"I'm Kim Ju On," said the woman to Ingrid.
Ingrid's heart raced. This was the very same woman she had hit with her car, running her over in fear. "H...h-hi...hi, I'm Ingrid Mikage," she stuttered, her eyes darting to Shan Wolf's cold but smiling face, as if he wanted to see her trembling.
They entered the house, taking in the cozy atmosphere. Ingrid could hear a baby cooing from a nearby cradle. She walked straight up to it and saw a cute baby girl.
"It's...a...girl," Ingrid said, gazing at the adorable baby's face. A dark thought crossed her mind—what if the baby had died during childbirth? She closed her eyes, trying to push the thought away.
"Yes, it's a girl. We named her Mei Han On," said Kim Ju On's husband, Kei Kun Sook. "You must be Ingrid Mikage. It's a pleasure to meet you. We invited Shan Wolf over for dinner because we can't thank him enough for saving my wife back then." Ingrid felt a tremor of anxiety.
"Hmm? Why are you shaking, Ms. Mikage?" Kei Kun Sook asked.
"Oh, don't mind her. She's just tired from all the work she's had as manager at Won Group Headquarters," Shan Wolf said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
They took their seats at a rectangular table and began to eat dinner. Ingrid stared at her food, lost in thought and fear. "So, Shan, I learned that you bought a condo but you don't have a car. Why is that?" Kei Kun Sook asked.
"Honestly, I'm planning to buy one. The problem is I can't find a car that fits my needs," Shan Wolf replied.
"Oh? Say, we still owe you one. Just name it! We'll get you a car. What do you think, my love?" Kei Kun Sook turned to his wife.
"I think it would be a great idea," Kim Ju On said.
"No, no. I don't want to take advantage of your kindness or anything. I just did what I had to," Shan Wolf reassured them.
"You're getting it whether you like it or not," Kei Kun insisted.
Shan Wolf sighed, giving in. "Alright, currently I'm looking for a second-hand Ford Mustang."
Kei Kun Sook nodded in understanding. "Nuff said, I respect a man of the Ford's. But please don't think very low of us, Mr. Wolf. You're like family to us now. So I'm getting you the latest one: a 2025 Ford Mustang GTD," he said proudly, while his wife tapped her head, knowing he was trying to act cool.
"Alright, alright. I accept it," Shan Wolf relented as Kei Kun Sook pulled out his phone and ordered the car for immediate delivery.
Two hours later, the car arrived from the official store. The paperwork was finalized, and finally, Shan Wolf owned the latest model: a 2025 Ford Mustang GTD.
They all took a group photo and enjoyed their time outside. "Here, try holding her, Ms. Mikage," Kim Ju On urged Ingrid to cradle her child. "Oh, umm... sure." As Ingrid cradled the baby girl, it made a cute giggle sound as it reached out to tap Ingrid's cheek.
A single tear from Ingrid's eye dropped onto the child's finger as it playfully laughed and cooed at her. Ingrid's eyes widened as she felt what it meant to be a new mother again, remembering her own daughter and how she first held her in the hospital after delivery.
Shan Wolf noticed and gave a small smile. "Well, look at the time. We better get going since tomorrow is a working day," he said to Kei Kun Sook and Kim Ju On. Both Shan Wolf and Ingrid took their leave, saying goodbye. Shan Wolf even bought a little doll for the baby girl as a gift.
"Mr. Wolf... you shouldn't have," said Kim Ju On. Shan Wolf held the child, nudged its nose with his, and then returned her to Kim Ju On.
After they left the house, both of them sat quietly as Shan Wolf drove the Mustang that Kei Kun Sook had bought for him a few hours ago.
"So? How does my payback feel—" Ingrid hit him with her bag in anger repeatedly.
"Oi! Stop it, woman!" Shan Wolf yelled as he took her bag and tossed it in the back.
"YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!!!" Ingrid yelled.
"Do you know what you have done?!" she shouted again.
"Hey! None of this would have happened if you hadn't hacked into my laptop," Shan Wolf exclaimed.
A long silence fell between them.
"Do they know?" Ingrid asked.
"No. For now," Shan Wolf answered.
"That woman survived thanks to me. Unlike someone," Shan Wolf reminded her.
"Yeah? Since she's alive, why doesn't she just get another fucking baby—" Shan Wolf slapped her hard across the cheek.
The sound echoed, and silence fell again.
A second later, Shan Wolf spoke up. "I hope you're happy, Ingrid. I hope you are very 'VERY' happy. Because of you, she's infertile."
Ingrid's eyes widened. "H...how...?"
Shan Wolf explained, "Her hip area sustained a permanent injury from the 'accident' you caused." He air-quoted. "Because of that, she is now infertile. All thanks to you, Ingrid Mikage," he said, his eyes cold and glaring at her.
"The doctors are now arranging to put some metal object into that area to support her everyday lifestyle," Shan Wolf added.
Again, silence fell. Shan Wolf turned the clutch and drove Ingrid back home. "Gangnam Street, I suppose, since you live in the next building where I'm living at," he said.
As he stopped the car at the entrance, Ingrid got out and walked into the building. Shan Wolf returned to his condo, not before registering the car and the number plate with security for private/exclusive parking.
Somewhere in a massage parlor, the VP lay naked on the table with her tablet. A naked man in a loincloth poured oil on her back and began to massage her professionally.
"Anonymous transfer from Malaysia to Korea? This doesn't make any sense. How did a guy like him get into the IR Department? Plus, the HR Department was next door since he is good with computers. Twenty-five years old for a young man like him," the VP said as she handed her tablet to her assistant. "There is something else about him, madam," her assistant spoke up.
"Oh? Do tell, Gon Jun San," the VP asked.
"Apparently, he was vouched for and pulled in by the Chairman himself, and to a shocking surprise, many of his records are considered confidential. Not even the amount of net worth in billions of Won from the Won Group can get a single paper of info on him."
The VP waved her hand to the massager to stop as he walked away. "Father did what?" she said, her eyes widening. "Then, what is his relationship with that old hag?" she asked her assistant.
"He was set to transfer back to his homeland, Malaysia, but it got canceled," he said.
"Why?"
"Apparently, he was accused of being behind the hidden camera incident but was proven innocent after confirmed footage. So, Ingrid Mikage canceled his transfer," said her assistant, Gon Jun San.
"That old hag is not someone who can change decisions. Hmmm..."
The VP then ordered her assistant to leave her alone. She looked at Shan Wolf's profile picture. "Huh? He looks like a different person. He looks messy compared to what I saw today," she said.
Behind the closed curtains of the empty room, she fingered herself while looking at Shan Wolf's picture as the fire crackled from the side.
"You're making me want to explore you deeper and deeper, Mr. Wolf. Hmhmhmhm..." she chuckled yet moaned as she continued to pleasure herself.
The next day, a group of workers, including Ingrid, went to the elevator. As it was about to close, Shan Wolf made a last-minute entry and stepped inside.
Ingrid felt her skin crawl. Shan Wolf was just behind her. She could envision herself naked, with a hungry, ferocious wolf circling around her, ready to pounce at any moment.
"We didn't say a single word after yesterday. I already knew who the prey and the predator were. The fear is eating me slowly. However, at the same time, it felt like a sense of excitement to me," she thought. She breathed hard, her pheromones unknowingly filling the elevator.
As the door opened, she quickly went to her office. But to her surprise, the Executive Director grabbed her wrist hard and forced her against the wall.
"Ingrid Mikage! What's wrong here? Can't you keep your own subordinates in line?!" he lowered his voice as he yelled at her. Ingrid chuckled, remembering how he had been humiliated by the VP yesterday.
"You think this is funny?!" He choked her a little too hard and slammed her against the wall, ensuring they were alone. "I think you've forgotten your fucking place!" He laid his hand on Ingrid's folds through her pantyhose.
"Let go of me, you sick psycho!" Ingrid tried to break free, but she couldn't. "We'll see about that!" the Director said. He was about to raise his hands against her.
"Either you let her go, or I will make it worse, sir," Shan Wolf said, stepping forward. The Director turned to see Shan Wolf, who had grabbed the Director's wrist hard with a tight grip.
"You! How dare you talk back to—" The Director stopped mid-sentence as Shan Wolf pointed to his back. Mei Yoo Jun was recording everything with her smartphone.
"Fuck off!"
Shan Wolf leaned toward the Director and whispered, "Tch! Ingrid, in my office after lunch hours." The Director scoffed and left.
Mei Yoo Jun sent the video to Shan Wolf on his phone and then left.
"... You okay?" he asked Ingrid.
"I'm... used to it. Just... get back to work, ... bastard," she whispered.
Shan stepped forward and gave a quick peck on her nose, saying, "Yeah, yeah. I'm your bastard." He said it with a cold face yet a smile as he returned to his table.
She felt her heart skip a beat, wondering what this feeling was that she had never felt before. A feeling she thought she had long since buried. But it resurfaced as she made her way to her office.
Meanwhile, Gang Si Won was on his phone, a grim smile plastered on his face. "Is it done?" he asked on the other end of the line. "Good, I'll deal with the rest," he continued. "Oh, please, it's not like I wanted to do it with her. She's all bling and no fun. Besides, things are about to get better from here on out." He hung up, packed his bags and office belongings, handed in his early resignation letter, and was ready to leave.
"Si... Si Won!" Rae Yoorin called out to him. He turned slightly but only gave her a cold glare and smirked as he left the premises.
Rae Yoorin was confused and questioned what was going on with Gang Si Won.
Somewhere later in the Won Residence main household, Chairman Eh San Won was sitting in the hall, painting a canvas of a black tree with pink dotted flowers on a naked woman in front of him.
He heard the click-clack of footsteps approaching. "Hello there, dear father. Still indulging in those toys as hobbies, I presume?" The VP, the Chairman's daughter, was about to come forward a little until the Chairman told her to stop where she stood.
"Stop. The small snake statue in front of you is the line that divides beauty and venomous vermin."
The VP looked at the black, average-looking small stone statue of a carved snake.
"Oh please, father, calling your own daughter a vermin?" she asked.
"The only reason you're here, as clear as day, is to ruin my time for your own benefits. How could I not call you a vermin?" the Chairman, Eh San Won, replied, his main focus still on the ink he was painting on the canvas of the woman in front of him.
"Anyway, I did not come here for my own benefits. I just came to tell you that our head of HR is facing problems. And I mean Ingrid Mikage. I want you to reevaluate her," she complained professionally.
"Though I know you adore your pets, since Ingrid was and currently is your greatest collection, pity though she was with a man yesterday for a night out."
The Chairman paused his hand. "Who dares touch what's mine?" His face remained focused on the woman, but his eyes turned toward the VP.
"Oh, just some worker you vouched for called Shan Wolf." She wondered how the Chairman would react.
"That's it? Then he can have her as he wants. I'm willing to give up one of my collections for his needs," the Chairman said as he returned to painting the canvas.
The VP's eyes widened again. She didn't know her father would go to such an extent to give up one of his top collections to someone like Shan Wolf.
"Hmmm... who is this person, father?" the VP demanded.
"I'll give you one phrase: 'Born of death, sworn to unmake,'" the Chairman's voice was cold and menacing, as if it were a warning not to cross paths with Shan Wolf.
"Tch, doesn't matter. Since it's a reevaluation, I decided to make her recruit someone. If she succeeds in recruiting this individual, she lives. But if she fails, she dies," said the VP with a cruel smile.
"Reevaluation, my old foot. From the way I see it, you just want to include some loyal pieces into your little dollhouse in my company for your own personal gains," the Chairman said in a cold tone as he was almost done with the painting.
"Well, that's the plan. I want to live my own life," she said.
"Do you know what it means to take on my people?" The Chairman claimed it as if it were a challenge.
"I know you're going to be a senile old man soon. And I know that it means if I lose, I give up my position. Though I don't have any attachment to the CEO job if I can't even put my own rights into it. So how about this: if I lose, just give the position to my sister," the VP dared.
"Okay, I bet on that," the Chairman smiled at the bet.
"Thank you, father. Your vermin daughter shall take her leave." The VP left as soon as the Chairman finished his work.
He picked up his phone and called someone. "It's me," he said. "How is she doing?" "No, I want to prove she's worthy in the company, young lad." "True, a slow progress is a better option. But now everything will be set into motion. Are you sure this will work?" "Okay, I'll see to it on the progress."
The Chairman put his phone down, wondering what progress would be made with that mysterious caller.
Chapter 21 — End.