In the short time that Chaewon has been alive, she learns that eight, twelve, and even twenty-two years aren’t enough time to get to know someone. Especially as an heiress, where people come and go as they choose. Aware that betrayal does exist and is a vicious cycle in her line of duty, Chaewon can only smile for now as the sight in front of her fill her with delight.

Playing in the jumping fountain, trying to catch the water jets, and screaming when she gets wet is none other than Kwon Eunbi. The not-related-to-her-by-blood sister Chaewon never thought she had. Although Chaewon is yet to figure out if Eunbi is a blessing, another waiting-to-be-made-acquaintance or a temporary link soon to be cut.

A moment later, Chaewon’s smile fades as she answers her phone.

“Miss Chaewon, the board is holding a meeting and voting session at HQ at 1 o’clock. They’re demanding for his removal as Chairman and CEO,”

Chaewon hums, “I got it. I’ll be there soon. Good work, Mr. Oh,” when Chaewon hangs up and finally glance up, she sees Eunbi looking at her.

Although the lass appears to be worried about her, Eunbi hastily brightens up and waves, “Chaewon,” she calls out with a smile then runs over. Stopping in front of Chaewon, she catches her breath then quickly asks, “When did you get here? How did you know I was here?”

The one being questioned beams, “I just got here. What did you and Mira talk about?”

Eunbi shakes her head but keeps her smile, “Nothing much, the doctor didn’t know where my dad is,” Eunbi nearly swallowed the word ‘dad’ as it was suddenly hard to say. However, she cannot break down in front of Chaewon. The younger looked dead tired and Eunbi can tell she hasn’t gotten any proper sleep ever since they came to Seoul.

Chaewon pushes a lock of Eunbi’s hair behind her ear then asks, “Can I take you somewhere?”

Eunbi blinks then nods. 

The second Chaewon opens the door to the poolhouse, she hears Eunbi cry enthusiastically, “Wow! Whose place is this? There’s an indoor tiny ocean too!”

Chaewon chuckles, “Is this your first time seeing an indoor pool?”

While pointing to the flashy clean pool, eyes wide in wonderment, Eunbi gasps, “An indoor pool? So this is what a pool looks like,” she mumbles the last part to herself. “Can you drink it?”

Eunbi’s quirky question causes Chaewon great astonishment and nearly made her choke on her own saliva. “Dr-drink it?”

“It’s not for drinking? But it’s so clean,” to Chaewon’s surprise, Eunbi gets down on her knees and leans over the body of water. “Can I taste it?”

Chaewon is lost. She feels as if Eunbi’s appearance had blindsided her all this time, “If you want to die then go ahead,” Chaewon bluntly jokes, hoping Eunbi will back away but the older leaves her further speechless.

“What will you do if I drink it and live?” Eunbi asks with a smug then cups her hands full of the cool, refreshing water. “See, look! I’ve never seen water so clear and you’re acting like it’s deadlier than a venomous snake, hmph,” but before Eunbi can get a taste of the chemical-infested water, Chaewon got down to her eye level and breaks her cuppy-hands with a lock of the wrist.  

“Idiot, just because it’s clean doesn’t mean it’s meant for drinking. Don’t let appearances deceive you,” Chaewon says in a serious voice.

Eunbi cracks a small smile, “I was only kidding. Why are you so serious?”

Chaewon frees Eunbi’s wrist then straightens up. Pocketing her hands, she gazes over the peaceful, sky blue surface, “As a child, I loved to swim, so Jisun begged my dad to make this place for me. This place became Jisun and my hideout. Whenever they fought, Jisun would bring me here to give my dad his space. He doesn’t even have the access code to this building. I was grateful towards Jisun so I hid a lot of what went on here from my dad. To this day, he doesn’t know that Hokjae was behind his accident. The accident that left my dad in a wheelchair for a few years until he could walk again,” Chaewon stops for a split second as Eunbi stands up to face her.

“What?”

With a heavy heart, Chaewon turns to Eunbi and says, “I know he’s your dad, but it’s true that he tried to kill my dad. It’s not our obligations to bear their deserving consequences, cover their mistakes, and seek revenge. However,”

There was a moment of silence before Eunbi urges, “However?”

“I don’t think I can forgive your dad. My dad is a problem but your dad is the main issue,”

“What do you mean?”

Chaewon avoids Eunbi’s eyes and turns back to face the pool, “Trying to kill my dad, having an affair with a married woman, and having a child with Mira. Your dad is the reason we’re in this predicament,”

Although Eunbi has no intention of defending Hokjae, he’s still her uncle and Joohyun’s father after all and it hurts to hear what Chaewon is saying. “Why are you and everyone suddenly saying weird things? What did I do wrong?” Eunbi’s eyes were red as she hated the position she was forcefully put in, “First Joohyun, then the doctor, and now you too. Why does it feel like I’m responsible for everyone’s actions?”

“It’s guilty by association,” Chaewon blurts, “I hope you’d stop looking for Hokjae going forward. He should pay for his crimes without anyone meddling in and trying to save him,”

Eunbi shakes her head, “What exactly are you trying to say? That a daughter shouldn’t look for her father?”

Chaewon spins around to grab Eunbi by the shoulders, “I’m saying I hate that he’s your father! I hate that he brings you pain absent or not! I hate that you’ve had to endure a ton of crap because of him! I hate that he’s the reason I’m in your life! For the way, I’ve treated you because deep down I hold a grudge against him! I hate that my own mother chose him!” Without realizing that Chaewon is squeezing Eunbi’s shoulders, the lass lets out a sharp sigh, “I hate that you’re his daughter and that you drive me crazy. Just the thoughts of you make me smile like a fool. I feel hot on the inside when you’re close. When you’re in front of me like this, I want to touch you and do unspeakable things to you. And it makes me mad that I can’t do any of those things,”

“...Why can’t you?”

Chaewon loosen her grip on Eunbi and sigh, “Because it wouldn’t be fair for you,”

“...What if I told you Hokjae isn’t my real dad?”

Instantly Chaewon breaks out of her trance and frowns, “What do you mean?”

Eunbi shrugs, nonchalantly, “Apparently he’s my uncle. At first, it was hard to believe but then I remember I’m not the only person with problems. There have been unfairer things done to others and if I sulk on something I can’t change and has no control over, I’m only wasting my time,”

Chaewon scoffs in disbelief, “Are country pumpkins always that strong or what changed?”

Steadily, Eunbi wraps her arms around Chaewon’s waist and moves closer to the taller one, “It was all thanks to you. Honestly, I hated your guts when mother was sick and you refused to come back with me. But then on that night, when you recognized me even though it was dark, I realized I had wasted my own time and energy hating you. As time passes, I saw that you’re not a bad person and surprisingly even likable,”

“Surprisingly?” Chaewon asks in an offense.

Eunbi nods, “Anyway, aren’t we suppose to kiss now? Whenever I walk by stores with TVs, they’ll play dramas on large screens and after someone confesses, they would usually kiss,”

Chaewon blushes, flustered by Eunbi’s directness, then quickly she tries to break Eunbi’s hold around her, “What confession? I don’t have time to play with you, I have a meeting to go to,”

“You can go but kiss me first,” when Eunbi plucks her lips out, Chaewon quickly wraps a hand over the lass’s whole face. Then she pulls out her phone with the other hand and holds it up to her ear.

“Oh, Mr. Oh, I’m on my way. I should be there in twenty minutes. Save me my seat,” Chaewon says as she successful escapes Eunbi and hurry outside. Once she is a few steps from the front door, she pockets her phone and sighs in relief. “That was close. Oof, I almost lost my first kiss right before the war. Am I crazy? Why did I lose my mind and confess? I need sleep, that’s what I need,” Before Chaewon can continue rambling to herself, she hears someone call her name.

Glancing up, she sees Goeun. 

Patiently and quietly, Chaewon sits in the passenger seat of Goeun’s rented car. Her arms were folded over her chest and from the corner of her eyes, she sees Goeun studying her leisure posture.

“Earlier I didn’t get to say my piece. I know you don’t want to hear it, but hear me out,” Goeun takes a deep breath then leans back against her chair, “I never meant for this to happen. No one is to blame but myself,” there’s a pause as Goeun gathers her courage to finish her train of thoughts, “You know my father had a gambling problem. When he borrowed money to feed his addiction, I didn’t know where that money was coming from. In the beginning, it was his retirement savings. Then he started taking out loans under my mother and my credit. We lost a lot. Most of the money my father took out under our names were given to Hokjae. At first, my father introduced him to us as a former co-worker. But then, one day, Hokjae came over and they got into a dispute over his money my father had gambled away with and lost. Hokjae threatened to break his bones if he couldn’t come up with any kind of payment.

Father, somehow, learned that Hokjae and your mother were secretly in a relationship. When Hokjae found out that we went to the same school, he approached me and used my father’s life to intimidate me if I refused to help him. Your housekeeper now used to live in the same hometown as Hokjae.

I don’t know the details of their relationship but I suggested her because Hokjae found out that your house was in need of a housekeeper. He had me recommend her. As for the wiring, I admit it was my idea. But I only did it because you were in Busan and Hokjae didn’t know that. I lied to him that wiring and taping your house will give him better insights into what you and your father were up to. Hokjae is a very private man. Unless he reached out to us first, we have no way of contacting him.

I knew he wouldn’t contact the housekeeper. He trusted me and my idea. The reason why I suggested we reached out to Yena’s father was that, at the time, you gave me the wrong impression. I knew you didn’t know what Hokjae look like but you told me, you believed the stalker was one of your father’s man. I knew it was Hokjae and not an underlying of your father’s. And once he’s turned over to the police, your father wouldn’t save him.

As for the call I lied about… That day it was your stepmom. She said she wanted you to meet someone and before we met up at the pool, Hokjae had warned me that your stepmom may reach out to you soon on behalf of your mother. In case, Hokjae doubts me, I stopped that call from reaching you. I never imagined that your mother was deathly ill. If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken that call and kept it from you,”

When Goeun is done talking, she pokes Chaewon slightly, “I’m sorry. Will you forgive me, friend?”

Chaewon heaves a sigh then looks over to her, “Are you really going to get married?”

A small smile is drawn across Goeun’s face as she shakes her head, “If I do, it’ll be with a man who’ll be a good husband, father, and a good friend to you. Your father was good to me but only for about a month,”

Chaewon scoffs, “It’s unreal that you slept with him,”

Goeun shrugs, “What can I do? He’s good looking and helped me get my credit back up,”

Chaewon shakes her head, “You’re unbelievable, Na Goeun,”

“I heard the board of directors plans to remove him from office today?”

Now that Goeun mentions it, Chaewon has about thirty minutes before the real and final war starts, “Is that why you dumped him?”

Goeun smiles, “Wasn’t it your dream to rule Soul Group one day? With or without him by your side?”

Chaewon hums, unfortunately. Although she initially wanted to obtain her father’s approval and recognition, she knew that he had no intention of passing his position down to her. If he had even an ounce of trust and faith in her, he wouldn’t have sent her away with excuses. He wouldn’t go behind her back and toy with her acquaintances. He wouldn’t exploit her and uses her bonds as a tool to manipulate her.

The truth of the matter is, Hyukjin is the only connection Chaewon never tried to sever. And she regrets not letting go earlier. But as she sits in the chair, the head of the meeting normally sits in, she is ready to be set free.

“I, Kim Chaewon, vote to remove Chairman Kim Hyukjin from office,” there’s a pause as she hovers over the mic with a grand smile, “I, Kim Chaewon, will also be stepping down from the company. I wish Soul Group much success and would like to name Mr. Oh as the next CEO of Soul Group,”