The witch

Several days later, the city buzzed with a fresh storm of headlines. News anchors wore grave expressions as the story dominated every screen.

"Welcome to Friday Today... The top story: Mrs. Lawrence, the former COO of the legendary Mapleseoul, was found dead at Rouge River at midnight. Early investigations suggest suicide, with sources pointing to depression after losing her position at Maple—"

Click. The TV went dark.

Carrie tossed the remote onto the couch, her lips a thin line of anger. "Why are we feeding into this garbage? We all know Na-eun killed her. All fingers are going to trace back to Mapleseoul. Am I the only one bothered by that?"

"She's right. The company's reputation is going to get grilled," Ava added, her voice low but sharp.

"Not yet," Jae-wook said, his tone calm, almost eerie.

"What do you mean, 'not yet'?" Leo leaned forward, his knuckles white against the arm of the chair.

Jae-wook's eyes glinted with a mix of mischief and strategy. "Imagine if we exposed Na-eun right now. What do you think would happen?" He paused, letting the silence draw tight around them. "Nothing. She's too clever. She'd twist the narrative, and we'd end up looking like fools—or worse, her accomplices."

Carrie folded her arms. "So what, we just sit back and let her get away with murder?"

A slow smile curved Jae-wook's lips. "Not quite. Now that we know she's capable of murder, it's safe to assume she's got other skeletons in her closet. We just need to find them."

Leo's expression shifted, the spark of an idea lighting up his face. "So, we dig up all her dirt, compile it, and hit her with everything at once. Overwhelm her. Make sure she can't wriggle free."

Jae-wook nodded. "Exactly."

Leo rolled his shoulders, a subtle flex as if slipping into an invisible cloak of confidence. "Then let's do it. Go full throttle."

Ava's lips curled into a smile. "I'm all in. Leo and I will dive deep, even if it means risking more than we planned. The report team might be dry, but the real juice is always hidden where no one's looking."

"Can you handle it?" Jae-wook's voice was soft, but the weight of his question hung heavy.

"Why not?" Leo shot back. "It was getting boring around here anyway. But now? Now, things are just heating up."

Carrie stood, stretching with a languid grace that belied the fire in her eyes. "Then it's settled. Full action. We expose her from every angle. We should leave we have a long day ahead of us"

Jae-wook gave a crisp salute to Ava and Leo. "Good luck." he said before walking out.

"Be careful" Carrie said with a smile before also walking out.

As soon as they reached the office, a swarm of reporters and onlookers surged around the car. The other bodyguards struggled to push them back, creating a small barrier of muscle and authority. Jae-wook turned to Carrie, her confidence visibly crumbling under the chaos.

"Stay in the car," he ordered, his voice firm.

"What kind of bodyguard would I be if I let you face this alone? We're in this together." Carrie took a deep breath, rubbing her hands together to steady her nerves. "I can do this." She opened the door, stepping out first and giving a respectful bow as Jae-wook followed.

"Mr. Alex, what do you have to say about the current situation?" a reporter shouted, microphone nearly thrust into his face.

Jae-wook offered a disarming smile. "Why are you so eager for my opinion? Is it really that important?"

"Sir, an employee committed suicide because of you. You seem unbothered by the tragedy—aren't you shaken?" another pressed, their voice sharp.

Before he could respond, a voice sliced through the air like a blade.

"Forgive my nephew. He's not the best at handling reporters."

Na-eun. The witch herself had entered the fray.

"Mrs. Na-eun, what can you say about the current case?" The crowd shifted, lenses refocusing on her.

Her smile was a perfect mask of innocence. "No one should be questioned over an employee's personal decisions and carelessness. If Alex here fired her, I'm sure she did something despicable to deserve it. Right, Alex?" She turned to him, her gaze a razor's edge.

A tense silence gripped the scene.

"But Mrs. Na-eun, you're currently competing with your nephew. Why the sudden show of support?" a reporter dared to ask.

Her sinister smile returned. "Family is family. I might attack him later, but I can't watch outsiders do the same disgusts me."

Jae-wook's expression hardened. "The death of Mr. Lawrence is a painful one, and we all mourn it. But she made her choice, and I think we should all respect that."

His bodyguards closed in, forming a protective wall as they moved toward the building. But Na-eun wasn't finished. She slipped through the gap, blocking their path.

"Don't you have something to say to me?" She smirked. "I clearly saved you back there."

Jae-wook let out a sigh, his patience unraveling. "What do you want Na-eun?"

Her gaze slid to Carrie. "Still playing the role of a male bodyguard, huh? I thought that act was just for me." She said with a smile before closing the space between them, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I told you to run. Are you by any chance challenging me?"

Jae-wook's hand shot out, his grip vice-like on Na-eun's wrist. "What do you think you're doing? There are cameras everywhere." she scoffed.

His calm never wavered. "Everyone already knows we're enemies. A little roughness won't surprise anyone." His voice lowered, venomous. "I won't repeat myself. Stay away from her. If you don't, I'll make sure it's more than just your wrist that gets hurt."

Na-eun's lips twitched with a hint of fear, but her mask held. With an annoyed scoff, she yanked her wrist free and stormed off.

Jae-wook didn't waste another second. "Guards, clear the crowd. I don't want a single soul left on my property. Mr. Hamilton, with me." He strode forward, Carrie trailing a few steps behind.

Meanwhile...

LATER THAT EVENING

The glass-paneled fortress of TechCom's headquarters loomed over the city, a monolith of secrets and shadows. Ava and Leo moved through the service entrance, their forged keycards and steel nerves granting them access.

Dressed head-to-toe in black, they were ghosts in the dark. The elevator hummed softly, its ascent a prelude to danger.

"Penthouse floor," Ava whispered.

The doors slid open to a long, empty hallway. The plush carpet drank in their footsteps as they approached Na-eun's office.

Leo dropped to one knee, a sleek blue device glowing in his hands. "State-of-the-art lock. I'll have it in a minute."

Ava's eyes stayed sharp, her body coiled and ready. Each second stretched, a taut wire about to snap.

"Got it."

The door eased open, revealing an office of glass and chrome, the city lights casting fractured patterns on the marble floor. They slipped inside, the door whispering shut behind them.

Ava moved to the desk, gloved fingers gliding over the surface. "She must have a hard drive or something hidden."

Leo plugged a tablet into the desktop, lines of code streaming across the screen. "Bypassing security... and we're in."

Ava's fingers found a hidden compartment. With a soft click, a drawer revealed a sleek black ledger and several USB drives. "Jackpot."

A red light blinked in the corner.

"Motion sensor," Ava hissed.

Leo's fingers flew across the tablet. "Looping the cameras. Thirty seconds."

Ava moved to the window, pulling a small device from her belt. She pressed it against the glass, a thin beam cutting a perfect circle. The glass disk popped free, and she anchored a cable to the frame.

"Done. Let's go."

They hooked their harnesses, sliding down the cable into the shadows below. Their landing was smooth, the alley swallowing them whole.

Leo's grin was a quick flash of teeth. "Think she'll notice?"

Ava's eyes gleamed. "Not until it's too late."

Or so they thought.

BOOM!

The alley lit up with the harsh glow of flashlights. Guards swarmed from every direction, their guns drawn and eyes cold. The echo of heels clicked against the pavement, slow and deliberate.

And then.

Na-eun emerged, her elegance untouched by the chaos.

"What a pleasant surprise" she said with a smile.