'I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you.'
Coming from a wealthy family was never the major flex in her life. To others, she might come off as a rich spoilt brat but the reality was far from what they perceived her to be.
In a world...
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The grand chandelier above bathed the room in a golden glow, casting elegant shadows across the polished marble floor. Crystal glasses clinked softly as well-dressed guests exchanged pleasantries, laughter mixing with the smooth hum of a live jazz band.
Waiters moved like shadows, offering glasses of champagne and carefully plated hors d'oeuvres to the city’s most powerful figures.
Miyeon stood near the staris in the farthest corner of the room, fingers curled tightly around the stem of an untouched red wine. It had been half an hour since she arrived, half an hour since she successfully slipped away from her family leaving her parents to deal with greetings despite knowing she should've been there— she just couldn't.
She was even successful enough till now to avoid any of her friends, her family, even Mr. Park, the host of this suffocating affair.
She had become an observer, eyes scanning the room but never truly seeing, her mind consumed by something far darker than the glittering pretense around her.
The weight of the phone call still pressed against her chest, its words coiling around her ribs like a vice. The demand.
The warning.
The unspeakable price expected from her and it was expected today.
Her pulse thrummed with an anxious edge, her legs restless with the irrational urge to run—run far away from the calculated smiles and veiled threats hidden in polite conversation.
But she couldn't.
She was trapped, and worst of all, she couldn’t tell a single soul why.
The ballroom glittered with wealth and power, its golden chandeliers casting a warm glow over the elegantly dressed nobles and politicians. The air smelled of expensive wine and fresh roses, laughter and quiet whispers blending into a seamless hum.
Yet, for Miyeon, the grandeur of the scene faded into the background the moment her gaze landed on a familiar group her breath caught.
Standing together amidst the sea of important figures were Yewon, Dino, and Wonwoo. But it wasn’t them who made her stiffen, her fingers tightening subtly around the delicate stem of her wine glass.
No, it was rather the two figures standing beside them.
Mr. and Mrs. Choi.
Daehan and Yewon’s.
Her mind went blank for a split second, her surroundings melting away. It had been two years since she had last seen them—since that cursed court session. Since she had allowed herself to face them.
She had known they had moved to Korea after losing their son, but in the whirlwind of rebuilding her life, she had buried the thought deep within her. They had called, reached out, waited. Yet, she had never answered, had never given them the comfort of knowing she was still there, still breathing.
