Truth Behind The Glasses | Exo D.o.

chapter 14

Thank you so much, dear readers!

Your support means the world to me. I couldn't have done this without you, and I'm so grateful we shared this journey together

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The living room was quiet except for the soft rustle of papers and the occasional tapping of fingers on the table. Kiara, Jinah, and her aunt, Min, sat together, huddled over a stack of documents. The weight of what they were about to do hung in the air. It had been weeks since Kiara discovered the truth—that she was the rightful heir to Lim Corporation—and even longer since her stepmother, Mrs. Kang, had been working to steal it from her. Time was running out, and they needed to act now.

"We can't let her take over," Kiara said, her voice determined. "If Mrs. Kang officially becomes CEO, the board will back her. The whole world will believe her lie."

Aunt Min nodded, her expression tense but focused. "That's why we need to reveal the truth before she has the chance. We need something so big, so public, that she can't spin it."

Jinah leaned forward, excitement flickering in her eyes. "What if we crash her press conference? It's happening in a few days, and it'll be live on national television. If we show up with proof, the media won't be able to ignore it."

Kiara's mind raced. Her stepmother had a press conference scheduled to announce herself as the new CEO of Lim Corporation. It would be the perfect moment to expose everything. The cameras, the audience—no way could Mrs. Kang brush off her appearance or deny her claim in front of the entire country.

"That could work," Kiara agreed. "But we need solid proof. Something that will stop her in her tracks."

Aunt Min reached for a document in the pile, her eyes glinting with resolve. "Your father's will. There's a backup copy that clearly names you as the heir. If we get that into the right hands, the world will know the truth."

Kiara felt a surge of hope. "We'll show up at the press conference with the will in hand, just as she's making her announcement. She won't be able to twist the story once the cameras are rolling."

Jinah grinned. "Imagine her face when you walk in. It'll be priceless."

Kiara smiled, feeling the adrenaline rush. "It'll be more than priceless—it'll be the end of her plan."

The three of them spent the next hour finalizing details. Min would secure the will, and Jinah would help coordinate with a few trusted media contacts to ensure they got in the door. It was risky, but Kiara knew they had no choice.

As they wrapped up the meeting, Kiara's heart pounded with anticipation. The world would soon know the truth—that she was the rightful heir, alive and ready to reclaim her place. Her stepmother's plan was about to unravel, and nothing could stop her now.

-

Kiara's eyes felt heavy as she tried to focus on the board, where the teacher droned on about something she couldn't bring herself to care about. Her mind was miles away, stuck in the endless stress of planning to reclaim her father's company. Every night for the past week had been a blur of late-night strategy sessions with her aunt and Jinah. They were close to pulling off the most daring reveal in corporate history, but the weight of it was draining her energy.

She blinked slowly, her head sinking down to rest on her folded arms. Just a few minutes of rest wouldn't hurt, right?

The class buzzed around her as background noise, the voices of her classmates fading into a dull hum. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and for a few moments, everything felt still.

Thwack!

A sudden thump on her desk startled Kiara awake. She jerked her head up, confused and irritated, her heart racing from the unexpected jolt. Glancing around, she saw a small paper airplane sitting in front of her. It had clearly been launched with the precision of someone who had practice at this kind of thing.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked around the room, searching for the culprit. It didn't take long to spot Kyungsoo, sitting a few rows behind her, a smug grin plastered across his face. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, as if waiting for her reaction.

Kiara's irritation flared. Of course it was Kyungsoo. He was always finding some way to annoy her, even on days like this when she desperately needed a break. With a huff, she picked up the paper airplane and crumpled it into a ball, ready to toss it back in his direction. But before she could, she noticed something written inside.

She flattened the paper again, smoothing out the creases. In Kyungsoo's messy handwriting, it said: "Wakey-wakey. Dreaming about me?"

Kiara rolled her eyes, feeling a small, unwilling smile tug at the corners of her mouth. What an idiot. But despite herself, she couldn't help the way her annoyance softened. Kyungsoo had this way of getting under her skin, yet he always managed to make her smile, even when she didn't want to.

She glanced back at him, her eyebrow raised in mock annoyance. "Really? A paper airplane?"

Kyungsoo shrugged, his grin widening. "You looked like you needed a wake-up call. Plus, I figured you were missing out on the lesson. Can't have you falling behind now."

Kiara scoffed. "As if you care about the lesson."

"I care about making sure you stay awake for it. Can't have you missing your education," he teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Right," Kiara said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because you're such a dedicated student."

"Hey, someone's gotta keep you on your toes." Kyungsoo leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering. "Plus, I like seeing that annoyed look on your face. It's cute."

Kiara felt her face flush, and she quickly looked away, trying to suppress the smile threatening to spread. "You're impossible," she muttered, more to herself than to him.

Kyungsoo chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "You're welcome, by the way. You looked like you were about to pass out."

She shot him a playful glare but couldn't help but admit he had a point. The exhaustion was catching up to her, and without his silly interruption, she might've slept through the entire class. Not that she cared much about the lecture, but still.

As the class droned on, Kyungsoo flashed her another grin before turning his attention back to his notes—if you could even call his doodles "notes." Kiara shook her head, feeling a little lighter than she had a few minutes ago.

She hated to admit it, but moments like this—where Kyungsoo would tease her or throw a paper aeroplane her way—gave her a strange sense of normalcy. Amid all the chaos of planning to reclaim her father's company and dealing with her stepmother's schemes, Kyungsoo somehow made things feel less overwhelming, even if it was just for a moment.

Kiara glanced at the crumpled aeroplane on her desk and let out a small laugh. Maybe Kyungsoo wasn't so bad after all.

With a soft smile still playing on her lips, she settled back in her seat, deciding that for now, she could let the stress of Operation Goose 2 take a backseat. At least until the next paper aeroplane came flying her way.