Love in the Shadows || Vsoo

|11|

"Here you go," said Dalia as she placed a chocolate milkshake and chocolate cookies on the table. Adrian gently picked up a cookie and took a bite, savoring the rich flavor. 

Raven cleared her throat and asked, "What else do you know?" She leaned forward, her expression intent, eager for any information that could shed light on the situation.

Adrian looked at her and smiled mischievously. "Why should I tell you? You're no one to me, and cookies and shake aren't the key to my secret," he retorted, his tone defiant. 

Raven rolled her eyes in exasperation while Dalia chuckled softly at the exchange. "And what is the key to your secret, then?" Dalia probed, curiosity evident in her voice.

Adrian's smile faded, replaced by a solemn expression. He cleared his throat before responding, "My parent's past." His words hung in the air.

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"I'm sorry" the little kid cried, his voice trembling with distress. "I-I-I didn't mean to." His sobs grew louder, echoing in the quiet surroundings.

"Shh, don't cry" the girl comforted him, gently wiping his tears away with the sleeve of her coat. "What's your name, little boy?" she asked, her voice soft and soothing.

He shivered, still shaken from his emotional outburst. "I don't know" he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

The girl frowned, concern etched on her face. "What about your family?" she inquired gently. His eyes welled up even more, tears threatening to spill over again. 

"Gigi said they left me because I'm useless," he confessed, his voice trembling with hurt and confusion. The girl wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a comforting hug. 

"Don't worry, now you have me. My name is Jisoo, and from today onwards, I am your family," she reassured him, her words infused with warmth and sincerity.

The boy's tear-stained face lit up with a tentative smile, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. Slowly, he broke the hug, looking at her with newfound trust. "Really?" he whispered, seeking confirmation.

Jisoo nodded, her own smile mirroring his. Leaning in, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "What's my name then?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

With a wide smile, Jisoo replied, "Euan" her words carrying a sense of belonging and acceptance that enveloped them both in a newfound bond of family and love.

Jisoo treated him to ice cream, delighting in the joy that lit up Euan's face with each creamy scoop. 

Afterward, she took him shopping and bought him two sets of clothing, ensuring he had something warm and comfortable to wear. 

As they walked together, Euan's laughter filled the air, a stark contrast to the sadness he had felt earlier. 

Jisoo watched him with a tender smile, grateful for the opportunity to provide him with a sense of security and happiness.

Jisoo took a deep breath as the gates of her mansion came into view. "Mother and Father are going to be very angry," she murmured to herself.

She knew that her decision to bring Euan home would not be met with approval by her parents, but she couldn't bear the thought of abandoning the young boy who had already endured so much hardship.

The guards opened the gate, their eyes lingering on Jisoo and Euan with suspicion. Ignoring their scrutiny.

Jisoo led Euan into the mansion through the back door, moving swiftly and with purpose. She instructed him on the way to her room, urging him to hide under the bed immediately and to ensure that he didn't encounter anyone on his way there. 

Euan nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation, and followed her directions carefully. 

As they parted ways, Jisoo's heart raced with anxiety, knowing that the risk of discovery was high, but determined to protect Euan at all costs.

The 11-year-old entered the mansion from the first floor, noticing the absence of anyone outside, indicating that everyone was either in their rooms or at the dining table. 

She breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she was safe, and hurried towards her room. However, her steps halted as a voice called out to her.

"Jisoo! You're finally home! I was about to send out the guards to find you," came the voice of her younger sister, Gyuri. Jisoo turned to look at Gyuri, her brows furrowing with concern. 

"Why? What happened, Gyu?" Jisoo's habit of roaming around until late at night was well known in the mansion. No one usually cared, unless it threatened her father's reputation in any way.

Gyuri hesitated for a moment before responding "Father wants to see you." A chill ran down Jisoo's spine, fear gripping her tightly. She swallowed hard, her apprehension palpable. 

The bond between Jisoo and her father was strained at best; she had never shared the typical father-daughter relationship with him. 

To him, she was a disgrace because of her lack of inherited powers, and to her, he was her worst nightmare.

The last time he had summoned her, she had been locked in the storeroom for a week without food as punishment for refusing to sing at a sex slave auction.

It was only when her grandfather, with whom she shared a genuine relationship, returned home after two months that he intervened, upon his return, furious at the mistreatment of his granddaughter. 

Threatening to strip her father of his inheritance, he had ensured that such cruelty was not repeated. Since then, her father had maintained a distance from her, barely acknowledging her presence.

As fear tightened its grip on her heart, Jisoo braced herself for the inevitable confrontation with her father, steeling herself against the memories of past traumas.

"Where is he?" Jisoo asked, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension. "In his study," Gyuri replied, her own expression reflecting a mix of concern and uncertainty.

Other than her grandfather, Gyuri was the one who never saw Jisoo as a curse. Though they didn't share a typical sisterly bond, they still had a mutual relationship built on care and respect for each other.

"Do you have any idea why this meeting is being held?" Jisoo pressed, her curiosity piqued.

Gyuri avoided eye contact, a sign that she was withholding information. "Grandfather is distributing his inheritance," she finally admitted, her words causing Jisoo's eyes to widen in surprise.

Before this, Jisoo had never been involved in any family matters. Her father had never considered her an important part of the family, relegating her to the sidelines and denying her a voice in decisions that affected them all.