"Relax Miss Jeon, I mean no harm..."

Jiwoo gripped her fists until her knuckles became white. She was nervous, sleepless and enraged, all at the same time. At this point, she was like a time bomb and it was only matter of the time when she's going to burst. Last thing she needed on that pile of emotions was a man who comes back to bribe her.

"Why don't you just say what you want already?", she tries to sound stable and unfrightened but her voice manages to shake.

The man sitting across from her smiled; he looked like he enjoyed himself. However, only his appearance showed a person not scared to raise his fist, but he hasn't spoke any threats. Yet.

You shouldn't underestimate people like him, Jiwoo repeated mentally, keeping her eyes fixed to new cup of coffee that she wasn't going to drink as long as he's there. Watching her. Trying to think of words to start his blackmail with, she was sure.

"Oh, don't worry," he then leaned on the chair with his arms crossed over his chest, like he wanted to assure he doesn't have any weapon nor is he planning to hurt her, "I'm not here to remind you of your crime. I don't plan to kidnap you so I could hold you for ransom either. But I'm sure your husband wouldn't mind seeing your dead body when he finds out you tried to kill him."

She told him to shut up through gritted teeth, scared that someone might've heard him, even though they were speaking Korean. She wasn't sure of Kim Fashion's popularity in United States.

"You're the only person who can prove my guilt and you're trying to tell me you're not here to ruin my life?"

To her surprise, he just shrugged. "Believe it or not, I was just going to get my breakfast and then I saw you get up from this table."

"A chance you couldn't miss..."

"You may be special in Seoul or Sokcho but both of you are pretty much strangers here," he returned twice as sharp. Jiwoo pressed her lips together nervously, "Besides, it's not too hard to check on you."

She raised her eyebrows. Was he creepy enough to even google her name?

He grinned. "Welcome to 21st century, where you're being judged for being yourself."

"That sounds like something a high school student with depression record would say," the blonde finally raised her cup and downed it in one go, feeling like her head was about to explode from the pressure.

"Maybe I am a high school student?"

"Oh, you were kicked out a long time ago..."

Her remark made him laugh. Jiwoo watched him throw his head back as his Adam's apple and chest moved in same motion. From a third person's view, they could easily pass for young couple, having their first meal together.

"It's nice that you're actually laughing, but I still don't understand why you're here. And if you're not planning to tell me, I would like to end our contact here."

She stood up and picked up her bag again, but a hand stopped her from going further. When she looked down, the smile on his face was changed for seriousness that she's read in eyes so dark she couldn't see the end of their depth.

"I was worried for you," he nearly whispered, like he wanted only her to hear and be affected. Like those words would mean something to her. "Ever since that night, I've been wondering how you're doing, are the reporters stressing you, can your heart take so much trouble at once..."

The look she gave him told him she clearly doesn't believe a word he's saying.

"If you worried that much, why did you leave me? And with my suitcase!"

That was one question Matthew was prepared for, but couldn't answer honestly.

"I know who took him out of that motel..."

Jiwoo stopped walking and turned around, scanning his facial expression and body movements. Nothing gave away a liar or the fact that this might be a scam. Not even the infamous "red nose". But then she had to remind herself not to trust him so easily.

"And who might that be?", she couldn't restrain from asking, but all she got in return was a mysterious smile.

He walked up to her and looked down, trying to figure out her mixed feelings in only two seconds, but she kept the cold facade on.

Tall man wondered who could possibly make a rose as beautiful as her grow so many thorns. And then he swore to find out.

Before she could revolt, Matthew took her by the hand and pulled towards the exit.

"I did it..."

Jiwoo pulled her wrist out of his grip and stopped walking.

"What?"

"I called the ambulance that night in Sokcho..."

She felt the same uneasy feeling in her stomach every time she heard that wicked word.

"When...?", tightened only thinking about the mess she left behind, but Matthew seemed to understand what the rest of her question would be.

"As soon as you confessed, actually. That motel was the only object in kilometers so I tested my luck and found out that only guests besides us were... was your husband. You left the door unlocked and made it even easier, and there he was - lying on the floor as pale as flour with low pulse. I have to say, wonderful work. No blood, no weapons. Just empty bottle of wine, combined with so much medicine... He's a reserved man, soon-to-be CEO. Everyone would think he tried to kill himself because of depression buried behind fake smile. They would feel sorry for a while, and then forget him. Who would even think of a homicide? That is, of course, if there were no other person's fingerprints in the room..."

Matthew noticed her lower lip tremble as she looked away, clearly uncomfortable with all information he was revealing.

"That's why you wanted to go to airport, right? Aware of the fact that you're going to be discovered sooner or later, your plan was to escape, get rid of the past, maybe even change your name and citizenship if needed... And time was the key."

Her eyes filled with tears and she sat down on nearest bench, pictures from that day rushing through her head yet again.

"But that key locked your destiny's door instead of opening them for you...", he finished, sitting down next to her.

Jiwoo allowed a gasp to escape from , but it didn't make the tightness any easier. If anything, the urge to cry was only bigger. She concentrates on her own heart beats, trying to calm down and reply as coldly as possible.

But what could she say? How does a lawyer defend accused when all evidences speak against him?

"Was it fun? Having that same key in your hands and locking that door for me?"

Matthew raised his eyebrows, already losing his nerves. Who does she take him for? He promised not to lose his mind because of her, but she turned out to be more stubborn than he thought. His tone was bittersweet.

"You could've called a cab. I don't understand why you stayed, when you should've left as soon as he arrived to hospital."

That was very reasonable explanation. She could've taken the money without her mother's notice and just made her way to airport. No fuss, no explanations, no regrets.

But the guilt was killing her ever since she saw her mother in pain.

"I made a promise...", Jiwoo admits, lowering her voice. Her gaze was fixed to horizon, but her soul was stuck in time. She was reviving painful memories again, and somehow she felt they weren't going to leave her alone soon.

"What promise?"

"I promised my mother to stay by Taehyung's side. I owed him that much..."

Na Seo Hee begged her not to leave, saying her disappearance won't hurt only her, but her whole family, and even their business. Her brother who was studying in Europe would stop receiving his scholarship from her in-laws and everything they worked on for over three decades would fall like house made of cards.

Jiwoo owed nothing to her husband. Only explanation, and he was going to question her even more after he gets out of hospital. She had to prepare more deceptions and make them seem realistic.

At the same time, Jiwoo wanted to tell him full truth and try to start over. To be free to tell him how much she loved him, even though it took her two years to develop romantic feelings. They've been through so much together that life without him at this point seems illogical, empty. Just like her heart.

Matthew sighed deeply and opened front camera on his phone, offering it to her. Jiwoo was confused, but accepted. She was surprised to see tiny teardrops falling down her cheeks - she didn't even see them.

Blonde hurriedly cleaned her face, sniffing a little. She thanked him and got up, ready to leave, but Matthew grabbed her hand, looking up at her.

"When can I meet you again?", he asks hopefully as Jiwoo tries to figure him out by staring deeply in night-dark eyes. There was something mysterious about this man, but she didn't know what. Whatever it was, felt attracted to it.

She had to shake such thoughts out of her head, as they made her uncomfortable and confused.

"I doubt that's going to happen...", she claims confidently, but she was trying to convince herself more than him. He was like a tip of the knife that she's buried in her husband's back and that tip could easily hurt him again if Matthew was to speak to Taehyung as a witness.

"I believe otherwise, Miss Jeon. You never know what future holds...", he replied and gripped her hand significantly.

Smirk faded away as he watched her back becoming a dot out of his reach. The meeting has left bittersweet feeling on him. She was everything he never liked in women: stubborn, abstained, too confident, sassy, blonde...

She clearly never thought bad about herself, nor she's dealt with people like him. That could either make his plan go completely downhill or ten times easier.

You don't even know how many times I'll see you again, Jeon Jiwoo, Matthew thinks, picking up his phone after two rings. It was Devin, one of Kevin's closest friends and most devoted workers. Somin often referred to him as Devil's right hand.

"Hello?", he speaks tiredly, expecting usual information about deliveries.

"We recently received information that you left States without anyone's knowledge...", voice on  the other side replies without significant introduction. Matthew rolled his eyes, speaking like they're some kind of cult annoyed him.

He thought about things he'd do when he gets his hand on that snitch, Jack.

"It was kind of urgent. Besides, I was free for weekend," he explains calmly.

"Kevin is very angry with you, Big M.", Devin didn't bother listening to him - as always.

Tell Kevin he can go himself, he thought but dared not to say out loud.

"Tell Kevin to talk to me directly next time he wants me to take him seriously."

There's a sigh on the other side.

"You know how he is about technology. You wanna talk to him, knock on his door."

After the police caught their previous leader by spying on his phone conversations, Kevin was paranoid about any kind of technological devices that allowed him to communicate on distance. He spent most of his free time in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, so Matthew knew paying him a visit would only be a waste of time.

"Expect his visit soon..."

Devin hung up.

Great, Matthew thought. In Kevin's case, visit was just announcement never specified by time. It could be one hour from now or two weeks from the moment one receives the call.

That's when it hit him. 

Somin.

"!", he curses, running as fast as he could to the place where he parked his car half an hour ago.