High heels clicked sharply against the tiled floor as Rae Yoorin stood by the philosophy section of the bookstore, still lost in thought.
"Hmmm… Rae. So this is what you've been up to?"
"?! Ms. Mikage—!"
Rae jolted, startled by the sudden bump from behind as Ingrid Mikage brushed past her, their hips colliding lightly.
Ingrid gave a sly smirk before turning her attention to the nearby shelf filled with adult-themed novels.
Her violet eyes flicked briefly toward Rae's hands. "Oh? That book you're holding…?"
Rae quickly hid the book behind her back, her pulse quickening.
Did she find out what I was up to? she thought nervously.
Ingrid tilted her head, then turned back to the shelf, pulling out a steamy-looking paperback.
The cover showed a scene of a boss entangled with his employee. She flipped through a few pages, her tone calm and casual.
"Did you do something to be disliked, Ms. Yoorin?" Ingrid asked, her lips curving slightly as she read. "Then again, you've never really been much of a good person, have you?"
Rae stiffened, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Ingrid returned the book to the shelf, then reached for another—this one a dark-themed light novel about blackmail and revenge.
No… Rae thought, watching her carefully. It doesn't seem like she knows. She didn't see me with him…
She meant Gon Jun San, the Vice President's assistant and bodyguard.
Ingrid flipped through a few more pages, the afternoon light streaming through the window illuminating her black dress.
The cutout fabric hugged her curves, the faint silhouette of her figure showing through each subtle movement. She looked elegant and dangerous all at once.
"By the way," Ingrid said absently, eyes still on the book. "I didn't expect you to be a reader."
Rae crossed her arms, pouting slightly. "Hmph, why does everyone say that?"
"Everyone…?" Ingrid asked, glancing over her shoulder.
The sunlight caught her hair, the brown waves glowing gold as they fell perfectly across her shoulders. Her violet eyes glinted—sharp, amused, assessing.
Rae noticed the next book Ingrid picked up—it was about parenting. Her brow furrowed. "You? Looking at parenting books? I didn't think you cared about your kid at all. All you ever do is work—"
SLAP!
The sound cracked through the quiet bookstore. Rae's head jerked to the side, a thin line of blood forming at the corner of her lip.
Ingrid grabbed her wrist tightly, her face cold, eyes blazing.
"Be careful with what you say, Rae Yoorin," she hissed. "Don't you fucking cross the line. You got that?"
She shoved Rae's wrist away and adjusted her glasses with composure, her expression calm but burning with restrained anger.
Then, without another word, she turned and strode toward the exit—heels clicking sharply as every customer in the aisle froze in silence.
Rae stood there, stunned, her cheek throbbing. She rubbed it gingerly and muttered under her breath, "What's with that bitch? Ah—so damn painful…"
Storage Room – Present Time
The air was thick and heavy after the storm that had just passed between Shan Wolf and Eva Kin. Sweat clung to their skin, the room still echoing with the aftermath of their rough passion.
From the corner, Rachel So Mi crept back, trying to slip away quietly. But as fate would have it, her foot hit a loose box — thud!
"Shit," she whispered under her breath.
"Hello, Rachel…"
Her blood froze. Turning slowly, she saw Eva—now fully dressed, arms crossed, that sly grin playing on her lips.
Shan frowned, confused. "Wait… you two know each other?"
Eva smirked. "Yeah, boo. We're real close, actually."
Flashback to Years Ago,
Back in high school, Rachel had it rough. Being half Black and half Korean made her stand out — and not in a good way. Some called her names, others whispered about her sitting among the "elite kids."
She got into the special program founded by Eh San Won — one for underprivileged kids. But that only made the hate worse.
Then came Eva. Fifteen, newly returned after being kidnapped as a child, trained as a mercenary before being rescued. She became Rachel's first real friend — more like a sister. Together they faced the world.
Until things went bad.
Jen Heo Won — the rising star and their leader back then — started turning cruel. She targeted Eva for reasons no one understood.
One day, Jen handed Rachel a half carton of milk.
"Hey Rachel," she said coldly, "pour it on her."
Rachel hesitated. She didn't want to. But fear — that rotten, cowardly fear — took over.
And she betrayed Eva.
Back to the Present,
Eva stepped closer, her tone now playful but edged with venom. "It's been so long, Rachel."
She wrapped Rachel in a hug. The touch made Rachel's heart sink.
"By the way," Eva whispered, "you saw us, didn't you? Me and Shan."
Rachel's cheeks turned crimson. "I—I won't tell anyone. I swear."
Eva tilted her head with that same mischievous grin. "Oh? But you and Heo Won used to bully me in high school. Why should I trust you now?"
She glanced at Shan. "Say, boo… what do you think we should do with her?"
Shan's eyes darkened. He stepped forward, his presence like a wolf stalking prey. "You bullied my little girl back then…?" he muttered, voice low and dangerous.
"I didn't know you two were—"
"We're not," Eva cut her off sharply. "Let's just say… boo and I share a long, bloody history."
Shan gave a dark chuckle, half amusement, half threat. "How about we make a deal, then? Maybe the three of us… come to an understanding."
Rachel's heart pounded. She knew exactly what he meant — not literally, but as a warning. A reminder of who held power here.
"I won't say a damn word!" she blurted, bolting for the door.
The door slammed shut behind her as she disappeared down the hallway.
Eva laughed softly. "Ah… she left."
Shan stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. The tension melted into quiet warmth.
"Why didn't you tell me they bullied you?" he asked.
Eva exhaled softly. "Because, boo… like you said. I make my own choices. Solve my own problems."
Shan rested his chin on her shoulder. "Still… you shouldn't have had to face it alone."
Eva smiled faintly. "Hmmm… and now my big bad wolf gives me a hug. You really know how to make a girl feel safe, boo."
Shan chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Blood or not, you're my little sister. Always."
The two stood there for a while in the quiet storage room — the storm outside replaced by a calm that only old scars could understand.
In the early evening at a hotpot restaurant.
The place buzzed with noise — sizzling broth, clinking chopsticks, and chatter echoing through the warm, steamy air.
At a corner booth, Bae Sik Gong sat scrolling through old photos on his phone, waiting. The table in front of him was empty except for a half-drunk glass of barley tea.
He sighed and muttered, "Always late, that damn woman…"
A few minutes later, Chai Yoo Fon burst through the door, waving as if she owned the place. "Ah! Sikky, how are you?"
Bae looked up, deadpan. "You still calling me that stupid nickname? It's two minutes past six, dammit."
"Hey, hey! You want the mau-mau cash or not?" she teased, flicking her hair. "Besides, pretty girls like me need time to look good, okay?"
He gave her a flat stare. "So why the hell did it take that long?"
Her grin faded. "You wanna die, asshole?"
They glared for a moment before both cracked a small laugh. Typical.
Once seated, they ordered their food — beef slices, veggies, and two bottles of soju — and let the conversation roll.
"Ahem," Yoo Fon started, resting her chin on her hand. "As I was saying on the phone earlier…"
She pulled out a sleek device from her purse and slid it across the table.
Shan Wolf's stolen phone.
"The client I'm freelancing for isn't in a rush," she said. "They just want the data covered up. Clean and quiet."
Sik Gong raised a brow. "So what's the big deal? You could've done that yourself. It's like taking candy from a baby."
"Like fuck I know!" she snapped. "That's why I called you out, bitch!"
She shoved the phone toward him again, irritated. "You know how those rich bastards are. Always crying about deadlines and bonuses."
Sik Gong picked up the phone and turned it over under the restaurant's warm light. He rotated it, examining the sleek finish and hidden seams like a jeweler inspecting a diamond.
"Hmmm," he muttered. "Doesn't look too bad… but whoever owned this messed with the system. This model's been tampered with — custom backdoors, hidden scripts. Someone wanted this thing locked tighter than a damn vault."
Yoo Fon leaned back, sipping her soju with a smirk. "So, you saying you can crack it or not?"
Sik Gong smirked back. "I can crack anything. Just don't cry when the phone starts fighting back."
"Ha! You wish," she said, raising her glass. "To old geniuses doing dirty work again."
He clinked his glass against hers. "Cheers to that — and to easy money."
Steam from the hotpot rose between them, curling around the air like secrets ready to boil over.
"So, how are you, Sikky?" Yoo Fon asked with a teasing smile. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, her voice dropping into a whisper. "Do you perhaps still… strangle women when you get excited?"
Bae Sik Gong nearly spat his soju all over the table. "What the—! Don't push your damn luck, Yoo Fon!"
She grinned slyly. "Ah, so it is true. Just like back then. You and I both know who the real culprit was for destroying the entire university we studied at."
His jaw clenched. Before anyone could blink, Sik Gong launched forward, his hand gripping her throat tight. The playful air around them vanished, replaced with cold, suffocating tension.
"Careful, Yoo Fon," he growled. "You're walking on fire."
She gasped slightly but didn't back down. Even with his hand tightening, she smiled through it. "Ha… I knew it," she croaked out.
"The demon in you is still there. The real you. All it took was a little reminder… that one unknown hacker who tore through your system and ruined everything you built. That's what broke you, huh?"
"I said STOP IT!" Sik Gong snapped, his voice echoing across the restaurant. He froze, his own words snapping him back to reality. Slowly, he released his grip.
Yoo Fon coughed and rubbed her neck, wincing. "Damn boy… you're gonna leave a bruise."
He lowered his eyes. "...Sorry."
"Forget it," she said, her tone softening. "I'm just glad you're still in control of that sociopathic streak of yours."
She grabbed her jacket and stood. "Anyway, just crack the phone and let me know what you find. Don't keep me waiting."
As she leaned over, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek — not affectionate, more like a taunt. "And… sorry I pulled the string," she whispered.
With that, she turned and walked off, heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor.
Bae Sik Gong sat still for a moment, hand trembling slightly as he picked up the phone again.
The screen reflected his cold, emotionless eyes — and for a brief moment, he saw a ghost of the man he once was staring back.
---
Chapter 58 — End.