Dancing between shadows

ch 4

Seven long years had passed since I reluctantly left Namsoon in Korea to answer the call of the Russian mafia, becoming the CEO of Pavel, a drug company. The pull to return to her side had never waned, but the demands of my position required me to stay in Russia and train diligently, hardening the softness that had crept into my demeanor.

Finally, with the weight of my responsibilities lightened, I landed in Korea with a singular purpose—to find Namsoon. Yet, before I could embark on my search, I needed to organize matters in my company, Doogo, a seemingly legitimate shipment enterprise masking the illicit drug trade.

Attending a business event, I encountered successful men who incessantly praised Nam Do-san, a wealthy businessman with the perfect family. An air of discomfort settled as the conversation shifted to Do-san's seemingly flawless life. To my surprise and dismay, he entered the room with his wife, the woman who had become his perfect family. Rage and jealousy surged within me as they shared a public display of affection.

In the midst of the dinner, Namsoon, now married to Do-san, feigned indifference toward me, even as her eyes betrayed the emotions she concealed. The older businessmen probed about their respective families, and Do-san proudly spoke of their children, referring to them as "getting big really fast." he said playing along.

After dinner, as Namsoon excused herself to the bathroom, I seized the opportunity to confront her. Anguish and frustration burned in my eyes as I grabbed her, demanding an explanation for her new life. She admitted to her marriage and children, but her words contradicted the truth—she claimed to love Do-san, a betrayal that cut deep.

Struggling to let go, I confessed my feelings, but Namsoon, torn between loyalty and the past, left me standing alone in the shadows of the truth. The complexity of our emotions lingered in the air, a reminder of the love we once shared and the painful choices that had shaped our separate lives.