Prey (Lee Seohan) - Chapter 32
“And did you get nothing out of that marriage?”
“What? Nothing out of it?”
Seol Hee-nam let out a bitter laugh, then arrogantly lifted his chin, standing threateningly close to Suhyeon. His eyes gleamed maliciously as he stared at her from up close.
“My daughter married into a good family, so if her father benefits a little, what’s the problem with that? And if it weren’t for me, would your mother have even lived until then?”
“……”
Seol Hee-nam didn’t miss the slight hardening of Suhyeon’s expression. He knew exactly what her weak spot was.
His malicious grin deepened.
“So, you should be thanking me, Suhyeon. Don’t you think so?”
Suhyeon glared at Seol Hee-nam with icy disdain as he sneered wickedly.
“Thank you?”
“Of course. If I hadn’t kept your mother alive until then…”
“You used my mother, who was neither alive nor dead, as a hostage and sold me off.”
“W-what are you saying?!”
Seol Hee-nam’s eyes flared angrily, but Suhyeon didn’t raise her voice. Instead, she coldly shot back.
“I’m telling you again—there won’t be a single penny for you from now on, so don’t ever show up in front of me again.”
With that, Suhyeon turned away with a frosty air.
Now that Oh Kyung-hee was dead, there was no reason for Suhyeon to be blackmailed by Seol Hee-nam anymore.
As she moved to get back into her car, Seol Hee-nam quickly rushed over and grabbed her.
“You filthy bxtch, you—!”
“Let go of me!”
Suhyeon tried to shake him off, but Seol Hee-nam twisted her arm with the strength of a demon. His face, red with rage, looked monstrous.
“You bxtch! Where do you get off talking back to me like that? Do you want to die? Huh? If you don’t listen, I’ll make sure you can’t show your face in public…!”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
A low voice interrupted.
“!”
Seol Hee-nam, who had been gripping Suhyeon tightly and cursing through clenched teeth, flinched at the sudden voice.
When Suhyeon turned around, she saw Do Jeonghan approaching after getting out of his car.
Of all times.
Suhyeon bit her lip hard.
‘Of all times, why now?’
The humiliation of being caught in such a shameful situation made her feel wretched.
Smack!
“Ow.”
Just then, Seol Hee-nam, in a moment of panic, abruptly released her hand.
“W-why… why are you here…?”
…What’s going on?
He looked as if he had just seen the Grim Reaper. Suhyeon frowned and stared at Seol Hee-nam, whose face had gone deathly pale.
Do Jeonghan, with his long strides, came forward and stood in front of Suhyeon, blocking her from view.
Suhyeon hesitated behind Jeonghan’s broad back.
Why is this man… here?
Jeonghan spoke to Seol Hee-nam.
“I asked what you’re doing.”
His voice was chillingly cold. Seol Hee-nam’s anxious eyes darted around.
“N-no, I was just trying to see my daughter’s face…”
“To see her face?”
With that question, Jeonghan’s gaze pierced him like a weapon, and Seol Hee-nam’s eyes flickered nervously.
“What I just heard doesn’t sound like something a man who just came to see his daughter would say.”
“Ah… th-that’s…”
Seol Hee-nam, visibly shrinking under the pressure, took a step back.
“I-I won’t come back. Is that enough? Is that fine?”
Swallowing hard, Seol Hee-nam forced a nervous smile, unable to hide his anxiety.
“I didn’t… didn’t do anything, right, Suhyeon? Let’s talk later.”
With a pitifully groveling smile, Seol Hee-nam quickly turned and bolted away, his retreat unmistakably that of someone fleeing the scene.
…What just happened?
Suhyeon watched with a confused expression as Hee-nam’s figure disappeared into the distance, running as if his soul had been ripped from him.
Then, a voice came from above.
“He’ll come back.”
Suhyeon lifted her head to look up. Jeonghan’s composed face gave nothing away as he looked down at her.
“No matter what he says, he’ll show up again, just like today. So, when he does, tell me right away.”
Suhyeon, who had been staring at him in confusion, furrowed her brows.
“Thank you for helping me today.”
She first calmly thanked him, then looked him straight in the eyes and continued.
“But why should I report it to you?”
Without any change in his expression, Jeonghan tilted his head slightly.
“Because it benefits Seol Suhyeon.”
With that brief response, Jeonghan turned and walked away.
As she watched him head toward his car, Suhyeon barely moved her lips.
“Benefit…?”
She stared blankly at his tall, retreating figure, her mind swirling with thoughts, before finally getting into her own car.
As she parked and made her way into the shared entrance, Jeonghan’s car followed closely behind.
As Suhyeon stepped into the elevator, Jeonghan followed and stood beside her.
Click.
The door closed, and the elevator quietly began its ascent.
Suhyeon stared straight ahead, but her mind was filled with doubt.
‘Something’s definitely off.’
The way Do Jeonghan had treated Seol Hee-nam today, and the way Seol Hee-nam had reacted to him, both seemed very strange.
