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“I forgot to turn off the sound.”
Ever since the marriage scandal, Haejoo had developed a neurosis just from hearing her phone ring. She usually mutes it when she sleeps, but she was too tired and had forgotten. Drowsy, she didn’t have the energy to read the message. She reached for her phone but dropped it on the floor.
“Ah, I’m sleepy.”
Dojun, perhaps also tired, was deeply asleep. He had been spending busy days juggling company work and Chairman Yoo’s affairs. Lately, he had intentionally avoided telling her about the unfolding situation. Haejoo just felt sorry for Dojun, who seemed to be shouldering all the problems alone.
“I can’t even pick it up.”
Haejoo tried to pick up the phone that had fallen on the floor, then sat up. With eyes that refused to open, she finally checked the text message on her phone. It was an unfamiliar number. Haejoo narrowed her brows, read the first line of the message, and all traces of sleep vanished.
[Ms. Lee Haejoo, this is Reporter Choi Inho.]
She had already blocked Choi Inho’s previous contact number. Just seeing his name brought back all her past nightmares.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
Haejoo had never harmed anyone. On the contrary, she had been abused since childhood in the name of family. After becoming an adult, people clung to her like leeches, tormenting her relentlessly. Haejoo could only resent the heavens.
[I’ve found some interesting facts about Ms. Lee Haejoo and have written an article.]
The only areas where Choi Inho could work as a reporter were personal broadcasts or social media. He could easily fish for attention with sensational articles.
[Originally, I should consult with the person who commissioned this work before releasing it, but I need to survive first, don’t I?]
Haejoo felt like she was being choked by his arrogant words. If there was someone who commissioned Choi Inho for the article, it could only be GN.
[If you withdraw the lawsuit, I won’t publish this article either.]
It was a threat disguised as a compromise. Haejoo’s hands started to tingle.
[Somehow, I don’t think CEO Park Dojun will be easy to deal with, so I’m sending this message to Ms. Lee Haejoo.]
Choi Inho knew that if Haejoo wanted it, Dojun would have no choice, and he was exploiting that. He was so utterly despicable that she felt like throwing up.
[I’ll give you exactly one day, 24 hours. Withdraw the lawsuit. Otherwise, the article below will be released to the world.]
Haejoo’s heart pounded abnormally. She didn’t want to see the article Choi Inho claimed to have written. But the subsequent text message came fully into her sight. The combination of words was so shocking and destructive that it tore at Haejoo’s chest.
[Exclusive Revelation of Actress Lee Haejoo’s Hidden Truth! What is her real appearance, said to have been promiscuous since childhood? A true story based on an interview.]
Even now, the sneering and mockery towards Haejoo continued. She thought she had done enough and tried to move on, but an even worse move had been played.
“Haah!”
The content Choi Inho claimed to have interviewed seemed plausible. It was unknown who was interviewed or on what grounds such statements were made. There was no truth in his article. Nowhere.
[If this article is released, not only Ms. Lee Haejoo but also the honor of her husband, CEO Park Dojun, will be tarnished. Understood? Then I’ll await your contact.]
Chairman Yoo intended to use Haejoo to cover up GN’s controversies. To the old devil, others were merely tools, no different from daily necessities. That’s why he joined hands with a piece of trash like Choi Inho. This was pushing her to her death. Thinking of Dojun, who had worked so hard until now, a knot of resentment formed in her chest. It hurt so much that her skin felt like it was burning.
“This isn’t right...”
She just wanted to cry. Just once. It felt as if the tears she had held back, trying to be brave for Dojun’s sake, were finally bursting forth. The sadness was so overwhelming it was painful.
“Dad, what do I do now? Our Dojun...”
Dojun, as a businessman, had become an insurmountable presence. With his unstoppable drive, he had established himself as an influential entrepreneur. If Choi Inho’s fabricated article were to be released now...
“Dojun, help me.”
Could she cling to him again? To beg for her life, to ask him to sacrifice himself just this once. But Haejoo couldn’t ask for anything. This was a fight that would only end when one person died.
“I don’t know, anything.”
She had over-explained and even held a press conference. After Dojun posted the full statement last time, even those who knew him had appeared, one by one, to attest to the truth. Public opinion had subsided, but there were still those who relentlessly mocked Haejoo. They engaged in outrageous discourse through personal broadcasts. Unfortunately, the public tends to be drawn to sensational articles rather than the truth. A top actress’s sexual scandal, which had been controversial, was nothing short of a complete mess. Whatever he did, Choi Inho even included the supposed interview that was the basis of the article. At this rate, he seemed capable of even fabricating non-existent videos.
“I’m scared.”
She felt miserable. It was agonizing to think that everything she had overcome with such difficulty might turn to foam overnight. The sleepless night grew deeper. A suffocating urge to go anywhere welled up in her throat. The night, where she couldn’t see an inch ahead, was no different from hell.
“I... I want to run away.”
She had lost even the strength to fight. Choi Inho would come at her like he wanted to die, and the thought of her loved ones falling into trouble because of her tormented her.
“That can’t happen. I don’t want it anymore.”
Her soul-less body slowly lost its light. With a dazed mind, Haejoo changed her clothes and began to descend the stairs.
.
.
.
Dojun opened his eyes at the sound of footsteps. After a moment of disorientation, he saw the bedroom door open and hastily sat up.
“Haejoo?”
He rushed out of the room and ran down the stairs. Then, he found Haejoo standing at the end of the dark living room. Her arms hung limply, her face devoid of vitality, and she held car keys in her hand. A sinister feeling washed over him. His heart sank, and Dojun grabbed Haejoo’s hand, pulling her forcefully.
“What’s wrong all of a sudden? What happened to your face?”
Haejoo’s eyes were unfocused. They were burned to ash, dangerously close to collapsing. Uneasy, he wrapped his arms around Haejoo’s waist, holding her tightly. So that she couldn’t escape.
“Let go of me. I have to leave.”
“Where are you going at this hour?”
“If I’m with you, Dojun, you’ll have a hard time too.”
“Haejoo, snap out of it!”
“I... I can’t do this anymore. It’s too hard.”
“It’s okay, tell me. What’s wrong?”
An unexplainable emotion surged through Dojun. Haejoo, like a child fallen into a thorny bush, was trying to let go of everything. Dojun rummaged through Haejoo’s coat pocket. He found her phone and looked back and forth between it and her.
“Who called you?”
He turned on the screen, and the densely packed words came into view. Dojun gritted his teeth and quickly read the long message that had been sent via text. It was Choi Inho, as expected. The message from the guy, who deserved to die but wouldn’t, horrified Dojun.
“Dojun, it’s not me.”
“What?”
“I’ve never done this. I never would!”
“Haejoo.”
“But it’s so humiliating. Thinking about how everyone will look at me... I feel like I’m going crazy.”
“I won’t let this happen. I promise.”
“I’m so scared. I just want to hide anywhere.”
Humans were evil. If Chairman Yoo’s choice was the worst-case scenario that he had never expected, Dojun had no intention of letting him get away with it. Either you die, or I die...
“If you really can’t stand it, let’s go.”
“Dojun.”
“But you can’t go alone. If we’re running away, we go together.”
Dojun’s throat tightened. For some reason, the moment he lost Yijun came to mind, and his heart ached. He had promised him he would protect Haejoo. The vow never to let her go again was worth his life to Dojun.
“It doesn’t matter if I lose everything I have.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It won’t be too late to come back when you’re okay.”
“Dojun!”
There was still a chance. At least for Dojun. He would definitely catch Choi Inho and stab Chairman Yoo in the heart. Before that, Haejoo needed to find stability. If being in this house currently tormented her, then they should just leave.
“Let’s go right now.”
Dojun hastily grabbed his coat and put Haejoo in the car. Then, he drove aimlessly through the night.
“Shall we go see the sea?”
Haejoo nodded weakly at Dojun’s question. It was almost dawn, so he quickly sped up. He preferred a place where they could step on the sand. He hoped the small waves could wash away these deeply felt emotions. The car headed towards the West Sea. After driving for a long time, the two faced the sea shrouded in dawn. No footprints were left on the sandy beach of the summer-past swimming area. Soon, the sound of gentle waves reached their ears. As he rolled down the window, the cool sea scent permeated his nostrils.
“Everything is blue.”
A faintly foggy sea unfolded before them. The waves, which had swallowed the daytime dynamics, calmly spat out sand as if nothing had happened. As Haejoo said, even the humid air was tinged blue. With every step, the crunching sand seemed to envelop the two.
“Shall we walk for a bit?”
Dojun held Haejoo’s hands as if teaching a child to walk. He walked backward but remained steady. He only took step after step to ensure Haejoo reached the sea safely.
“Am I being too cowardly?”
“That’s not true.”
“I just can’t see a way out...”
“What does that matter? I’m here.”
By then, the waves lapped at their ankles, then receded. Sand gradually covered their wet feet.
“Like this sea, there’s just a temporary fog in front of us.”
Dojun’s comfort settled into Haejoo’s heart. It felt as if a large hand had covered her, as if to tell her not to be swept away.
“If you want to cry, cry all you want. Get it all out here.”
He made a person cry again. What if she never stopped crying? He was so reckless.
“When the sun comes out later, we’ll go back then.”
Even their clothes were damp. Dojun pulled up the collar of Haejoo’s coat and opened his arms, embracing her widely.
“Give me a chance to love you more. Please.”
Haejoo squeezed her eyes shut, and her eyelids burned hotly. Only then did the tears she had suppressed finally burst forth. The blue light surrounding the two slowly shattered into dust.
________________________________________
Haejoo walked holding Dojun’s hand, and whenever she felt tired, she leaned into him. She stopped walking when her legs gave out from lack of sleep.
“I want to go home now. I’m sleepy.”
“...Okay.”
It was nearing 8 AM. Judging by the gathering clouds, it looked like it would rain soon. Dojun washed Haejoo’s feet in the seawater and put her shoes back on. He walked barefoot, shaking off the sand carelessly.
“Don’t think about anything. Just get some sleep on the way.”
Dojun put Haejoo in the car first, then took out two phones. First, he sent the message Choi Inho had sent to Haejoo’s phone to Chief Secretary Song and Jinhan. Then, he called Chief Secretary Song.
-Yes, I’ve already checked the message you sent.
“The situation has become urgent.”
-If all goes well, we might be able to find Choi Inho’s location.
“We need to finish this today, so hurry.”
He got into the driver’s seat, his pant legs damp. Meanwhile, Haejoo had fallen asleep. He slowly turned the car around, and as if on cue, raindrops began to fall. Dojun, who hadn’t seen the sea in a long time, felt strange.
“Whoosh!”
He exhaled, releasing his blocked breath, and headed for Seoul. The rain, which had been falling as he crossed the Seohae Grand Bridge, stopped as they neared Seoul. By the time their house came into view in the distance, the clouds had cleared, and the sun was shining.
“Haejoo, wake up. We’re home.”
Haejoo couldn’t wake up. With an uneasy feeling, he called Hyunseong.
-Yes, CEO!
“Come to our house today. Haejoo isn’t well.”
-Is something wrong?
“Choi Inho threatened her. I’ll resolve it today, so please stay with Haejoo.”
Dojun carried Haejoo inside and laid her on the bed, then finished preparing to leave. Today, he was dressed casually instead of in a suit. As he was giving instructions to the housekeeper, Hyunseong arrived in a hurry.
“Just make sure Haejoo doesn’t get anxious. Call me if anything happens.”
“CEO!”
He was about to leave when Hyunseong called out to him. He looked indifferently at Hyunseong, whose face looked like he was about to cry.
“Why?”
“I’m sorry. Because of me...”
“Just eat, kid.”
Dojun held Haejoo’s phone in his hand as well. As he was about to get into the car, Chief Secretary Song called.
“Yes, Chief Secretary Song.”
-We’ve found Choi Inho’s location!
There was no need for preparations for a hunt. This wasn’t a hunt; it was a killing. Finding a reason to kill Choi Inho was a luxury. So, he just decided to kill him.
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