Devil in the Shadows

Chaos at the Ims

Nayeon was livid. How dare her father make an announcement like this? She had never set foot in her father's company; let alone she know what her father's business was. She is going to be a laughingstock in front of others.

"What did you do?" Nayeon asked her father as he entered the living room later that evening.  Luckily Minhyuk wasn't there to witness it.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Im asked confused.

"You know what I mean. You announced me as your successor. Why did you do that?" Nayeon asked angrily.

"It's for your future Nayeon." Mr. Im responded calmly. 

"My future. I don't care about it anymore. You ruined it. How much more can you ruin?" Nayeon screamed at her father.

Mr. Im stood there unable to look at his daughter. Nayeon teared up and walked away. 

Nayeon stood in front of the window in her study. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying. She was so angry at her father that she wanted to leave. She was already thinking about killing herself. She only stayed because of the promise she gave to her mother that she would be with her father. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door to her study being pushed open. The sound of the door banging against the wall echoed inside the study. Nayeon flinched and whipped her head around.

She swallowed thick when she saw Minhyuk standing at the door. His eyes were red, and he wobbled a little, clearly, he was drunk. Nayeon was scared of Minhyuk when he was drunk which means he will use her for whatever he had in mind. 

Minhyuk smirked and clapped his hands, mocking Nayeon." Congratulations, CEO Im Nayeon." He laughed at her. Nayeon felt her hands ball into a fist. Her eyes teared up. But she stood at the far end of the room silently. 

 "Your father has a weird sense of humor. Otherwise he wouldn't have handed over his billion dollar worth business to a useless piece of shit like you." Minhyuk laughed out loudly.

Nayeon closed her eyes and breathed in to calm her raging heart.

"You can't even give me a child. What are you going to do with a business?" Minhyuk mocked her.

Nayeon had enough." Maybe your filthy spawn doesn't deserve to be born in my womb."

Minhyuk snapped his head at Nayeon. His laughter died down.
"What the fuck did you just say?" He quickly grabbed her neck. Choking her. Nayeon struggled to breathe. But she stood her ground. Minhyuk pushed her against the window.

"You will pay for this you bitch." He raised his hand about to slap her.

"Minhyuk......" An angry loud voice echoed from the door.

Minhyuk stopped mid air. He turned his head around slowly.

Mr.Im stood at the door. His face is red with anger. He had his hands balled into fists at his side.

"Leave my daughter alone before I kill you with my bare hands." Mr. Im snarled dangerously.

"Hello. Mr. Im, I was just joking around." Minhyuk smiled uneasy but let go of his hold on Nayeon.

She rubbed her neck slowly to ease out the pain. Minhyuk looked back at her glaring but didn't make a move.

"Get out of my house." Mr. Im ordered.

"For real?" Minhyuk was surprised.

"I mean it Minhyuk. If you set foot in this house again, you are dead meat." Mr. Im was serious.

"You can't get rid of me. I am her husband." Minhyuk walked closer to the old man and challenged.

"You will have the divorce papers first thing in the morning at your place. Now leave before I change my fucking mind to let you live." Mr. Im stood up to him growling.

"What.....?? Divorce? You can't do that." Minhyuk tried to reason.

"I can and I will. She is free from you starting today. So you better fucking leave this place when you still have life." Once again Minhyuk looked back and forth between the father and daughter.

Nayeon stood there shocked. What was he doing ?

"You will regret this old man. Mark my words." Minhyuk walked out scowling at them.

Mr. Im waited until the front door closed and looked at his daughter.

"What have you done?" Nayeon asked finally.

"You don't need him anymore in your life." Mr. Im responded.

"And you felt this now? After all these years?" Nayeon asked almost yelling.

"I made a mistake and I am correcting it. I don't know how to express how sorry I am for ruining your life. 10 years of your life. I wish I could go back in time and clear everything but...." Mr. Im sighed.

"It's now or never and I am choosing my daughter's happiness over everything."

"What's there left to be happy about. You ruined everything." Nayeon screamed at her father for the second time that day.

"You will know Nayeon. You will know soon." Mr. Im walked out of the room leaving Nayeon to her thoughts.

For the first time in five years she slept safe in her bedroom. Without Minhyuk's wandering hands or his filthy advances. Or the smell of alcohol and the countless bruises. She cried hugging the only thing precious to her, Jeongyeon's sweatshirt. She hid it from everyone in the study. She would wear it all the time when no one was watching. Tonight she could finally sleep with it. Even though the fabric lost Jeongyeon's smell, it was still hers.