Lethal Affection | Noah Sebastian x Karina Aespa | (crossover)

Part 17

A few days later, Karina was ready to return to her apartment in Seoul. Convincing her parents that she had recovered enough to need some time alone was difficult, but after a long discussion, they granted her permission.

The exclusive contracts with Benz and Graff required further negotiation, and she needed to start working out again to get back in shape for future photoshoots. Staying close to her office made it easier to be reached if anything urgent came up, and living in the city facilitated her daily activities.

Karina had intended to spend her hiatus resting, but the unexpected offers changed her plans. Being chosen as an ambassador for the world's most prestigious jewelry brand and Mercedes-Benz was a significant achievement, a culmination of years of hard work by her company, her team, and herself. It was a dream come true.

However, her heart still harbored a desire for personal freedom—the freedom to love, to hold the hand of the person she cared for, to walk side by side with the man of her choice. Ms. Cho's words about Noah were convincing, but that didn't mean they were entirely believable. Despite wanting to deny the woman's claims, the fact remained that Noah had not contacted her or inquired about her condition after the attack in Paris. After all, the assault had been carried out by Bad Omens fans.

After dropping off her things at her apartment, Karina headed to the office and went straight to the practice room to meet her girls. As soon as she entered, the three of them ran toward her, enveloping her in a group hug.

"You have no idea how much we worried about you," Giselle said, her eyes starting to tear up.

"We couldn't reach you at all and only got updates through Yeon-hee," Ningning added, her concern evident. "What exactly happened? Were those really stalkers?"

Karina's heart sank at the mention of the incident. It felt like trauma and sadness intertwined. It had been a nightmarish experience, complicated further by the attackers' mention of Noah's name as the reason for their actions.

"No need to discuss it anymore, the important thing is that I am still alive and here with all of you," Karina replied, hugging them even tighter.

"Exactly, no need to bring it up again. It will only make Karina remember that awful experience," Winter chimed in. "Let's focus on something positive instead. How about we order some pizza?"

Karina nodded at the idea despite the Pilates appointment she had planned for that evening. "A slice of pizza sounds like the perfect way to start a tough week," she said with a small smile.

"You deserve a break," Giselle said, patting Karina's shoulder. "We've missed having you around, and a little indulgence won't hurt."

"We also need to celebrate Karina's new project as the global ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and Graff. Getting offers from two prestigious brands in a week is insane!" Ningning beamed with pride.

"That's a different topic," Giselle chimed in. "We can't just celebrate it with pizza like this. Since she's super busy now, we'll have to postpone the special occasion. An expensive wine must be present."

Ningning and Winter exclaimed in unison, "Agreed!"

They chatted for a while until Yeon-hee entered the room. She greeted them warmly and informed Karina that the executives were already in the conference room, ready to discuss further details about the Benz project, followed by an unexpectedly early photoshoot plan with Graff.

After saying goodbye to the girls, Karina followed Yeon-hee. The conference room was on the 15th floor, so it took a little longer to reach their destination.

Yeon-hee and Karina stepped into the elevator, the silence between them almost deafening in the empty space.

"Have you talked to him since...?" Yeon-hee asked hesitantly.