CRASH!
The sound of shattering ceramic echoed across the Executive Director's office. Shards of the once-pristine bonsai pot scattered across the floor, mixing with the loose soil as if nature itself had been torn from order.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
Vice President Jen Heo Won stood trembling, her chest heaving with rage. Her gaze was locked onto the man before her—the Executive Director, now reduced to a trembling wreck. He could barely hold his posture as he bowed repeatedly, muttering apologies through quivering lips.
"I'm sorry, VP Jen… I—I didn't mean—"
"Enough," Jen snarled. Her voice cut the air sharper than any blade. "You're incompetent. Get out of my sight."
The man scurried away like a kicked dog, leaving behind the silence of a storm barely contained.
Jen paced the room, biting at her thumb. Her mind raced—not just over the incompetence of her staff, but over the weight of a mistake she could no longer ignore. Her father… the bet. If word reached him before she could fix it—
A knock came at the door.
"What now!?" she barked, spinning to face the intruder.
Her bodyguard, Gon Jun San, stepped in.
"I said to leave me—!"
"The Chairman wants to see you," he said simply.
The words struck harder than any insult. Jen's defiance faltered. Her pale complexion drained further, and she dropped her hand from her mouth, trembling now for a different reason.
---
Won Estate, Evening
In the traditional hall of the Won household, the air was filled with the sound of clacking stones. Chairman Eh San Won sat cross-legged by a Go board, his hands calm and precise even in leisure. Across from him sat a young woman, composed, serene, and smiling.
Jen entered and bowed. "Father."
She raised her head—and froze.
Eva was sitting across from her father, her delicate fingers gently placing a white Go stone on the board.
"Hahaha! Smart girl," the Chairman laughed, waving his hand in defeat. "You solved the pattern well. But this is just the beginning, dear lassy."
"You… What are you doing here?" Jen whispered, her voice laced with disbelief.
The Chairman gave Eva a nod. "Leave us, dear. I have words for my daughter."
Eva stood gracefully and walked past Jen, casting her a silent, unreadable glance.
The doors slid shut.
"So," the Chairman said, voice now iron-clad. "You lost the bet."
Jen said nothing. Her lips parted slightly, but no words emerged.
"And you were the one who set the condition. Willing to give up your position at HQ… just like that." He sighed and rose slowly, every movement measured and deliberate. "I had hoped you were stupid enough to fail. Seems I was right."
Jen fell to her knees. "Please, Father… I'll fix it—"
"That's better," he muttered. "No use crying over spilled milk."
He reached for a cane nearby. But this wasn't a cane for walking. As he unsheathed the whip from its polished lacquer, he walked past her in silence.
"Take position, Heo Won."
Tears pricked her eyes as she stood up, turned, and lifted her skirt without hesitation. The first crack of the whip echoed through the wooden floors.
And then another.
All she could do was whimper.
---
Minutes later, Jen stumbled out of the room, her legs trembling beneath the tight grip of her skirt. Pain seared through her, but it was the sting of humiliation that burned most.
And there, leaning casually against the hallway wall, arms crossed, was Eva.
"Pity," Eva said with a soft chuckle, her voice smooth and condescending. "You wouldn't be wearing skirts if your legs looked like that."
Jen clenched her fists. "You still haven't changed."
She lunged, her hand going straight for Eva's throat—but Eva moved first. Her fingers caught Jen's wrist and twisted, holding her still.
"I'm not the same girl you knew back when I was found… after the kidnapping," Eva said coldly, her tone void of fear.
Jen wrenched her hand away and backed off, breathing hard. Then, after a pause, she smirked.
"I thought you hated Father. Hated the Won Group. What made you come back?"
Eva's eyes narrowed. "Let's just say… someone from my past needs me. And I always have his back."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Jen stared after her, stunned. "What in the bullshit is she spouting—?"
Her eyes widened.
She knew exactly who Eva meant.
---
Later That Evening
Shan Wolf loosened his collar as he exited the lobby of the building, finally done with a long day of tangled meetings and emotional chaos.
"Man, I'm beat."
A sleek, white car pulled up smoothly in front of him. The driver-side window slid down to reveal a familiar face—Gon Jun San, the Vice President's bodyguard.
"Evening, Mr. Wolf," Jun San said. "I've come to pick you up. By the Vice President's request."
Shan raised a brow. "Why?"
"I wasn't told. Only ordered to bring you to the location."
Shan sighed, rubbing his neck. "Well, I am free now…"
He got in.
---
The ride was silent. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the faint buzz of city lights outside. As they descended in a private elevator, Shan leaned against the wall, giving Jun San a sidelong glance.
"Not your first time doing this, huh?"
Jun San didn't reply.
"Silent type," Shan muttered. "That makes one of us. Though I can't help but notice those bruised knuckles… Were you a boxer?"
Jun San finally looked over. "Was. You?"
"Same. Mixed martial arts."
Jun San gave a nod. "Respect."
"Same to you."
---
They reached the -3 basement level. The doors slid open to reveal a private room with tinted glass, dim lighting, and a singular figure seated within.
Jen Heo Won sat waiting, legs crossed, a cigarette between her fingers. She smiled without warmth as the two men entered.
"Mr. Wolf," she said. "So glad you could make it."
---
Chapter 25 — End