Chapter 13
“How do we find him?”
“Search the places Pilmo is likely to go.”
“….”
At his words, sweat gathered in her palms.
Search the places Pilmo might go? Wasn’t he going to look for him directly? But he seemed to have no such leisure.
“Let’s start tomorrow.”
“What?”
“The tracking.”
The thought of tracking Pilmo through his blood sent a chill of terror through her.
“What? T-tracking?”
“You’re looking for your brother too, right? It might help if Ms. So Hee-yeon comes along, in case she knows something.”
What the hell. This man. It felt like he intended to use her to find Pilmo directly.
What should she do?
Why did he want to use her for this? If he had investigated properly, he would have already known that Pilmo had no relatives or connections in the area.
“We don’t have any ties in Gangwon Province.”
“I didn’t say Gangwon Province.”
“…!”
Her heart dropped.
Her mind went blank.
“How did you know?”
“Th-that is….”
“How do you know your brother’s old villa is in Gangwon Province?”
Thud. He set down his glass and glared at her. He looked dangerous.
Cold sweat ran down her back. Her throat tightened.
Stay calm.
Please. I just need to get through this moment.
“…I heard it.”
“You haven’t even had a phone call with him in ten years. From whom?”
“From someone who saw my brother. They said he was working in Gangwon.”
“Really?”
His eyebrow lifted slightly. He studied her.
A suspicious gaze. But Hee-yeon bit the inside of her mouth and kept her composure.
“I’m not lying. My brother’s friend stopped by my shop and told me. What? Do you want a face-to-face confrontation?”
“Hm….”
He brushed his lips with his hand.
“Fine. Let’s assume that for now. We don’t have time to waste on that anyway.”
“….”
She quietly exhaled in relief.
“Then starting tomorrow, you’ll come with me.”
She thought she had misheard.
People in this house were mostly unable to leave freely. Guards were stationed everywhere to prevent debtors from running away. It was obvious this would raise suspicion.
She bit her lip.
“What about the people…?”
“Forget about the workers. Or… act like my lover.”
“W-what?”
Hee-yeon flinched and looked at Kang Seok-woo.
“Act like you’re someone I take to bed, and it’ll be easier to bring you out.”
He smirked faintly, as if mocking her.
What is this man trying to do? He couldn’t possibly be suggesting he sleep with her. He had clearly said he wouldn’t do that.
Her mind went blank.
Even imagining herself undressing in front of him made her nauseous.
“That’s impossible. I’m a mother.”
“Is there a rule that mothers can’t be held by men?”
“Hey, Kang Seok-woo. Right now—”
Before she could stand up, a long arm shot out and grabbed her chin.
She froze.
His cold hand held her jaw. His eyes were filled with anger.
“I’m not giving you a choice. I’m telling you to cooperate.”
“….”
The atmosphere pressed down on her chest.
His gaze pierced through her.
“If I speak politely, do you think I’m easy?”
“….”
“You don’t have a choice. Remember that again. I don’t care how others see it. You go wherever I tell you.”
She felt completely overwhelmed.
She couldn’t argue anymore.
Still, she mustered all her strength and slapped his hand away.
“Fine. I’m your hostage anyway.”
Her chin was grabbed again—this time pulling her even closer.
Their faces were now right in front of each other.
His lips were so close.
She couldn’t breathe.
Why was she even admiring his looks at a time like this?
His breath brushed her skin. A faint, pleasant scent spread—strangely not alcohol, despite the wine.
He looked almost inhumanly beautiful.
But behind that beauty, he was clearly cruel.
“I’m the one who’s angry here.”
“Let go.”
She tried to turn away, but he pulled her closer.
“Since you’re a hostage…”
His eyes shimmered strangely.
Something about the touch at her chin sent a strange sensation through her whole body.
She pushed his hand away again and shifted back.
“Fine. I’ll act like a servant dog, okay? But I decide what happens to my body.”
“…Ha.”
“You told me to drink, right? Fine. I’ll be your drinking companion if you need one.”
She grabbed the wine and drank it down.
The strong aroma filled her mouth, but it helped break the suffocating tension.
He seemed satisfied, watching her while touching his chin.
“That’s a strong wine.”
“I can handle alcohol. See?”
Before he could pour for her, she drank directly from the bottle.
She wasn’t getting drunk.
If she lost her mind now, she couldn’t protect Pilmo—or her daughter, Yerim.
She couldn’t afford weakness.
I won’t lose.
Even if I’m a hostage, you can’t control me.
You need me too.
If that secret gets exposed to the chairman, your life will be in danger too.
She stared at Seok-woo and kept drinking.
But instead of being satisfied, his expression darkened.
Then—
Whoosh.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
Crash.
Glasses and dishes fell and shattered across the floor.
Thump. Thump.
Her heart pounded wildly.
“You really know how to push my buttons.”
“Let go.”
“Aren’t you afraid of me?”
“Yes!”
She actually was terrified.
But if she showed it, she would lose even more ground.
His hand wrapped around her waist.
A scream almost escaped her.
His fingers brushed her lower back, and a strange, sensual tension spread through her.
She froze completely.
“…You’re trembling like this and still denying it.”
“Ah…”
“Or is it not your upper body reacting—but lower?”
At his words, she snapped back to her senses.
She pushed against his chest.
“Hey!”
“Don’t you think you’re like other women? Getting flushed just because a handsome man is close.”
His fingers traced lightly along her waist.
Her mind went blank.
She should have pushed him away—but her body wouldn’t obey.
Heat spread through her entire body.
“D-don’t talk nonsense! I just have a type…”
“A type?”
He tilted his head, genuinely curious.
In that moment, she finally regained her senses.
“…A gentle man. And no tattoos.”
