EPISODE 4

Night had fallen over Seoul, the city lights glittering like stars below the high-rise mansion. Inside, Kim Hye-won’s penthouse was unusually quiet. Aera sat curled on the couch, still tense from the day’s events, while Hye-won sat across from her, cigarette smoke curling lazily into the air.

The tranquility shattered with the sound of the front door opening. Footsteps clicked sharply against the marble floor.

“Hye-won,” a deep, commanding voice called.

Hye-won’s head shot up, her expression instantly hardening. “Father.”

The man entering the room was tall, broad-shouldered, with the same sharp eyes Hye-won had inherited. But there was an undeniable warmth in his gaze—one that had nothing to do with Hye-won.

Hye-won stood, masking her irritation. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

Her father’s eyes immediately fell on Aera, who froze, her small frame shrinking further under the weight of his stare.

“And who… is this?” His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge that made Hye-won tense.

“This is… my guest,” Hye-won said flatly, not bothering to introduce Aera. Her posture was defensive now, something rare for her.

Her father’s gaze softened when it landed fully on Aera. For a brief moment, the cold, calculating queen of Seoul felt a ripple of something she hadn’t felt in years: unease.

“You brought her here?” he asked, voice controlled but undeniably angry.

Hye-won’s lips twitched. “She interfered last day, Father. She—”

“Enough.” His voice cut her off. “Do you have any idea who this girl is?”

Hye-won blinked. “She’s just—”

“She’s not just anyone,” he said, stepping closer. His eyes met hers, unflinching. “I’ve known her family for a long time. And she will not be harmed under your roof. Do I make myself clear?”

Hye-won opened her mouth to argue, but her father raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. His authority was absolute—something she knew better than anyone.

“I don’t care if you hate her, Hye-won,” he continued, gaze sharp and commanding. “From now on, she is protected. And I will make sure of it… by arranging your marriage to her.”

The words hit the room like a hammer.

Hye-won froze. “What?!” Her voice was sharp, incredulous. “Father, that—You can’t—”

“I can,” he said simply. “And I will. You have no say in this matter. Do not forget who has the power here.”

Aera, meanwhile, sat frozen on the couch, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Her heart raced, confusion written plainly across her face. She didn’t understand what was happening—why Hye-won’s father was angry at Hye-won, why he seemed to care so much for her, or why a wedding was suddenly being mentioned.

Hye-won’s expression was a mixture of disbelief and fury, but even her steel-hard composure couldn’t override the fact that her father held absolute authority.

“Father…” Hye-won began, her voice low and dangerous, but he didn’t flinch.

Aera simply sat quietly, stunned, unsure whether to speak or even move. The entire room seemed suspended between tension, fear, and shock.

Her father’s gaze softened slightly toward Aera, but his tone remained firm.

“You are safe. Nothing will happen to you, not while I am alive. And Hye-won… you will follow my orders. No exceptions.”

The words settled like a weight over everyone in the room.

Hye-won clenched her fists, her teeth grinding. She hated it—hated the loss of control, hated the way her father’s decision tied her to someone she didn’t want.

Aera, meanwhile, sat silent, completely unable to process what was happening. All she could do was stare at Hye-won and then at the imposing figure of the father who had just decided her life for her.

And in that moment, the balance of power shifted entirely.

Aera blinked up at Hye-won’s father, her voice trembling despite her urgency.

“Uncle… please… my parents… where are they? Are they… safe?” Her hands twisted nervously in her lap.

Her father’s gaze softened, but he didn’t waver. He reached out and gently placed a hand over hers.

“Wherever they are, Aera,” he said calmly, “they are safe. They are doing well. You have nothing to fear about them.”

Aera’s heart skipped. Her lips parted, about to ask more, but the words caught in her throat. She didn’t understand… she had always thought herself abandoned, alone in that orphanage. And yet now, a piece of her past she had long forgotten seemed to whisper back to her.

Hye-won, standing nearby, narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze flicking between Aera and her father. Her mind raced—what? This girl isn’t just some orphan from a random place? Confusion and irritation surged inside her chest.

Her father finally straightened. “Remember this,” he said, producing a small, delicate ring from his coat pocket. He placed it gently into Aera’s hand. “Keep it safe. It’s from someone important… someone who cares for you.”

Aera’s fingers closed around the ring, her breath catching. The metal felt familiar—terrifyingly familiar. And then she remembered.

Her eyes widened, staring at the ring in disbelief. She had seen it before. On her mother’s finger, years ago, when she was just four. The memory came rushing back in an instant—the warmth of her mother’s hand, the gentle swirl of the ring.

Hye-won’s father gave a final nod to both of them. “I’ll leave you to sort this out,” he said, voice calm but firm. Then he turned, his footsteps echoing away, leaving the room quiet once again.

For a few seconds, Aera simply stared at the ring, tears threatening to fall, the flood of memories leaving her breathless.

But Hye-won didn’t stay silent for long. Her glare cut across the room like a blade. Her eyes blazed with fury, her voice icy and sharp.

“This is your fault!” she snapped, stepping forward. “If it weren’t for you—this… this arrangement, this ridiculous wedding, all of it… none of this would have happened!”

Aera flinched, the words hitting her chest like a hammer. Her eyes welled up instantly, her lip trembling. She had only just begun to grasp the strange twists of fate, and now she was being scolded by the very person she feared most.

“I-I didn’t…” Aera choked, trying to explain, but her voice broke. The tears fell freely now. “I didn’t do anything wrong…”

Hye-won’s lips pressed into a hard line, glaring down at her as though the girl’s tears were a nuisance, yet her chest heaved slightly—her frustration and confusion warring beneath her cold exterior.

“You really are impossible,” Hye-won muttered, shaking her head. “Do you even understand the trouble you’ve caused?”

Aera only sobbed, clutching the ring to her chest like a lifeline. Her heart ached, not from guilt, but from the unwanted scolding, from the harshness of the woman she already feared, and from the sheer weight of a world she didn’t understand.

Hye-won’s gaze softened for a fleeting second, but only a fleeting one. Then her jaw tightened, and she turned away abruptly, pacing the room.

“I swear… if you cause me this much trouble again, little rabbit…” she muttered, voice low and dangerous, almost strict “…you won’t like what happens next.”

Aera buried her face in her hands, silent, small, and trembling.

And for the first time, Hye-won realized just how annoyingly human this little girl was—emotions, fear, innocence—and how she would have to deal with her, whether she liked it or not.

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