Prey - Chapter 12
Everything about him was perfect, from his sleek and well-built physique to the precisely fitted suit.
Seeing him handle his duties flawlessly as if the position he inherited in his early thirties at the prestigious Cheongkyung Group was his rightful place made one realize that he truly was a different breed, the bloodline of Do Pil-yong.
When secretaries mockingly referred to him in relation to other chaebols as “royal blood” or “diamond spoon,” it didn’t sound like a joke when directed at Jeonghan.
He simply accepted that he was under this man’s control.
“Are there any changes to the afternoon schedule?”
“No, there aren’t.”
Joo Il-jun replied while still focused on his laptop.
Without looking at him, Jeonghan continued in a low voice, “Haven’t you found it yet?”
Understanding what Jeonghan meant with his subject-less statement, Joo Il-jun immediately responded,
“We’re looking for it. The hospital records are old, so it’s taking some time.”
Jeonghan nodded.
“I understand. Then I’ll be going out.”
“Yes, Director.”
With a formal nod, Joo Il-jun turned and walked away.
Jeonghan’s cold gaze, which had been directed at the laptop, suddenly shifted to the void.
“The words of Suhyeon, as she glared at him, echoed in his mind: ‘I threw it away.’
A smirk crossed his face, one that had been cold and emotionless like a statue made of plaster.
She said she threw it away. The ring.
But even if she said that, she probably didn’t. Suhyeon was that kind of woman.
Even if it was an unwelcome ring, she must have had a reason and likely stashed it somewhere in her house.
Recently, Suhyeon’s face had a liveliness that hadn’t been there before, as if she thought she was finally free.
The excitement of starting a new life in a new job was written clearly in her eyes.
And he had seen the exact moment her expression twisted the second her eyes met his, her face paling as if she had encountered a lifelong enemy.
…How amusing. Truly.
As Jeonghan recalled Suhyeon’s sharp glare, he opened the approval window.
The subtle smile that had been playing on his lips vanished instantly, replaced by his usual cold demeanor.”
Jeonghan wiped away the faint smile that had crept onto his face, returning to his usual cold expression as he resumed his work.
*Tap.*
Suhyeon parked her car in her apartment complex and stepped out. As she placed her car keys into her bag, her phone rang.
A look of curiosity crossed her face as she checked the screen.
‘An unknown number?’
She hesitated for a moment before answering the call.
“This is Suhyeon.”
— *Suhyeon? It’s me.*
The moment she heard the voice, her expression turned cold.
“What business do you have calling me?”
— *Is that any way to speak to your father?*
The man on the other end was none other than her father, Seol Hee-nam, the one who had arranged her marriage to Do Jeonghan.
‘Even after changing my number following the divorce, how did he find it?’
Suhyeon had expected something like this might happen after news broke out about the astronomical divorce settlement, but now that the call had actually come, she was speechless.
— *How could you do something so huge and not even contact me? Do you know how hard it was for me to even get your new number?*
Hee-nam’s voice snapped with irritation, but Suhyeon let out a dry, mocking laugh.
“You should be more accurate with your words. It wasn’t my divorce you cared about—it was the settlement money, right?”
Her sharp retort seemed to strike a nerve, and Hee-nam’s tone suddenly softened.
— *Su-Suhyeon, you know my situation. Just this once… if you help me, I swear I’ll…*
“You said the exact same thing when you sold me off to that man.”
— *That time, I had no choice… circumstances were…*
“There’s no settlement money for you.”
Hee-nam’s voice immediately rose in disbelief.
— *What? What do you mean, no money?! The article said it was an astronomical amount!*
“I said there’s none. Don’t ever call me again.”
— *”Suhyeon, wait! Suh…!”*
Suhyeon abruptly hung up the phone, her lips curling into a cold sneer.
Seol Hee-nam was a man living shamelessly with his much younger mistress, almost the same age as Suhyeon’s sibling. He was also the same man who used to beat his wife and daughter whenever he came home, a man who blackmailed his own daughter into selling her off for money—a father devoid of any sense or morality.
Suhyeon knew better than to expect decency or shame from such a man, but hearing him contact her so predictably, with his greedy eyes on her divorce settlement, still made her scoff.
As she hardened her expression and walked away, a low voice called from behind her.
*”Do you really think Seol Hee-nam will back down that easily after smelling money?”*
“!”
Suhyeon froze in her steps and turned around. There stood Do Jeonghan, watching her.
