The sunlight reflected off her face, awakening her from the dream that had taken her breath away. As she stirred, she rubbed her chest to ease the pain until her surroundings came into focus: she found herself in the middle of the woods. 'It's morning, Aunt is waiting for me,' she murmured, ruffling her hair as she hurried away from the spot.”.
With the help of some people, she reached the mansion door. Upon entering, she found her Aunt sitting on the couch, looking tense. 'Aunt,' she whispered, prompting her to look in her direction and rush over to hug her. 'Oh gosh, Y/N, where did you go? I was so worried,' Aunt asked anxiously. 'I'm fine, I just got lost in town,' Y/N reassured her. 'Are you okay, by the way?' Aunt inquired. Y/N nodded, but her eyes widened when Aunt mentioned Mr. Jeon calling. 'You didn't tell him anything, did you?' she asked, fearing Aunt might have disclosed her disappearance. Before hearing Aunt's response, Y/N quickly retreated to her room and checked her phone, finding ten missed calls from Mr. Jeon. She bit her lip nervously. 'I'm in trouble,' she muttered, dialing Mr. Jeon's number. 'Hello, Mr. Jeon,' Y/N said, her voice trembling slightly. 'Y/N, are you okay?' he asked with concern.”
"Yes, I'm fine, sir. I just got lost in town," Y/N replied nervously.
"Are you a child? How could you get lost in town? Don't you know how to take care of yourself? Remember, you're living here because of me. If something happens to you, I'll be the one blamed," Jungkook scolded, igniting anger within her.
"Then why did you send me here? I'm not a child. I know how to take care of myself, and don't scold me ever!" Y/N retorted angrily, her words spilling out without filter. Jungkook was taken aback by her tone.
"Is this the way to talk to your boss, Miss Y/N? Remember, I am your boss, and I could even fire you for speaking to me like this," Jungkook asserted sternly. Y/N suddenly realized her mistake and cursed inwardly.
"I'm so sorry, sir. I was just stressed. My apologies, Mr. Jeon. This won't happen again," Y/N said, trying to calm the situation.
"Consider this your final warning. Don't raise your voice at me again," Jungkook warned firmly. "Yes, sir. I will keep that in mind," Y/N replied meekly.
"Hmm, my lawyer will be late due to urgent work. He'll bring the papers soon," Jungkook informed her. "Okay, sir," Y/N acknowledged before hanging up the call and frustratingly throwing herself onto the bed.
Time skip.
Two days had passed since she departed. Occasionally, eerie voices and mournful cries echoed around her. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched wherever she went. Now, on her final day, she knew the lawyer would arrive tomorrow. The night had been unsettling, with strange sounds sending shivers down her spine until morning finally broke.
"Y/N, your lawyer is here," Aunt announced, prompting Y/N to quickly make her way downstairs to greet the visitor. "Hi, I'm Y/N," she introduced herself, extending a handshake which the lawyer gladly accepted. "I apologize for any inconvenience," the lawyer expressed. "It's alright, please proceed with the details," Y/N replied, eager to get the paperwork sorted out. They swiftly delved into the task at hand, and after signing the necessary documents, Y/N bid the lawyer farewell. "Finally, the work is finished. Now I can go home," Y/N sighed with relief. "I'm going to miss you," Aunt expressed, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "It's okay, Aunt. We can meet anytime you want. Let me just pack my things for tomorrow," Y/N reassured her. Aunt nodded understandingly. "Until then, I'll make something for you," Aunt offered kindly. "Thank you, Aunt," Y/N responded appreciatively before heading to her room to pack her belongings.
A few minutes later, she finished packing her things. Feeling a bit bored, she decided to take one last look around the mansion. Her feet led her outside of her room, and she couldn't help but be amazed by the royal paintings adorning the walls. As she wandered, her eyes caught sight of the locked bedroom once belonging to the previous king and queen. Standing before the gate, her heart raced with a strange connection to the room. "Why do I feel connected to this room?" she wondered aloud. "Should I check it out? But what if Aunt scolds me? Forget it, I'll just take a quick look without her knowing," she decided, determined to see the room one last time. Her gaze fell upon the large rusty lock, then to a nearby rock. Without hesitation, she grabbed the rock and struck the lock until it finally broke with a satisfying click. Opening the door, she was greeted by a swarm of insects.
As she coughed from the dust, she couldn't help but marvel at the magnificence of the room. Despite its age and the thick layers of spiderwebs, sunlight still managed to filter through, casting an ethereal glow. Taking hesitant steps forward, she surveyed the worn-out bed and the broken mirror table. Her heart swelled with happiness at the sight of the room, though she couldn't pinpoint why. Her eyes widened in amazement when they fell upon the old paintings covered in dust. With gentle hands, she retrieved one and wiped away the grime with her handkerchief. "Wow, it really looks like Mr. Jeon," she marveled aloud. "The king's resemblance to him is uncanny—same eyes, same nose, same face shape, and even the mole. I knew this place belonged to Mr. Jeon's father, so it must be a family heirloom. Perhaps all these traits came from his great-grandfather. Both men are incredibly handsome. If only Mr. Jeon wasn't so cold all the time, I might have developed a crush on him. Well, I still do, despite his demeanor. Maybe something in his past made him this way." Shaking off her thoughts, she turned her attention to finding the queen's portrait, but to her surprise and frustration, she found none. "Where is the queen's painting?" she wondered aloud, puzzled by its absence.