Beautiful, Dirty, Rich (Monsta X Fanfiction)

Epilogue 2.1

I threw open the curtains to my hotel room, looking out into streets of Greece. The hotel was local and quaint, with a fantastic view.

Today would be my last day here in Rhodes Town, and every day was a treat. But it felt like something was missing.

I let out a sigh, taking a deep breath.

"Coffee, of course." I said to myself.

I turned around, forcing a smile on my face.

This had been my first solo vacation. It was nice, to be honest. I didn't have to coordinate with anyone, and I could do whatever I wanted to do.

But after spending a month alone on Jeju, being alone in a foreign land felt bitter sweet.

As I walked along the streets that morning, searching for a coffee shop to visit. One caught my eye right away.

'I'll go there,' I told myself.

But it seemed familiar. As I approached, my footsteps slowed.

'Oh...'

The inviting-looking cafe was the same one that Shownu and I visited when we ditched our class and explored Greece alone.

"I'll try somewhere else," I told myself, turning to walk away from the building with my head hung low.

No, it's not for the reason you're thinking.

I'm totally not avoiding the cafe because it made me think of Shownu...

I forced another smiling, thinking to myself. 'Should I get a macchiato or a cappuccino?'

Just a week earlier...

I sat across from the plated glass, my arms already folded defensively across my chest.

"Thank you for coming to speak to me, Miss Yuri." Shownu's former butler, Mr. Kim, looked much older now. Probably because of the gray that dominated his tresses, and a hairline that was recently snatched by karma.

Just seeing his face gave me flashbacks to that terrible day, when the weight of an entire building collapsed upon me. The sight of him triggered my olfactory senses to the scent of chloroform.

"Don't flatter yourself." I muttered through the fear. "I just wanted to clear my mind before leaving for Rhodes Town."

The butler's brow quirked. "Well, either way. Thank you for giving me a chance to explain myself."

"Why did you do it?"

I glanced away, hoping it would mitigate the racing of my heart.

"Because he was my employer. I had to." He sighed, "I'm sure you've realized it by now. But the scariest thing in this world is money."

My eyes narrowed at him.

"I don't even care about what Mr. Sohn did to me. But you..." My voice wavered. "You were like a friend to me."

"And you were like a daughter-in-law to me, too." He replied. "However, Master Sohn owned my soul." He bowed his head in shame, "Nonetheless, I am eternally regretful and sorry."

'What a load of bullshit.'

I stood up, narrowing my eyes at him for one last time.

"You know Shownu really did love you. Probably more than he loved himself."

I stopped, my ears perking but I didn't turn around.

"He never smiled the same, not without you by his side. I don't care if you hate me forever, but please forgive him. He was powerless against his father, just like me.