𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐒, 𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗘

one

"This is the place?" Seon-mi asked, wrinkling her nose as she looked at the run-down building through the car's tinted window.

Kang just nodded from the driver's seat before stepping out to open her door. She let out a long sigh, pouting a little out of habit. "I can't believe he put me up for this."

Her bodyguard's face stayed unexpressive as he held the door open. She huffed in frustration, finally getting out of the car and following him as he led the way inside.

Stepping into the cramped elevator made her feel claustrophobic as her gaze flicked over the random ads covering the walls. When the doors opened, he stepped out, and she followed close behind.

Kang knocked hard on the door ahead, and she immediately noticed a small camera pointed at them. She sighed lowly, frustrated at having to deal with a low-level thug at this point.

A man with spiky-tipped blonde hair opened the door. He was shorter than Kang-not surprising since almost everyone was shorter next to her towering bodyguard. The man looked them over, sizing up Kang's height and her appearance before asking, "Who are you?"

Kang shoved the man aside with a firm hand on his chest, barely seeming to put in any effort as he stepped inside. Seon-mi followed, casting the man a dismissive glance before turning her focus to the room.

Calling it an office was generous-it looked like an attempt at sophistication that had ended up cheap and tacky. Somewhere behind her, shouting started up, and she clicked her tongue in disappointment at the shabby place. But as soon as a man walked in from another room, the noise stopped instantly.

The man that entered the room stood nearly as tall as Kang, his gaze cold as it met hers. She looked him over quickly, meeting his hard stare with equal intensity. He appeared out of place (aside from her) in this room, dressed in an expensive suit that neatly hugged his broad shoulders and towering legs.

Jung Gi-cheol's gaze swept over her.

Draped in designer silk, her nails polished a striking crimson, she looked like luxury personified. She looked like the spoiled daughter of a wealthy family-rich and bratty. But 'chaebol' didn't quite fit since the Jo Family wasn't a traditional business; it was a powerful criminal organization.

He'd seen her before, and nearly every gangster in Gangnam knew her grandfather's criminal empire. His expression hardened slightly, hiding his nerves at her presence.

"Are you the boss?" Seon-mi voiced out her thoughts. She would be disappointed if he wasn't.

"What are you doing here?"

"What a warm welcome for possibly the first and last guest you're lucky to get in this..." she sighed, glancing around the shabby room. "...place," With a soft sigh, she strolled over to the couch, set her handbag carefully on the table, and crossed her legs. She met his gaze, then gestured for him to sit across from her. After a pause, he complied.

"Miss Jo," He said, buttoning his designer jacket. "I wasn't expecting the granddaughter herself."

"Clearly," Seon-mi replied, her gaze sweeping over the half-empty soju bottles and scattered plastic wrappers with thinly veiled disdain. "Though I suppose I should congratulate you on your... promotion." She recognized him now. The handsome face amongst the sea of unimpressive crowd.

The old boss was gone, she reminded herself, and with him, the boundaries of an old deal. But the man who had taken his place was no longer the meek, compliant shadow she remembered from countless dealings. No, this was someone else entirely-a man she was only now beginning to see clearly.

"The old management was inefficient." Sun-mi had to admit─Jung Gi-cheol wore power better than she expected. Gone was the hesitant stance, the downcast eyes. Now he stood with the confidence of a man who'd clawed his way to the top, even if his hands were still bloody from the climb.

"Sure it was. Let's see how well you do then." The atmosphere tensed. Gi-cheol's men shifted uncomfortably, while Kang stood by her side, his gaze fixed intently on Gi-cheol.

He sighed silently, "It's been a while."

"Has it?" Sun-mi asked, taking in every single fresh face in the room. "I remember you bringing me drinks at the last meeting with Sergeant Jang. Whiskey, wasn't it?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

"Your grandfather," Gi-cheul leaned forward, "doesn't run this territory anymore."

"No," Sun-mi agreed pleasantly. She giggled inside at his words. "But he does control every major port from Busan to Incheon."

"Or did you think those Chinese suppliers of yours had other options?" Recognition flickered in Gi-cheul's eyes. The ports. Of course. Her family's influence ran deeper than territory─they controlled the infrastructure that made territories valuable.

"The terms of our arrangement are void," Sun-mi said examining her manicured nails. "You killed our business partner. That nullifies any previous agreements." She looked up, smile unwavering.

"But grandfather is willing to establish new ones. Under certain conditions." The weight of the words contradicted her charming tone.

"The old deal-"

"Died with Sergeant Jang. Along with your access to our ports." She said, cocking her head softly to the side. "How long do you think you'll last without secure shipping routes? A month? Less?"

His voice was tight, "I wouldn't."

"Correct."

"What do you want?"

Seon-mi elegantly folded her hands on her lap, her posture straight yet relaxed.

"Thirty percent of your drug revenue through our channels. Exclusive use of our money laundering services─your current methods are embarrassingly amateur. And," her smile widened, "a personal favor to be named later."

Gi-cheul leaned forward, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "That's highway robbery."

"No, that's premium service." Seon-mi leaned forward slightly. "You want to play with the big boys? This is the cost of admission. Otherwise..." She shrugged elegantly. "I hear the Chinese are looking to expand their territory. They'd love our shipping routes."

"We're doing fine," One of his goons interrupted, stepping forward.

"Are you?" She glanced at him before returning her gaze to Gi-cheul. "You're running this operation like a street gang instead of a business."

He remained silent, his gaze fixed on hers but they slightly wavered upon seeing her smile. The Jo Family had completely slipped his mind, surprising him, given how important they were to his operations.

"Twenty-four hours," Seon-mi stood, smoothing her skirt.

She didn't want to stay any longer than she had to and Seon-mi believed she had made the deal very clear. Seargent Jang's men were still on the ground, and his supply lines were still operational, thanks to her resources.

Gicheul may have removed him, but he didn't had what it takes to handle the logistics alone. She merely proposed to him to recognize her family's claim to those assets-or, she'd have to strip his little empire down to nothing and take what she needed by force.

"Think it over. Though really," She paused at the door, "what choice do you have?"

He stood up, turning to her. "The personal favor─what is it?"

Seon-mi glanced over her shoulder, her smile widening. "Haven't decided yet. Isn't that the fun part?"

She left quietly, the sound of her heels clicking as her bodyguard followed, and the tension in the room seemed to disappear with her.

"He's different now," Kang observed as they reached the car.

"Is he?" Sun-mi slipped into the backseat, Kang immediately pulling away from the building. "The suit's better, the stance is stronger, but underneath?" She smiled, remembering his new look. "Still the same man who couldn't look me in the eye while serving drinks."