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The atmosphere in the police station was grim, its gray walls making you feel like you were in a closed cell even if you were sitting on an ordinary bench. The sounds of devices, the footsteps of officers, the ringing of phones... all merged into a continuous noise.
At that moment, the door of the main office slowly opened, and a young man entered with stern features and a face frighteningly similar to Yuna's. His hair was carefully styled, his eyes held the coldness of the sea on a winter night, an expensive black suit, and his manner of walking alone was enough to impose silence on the place.
The policewoman's breath caught for a moment, then she straightened up and said respectfully:
"Mr. Theo... What brings you here?"
But the young man didn't pay attention to her; instead, he focused his gaze directly on the chair where Yuna was sleeping, her head drooping, her chestnut hair falling over her shoulder as if she were drowned in a deep slumber. His eyes widened for a moment, a mix of surprise and displeasure, before his deep voice emerged saying:
"...Yuna?"
He approached with slow steps until he stood in front of her, then looked at the policewoman with eyes sparking with anger:
"What is my sister doing here?"
The policewoman hesitated, but her voice trembled as she said:
"Mr. Theo... We didn't know she was your sister. She was in a state of obvious intoxication, so we thought she was a lost minor or involved in something suspicious..."
But before she could finish, he interrupted her with a tone full of affectation and contempt, glancing at Yuna as if she were a stain of disgrace:
"As usual... This wretch brings nothing but shame to our family."
A heavy silence prevailed in the hall. The policewoman didn't dare to respond, she just lowered her head. As for Ji-hoon, he opened his eyes in surprise and exclaimed:
"What?! This girl... is from a wealthy family?"
Theo smiled sarcastically as he put his hand in his pocket, and said to the policewoman:
"Spare me the paperwork. I will be the one to handle her affair."
No one dared to object. Theo carried Yuna from the chair as if she were just a neglected bag, and despite her heavy sleep due to alcohol, signs of disapproval and disgust appeared on his face. He muttered as he headed towards the door:
"You'll pay the price, you fool."
He left carrying her, leaving behind an atmosphere of tension and confusion.
As for Ji-hoon, he sat stunned, trying to comprehend the situation. He looked at the policewoman and said sharply:
"You... you didn't say this girl was from a big family! You got me into a mess I have nothing to do with!"
The policewoman replied coolly:
"You told us yourself you don't know her. Don't blame us."
He slammed his hand on the table, shouting:
"But... this is unfair! I suffered because of her, and now her brother takes her as if nothing happened!"
The policewoman approached him and said in a practical tone:
"Well, you can leave now. But remember... driving under the influence of alcohol is a crime. We won't return your key easily."
He smiled sarcastically, then leaned slightly towards her, lowering his voice:
"Oh... really? Did you forget what I saw with my own eyes? That girl with the sharp temper...
What do you think she would do if she knew you were the one who confiscated my car? You'd lose your job before you even thought of objecting."
The policewoman fell silent, her face paled, then she exhaled nervously. She reached her hand into a desk drawer and slowly pulled out the car key, placed it on the table in front of him, and said:
"Take it... but if I catch you again under the influence, no one's name will save you."
He picked up the key with a triumphant smile, then left.
In the car traveling through the darkness of the night, Theo sat leaning back in his seat, his face growing more frowning every time he looked at the girl sleeping beside him. His voice was low at first, then gradually rose as if anger was flowing through his veins. He said to his assistant while staring out the window:
"What brought this idiot to a place like this?"
The assistant leaned slightly, as if afraid of the sharpness of his voice, and replied hesitantly:
"Sir... I don't know exactly. Maybe she was with her friends..."
Theo interrupted with a short, sarcastic laugh:
"Her friends! Don't make silly jokes... This one has no friends. She's just a weak, lonely, useless girl. Who would want to get close to someone like her?"
Then he turned his face towards Yuna, his contempt clear in his cold eyes, and continued:
"In the future... I will expel her from the family. Yes, I will throw her into the streets where she belongs. It will be an amusing sight to see her begging or loitering without shelter. She is a stain on our name."
He didn't stop there, but went on in an increasingly harsh voice:
"Because of this damned girl, we lost our mother. Just thinking about it increases my disgust. If I had my way... I would make her disappear from this world. Damn her existence, damn her face that always reminds me of that black night."
He laughed softly, but it was full of malice:
"Can you imagine, Rico?.. A girl her age drinking alcohol in a public place! This is not just a flaw, but a betrayal of the family's honor. People like her must die to preserve the innocence of other girls!"
Yuna, despite her lifeless appearance from exhaustion and alcohol, had woken up moments ago and heard every word coming out of his mouth. Her eyes were half-open, staring into space, but her heart was receiving the blows without mercy. She showed no reaction, didn't speak, and didn't cry. She just remained silent, as if her soul had separated from her body for a moment.
The car arrived at the gate of the huge palace, where the guard opened the heavy black iron to let the convoy enter. The yellow lights hanging on both sides of the road reflected the features of the luxurious palace, but its coldness resembled a grave.
The assistant stopped the car, got out quickly, then opened the back door and carried Yuna in his arms. Her body was light, as if just a lifeless burden. They quietly crossed into the vast foyer, where everything seemed still, even the clock hands on the wall made no sound.
At that moment, slow footsteps descended from the top of the grand staircase. It was an elderly man, his hair black as coal, his face marked with some fine lines that only added to the severity of his features. His eyes were silver, sharp as a sword, and his loose gray clothes suggested they had woken him from his sleep.
The man stopped midway down the stairs, looking sharply at Theo, then cast a quick glance at Yuna in the assistant's arms. His voice came hoarse, full of sternness:
"What is happening here? And why is this girl with you?"
A sarcastic smile tinged with contempt spread across Theo's face, and he said, tossing his head to the side:
"Father... you won't believe what I saw tonight."
The father didn't reply, but remained silent for a moment, then gestured with his hand to the assistant saying:
"Take her to her room."
The assistant went up carrying Yuna, who looked like a soulless doll.
At that moment, Theo remained standing at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes blazing with hidden hatred, muttering in a low voice that no one heard but him:
"You won't escape this time, Yuna... You'll pay for every moment you humiliated me in front of people. I'll make you regret your very existence."
As for the father, he remained silent, his eyes following his daughter's weak steps until she disappeared into the long hallway, before turning his gaze back to Theo, contemplating his charged features, but he said nothing...
And the silence in that palace was heavier than all words.
Then he said quietly:
"This is what should have happened from the beginning