Chapter 56
Sera’s POV
I pressed my foot hard against the accelerator, weaving recklessly between lanes as the city lights streaked past my windshield. I did not care about the red lights or the horns that blared in protest behind . My grip on the steering wheel was tight, my knuckles pale, my heart pounded so hard it drowned out the noise of traffic.
Two hours ago, everything had been different.
______
After the eting had ended, I had almost succeeded in pulling Haemin aside, only for Harin to appear and snatch him away. I clicked my tongue in irritation, my jaw tightening. That woman had interrupted at the worst possible mont, ruining my chance to speak with him properly. When the two of them walked away together, I stood frozen for a mont, my expression calm but my chest burning with annoyance.
I turned to leave, intending to return briefly to the conference hall, when my steps halted. Yuna was already exiting the building with her aides. For the briefest mont, her eyes flicked toward , catching sight of coming from the direction of the water dispenser. I t her gaze calmly but Yuna said nothing. She simply turned away, ignoring entirely, and continued toward the waiting cars.
Inside the hall, only a few people remained. My aide, Mina, hurried over with a worried expression.
“I am sorry, Vice Chairwoman,” Mina whispered, bowing her head. “I could not keep Harin occupied any longer. She seems to have understood what was happening, and she withdrew before I could stall her further.” For more chapters visit novel⦿fire
My eyes grew colder. “You need to do your job more properly next ti,” I said, my voice low and cutting.
Mina lowered her head further. “Yes, Vice Chairwoman. I sincerely apologize.”
Before I could say anything more, a group of politicians who had lingered after the eting approached, greeting with polite smiles and formal bows. “Vice Chairwoman Hwang, it is good to see you again. The Daehan Group’s presence was impressive today…”
I returned their greetings with practiced composure, smiling faintly, answering with courteous words. Inside, however, I was already irritated. Their shallow praise ant nothing to . I dismissed them as quickly as manners allowed and left the building.
______
Back at my apartnt, the silence welcod . I removed my coat, set aside my heels, and stepped into the shower. Warm water cascaded down my shoulders, but my thoughts would not still.
I had been happy—no, almost relieved, that I finally got to et Haemin again. Just seeing him up close, hearing his voice, watching the awkward way he tried to distance himself… it stirred sothing in . For a brief mont, I felt content.
But that fragile happiness shattered the instant I rembered what I had seen on his wrist.
My hand pressed against the tiled wall, fingers curling tight.
What exactly happened to you, Haemin?
Who had dared to hurt him like that? The thought made my blood run cold.
My first suspicion had been instant. Seo Yuna. Could it have been her? Was Haemin trapped in sothing he could not admit? Was he in an abusive relationship?
I narrowed my eyes at the thought. If it truly was Yuna, then what could have triggered her to do sothing like that? Was it jealousy? Possessiveness? Could it be because of ? Because Yuna was jealous of ?
I let out a bitter sigh.
No… that would be too simple.
Still, the mory of Haemin’s delicate face flashed in my mind—his soft, boyish features that carried a quiet charm. There was sothing about his presence that drew people in so naturally. I understood, painfully well, why soone might grow overly possessive of him.
But to the point of leaving bruises on his body? That was sothing I could not accept.
“Whatever it is, I will find out soon,” I muttered under the hiss of the shower.
Finishing quickly, I stepped out, dried my hair with a towel, and wrapped myself in a silk bathrobe. I moved into the living room and sank onto the sofa. The night scenery of Seoul stretched endlessly, the city glowing alive under the dark sky. For a mont, I simply sat there, breathing quietly, letting the lights outside steady .
Suddenly, my phone buzzed, breaking the silence, the screen lighting up with an unfamiliar number. I frowned, hesitating for a mont before picking it up.
“Good evening, Ms. Hwang,” a male voice said politely on the other end. His tone was respectful..
“Who is speaking?” I asked, my voice sharp.
There was a brief pause, as if he was carefully choosing his words. “My na is Doctor Ryu Jihwan. I apologize for calling at this hour, but I thought it best to reach you directly.”
My brows knitted together. “Doctor Ryu?” I repeated, cautious. “And why are you calling , Doctor?”
He cleared his throat softly. “Forgive , Ms. Hwang, but do you recall the young man you once asked to discreetly check into? You provided with his na a few weeks ago.”
I gripped the phone harder, already knowing where this was going. My throat felt dry. “Kim Haemin?”
“Yes,” Doctor Ryu confird. “That is correct.”
My heart stopped. My voice trembled before I could steady it. “What about him? Did sothing happen to him?”
The doctor’s pause dragged on, making my chest feel like it would burst. “He is… currently in our care,” he finally said, voice low.
I shot up from the sofa, my chest tightening as I began pacing across the room. “In your care? What does that even an? Is he hurt? Tell exactly what happened!”
“Ms. Hwang, please,” he said gently, trying to calm . “I do not wish to alarm you more than necessary. What I can tell you for now is that he was found earlier this evening and brought here. We do not know how to contact his guardian because he did not have any phone with him. But fortunately, I recognized his face and rembered you had asked about him. That is why I decided to call you. He requires dical attention, but please understand, he is stable at the mont.”
“Stable?” I repeated, my voice rising despite myself. “Doctor, do not play with words. How bad is it? How is he right now?!”
There was hesitation again, the faint sound of him exhaling through the line. “I promise he is being looked after carefully. But this is not sothing I can fully explain over the phone. I truly believe it is best for you to co to the hospital imdiately. You will understand more once you see him yourself.”
“I am coming right now,” I said, my voice sharp with urgency. “Until I arrive, do not let anyone near him. If soone shows up asking for him, you call first—do you understand? No one sees him until I am there.”
“Yes, Ms. Hwang,” Doctor Ryu replied firmly. “I will see to it personally.”
“Good. Keep him safe until I get there.”
Without waiting for more, I ended the call, already rushing to change my clothes. My cap, my mask, my keys—my hands moved without thought. Within monts, I was out the door, my heartbeat pounding louder.
______
The glowing white letters of XXX dical Center lood above as I pulled into the ergency entrance. I parked the car without caring if it was straight or not, grabbed my cap lower over my forehead, and pulled my mask snug across my face before stepping out.
The automatic sensors opened for . My steps echoed against the polished floor as I strode past the waiting patients and their families. I could feel their curious eyes flicker toward , but I ignored them completely. Every second that passed felt like it was being stolen from .
At the reception counter, a nurse lifted her head, startled by the intensity of my arrival. Before she could even speak, I lowered my voice, firm but commanding.
“Doctor Ryu Jihwan. Where is he?”
The nurse blinked rapidly, then nodded as if recognizing the na. She picked up the phone to call soone, her hands fumbling slightly at my tone. Monts later, I heard quick footsteps, and Doctor Ryu appeared from the corridor. His white coat swayed as he walked with hurried strides, his expression a mixture of urgency and relief.
“Ms. Hwang,” he greeted, bowing slightly despite the situation. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
I stepped forward, my voice clipped. “Where is he? Take to him. Now.”
“Yes, of course. Please follow .”
We moved swiftly down the corridor, past rows of closed doors and muted hospital lights. My footsteps quickened until I was almost at his side. The further we walked, the louder the pounding in my chest beca.
Finally, I asked, unable to hold it back any longer. “Tell everything. What exactly happened to him?”
Doctor Ryu inhaled slowly before replying. “He was found collapsed earlier this evening. The paradics reported head trauma, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and extensive bruising on his body. However…” He glanced at cautiously. “…he is stable for now, but he is in a weakened state. We are monitoring him closely.”
I felt a rush of both relief and fury course through . Relief that he was not on the edge of death, but fury at the thought of soone daring to put him in such a condition. My hands curled into fists at my sides.
When we reached a private ward at the end of the corridor, Doctor Ryu paused and lowered his voice. “He is resting inside. We have sedated him lightly to ease his pain. I followed your instruction and have not allowed anyone else to see him. Only the nurses assigned to this ward know, and they were told to keep their silence.”
“Good,” I said coldly. “It must stay that way. If anyone asks for him, you contact first. No one is to enter without my permission.”
“Yes, Ms. Hwang,” he said with a bow.
He pushed the door open, and I stepped inside.
The sight that t made my breath catch in my throat.
There he was lying on the hospital bed, the thin white blanket pulled up to his chest. His face, usually bright with youth, was pale beneath the harsh fluorescent lights. His lips were cracked, and his breathing shallow but steady. A faint bruise shadowed his temple, and a bandage was wrapped around his wrist. His hair fell ssily across his forehead, damp with sweat.
For a mont, I could not move. My chest tightened painfully, my feet rooted to the floor.
Slowly, I forced myself forward, each step heavy with the weight of what I was seeing. I reached his bedside, my hand hovering above him, trembling slightly. I wanted to touch him, to reassure myself he was real, but I stopped just short of his skin.
Who did this to you?
The bruise on his wrist burned in my vision. At the ti, I had doubted my own suspicion. But now, seeing him like this, my doubts scattered. This was not an accident. Soone had laid their hands on him deliberately.
My jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.
Seo Yuna… was it you?
Doctor Ryu spoke quietly behind , as if aware of the storm brewing inside . “He needs rest. We will continue to run tests and monitor his condition. Physically, he should recover with ti. But… emotionally, I cannot say. Injuries like this often co with scars beyond the surface.”
I turned slightly, my eyes sharp. “Do not speak of this to anyone. If I hear a whisper about him outside these walls, I will know where it ca from.”
Doctor Ryu bowed his head deeply. “Understood, Ms. Hwang.”
I turned back to Haemin, my voice softening, almost to a whisper only I could hear.
“You’re safe now… I won’t let anyone touch you again.”
I pulled a chair close and sat down beside his bed. My fingers finally brushed his hand, careful and gentle, afraid I might cause him more pain. His skin was cool, fragile, and yet in that mont, all I felt was heat rising inside —anger, fear, and sothing deeper.
I leaned closer, my cap shadowing my eyes. “I promise you, Haemin… I’ll find out the truth. And when I do—whoever did this to you will regret it.”
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