Chapter 154 - Truth
"Ugh..."
The moment Minseo opened his eyes, a stinging pain shot through his anus. He was in Hayoung's room.
"What happened to me..."
Minseo searched his memories of the day before. He realized he'd passed out from the pleasure the second the ejaculation ring came off.
"Ha... is Master-nim still angry with me...?"
It felt like ages since he'd seen Hayoung that furious. From her perspective, she must've seen him as a disobedient slave who broke his promise and came back drunk on his own. Honestly, she had every right to be angry. But because he knew that wasn't the truth, Minseo felt utterly heartbroken and wronged.
If he told her about it, it would trigger a massive clash between the police and the mafia... so Minseo hadn't been able to speak up. Unlike the conflict with Hwayeon, a fight with the police could, in the worst case, bring down the entire Baekhwa organization. The police weren't just another mafia outfit. Even Chae-ryeong at the bar could get dragged away in an instant.
"...What should I do..."
Minseo clutched his throbbing head, lost in thought. In this tangled mess, tears welled up in his eyes again, and he was on the verge of crying.
That's when the door opened and Hayoung walked in.
Minseo quickly wiped his tears with his arm and acted like nothing was wrong. Hayoung watched him closely, pulled a chair from the side, and sat down in front of him. Seeing Minseo couldn't meet her eyes, she spoke.
"Kang Minseo, look at me."
At her command, Minseo had no choice but to face her. His reddened eyes were visible.
"Did you cry?"
"No... I was just yawning..."
He tried to brush it off with an excuse, but his voice was already trembling.
"Hoo... Minseo-ya."
Hayoung sighed softly and looked at him with gentle eyes.
"Did nothing really happen yesterday? This is the last time I'm asking."
"Yest...erday..."
Caught off guard by her sudden question, Minseo's inner conflict flared up. What if he told her and things spiraled into the worst-case scenario? There was a reason he'd endured that painful beating yesterday. He couldn't tell her. If he did, it'd be an irreversible war with the police.
"...No... nothing happened."
In the end, Minseo chose to keep quiet. To protect everyone. He believed staying silent was the right call.
"...Minseo-ya. This is your last chance."
But Hayoung didn't blink at his answer. She spoke clearly, as if telling him to listen well.
"Jiha went to the bar you visited at dawn to investigate."
Minseo's pupils shook.
She went to investigate?
"She tried to check the CCTV there, but all the recent records had been wiped clean."
Hayoung stared at him with sharp eyes and continued.
"And coincidentally... the records from the day you were drinking are gone too."
"Th... that is..."
"Minseo-ya, it's okay. Just tell me. Something happened, didn't it?"
Hayoung grabbed his hand firmly and looked into his eyes with deep affection. It was her way of building trust with Minseo, who kept trying to hide the story.
Feeling her affectionate touch, Minseo's tears spilled over.
"Sob... Ha... Master-nim...!"
He couldn't hold back the sobs anymore. He hugged Hayoung tightly and cried his heart out.
"Hoo..."
Certain that something had happened, Hayoung bit her lip hard and hugged him back.
What kind of crazy bastards dare touch an executive and my slave? Just let me catch them. I'll kill them all.
She suppressed her boiling rage and listened intently as Minseo, sniffling, told her everything that had happened that day.
After hearing the whole story without missing a detail, Hayoung clenched her fists. A murderous rage boiled up inside her, uncontrollable. Sleeping pills, rape, destruction of evidence... The police were committing illegal acts like it was nothing.
"Ha... fuck. I'm going to kill them all."
Unable to contain her anger, she stood up from her chair.
"Master-nim!"
Minseo held her back and hugged her again.
"I'm okay... please, calm down..."
He tried to soothe her while sobbing. Seeing his cute, tear-streaked face helped Hayoung cool down, at least a little.
"Ha... alright. I'll calm down."
She sat back down.
"I need to call all the executives today."
Hayoung frowned and sank into thought. The police who'd been bothering her lately, the ones who suddenly provoked them—what they were after was obviously Baekhwa. But she still didn't get it. If they wanted to dismantle Baekhwa so badly, why not strike when things were chaotic from the clash with Hwayeon? Why now?
She couldn't solve the puzzle.
Ha... in the end, he told her.
Minseo had sworn he'd never speak, but Hayoung's affectionate behavior shattered his resolve in an instant. Still, he felt relieved.
"Thank you, Kang Minseo."
Hayoung gently stroked his hair.
"I understand why you didn't want to tell me. But that's for us to decide. You don't have to carry this alone. Understand?"
She was more affectionate than ever before, trying to comfort him.
"Yes..."
Minseo nodded.
The atmosphere was ending on a warm note.
"Let's go out and eat."
At Hayoung's words, Minseo got up. Just as they were about to leave the room—
"Crazy."
Minseo realized what had been bothering him.
"Why?" Hayoung asked, seeing his pupils dilate and his anxious expression.
"Did Jiha-nim go to the bar in person to investigate?"
"Yeah. So?"
"The staff there... they're all in on it! They're on the police's side!"
Minseo recalled the memory and spoke in a panicked voice.
Hearing that, Hayoung immediately started calling Jiha. She'd gotten a message from her an hour ago saying she'd investigate further, but there was no guarantee she was still safe.
Ring ring—
Ring ring—
The signal stretched on. Just before Hayoung hung up, someone answered.
"Yeah, Eonni."
Fortunately, it was Jiha's voice. She sounded fine.
"Jiha-ya. Is everything alright there?"
"Of course."
"Are you still near the bar?"
"Yeah. The investigation isn't finished yet."
"Forget it. Get out of that area right now."
"Suddenly? Why?"
"I'll explain when you get here. Hurry."
......
Suddenly, Jiha's voice cut off.
"Jiha-ya?"
Hayoung called again, but there was no response from the other end.
"What are you guys?"
Then Jiha's voice came through again.
"What...?"
Hayoung replied to the out-of-nowhere words, then realized—Jiha wasn't talking to her.
Jiha had been heading toward her car while on the phone when a group wearing black masks and hats slowly emerged from the alleyway toward her, baseball bats in hand.
"So that's why Eonni called so urgently."
Jiha muttered, scanning the area. At least five or six enemies.
"What are you guys?"
The masked group ignored her words and moved closer.
"Jiha-ya? What's going on?" Hayoung's urgent voice came through the phone.
"Eonni. Track my location and come running."
Jiha hung up.
Click—
"Fuck."
Hearing that, Hayoung immediately opened the door and ran out. She called someone.
"Suhyeon-ah, track Jiha's phone location and go with the others!"
She summoned Suhyeon and sent her out.
"Minseo-ya, how long did it take for you back then?"
She asked Minseo, who had followed her.
"At least thirty minutes..."
"Hoo... please..."
Hayoung took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
Whoosh—!!
The bat cut through the air. Jiha spotted the opening in the wide swing and drove her fist into the attacker's abdomen.
"Kuh-ack—!!"
The masked person crumpled. Jiha whipped her blonde hair around and surveyed the surroundings. They were closing in. She needed an escape route. Behind her was a building—she couldn't run that way. Or maybe...
She dashed into the building.
Thump thump thump—!!!
Seeing her enter, the group shouted, "Catch her!" and charged in.
"Huff—! Huff—! They're fucking fast."
With the group chasing her, Jiha started climbing the stairs. After a while, she paused at the top, catching her breath as if waiting for them.
"This is how we fight fair—!!!"
The narrow stairs only allowed one person up at a time. Jiha grabbed the railing and kicked.
Bam—!!
The one hit square in the face fell backward, and the rest lost their balance and tumbled.
"Come at me, all of you—you fucking bastards."
Jiha hurled herself at the pile and threw punches. Bam! Bam! Bam!
A fierce fight unfolded on the narrow staircase. "Hah—!!!" "Huh—!!" Jiha easily took them down, using the confined space to her advantage.