INAUGURAL CEREMONY DAY

Minjae sat in front of a large mirror in her room as a makeup artist carefully applied foundation to her face. The room was filled with quiet movement—three women and one man busied themselves around her. While the male makeup artist worked on her face, the others selected outfits, adjusted accessories, and styled her hair.

She just sat down in silence, her eyes closed as the people did their job, the young man brushed eye shadow over her eyelid.

"i believe this dress fits the occation ma'm" said the young lady Who stood beside her showing her a nice violet suit adroned with thin gold strips in it,

Minjae glanced at the mirror, studying the outfit for a brief moment before giving a small nod of approval. Encouraged, the fashion stylist continued.

"and this one?," she held out a fancy high heel, "it has__"

Before she could finish, Minjae's phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a name 'Mechanic Yoo'. Lifting a finger, she signaled for the makeup artist to pause before picking up the call.

For a while, she said nothing, simply listening. Finally, she spoke.

"No, i would like to see for myself. stay right there, i will meet you" she ended the call, immediately after, she stands up adruptly as she grabed her phone from the table ready to leave, the stylist's just stared at her confused, but no one dared say a word.

Just as she stepped out of the room, she nearly bumped into Kim Ann Soo, her CHN secretary, who was just about to knock. Minjae halted, eyes narrowing slightly as she wondered why Kim Ann Soo was here.

"Miss Minjae, i have come to escort you to the hotel for the inaugural Ceremony" Kim Ann soo informed her without being asked, before Minjae could reply a maid walked to them and politly bowed to Minjae, she was holding a bouquet of lilly flower

"Ma'm your uncle sent this to you" she said,

"He wants to congratulate you on your inauguration," she added as Minjae took the flower, in it was a hand written letter, a Short note,

Minjae just glanced at it one more time with a slight smile, then she gave the bouquet back to the maid,

"leave it in my room" she instructed before proceeded her journey out of the mansion, while kim Ann soo followed behind clearly confused

"Ma'am?" she called out hesistently but Minjae ignored,heading straight to the parking area, there she opened the door of her car and slide in.

"ma..." Minjae cuts her off

"how long before the event start?" she asked

"about an hour ma'am" kim Ann soo replied after a Short glance at her wrist watch,

"Are you going out alone? Should i inform your body guards" she asked

"Never mind" Minjae dismissed as she drove off in her red car.

Minjae arrived at a secluded mechanic factory—the same place where her late parents' wrecked car was stored.

Standing there was a middle aged mechanic there in the Big building,

It was oddly empty, the absence of the workers made her pause for a moment but didnt bother saying anything,

The mechanic Who had just notice her arrival bowed

"Good day Miss" he greeted as she just nodded slightly, she glanced around skeptically, as to why the place was empty, but before being asked the mechanic explained,

"i sent all the workers out for a break" he said "i know you May find their presence bothersom" he added with a small smile, as if proud of himself for thinking fast, Minjae didnt smile or reply but it was obvious she likes what he did and appreciated his foresight then she looked around

"where is it?" she asked,

"a moment please" he said and then walked off into a small office room.

As he left, her attention was now shifted to the wrecked car in front of her___ the very car that took the life of her parents,

Shattered glass, twisted metal, crushed seats. The doors were missing, torn away in the crash. Bloodstains—faint but still visible, sticked to the steering wheel. Her mind replayed the accident, imagining her parents lying lifeless inside, her sister unconscious in the back seat.

She slowly raised her hand, and place on the seat, looking inside, she had a sudden urged to throw up, then she took off her hand and looked away, just then the mechanic walked in.

He brought out a violet silk made ribbon with some gold carving design on it, she streched her hand out as he gently dropped it on her palm

"i found this beneath the car brake," he said "i believe this May belong to the person that tampared with the brake" he added

Minjae frowned. The ribbon looked familiar, but she couldn't immediately recall where she'd seen it. Her brows furrowed as realization hit her—it was an ancient object used by elite CHN families. A silent mark of membership.

"anything else?" she asked the mechanic Who taught for a moment,

"oh and i notice something" he said "it seems, it was on the same day of the accident that the culprit tampared with the breaks" he explained as she stared at him for a moment, her Stare darkened

"how sure are you about all these information you are giving to me?" she asked.

"If i say a hundred percent sure, would you believe me?" he asked as she just stared at him quietly, he continued

"Even if my theory is not entirely correct, i know of one thing for sure, and that is, your parents accident, was no accident. I hope this should be enough lead to begin the Investigation, they deserve justin as well as you, if there is any other way i can be of help, just one call and it would be my pleasure to help" he added as he made to leave but stop on his track when Minjae asked

"why?" she stared at him blankly, "why are you so eager to help" she asked waiting for an answer, then he smiled

"i don't know if you realize what a good man your father was, maybe if you did you would realize why i and many others would do anything to help" with that he slightly nodded and walked off.

Minjae just stood frozen, staring at the wreckage, lost in thought. Her mind drifted to her sister, Minsol—the only person who could possibly link their parents to the CHN organization.

Her parents had never been involved with CHN. So why were they targeted?

Did Minsol provoke some people? Maybe the share holders? Was it about the construction project?

Her confusion deepened.

just then a car drove inside the building and parked behind her, as sang tae walked out of the car, At first he was going to rush to her, but then he saw what she was staring at__her parents car, then he exhaled and slowly went to stand beside her, for a moment there was dead silence between them as they just stared at the car quietly

Then, Minjae broke the silence

"tell me everything you know about Minsol as the chair lady of Chains, and what the members of the organization thinks of her?" she asked as she turned to him

"you said you were her personal assistant, i believe you know her well enough, and i want to know too, where she went, what she does, and plans to do, everything, including what they did to her" she added as sang tae gazed at her skeptically

"May i ask why?" sang tae asked

"do i have to tell you?" she answered back with a question

"yes" sang tae said as she turned to him, taken back by his blurt answer to her, he continued

"if you want to successed as the chairwoman of the organization, you have to trust me" he said

"Is that a threat?" she asked

"No, i am only asking for your trust" he said "you tend to push me away all the time and use me when you want" he added frustratedly

"Isnt that what you are paid for?" she asked

Sang Tae exhaled, frustrated. "I can be more than just an employee, but that's only possible if you let me. You see everyone as an enemy, Minjae. But not everyone around you is an enemy...."