29| Announcement

1K 54 5
                                    

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂
▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

Hearing those words, everyone froze.

They had all known Yn harbored resentment toward Riza. The way she avoided her, the coldness in her interactions—it was evident. But to this extent? None of them had expected that. Not even in their wildest guesses could they have imagined someone, especially Yn, harboring so much hatred for their own mother.

The Kims exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable, their thoughts swirling. Even Taehyung, who had crafted the initial plan to help Yn face her most hated person in hopes of turning them into an ally, hadn't predicted this.

He had thought it might be someone who had broken Yn’s heart—a boy, perhaps—or maybe a friend who had betrayed her trust. But her own biological mother? It was an unfathomable revelation.

Namjoon, however, remained still, his eyes studying Yn closely. Of course, he had suspected. His sharp intellect and years of experience as a mafia leader had granted him a keen power of observation, one that could read the subtleties others might overlook. But even he hadn’t fully grasped the depth of Yn’s disdain for her mother until now.

Eva, who had been sitting quietly, clenched her fists around her dress, the tension in the room palpable. She could feel the weight of the revelation pressing down on all of them, and the last thing she wanted was for it to suffocate Yn further.

She needed to change the subject, to steer the conversation away before things spiraled out of control.

Just then, the silence was broken by the shrill ringing of a phone. All eyes turned toward Yn as her phone lit up on the table, the caller ID visible to everyone.

luv of my life<3!

Yn sighed as she picked up the phone, her fingers brushing the screen to answer the call. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft, almost unrecognizable to the Kims. It was far gentler than the voice they were used to hearing, even softer than her singing voice. This was Yn’s real voice—unburdened, raw, and vulnerable.

“Hello…” she said quietly, her tone so tender it caught everyone off guard.

The others watched in silence as Yn nodded along to whatever was being said on the other end of the line. After a moment, she rose from the circle without a word, walking toward the wooden bench a little ways away, where she sat, continuing her conversation in hushed tones.

Back in the circle, the atmosphere remained thick. The Kims exchanged uncertain glances, then turned to Eva, who was still gripping her dress tightly, her eyes closed as she tried to calm herself.

Eva let out a deep breath, releasing some of the tension from her shoulders, before speaking up, her voice shaky but determined. “Let’s play something else.”

The group nodded, each of them desperate for a distraction. Anything to pull them away from the weight of Yn’s revelation. They resumed their game, laughing and joking around as best they could, but the shadow of what had been revealed lingered in the background.

A few minutes later, Yn rejoined them, her face composed but distant. She didn’t say a word about the call, simply sitting back down and blending into the group as they continued their lighthearted attempts at normalcy.

But the reprieve didn’t last long.

Jisoo’s phone rang next, causing the group to pause once more. She glanced at the screen before muttering quietly, “It’s Dad.”

The others fell silent as Jisoo answered the call, her voice calm as she exchanged a few quiet words. She nodded along to whatever was being said, her expression serious. After a moment, she hung up, turning back to the group.

“Dad called,” she began, her voice drawing the attention of everyone.

The Kims nodded in acknowledgment, waiting for her to continue.

“He wants us to come home… with the girls.”

Everyone nodded again, and without hesitation, they began to clean up the area, gathering their belongings and putting the game aside. The mood had shifted once again—quieter, more solemn—as they prepared to head back to the Kim mansion.

Eva took charge of the girls, ensuring they were all together and comfortable, while the boys rode separately in the limo. As they made their way to the mansion, the weight of Yn’s earlier revelation hung over them, unspoken but ever-present.

When they arrived, they stepped out of the cars and made their way inside the grand mansion. As they entered, the sight that greeted them was unexpected. Nam-soo and Riza were seated together on one of the luxurious sofas, casually chatting, as if the world hadn’t just shifted beneath their children’s feet.

The Kims, upon seeing Riza, instinctively glanced toward Yn. But she didn’t flinch, her face a mask of composure.

She offered them a quick, almost imperceptible glance, as if to tell them not to make a scene, and they obeyed, keeping their expressions neutral as they moved toward the couple.

Once everyone had settled into the living room, Nam-soo spoke up, his voice calm and authoritative.

“I called you all here because we have something important to discuss.”

Jin, always the most outspoken, leaned forward slightly.

“What’s going on, Dad?”

Nam-soo exchanged a brief look with Riza before addressing his children. “Riza and I have made a decision.”

He turned to Riza, giving her a nod to continue. Riza, her posture straight and voice composed, spoke directly to the group.

“Starting tomorrow, the girls and I will be moving into the mansion. We’ll be living here with all of you.”

MAFIA STEP SIBLINGSWhere stories live. Discover now