Taeyeon can't sleep that night, always standing by the phone in case her parents call. She's changed out of her pajamas, ready to leave the penthouse at a moment's notice.
She's about to leave for the other hotel in the morning—the one her parents are using to evacuate and hide their VIP guests—when she meets Tiffany in the hallway. The woman is also all dressed up but not in her formal work clothes.
"Where are you going so early in the morning?" she asks in surprise.
"My parents called. They were taken to the police station for questioning," Tiffany says. "I'm heading down there to pick them up and take them home."
"What? Why were they questioned?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Tiffany frowns. "Did something happen with your family? Something that might affect my parents?"
Taeyeon hesitates then carefully says, "Something happened, yes, but it had nothing to do with your parents. I don't understand why they were taken for questioning." She sighs and dials Hojun's number. "Bring Jangyop along," she tells the man then hangs up. "Let's go then."
—-
Taeyeon carefully steps out of the car and tries her best to look inconspicuous, walking along Hojun who's dressed like any ordinary guy with his hoodie, jeans and sneakers.
The car leaves them to take Tiffany and Jangyop—also in plain clothes—to the police station to pick the Hwangs up. Taeyeon wanted to come along, initially, but she knew that considering her family's circumstances, it would be borderline suicide to walk inside a police station.
So despite her worry, she has to sit this one out and first meet her parents before catching up with Tiffany.
She walks into the normal room on the eleventh floor, a very different sight than the usual luxurious suite her parents would stay at.
The atmosphere is tense and her father is pacing the room while frowning, looking very serious and deep in thought.
The first person who looks her in the eyes is her mother.
She holds her gaze confidently, having nothing to hide, and sits on the chair across from the older woman. "What happened, exactly?"
"There's a rat," replies the woman curtly. "But we're not sure who. They tipped the pigs off. We identified some around the hotel so we moved the rose. Nearly had to sacrifice a few of our men but they're all free now."
"I'll check my staff," Taeyeon says, referring to the people whom she trusted with matters regarding the VIP visit. "But I'm pretty sure they don't know anything about the rose." She pauses then adds, "And neither does Tiffany."
"How can you be so sure?"
"The Hwangs were taken in for questioning," Taeyeon informs her mother who raises her eyebrows in surprise. "Tiffany is on her way to pick them up as we speak. Jangyop is with her but he is to remain in the car. If she was their informant, why would they bring her parents in for questioning?"
"I wonder..." mumbles the woman as she furrows her brows and taps her chin. "Has anyone been asking you about them or Tiffany? Has anyone shown any interest in them as of late?"
Taeyeon shakes her head as she tries to think about what's been going on lately. Then it hits her. "Unless..." She mutters a curse. "Kang Hyejin," she hisses, remembering that moment caught on camera, when Hyejin tried to unlock her phone in her room, and other moments when she sensed that the woman was trying to take a peek at her phone. Then Hyejin's remark about Tiffany... it fits. If she were to rat on Taeyeon's family, she would drag Tiffany along, no doubt about it.
