As Ivey stepped into the room, her eyes roamed cautiously over the space, taking in every detail. The dim light cast long shadows across the walls, but her gaze soon drifted to the balcony. She walked towards it, the cool night air brushing against her skin as she leaned against the wrought-iron railing. Below, she could make out the figures of numerous security guards, their presence a stark reminder of the danger surrounding her. Even in the darkness, their movements were clear, precise, and constant. She sighed, her thoughts racing, before pulling out her phone to make a call.
Meanwhile~
In the mansion’s meeting room, Jimin sat back in his chair, exuding a calm yet commanding presence. His legs rested casually on the edge of the large mahogany table, his demeanor unruffled despite the tension in the air. Four other men were seated around him, their expressions serious. One of them broke the silence, his voice tinged with frustration.
“Why did you bring her here?” he asked, his tone sharp, almost accusing.
Jimin didn’t immediately respond, his gaze steady as he leaned further back, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. Another man, sitting across from him, spoke up, his concern evident.
“But Jimin, what about our mission? Bringing her here complicates things.”
Jimin let out a measured sigh, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I know exactly what I’m doing. She’s nothing more than a lost puppy.”
The first man scoffed, rolling his eyes in disbelief. “A lost puppy, huh? And you just love to toy with them, especially when they can’t find their way.”
A slow smirk spread across Jimin’s face. “You know me well, hyung,” he replied, his tone carrying an edge of amusement.
The man shook his head, exasperation creeping into his voice. “It would have been wiser to keep her in the warehouse, not here in the mansion.”
Jimin’s expression darkened slightly as he countered, “And why can’t she stay here?”
The third man, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, his tone urgent. “What do you mean, ‘why’? Can’t you see the situation? There’s a war brewing within these walls. If she’s innocent, we can’t just leave her here to get caught in the crossfire.”
Jimin’s response was a low, almost chilling chuckle. “And what if she’s not so innocent?”
The three men exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unsettled. The fourth man, Namjoon, who had been observing quietly, finally intervened, his voice calm but firm.
“Hyungs, if Jimin wants her here, it’s because he has a reason. We all know Jimin doesn’t act without thinking. If he’s suspicious, then we should be too.”
The others looked at Namjoon, trying to read the underlying meaning in his words. One of them frowned, suspicion creeping into his voice. “Namjoon, is there something you and Jimin know that we don’t?”
Namjoon hesitated for a moment before sighing, his expression unreadable. “Jimin’s just being cautious. What if she’s the one… the one we encountered back there?”
The revelation hung in the air, thickening the tension in the room. Jimin’s eyes flickered with a hint of something unreadable as he regarded Namjoon, his voice lowering.
“Well, it seems you know more than you’re letting on.”
Namjoon’s gaze snapped back to Jimin, his brow furrowing slightly. “What do you mean?”
“I never told you this much,” Jimin said, his tone probing, almost accusatory. “Yet you seem to know an awful lot.”
Namjoon’s composure slipped momentarily as he tried to explain, “I overheard you talking—”
YOU ARE READING
°BACKSTABBERS°
Mystery / Thriller[ONGOING] You've read countless 'rivals to lovers' stories, but what sets this apart is its darkness: there are no rivals, no lovers-only backstabbers. Everyone is a traitor, and trust is the most dangerous illusion of all.
