REWRITE THE STAR

CHAPTER 22

The next morning, V opened his eyes. The first thing he did was walk over to the mirror. He stared at his reflection,his face was pale, and the dark circles under his eyes told the story of his psychotic night. He looked at the dried blood on his arm and then back at his face.

He clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white and gritted his teeth.

"You think you’ve won, Taehyung?" he whispered to his reflection, his voice cold and jagged.

"A minor delay doesn't change the ending. This face... this world... it all belongs to me. If I have to burn this entire mansion down to get what I want, I will."

He took a deep breath, forcing his expression into a calm, hollow mask. He showered, dressed in a sharp suit to hide his wounds, and walked downstairs.

As he reached the bottom of the staircase, he stopped. He frowned, his eyebrows narrowing as he saw Yugyeom standing by the front door, fully dressed, with Hainie in his arms and a packed diaper bag on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?" V asked, his voice echoing through the hallway.

Yugyeom froze. He remembered exactly what Taehyung had told him the night before..

'Under no circumstances should V know where you are taking the baby... make up some lie to get out of there.'

Yugyeom cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Oh, this? I’m just... I’m taking Hainie to the park! Yeah, the weather is so nice today, and the little guy was getting grumpy staying inside. I thought we’d go grab some fresh air and maybe some ice cream."

V stepped closer, his eyes scanning Yugyeom’s face for any sign of a lie.

"To the park? This early in the morning? And with such a big bag?"

"Well, you know how babies are, Hyung!" Yugyeom laughed nervously, adjusting the bag. "If I don't carry half the house with me, he’ll definitely have a meltdown. We might even stop by the mall later. Don't wait up for us!"

V stared at him for a long, silent moment. The tension in the air was suffocating.

V knew something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it....

"Is that so?" V murmured, taking another step toward them. "Then let me drive you. It's the least I can do for my dear brother and nephew."

Yugyeom felt a cold sweat prickle the back of his neck as V moved closer. The way V’s eyes didn't seem to blink was starting to freak him out. He knew he had to get out now.

"Oh, no need for that, V-hyung!" Yugyeom said, forced a bright, carefree laugh. He swung his car keys around his finger. "I already promised my friend BamBam that I’d drop by his place on the way to the park. His car is in the shop, so I’m his designated Uber today. If you come, it’ll be a crowded mess with the car seat and everything."

V’s eyes narrowed, his gaze shifting to the diaper bag...

"You’re being awfully helpful today, Yugyeom. Since when did you become so punctual?"

"Since I spent a night with a crying baby!"

Yugyeom joked, though his heart was thumping against his ribs. He turned toward the door, not giving V a chance to argue further. "Anyway, Bam is waiting and he’s a total drama queen when I’m late. I’ll see you later! Oh, and don't skip breakfast, Hyung, you look a bit... pale."

Before V could reply, Yugyeom stepped out and pushed the heavy mansion door shut. He practically sprinted to his Audi car, strapped Hainie into the back seat with trembling hands, and hopped into the driver's seat.