FACE-OFF | PJM

Chapter 59

Krystal found herself backed into a corner, realizing there was no escaping this time. Taemin had disappeared for two days after their last encounter, but now he was back, and it seemed he had remembered her.

As she observed the people surrounding him, a chill ran down her spine. She couldn't forget the days when these individuals would forcibly take her away.

"Mrs. Lee, President Lee wishes to meet with you. Please come with us," one of them urged.

Krystal remained in her corner, her demeanor cold and resolute. She remembered all too well the days when these people had taken her against her will.

"I will not meet with him. Leave me alone!" she declared.

"Mrs. Lee, please don't make this difficult for us. We're only following President Lee's orders," another one insisted.

One of them stepped forward, swiftly covering Krystal's mouth with a towel. Waiting outside the alley was a car, ready to transport them away. Krystal's consciousness began to wane.

She felt the car in motion, stopping at various points before finally being lifted out of the vehicle. When she regained full awareness, she found Taemin standing in front of her.

Ignoring the pounding headache, she quickly sat up on the sofa and delivered a resounding slap across his face. He made no effort to evade it, simply watching her with a detached expression.

"You're crazy!" She couldn't even bear to look at him.

Krystal surveyed the room, realizing she was in the living room of Taemin's house, perched on the sofa. A seething hatred welled up within her; she harbored a strong desire to exact revenge on him. Her gaze shifted to her bag, which had been carefully placed on the sofa.

Taemin then delivered the unwelcome news, "I've taken your phone."

Krystal seethed with anger, unwilling to utter a word to him. She had become all too familiar with this situation, understanding him far too well. In situations like these, she knew that her actions were futile; when Taemin set his mind on something, nothing she did would change the outcome. She had no intention of wasting any more of her energy on him.

"You don't need to be afraid," Taemin slurred, his words betraying his inebriation. Krystal could detect the scent of alcohol wafting from his body. She had witnessed him like this before—when he had discovered that Yoona had never truly loved him and had been with him for ulterior motives. He had been wounded then, and now, he wore the same pained expression.

Krystal couldn't fathom what had transpired with Taemin, nor was she particularly interested in it. Her sole desire was for this man to release her, but she was acutely aware that such a wish was nothing more than a fleeting dream.

Taemin had repeatedly asserted that he would never set her free. Since the day he had committed that horrific act, she had been plagued by nightmares. Each night, she would awaken in the grips of fear, contemplating whether, if he ever dared to repeat his vile actions, she would choose to end both their lives.

The only reason she dismissed the thinking was because she remembered about her parents and Taehyung.

She couldn't deny the fact that she had once loved him deeply. He had been her first love, and she had believed they would be together forever. But that was before she discovered that he regarded her as a substitute for Yoona and had callously manipulated her innocence. This revelation had instilled a profound hatred within her.

He was responsible for the death of Y/N's daughter and had nearly harmed Joon Min. He had also played a role in Grandma's demise and had seized control of the entirety of the Park family's assets. He had caused immense pain and suffering to countless people, and she couldn't comprehend how he could be so ruthlessly cruel, especially towards those who were innocent.