Fractured Bonds, Fated Hearts
Kim Y/N had always been told that her mother was nothing but a distant memory-a shadow of the past her father refused to acknowledge. Raised under the iron rule of Kim Jiwon, the head of a powerful business empire, she had everything money could buy, except the truth about her mother, Choi Simji.
Simji had fought desperately during the bitter divorce, but the influence of the Kim family had stripped her of any right to see her daughter. It was an old wound that never healed, a pain that festered in her heart for years. But she had never given up. And now, she had found her chance.
Choi Simji had five brothers, and she knew she had to use her family's influence wisely. She sought the help of her nephew, Choi seungcheol, a name that commanded fear and respect-a ruthless businessman, the kind who never lost in negotiations. He and Y/N had crossed paths only a handful of times, each encounter more hostile than the last. She despised him, and he found her insufferable. But Simji knew that if anyone could get her to see her daughter, it was seungcheol.
"I need your help."
seungcheol glanced up from his papers, his usual expression of indifference barely shifting. "No."
Simji clenched her fists. "You didn't even let me finish."
"I don't need to. You want me to help you see her. You know that's impossible."
"Nothing is impossible for you," she countered. "You're the only one who can get close to her without suspicion."
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Why should I get involved in a family war that has nothing to do with me?"
"She's my blood."
That made him pause. He leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp. "And what do I get out of this?"
"You tell me. Name your price."
For the first time,seungcheol actually considered the request. His lips curved into a smirk. "Fine. I'll do it. But don't regret it."
