Chapter 10
He connected the phone.
W-what do I do?
He knew she had been using that phone. There had clearly been no one in the room, so where had she been caught?
“N-no. It’s nothing. I can call later.”
Heeyeon brushed it off casually. His eyes immediately turned cold. He stepped closer in long strides. Her throat felt tight.
“You think I’m a fool, don’t you? That was So Pilmo calling, wasn’t it?”
“That’s not it.”
“He was shot. Lost a lot of blood. Probably on the verge of shock. That means the only person he could ask for help from would be you.”
He spoke with complete certainty. As his strong jaw moved, she felt as if she would be exposed at any moment.
Please.
Stay calm.
There’s no proof.
Right. Since my phone was cloned, I can just say I didn’t want my private calls overheard.
Barely steadying her chaotic thoughts, Heeyeon spoke.
“Do you think my brother is stupid? He may be reckless, but he wouldn’t come to me when he knows I’m being watched. And I didn’t want to use a cloned phone when my privacy is being exposed.”
“A lie.”
“Is that what you want to hear? Then keep watching.”
Heeyeon immediately called her aunt. To avoid suspicion, she deliberately used the landline.
“Aunt, it’s me. You did well. We’ve really worked nonstop for ten years—this is a good chance to rest.”
—Heeyeon?
“Yes, really. You’ve been wanting to travel for a while. You worked so hard raising us. Take a good rest.”
—Oh… okay. You take care too.
Having run their business together for ten years, they understood each other perfectly. Without mentioning Pilmo, they exchanged pleasantries and ended the call.
She quickly turned her head and glared at him.
“Is that enough?”
“……”
“You must not have anything else to say. Then I’ll go.”
She wanted to leave this room immediately. Her tense body felt like it might collapse at any moment.
Being in the same space as him was exhausting.
As she tried to cross the wide room, suddenly her waist was grabbed. Her body was pulled against him.
Her powerless body pressed against his chest. She froze stiff like a piece of wood.
Her breath caught in her chest.
With her waist held, her body ended up pressed against his lower body.
This…
Twitch.
Something hidden deep beneath his clothes throbbed. Heeyeon stopped breathing.
She felt like she might suffocate in the heavy air. He bit his lip tightly.
“No.”
“L-let go. Where are you touching?”
He brushed his fingers lightly across her lips. It felt as if all the blood vessels in her body were bursting at once. Discomfort flooded her.
Even though she had been told she was just a keeper, she began to wonder if he saw her as a nighttime companion. Was he suspicious she was lying? Was this his way of punishing her?
“You faltered.”
“…What?”
“Your voice.”
“Haa… let go.”
She twisted her body to escape. But he tightened his grip and pushed her against the wall.
She slid back until she was trapped between the wall and his chest.
What do I do…
She had tried to remain composed in front of him, but this kind of closeness was enough to shake anyone.
The scent coming from his body made her tremble.
“……”
“Let go. I don’t want to deal with a sadist!”
She shouted.
“…Where did you hear that?”
“Ah… just things people were saying…”
“And who exactly is a sadist?”
“Well… you…”
“I wondered what you were misunderstanding this whole time. Don’t tell me you thought the woman who ran away with your brother was my lover?”
“…What?”
The puzzle pieces in her head scattered.
“No.”
“Th-then whose lover…”
“The chairman’s.”
“W-wait. The chairman? Then my brother… took the boss’s woman?”
“That’s right.”
“…!!”
Heeyeon’s face went pale. The chairman Cha Myunghwan’s lover. From what she had searched on her phone, his underworld history was bound to be terrifying.
What do I do… My brother is really going to die.
“He did something extremely dangerous. Not only did he take the chairman’s woman, he also stole company secrets.”
“……”
“So you’d better cooperate as much as possible. If even one of those items is damaged, I won’t be able to protect you.”
It was terrifying.
The moment they learned the items were lost, it would be over. The horrible ending she imagined would become reality.
At least Yerim needs to escape…
If I can send Yerim somewhere…
What do I do?
She resented everything about this situation. Even this man holding her hostage became a target of her anger.
“Protect? That’s funny.”
“You’re not just a hostage. As you can see, I haven’t even touched a finger against you.”
“How can I believe that? I heard what dedicated keepers have to do…”
“Do?”
She didn’t want to say it out loud. As time passed, her confused emotions slowly settled.
“N-nothing. Anyway, if I get in touch with my brother, I’ll tell you right away. But you must guarantee the safety of me and my daughter.”
“I promise.”
Only then did he lower his arm. As soon as she had a path to escape, she ran back to her room without looking back.
Bang.
The moment she shut the door, she collapsed onto the floor. Fear slowly spread across her face.
After that, all the landline phones in the house disappeared except the one in the living room. With so many eyes watching, she couldn’t call her aunt from there, so her communication was effectively cut off.
Fortunately, her aunt hadn’t sent any messages, but that also meant she couldn’t hear how things were going.
A phone.
I need a phone that isn’t cloned.
How… where can I get one?
Her thoughts were completely filled with the need to contact her aunt.
Her troubled gaze drifted toward the mansion’s swimming pool.
A man leisurely enjoying his afternoon in the water.
It was June, early summer, but the heat had arrived early, so he swam every day.
Like a giant seal cutting through the water, he swam powerful laps. She counted to thirty before giving up.
Heeyeon stood nearby holding his robe, waiting for him to finish.
“Do you want to swim?”
“No.”
“You can come in.”
“I’ll pass.”
His unusually gentle tone irritated her. She didn’t expect him to understand the feelings of a hostage, but it felt like he was constantly teasing her.
Even now, he kept glancing at her while swimming leisurely, as if none of this concerned him.
Is he enjoying this situation?
He looked like someone excited over a new toy.
What should I do…
Oppa… can you find those items? If you do… will everything go back to normal? Will our lives be safe again?
She worried whether Pilmo had regained consciousness, whether he was even alive.
“Ah—”
Suddenly, cold water splashed her. She looked toward the source.
He was floating calmly in the pool, staring at her.
“No matter how much you think, there’s only one answer. So Pilmo. Find your brother quickly.”
“I want to.”
“You have one month left. Until the chairman gets out.”
“…O-one month?”
“After his final trial, he’ll be released immediately. Bring those items back before then.”
“H-hey. What power do I have to— Ah!”
A long arm suddenly shot out and grabbed her collar.
Splash.
She fell straight into the pool.
Startled, she flailed, losing her balance. But he caught her by the waist and steadied her.
Shocked, she instinctively grabbed his shoulders. He was wearing only a triangular swim brief, and the shape of his lower body was clearly visible.
…!
This man is aroused.
Why?
Why is this happening?
Confusion overwhelmed her. She didn’t know why he was aroused, but seeing that his bed had remained untouched for days, she wondered if he simply needed a woman.
No way.
Is it really…
Keepers… even at night…
“What are you imagining?”
“…Nothing.”
“Why? Are you turned on?”
Heeyeon flinched in shock. The way his lips curled into a smile was dangerously attractive.
Her heart pounded wildly. Beneath the water, his body pressed firmly against the fabric of his swimsuit.
And then—
A strange, unpleasant voice reached her ears.
“Looks like the guard dog is playing with someone pretty.”
