RB - 70

Chapter 70: The Night of Maddening Confessions

The blood test results for Shin Joon-hyuk revealed high levels of sedatives, but no signs of disorganized schizophrenia. Instead, the report strongly suggested years of gaslighting and psychological abuse. At the bottom of the document were the signatures of three renowned psychiatry professors from top universities in the country.

With a loud thud, Chairman Shin Tae-myung slammed his forehead onto his desk. There was more to the relationship between Park Yeo-wan and Professor Sung than just an affair. Shin prayed that this was all a dream, but the sharp pain radiating from his forehead felt far too real.

Chairman Shin abruptly pulled up the blinds covering the office window.

Brilliant sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling glass. Unable to face the brightness head-on, Shin covered his face with both hands. He was a sinner beyond redemption. In the darkening haze of his vision, the face of his son flickered before him—the face of Shin Joon-hyuk, the son he had kept hidden. As he traced the contours of his child’s face in his mind, a faint groan escaped his lips.

No matter how ruthless and cold-hearted he was, how could he not have felt paternal love? But someone like him—a villain—did not deserve such a narrative. Shin resolved to grant the one wish shared by his three ruined sons. After groaning for what felt like an eternity, he hardened his expression into its usual stoic mask and picked up the phone. On the other end was his secretary.

“Yes, Chairman. Please go ahead.”

The secretary’s voice trembled with tension. Lately, dealing with Shin, whose temper had grown as sharp as a needle, had been draining him dry.

“Secretary. Contact the executive board of the Taesung Foundation Hospital immediately and prepare for the Charity Gala.”

“Do you mean the annual event held at the end of the year?”

Shin’s face twisted furiously as he barked, a hint of despair bleeding through his violent tone.

“Do I need to explain twice? This Saturday night. Make sure it proceeds without a hitch. Invite all the reporters.”

This Saturday was only three days away. The secretary’s legs quivered like a bird with its tail on fire, but he steadied himself and responded obediently. He didn’t dare ask for clarification again, knowing the wrath that would follow.

Despite his desperate attempt to appear calm, Shin couldn’t hide the tragedy etched into his soul. His eyes shimmered with moisture. He had thought himself long past shedding tears, yet now, with labored breaths, thick drops spilled down his cheeks.

---

That evening, as Chairman Shin entered the mansion, two housekeepers bowed deeply. When Shin scanned the living room, the older of the two quickly spoke up.

“Madam is in the master bedroom. Shall I prepare dinner?”

Shin’s emotionless expression had always been enough to freeze anyone in their tracks, but today it felt particularly icy. The housekeeper wondered if she had made some mistake, her eyes darting nervously. But then came an unexpected proposal.

Shin handed over a thick wad of cash.

“It’s a bit early, but take your summer vacation now. A week away should suffice.”

There were twelve staff members in the mansion, including the gardener, six of whom were live-in employees. The deepening wrinkles around the housekeeper’s eyes betrayed her confusion.

Shin hated having to repeat himself, so she hurriedly responded, though her voice betrayed her unease.

“Oh no, we’re fine with the holidays you’ve already given us. How could we possibly leave this big house unattended?”

Her hasty words were a mistake, as they often are. The faint trace of humanity in Shin’s voice vanished instantly.

“Do you think I’m offering this vacation for your benefit? Clear out of this house immediately. Don’t show your faces here for a week. People these days enjoy hotel stays, don’t they? This money will be more than enough. Keep your mouths shut and enjoy yourselves. Don’t make me say it twice.”

As soon as the command left his lips, the housekeeper snatched the envelope. Peeking inside, she saw a bundle of checks. Nodding quickly, she gathered the rest of the staff, and within ten minutes, everyone had vacated the mansion.

From the living room window, Shin watched the staff file out like a receding tide. Finally, his gaze turned toward Park Yeo-wan.

Click. The door to the master bedroom opened. Park Yeo-wan, startled, looked up from the mirror as Shin stood silhouetted against the bright living room lights.

“Oh my, dear.”

Park took a deep breath to steady her racing heart. She and Shin had been sleeping in separate rooms for years, so she never imagined he would barge into her room without knocking. Should she feel pleased? Or alarmed? Her mind went blank. Reflexively curling her lips into a smile, she asked sweetly:

“Dear, what brings you here? If you needed something, you could’ve called me instead of coming in person.”

Shin’s eyes burned with barely concealed rage. Park froze mid-step as she approached him, too flustered to put down the bottle of essence she was holding. Her knuckles whitened under the strain.

Park instinctively sensed this was not the time to act coy or affectionate. Peering through the half-open door into the eerily silent living room, she wondered where all the staff had gone. The silence wrapped around her like a shroud of dread.

Park’s face contorted—standing on the edge of a cliff, consumed by terror, she faced Shin.

“D… Dear? I’m scared.”

Shin found Park’s face increasingly strange. Who was this woman with an expression he’d never seen before? Had he really brought this witch into his home?

“What’s wrong, dear? Did something happen outside? Say something.”

Instead of answering, Shin handed Park the stack of documents Jung Hyuk had delivered earlier that day. Trembling, Park began to read.

Crash! The bottle of essence slipped from her hand, shattering loudly against the marble floor. The sharp sound pierced her eardrums as her body swayed, her heart plummeting like a stone.

“I… I didn’t know! I swear, dear, it was all Professor Sung’s doing!”

A chilling voice, colder than anything Shin had ever uttered, seeped from his lips.

“Did I ever ask much of you, Park Yeo-wan? I gave you the position of mistress of Taesung simply for playing the role of the children’s mother. Did you truly think you deserved that title?”

Shin’s voice quivered slightly. His expression was as desolate as a dried-out squid. Park denied reality over and over, insisting this must be a nightmare. But the spine-chilling hostility emanating from him confirmed the painful truth: this was real.

Park sobbed repeatedly, claiming ignorance, but Shin remained unmoved.

Suddenly, an unexpected cry erupted from Park’s lips, like a caged bird breaking free.

“It wasn’t my intention from the start! I had reasons, circumstances!”

Shin looked down at her coldly, his gaze dripping with contempt. Park tried to form words of justification, but nothing came out.

‘You never gave me your full love, so I had no choice but to rely on Professor Sung. And wasn’t it you who was ashamed of Joon-hyuk, the autistic child? I only did what you couldn’t—cleaned up the mess. So you shouldn’t despise me, shouldn’t turn away from me.’ These unspoken pleas lingered in Park’s eyes.

Excuses reeked of sewage. Park imagined the stench of rotting drains wafting from her own body. The last remnants of Shin’s paternal love had fused with crushing guilt, transforming into a murderous intent aimed squarely at Park. Her legs trembled uncontrollably.

Shin made a phone call.

“Come in, now.”

Almost instantly, three men in black suits entered the mansion. They were Shin’s personal bodyguards.

“Excuse me, Madam.”

After apologizing, the guards proceeded to search the room thoroughly, confiscating Park’s phone and a burner phone she had hidden. Collapsing to the floor, Park could barely breathe, let alone resist.

Multiple guards stationed themselves outside Park’s door. She was imprisoned while still alive.

Looking back, the root of all tragedy lay with Professor Sung Ho-yeon. After abandoning her young daughter, Seo-yeon, at an orphanage, Park had planned to start anew with a seemingly ordinary, dependable man. She had never dreamed of becoming the mistress of a conglomerate.

“D… Dear, please listen. Just give me a chance. A chance to atone.”

Though Park had eagerly grasped the hand Professor Sung extended, she was inherently devoid of conscience, quick to blame others for her survival. Once again, she chose betrayal—this time, betraying Sung Ho-yeon in her desperate bid to survive.