There he was. 

Standing at the podium, in a dapper black suit, calm and collected as he faced the flashing cameras and flurry of questions - and was exactly like how Yejin had imagined how Jeong Yunho would grow up to look like. 

He was alive.

Yejin blinked, mentally telling herself that this was true and she was not dreaming. Standing and breathing and talking, was Jeong Yunho. The small energetic boy Yejin had once seen play with her own son years ago and thought would never see again - was there and the first thing that went through her mind: Kang Hoon, have you always known?

"Mr. Jeong Yunho, do you have an explanation to the public for lying about your death all these years? What were the intentions behind this?" a lady asked, raising her microphone.

Jeong Yunho nodded, "First and foremost, I'd like to apologize to the public for causing such a shock," he took a step back and bowed. "As you know something had happened years ago, and it was a near-death experience for me - we learned that someone had threatened my life against my father,"

Another gasp sounded in the hall, more questions tumbled in. "Sir, can you tell us more about this?!" 

"Are you implying that there is more to the Chairman's death, Mr. Jeong Yunho?"

"Where were you for the past few years? Were you in another country all this time?"

"What happens to the will sir?"

Yunho answered each question with poise, as if he had been trained his entire life for this, perhaps he was, Yejin thought. "If it's fine, I'd like for that part of my life to remain private - for my family's sake," he spared a glance at Sofia at the back. "As for my father, he was a father who cared greatly for me and this company - what he wrote in his will is a testament to his nature. He was kind and would willingly give up the company for the people in need, but since I'm here to stay - Adamas is here to stay as well."

"Are you going to succeed in the late chairman's place, sir?"

Once again, Yunho nodded to the staff at the back before continuing his speech. "As for that...as much as I'd be honoured to take that role I am still unprepared for that, but glad enough we also have someone who is just as capable of it," swiftly, he held out his hand to Sofia, who stepped forward and accepted it willingly. 

"May I introduce to you, the new chairperson of Adamas,"

Yejin wasn't sure if she had been hearing it all correctly, her eyes stared in shock as everything else happened. The exchange of the documents, the signing of the amendment, the very thing Mingi had been warning her all this time - how foolish I was...

Above all that, there was a boiling anger starting inside the pit of her stomach. Her fingers clutched onto her handbag, restraining herself from showing any kind of unease. Kang Hoon would never had allowed this to happen, she knew him well enough to know that. People were clapping, albeit confused by the news. And Sofia was smiling, Yejin was unsure of how to feel of that.

Looking at the scene one last time, she got up and left the hall without another word.

"Mingi, what is going on?" Elise demanded as she ran out the hotel after him. 

On the other hand, Elise was the least of his problems. Annoyed, he spun around. "Look, I have other things to tend to so I'll explain whatever you want some other time," and he was about to walk away-

"Hello? Yes papa, I've asked Mr. Krasinski to drive me to a friend's," she spoke on the call, not even caring Mingi was still there. "Mm-hmm, alright goodbye."

Mingi frowned, "I don't-"

Elise crossed her arms, " Well? Don't you have somewhere to go?" and as she said that, the black SUV pulled up in the driveway. "You can thank me later." Rolling her eyes, she stepped into the vehicle and moved over to the other seat. 

Mingi came to a conclusion that it was true, Elise could be dealt with later. Begrudgingly, he joined her and the SUV drove off into the night.

"Alright since you'll have to tell anyway, how about now?" Elise decided on the way. "What's all this 'he's back from the dead' that everyone crowded around the TV was talking about earlier? Is he someone you know?"

"Yunho?" Mingi said. "Y-yeah, we're friends."

"I heard my papa talk about that before, so it was you," she clasped her hands together as if coming to a realisation. "Now I remember the rumour, but the news reported about it - Jeong Yunho didn't survive,"

Mingi sighed, "Well turns out the news was wrong. Now it's my turn, how were you there at the revel?"

Elise scoffed, "I'd like to ask you the same, were you invited by one of the nobles?"

"Were you?"

"Then how else would you be there?" Elise replied as she took out her necklace, glinting gold and sapphire blue - the delicate design of it unmistaken for faerie craft (Mingi had spent enough time enganging with them to know that by now). "My family has had ties with the Iris Court for centuries, I thought you would know-"

Mingi peered outside and noticed they had arrived at the house. "Stay in the car," Without listening to her finish, he opened the car door and ran up to Yunho's doorstep. His heart was beating and deep inside he braced himself for whatever would happen - if he wouldn't walk out alive when he saw Serafia. His hands were shaking, but he pushed through the anxiousness. 

"Why are we here?" Elise pulled at his sleeve. 

"I thought I told you to stay in the car!" Mingi hissed at her. 

And the door opened, and they were face-to-face with the maid - Letitia answered. "I-" she started off. 

"Where is she? Is Yunho inside?" Mingi demanded as he pushed past her forcefully. 

"Sir-"

"Mingi?" 

He saw his own mother sitting in the living room, just as surprised as he was. "M-mom?" he echoed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the conference,"

"What are you two doing here then?" his mom asked, glancing at Elise. "Mingi, I know you were telling the truth-"

"Ah what a pleasant surprise!" 

All three of them whirled around, to see Serafia at the doorway. She stepped in and walked towards Yejin, preparing for an embrace. "No wonder I didn't see you at the conference earlier, I thought-"

"Enough with the gestures, Sofia," Yejin answered coldy, much to Mingi's surprise. "Just how many things have been kept secret? First Kang Hoon's death, now Yunho?" she said incredulously. "Where is he? I must see him at once."

Serafia held up a hand, "Like I said earlier, I did what I had to do for the safety of Yunho. You heard what he said, about it being a planned accident. We had take precautions, and we chose not to tell you was because...no one could be trusted with this information,"

"You thought I couldn't be trusted?" Yejin said in dismay. "I'll have you know my son was a victim of that accident as well, and I never asked for an explanation from you at all. How Kang Hoon's health worsened, all these years I never doubted anything-"

"Kang Hoon's condition was simply due to natural causes, an illness diagnosed too late!" Serafia said sharply. "You can believe what you want Yejin, but truly I did all this because I wanted to protect the boy, whom I saw as a son-"

"Bull!" Mingi sniped, jabbing a finger at her. "You never saw him as a son, you're planning on killing him when the time comes. Yunho would never-"

"Is something the matter?" Yunho came walking into the house, and a stunned silence fell. Mingi couldn't believe his eyes, his friend was alive. Standing in the doorway as tall as him, was Jeong Yunho. 

Does Ara know?

"Darling, what took you so long?" Serafia hurried over to him, her hand cupping his cheek affectionately. Mingi wanted to yank her hand away from his friend, but oddly enough Yunho seemed to find it normal.

He grinned, "I went to park the car with Abel, is something the matter?" he scanned the room and his eyes fell on Mingi, a wide smile forming on his face. "God, I missed you so much..." and he tackled Mingi with a bear hug.

"Oof, Y-Yunho is it really you?" Mingi struggled to say as his friend crushed him. A million thoughts rushed through his mind and it was reality that he couldn't comprehend. He should feel relieved, happy even that Yunho was back. But was he truly back?

"Auntie Yejin, it's so good to see you again too," Yunho proceeded to greet Mingi's mom, who was just as confused. 

"Y-yes, it's wonderful to see you too Yunho. But...where have you been all this time? You father never told me about this," she held him by the hand gently. "We all thought you were dead, tell me..."

But all Yunho did was return a smile, "Is it okay if I go out for a while? I have catching up to do with my best friend," he turned to ask Serafia, before winking at Mingi. 

Serafia nodded, "Of course."

Mingi coughed, "Wait-"

Beaming, Yunho dragged Mingi by the neck and they left the house again, somehow with Elise tagging from behind. 

Yejin wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, she had come here with a plan. "I-" she gathered her words. "I don't know what exactly are your plans, Sofia, but I do not like where this is going at all. Was this your scheme all along? To take over the company? Using the boy for your own gain? If you truly respected Kang Hoon's decision, you should have dissolved the company-"

"And you do not know everything about my family, Yejin and I hope you'll understand that," Serafia said coldly as she went up the stairs, waving at Letitia to Yejin out again. "Yunho is very much alive, so I don't see a problem in all this. I am Kang Hoon's wife, therefore my decisions matter and not yours. I've allowed your son and mine to still remain friends, so I don't hope for you to spoil that either. Good night."

As she was getting ushered out the house, Yejin couldn't help but feel the chilling tension building. Something had shifed tonight, and what Sofia Jeong had said wasn't a statement - it was a warning.

Just what are you planning?