In just two weeks, everything went back to normal. The kidnapping incident that had caused an uproar in Ahn City ended just like that.
That day, not many people had witnessed Yn’s fall. However, the story was spread on the internet for a period of time and there was even live footage of it.
The media had just gotten information, proofs and the materials only circulated in the community for a short while before they were taken down.
The kim and Cohen families had spent a lot of money to shut down this news. Specially Chris and taehyung.
Yet, some people who still got the news and some glimpse of the proofs of the incident didn't understand why the kidnappers would kidnap two Women at the same time to threaten Taehyung.
Guinevere was his fiancee,the only official girlfriend he had ever acknowledged to the public, so it made sense for the kidnappers to kidnap her.
So... who was the other woman? Even if they were curious, no one had the guts to give the kim family trouble.
Ahn City was a city of profound history where many wealthy families resided. There was an urban rumor that any wealthy family in Ahn City's upper-class society could easily overwhelm an entire city.
Taehyung's alone wealth was of national level, so it wasn't difficult for him to suppress this incident.
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The old kim Mansion.....
At the family manor of the kim family, a white Bentley slowly entered the compound of kim mansion .
Taehyung was going through some documents while Guinevere sat beside him longingly staring at him whereas he never looked at her.
They were only inches apart, but it felt like there was a huge gap between them. Guinevere had grown up with him
and knew that he was an aloof man who rarely showed emotion. But.....
The incident that day was still vivid in her mind. Taehyung had chosen her, just as she hoped. And yn was no longer a threat, so she had nothing to worry about anymore. She could have put away her unbridled suspicion and be with him now, but...
Guinevere looked conflicted. Whenever she stopped thinking, she would inadvertently remember that day and
how flustered taehyung looked when he saw yn fall.. She couldn't forget it. She had never seen him lose his cool as if his emotions had collapsed and his sanity was gone. Even the corners of his eyes were red with madness as he cried out that woman's name.
He has never showed such emotions toward any single being not even his parents. He had even pushed her away and rushed over, wanting to grab yn... If his bodyguards hadn't rushed over in time, Guinevere suspected that he would probably have jumped down after yn.
Also... there was one other thing that worried her even more, and that was if taehyung found out that those men really were connected to her.
Although she was thorough in her preparations and has revealed her identity only to the main kidnapper who also fell with yn and now is on death bed. Other then him nobody knows that it was her plan, after all she knew how capable Taehyung was.
Hence, she had been living in fear since that day, worried that Taehyung might find out about her deeds.
When yn fell down with the kidnapper, the air cushion had only been pumped only halfway. The kidnapper wasn't so lucky so he was currently in the intensive care unit due to being in coma, his survival uncertain.
For the sake of making the incident look more realistic, Guinevere had only discussed the details with the leader of the gang. Even the kidnapper who had held her hostage didn't know about the deal. Aside from the leader, no one else was aware.
So if the leader in the hospital died, Taehyung would never find out. With this in mind, Guinevere's expression softened.
The car was still moving, gradually slowing down. Guinevere turned to the man's handsome side profile and said, "Taehyung... We'll be parents in one month."
They seemed to be at peace with each other and the name 'yn' had disappeared from their lives. But Guinevere couldn't rest easy, so she could only use the baby to keep taehyung with her.
He didn't give much of a reaction. He merely grunted a reply as he read the documents in his hand. "Don't worry. The doctor has already examined you, and everything's normal."
She frowned displeased at his tone and choice of words, "Im not worried about me, I just..." Guinevere pursed her lips, moved closer to him and leaned against his arm gently. "Taehyung, why do I get the feeling that you're very far away from me?"
Taehyung's finger shook slightly before he turned another page. "What kind of distance do you consider close?" Guinevere smiled. "I didn't mean that sort of distance. What I mean is... your heart feels very far away."
Taehyung sighed annoyed, "You will experience overthinking during pregnancy, and that's a normal
phenomenon."
He didn't pause what he was doing and never spare a glance at her all the while. He glanced at the family manor and closed the file. "If you feel unwell, let the doctor know. I'm busy lately soI can't be there for you all the time."
Having said that, he swiftly got out of the car without looking at her or hearing her reply. He didn't even waited for her to come out of the car, leaving the door open he was already going ahead.
Guinevere grew much more uneasy as she watched his back profile. Was he busy because of work, or due to something else?
___________________________
At the kim family manor, Taehyung could sense the unusual atmosphere the instant he stepped inside the house. The kim family had been waiting for them. Each person wore varying expressions, but they all looked grim and somewhat disapproving.
He ignored their scrutiny and took his seat. Guinevere had wanted to enter the house holding onto his arm but end up entering alone, so she felt momentarily embarrassed. However, she quickly regained her composure and sat down beside Taehyung.
She smiled modestly and greeted her seniors at the table. "Sorry to have kept everyone waiting. We were running a little late." Guinevere was a genuine socialite. Her conduct and etiquette were commendable, and she carried herself in a noble way in front of others.
This was a kim family banquet, and Guinevere was considered part of the family now. "It's alright. If I'm not mistaken, your due date should be soon." The person who spoke was taehyung mother, Wendy kim.
She smiled kindly and added, "It's better to be careful during your commute, and it's okay if you're a little late."
Guinevere smiled back and nodded. "Thank you for your concern... Aunt Wendy."
She had paused before addressing Wendy. She had wanted to call Wendy 'Mom' instead but had to give up on the thought. Unlike Wendy's warm graciousness, as the patriarch of the kim family, Chris Kim had a steadfast temperament. It was somewhat similar to Taehyung's but also different.
Chris was Taehyung's father, and the two looked alike. Their chiseled features were passed down in the kim family bloodline, but Taehyung's features were much more prominent compared to Chris's.
Chris and Wendy were known to be a lovey-dovey couple in their community. Unlike other wealthy couples of other aristocratic families who only put on shows of affection, Chris and Wendy truly loved each other. They were almost together all the time.
Wendy used to be a famous actress and celebrity in her younger days. During her era, no one could compete with her when it came to beauty, fame and success.
However, she had chosen to retire from the industry when her career was on peak to marry Chris, who was then a wealthy young gentleman, to start a family and have children.
It was a romance between a rich young master and a popular actress. And now, their story seemed to be re-enacted by Taehyung and Guinevere.
Guinevere felt confused at times. Taehyung's parents were so lovey-dovey, and his family background was top-class, so why was he always so detached and indifferent?
Wendy might have aged, but she had charming features and never slacked off when it comes to maintaining her
appearance, Time had turned her into a mature beauty, giving her an added charm.
Wendy looked at Guinevere's protruding stomach, and her smile deepened. She said gently." It's alright. You're pregnant, so you should be careful when traveling. Your due date is next month, right? Youhave to be extra diligent until then."
Chris didn't say anything. He had never looked at Guinevere at all ever since the two of them came to him. His fingers tapped lightly on his knees as emotion surged behind his dark eyes. He had a drink of water to moisten his throat before looking at taehyung. "When do you plan to get married?"
Guinevere was about to give birth, but Taehyung had shown no intention of registering his marriage with her. Chris knew that taehyung tended to value the big picture, so he wasn't worried that taehyung would break his promise of marrying Guinevere.
However... So long as Guinevere and taehyung weren't officially married, Chris couldn't rest easy. "Gwen is giving birth soon. Even if you can't host a wedding ceremony or perform rituals for the time being, at least get your marriage registered to appease the Cohen family."
No one spoke for a moment there. Guinevere was waiting for Taehyung's response with bated breath, but the only answer she got was silence.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Even the other family members looked Over with confusion. Guinevere and Taehyung's marriage was acquiesced by both families. At first, no one had urged Taehyung about it because they thought that taehyung had other plans as he usually did.
But now, rather than having other plans, it seemed like he was having other thoughts instead. Finally, it was Chris who broke the silence. "Ive been hearing rumors lately. Do you have other considerations in mind?"
When he said this, nosy people who enjoyed conflict got involved. "I‘ve heard some nasty rumors claiming that taehyung... has a woman on the side!" Guinevere gasped. "Xavier! Who allowed you to speak?!" Chris growled at him, visibly enraged.
By another woman, Xavier meant yn. Outsiders may not be aware, but Chris couldn't be deceived, and neither could
his dear brother, Xavier, be kept in the dark as well.
Xavier was Chris's younger brother, but he was only a few years older than Taehyung. As Xavier was a child Old Mr. Kim had during his golden years, he became the apple of Old Mr. Kim's eye.
Even if Chris was the biggest shareholder, Xavier still had a great deal of authority. He was also the only person who could still smile cheekily when Chris was furious. "Big brother, I was only telling you about the rumor I heard. I never said it was true. Taehyung has always been virtuous, so I believe that the rumors are nonsense. What do you think, big brother?"
Chris still looked forbidding and he showed no signs of letting up. He ignored his insensible brother and turned back to Taehyung.
"You heard him. Those rumors will never stop, not until the day you marry Gwen. You have to let the Cohen family and Gwen know when exactly you plan to get your marriage registered."
Upon hearing this, Guinevere's heart stopped and she subconsciously looked at Taehyung. She felt anxious as she held her breath to wait for his answer. As long as taehyung could give a firm answer, he could avoid all troubles.
Taehyung kept quiet for the longest time without opening his mouth. All eyes were focused on him and he suddenly felt so annoyed. He massaged the point between his eyebrows and said, "I can handle my Own mnatters. You don't need to interfere them."
Slam!
Chris slammed his cutlery onto the table. "Taehyung, what do you mean by that attitude of yours?" He growled.
I can ask you the same," What do you mean by that attitude of yours?" Taehyung calmly stated.
Wendy stood up at once. "Chris, what are you doing?" She reached over to rub his back. When Chris had calmed down slightly, she sat back down and looked at Taehyung helplessly.
"You rarely come home, so please stop making your father angry, Let's all have a nice dinner together." Xavier was enjoying the show. Just as he was about to add fuel to the fire, Wendy swept hima glance.
Xavier shrugged. To be honest, he obeyed his gentle and beautiful sister-in-law more than he listened to his stern older brother. He smiled and didn't say anything to
make matters Worse.
A home must have a big-hearted and gentle female owner. Now that Wendy had spoken, the silent confrontation slowly died away, leaving only a slightly tense atmosphere.
Guinevere was also clever enough to know that needs to look sensible in front of everybody to show the image that she can take over wendy position in the kim family now, and took it upon herself to smooth things over.
She put on a generous expression and asked the man beside her affectionately, "Taehyung, could you get me a bowl of Soup?" She was also trying to clarify her standing that she was on his side. Whether or not they got married, that was their issue. And since she didn't mind, the others had no right to say anything.
The atmosphere at the dining table mellowed down. Xavier looked back and forth between the two with mild interest. He let out a soft chuckle laced with sarcasm but didn't let anyone catch him in the act.
Taehyung didn't answer. He merely reached forward to ladle Guinevere a bowl of Soup. However, his hands paused in midair for a momernt as an untimely scene flashed through his mind.
He remembered Yn’s back profile as she busied herself in the kitchen making numerous dishes all to match his tastes and like.
This table right now was filled with dishes prepared by a renowned chef so it was of significant standard, but Taehyung suddenly remembered Yn’s dishes instead...
She had never made anything too fancy, and they were mostly average home cooked meals. However, each dish tasted great and he wondered where she had learned to cook like that.
Taehyung had to socialize a lot so he rarely ate at home. At first, none of the dishes yn made were to his liking. He lost interest after glancing at them and only took a few bites to please her. When they tasted good, he would eat a few more bites.
But before he knew it, more and more of his favorites appeared in her cooking until finally, every dish on the table was to his liking. The times he went home increased and he stayed longer too.
Aside from cooking, Yn’s performance in other aspects had begun to suit his taste too.
His gaze dimmed. He put away his thoughts and ladled Guinevere a bowl of soup indifferently. "Drink up." His actions showed care and consideration, but there was no affection on his face, not even a bit of warmth in his voice.
Guinevere accepted the bowl with a smile. Her expression was one of happiness but she felt bitter on the inside. She suddenly remembered how flustered he looked on the rooftop that day, all for the sake of another woman.
The uneasiness inside her grew stronger and stronger. 'Stop thinking about it.' She tried to comfort herself. 'She's already dead, along with the child in her stomach. The kidnapper is heavily injured too, and he won't last long in the hospital.'
Once the kidnapper died, no one else in the world would know of the things she had done. She didn't regret killing yn and her baby at all! If yn didn't die, judging by Taehyung's current state, he might just be influenced by her someday... There was also the fact that yn was pregnant with his child.
So what if She said she wouldn't disturb them? Guinevere wouldn't allow any threats to exist in her relationship with taehyung. But yn was dead now.
No matter how much she had influenced Taehyung, with time, these impressions would gradually fade away no matter how deep they were once engraved. How could the dead possibly win against the living?
____________________________
After dinner, the rest of the kim family members noticed something amiss so they found excuses to leave. Taehyung remained impassive and stayed in his seat. Sure enough, Chris swept him a glance and said, "Come here, I have something to say to you."
Taehyung finally looked up to meet Chris's gaze. Shortly after, Guinevere felt anxious as she watched taehyung leave, so she stood up. Wendy seized her hand and shook her head. "They might not be talking about you and taehyung, so don't cause anymore trouble."
Now that everyone else was gone, Wendy's attitude toward her took a sharp turn. Guinevere pursed her lips and couldn't resist asking softly, "Aunt Wendy, do you perhaps have a misunderstanding toward me?".
Guinevere's cautious and confused expression made Wendy laugh on the inside.
However, she didn't show it. She merely patted the back of Guinevere's hand with a kind look on her face. "No way. We'll be family soon, so I won't be as courteous toward you as I would with guests. But if you mind it.."
Guinevere was surprised and quickly said, "I don't mind. I just thought you had Some misunderstanding toward me.. I'm sorry." She looked Wendy in the eyes, but then averted her gaze out of guilt. Then, she picked up a glass and held it to her lips as if trying to conceal her emotions.
___________________________
On the balcony, Chris drew the curtains of the French windows. Taehyung snorted a laugh. "Are you feeling guilty? Afraid that someone would overhear or mom will find out?"
When it was only the two of them, Chris no longer put on airs, but instead looked exhausted and tired.
"I know you feel aggrieved about this... But Gwen really loves you so much, and the child.. it still has kim family's blood flowing in its veins, and you're somehow related.."
"So, what?" Taehyung asked in a icy voice. Chris suddenly became hesitant. Perhaps taehyung noticed the pretense and guilt in Chris's words, he found it all ironic.
He stood tall with one hand holding the railing and the other tugging at his shirt collar's button, hoping to breathe easier. "Since you've already decided and plotted everything... Why are you asking my opinion now?"
"Taehyung..." Chris looked at him and then probed, "You'll still marry Gwen, won't you? After all, she's the only woman you've had by your side after all these years and she loves you too .There is no harm in this wedding."
Then, he suddenly paused before adding, "That woman named yn has already died from falling off a building. No matter what kind of past you had with her, it's time to let go."
"SHUT UP!" Chris flinched. Taehyung abruptly clenched his fists and his gaze became frightening.
"Just to hide all your dirty deeds ,don't give me lecture of letting go and all .Don't pretend to be a good father when all you fucking care is about covering up your nasty deeds. Dont interfere in my matters you have already ruined enough."
He left after saying this leaving Chris stunned and freezed on his spot in shame ,guilt and fear.
_________________________
At the private hospital.....
Inside the ward, yn had lost count of how many times she had woken up. She stared up at the ceiling with her eyes feeling dry and came to accept the fact that she had survived. She was lucky according to the doctors because the moment she fell, rescuers had dragged a cushion over in time.
She lived but her child didn't. The door opened and in came a man donning a suit. She didn't even look at him. She just stared dazedly at the ceiling, looking lifeless as if she was dead.
Ben Sullivan was Taehyung's personal assistant and a person he could trust. Ben had served taehyung for a while now. When he saw how yn was behaving, he couldn't resist furrowing his brows. "Madam..."
He had spoken out of reflex but later realized that he had made a mistake. He paused and corrected himself. "Ms. Sealey, how are you feeling?" His professional tone didn't rouse any reaction in yn.
Ever since she was pronounced dead from falling off a building, and then hidden away here in a private hospital by Taehyung, she had been in this state. She didn't listen, wouldn't see, didn't speak, and wouldn't respond.
Ben would visit almost every day, and the doctor said that She had physically recovered by now. Her refusal to talk might be due to psychological reasons. Ben knew a little bit of inside info. He paused before saying, "Mr. Sealey has
been well taken care of. If you are ready, Ms. Sealey, you can leave tomorrow."
She finally gave some response upon hearing this. She propped herself up and looked at the man. The corners of her lips curled up despite her impassive face.
"He's really quick at getting things done. Is he afraid that I'll become an eyesore to Guinevere again so he can only force me to play dead, change my name, and move to another city before he can rest easy?" Ben was taken aback, "Ms. Sealey... I'm only following instructions."
She grabbed the bed sheet without saying anything. Her lips turned pale from pursing her lips too hard. She looked out the window and the trees' shadows were reflected in her eyes. She kept quiet.
Ben was forced to speak again, "Ms. Sealey, please don't make things difficult for Mr. Kim..." She interrupted him with a death glare, saying, "There's one thing left that needs to be taken care of."
Ben stared at her in confusion. He had never expected her to make a request of him. But it doesn't sounds like a request though.
Moments later, he came to a realization. "Mr. Sealey has agreed to Mr. Kim's suggestion. He will change his name and relocate to another city with you. Mr. Kim will also bear all of his medical bills henceforth, including a compensation fee for you."
Then, he reported an acceptable number. The corner of Yn’s mouth twitched. This amount was enough to make her the richest person in small towns.
"Since Roger has agreed, we'll go with that." She closed her eyes before abruptly opening them again. "There's one person I'd like to see." She demanded. "Who?" Ben asked thinking about Taehyung. "The culprit who had kidnapped me that day."
Ben fell silent as he stared at her with conflict in his eyes. Yn found it amusing. "What? Are you afraid that Il insist on going through with my evil desires and scheme against Guinevere?"
She understood well that taehyung wouldn't believe her. No one in the world would.
No matter how many times she repeated that Guinevere was the one who had hired the kidnappers, other people would just think she was insane.
Ben quickly replied, "I didn't mean that. I just need to get Mr. Kim's opinion on this." Yn closed her eyes. "Okay, go on
then.".
_________________________
In kim Corporation CEO office ....
"She really said that?" Inside the office, taehyung put down his document. Ben stood before his table, looking down.
"Ms. Sealey has agreed to the suggestions, so I'm sure it must mean she's willing to see you too."
(He's too overconfident for his boss😒)
Taehyung kept quiet, wearing an indescribable expression. He looked down at the tip of his pen that had just drawn a dark streak on the white sheet of paper. The dark color in his eyes was so intense it couldn't dissolve away.
A moment later, he said hoarsely, "I thought she wouldn't want to see me ever again."
He had gone to visit her once too when she had finally woken up a long tỉme ago.
Back then, she had been emotionally disturbed and shouted in the ward that she never wanted to see him ever again. That he was a murderer and a monster. Taehyung had paused in his steps. Alas, he could only leave.
He had gone a few more times after that, but only after she had fallen asleep. After hearing Ben's report, he seemed a little dazed. Ben took a guess at his thoughts and asked, "Mr. Kim, should I tell Ms. Sealey that you're busy with work?"
Taehyung immediately shook his head, "No." Taehyung stood up and grabbed the suit jacket draped over the back of his chair. "Let's make a trip over.I want to meet her too." He announced, determined.
Ben stood confused, "Now?" Taehyung nodded in response, "Yes,"
Ben had wanted to say that he had a meeting coming up, and that Ms. Cohen had made an appointment to meet with him in the afternoon. However, as he looked at the man's decisive conduct, he said nothing but followed after him.
The corridor of the hospital was empty. Aside from the occasional doctors and nurses passing by, there were no other patients here. This was a private hospital and provided absolute confidentiality.
Taehyung was the investor in this hospital,so no one would know that yn had stayed here before.
________________________
At this moment....
Taehyung was sitting on a bench, tilting his head up to lean against the wall behind him. The button of his shirt collar was undone, and there was a fingernail Scratch mark on his face and little bruise on his forehead and his shirt was disheveled.
However, he didn't look battered at all. It made him look unruly instead. Ben only emerged from the room after a long while had passed.
He looked apologetically at taehyung, who was closing his eyes to rest. "Mr. Kim, I didn't think Ms. Sealey had meant it that way.."
He had thought that yn wanted to have a proper discussion with taehyung. He didn't expect her to still hate taehyung so much...
Taehyung had the back of his hand covering his eyes and said nothing. When he saw that Ben was out, he removed his hand. "How is she?"
Ben took a step forward. "She has just calmed down. Mr. Kim... shall we take care of that wound on your face?"