Chapter 6 part 2
Thirty minutes later, Yeonho was already loaded down with purchases.
Servants walked respectfully behind him, their arms piled high with bags, shoe boxes, and parcels wrapped in fancy branded paper.
"I still need more accessories, a new phone… and is there a shop here that sells every kind of boot imaginable? I want all styles, all designs."
"Yes, Mistress. I can take you there, but that store is on the seventh floor,"
"That's fine. Let's get the phone first."
Freya nodded and led the way toward the escalator.
Though there was a private elevator reserved for VIP guests, Yeonho chose the escalator instead, wanting to take in more of the mall as they moved between floors.
He glanced around as they went up, spotting fancy restaurants, high-end department stores, and even a few entertainment arcades spread across the levels.
Then his gaze landed on something that made a slow, wicked grin spread across his face.
"Lingerie…" he murmured.
Buying new sets was definitely a good idea.
His twin sister Hana was so obsessed with wrapping all those male leads around her finger, parading herself as the perfect, gentle heroine who could do no wrong.
She thought she had everything in the palm of her hand? She was in for a rude awakening.
'Oh, Hana… you have no idea. Making men fall for me, making them completely obsessed and devoted? That's my specialty. I'll steal every single one of them right from under your nose, and you won't even know what hit you.'
"Stop here," he said, pointing sharply toward a store front.
Everyone around him—his staff, passersby, other shoppers—all turned their heads to look in the same direction.
Even the servants and bodyguards, who were used to his whims, shifted awkwardly where they stood.
After all, he was a man, and he was leading them straight toward a shop that was clearly meant for women.
But Yeonho didn't care one bit.
He walked right in, his head held high, ignoring the curious stares and the judging glances thrown his way.
What did it matter what strangers thought? He knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew exactly how he was going to use every single thing he bought.
He spent nearly thirty minutes inside the store, picking out sets of all styles, fabrics and colours—everything from delicate lace to sleek silk, all chosen specifically with one goal in mind.
When he finally walked out, he was more satisfied than he had been all day.
He continued his shopping spree after that, visiting store after store.
He bought the latest high-end smartphone, rows of new boots and shoes in every design possible, dozens of new outfits, piles of jewellery and accessories, and so much more that he lost count of it all.
He swiped the black card again and again, never once looking at the price, enjoying the thrill of spending Han Jiseok's money and turning himself into the perfect weapon he needed to be.
By the time he finally decided he was done, it was late afternoon.
He sank back into the soft leather seats of the car, completely worn out.
Most of his purchases were already loaded into the van following behind them, leaving him with plenty of space to relax.
Even though the mall was filled with expensive, famous restaurants, he didn't feel like eating out at all.
He just wanted to go somewhere quiet and rest.
"Let's head back now. I'm starving," he said, running his fingers through his hair before gathering it all up and tying it neatly into a loose bun at the nape of his neck.
"The Master instructed us to bring you straight to his company building, Mistress," Freya said gently from the seat opposite him.
Yeonho paused for a second, his hands stilling in his hair, then finished tying the bun and leaned back.
"Why? I thought he was busy working. Can't I just eat alone and rest for the day?"
He picked up his brand-new phone, turning it over in his hands, checking his reflection on the dark screen to make sure his hair was perfect.
"The Master wants to share dinner with you, and he said he has something important to discuss, Mistress."
Yeonho sighed inwardly.
'All I want to do is eat good food and then collapse into bed… but I guess I can't just brush him off. I can't have that old man getting disappointed or bored with me now, can I?'
Thinking back to his plan to return to Korea and settle all his unfinished business, he realised this conversation was probably important.
It was likely related to everything he had asked for, so he didn't argue further.
"Fine. Tell the driver to go there then."
The ride took a while, and exhaustion slowly crept over him.
Wandering around the huge mall for hours, trying on clothes, picking out things, and being the centre of attention the whole time had taken more energy out of him than he expected.
He never thought spending someone else's money could be this tiring, but right now, all he wanted was to close his eyes for a moment.
Before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep, his head resting against the car window.
It was nearly six in the evening when the car finally slowed down and came to a stop in front of a massive, towering skyscraper—one that Yeonho knew belonged to Han Jiseok.
"Mistress… please wake up. We've arrived," Freya gently tapped his shoulder.
Yeonho stirred slowly, his long lashes fluttering as he blinked his eyes open, looking around in a daze.
It took him a good five minutes to fully come back to his senses and shake off the grogginess.
"I'm awake. Lead the way," he said, straightening up.
Freya nodded, and as soon as he stepped out of the car, a bodyguard waiting by the entrance bowed and opened the door for him.
"Welcome, Mistress. The Master is waiting for you in his office,"
The man said respectfully.
"This way, please, Mistress," Freya gestured, walking ahead of him toward the glass entrance doors.
Yeonho followed her inside, and just like everywhere else, the moment he stepped through the doors, every single person in the lobby turned to look at him.
Their eyes followed his every move as he walked, whispers floating through the air.
Freya noticed his expression and spoke quietly,
"Don't mind them, Mistress. Everyone here knows who you are—they know you are the Master's favoured one, and they know about your past accident and your memory loss. They won't dare bother you or overstep their place. They know better than to stick their noses into the Chairman's business."
Yeonho wanted to scoff.
'Easy for you to say… these stares feel like they're burning right through me. It feels like they're all judging me, weighing me up…'
As he looked closer at the faces of the people passing by, he noticed something else that made him tense up slightly.
'And a lot of these people… they look Korean.'
He leaned closer to Freya, lowering his voice so no one else could overhear.
"Freya…"
"Yes, Mistress?" she replied, leaning in slightly too.
"You said everyone here knows who I am… so do they know everything? About what happened back in Korea? Do they know who I really was before all this?"
He expected her to say yes, to tell him that everyone knew the whole ugly story, but Freya shook her head firmly.
"No, Mistress. Please don't worry. Most people only know that you are the Master's favoured courtesan, and that you went through a difficult time and lost your memory. That is all."
"So… they don't know about everything that happened back home? They don't know the truth?"
"Exactly, Mistress." Freya nodded confidently.
"Though… I cannot say the same for the Korean staff working here. News travels fast within the community, and there is a chance some of them may recognise you or know bits of your history. But even then, they would never dare say a word or treat you poorly—not when you are under the Master's protection. Even we, who work closely in his household, do not know the details of your past. All we know, and all we need to know, is that you are the Master's mistress, and it is our duty to serve and protect you."
Yeonho fell silent as they walked toward the private elevator reserved only for Han Jiseok and his guests.
He felt a small weight lift off his chest.
It was a relief to know that most people here only saw him as Jiseok's mistress, and not as the disgraced, hated villain from the novel.
It meant he could still build himself up from scratch, without everyone looking at him with hate or pity.
The only ones he had to be careful around were the Korean employees, but even then, as long as he was under Jiseok's name, they wouldn't dare do anything.
The elevator doors slid shut behind them, and it moved smoothly upward.
When the doors opened again, Yeonho stepped out into a wide, grand hallway lined with expensive artwork and covered in thick, plush carpets that muffled every step.
It was luxurious and imposing, just like the man who owned it.
"Master's office is right at the end of this hallway," Freya pointed ahead.
Yeonho walked forward, flanked by his bodyguards, until they reached a set of tall, heavy double doors at the very end.
Freya stepped aside, and one of the guards standing by the door pulled it open.
"We will wait right here for you, Mistress," the guard bowed.
Yeonho didn't even look back.
He stepped inside the office, and the door clicked shut softly behind him, cutting off the noise from the hallway completely.