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Chapter 48."Please, sir," the man begged, his voice grating on my nerves. "Just let me know who did this to my son. They didn’t just kill him—they took away everything. My wife… she’ll never recover. I can’t even bring his body home for her to say goodbye. Please, you accepted my plea once, and I promise you, I’ll give you anything you ask."His sobs were pathetic, his desperation almost laughable. My hands itched to end his whining for good, but I restrained myself. “You can leave now,” I ordered, my voice cold and final. He hesitated, glancing at me as if he wanted to say more. But Alpha, my right hand, stepped forward. “Boss asked you to leave,” Alpha said, voice low and menacing. “So leave, before you join your son in that grave.” The man’s face went pale, and with one last sniffle, he backed out of the room, defeated.When he was gone, I looked at Macro, who gave a small nod. As I’d suspected, it was Tristan who had tried to help Lia escape. The same Tristan who had
Chapter 49.|Lia |I opened my eyes to the now-familiar ceiling, my hand weighed down by yet another IV. I couldn't even remember how many injections they'd given me. Days blurred into each other, all of them spent in this room—just sitting in silence, staring at the walls, feeling the world pass by while I stayed still.It felt as though if I left the room, people would stare at me with their critical eyes; it having been so many days, I assumed everyone in the mansion knew what had happened.A strange fear had settled in, a sense that if I dared to step outside, everyone in the mansion would know. And if they knew, they'd look at me with that quiet pity, or worse, with judgment. I didn’t even know them well, yet the thought of seeing that kind of look in their eyes felt unbearable.I remember the conversation few days back what she told me. I wasn’t sure why it lingered, but it did. It echoed in my head every day, every time I caught my reflection in the window or a mirror.::Flas
50Taehyung was downstairs, fiddling with his iPod and scrolling through his phone, his expression darkening as frustration mounted. He couldn’t seem to find what he was looking for, and his agitation was growing by the second.Suddenly, a loud scream echoed from upstairs, snapping him out of his thoughts. He knew instantly who it was."Damn," he muttered under his breath, dropping the iPod and pocketing his phone. He moved quickly, taking the stairs two at a time until he was standing outside their bedroom, listening to the chaos inside."I told you I don’t want this tasteless, disgusting food!" Lia's voice was shrill with fury. He could hear her berating the maid, who was stammering apologies and sounding nearly as panicked as she must have felt.Taehyung pushed the door open and stepped inside, taking in the mess. The workers were on their hands and knees, cleaning up spilled food that lay scattered across the floor and splattered onto the couch. Plates, utensils, and half-
51Lia took a shaky breath, her voice breaking as her anger spilled over. “Come on, go ahead! Show me your strength. Break my hand. Prove how strong you are against a woman—show me what kind of man that makes you!” She was screaming now, her head throbbing, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could barely stand, her body trembling with emotion and exhaustion.Taehyung stopped in his tracks, her words cutting through him like a blade. He’d been prepared for anger. He wanted to explain, to tell her that he hadn’t been entirely in control, that he’d been drugged, manipulated. But each word stuck in his throat, thick with guilt. The memory of that night haunted him, the pieces he couldn’t take back.He cursed those moment numerous times, he oath to find the person behind this and gave that person worse death.He lifted his hand, reaching toward her, but she stepped back, her face twisted in contempt and pain. Her voice fell to a broken whisper. “What more do you want from me? You
52.| Taehyung |Seated on the hood of the car, I took a long drag from my cigar, blowing smoke into the night air. The smell of saltwater mixed with the sharp, bitter bite of the smoke. The ocean stretched before us, dark and still. The silence of the night was occasionally interrupted by the distant hum of passing cars, but otherwise, it was just us out here—me, Macro, and Alphs. Even with them around, it felt like I was alone.Macro shot me a side glance, his eyebrows furrowed. “This is your twentieth cigar in less than an hour. What’s gotten into you?”I didn’t answer. Instead, I kept my gaze at the shore quietly, ignoring his question. Macro didn’t understand. None of them did.Alphs walked over with a few bottles of whiskey, catching my eye. “Where’s the scotch I asked for?” I muttered, irritation threading my words.“Couldn’t find any. Figured this would do just as well,” he said with a shrug, setting the bottles on the sand. He gave me a small grin, but I wasn’t in t
Chapter 43.|Lia |There was a huge library inside this mansion; I sank into one of the plush armchairs, propped my legs on the table in front of me, and opened the book I'd been wanting to read for ages. Finally, a few moments of peace. I casually munched on chips, savoring the silence as I flipped through the crisp pages, losing myself in the words.But my peace was shattered by a sudden loud bang. The library door flew open, making me jolt upright. I turned, startled, to see Pisckin standing there, eyes wide and breath coming in quick, uneven gasps.She was just a kid, barely fifteen, but she had been shadowing me for days, practically glued to my side like she’d been assigned to watch over me. At first, I found it irritating—having someone track my every move—but eventually, I realized it wasn’t her fault. She was just doing what she’d been told.But this time, Pisckin’s expression was different. There was pure terror in her wide eyes, and her face was pale, cheeks flus
44 . I got up from bed, feeling drained, my body heavy from exhaustion. I opened the door and stepped outside, only to find Pisckin sitting cross-legged on the floor, papers and files scattered around her. She was picking them up, piece by piece, under the dim light of the hallway. “You didn’t sleep?” I asked, my voice hoarse from all the crying. “It’s almost midnight.” She looked up, her young face creased with focus. “The tall man ordered me to move all of his stuff to another room by tonight,” she replied with a sigh, “so here I am, sorting and packing.” “Oh…” I paused, feeling a strange sense of empathy for this girl who had been quietly by my side all along, probably on his orders. “Let me help you,” I offered, bending down to gather some of the loose papers. As I started picking them up, my eyes suddenly caught a flash of something familiar—a large picture on the front of an old newspaper clipping. My heart froze. It was a photo of my father, printed in b
Chapter 45 .“I wish that were true,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. His jaw clenched, and he released me with a rough jerk that sent me stumbling backward, collapsing to the floor. I watched him run a hand through his hair, struggling to contain his own anger.Turning his back on me, he muttered something I couldn’t fully believe. “He was drugged that night—by our enemies. If he’d been in his right mind, he’d have never done that to you.”I could only stare up at him, my mind a swirl of disbelief and confusion. Could this even be possible? As he turned around again, his gaze fell on the scattered papers, the photos, the secrets of his past that now lay at my feet. Finally, he looked directly at me, his eyes holding a dark truth."Your father," he began slowly, almost spitting the words, “is the reason Taehyung took you in the first place. That ‘humble,’ ‘honest’ man you call Dad? He ruined Taehyung’s life and his family. That’s why you’re here—to pay for your father’s
Chapter Forty Nine.|Taehyung |The soft evening breeze whispered through the empty venue, ruffling the petals of the roses and flickering the candles I’d painstakingly set up. But now, most of it lay in disarray. The wind had been relentless, scattering petals, overturning chairs, and dimming the glow I’d envisioned. What was meant to be a picture-perfect setting for the woman I loved now resembled a battlefield.I stood there in the middle of the chaos, dressed in a sharp black suit and tie, my shoes polished to perfection. Yet, the sight of my hard work falling apart made me feel anything but confident. The watch on my wrist blinked back at me mockingly. Five hours. I had waited for five hours in this spot.My chest felt heavy, and my throat tightened with the bitter taste of disappointment. Was it too much to hope she’d come? Maybe she had changed her mind. Maybe this night wasn’t what she wanted.I lowered my gaze, stuffing my hands into my pockets to hide their slight t
Chapter Forty Eight .Amanda sighed softly and took the seat opposite her. “When I heard you left that night, I was furious. I thought you were heartless to leave your husband in such a state. What kind of wife does that? But you proved me wrong. You came back for him.”Lia remained motionless, her hands resting limply in her lap. Her silence was almost deafening.Amanda leaned forward, placing her hand over Lia’s and rubbing it gently. “I know things are hard, but we’re all here for you. Taehyung is healing from his injuries, but…” Her voice faltered slightly. “He’s lost his memories. It’s tragic, but at least he’s alive.”At this, Lia quietly pulled her hand out of Amanda’s grasp, turning her face back toward the window. Amanda sighed again, a flicker of sadness crossing her face. “I’ll pray for your happiness, Lia. Both of you deserve it.”As Amanda stood to leave, I quickly ducked behind the doorframe, my heart pounding. Once she passed, I peeked around the corner, watc
Chapter Forty Seven.| Taehyung | “Lia… Lia?” I paced around the room, scanning every corner, but she wasn’t there. I even peeked into the bathroom, only to find it empty. My brows furrowed in frustration.“Where could she be?” I muttered to myself, lowering my head with a pout tugging at my lips.Determined, I left the room and headed downstairs. My gaze swept the area until it landed on a figure in the kitchen. Lia stood there, her back to me, completely engrossed in whatever she was doing.Leaning against the doorframe, I couldn’t help but smile. The soft light from the window caught the gentle curve of her profile, and the air was filled with the aroma of something sweet she was preparing. For a moment, I just watched her, savoring the peacefulness of the scene.Then, a mischievous thought struck me.Tiptoeing silently, I crept closer and suddenly shouted, “Boom!”Her reaction was immediate and dramatic. The spatula she had been holding clattered to the ground as she l
Chapter 46.My stomach dropped as I stumbled back, clutching the wall for support. A bitter laugh escaped my lips, one I barely recognized as my own. “So… you killed Taehyung’s father. That’s why he took me. That’s why he… did what he did.”My father’s face contorted in anguish as he reached for me, but I stepped away. “No! You don’t deserve this. None of this is your fault,” he said, desperation edging his voice.“But it is, isn’t it?” My words came out choked, thick with anger and grief. “I deserved every bit of pain I endured because of you. I was taken, I was hurt—all because of something you did.”“No, please,” he murmured, his voice trembling. “Don’t say that, my dear. You don’t deserve any of this. If anyone should be punished, it’s me.”I felt a surge of frustration boil up, years of trusting him crashing down in a single instant. I shook my head, tears streaming down my face, unable to look him in the eye. “For the first time in my life, I don’t know who you are.”Eve
Chapter 45 .“I wish that were true,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. His jaw clenched, and he released me with a rough jerk that sent me stumbling backward, collapsing to the floor. I watched him run a hand through his hair, struggling to contain his own anger.Turning his back on me, he muttered something I couldn’t fully believe. “He was drugged that night—by our enemies. If he’d been in his right mind, he’d have never done that to you.”I could only stare up at him, my mind a swirl of disbelief and confusion. Could this even be possible? As he turned around again, his gaze fell on the scattered papers, the photos, the secrets of his past that now lay at my feet. Finally, he looked directly at me, his eyes holding a dark truth."Your father," he began slowly, almost spitting the words, “is the reason Taehyung took you in the first place. That ‘humble,’ ‘honest’ man you call Dad? He ruined Taehyung’s life and his family. That’s why you’re here—to pay for your father’s
44 . I got up from bed, feeling drained, my body heavy from exhaustion. I opened the door and stepped outside, only to find Pisckin sitting cross-legged on the floor, papers and files scattered around her. She was picking them up, piece by piece, under the dim light of the hallway. “You didn’t sleep?” I asked, my voice hoarse from all the crying. “It’s almost midnight.” She looked up, her young face creased with focus. “The tall man ordered me to move all of his stuff to another room by tonight,” she replied with a sigh, “so here I am, sorting and packing.” “Oh…” I paused, feeling a strange sense of empathy for this girl who had been quietly by my side all along, probably on his orders. “Let me help you,” I offered, bending down to gather some of the loose papers. As I started picking them up, my eyes suddenly caught a flash of something familiar—a large picture on the front of an old newspaper clipping. My heart froze. It was a photo of my father, printed in b
Chapter 43.|Lia |There was a huge library inside this mansion; I sank into one of the plush armchairs, propped my legs on the table in front of me, and opened the book I'd been wanting to read for ages. Finally, a few moments of peace. I casually munched on chips, savoring the silence as I flipped through the crisp pages, losing myself in the words.But my peace was shattered by a sudden loud bang. The library door flew open, making me jolt upright. I turned, startled, to see Pisckin standing there, eyes wide and breath coming in quick, uneven gasps.She was just a kid, barely fifteen, but she had been shadowing me for days, practically glued to my side like she’d been assigned to watch over me. At first, I found it irritating—having someone track my every move—but eventually, I realized it wasn’t her fault. She was just doing what she’d been told.But this time, Pisckin’s expression was different. There was pure terror in her wide eyes, and her face was pale, cheeks flus
52.| Taehyung |Seated on the hood of the car, I took a long drag from my cigar, blowing smoke into the night air. The smell of saltwater mixed with the sharp, bitter bite of the smoke. The ocean stretched before us, dark and still. The silence of the night was occasionally interrupted by the distant hum of passing cars, but otherwise, it was just us out here—me, Macro, and Alphs. Even with them around, it felt like I was alone.Macro shot me a side glance, his eyebrows furrowed. “This is your twentieth cigar in less than an hour. What’s gotten into you?”I didn’t answer. Instead, I kept my gaze at the shore quietly, ignoring his question. Macro didn’t understand. None of them did.Alphs walked over with a few bottles of whiskey, catching my eye. “Where’s the scotch I asked for?” I muttered, irritation threading my words.“Couldn’t find any. Figured this would do just as well,” he said with a shrug, setting the bottles on the sand. He gave me a small grin, but I wasn’t in t
51Lia took a shaky breath, her voice breaking as her anger spilled over. “Come on, go ahead! Show me your strength. Break my hand. Prove how strong you are against a woman—show me what kind of man that makes you!” She was screaming now, her head throbbing, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could barely stand, her body trembling with emotion and exhaustion.Taehyung stopped in his tracks, her words cutting through him like a blade. He’d been prepared for anger. He wanted to explain, to tell her that he hadn’t been entirely in control, that he’d been drugged, manipulated. But each word stuck in his throat, thick with guilt. The memory of that night haunted him, the pieces he couldn’t take back.He cursed those moment numerous times, he oath to find the person behind this and gave that person worse death.He lifted his hand, reaching toward her, but she stepped back, her face twisted in contempt and pain. Her voice fell to a broken whisper. “What more do you want from me? You