The red light changed to green.
And the sound of a horn from the car behind snapped Hyein out of her reverie, her eyes soon finding Minji looking intensely at her from the driver's seat before driving off.
"You seem unfocused this morning, but I don't blame you."
Hyein looked down, staring at her cell phone screen.
"Is she still unreachable?" Minji asked.
"Yes Miss."
"Well, we can't blame her."
"Would it have been different if I had been honest with her that night?"
"We can't change what happened Hyein, you can only think of what you should do now."
Hyein stared out the car window.
"Do you have any regrets?"
"No Miss, I think that scumbag deserved it."
"Even though it threatens your relationship with Yoona right now?"
"Yes..." Hyein answered after a moment of silence.
Minji turned the steering wheel of her car to the right, entering the Seol family residence. She then stopped the car in front of the entrance stairs and got out of the car, Hyein following her.
A man in a suit bowed to her and then got into the car to take it to the guest parking lot.
Two maids bowed to them, Minji and Hyein entered the mansion. A young man with short curly hair bowed to her, "Miss Kim, Miss Lee, your presence is expected by Miss Seol." He said.
The two women followed the man to a large wooden door. The man pressed a black button and brought his mouth to a small metal box embedded under the button.
"They're already here."
The door slid open.
Na Gyung stood up from her chair as Minji and Hyein walked into the room.
"What the hell Seol? Why did my assistant's face get battered?" Minji blurted out, Hyein behind her bowing 90 degrees to Na Gyung.
"Sit down Minji."
"Where's that old man??"
"My father is having breakfast with Asad Bafayed at the hotel where he's staying, he told me to represent him."
Minji scoffed, "He already demeaned Hyein and told a woman to face me? I didn't know he was a coward."
Na Gyung folded her arms in front of her chest, "You came here because you also wanted Hyein to have a good relationship with Yoona, not just because my father hit her."
Minji walked up to Na Gyung, "No one can hit my assistant." She snarled.
Na Gyung moved her face forward, "Listen to me, what Hyein and Yoona are facing is bigger than just that. My father didn't approve of them because he thinks Hyein is a criminal, a murderer."
Minji squinted her eyes, Na Gyung saw a glimpse of viciousness in the woman's orbs, she took a few steps back.
"How exactly does he know this?" Minji's tone was deep and low.
She had to know how the old man knew what they were doing. Haerin and Danielle were months away from getting married, and there was a possibility that Hanni was pregnant.
She had to take care of them, no matter what.
"The owner of the university is an old friend of my father's." Na Gyung stared at Minji.
"He asked my father to check the street cameras around the house, the university, and the roads Han Woo used to take."
Na Gyung walked over to the sofa and sat on it, rubbing her hair.
"My father, being a good friend, of course helped him. He had one of the security staff send street camera footage of the day Han Woo was last seen.
He saw a short, stocky man following Han Woo to his house at 2am after returning from a party. And after that they weren't seen again. Father recognized the man as one of Jin Sang's men."
Minji turned around slowly, she glanced at Hyein for a moment and then looked at Na Gyung.
"Jin Sang?"
Minji's jaw hardened.
"Your father knew Park Jin Sang?" She asked again.
"Seol Jin Sang."
"What did you say?"
"Park was her mother's surname, before she became my uncle's wife. After her mother died and she was abandoned by my uncle, she took the Park surname again."
Minji's brows furrowed and her face showed deep confusion.
"I don't understand, there was never any news about your uncle's marriage."
"Because the one he married was a maid, that's why it was done secretly. Jin Sang is my cousin by bloodline."
"Then what does this have to do with it? Did he tell your father?"
"Patience Minji, let me finish first."
"I have to take my wife to the hospital at 9, you better not beat around the bush."
Na Gyung looked at Minji with a flat face, and silently cursed her father why she was the one who had to face this demon.
"Dad went to Jin Sang and asked about Han Woo, he said he didn't know anything. But Jin Sang didn't know that Dad had caught the stocky one first, so he brought him to Jin Sang's face and he recounted everything.
Jin Sang tried to deny it but of course Dad didn't buy it and he beat the crap out of him."
"That's enough." Minji turned her body around and walked towards the door, Hyein bowed to Na Gyung and followed her.
"Hyein should stay here, Yoona wants to have a word with her."
They both stopped, Minji looked at Hyein and threw the car keys to her, Hyein caught the keys and bowed her head, "Take my car home later, I'll call Han to drive me." Minji said while walking out the door.
Hyein turned around to face Na Gyung, "I apologize profusely for causing you trouble." She bowed 90 degrees.
Na Gyung just sighed softly, "Yoona is in her bedroom, my maid will take you there."
----
****
Hyein stared at the brown door uncertainly, she had been standing in front of it for 10 minutes since the Seol family's maid had escort her here.
She had a bad feeling, and she felt uneasy.
The door suddenly opened, Hyein was petrified.
Yoona stood in front of her, still wearing a nightgown, the fragrant fragrance coming from the room immediately captured Hyein's sense of smell.
Yoona's face looked tired, she looked into Hyein's brown eyes.
"Come in." She said quietly.
Hyein entered the room slowly, Yoona closed the door and walked to the sofa next to her bed, "Sit down."
Hyein went to the sofa and sat next to Yoona.
"I need an explanation." came Yoona's voice after a moment of silence.
Hyein rubbed her face, she stared at the floor.
"Didn't you hear everything back then? What else do you want to know?"
"I want to hear from your side, are you just going to expect me to believe everything Dad says? Is there no explanation from you at all?"
Hyein averted her eyes, "I...tortured people, killed them. Would it make any difference if I explained everything now?"
Yoona sighed.
"Do you even understand the concept of communication in a relationship?
I need you to talk to me Hyein, not just nod or say yes or no!
I don't want that mouth to be used just to kiss me or ask me what I want! Talk to me!" Yoona exclaimed angrily.
Hyein looked at Yoona, "I'm an illegitimate child, I hurt a lot of people in my past, beating them up just for fun. Maybe your father is right, I'm not good for you."
"It's not him who decides what's right or wrong for me. Besides, that was the old you, she's different from who you are now. And I don't care about your status." Yoona gazed into Hyein's eyes.
Hyein gritted her teeth, "But not with your father, even my father doesn't want me."
Yoona clenched her fists, "But I want you! Were the words 'I love you' that you said that time just a way to sweeten the pot?"
"Maybe I shouldn't have fallen in love with you, I should have rejected you back then!"
They said their sentences simultaneously. Hyein didn't hear Yoona's words because she was too focused on her own pain.
But Yoona heard Hyein's words, very clearly.
The hurt and anger flashed vividly in the woman's eyes.
Her hand slapped Hyein's face before she could stop herself.
"So cliché Lee Hyein. Suddenly thinking you're a bad person and then deciding to say that. Do you think this relationship is just your will? I was the first who fall in love." Yoona stood up, her body trembling with anger.
"If you really think that my father knows what's best for me you should leave."
"I DON'T..." Hyein stood up angrily but then stopped her sentence, Yoona looked at her with a challenging gaze.
The taller one was silent, she then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Silence.
Yoona waited, wishing...
Wishing that Hyein would convince her. Wishing that the woman she loved would answer anything, so that there could be more conversation.
She didn't care if they would fight, she just wanted them to talk.
But Hyein just lowered her head and bowed to her, "I'm sorry." She said quietly.
Yoona broke into pieces inside.
She exhaled slowly, restraining herself from letting out her emotions. Of course she knew Hyein was used to just staying quiet and obeying her.
But she had a little hope earlier when her lover stood up angrily.
A little hope that Hyein would argue with her, say that her father was wrong. She wanted her to say that she was the best for Yoona.
She was wrong.
Yoona blinked her eyes a few times, holding back her tears. She then gave a small nod. "Get out." She said in a cold tone, averting her eyes from Hyein.
Hyein reached out her hand to hold Yoona's arm.
"Don't touch me, you've made your choice."
Hyein stopped, she withdrew her hand and bowed again.
"I have no regrets for meeting you Miss Seol. Please take good care of yourself."
She then straightened up and walked towards the door.
Yoona desperately wished Hyein would stop, turn her body around and look at her, apologize once again, tell her that she would fight for them.
And maybe.... maybe she would walk up to Hyein and kiss her, saying 'Yes, we'll get through it together'.
Please.
The sound of the door opening and then closing made her heart break even more.
You didn't mean what you said.
And she sobbed silently.
-----------------------------------------------
Minji's Penthouse, 9:02 am.
Minji came out of the elevator in a hurry, she saw her mother sitting on the sofa watching one of the popular dramas.
A short and stocky woman approached her, she then bowed 90 degrees, "Welcome Miss Kim, are you hungry? You didn't have breakfast this morning."
Minji waved her hand and shook her head, "No, thank you. Mom, where's Hanni?" She asked in a half shout as she walked towards the bedroom.
Mrs. Kim didn't answer, she was busy commenting on the scene on TV.
Hanni came out of the room just as Minji was about to open the door, "Baby, let's go to the hospital." Minji stared at Hanni's face and her stomach alternately.
"Sit down first Minji." Hanni said gently and led Minji to the sofa.
"But we're already late!"
"Yes, and because of whom?" Hanni smiled sweetly.
Minji didn't say anything else.
They sat down near Mrs. Kim.
"Well, where were you?" Hanni stared at Minji.
"I went with Hyein."
"Where to?"
Minji glanced at her mother and then at Hanni, "I can't tell you here, later." She whispered.
Hanni smiled thinly, "You didn't tell me you were leaving this morning either, I looked for you when I woke up, and called you but you didn't pick up."
"My cell phone was on silent mode."
"Did you do that on purpose?" Hanni's tone began to rise.
"No!"
"Ssshhh!!!" Mrs. Kim turned her head towards them irritably, annoyed that Minji's voice had startled her.
Her face immediately turned soft when she saw Hanni, "My dear, you're awake!"
Minji rolled her eyes.
"How are you doing? I'll tell Mrs. Ahn to make breakfast for you, you should eat lots of nutritious food." She then looked at Minji, "Where were you? You left your wife alone." She looked at her daughter with a judgmental gaze.
Minji raised her eyebrows, she was about to speak up when Hanni suddenly grasped her fingers. She quickly refocused on her wife.
"Baby, we have to go to the hospital, didn't you say you wanted me to take you?" She said softly.
"Yes, but I already don't want to go." Hanni turned her gaze towards the TV.
"Where have you been? Everyone doesn't know where you went." Mrs. Kim's voice was heard.
"Don't we want to check your pregnancy?" Minji ignored her mother.
"What's wrong with her? Is she pregnant?" Mrs. Kim asked.
"That's what we're trying to find out Mom." Minji started to get annoyed.
"We'll wait about two more weeks, I want to make sure." Hanni said.
"You want to wait two more weeks, then why did you scold me earlier?" Minji grumbled.
Hanni looked at Minji intensely, Minji blinked her eyes a few times.
"Do you want to sleep on the sofa?"
"I'm sorry, I wasn't on time, I'm wrong."
Hanni kissed Minji's lips, "Don't make me upset, or else." She smiled.
"Can you call Haerin here? I have something important to talk to you two about." Mrs. Kim said suddenly.
Minji opened her mouth to argue, but she stopped herself when she saw her mother's serious face.
"Okay."
----
****
"Mom." Haerin hugged Mrs. Kim and kissed her cheek, the middle-aged woman giggling. Minji gave her sister a blasphemous look.
"Thank you for saving me from that snake bitch. Dani would have pushed her off the 72nd floor if Minji hadn't called me and said you wanted to talk to me." Haerin said to Mrs. Kim.
The cat-eye then glanced at Minji, "You're the one who came in the next meeting." She said.
Minji rubbed her chin, "You represented our company well, the way you explained the presentation was also clear and sharp. I probably won't mind if you take my place."
Haerin threw her jacket at Minji, "I don't want to see her again!" She exclaimed in annoyance.
Minji stood up and approached Haerin, "You dare to throw your stinky jacket at me?"
"You should be grateful it just my jacket, not Ameera!" Haerin got ready for a fight.
"Minji."
"Mom! Didn't you see her behavior just now?"
"You dare to raise your tone at me?"
Minji threw her hands in the air and looked at Mrs. Kim in disbelief.
"You two sit down." Mrs. Kim ordered.
Minji sat back down next to Hanni, and Haerin sat next to her.
Mrs. Kim gazed at them both lovingly, "I'm going to talk about something very important, you two listen carefully. I've been thinking about it for the past few months, and I believe this is the right path."
Minji and Haerin listened seriously, Hanni turned off the TV and joined in focusing on her mother-in-law.
"Over the years I used to think that maybe I wasn't a good mother. I raised you and loved you, but it wasn't enough because I couldn't protect you.
I was often silent and helpless when your father beat you, hurt you both...especially you Minji." Mrs. Kim looked at Minji with teary eyes.
"I know you have a lot of emotional scars from it, and it's changed your sweet and kind nature..."
Mrs. Kim started to cry, Hanni stood up and went to her, she hugged Mrs. Kim and rubbed her back.
"But it's amazing that despite all that you became the success you are today. I'm so proud of you. I don't want you to keep everything to yourself, I want you to know that I'm here for you and you can tell me anything you feel." Mrs. Kim wiped her tears and smiled gently at Minji.
Minji stood up and approached her mother, "It's okay Mom, I'll be fine. I have Hanni and Hyein, and that stupid cat too."
"Hey!"
"You're the best mother, I can't ask for more than this." Minji hugged Mrs. Kim and kissed her forehead.
Mrs. Kim hugged Minji back and then standing up, she walked over to Haerin.
"You're a good daughter too, thank you for always taking care of Minji and Hanni. I knew when I saw you I would love you, you're a special one.
You are sweet and never demand anything, even you love Minji like she is your sister. I'm grateful that you became my child, even though...even though it had to be in a painful way.
I...I'm really sorry for what happened to your parents..." Mrs. Kim was speechless, she sobbed heavily.
The cat-eye immediately stood up and hugged the middle-aged woman tightly.
"Mom, it's okay..you're a wonderful mother. You love us and take good care of us. Thank you." Haerin kissed Mrs. Kim's cheek and hugged her again.
Hanni stood up and walked over to Mrs. Kim, handing her a tissue. Haerin released her hug, Mrs. Kim took the tissue and wiped her tears, "Thank you dear." She smiled.
The middle-aged woman then fell silent for a moment, she took a deep breath. Her dark brown eyes stared at Minji and Haerin in turn.
"I will file a divorce to your father."
-----------------------------------------------
Saturday morning, 09:00 am
The sound of the door opening loudly made Jin Sang turn his head in surprise, his face paled when he saw Minji enter his office with two bodyguards, the woman's face was cold and cruel, Hyein and Haerin were behind them.
"I swear I didn't say anything!" He immediately kneeled before Minji.
Minji raised her eyebrows seeing the man's face full of bruises and cuts, a bandage wrapped around his left hand.
"Where's that stocky guy?" Minji fumed.
Jin Sang bowed his head deeper, "I killed him. I couldn't let him risk us again."
Minji bent down and tugged roughly on the man's shirt, "Seol Il Sung knew what we were doing that time, and the bastard we killed was his relation's son. Didn't you check the street cameras in that area? Careless bastard." She pushed Jin Sang to the floor.
"Il Sung won't speak a single thing! I'm betting both of my legs!"
Minji approached Jin Sang again, she grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and forced him to stand up, "How can you be sure? Was it because you're his illegitimate nephew?"
Jin Sang's face turned shocked, "How did you..."
"Was it because you and Hyein have the same status? That's why he hates you two?" Minji whispered coldly.
Jin Sang glanced at Hyein, observing the bruises on her face that were still clearly visible.
"He beat up my assistant, my trusted person. If it wasn't for my business relationship with his eldest daughter I would have killed that old snake." Minji snarled again.
Jin Sang sighed, "Il Sang knows everything and why you did it, I apologize for what happened to your wife." He said quietly.
Minji gritted her teeth, she let go of Jin Sang's collar roughly.
The man glanced at his bandaged hand, then looked at Minji, "Il Sung planned to cut off my left arm, but in the end he only took my two fingers because he respected my loyalty to you. And..."
Minji waited.
"He said rapists are unforgivable, so he would also keep his mouth shut about what we did back then. And he won't blame you if something happens to Han Woo's family." Jin Sang looked at Minji intensely, "In other words, you can take revenge on that bastard family, without consequences."
"We can do that?" Haerin's happy exclamation was heard, Minji turned to her, "Hanni won't agree."
"What? They deserve it!" Haerin grumbled.
"You're so brutal behind that stupid and sweet demeanor of yours, I'm starting to think that you're a psychopath."
"Don't you want it too?!"
"Yes, but we'll do it in a different way."
"Not fun."
"I'll think of a way, they'll have to suffer the consequences anyway."
Jin Sang bowed 90 degrees, "I'll be glad to help you."
Minji glanced at him, "I know, just make sure that Il Sung doesn't interfere in this anymore."
Minji walked to the door, her two bodyguards were already there. Jin Sang straightened up, he accidentally met Hyein's eyes.
Jin Sang bowed again after looking at her with a sympathetic gaze. Hyein simply bowed her head and then followed Minji and Haerin out of the room.
-----------------------------------------------
"You've been daydreaming the whole time, is there something bothering you?" Mrs. Kim looked at Hyein worriedly, she rubbed her hand.
Hyein looked over and bowed her head, "I'm fine Mrs. Kim, just a little tired."
"Did Minji give you a lot of assignments?"
Minji stopped her hand that was about to stuff a croissant into her mouth, "Mom, I already gave her two days off." She said with a furrowed brow.
"Maybe she thought of Yoona." Haerin scratched her chin.
"What happened?"
"They broke up."
Mrs. Kim and Danielle gasped.
Minji looked at Haerin with a flat face, "Your mouth needs to be given a limit."
"Sooner or later Mom will find out."
Hanni who happened to be sitting between Minji and Hyein rubbed the tallest one's arm, " I'm sorry."
Minji immediately pulled Hanni's hand away from the giraffe's arm, "Is it really necessary for you to touch her?"
Hanni glanced at her hand and then looked at Minji expressionlessly, "What did you do? Did you intentionally bring her to the place where they first met?"
"Their first meeting was at a Japanese restaurant." Minji folded her arms across her chest, feeling attacked by the rabbit in front of her.
"Oh, the place where you broke off your engagement with Yoona?"
"Haerin, I swear I'll cut out your tongue."
"Kang Haerin."
Baby, I'm just stating the facts."
"And look at her face, who hit her?" Mrs. Kim observed the bruises on Hyein's face, a look of annoyance on her face.
"I got hit by the door, it's nothing." Hyein lowered her head.
"How many times did you hit the door? Those bruises are all over your face."
"Right, the bruises look like she's been beaten up." Danielle, who knew nothing, chimed in, her face looked worried.
Minji and Herin exchanged glances.
And that gesture did not escape Mrs. Kim's eyes.
"Is there anything I shouldn't know?" The middle-aged woman looked intensely at her two daughters.
Silence.
Minji put on her cold and expressionless face, while Haerin tried hard to follow Minji's expression, under Mrs. Kim's sharp gaze and Danielle's curious eyes.
"I'm sorry if the condition of my face makes all of you uncomfortable, but I'm completely fine." Hyein's voice was heard.
Mrs. Kim smiled gently at her, she then stood up and started to put on her coat, "I'll pay for the food, after that we'll all go back to your place." she said while looking at Minji's face.
Hyein stood up, "Let me walk you to the cashier."
Mrs. Kim raised her hand, "No need, Tae Ji will accompany me, and when I say everyone, you are included. " She said while turning her body around.
Hyein bowed her head and sat back down, she glanced at Minji.
The woman only hardened her jaw, knowing that they couldn't hide it from her mother anymore.