Veiled Intrigues | Taehyun

e i g h t e e n

"No. He got out."

"I'm getting impatient, babe. I found him. I even gave him threats. I'm doing the work," the woman on the other end of the line said, her voice raising in pitch; becoming more agitated. "How much more do you need? You can't even do the one thing that you planned?? How hard is it to control one person?!"

"I understand. I know you want that artefact. And I — "

"I doubt that you even comprehend the amount of possibilities - the sheer power - that can be obtained once I get my hands on it. I was so close to having it. And you just had to lose our damn scapegoat."

The man rubbed a hand over his face in exasperation as he continued to pace the length of his office.

"Look. I can still get it for you. I'll organise an event. Get it out from the safe room discreetly."

"Are you stupid?" She didn't miss a beat. "That was the whole damn reason for this plan. You know that it'll look suspicious if during the time you're responsible for the artefact, it suddenly goes missing without anyone to pin it on! I mean, come on, Choi. How incompetent can you be?"

That made something inside Mr. Choi snap a little.

"Is it my fault that one of my guards decided to have a little affair with the damn thief?!"

"Who? Haneul? I told you from the start that she's a liability. But no. You insisted that she wasn't going to be a problem. That she was going to protect it better than anyone else and with her in your employ, no one would ever think to suspect you as the culprit when the artefact went missing. Now look. Kang's out. And your precious Beomgyu is also dead."

The older man's patience snapped a little further, her words slowly chipping away at what little he had left of it.

"Don't mention his name. Just because we're together doesn't mean that I won't snap at you if you cross the line. So watch your mouth."

There was a brief pause before a jarring laugh made its way through the phone's speaker. It was as if a hyena had started cackling and a chill ran down Mr. Choi's spine.

"Oh, honey. I never asked for you to have your son killed. That was your decision. And your decision alone. I must say that I admire your ruthlessness though. To have so little heart that this artefact is more important to you than your own blood. I respect that."

She was getting under his skin and she knew it. And yet, he couldn't help but give her exactly what she wanted, feeding directly into her desires. He took a deep breath and calmly spoke of his re-advised plan.