Strange Attraction [Hyunho] ✓

Chapter 44

Cw: mention of murder, mention of rape

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"Your father was a secretary under a huge company. The CEO, Mr. Lee Kyunghae, was his best friend. The business went well. But some people didn't like how he ran the company. But still, since they couldn't do anything, they just stayed quiet. That was what Mr. Lee and your father thought."

"About a month before your father died, your father accidentally found out about some shady business done by Lee Sunsin, one of Mr. Lee's siblings. He apparently bought some land and planned to build residences there. Nothing seemed fishy at first. But your father noticed the price for the land was way too cheap so he went there and checked it by himself. The land was terrible. The soil was sticky and had awful smell too. So he reported it to Mr. Lee and they later found out the soil contained dangerous chemical substances and it definitely wasn't a safe place for people to live there."

"The company lost some partners after that and the business just went bad. But both your father and Mr. Lee didn't regret it at all. Your father... was anything but bad person, Hyunjin-ah."

Hyunjin nods. A small, proud smile stretches on his lips.

"Unfortunately, Lee Sunsin, he didn't like how it turned out. He was greedy. And with the company's bad reputation at that time, he planned to make use of it."

"The first step he took was to spread some photos that showed as if Mr. Lee's wife was cheating on him. And with that, Sunsin used it as an enough motive for Mr. Lee to kill his own wife. All he needed to do next was to kill the wife and Mr. Lee in the same day then faked it as if Mr. Lee murdered his own wife and killed himself."

"Then what about dad? Was he murdered by that Sunsin guy too?" Hyunjin cannot help but interrupt.

The mother shakes his head. "Jeongin's father was the murderer."

"What?!!" He gets up from his seat. "Why the fuck did you marry him then?!"

"Hyunjin-ah, please let me finish first."

The younger sits, utters a small "sorry, you can continue" afterward.

The mother smiles, extending her arm in hope her son wants to take her hand. And he does. The hold isn't strong. It's quite awkward, but both pay no mind.

"Sunsin seemed to plan the murder of Mr. Lee and your father with him, but your father was in another town when it happened. He got alarmed when he couldn't reach out to Mr. Lee all day long. So he asked me to do the hardest things in my whole life."

She takes a deep, slightly trembling breath. "He first asked me to register you under my sister's name. She had passed away at that time. But your father said he needed to somehow hide you from those bad guys. He then asked me to part ways with him too for the sake of my safety and you."

"He asked me to run with some files, leave the house and just hide for the time being. But I was so scared, Hyunjin-ah. Both of you were everything to me. So to make sure you would be safe, I left you in front of an orphanage door with a note of your new name and went back to our house. I'm so sorry, Hyunjin-ah. I should have listened."

Hyunjin instinctively hugs the woman tight at that, especially since she suddenly breaks into tears. And after having a short break, his mother states, "I'm fine, Hyunjin-ah. Let's continue."

The son then reluctantly pulls out of the hug and returns to his seat. Hands naturally finding its way to gently dab the remnant tears on his mother's cheeks.

"When I arrived at our house, your father had been murdered. I thought the murderer had already gone but he was actually still inside, probably trying to burn some evidence of their shady business. When I saw him, I ran. It sounded classic, but I tripped on my own leg and fell down the stairs. And... and the next thing I knew, I woke up in a hospital bed with a newborn child."

Hyunjin blinks his eyes fast, flabbergasted. "I-it was Jeongin?"

She weakly nods.

"So while you were dying, he... he raped you?"

"Probably. I was in coma and it took me a whole year to wake up. That sick man knew I had lost my memory, so he could have done that while I was unconscious too."

She sighs, lips wobbling. "He could have just killed me in my sleep, but he married me and made up some scenarios of me and him instead."

Hyunjin scoots closer, holds his mother's hands gently yet protectively, which subtly tells her that she'll be okay since she has him now. "Did he abuse you after you woke up?"

"No. Our marriage was surprisingly fine. He looked as if he truly loved and cared about his family. He probably just tried to pay for his sins. That's why he married me. But his true color eventually showed up when I reported him to the police for murder. I was so naive. I thought they would take my side, but apparently no. If anything, they didn't do anything about it and told that sick man about me gaining my memory back after ten years of marriage."

"Do you know what triggered your memory?"

She nods. "I had it when Jeongin was drowning. I almost lost you that way in the past too."

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