REPLICA (BOOK 2)

Pushing The Limit

Wooyoung could hardly sleep the night before. He was somehow more afraid of breaking Seonghwa's heart rather than the fact that Hongjoong was living in his house and could potentially kill all of them at any given moment.

When going to work the next day, he tried to shake it off. But being a person that's known for being loud and outspoken has its disadvantages.

"You're quiet today. You okay?" Seonghwa asked, also noticing how his assistant was standing rather than sitting in the client chair like he usually does.

"I'll get to it. I'm still mentally preparing myself to tell you." Wooyoung replied.

"But there is something."

"There is."

"Good or bad?"

"Some good, but mostly bad. And that bad is so awful that it's making me sick."

"Oh, so you're just standing over there in case you projectile vomit. Is that it?" Seonghwa smiled, trying to be lighthearted. But he knew that if Wooyoung was bothered by something, it couldn't be good.

"Yeah, let's say that."

The fact that he didn't even smile was unsettling to the CEO.

"Sit."

Wooyoung sighed, feeling like he was being reprimanded as if he was a child.

"How much time do you think you'll need to prepare yourself?"

"How much time do you think I'll need?"

"You may never recover from this."

"Are you just being dramatic or are you about to ruin my life?"

"We're pretty sure Hongjoong is working for the Serpent Corps."

Seonghwa closed his eyes, immediately feeling a pit grow in his stomach. Somehow that was the last thing he expected.

"That's not possible."

"It is because Cyber is working for them too."

"How did you find that out?"

"Because me, San, and Yeji ended up back at the mansion." Wooyoung mumbled, afraid of his boss's reaction.

"And?"

"It's a whole construction site. I thought you called them in."

"Wait, what? I didn't do that."

"I know. The Serpent Corps were there. San and I originally went alone. I killed two of them, then ran back to the car because I didn't want to push my luck. But San was on the opposite side and apparently Yeji just showed up."

"And you don't find that suspicious?"

"So we're questioning Hongjoong and Yeji now?"

"The Red Dragons as a whole." Seonghwa corrected.

"I thought you said family comes first?"

"That's true, but maybe they're a lot less traditional than they seem."

"So do you think we have a team full of snakes?"

"The girls: maybe. Hongjoong: I'll need to hear more. I'm trying my best to stay calm. Otherwise, it'll be me that projectile vomits."

With some sleep and more time to think, Wooyoung added more to his theory. There was too much proof that Hongjoong wasn't on their side.

"I think he knew they were coming to the house yesterday so he hid in the safe. The plan was most likely to wipe out all the girls, as well as Jisung. They were probably going to come back the way they did, expecting Hongjoong to be in the safe. I don't think you were supposed to find him."