POV: Male Lead (Min-jae)
The air in the room felt suffocating.
Min-jae's father, Kang Dae-hyun, stood in the doorway, his gun still raised, his cold eyes locking onto Min-jae.
Tae-sung groaned, clutching his side as blood seeped through his fingers. Ha-neul rushed to his side, her hands pressing against the wound in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.
Min-jae clenched his fists. "You didn't have to shoot him."
Dae-hyun scoffed. "Didn't I? He was hesitating. I don't keep people who hesitate, Min-jae. You should know that by now."
Min-jae's jaw tightened. His father was as ruthless as ever.
"Leave," Min-jae said. His voice was dangerously low.
Dae-hyun chuckled. "You're in no position to order me around, son."
Min-jae's body tensed. "You wanted control over me my whole life, but you never got it. And you never will."
Dae-hyun's smirk disappeared.
"You still don't understand, do you?" He took a slow step forward, lowering the gun slightly. "Everything you have, everything you are… it's because of me. Your wealth, your success—none of it would exist if I hadn't allowed it."
Min-jae's eyes darkened. "I built my success despite you. And you know that."
Dae-hyun sighed. "Min-jae, Min-jae… always so stubborn. Just like your mother."
Min-jae's entire body froze at the mention of her.
"Don't talk about her," he warned.
Dae-hyun's expression remained unreadable. "She would have wanted you to listen to me. To obey me."
Min-jae let out a humorless laugh. "Obey you? She hated you."
Dae-hyun's eyes flickered, but he quickly masked it. "And look where that got her."
Min-jae's hands balled into fists. Rage surged through him like wildfire.
"You son of a—"
Before he could finish, Ha-neul's voice cut through the tension.
"Min-jae, don't."
He turned, seeing her still holding pressure on Tae-sung's wound. Her eyes were pleading. She knew him too well. She knew that if he attacked his father now, there was no turning back.
Dae-hyun clicked his tongue. "Still easily distracted by a woman, I see. Just like when you were a boy."
Min-jae forced himself to stay calm. "Leave, Father."
Dae-hyun shook his head. "You really think you've won, don't you?"
Min-jae didn't respond.
Dae-hyun smirked again, but this time, there was something darker behind it.
"You have no idea what's coming, Min-jae. There are forces at play much bigger than me… or you."
Min-jae narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Dae-hyun turned toward the door. "You'll find out soon enough. But when that time comes, don't say I didn't warn you."
And with that, he walked out.
The moment he was gone, Min-jae rushed to Ha-neul's side.
Tae-sung's face was pale, his breathing uneven.
"We need to get him to a hospital," Ha-neul said, panic in her voice.
Min-jae nodded. "I'll call for help."
But as he pulled out his phone, Dae-hyun's words echoed in his mind.
There are forces at play much bigger than me… or you.
A sinking feeling settled in his gut.
Whatever his father meant… it wasn't over.
Not even close.
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