g M

The apartment, worth millions, had been purchased through one of my father's companies as an "investment property"

protests. In the privacy of the elevator, I finally allowed myself to crumple

o to my family's Seoul mansion, it was closed while my father and brother were still in Beverly Hills finalizing business deals.

r of Song Tae-woo, checking into a hotel alone, soaking wet and

turn to. One person who had always been the

s, I pulled out m

_____________

's deep voice answered

escaped my lips be

you okay?" His tone immedia

hick with tears. "I'm sorry to bother y

ntly. "Where are you? Aren't you supposed

r laugh escaping my lips. "Turns out the surpris

of breath, followed by

e asked, and I could hear ke

our house, it's closed up, and I don't w

," Ji-hoon interrupted.

through me. "Th

ching rain transform Seoul into a blur of neon reflections. Fi

em laughing at my shocked expression, at my naivety. Tried not to remember the dozens of video calls over the past

the curb. The door flung open, and Kang Ji-hoon emerged, tall, comman

n-a

seven-year age gap between us. The man whose tech empire rivaled my father's cosmetics conglomerate

spered, fresh tears s

diately soaked through his expensive suit. I clung to him, my body shaking with s

he murmured into my

otted Jiho at the building's entrance, hastily d

security guard. "Get her into the car

toward Jiho with measured steps. I watched fr

I heard him begin. "

e he could finish the sentence. My ex-fiancé s

bly. When Ji-hoon turned away, straightening his suit jacket, I was still staring, caught betwee

d as he approached, though t

mply, opening the passeng

ve years with Jiho, gone. My dreams of building a life with him while working my way up from intern to executive at Lumière Cosmetics Seou

usly private. He'd always been kind to me, treating me as more than just his best friend's little sister. In the years I'd been away, our relationship had evolved from childhood acqu