Chained Heart [Lee Know X Bang Chan]

6. Poisoning

Author POV

Tension rippled through the aristocratic circles like a deadly undercurrent, barely hidden beneath the surface. The three great clans—Jeon, Park, and Bang—were engaged in a precarious dance of power and influence, with each seeking to maintain dominance while staving off threats. But among them, the Park Clan was teetering on the edge of disaster. Cargo ships loaded with valuable goods were disappearing at an alarming rate, and the loss of merchandise was bleeding their coffers dry. Park Jae Hwan, the head of the family, was furious, pacing the halls of their grand mansion as panic gripped him.

"How could this happen?" Jae Hwan's voice boomed across the room, his face flushed with rage. "We're losing everything, and no one has any answers! The merchandise is gone, our accounts are bleeding, and the clan’s reputation is at stake!"

But beside him, Park Jimin sat calmly, his delicate features unreadable. With his soft pink hair falling in perfect waves around his shoulders and his demure posture, outsiders often mistook him for nothing more than Jae Hwan's hysterical omega wife, a trophy to flaunt in high society. They couldn't have been more wrong. Jimin was no simple omega—he was the true heir to the Park fortune, the mastermind behind every calculated move of the clan. He had married Jae Hwan not out of love or duty, but to use him as a pawn, a public face to hide behind while he controlled everything from the shadows.

"Calm down, Jae Hwan," Jimin said in a voice that was deceptively sweet, but with an edge of cold calculation. "Panicking won't bring back the lost cargo. We need to regroup and figure out who's behind this."

Jae Hwan growled in frustration, running a hand through his dark red hair. "Whoever it is, they're targeting us specifically. The Jeons and the Bangs have nothing to worry about. Why only us?"

Jimin smiled, a slight curve of his lips that never reached his eyes. "Because they know we’re the most powerful, and they want to weaken us before they make their next move. Let them think they’re winning for now. We’ll strike back when the time is right. Trust me, I’ve already got a plan."

Jae Hwan grumbled under his breath but didn’t argue further. Despite his fury, he had learned long ago that Jimin’s calm demeanor hid a mind as sharp as any blade. The entire Park empire had thrived under Jimin's leadership, even if no one outside their inner circle knew the truth. He might let Jae Hwan handle the public face of the clan, but behind the scenes, it was Jimin who held all the power.

---

Meanwhile, within the Bang Clan estate, another storm was brewing. Hoseok, Minho’s omega stepbrother, had arrived under the pretense of a family visit. To anyone watching, Hoseok appeared eager to reconnect with his younger sibling, expressing concern over Minho's health and future within the Bang Clan. On the surface, he was sweet and affectionate, smiling as he sat beside Minho during meals or chatting with the estate’s staff. But beneath that polished exterior, Hoseok’s jealousy festered like a wound.

Hoseok couldn’t bear to watch Minho—a half-blood omega with no standing in the Jeon family—become the favored mate of Bang Chan, the most powerful alpha in the Bang Clan. And now, Minho was carrying Chan’s child, the future heir. It was something Hoseok had always dreamed of for himself, and yet, Minho had snatched it all away.

Determined to sabotage Minho’s happiness, Hoseok devised a plan. He had secretly acquired Wolf’s Bane, a potent herb known for its toxicity, especially to pregnant omegas. In small doses, it could weaken the body and cause complications with pregnancy, but in larger amounts, it could cause a miscarriage. Hoseok's envy blinded him to the cruelty of his actions. All he cared about was ensuring that Minho would never give birth to Chan’s heir.

Every day, Hoseok would visit Minho, bringing gifts and sweets. He would slip the Wolf’s Bane into Minho’s tea or sprinkle it over his food, careful to administer it in small, gradual doses to avoid suspicion. It worked slowly, and at first, no one noticed Minho’s decline.

---

A week later, during a ballroom etiquette lesson, Minho felt light-headed, his vision blurring as his instructor lectured him on proper posture. He swayed, trying to steady himself, but his body refused to cooperate. His head spun, and then, in front of everyone, Minho collapsed onto the floor.

The room erupted into chaos. Servants rushed to his side, and Chan was summoned immediately. By the time the physician arrived, Chan was already there, his face pale with worry. The physician conducted a thorough examination, his frown deepening as he asked Minho about his symptoms. After a tense silence, he turned to Chan.

“Wolf’s Bane,” the doctor said gravely. “There are traces of it in his system. He’s been poisoned, though the doses appear to be small enough to avoid immediate death. Still, this is dangerous—especially for someone in his condition.”

Chan’s eyes darkened with fury, his fists clenching at his sides. “Who could have done this?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Who would dare harm him?"

The physician shook his head. “I can’t say for sure, but it’s someone close enough to have access to his meals and drinks. You’ll need to investigate quickly before it’s too late.”

The revelation hit Chan like a hammer, the weight of it crushing his chest. He had suspected no one, trusted that Minho was safe in his home, but now the truth was right in front of him—someone in his own household had tried to kill his omega and their unborn child.

Chan ordered an immediate investigation, and it didn’t take long for the truth to surface. The servants, terrified of Chan’s wrath, confessed to being paid off by Hoseok to slip the poison into Minho’s food. When confronted, Hoseok was defiant at first, but as Chan’s rage boiled over, his defenses crumbled.

“You were always a spoiled little brat,” Chan spat, his golden eyes blazing with anger.

Hoseok trembled before the alpha’s fury, but even then, he couldn’t let go of his bitterness. “Minho doesn’t deserve you! He’s nothing but a bastard omega. How could you choose him over me, a legitimate omega?”

Chan’s jaw clenched, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “He’s carrying my heir, and you—” he paused, his lips curling into a cruel smile, “you’ll pay for what you’ve done.”

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