Choi San, a revered and feared mafia boss, reigns over Seoul's underworld with an iron fist, his influence extending seamlessly across both legal and illegal domains. But his empire is shaken to its core when his beloved daughter, Eun-ji, is kidnapp...
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The room seemed to shrink around us, the tension still heavy in the air. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn't dare look up. I wasn't trying to justify what I'd done—I knew it wasn't perfect, but I had done my best, given the impossible situation I was in.
"I don't choose sides, San," I continued, my voice quiet but steady. "When I said Seongjun was dead, I meant it. I didn't know he was alive until the day I brought back Eun-Ji. I was truthful with you about that. I told you your own men were a risk to you and your family. I have never lied."
I finally looked up, meeting his gaze, my heart pounding. I needed him to understand that I wasn't playing games, that I wasn't trying to deceive him. All I had done, everything I had hidden, was because I had been trying to protect the one person who meant the most to him.
San's face softened slightly, though the tension in his posture remained. He wasn't the type to let go of anger easily, especially when it came to his daughter. But there was something in his eyes—a flicker of understanding, maybe even acceptance.
"You really believe that, don't you?" he muttered, his voice low, almost as if he was speaking more to himself than to me. He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration still palpable, but his words weren't as sharp as before. "That you were doing something right."
"I had no other choice," I replied, my voice trembling just a little. "She was in danger. You know the kind of people we're dealing with—Blaze and Viper aren't just threats to you. They're threats to anyone who crosses them. I didn't want to keep her from you, but I couldn't bring her back until I knew she was safe."
San let out a slow, measured breath, his eyes never leaving mine. I could tell he was still wrestling with the weight of it all—his anger, his fear, his doubt. He wasn't used to feeling vulnerable, especially not when it came to his daughter. But I could also see that part of him understood why I had done what I did.
"You didn't trust me," San finally said, his voice barely above a whisper, but it held a deep hurt. "You didn't trust that I could protect her."
"That's not true," I said quickly, shaking my head. "It wasn't about trusting you. It was about the people around you—the ones you couldn't see were already betraying you. I didn't want to risk bringing her back into the middle of all that. I didn't know who I could trust, not even with you."
His gaze flickered, the tension in his body easing just slightly. For a moment, we stood there in silence, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us.
"I've been lied to more times than I can count," San muttered, stepping back as if trying to put distance between us. "And I can't help but feel like you're just another person trying to twist things for your own gain."
I flinched slightly at his words, but I didn't back down. "I didn't twist anything, San. I've been straight with you from the beginning. I told you about your men because I didn't want anything to happen to you or Eun-Ji. I didn't lie to you—I've never lied."
