Rori
I keep staring at the door they came out of, motionless.
I don't know what to do, my breath is shallow.
Being without Ava is like leaving me naked at the mercy of these people.
Why did Min Jun take her away?
I swallow nervously and don't dare look up at them.
I feel their gazes sliding over me.
They're watching me.
They're scrutinizing me.
They're looking for an opening, a weak point.
And I feel terror gripping me.
I have to get out, I have to go away.
I look for an opening, a way out, but the door swings open and Ava comes in like a tornado.
She comes toward me decisively and takes my hand.
I relax, feeling my breathing return to normal.
But it's only a brief moment, because Min Jun reaches us and blocks our path.
They're facing each other, like that day...
My sister's eyes flashed with dark light, her ocean-colored pupils the hues of a storm.
Min Jun kept her lips pressed together and her fists clenched.
"I have to go, do you understand?"
She shook her head stubbornly.
"No."
Eyes downcast, a dark lock of hair covering his forehead.
"Ava... that's my father."
"He's a murderer."
Her voice was incomprehensible.
Cold, cutting.
I trembled, hidden behind the wall, aware that the two people who represented my entire world, my family, my anchor, hated each other.
And now...
The same look, the same posture. And in her, I see the old hatred she feels for him.
I sway from one to the other, feeling trapped in a situation that makes me sick.
Once again, I can't say anything.
The air around them vibrates with menace, a feeling so tangible it's scary.
I clear my throat.
"I'll take care of it," Ava reassures me, giving him a sharp look. "Move away, you're a Kim. I'll give you less than a second to let us pass before I charge you with assault and battery."
I jump and start to tremble.
It's the version of her that scares me the most, the one with which she takes down her opponents in court, the one with which she manages to convince drunks to leave her club.
The one that irritates Min-Jun and that he's never been able to tame.
Ava has a steely temper and the inner strength my father instilled in her.
"I'm not on your damn list of restrictions!" he protests.
She doesn't even answer him, picking up her cell phone and holding it to her ear.
"I'm calling the police," she tells him calmly.
"Aish!"
The exclamation jolts me, and I know I have to take action.
"It's okay, Ava. Meeting Min-Jun is always a thrill, and I've forgotten about the legal stuff. Please put that phone down."
Without averting her attention, she ends the call and puts the phone back in her pocket. She doesn't even look at me, caught up in the emotional skirmish.
She's the kind of hound who doesn't let go, following the scent until she exhausts her prey.
The smell of blood, as Dad used to say.
The smell of Min-Jun.
Ava's prey.
The one who hurt her the most and who she's now determined to destroy because of me.
I'm stupid, I know.
I shouldn't have gotten to this point; it's all my fault and my stupid feelings.
And I have to fix it.
But Attorney Jung is the one who rings the bell in this fiery first round, drawing Ava's attention.
"Ms. Allen, can you follow me with your client? I need some clarifications on the documentation."
She nods without even turning around, gestures peremptorily for me to precede her, and only after another long look does she decide to erase Min-Jun from her sight, escorting me toward the study that used to be her grandfather's, the room at the top of the stairs.
I sigh disconsolately, trying to find the right words to apologize, but upon seeing her expression, I retreat into silent silence.
She should be my ally, but I find myself fearing the consequences of my wicked actions.