𝔗𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔩𝔢𝔡 𝔏𝔬𝔶𝔞𝔩𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔰 : 𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔅𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡 𝔄𝔫𝔡 𝔅𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔶𝔞𝔩

CHAPTER 12

LOCATION: KIM PALACE, TORTURE CHAMBER.

The echoing crack of Mr. Kim's slap reverberated through the torture chamber, silencing Mrs. Kim mid-swing. Her face, contorted in fury moments ago, crumpled into one of disbelief and pain. A tear rolled down her cheek, a stark contrast to the red welt blooming on her own skin.

"How dare you!" Mr. Kim roared, his voice thick with a fury that sent shivers down everyone's spine. The air crackled with a tension so thick it felt almost tangible.

The bang of the heavy door being thrown open shattered the horrifying tableau. Jisoo rushed in first, her eyes widening in horror as she took in the scene. Behind her, Namjoon, Jin, and the rest of Bangpink followed, their faces mirroring Jisoo's expression. There, amidst the flickering light, stood Yeonjoo and Seol, their bodies bruised and bloodied, tears streaming down their cheeks.

A strangled cry escaped Jisoo's lips as she ran to her sisters, engulfing them both in a tight embrace. The remaining members of Bangpink surrounded them, their faces etched with a mixture of anger and concern. Roah, ever the composed one, pushed her way through the crowd and started examining the twins' wounds with practiced hands.

Mrs. Kim, shame etched on her face, mumbled a barely audible apology before scurrying out of the room. Namjoon, his fists clenched at his side, made a move towards Mr. Kim, but a heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Not now," Mr. Kim rasped, his voice laden with exhaustion and a deep-seated sorrow. "We need to get them cleaned up."

The rest of the day passed in a blur of hushed conversations and worried glances. The once vibrant atmosphere of the Kim mansion was replaced by a heavy silence, punctuated only by the occasional sniffle or stifled sob

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Felix and Hyunjin were driving back after a meeting with their associates. They were discussing their plans for helping Yeonjoo and Seol when a blinding flash of light engulfed the road ahead. A loud screech of tires tore through the night air as Felix swerved to avoid the oncoming truck, losing control of the car in the process.

Felix, his knuckles white-knuckled on the steering wheel, weaved the car sharply. Blinding headlights from the opposite lane bore down on them like a monstrous predator. Reacting instinctively, Felix yanked the steering wheel, tires losing traction as the car skidded towards the embankment.

Hyunjin, his eyes wide with terror, gripped the dashboard as the world became a disorienting blur of motion and sound. The car tumbled end over end, a sickening symphony of crumpling metal and shattering glass. Finally, it came to a halt with a sickening thud, resting precariously on its side.

Felix, dazed but conscious, reached for his phone, his fingers fumbling on the cracked screen. Blood trickled down his temple, the throbbing pain a dull ache compared to the rising panic in his chest.

"H-Hyunjin," he rasped, his voice weak.

A groan answered him from the passenger seat. Relief washed over Felix as he saw Hyunjin slowly stirring, his face pale and contorted in pain.

"Felix?" Hyunjin mumbled, his voice thick with confusion. "What happened?"

"Accident," Felix coughed, the movement sending sharp jolts of pain through his body. "We need to get out of here."

With a herculean effort, Felix managed to unbuckle his seatbelt. He reached across the crumpled wreckage and helped Hyunjin out of the car. Both men stumbled onto the roadside, the cool night air biting at their exposed skin.

The shrill ring of the phone shattered the tense silence in the Kim mansion. Yeonjoo, still bearing the raw sting of betrayal and pain from her earlier encounter with Mrs. Kim, flinched at the sudden noise. Her trembling hand reached for the phone, a knot of dread forming in her stomach.