Yellena_a

•~Character Guide
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Jiwon Schmidt (33yo) – South Korean-German, Former Lawyer, Now a Wanted Man
Once a hopeful and ambitious lawyer, Jiwon built a life based on control and reason—until one mistake shattered everything. Now, his past has caught up to him in the worst way possible. With sharp brown eyes, tousled black hair, and a lean but resilient build, he looks every bit the man who has fought to survive. But survival becomes much harder when he’s kidnapped by the ghost of his past.

Sergei Mikhailovich Valery Karpov "Smert" (22yo) – Russian, Ruthless Mafia Enforcer
At sixteen, he was abandoned. At twenty-two, he is a man shaped by cruelty and revenge. The underworld knows him as "Smert"—Death itself. With an imposing presence, silver-blond hair, and icy blue eyes, he hides his fury behind a cold, calculated mask. Raised under the iron fist of the Russian mafia, Sergei has become one of the most feared enforcers in his organization. And now, he has the man who betrayed him right where he wants him.
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Jiwon Schmidt never expected his past to come back in the form of a nightmare. Kidnapped and dragged into the mansion of Sergei [Smert] Mikhailovich Valery Karpov, a man feared for his ruthlessness, Jiwon soon realizes he’s at the mercy of someone who holds a deep, personal grudge against him. What he doesn’t know is that Sergei is the very boy he abandoned years ago—now a merciless beast, forged by betrayal and fueled by vengeance.

Trapped in a cruel game of power and retribution, Jiwon must figure out why he's been targeted before it's too late. But Sergei’s hatred is tangled with painful memories and twisted desire, making him an unpredictable captor. As their past collides with the brutal present, obsession, revenge, and long-buried emotions ignite a deadly dance—one that neither of them may survive.
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|Sergei’s rage is only beginning when the truth is revealed, will Jiwon survive?|

{Some wounds never heal… and in the final chapters, you’ll see just how deep they go.}

BENEATH THE COLD

The doctor stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He exhaled, rubbing his tired eyes before turning—only to find Sergei leaning against the wall beside the door, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. His blue eyes, however, were sharp, flickering toward the doctor with quiet expectancy.

The old man sighed, shaking his head.

"You're still the same, boy. Watching from the shadows, never stepping in unless it's on your own terms."

Sergei didn't respond. He merely shifted his weight, gaze locked on the doctor as if waiting for him to get to the point.

The doctor chuckled, though it was tinged with something melancholic.

"Now that you've found him… why don't you just live happily with him, son?" His voice softened, carrying the weight of years spent watching Sergei grow into the man before him.

" It's better to move on...for both of you."

A muscle in Sergei's jaw twitched. His fingers curled slightly against his arm, but his face remained impassive.

The doctor studied him for a long moment before sighing again.

"I treated you when you were just a boy, Sergei. You think I don't know what kind of weight you're carrying?" He reached out, lightly patting Sergei's arm.

"You can let go now. You should let go."

Silence stretched between them. Sergei didn't move, didn't even blink. Then, after a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice low and devoid of warmth.

The doctor huffed, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Physically, he'll recover. But the rest…" His gaze searched Sergei's face, looking for something—anything.

"That depends on you...let him be for the time being"

Sergei said nothing. His fingers twitched again before he pushed himself off the wall, his movements slow, deliberate. Without another word, he stepped past the doctor and reached for the door handle.

The doctor sighed once more, watching Sergei disappear inside, as if he had expected nothing else.

"Stubborn boy," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he walked away

Sergei sat beside Jiwon, his elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely clasped together. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the room, flickering against Jiwon's pale face. His chest rose and fell in unsteady rhythm, his lips parting slightly as soft murmurs escaped—fragile, broken words slipping into the quiet.

"No… I didn't abandon you… ha… ugh…" A sharp inhale. "Please… come back…"

His breath hitched, his grip tightening until his knuckles turned white. His mind reeled, his pulse a dull, rhythmic pounding in his ears.

His lips parted, a whisper slipping out before he could stop himself.

His voice was hoarse, barely a breath in the heavy silence.

Jiwon twitched but didn't wake. His brows furrowed, his body curling slightly as if trying to shield himself from something unseen.

Sergei's throat burned. His fingers hovered just above Jiwon's face, trembling, aching to touch. To shake him. To force the truth from his unconscious lips.

Instead, he exhaled shakily, dragging a hand through his hair. His heart slammed against his ribs, a wild, caged thing.

He should get up and walk out before his anger turned into something else. Before the memories clawing at the edges of his mind took hold.

And for the first time in years, he found himself afraid of an answer he wasn't ready to hear.

chapter20:" Please... come back"