Paradise: Earthquake

05

Haein threw his golf equipment into the trunk and got into the car, noticing his brother's tense expression as he looked at his phone, clearly worried about something.

"What's wrong?" Haein asked. Caught off guard, Joon quickly hid his phone and tried to act indifferent.

"Oh, it's nothing." He replied, attempting to sound relaxed while looking away, watching the car leave the golf club's parking lot, driven by a trusted Jung family driver.

"Joon, I'm the actor in the family." Haein persisted. "Can you tell me what's got you so nervous?" He inquired in an authoritative tone.

Joon knew it would hurt his brother to see what he had just read, and he didn't want him to worry more than necessary. The younger one couldn't understand why Haein remained so deeply in love with Jisoo after everything they had been through. When she pushed him out of her life, Jisoo claimed it was because she needed to focus on her career, but they never completely lost touch. Their conversations were few and far between, yet Haein still dreamed of winning her heart; he had merely stepped back to give her time and space to grow and shine on her own.

Seeing her name trending on Naver wasn't anything new; however, to his surprise, the article revealed that she was dating someone else — and not just any random person, but one of her so-called "close friends." It shattered his heart into a million pieces. Joon had seen him lose his appetite and struggle to focus on work. He even noticed his usually strong and stoic brother letting tears escape from his eyes. The sight broke Joon's heart, but also filled him with anger toward Jisoo. In his mind, she had betrayed his brother, and he couldn't imagine ever forgiving her for the pain she caused.

Although he harbored a deep resentment toward Jisoo, Joon realized it was impossible to keep the situation hidden from Haein for much longer. He knew his older brother would find out the truth the moment he checked his phone. So, with a heavy heart and a resigned sigh, Joon grabbed his phone, unlocked it, and handed it to Haein so he could see the video.

As Haein watched the footage, his eyes widened in shock and concern upon seeing Jisoo abruptly fall to the ground. A whirlwind of emotions consumed him, and without wasting another second, he began shouting orders to his driver and manager. He urgently asked the driver to speed up their trip home, while instructing his manager to use all his contacts and resources to book the next available flight to Paris.

At that moment of panic and concern, Haein couldn't even bring himself to call Jisoo to check on her well-being. It seemed more important to be physically present by her side as quickly as possible.

As soon as they arrived home, Haein quickly grabbed a backpack and stuffed in a few essentials. Though still in a rush, he remembered to ask Joon to cancel any appointments or meetings he had scheduled for the next few days. Now, nothing mattered more than reaching Jisoo — his heart was screaming for her in painful worry.

❤️‍🔥

Empty... That was the overwhelming feeling Jisoo experienced, deep within her very core. Slowly and gently, she caressed the spot on her belly where her precious baby once grew. Her tear-streaked face was pressed against a soft pillow as she sobbed, unable to shake the doctor's terrifying words. "I'm sorry, Miss Kim," the doctor said with somber eyes. "But we couldn't stop the bleeding. You suffered a miscarriage."

It felt like a nightmare she desperately wanted to wake up from.

Outside the room, Frederic paced nervously, his heart heavy with worry.

"Will she be okay?" he asked hesitantly. Lisa took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before reassuring Frederic.

"Yes, Jisoo will be fine. She's incredibly strong... she just needs some time and space to heal." She lightly squeezed her boyfriend's hand. "Thank you, Frederic. I don't know what I would have done without you by my side through all this."