Unveiling beauty " Ambw"

My self in my heart

Author's Pov

Unlike most of Jae-hwa's actions, it was becoming progressively clear that her father would not be a saving grace for her. He had been silent the night before and the fact of the matter was. Her father's silence often meant more was occurring underneath. Keeping that in mind, the next day, Jae-hwa arrived at work, her focus steeled to have a conversation with Mrs. Ki. She found the older woman engrossed in her work, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Mrs. Ki glanced briefly to her side, acknowledging Jae-hwa's presence, before returning her focus to the computer screen. Taking the lack of overt hostility as an implicit invitation, Jae-hwa sat down opposite her. "You really despise me, don't you?" she ventured.

Mrs. Ki let out a soft scoff, her eyes still fixed on her monitor. For a moment, Jae-hwa wondered if she had made a mistake by initiating this conversation. Then Mrs. Ki paused, stopped typing, and looked up to meet her gaze.

"Well, are you here to be honest with me about that pregnancy, or do I have to continue pretending to be clueless because you think you're smarter than the rest of us?" Mrs. Ki asked, her words sharp.

"Mrs. Ki," Jae-hwa began, hesitating.

"You're here because you've run out of options, Jae-hwa. Let's not waste each other's time," Mrs. Ki interrupted, narrowing her eyes.

Jae-hwa sighed and fidgeted with the edge of the table before admitting, "No, Ki is not the father."

"Then I don't despise you," Mrs. Ki said, choosing her words carefully. "But seeing you often does remind me of your father, which isn't easy for me. Especially considering the circumstances surrounding Seung-heon."

Jae-hwa furrowed her brows, puzzled. "What circumstances? What are you talking about?"

Mrs. Ki sighed, as if wrestling with the decision to reveal a long-guarded secret. "Since we're being honest, I should tell you: Seung-heon was not my biological son. He was your father's child."

Caught off guard, Jae-hwa blurted out, "You slept with my father?"

Mrs. Ki looked revolted. "God, no! Just the idea is nauseating. I was close friends with your father's first wife, before even your mother came into his life. She suffered terribly in that household and entrusted me with her son's care."

Jae-hwa's mind raced to keep up with these revelations. Mrs. Ki produced a photo from a drawer, showing a younger version of herself standing beside Seung-heon and his biological mother. "Look," she said, pointing at the photograph. "Do you see the resemblance?"

Jae-hwa studied the picture, seeing the familial similarities. " You are saying— Seung-heon my father's child?" Her voice was lathered with a confusion that bordered on dread.

Mrs. Ki examined Jae-hwa's face for a moment before responding, "Yes, he was your father's child. Your father's and his first wife's."

Jae-hwa felt a lump forming in her throat. Her eyes began darting around the room as if looking for a way to escape from the unbearable weight of this new information. "So, you're telling me that Seung-heon was my half-brother?"

Mrs. Ki nodded solemnly, "Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you."

" Why are you words stuttering so aggressively." Ms.Ki asked.

Jae-hwa took a deep breath, trying to steady her quivering hands. "If Seung-heon was my father's son, then...it means my father killed his own son."

Mrs. Ki stopped pacing, eyes narrowing. "What did you just say?" At this a tense silence filled the room.