Madam looked around the room slowly.
Her gaze passed over Ha-Joon, Min-Hyuk, Seo-Yeon, Halmoni, Nisa, Do-Hyun, and finally settled on Ji-Ah.
"I have told all of you before," she began, her voice controlled but sharp, "that Ji-Ah does not deserve to be in this house."
Ji-Ah's stomach dropped.
Madam continued. "She has been influencing my son against his fiancée. She has crossed every boundary that was given to her."
Min-Ji lowered her gaze, looking almost embarrassed by the attention.
Madam reached for her hand. "What has she done to you, Ha-Joon? Why are you suddenly so unwilling to marry Min-Ji?"
Ha-Joon pulled in a slow breath. "I don't hate her, Mother."
"Then why do you keep avoiding her?"
"Because I don't want this."
His voice had become slightly firmer. "I don't want to be forced into something simply because everyone else decided it should happen."
Madam smiled faintly. "But everything has already been arranged."
She gently squeezed Min-Ji's hand. "She is intelligent. Beautiful. Wealthy. Educated. Her family is respected."
Then Madam deliberately looked toward Ji-Ah. "She comes from a family that can stand beside ours."
Ji-Ah's face tightened.
Madam turned back to her son. "You're going to marry her."
Ha-Joon's jaw clenched. "Mother, I still don't understand why we're suddenly having this conversation."
"Because you refuse to see what is happening."
"What if this video had been sent to the media?" That silenced Ha-Joon for a moment. "What would have happened then?"
Yoo-Na immediately frowned. "What video?"
Madam turned toward her. "Min-Ji sent it to me last night."
Yoo-Na scoffed. "You believed Min-Ji?"
She folded her arms. "I'd rather believe a pig at this point."
"Yoo-Na," Mrs. Han warned.
"What? I'm just saying."
Madam closed her eyes briefly. "Nisa."
Nisa looked startled. "Yes?"
"Show them."
Nisa hesitated, then took out her phone.
The room became completely silent.
Everyone gathered closer.
The video began.
And the moment the image appeared on the screen, Ha-Joon's expression changed.
His eyes widened. "When was that taken?"
Everyone turned toward Ji-Ah.
She shook her head immediately. "No."
Her voice trembled. "No, no. That's not what you think."
Madam's expression hardened. "It is exactly what we think."
Ji-Ah's breathing became uneven. "Madam, please."
"You took advantage of my son when he wasn't in a state to understand what was happening."
Ji-Ah stared at her in disbelief. "What?"
Madam turned toward Min-Ji. "Tell them."
Min-Ji slowly stepped forward.
She looked devastated.
Almost too devastated.
"Ji-Ah sent me the video."
Ji-Ah's head snapped toward her. "What?"
Min-Ji continued quietly. "She took it secretly. She told me herself that Ha-Joon wasn't coming to me that night, even though I had arranged dinner for us."
Ji-Ah's eyes widened. "You're lying."
Min-Ji's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to fight with you."
"You're lying!"
"Ji-Ah!" Ha-Joon said.
Ji-Ah stopped.
She looked at him.
His expression wasn't angry.
It was confused.
And somehow that hurt more.
"Explain the video," he said quietly.
Ji-Ah swallowed. "Ha-Joon, remember that night?"
He nodded slowly. "I helped you because you were drowsy."
She pointed toward the phone. "That video has no context. It looks wrong, but that's not what happened."
Before she could explain further, Min-Ji interrupted. "Go ahead."
Ji-Ah looked at her.
"Accuse me of whatever you want."
Min-Ji's voice shook. "What are you trying to accuse me of this time?"
Ji-Ah's eyes narrowed. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Min-Ji shook her head. "I was the one who gave Ha-Joon that drink."
Ha-Joon looked at her.
His expression changed. "Min-Ji."
"You gave me the drink that night," he said.
Min-Ji nodded. "I did."
Madam immediately turned toward Ji-Ah. "You see?"
Ji-Ah's mouth fell open. "No! That isn't what I meant!"
She looked desperately around the room. "I didn't do anything to him. He wasn't well, and I was helping him. That's all."
Yoo-Na suddenly began clapping.
Slowly.
Everyone looked at her.
She walked forward until she stood directly in front of Min-Ji. "You."
Min-Ji blinked.
Yoo-Na smiled without warmth. "You're actually unbelievable."
Mrs. Han immediately frowned. "Yoo-Na."
"No, Mother."
Yoo-Na didn't look away from Min-Ji. "You're trying to destroy Ji-Ah's reputation because you know Madam already dislikes her."
Min-Ji's eyes watered. "I didn't do anything."
"Really?"
Yoo-Na tilted her head. "Then why are you making everything sound like Ji-Ah deliberately tried to hurt you?"
"I only showed Madam what happened."
"Exactly."
Yoo-Na's voice sharpened. "You showed her something without context and let everyone assume the worst."
Halmoni finally stepped forward.
Her voice was much gentler. "Ji-Ah."
Ji-Ah turned toward her.
Halmoni's expression was worried. "Is this true?"
Ji-Ah immediately shook her head. "No."
Her voice cracked. "No, Halmoni. I swear. I was helping him. Nothing happened."
Yoo-Na pointed toward Min-Ji. "What exactly do you gain from doing all this?"
Min-Ji stared at her. "Yoo-Na..."
"Even if you somehow convince everyone here, do you really think Ha-Joon is suddenly going to love you because Ji-Ah gets thrown out?"
Min-Ji's lips trembled.
Mrs. Han's voice cut through the room. "Stop interfering in their relationship."
Yoo-Na turned around.
"Oh, hello." She gestured toward herself. "I'm family too."
She pointed toward Ha-Joon. "I'm his cousin and childhood friend. I've known him since we were kids."
Then she looked directly at Min-Ji. "And I know exactly what kind of person he is."
Min-Ji's eyes filled with tears. "Why are you always so mean to me?"
Yoo-Na stared at her. "Because you're making it very easy."
Min-Ji looked down. "I didn't do anything wrong."
Yoo-Na gave a humorless little laugh. "Neither did Ji-Ah."
Ji-Ah looked toward Madam. "Please listen to me."
She stepped forward. "I didn't do any of that."
Her voice shook, but she forced herself to continue. "I would never deliberately hurt Ha-Joon. I would never do something like that just to ruin someone else's relationship."
Ha-Joon finally spoke. "Mother."
Madam looked at him.
"I was there too."
Everyone went silent.
Ha-Joon continued. "I may not remember everything clearly from that night, but I know Ji-Ah didn't hurt me."
Madam shook her head. "You were intoxicated."
"That doesn't mean you can decide what she did."
"Ha-Joon!"
He looked at his mother. "She was helping me."
Madam's expression hardened. "She was alone with you while you were vulnerable."
Ji-Ah's eyes stung. "Madam, I wasn't trying to—"
"I've heard enough."
Madam turned toward the entire room. "I want her out."
Ji-Ah froze. "Tonight."
Halmoni's eyes widened. "Tonight? At this hour?"
"Yes."
"It's the middle of the night," Min-Hyuk said.
Madam looked at him. "I don't care."
Seo-Yeon immediately stepped toward Ji-Ah. "No."
Madam's eyes narrowed. "Seo-Yeon."
"You can't throw her out like this."
"She's brought shame into this family."
"She hasn't!"
Seo-Yeon moved closer to her sister. "You're not even giving her a chance to explain."
Ji-Ah looked at Seo-Yeon, tears threatening to spill. "Seo-Yeon..."
"I'm here."
Seo-Yeon squeezed her hand. "You don't have to face this alone."
Across the room, Ha-Joon remained completely still.
His eyes were fixed on the video still displayed on Nisa's phone.
Then he looked at Ji-Ah.
She looked frightened.
Not guilty.
Frightened.
Something about that distinction bothered him.
Very much.
Near the back of the room, Hea-In quietly approached Mr. and Mrs. Kang.
She leaned closer and whispered, "I told you."
Mrs. Kang glanced at her. "What?"
Hea-In's eyes flicked toward Ji-Ah. "Now that she's cornered, Min-Ji will win."
Mr. Kang's expression changed. "And we'll finally get what we were promised."
Mrs. Kang quickly shushed him. "Keep your voice down."
Hea-In nodded.
But her eyes remained on Min-Ji.
And for the first time that night, the whole room seemed divided into two sides.
Those who believed the video.
And those who were beginning to wonder what had been left out of it.