Officer Park immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Hauen's number." Come on, pick up… pick up…" he muttered under his breath, pacing quickly.
"Yes, Officer Park?" Hauen's calm voice came through the line.
"Mrs. Kim, everything okay at the penthouse?" His tone was tight, hurried, and almost panicked.
Hauen frowned, glancing around the quiet living room where Bora was setting the table."Yes, officer. Everything's fine," she said, a little confused.
Park exhaled, a shaky breath."Mrs. Kim, listen to me carefully. Did you receive any kind of parcel today?"
Her brows knit together. "Hmm... not really. Is there something wrong?"
"Try to recall once again, Mrs. Kim. This is crucial," Park pressed, his voice dropping lower. "Anything delivered to the penthouse today, any parcel, package, anything unusual?"
Now Hauen's heartbeat picked up. His urgency was contagious. "Let me check, Officer Park. Give me a second."
She placed the phone between her shoulder and ear and walked quickly toward the kitchen."Bora," she called, firm.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Did we receive anything in the form of a parcel today?"
Bora paused, thinking. "Not really, ma'am."
"You sure? Think again. Anything at all, courier, package, delivery?"
Bora frowned. "No, ma'am. Nothing like that today."
Hauen brought the phone back to her ear. "Seems like we didn't receive anything, Officer. What's going on?"
There was a short pause, then his voice came back, lower, heavier."Mrs. Kim, the man who attacked you… He met with an accident. Died on the spot while we were chasing him."
Hauen froze. Her throat tightened as she whispered, "What...?"
"We found a note in his pocket," Officer Park continued. "It said something was delivered to your penthouse. That's why I called, to make sure."
A chill ran through her veins. Her eyes scanned the room automatically, and then they landed on the stack of water bottle boxes near the counter.
Something clicked. The brand was different. Not the one they usually used.
Her chest constricted. "Bora, when did we get these water bottles?" she asked, her voice suddenly sharp.
"Today, ma'am…" Bora said hesitantly.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" Hauen snapped, fear bleeding into her tone. She turned back to the phone, her voice trembling slightly. "Officer, we received water bottles today, but it's not our usual brand."
"Don't consume them, Mrs. Kim! Keep them away, immediately!" Park's voice rose, urgent.
Hauen's eyes widened as she turned toward the table; two bottles were missing. Her heart dropped.
"Bora, where did you use those bottles?" she demanded.
"Sir asked for a few bottles to keep in his room, ma'am…" Bora's voice shook.
"When?"
"Just now…"
"Oh, God... No... no..." Hauen didn't wait another second. She ran.
Her slippers slapped against the marble as she sprinted towards Suho's room, the phone still clutched in her hand.
"Suho!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she burst into the bedroom.
Suho flinched. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, the bottle already uncapped, just about to drink.
In an instant, she lunged forward, smacking the bottle from his hand. It flew, hit the floor, spilling water everywhere.
"Hauen! What—"
But she lost her balance from the momentum, her body crashing against the bedpost. A sharp pain shot through her leg, and her head hit the cot edge with a dull thud.
The phone skidded across the floor, still connected.
"Hello? Mrs. Kim? Mrs. Kim!" Officer Park's muffled voice echoed through the speaker.
Suho's eyes widened in horror. "Hauen!" He immediately reached for her, his hands trembling.
She sat on the floor, catching her breath, one hand pressed against her throbbing forehead, the other clutching her twisted ankle.
"What the hell happened? Why did you do that? Are you okay?" Suho's voice trembled as he knelt down, gently brushing her hair aside, examining the red bump forming on her head.
She winced but shook her head. "Did you drink that water?" she asked quickly, her tone full of fear.
"No… I was about to."
Her chest fell with relief. "Thank God…" she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment.
Suho frowned, still confused and scared. "What happened? Why did you rush in like that and hurt yourself?"
"I'll… I'll tell you," she said, forcing herself to crawl toward the phone. She picked it up with shaky fingers.
"Hello, Officer Park..."
"Mrs. Kim, are you alright?" His tone softened a little now.
"Yes… Yes, I'm fine."
"Keep those bottles outside. Don't touch them. I'll come tomorrow morning to examine them."
"Okay, officer," she said weakly.
The line went silent as the call ended.
Suho was still kneeling beside her, his hand hovering protectively near her leg. His voice was quiet, soft, scared.
"Hauen... what's happening?"
But she couldn't answer. Her breath was still unsteady, her mind racing. All she could think of was the broken bottle on the floor… and how close she came to losing him again.
"What's happening, Hauen?" Suho asked quietly, confusion and concern blending in his voice.
She looked at him, face pale, eyes flickering with fear."The man who attacked us…" she took a deep breath, steadying herself, "he's dead. He met with an accident today, while the police were chasing him."
Suho's gaze fixed on her, his brows tightening as she continued, her voice trembling slightly."And… they found a note in his pocket. It said a parcel was to be delivered to our penthouse."
Her breath caught for a second. "That's why Officer Park called. And these water bottles arrived today. Look at them… It's not the brand we use. That's why I stopped you from drinking it."
For a few moments, Suho said nothing. His eyes fell on the bottle lying spilled on the floor, and he just stared, processing. Slowly, his jaw tightened.
"Someone's trying something on us," he said flatly.
"Suho…" she started, but he cut her off.
"I suspected it, Hauen. But I didn't think it would be this serious."
"Police are investigating," she reminded softly.
"I know," he said, voice low. "But this isn't easy. First those pills… now the water bottles. We aren't even trying to conceive anymore, so why?"
Her eyes flickered. "Maybe… the accident is connected too?" she said quietly.
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Think once, Suho." Her tone was calm but firm. "First, they tried to stop us from conceiving, using those pills. When that failed and we actually did expect a baby, the accident happened. We lost the baby. You were paralyzed. And now, when you're finally recovering, this attack… and now these water bottles. It can't all be a coincidence."
He stared at her, silent for a long beat, then nodded slowly. "You're right. It makes sense."
"Back when the pill incident came out," she continued, "you said someone from your family was behind it, right?"
He nodded again, eyes hardening.
"Did you ever suspect anyone in particular?" she asked gently.
He hesitated, then said through gritted teeth, "Yuna imo. I always suspected her. She was the one who constantly interfered, always trying to mess with me. But I never thought she'd go this far."
"You're sure it's her?"
"Maybe. She's the type who thrives on rivalry. Always compared me to Sojun hyung and Minho. She was even the reason my haraboji didn't approve of Yerin when I wanted to marry her."
Hauen's chest tightened.
"But I never imagined she'd turn this vicious…" His voice shook with quiet anger.
She gently placed a hand on his. "Don't jump to conclusions, Suho. We can't be sure yet."
He exhaled sharply, looking away. "You don't know her, Hauen. She's greedy, manipulative, always stirring trouble in the family."
Hauen stayed quiet, letting him breathe out his frustration. Then softly, "We'll talk to Officer Park tomorrow. Let's see what he finds out."
Suho sighed, his shoulders finally relaxing a little. His eyes shifted back to her, and then stopped on the red bump forming on her forehead. His expression softened instantly."You got hurt again… because of me," he said quietly.
She smiled faintly, shaking her head. "Don't start that guilt trip again. I had to act fast. If I'd been even a second late, I don't know what could've happened to you...," she trailed off, swallowing.
He looked at her deeply, something soft flickering in his eyes. "How do you always end up saving me?"
Her heart skipped at the tone of his voice.
"Since that accident… I still remember your voice," he said quietly. "You were crying, begging for help. You were bleeding yourself, but you were still trying to save me."
She blinked, lost for words. "I… I was just—"
"That's why I say you're like my guardian angel," he continued gently. "You always protect me."
His eyes carried warmth and gratitude that made her heart race. Before she could say anything, he pulled her into a soft, heartfelt hug.
"Thank you, Hauen… for staying by my side, for protecting me, for taking care of me, for helping me walk again, for everything," he whispered, pressing a light kiss to her hair.
She didn't know what to say. Her chest tightened as she hugged him back, fingers clutching his shirt, her heart thudding fast. They stayed like that for a few quiet moments until a knock on the door broke the silence.
"Come in," Suho said, pulling away slightly.
Bora entered with a cloth in her hand to wipe the spilled water. She cleaned the floor quietly.
"Bora, keep those water bottle boxes outside," Hauen instructed.
"Yes, ma'am."
"And please, don't use anything immediately after it arrives from outside—not even groceries. Double-check everything first," she added firmly.
Bora nodded, finished cleaning, and left.
Hauen turned back to Suho. "You should rest. It's late."
He nodded and tried to stand, holding onto the edge of the cot for balance.
As she stood up beside him, a sharp pain made her wince. "Ahh…" she hissed softly.
"What happened?" Suho asked immediately, worry flashing across his face.
Hauen held her foot, wincing. "I think I broke my leg… It's hurting so bad," she said through clenched teeth.
"Sit here," Suho said quickly, helping her down onto the bed before sitting beside her. "Let me see."
He gently took her foot in his hands and pressed near her ankle. She hissed in pain, clutching the blanket.
"I think your ankle got twisted," he said softly, frowning in concern. "Wait a second."
He reached into the nightstand drawer and took out a pain relief spray.
"Give it to me, I'll do it myself," she said, trying to take it from him.
But he shook his head firmly. "No. Let me help you."
"Why are you stressing yourself? It's just a small pain—"
"Sit still. Shut your mouth. Let me help you," he said in a calm but commanding tone.
She blinked. "But—"
"No," he cut her off sharply. "This happened because of me, and it's my responsibility to take care of you."
She sighed, defeated. "Suho—"
He gave her a pointed look. "Did I stop you when you took care of me for all these months?"
Her lips parted, but she couldn't answer.
"Now it's my turn to take care of my nurse," he said with a faint smile. "So, be quiet."
That made her smile despite the pain. She finally nodded and let him help.
Suho sprayed the medicine gently over her ankle, his touch careful and warm. He massaged it slowly, his thumb tracing light circles until she relaxed. The cooling sensation eased the pain, and she exhaled in relief.
"Is it still hurting?" he asked, glancing up at her.
She smiled softly, "No, doctor. I think your treatment worked instantly."
Suho smiled softly. "Good. Take care of yourself, okay? No more reckless stunts. And if I ever catch you hurting yourself again, I'm reporting it straight to Haraboji," he warned playfully.
Hauen smiled, pretending to look guilty. "I'm sorry, doctor. I'll be careful next time."
He chuckled and reached out to pinch her cheeks. "That's better. Now, go to bed. Good night."
"Good night," she said, smiling as she stood up.
He tilted his head. "You didn't say 'teddy bear' this time."
She paused and looked back at him. "You're asking for it now? Weren't you the one who got annoyed by that name?"
He smiled faintly, scratching the back of his neck. "I guess I got used to it. Now it feels weird… like I'm a stranger to you," he said quietly. It slipped out before he could stop himself.
She looked at him for a second, and he instantly got flustered, realizing what he'd just said.
Without saying anything, she leaned forward and pinched both his cheeks. "Good night, teddy bear."
He blinked, then smiled, really smiled, his eyes softening.
"Happy now?" she teased.
He nodded, his grin refusing to fade.
She smiled again before walking out of the room.
As soon as the door closed, Suho let out a small laugh, then hid his face in the pillow, groaning at himself. "Why did I even say that…" he mumbled, half embarrassed, half smiling.
Still, that warmth lingered, the way she'd called him "teddy bear," the way her eyes had softened at him. He pulled the blanket up, still smiling like an idiot, and drifted into sleep… thinking about her without even realizing it.