new entertainment agency boss. In fact, they were spotted booking a hotel room together!
"I asked a friend to try and get information from this President Wang. Give me one night and I'll get back to you," Sunny updated.
"When someone that is newly rich decides to open an agency, they only have one motive: they're trying to go to any lengths to sleep with as many greedy new stars as possible. They can gain both sex and profits, you know what I mean?" Tiffany said with a deeper meaning. "Deal with this quietly. The best outcome is for you to get some evidence in your hands."
"Understood," Sunny replied; the excitement in her voice was hard to hide. It had been a long time since she had exercised her abilities in the entertainment industry.
When it came to someone like Director Wang, Tiffany did not need to make a personal appearance. But, she could definitely meet with the director of 'The Savage Wars'.
"Can you help me make an appointment with the American director? I have a few questions to ask him."
"That's fine," Sunny agreed.
After going through so many ups and downs with Tiffany, she had already become accustomed to her methods. Whenever Tiffany made an appearance, the opponent was down on their luck.
...
Suho did not have a team of people that he worked with, so the exposure this time pointed out negative points about him, yet he had no one to help him with PR.
In regards to Director Chen Feng, Suho had already tried to explain himself to him. But, the director clearly told him that if he didn't find a way to clean up this scandal, then he should just give up his role as assistant director. Suho was a man of dignity, so he promised the director that he'd give him a satisfactory outcome.
When he thought about the scandal, he had to admit that he wasn't cautious enough. At a time like this, he should have known that one wrong move could completely destroy him, yet he spoiled Irene and made a big mistake.
Thinking of Irene, he remembered that he had not explained the situation clearly to her that morning. According to her temper, what troubles could she have possibly created today?
Because he was worried, Suho decided not to head straight home. Instead, he headed to Irene's apartment. But, as he stepped out of the lift, he noticed that the front door was left unlocked.
Suho immediately opened the door and rushed in. Inside, he found Irene lying on the floor covered in a smelly liquid twitching in anger.
Suho was shocked as he ran over to help her off the floor. But, Irene suddenly screamed, "I am going to kill Annie!"
"What happened?" Suho asked as he noticed there were obvious injuries on her face and neck.
Irene loosened herself from Suho and pushed him away, "It's none of your business! Just tell me where Annie is!"
The answer to Suho's question was clear. He could roughly guess what had happened while he was gone.
Seeing that Irene looked ready to destroy everything in her path, Suho wondered what kind of suffering she had gone through to get to this point.
As he looked at the floor, he realized the liquid stunk of urine...
Suho couldn't imagine what Annie must have done.
"Tell me where she is!"
"Calm down, getting angry won't change a thing. In fact, it will cause you more troubles," Suho hugged Irene tightly.
"I don't care!"
"I care!" Suho yelled. "Just endure it for now, I will make Annie pay for what she has done - a hundred, no, a thousand-fold!"
Irene's eyes turned red. It took her a lot of effort to endure the suffering and anger that she felt.
Suho took this opportunity to carry Irene in his arms, straight into the bathroom. He then placed her in the bathtub and washed her down with warm water.
"Trust me, trust me!"
Hearing Suho repeat these two words, Irene suddenly looked up at him like a child. Seeing this, Suho felt even more guilty, "I shouldn't have left you here on your own. From now on, I will take you everywhere I go. I will never leave you alone again."
Irene had already put aside her intention to immediately seek revenge, but her fists remained tightly clenched, "I will definitely destroy her. Definitely!"
In this aspect, Irene was very similar to Tiffany. She never appeared weak in front of others, displaying a clear distinction between herself and other women.
However, the difference between Irene and Tiffany, was the fact that the more quiet Tiffany was, the more dangerous she was. Because, the more quiet she was, the more calculations she was doing in her mind to overthrow her enemies. On the other hand, Irene's reactions were a lot more explosive.
If Annie was standing right in front of her, there was no doubt that Irene would tear her apart without hesitation.
Suho's heart ached. This incident reminded him of how he failed to protect Yoona in the past. He seemed to always allow those around him to get hurt.
"Let's go, I'll take you to get some rest." After helping Irene clean up, Suho carried her towards her bedroom, "Have a good night's rest and calm yourself down."
"Go do what you need to do. I won't add to your troubles," Irene said as she sat on her bed.
Suho was about to say something else, but he was suddenly interrupted by a phone call from Hyoyeon. Suho immediately picked up the phone and handed it to Irene.
Irene lowered her head and cried out, "Mom..."
This simple word made both Hyoyeon and Suho's hearts break.
"Hand the phone to Suho," Hyoyeon said angrily.
Suho overheard and quickly took the phone from Irene's hand. Of course, he was already prepared to be scolded.
"You better clarify for my daughter, otherwise, I won't play nice."
"Auntie Lee, don't worry. No matter what it takes, I will help Irene return to normal."
"You better do as you say," Hyoyeon warned. "Although we don't have a man in the family, we aren't easy to bully. If you can't protect my daughter, then hand her back, I can handle the matter on my own."
"Auntie Lee, trust me."
"Comfort my daughter instead."
After speaking, Hyoyeon hung up the phone. Of course, Tiffany's lips curved slightly upwards as she overheard the entire conversation from the living room.
This was how Taeyeon's mother should be like. This was the dominance that Taeyeon's mother should possess.
She was nothing like the shameless Han Ji-eun.
Of course, no one could afford to provoke anyone in the Kim Family. Since they dared to do it, then they would need to face the consequences.
...
After putting down the phone, Suho reached out his hand and gently patted Irene on the head, "It was my fault for not protecting you well."
"Why did you do so much for me behind-the-scenes?" Irene questioned confusedly. "My role, my game, and all the other random matters, why did you do what you have done?"
**********
(BC he had feeling for you.... He just can't admit it 😂?