Ｓｔｏｒｙｌｉｎｅ
Jungkook is a powerful businessman, London returns, a brutal fighter, and born in a privileged Kim family. One project forced him to work and stay with his enemy, whose secrets he hid for a long time. He has only one piece of a page but wa...
Kang Yeri slowly gained consciousness. She tried to open her eyes which seemed swollen shut along with feeling bone dry and gritty.
As soon as she opened her eyes to a slit, she noticed she was in Jungkook's place. Fresh tears leaked out of her eyes, making her cheeks sting where the previous tears had dried on them.
The last hours of hell were not a part of a nightmare. Her baby had died six years ago.
"Yeri," called out a deep, gentle voice behind her. She then realized that a hand had been wrapped around her and was holding her close in a comforting way.
Slowly, wiping away her tears, she turned to face him.
He watched her quietly and didn't ask how she felt or whether she was fine or not. Which was good, because she felt like her heart was ripped out of her chest and she was not fine. She was sure he knew both those facts.
"How did you find out?" she asked, her voice sounding raspy.
"I had you investigated before we had even started the project. My investigators came back with the information that you were hiring another investigative company to search for someone. I asked them to find out more. Even when we both got together... I didn't drop it, because I wanted to find out more about you."
"I see."
He didn't apologize and neither did she expect him to. She probably would have done the same.
They fell into silence.
A few moments later, he reached out to his phone.
"Let me check how long much longer the results will take," he said.
"No," she said, taking a deep shuddering breath.
"I know my son died, Jungkook," she told him softly. "Because I remember the last two days before I had given birth. I hadn't felt my baby move then. Even the doctor had told me he couldn't hear the heartbeat. But I still had hope."
"Who told you that your baby was alive?"
"My aunt and a few people I trusted." Sehun had been one of them."
She laughed bitterly. "I was a perfect pawn for my aunt. She kept me locked in my room during most of my pregnancy because she didn't want people to know about it. I kept trying to run away whenever I had the chance and she sent her men to drag me back. But finally, she found a brilliant solution to make me toe the line. It wasn't that hard to fool a stupid, desperate eighteen-year-old girl who would believe everything she was fed when it came to her child."
Kang Yeri shook her head in disbelief. "Over the last six years, I hadn't ever stopped to think of challenging her whether or not it was really my child. I was so bloody blinded by my desperation that I didn't even bother to question some of the things that were contrary to logic."
"What were you told?" he asked.
"My aunt had told me my baby was born, but she sent it away. She told me my daughter brought shame to our family by being born a bastard like me. But if I were to listen and do everything she said, she would bring my child back to me without any harm."
"Whenever I demanded proof to know my child was unharmed, she only kept sending me partial pictures. Just the eyes or a picture from the back. She said she didn't want to send me an entire picture because I would be able to find her easily then." Kang Yeri shook her head.
"How could I be so stupid to simply have believed her," she said in anguish.
"That's not being stupid, Yeri," he said. "You were being a mother who was willing to do anything for your child's safety."
"Yes. I did do everything she asked me to do in the name of my child. Even things I didn't want to do." She closed her eyes as self-loathing rose up in her. "Everyone sees me as this fearless woman. It's all a huge farce. All I am or ever was-is a bloody puppet," she said.
Jungkook held her face. "You are wrong," he said with conviction in his voice. "Your aunt might have gotten some leverage on you initially, but it's all you who did everything. It's you who guided your people towards a good source of livelihood. It's you who led them as any good leader would. You didn't have to do all that, but you did, and you continue to do it still."
"But how could I have just believed her," she said in anguish.
"Because that's being human. I would do the same," he said. "If someone were to tell me my family somehow made it alive, and even if there was less than 0.001% probabilities, I would still be willing to do anything to have them back with me. I wouldn't be demanding proof either if that would put them in danger."
She took a shuddering breath.
Jungkook held her and they lay quietly while she continued to mourn for her child.
He kissed her forehead. "You should eat. You haven't had anything in the last twenty-four hours."
"I'm not hungry," she replied. Then stirring, she slowly sat up. "I need to get back home."
He nodded.
They freshened up a little before getting into his car.
"Bora and her granddaughter will be safe in the Kim Mansion. I'll ask-"
"No," Kang Yeri quietly said. "I will take them home with me. They belong with their people. They have suffered enough being away for this long."
He was quiet. "What about your aunt?" he asked.
Kang Yeri looked at him. "My aunt will no longer be a threat to them or to anyone," she said with a cold, intent look. "I'm going to kill her."
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