The Conquest (Underworld 5) SH

34: Let Them Live

Jeonghan stormed through the mansion, his heels clicking sharply on the hardwood floors. His usual graceful demeanor was gone, replaced by a sass-filled fury that had been simmering for a while now. He was absolutely livid, and Seungcheol was about to feel every ounce of it.

When he reached Seungcheol's office, he didn't knock—Jeonghan never knocked when he was angry. He flung the door open with a dramatic swing, causing Seungcheol to jolt from his seat. He was sitting at his desk, papers strewn around, and he glanced up at Jeonghan, immediately sensing the storm brewing.

"Jeonghan—" Seungcheol started, but Jeonghan cut him off instantly with a sharp wave of his hand.

"Save it," Jeonghan snapped, striding into the room and slamming the door behind him. "I've heard enough excuses from you for a lifetime, Seungcheol. We need to talk."

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair, but Jeonghan was already in front of the desk, hands planted firmly on the wood. He tilted his head to the side, his gaze piercing. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Seungcheol's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Jeonghan let out a humorless laugh, flicking his fingers through his hair in that perfectly dramatic way he always did when he was about to unleash his sass. "Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Jihoon. That boy is a mess because of you. And don't even try to deny it."

Seungcheol sighed, leaning forward, but Jeonghan was having none of it. "You told him—what was it again? Oh, right—'Don't love anyone or you'll ruin their life'? Really, Seungcheol? That's the kind of advice you're giving now? What is this, the 1950s? Should we just all become emotionally repressed robots while we're at it?"

Seungcheol opened his mouth to respond, but Jeonghan held up a finger, silencing him. "No, no, let me finish. Because this is rich. I just spent an entire evening with Jihoon, watching him cry because he thinks he'll ruin Soonyoung's life if he loves him. And you know where he was earlier? On the edge of a damn bridge. *Ready. To. Jump.*"

Seungcheol's eyes widened in shock, but Jeonghan kept going, his words dripping with sarcasm. "So, tell me, Seungcheol, how's that brilliant life advice working out for you? Because from where I'm standing, you've got Jihoon ready to throw himself into the Han River and half of the gang terrified to even sneeze without your permission."

"Jeonghan, I didn't—" Seungcheol started, but Jeonghan interrupted with a snort.

"Oh, please! Don't even try to act like you didn't know what you were doing. You've been pulling this crap for years. Joshua, Wonwoo, Jun—you've got your little claws in all of them, too, haven't you? Feeding them this nonsense about love being dangerous and how they should avoid it like the plague. And why? Because you're afraid of what, exactly? That they'll make their own choices?"

Seungcheol rubbed his temples, trying to keep up with Jeonghan's rapid-fire accusations. "I was trying to protect them, Jeonghan. You know how dangerous this life is."

Jeonghan rolled his eyes so hard it looked like he might dislocate something. "Oh, please. Spare me the 'I'm doing this for their own good' speech. I've heard it all before. You think you're protecting them by controlling every single aspect of their lives, but newsflash, Seungcheol—people are not puppets. You don't get to pull the strings and expect them to dance for you. And here's the real kicker: none of this is actually protecting them. It's suffocating them."

Seungcheol leaned back in his chair, his expression growing defensive. "You don't understand, Jeonghan—"

"Oh, I understand perfectly," Jeonghan cut in, his tone icy. He crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side, looking down at Seungcheol like he was a particularly stupid child. "You think because you've got the title of 'leader' slapped on your forehead, it gives you the right to run everyone's lives. Well, guess what? It doesn't. And let me tell you something else—if you keep this up, you're going to lose the very people you're so desperate to protect."