Scarlet(Red 3) JC [Revised]

17: Keeho & Seungcheol

"She left? Where did she go?" Keeho asked, his eyes a mix of confusion and terror.

"I don't know. She isn't here," Nicole Martin answered with a straight face.

"Last night she rang my doorbell almost around 1 am. So I opened the door and found Aerin. She was looking a bit bruised, but I didn't really pay attention."

"So Seungcheol did beat her up again!" Ruby mumbled.

"She doesn't have the company now. So I thought she was here to nag about it again. I can't do nothing about it, right? And I didn't want to talk about that again and again. But why was she here anyway?"

"Because Seungcheol got to know everything about her and probably beat her up to death. WHY DIDN'T YOU LET YOUR OWN DAUGHTER IN?" Keeho finally yelled, the volcano inside him exploding.

"But I didn't know all of that! I didn't know it was because of Seungcheol and her breakup. How could I do this to her?" Nicole burst into tears, unable to believe she had abandoned her own daughter.

Ruby felt a pang of sympathy. She had always seen Nicole as her own mother since she lost her own at a young age. She immediately ran to her and hugged Nicole, trying to calm her down. She knew Nicole was wrong, but she couldn't bear to see a mother cry so helplessly in front of her.

"It's fine, Mom. We'll find her. Don't cry or you'll fall ill," Ruby said, gently patting Nicole's back.

Meanwhile, at the office, Seungcheol was being briefed by his assistant Hwan.

"Mr. Choi, since the old CEO is gone, you need to meet the new Mr. Yoon and talk about the collaboration," Hwan explained.

"New Mr. Yoon?" Seungcheol raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Yoon Keeho, who is now the new CEO of Himang and of course Nic' & Oel. They have asked to meet you after lunch."

Seungcheol's lips curved into a mischievous smirk. "Well, I will meet him, but before that, I have some conditions. So tell them that if they want to save this collab and if they don't want to, then they can simply pay the amount and quit."

Hwan nodded almost like a robot.

_

"Guys, Chan has gone nuts!" Seokmin managed to utter those words between fits of laughter.

"What did he do this time?" Mingyu asked.

"Did he break up with Aerum or what?" Jeonghan's eyes widened in concern.

Seokmin finally managed to stop laughing and straightened up. "He said a few days ago he was returning from a convenience store late at night, and it was raining. He saw Aerin's ghost in the lightning and when the lightning struck again, it was gone."

"Is he smoking weed or what? We heard her last screams," Jeonghan said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Amen, dude! May her soul go to hell, which it would and will definitely become a pain in the devil's ass too."

"Well, she herself is a devil so idk, bro," Mingyu added.

"Good news is Chan is getting married on the 29th of September, which means we only have a week left."

"And then we all are flying to Korea," Mingyu and Seokmin squealed in excitement.

"Wait, but they invited me and Cheol, right? You know the thing between us and..." Jeonghan asked hesitantly.

"Well, I'm sorry Han but—"

Seokmin put his head down sadly.

"HE DID!" Seokmin screamed, grinning ear to ear. "We are finally having another wedding."