“A child?” Sehun echoed from his seat, the four had ended up at a nearby restaurant.

“A young girl about five, but by now, she’s probably eight or nine years old.” Somin continued as she looked at her pasta.

“Did he tell you anything else?” Kai spoke as he helped Jena slice her chicken steak.

“No, but he did have this.” She said as she took out a piece of paper, Sehun leaned forward.

“Another address?” Sehun murmured.

“He used to work here when he was still renting at that ahjussi’s place.” She said proudly as she pushed her plate away from her, Sehun’s brows rose questioningly.

“Oh my god, I forgot.” Jena murmured, Kai grinned.

“It’s fine, I’ll just get a cake slice or something.” Somin patted her hand as she stood up to approach the counter.

“She doesn’t like pasta?” Sehun asked.

“No, it’s the sauce. She hates red sauce pasta. It slipped my mind.”

“A picky eater.” Kai nodded along before eating, Sehun nodded to himself.

“What do you think? Its possible that Hong Daehwi is behind this. I mean, you did see that warning painted on her car.” Kai said as he forked around his risotto.

“It sounds possible, but, we don’t have proof, Kim Jongin.”

Somin returned with a cupcake, Jena balked at her.

“Aren’t you hungry?” She asked her.

“I don’t really feel like eating.” She murmured as she took a small bite of the pastry.

“I’m going to miss that bad boy. It was the perfect car.” She sighed as she took another bite.

“Somin, someone just tried to hurt you by burning your car.” Sehun mused at her.

“Nah, probably try to scare me. But, well, I feel bad for them. I don’t feel scared, I’m just annoyed. Do you know how long I waited just to get that i8 customized to my liking? Two weeks! I waited two weeks!” Sammy complained.

“Wow, you do sound like a brat.” Sehun blinked at her, Jena laughed.

“Anyway,” She set the cupcake down and pushed it to Sehun.

“I have to go. I promised oppa I’d be home early.”

“How are you going to get home? Take my~” Kai stopped when the girl raised one palm to him.

“Kai, it’s fine.” She said as she stood up and grabbed her purse, Sehun bit his lip and looked at her.

“Cabs are safe.”

“They’re not. And you have important documents with you.” Sehun reasoned, he pointed towards the envelope in her purse.

“Take my car, the key’s still with you. I’ll get it back tomorrow.” Sehun stated, Sammy paused.

“Sehun, it’s~”

“Just go. The cupcake is on me.” Sehun said, Sammy exhaled before walking away from the table.

“And she actually listens to you.” Jena grinned as wiped her lips with a napkin.

“Well?” Kai looked at Sehun.

“There are no witnesses, nobody noticed someone or people pouring gasoline all over the car. But, they got a shoe print. The police are working on it.”

“Police? Just them?”

“No. I’m also working on it, happy?” Sehun sighed, Kai grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

 

 

Somin massaged her temples, the documents were spread before her and it just gave her a headache.

But it made her happy too. Her grandfather really had a way with business, her lips quirked up as she grabbed her purse to take out her phone.

He had stated in his will that his children will never get to claim their shares if their eldest child does not sign the documents that will allow them to.

She tied her hair in a high ponytail before sliding down from her bed, she padded towards her desk and looked at the framed photograph that was positioned between her iMac and a set of her favorite novels.

It was a photo of her during her graduation from university, her mother was smiling happily for the camera while her father was pinching her cheeks.

Somin exhaled as tears ran down her cheeks, she picked up the photo and threw it against the wall. She pushed the books off her desk, she ignored as they all landed on the floor with a thud. She kicked the chair away from her as she padded for her bed, she picked up the documents from earlier and she looked at them again.

“It’s all a joke. One big joke.” She spat as she tossed them away, Somin heard the doors open behind her.

“Somin-ah!” Chanyeol grew worried as soon as he saw the mess in the room. Somin didn’t turn to face him, instead she just sunk down on the carpet.

“Go away.” She muttered as she covered her face, Chanyeol sighed and walked towards his cousin.

“What’s wrong?” He asked softly as he knelt beside her, Somin started to sob as she turned away from him.

“Oppa, why? Why is this happening? Of all people…why?” She choked, Chanyeol frowned and wrapped her arms around the girl.

“This , oppa. I was living my life peacefully…I…I never complained about anything, I did everything to please them..But…why would eomma do this? Why..Why?” She continued to sob.

“Sammy, you’re not at fault here. Its just that..things happen and we don’t have control over them.”

“Is it because I didn’t come home like eomma asked me to? She asked me not to work in Singapore?” She looked up to meet his gaze, Chanyeol shook his head and wiped her tears away.

“It’s not your fault. Uncle and auntie…they just fell out of love, baby. You’re not at fault here.” He said reassuringly, Sammy let out a shaky breath, her eyes went to the photo on the floor.

“Oppa,”

“Hmm?”

“I want to know everything about him. That Hong Daehwi. And this time,” She said as she pulled away from the older male.

“I’m not playing around. A plain old background check makes me look weak, right?”

 

 

“What did she say? Has she read everything?”

Sehun looked up from his seat, he was aware of Sammy’s parents in the room, both were looking at him expectantly.

He faced his colleague and slowly shook his head.

“I was able to hand it to her yesterday, but surely, you saw the news? I didn’t get the chance to discuss things with her thoroughly.” Sehun explained politely, Mr. Park sighed and shook her head.

“I’ve been trying to call her since yesterday, but that girl wont pick up.” Mrs. Park muttered darkly, Sehun bit his lip. He glanced at the mini standee beside him, Sammy’s smiling face greeted him back.

“Then, did you see her after the incident, lawyer Oh?” Mr. Park faced him, Sehun nodded back.

“Yes, sir. I was~”

The doors opened, Sehun paused in surprise.

“Daughter!” Mrs. Park stood up with open arms, but Somin raised one palm to stop her. The elder halted and grew confused.

“Miss Park,” The lawyers stood up to greet her, Sehun pulled the chair for her.

“I’m not going to stay long, I just came by to drop these off.” Sammy said coolly as she went around the room, she stood behind Sehun.

“Really? Miss Park?” She murmured lowly, Sehun sent her a dry look.

“Sammy, what is that?” Mr. Park looked at her daughter, Mrs. Park’s lawyer looked on uncomfortably.

“I’m not going to sign this. I’m not stupid and of course, I know that you were expecting this result.” She chuckled as she set the documents on the desk. Sehun’s eyes zeroed on the line where Somin was supposed to sign. She drew a happy face on it.

A happy face. No less.

“Somin-ah, don’t do this.” Mrs. Park looked at her with exasperation.

“You should have told haraboji not to do this.” Somin replied before leaving the room, Mr. Park looked at his wife hesitantly.

“You must be so happy about this.” She hissed at her husband, then Somin appeared by the doors again.

“Don’t take it out on appa, he wasn’t the one who wrote the will, and oh!” She paused and pressed her palms together.

“He also wasn’t the one who started seeing another man.” She winked before leaving again, the room turned quiet. Lawyers from both sides were speechless, Sehun excused himself and ran after the girl.

 

 

“Well?” Somin asked as she walked towards the elevator with her phone pressed to her ear.

“His passport is okay, authentic. So far, his government IDs show no signs of tampering, but his bank account details can take a little long. Bank right now can be~”

“I’ll take care of that. How about international transactions? Doesn’t he work for Korea Air’s future planning department?”

“Nothing there, ma’am. But it is common knowledge in the company that he has been flirting with your mother ever since he got her attention,”

Somin exhaled and shook her head.

“Check on his past again. Especially about the child.” She said before ending the call, the doors opened and she was about to walk in but somebody caught her by the arm.

“Miss Park?” Sehun said in a playful tone, she grinned back.

“How was my acting? Perfect, I hope.”

“It was a little messy, but ten points for impact.” Sehun said to her, she nodded.

“I just wanted to ask if you’re okay.” Sehun said carefully.

“I’m fine, lawyer Oh. Still Park Somin, well now, reporters are asking me new questions. It’s not just the divorce, now they wanna know why my car was found in flames.”

“Did…they find a witness? Or a suspect?”

“No, not yet.” She replied, the doors remained open. Sehun gestured for her to go first.

“I had my driver bring your car here, thanks for yesterday.” She said to him as the elevator doors opened again, Sehun smiled and followed her out of the machine.

“What is it now? Are you not signing to spite her or you still want to find out everything about Hong Daehwi?” Sehun asked her, Somin started to grin, her brows rose when she noticed that his tie was askew.

“He may have a child, Oh Sehun. And from the looks of it,” She said as she took one step closer to him and started to straighten his tie, Sehun slightly tensed up.

“My mother may not know that.” She murmured as she dropped her hands to her sides.

“And my parents are still under the impression that we’re together. We’ll have to~”

“I was right,” Another voice joined in, Somin paused and glanced to her left. Her eyes widened.

“Are you out of your mind? Did you not see the articles?” Jaebum asked as he crossed the lobby. Sehun exhaled, his forehead creased briefly.

“Jaebum-ah, what are you~”

“You push me away in exchange for him? Look what’s happening, who do you think did that to your car, no, whose enemies do you think did that?” Jaebum questioned, people were starting to stare.

“Jaebum, what are you saying? Why are you even here?” Somin faced him with her arms crossed.

“Your lawyer Oh has had many enemies for taking all those pro bono cases against big companies. Now that everyone knows he’s with you, you’ve become a target too.”

Sehun’s fists curled inside his pockets.

“Jaebum, even the police have no idea who did that. And rumors are just rumors. Sehun and I~”

“Right, you always do that. You cover up for him, isn’t that why you pushed me away last time? He can’t even protect you from this, Somin-ah.” He argued back, Somin was about to reply but Sehun sidestepped her.

“How about we take this outside, Im Jaebum-ssi?” He asked, his tone flat and his eyes cold. Somin bit her lip in worry, she reached for Sehun’s arm.

“Sehun-ah, don’t~”

“I already told you, you’re in her past. So why can’t you just stay there?” Sehun spoke again as he towered over the male, there was something in the way he spoke that worried Somin a lot.

“Or, do I really have to prove myself? That I can protect her?” Sehun countered again, he took his hands out from his pockets and he loosened his tie. Somin’s forehead creased, she glanced behind them, some of Choi and Min’s security personnel started to come out. But it didn’t feel right, they didn’t look like security guards.

“You don’t scare me, Oh Sehun. You may be a lawyer here but I’m~”

“I don’t care from which family you’re from or which company your family runs, but in this building, I’m a senior partner. And I can have security toss you out of those doors this very second.” Sehun replied evenly, Somin exhaled and slowly got in between the two, she glanced at Jaebum.

“Just go. Stop doing this. You’re just making it worse for the both of us.”

“Somin-ah, I~”

“Let’s go.” Sehun interrupted, he took the girl’s hand in his and started to pull her towards the revolving doors, Jaebum was about to move but males in dark suits started to block him from moving.

“Please leave the building, sir.”

 

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