Mine | Bbangsaz

(8) Eight

The coffee had been served, a sign that the relaxed meeting was coming to an end. Some of the men chose to step out for a smoke, while Jay remained seated at the end of the sofa, observing Minji who was still busy going through the documents in her hands.

Jay was not one to socialize much. He was a loner, and his reputation made people hesitant to approach him.

Jay wasn't close to Minji; they only discussed business matters. When it came to business, Minji was quite cooperative, and their collaboration had yielded significant profits for their respective companies.

Jay hesitated to inquire about Hanni from Minji. It felt too odd to discuss that matter here. But his wife, Yunjin, a beautiful woman, had persuaded him to do so.

Jay cleared his throat, diverting Minji's attention from the documents she was scrutinizing with seriousness.

"We─my wife and I─met your lover last night."

Minji's head shot up as if she'd been jolted, and she stared at Jay warily.

"Oh, did you?" Her tone sounded casual, but the tension in Minji's voice couldn't fool Jay.

There was something here, Jay thought to himself.

"Well, she introduced herself to my wife and had quite a lengthy conversation with her," Jay continued, "We were wondering if there's anything you'd like us to convey to her."

Jay hesitated, choosing his words carefully, but his curiosity got the best of him. "Is everything okay between you two?"

Minji's lips tightened into a thin line, and she immediately stood up. "Tell your wife not to meddle. That woman belongs to me, and no one can take her away from my home without my consent."

Minji stared at Jay intently, assessing, "I respect you, Jay. You're one of the few people I respect, and I don't want to jeopardize our mutually beneficial relationship. I apologize, but I must excuse myself now as I have another meeting appointment after this."

After a stiff nod, Minji left the large meeting room, leaving Jay behind.

Jay sat there, sipping his coffee, his gaze still fixed on the door through which Minji had disappeared.

Minji's behavior reminded him of his own past. A smile crept onto Jay's lips.

Perhaps Hanni would go through something similar to what he had experienced if she wasn't careful with Hanni.

***

When the door of her room was pushed open from the outside, Hanni didn't expect Minji to enter. Lately, she had been completely ignoring her.

Hanni hardly saw her at all, except for the occasional glimpse when Minji got into her car on the lower terrace, visible from the second-floor window where Hanni was confined.

As usual, Minji appeared angry. Hanni furrowed her eyebrows, wondering why she never seemed even remotely cheerful or smiled. Even when she did smile, it was always a sinister and cynical grin.

Did this woman never experience happiness in her heart?

Without beating around the bush, Minji tossed her coat onto a chair and loosened her tie, then fixed Hanni with a sharp gaze.

"What did you say to Jay's wife?"

Hanni immediately trembled with fear. Perhaps Yunjin had conveyed her plea to Jay, and Jay had relayed it to Minji.

As fear enveloped her, Hanni quickly shook her head, trying to regain her courage. She thought of her parents' happy faces, replaced by their pale visages lying in caskets. Hatred and anger were her weapons against a demon like Minji.