POV: Male Lead (Min-jae)
Min-jae had always known peace was temporary.
He had spent his entire life watching over his shoulder, waiting for the moment when the past would catch up to him.
And now, it had.
His phone vibrated on the nightstand.
A blocked number.
His gut twisted.
He picked up. "Who is this?"
A deep chuckle echoed through the line.
"Did you think I'd let you live so easily, son?"
Min-jae's grip tightened around the phone.
His father.
His biggest nightmare.
"You lost your right to call me that a long time ago," Min-jae said coldly.
"Did I?" his father mused. "You seem to forget, Min-jae. I created you. And I can destroy you just as easily."
Min-jae's blood ran cold.
His father never made idle threats.
"What do you want?"
"I want what's mine," the older man said smoothly. "Your company. Your power. Your entire empire… belongs to me."
Min-jae laughed darkly.
"You're delusional."
His father sighed. "Min-jae, Min-jae… you really think I'm bluffing? Open your email."
Min-jae hesitated, then pulled up his laptop.
A single email sat at the top. No subject. No sender.
He clicked.
His heart stopped.
It was a picture of Ha-neul.
Taken that morning.
She was being watched.
Min-jae shot up from the bed, his pulse roaring in his ears.
"If you touch her—"
His father laughed again.
"Then give me what I want, Min-jae. Or the good doctor might not be so lucky next time."
The line went dead.
---
POV: Female Lead (Ha-neul)
Ha-neul knew something was wrong the moment she saw Min-jae's face.
His usual confidence was gone.
"Min-jae?" she asked. "What happened?"
He didn't answer right away.
Instead, he pulled her into a tight embrace.
Too tight.
Like he was afraid to let go.
"Min-jae, you're scaring me," she whispered.
He exhaled shakily. "My father called."
Her body stiffened.
"He sent me this."
Min-jae pulled out his phone, showing her the picture.
Ha-neul's breath hitched.
"This was taken today," she realized.
Min-jae nodded.
"He's watching you," he said, his voice low. "And he's not going to stop."
Ha-neul clenched her fists.
She had faced death before. She had been through pain, loss, and fear.
But this time was different.
Because this time, she wasn't fighting alone.
She met Min-jae's gaze.
"We'll stop him," she said firmly.
Min-jae studied her for a moment before pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"I won't let him take you from me," he whispered.
She smiled softly.
"He won't."
Because no matter what came next—
They would face it together.
---