Broken Promises

Chapter 13: Shadows in the Spotlight

Six months later…

Haein sat in her sleek corner office, the sprawling city of Berlin visible through the glass walls. She had quickly established herself as the new CEO, commanding the respect of her team and pushing forward with ambitious plans to expand her family’s business in Europe. Her icy demeanor had earned her the nickname "The Queen of Ice" even here, far from home.

But beneath her composed exterior, a storm was brewing.

Her hands trembled slightly as she reviewed the financial reports on her desk. She felt the familiar dizziness creeping in, a signal that another attack was imminent. Quickly, she reached for a drawer, pulling out a small bottle of painkillers. Her attacks had been growing longer, more frequent — sometimes lasting hours.

She couldn’t let anyone see. Not her staff, not her clients. No one could know that the powerful CEO they looked up to was secretly fighting her own body.

“Ma’am, the board meeting starts in five minutes,” Daniel’s voice crackled over the intercom.

She steadied her breathing, pushing the pain aside. “I’ll be right there,” she replied, her voice cold and controlled. She had perfected the art of masking her symptoms, of maintaining her icy facade, even when her vision blurred and her head pounded.

As she stood to leave, her vision darkened around the edges. She gripped the edge of her desk, silently counting to three, forcing herself to stand tall. There was no room for weakness in her world.

But how long could she keep this up?

She had to find a solution — and fast. Before the shadows engulfed her entirely.

Beat

Haein strode into the boardroom with her usual confidence, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. The room fell silent as she entered, all eyes on her. She had commanded this room dozens of times, each meeting a battle she had to win. Today was no different, yet everything felt different.

As she began her presentation, the words flowed effortlessly from her lips. She outlined the new strategy for market expansion, the investments needed, and the projected returns. The board members listened intently, nodding along, but Haein felt the edges of her vision blur again. Her grip on the laser pointer tightened, and she could feel her heartbeat quicken.

“…and that is why diversifying into renewable energy sources will secure our foothold in the European market for the next decade” she concluded, hoping her voice did not betray her growing discomfort.

There was a pause, then a wave of approving murmurs. The chairman, an older man with a stern face, leaned forward. “An excellent presentation as always, Ms. Hong. However, I have a few concerns regarding the capital allocation…”

Haein nodded, pretending to focus on his words, but the room felt like it was tilting. She blinked rapidly, trying to steady herself. Not now. Not here.

She reached for her water glass and took a slow sip, her eyes glancing discreetly at the clock on the wall. Just get through the next twenty minutes…

Suddenly, the doors swung open, and a junior assistant rushed in, eyes wide with urgency. "I'm sorry, Ms. Hong, but you have an urgent call from Korea."

Haein’s heart skipped a beat. “Take a message” she said icily, not allowing herself to show any sign of weakness.

The assistant hesitated. “It’s your grandfather, ma’am. He said it’s—”

Before the assistant could finish, the room started to spin. Haein felt a sharp, piercing pain shoot through her head, and then everything went black.

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