Title: The Golden Cage
I was on a rush-hour bus, miles away from the Royal Palace Hotel, but the metallic scent of Kang Bok Soo's debit card still seemed to cling to my palm.
The card wasn't just plastic; it was a cage plated in gold.
I found a quiet coffee shop and immediately transferred the funds, my fingers shaking so badly I almost mistyped the amount. Within minutes, I had the confirmation text from my brother: Money received. Mom admitted. Thank you, sis. You saved her.
The wave of relief was so intense it was painful. I rested my forehead against the cool tabletop, letting silent tears stream down my face. My mother was safe. The crushing anxiety was finally lifted.
But it had come at a cost that transcended money. I had allowed Kang Bok Soo to witness my lowest point—my tears, my desperation, my failure. And he hadn't used it to mock me; he had used it to own me.
He's cruel, but he saved her. The conflict was tearing me apart.
I pulled out my compact mirror, checking my reflection. The redness around my eyes was fading, but the insecurity was still raw. I remembered his cruel remark about the "cheap anxiety" smell on his scarf. I thought about the intensity in his eyes when he pressed the card into my hand.
He saw the fear in me, the same fear he tried to hide with his flawless performance. We were two broken people, one trapped by poverty and the other trapped by fame and anxiety.
I had to return. I had to pay the debt of loyalty he demanded.
I took the small amount of cash I had left and bought the best, strongest coffee I could find. I splashed cold water on my face, scrubbing away the last traces of tears. If I was going to be his assistant, his confidante, his human shield, I needed to look the part of someone worthy of standing near him.
As I fixed my hair and checked my makeup, a dangerous thought surfaced.
When he was looking at me, his eyes dark with that non-verbal desire, I wasn't just Peter Bella, the failing student riddled with self-doubt. In those moments, I was the sole focus of a perfect, unattainable man. He didn't see my cheap clothes; he saw the person who saw his hidden pain.
The attraction was no longer just physical; it was deeply emotional. He had needed me.
I pulled my shoulders back. I didn't want him to see weakness. I wanted him to see the efficient, capable, perfect-scoring Peter Bella he didn't think existed. If I couldn't be beautiful, I could be necessary.
I texted Ms. Kim: Returning to the Royal Palace now. Ready for Mr. Kang's next instruction.
I felt a new kind of resolve harden in my chest. I owed him everything. And since he demanded my loyalty and presence, I would give him nothing less than perfection. I would meet his every need, handle every cruel demand, and endure every burning, silent stare.
But I promised myself one thing: I wouldn't fall for his kindness, and I would not fall for his looks. I would use the six months to save my family and then disappear.
I was the first to fall for the broken man.
But I swore that he would be the one to fall harder for the strong woman.
I checked the time. My return trip to the Royal Palace was calculated with military precision. I was walking back into the golden cage, ready to face my enemy, my savior, and my new greatest temptation.