Chapter 57
Yuna's POV
The morning sun filtered weakly through the tall glass windows of my office, yet it did nothing to lift my mood. Irritation pressed heavily against my chest, and my fingers tapped restlessly on the polished oak desk.
Haemin did not return home last night.
The audacity of him, making me wait like a fool. The silence of the house had never felt so suffocating. Every tick of the clock struck like a blade against my nerves.
My fingers tapped against the desk, nails clicking sharply against the polished surface as thoughts circled in my mind. Had I gone too far yesterday? For the briefest moment, the question lingered—only for me to dismiss it just as quickly. No. He deserved it. He cannot treat my love as something to be taken lightly.
Yes, I hurt him and accidentally make him bleeding here and there, but what choice did I have? I did it because I love him. If I don't set him straight, then what kind of wife would I be?
He belongs to me and I can do whatever I want with him. I have warned him so many times not to anger me. Yet he keeps choosing the wrong path, and yesterday… yesterday he made me do it.
He should've just taken it quietly. He was the one at fault. But no, instead he ran. From me. From his own wife. As if he could really get away.
I let out a bitter smile. He only made things worse for himself. Doesn't he realize I'm being generous right now? I'm waiting, giving him the chance to come back on his own before I lose my patience completely.
But if he continues to make me wait like this…
A soft knock broke my thoughts. I straightened in my chair, smoothing the irritation off my face as the office door opened. Harin stepped in, holding a stack of documents neatly in her arms.
"Chairwoman," she greeted politely, her voice soft, carefully measured. She placed the documents on my desk and took a small step back, waiting for me.
I picked up my pen and began signing without glancing at her. The sound of my pen scratching against paper filled the silence. "Any news about Haemin?" I asked coldly.
Harin clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes briefly lowering. "No, Chairwoman. I have checked with the research team and other departments, but nothing yet."
Her answer only sharpened my annoyance. I pressed the pen harder against the page, the ink blotting slightly. "Useless," I muttered under my breath. The more I thought about it, the more infuriated I became.
After I finished signing, I pushed the documents toward her with a flick of my hand. She picked them up carefully, but lingered for a moment, her expression hesitant.
"Chairwoman…" Harin began softly, "forgive me for asking, but… is everything truly alright with Mr. Kim?"
I froze, then lifted my gaze to her. My stare was cold, sharp enough to slice through her hesitation. "Do not concern yourself with it. Just keep looking for him."
Her head dropped instantly, and she murmured, "I understand. I am sorry."
I leaned back in my chair, my tone dropping lower. "This would never have happened if you had not been careless yesterday. You should have been at his side at all times."
Harin bent at the waist, bowing deeply, her voice trembling just slightly. "I accept responsibility. I am truly sorry."
"You may go." I said coldly, dismissing her with a flick of my hand.
Harin bowed once more and quietly left the office. The door clicked shut, leaving me alone again in the silence of my thoughts.
______
Haemin's POV
My eyes fluttered open to a blur of pale white. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. The ceiling above me was too bright, sterile, unfamiliar. My head throbbed, the steady beeping of a machine echoing somewhere close.
Where… is this place?
I blinked several times, the ceiling slowly coming into focus. A faint antiseptic smell filled my nose, sharp and cold. When I tried to move, pain shot through my body, making me suck in a shaky breath. That was when it clicked.
A hospital?
My heart raced. Why was I here? What happened to me?
I turned my head weakly, my vision swimming as I took in the IV drip at my side, the faint hum of medical equipment, the dim lighting of the ward. Everything felt so surreal, like I had woken into someone else's reality. My mind was blank for a moment, struggling to remember how I ended up here.
And then, slowly, fragments of last night clawed their way back into my head.
⸻
Flashback
"Sera was there…"
The instant her name left my mouth, Yuna's expression froze. Her grip loosened, but the chill in her eyes only deepened. Slowly, without another word, she released me and turned back to the wheel.
The silence in the car afterward was suffocating. I tried to explain but she never answered. Not a glance. Not a single word. Only the sound of the engine and the faint hum of the tires against the road.
When we finally pulled into the garage, a quiet relief loosened my chest. I told myself that once we were inside, things would calm down. Maybe she just needed space to cool down. Maybe she would talk to me then.
But I was wrong.
So very wrong.
The front door clicked shut behind us, and the moment we stepped inside, the air shifted. Everything changed.
Before a word could leave my lips, she grabbed my wrist roughly, yanking me forward with frightening strength. My body stumbled, and I fell hard onto the floor with a dull thud. Pain flared, and when I looked up, she was already closing the door.
"Y-Yuna?" My voice cracked as I remained seated on the floor, staring at her towering figure.
"Hey, Haemin," she said almost casually, her coat sliding from her shoulders, her handbag dropping carelessly to the side. Her steps toward me were slow, deliberate. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing pale arms that looked deceptively delicate. Her eyes never left mine.
My stomach dropped. Something was wrong.
"You didn't listen to me, did you?" she said softly, almost conversational, though the undertone in her voice made me shiver. "I told you to wait in the car. But instead, you wandered off."
"I-I was just thirsty," I stammered, scrambling to explain, my back pressing against the floor as I tried to sit up straighter. "I only went to get some water, that's all—"
"I don't care," she cut me off, her tone suddenly sharp. She tilted her head slightly, her hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned closer. "Or… did you go because you knew she would be there? Did you go to see Sera?"
Panic surged in me. I shook my head frantically. "No! No, it wasn't like that! I swear, I didn't know she was there!"
My words fell on deaf ears. She stepped closer, and instinctively I scrambled backward across the floor, my palms burning against the cold surface.
"Stay still, Haemin," she said, her voice low, commanding.
But I couldn't. My legs moved on their own, backing away from her.
That was when her expression hardened. In a flash, she closed the distance, and before I could react, her hand struck across my cheek with a resounding crack. The impact sent me sprawling to the floor again, the taste of blood bursting in my mouth. My vision spun, and pain seared through my jaw.
"Y-Yuna—" I barely managed to call her name when the next blow came—not to my face this time, but a harsh kick to my side. My breath left me in a choked gasp as I curled instinctively, clutching my stomach.
Her strikes came again and again. A heavy slap that left my ears ringing. A hard punch to my shoulder that sent sharp pain through my arm. Another kick that knocked the air from my lungs.
"Did you enjoy it?" she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. "Seeing her? Talking to her?"
"N-No! Please—" I coughed, blood dripping from the corner of my lips. My nose stung, warm liquid sliding down, blurring with tears I didn't realize had formed.
But she didn't stop. Every time I tried to sit up, another strike pushed me back down. I was too weak, too frail against her relentless force. My body felt like it was breaking apart, and all I could do was shield myself feebly.
Finally, after what felt like eternity, the blows stopped. I lay there on the floor, chest heaving, blood staining my lips, my vision swimming. My limbs wouldn't move.
I looked up through the blur of tears—only to see her watching me coldly. No pity. No warmth.
And then, slowly, she began to undress.
Her fingers moved to her blouse, undoing each button one by one until it slid off her shoulders. She removed it entirely, leaving herself in nothing but a bra, her pale skin exposed under the light. My heart stopped.
She stood tall, her shadow looming over me, her gaze filled with a terrifying possessiveness.
"How many times has it been now, Haemin?" she asked, her tone calm yet laced with deadly edge. "Two? Three? How many times have I warned you? You just never listen, do you?"
I swallowed hard, trembling, unable to answer.
Her lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Maybe I need to do something… something that will make sure no other woman dares to touch you."
My blood ran cold.
She turned and walked into the kitchen. I heard the faint clatter of drawers opening, the metallic scrape of something being pulled out. When she returned, a knife gleamed in her hand under the light.
My heart nearly stopped.
She knelt down slowly in front of me, her half-naked body leaning close, the cold edge of the blade catching the light. Her voice was a whisper of madness.
"Maybe I should carve my name into your hand. That way… they'll all know you belong to me."
Terror flooded every vein in my body. I tried to move, but my body felt too battered. Yuna lunged over me, pressing me down with frightening strength. "Don't move. It won't hurt… much."
As the blade lowered, instinct surged.
I pushed—hard.
She gasped, caught off guard, her body tumbling backward. The knife slipped from her grasp and clattered against the floor.
I didn't wait. Adrenaline drowned out the pain as I staggered to my feet, every movement screaming in agony. My vision blurred, my lungs burned, but I forced my legs to move.
The door. The door. I had to get out.
Behind me, I heard her curse loudly, already trying to get up. But I didn't look back. I reached the door, fumbled with the lock, and stumbled out into the night air.
The cool wind hit my bloodied face as I ran, each step fueled by sheer desperation. My body felt like it would collapse at any moment, but the thought of her catching me again pushed me forward.
I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. All I knew was that I had to get away.
______
My breath caught as the flashback faded. I was back in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. My chest rose and fell shakily, my hand trembling where it gripped the blanket.
Tears blurred my vision as the reality hit me all over again.
Yuna. The woman I once believed cared for me, the one who held me so close.
Is this the same Yuna I gave my heart to when we first met?
A cold shiver ran through me. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, as though it could shield me from the memory of her.
I was safe for now. But how long?
Because if she found me again… I wasn't sure I would survive it.
The thought alone made my chest tighten painfully. My throat burned, and before I knew it, tears welled in my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but they spilled anyway, running down the side of my face. I bit my lip, ashamed of how weak I felt, but the pain inside was too heavy.
"Haemin?"
The gentle voice cut through my fragile state. My head turned weakly toward the sound, confusion flickering in my swollen eyes.
There, standing just inside the room, was Sera.
I blinked, unsure if I was imagining her. Why… why was she here?
Her expression changed the moment our eyes met. She noticed right away—the strain on my face I could not hide. Her gaze darkened with worry, and before I could even gather my thoughts, she closed the distance.
"W–Wait…" My voice cracked in confusion as she suddenly leaned down, wrapping her arms around me.
Her embrace was warm. I froze at first, not knowing what to do, but her hold only tightened.
"It is alright now," she murmured against my ear, her voice low and gentle. "You are safe, Haemin. No one will hurt you here."
Her words sank deep into me, breaking what little composure I had left. My body trembled, my chest heaving as more tears escaped.
I buried my face against her shoulder, my voice shaking as small sobs broke free. "Why… why is she like this to me…"
Sera didn't flinch at my tears. She only drew slow, soothing circles across my back with her hand while her other hand pressed gently between my shoulders, steadying me.
"Shhh…" she whispered, her voice calm and warm. "Do not think about her right now. I will protect you."
Her words, soft yet firm, melted into me like balm on a wound. My fists clenched weakly in her clothes, clinging to her as the sobs came quietly.