A/N: I wanted to post this chapter to give an inside look at Jin and his sister's relationship. Also give a little back story on Hyoseong's past.
There are clues and hints in this chapters so I hope they are caught well~
Also I hope your all keeping safe.
(Flash Back)
"Where is he!? I know he's here Yoona. Tell him I need to speak with him now!" Hyoseong demanded; slamming her right hand on the surface of Yoona's desk.
"Ms. Hyoseong, I'm sorry but, Mr. Kim is on a conference video call at the moment. So unfortunately, he cannot speak to you right now."
"Like hell he can't! Jin!!!" She shouts; storming towards his office door.
"M-ms. Hyoseong, please wait!" Yoona pleaded; running after her boss's sister.
However, Hyoseong was in no mood to listen. She needed to see Jin and she needed to see him immediately.
Entering her brother's office with a temper; Hyoseong marches in interrupting Jin's conference call.
"What the hell where you thinking!?" she demanded to know; holding her cell phone in his direction. "Why is this article out?!"
"I-I'm sorry Mr. Kim. I tried to stop her." Yoona runs in from behind, and then bows apologetically.
"It's fine Yoona, I'll handle it." Jin says; rising from his seat and Yoona closes the door behind them. Leaning forward as he faces his laptop cam; Jin begins to formally speak to his colleagues.
"Gentlemen, my sincerest apologies, but it looks like I have to cut this meeting short. My little sister just walked in and...it seems rather urgent. Let's reschedule the next half of our meeting for another time. I'll have Yoona fit us all in on accommodating dates. It was pleasure." Jin announced; promptly closing the panel of his computer and then walks from around his desk to speak with his sister. "Now please, tell me; what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you here in person my sweet sister?"
"Cut the crap and enough with your formalities, Jin. What the hell is going on?! Why is my engagement all over the news blogs?"
"Oh..., so it came out." He says; viewing her cell phone.
"You knew?! Jin, why are they saying this?!"
"Because it's true; isn't it? You are getting married."
"I never wanted such a thing to go public. Now everyone knows that I'll be marrying Min-Jun. This news is spreading like wildfire. I can't even enter my workplace without persons gossiping behind my back."
"So? What's the big deal? A few of your colleague's gossip about it; honestly, you should be so lucky."
"L-lucky? Have you seen the loathsome comments underneath the article? They are saying all sorts of horrible things me and the engagement!"
"That's because their jealous, sis. A handsome and rich man like, Min-Jun; asking you to marry him is probably half of what those women want. I thought you'd be excited to let everyone know; to be the envy of their deepest desires. Thrilling; isn't it?" Jin smiles; handing his sister's phone back to her.
"...You did this..., didn't you? You were the one who leaked the news about the engagement to news blogs."
"Sst...nope. Actually, father was the one that did it."
"He..., father did what?" Hyoseong utters downheartedly. "Why would he do such a thing?"
"Well, he thought it would be a good source of marketing to let people know his little princess will be marrying into a very wealthy family. And honestly...I couldn't agree with him more. It's about time you live up to the Kim's family name. You marrying that man will definitely put us on a higher platform."
"Jesus...; you two are no different. This was supposed to be a private engagement; something that was supposed to be shared within the family. But...seeing how things are now going and realizing this was all just for money...; I'm not so sure that I want to do it anymore." Hyoseong reveals; stepping away from her brother.
"...Heh...you're kidding, right?" Jin phrased as he folds his arms; staring at his sister. "I thought you liked him. I mean, you already agreed to marry him two months ago. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I do like him. However, I no longer wish to marry him. Can it not be that simple?"
"Really? You expect me to believe that? Regardless of this being an arranged marriage; you had your chance to date Min-Jun. He also did the right thing by finally proposes to you if front of our family, which in fact you said yes to. And all of a sudden, you wish not to marry him anymore just because of a stupid article that was put out?"
"Yes, ...that's right." She answers; nodding her head. "No good will come from this marriage with such ill intentions."
"...Don't be stupid, Hyoseong." Jin coldly says as he stares at her. "...You do realize you can't come out of this agreement; right? Father alone will disown you as his child. He wouldn't give two shits if you're his only daughter."
"Father would never such a thing!"
"Oh? Heh...trust me, he would; especially when it comes to your fiancé."
"Is it that much of an importance that I marry him? This is basically like selling me to gain assets! Why can't you and father find another way to gain more financial resources? I'm not even in love with Min-Jun! This isn't fair to either of us."
"...Love?" Jin chuckles at such a word; shaking his head at the statement his sister made. "What a stupid excuse to not want to marry him." He says as he saunters towards her. "...In case you've forgotten; let me just remind you of what your gaining here. The Choi family is the greatest asset to our company. Their class of wealth is quite elite compared to some. So much so, that many have had their eye on gaining something from them. You got very lucky with this one sis. If I were you, I wouldn't blow it." Jin cautions as he towers over Hyoseong.
With her head hung low, staring to the ground; Hyoseong realized that she was now stuck in an arrangement that would trap her for a life-time.
"...This is ridiculous. So you're basically telling your younger sister to suck it up and live unhappily?" She queries as tears begin to develop in her eyes. "...My own father and my own brother who I thought had my back; doesn't even care how I feel. ...It's just about status; ...isn't it? It's always all about money, status and power with this family! How can you even say this to me?! Heh...Honestly, your deed's can be so evil sometimes Jin." Hyoseong utters. And after hearing his sister say such a thing; Jin begins to laugh.
"Oh...That's funny. Come on sis; you know we're not that different. We are both attracted to these things alike."
"That's crazy talk. I am nothing like you."
"Ah..., so you're a good girl now. Well, I must inform you my dear sister ...good girls don't break up marriages like you do. Need I remind you what you did a year and a half ago? How you completely destroyed not one but two lives." He remarks; mentioning an incident that took place in the past.
"...Don't you dare bring that up."
"Really? Because I think your memory is a little foggy. I think I should remind you of how you knew my previous business partner was happily married. But you didn't care, right?"
"Jin...shut it. That was an accident."
"Oh..., an accident you say? So, sleeping with him over and over again was an accident? So much so that you managed to receive the one thing his wife wanted all along."
"Stop..."
"Tell me sis..., does your future husband know about it?"
"I said stop."
"Does he know? How you threw away your lover's unborn child? "
"I said shut up!!" Hyosung cries out; meeting her brother's face with the palm of her right hand.
And just like reflex; Jin's head buckles to the side by the intense pressure of her slap.
Breathing heavily as Hyoseong watches her brother put his hand to his face; she suddenly sees him begin to smile, rubbing the corners of his jaw.
"You call me evil sis, but honestly... evil comes in all different forms. Yours however, is how you take people and the things you have for granted. You enjoy having it all, but when it comes time for you to sacrifice something; you become obscenely selfish. My partner lost his wife, his money, basically everything. All because you didn't care and wanted him for yourself. Tell...did he know about the baby?" Jin asks; now seeing tears stream down his sister's cheeks.
"I did!" She cries; hugging herself. "I honestly did! But, he said...he said he didn't want it. He said he couldn't risk losing his wife! So...
"...So he left. ....And in result, his wife left him too. Funny story sis...; she was the one with all the money. He doesn't love Hyoseong; that man loved what he could get. Beautiful women like you as his side piece, and a wife who was wealthy enough to support them in everything? Haha, the man was living the best of both worlds. That's why for me...falling in love with someone can be rather non-existent. That word can either make you or break you. And I'd rather not take any of those risks." Jin reveals as he rests his hand on his sister's head. "Do you know where he is right now, Hyoseong? That man who broke your heart."
"...No. I haven't heard from him since I lost the baby."
"That's because...he messed with my little sister. And that sin doesn't go unpunished." Jin says with a smirk; petting Hyoseong's head.
"You..., you didn't....did you?" She asks; fearing for the worst.
"Relax...I didn't kill him. I hate getting my hands dirty like that." He states and Hyoseong heave's a sigh of relief. "But I need you to remember one thing. You're a Kim; don't you dare go soft. Take want you want in this marriage and then get out. I know you sis; and if you're any good at getting the things you want like I know you are...; get Min-Jun to convince his grandmother to give him the rest of the family's inheritance, so it may be passed on to you. That old woman has been hanging onto it for God knows how long now. It's time for someone else to have it."
"...The rest of his family inheritance? What are you talking about Jin?"
"Rumor has it that his grandmother has two children; Min-Jun's father and another woman which is your fiancé's aunt. However, that benefaction was split between the both of them. Funny thing is; the daughter never accepted the inheritance, and no one truly knows as to why. But, that's where you come in my dear sister. Convince Min-Jun to attain the rest of that money. And, when you do; I'll find a way to legally end your marriage for good." Jin smirks; removing his hand from his sister's head. "Do you really think I would have introduced you to Min-Jun in the first place if I didn't have a plan?"
"Jin..." Hyoseong utters; unable to believe that Jin planned all of this on purpose.
"And you say your brother doesn't have your back." He cheekily adds; walking over to his desk.
For those who didn't know Kim Seok-Jin personally; they would see him as the picture perfect business man. But to his family and close friends; Jin was far from such ideal praise.
He was indeed good at running his business. He knew how and what it took to make money. However; is ways of doing so can sometimes be quite alarming.
"Mr. Kim? V is here to see you." Yoona suddenly pages through the intercom. And with a quick reply; Jin tells her to send him in.
Unfortunately, to Hyoseong's dismay; Taehyung was the last person she needed to see right now.
Seokjin was right; evil did came in many different forms. Some acts of which Hyoseong have already performed; like sleeping with her brother's best friend while being betrothed to another.
With smooth and easy strides; Taehyung enters Jin's office. However, to his surprise; he did not expect to see Hyoseong there as well.
"Hyoseong." Tae calmly says; with a gentle smile. "I saw the news. Congratulations on your engagement." He reaches out a hand, in wait to shake hers.
And with a heavy beating heart, knowing exactly what she did; Hyoseong took a deep breath and shook Tae's hand in return.
"Thank you." She replies, feeling great iniquity. For Hyoseong knew what she had done wrong.
Not only was she in a relationship with man who was about to become her husband; but she was also involved with Tae who knew nothing about her engagement.
She was never truly upset about the public finding out about her marriage. Her anger and frustration honestly came from the fact that Taehyung had now found out about it.
Wishing she could turn back time to tell him the truth, she instead did something else to keep her lover from leaving her side.
Taehyung was soft when it came to Hyoseong. Growing up liking the woman you've known for so long can do that.
She targeted Tae's compassion for her; twisting guilt and sorrow about her trapped arranged marriage to his eyes. Always constantly clinging for Taehyung's affection; telling him she can no longer function properly without him in her life. Expressing how much she loved him by showing him her weaker side; she would continuously drain him by taking advantage of his solicitude towards her.
And...it worked; every single time. This was what you called; a Toxic Relationship.
However, as time went by; Taehyung was slowly beginning to break. And for the first in her life without seeing it coming; Hyoseong was now feeling threatened by another woman, who was deemed significant to help mend Taehyung's broken faith and heal him from this despair.