Chapter 55: The Truth Behind the Betrayal

POV: Male Lead ( Min-jae)

Min-jae's fists clenched as he took a step toward Tae-sung.

"You were working for my father this whole time?" His voice was low, dangerous.

Tae-sung tilted his head, his smirk never faltering. "You make it sound so dramatic. I prefer the term… looking out for my own interests."

Ha-neul's eyes burned with betrayal. "I trusted you, Tae-sung. I thought you were my friend."

Tae-sung sighed, shaking his head. "That's the thing about trust, Ha-neul. It's so easy to give… and even easier to break."

Min-jae had heard enough.

"Why?" he demanded. "What did he promise you?"

Tae-sung's smirk faded.

For the first time, there was something else in his eyes. Pain.

He exhaled. "It's not about money or power, Min-jae. It's about family."

Min-jae frowned. "What?"

Tae-sung ran a hand through his hair. "You're not the only one with a complicated past. My mother… she needed an expensive surgery years ago. Your father paid for it. But in return, I owed him."

Ha-neul's breath caught.

Min-jae understood immediately.

His father never did anything out of kindness. He bought people. He owned them.

Tae-sung's voice was tight. "I thought if I did what he wanted, I could finally be free. But that's not how it works, is it?"

Min-jae's jaw tightened. "No. It's not."

Tae-sung let out a bitter laugh. "And now, I'm in too deep."

Ha-neul took a cautious step forward. "You can still walk away, Tae-sung. You don't have to do this."

He looked at her, something unreadable in his expression.

Then he exhaled.

"It's too late for that."

And before Min-jae could react, Tae-sung pulled a gun from his coat—

And aimed it directly at Ha-neul.

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POV: Female Lead (Ha-neul)

Everything slowed down.

Tae-sung's hand was steady. His face was unreadable.

Ha-neul's heart pounded.

She had trusted him.

And now, he was standing in front of her, finger on the trigger.

Min-jae moved before she could react, stepping between her and the gun.

"Put it down," Min-jae said, his voice calm but firm.

Tae-sung didn't move.

His hand didn't shake.

"You don't understand," Tae-sung said quietly. "If I don't do this… he'll destroy everything."

Min-jae's eyes darkened. "Who? My father?"

Tae-sung hesitated.

Then, in a low voice, he said:

"Not just him. Someone worse."

A chill ran down Ha-neul's spine.

Someone worse than Min-jae's father?

Min-jae's jaw tightened. "Who is it, Tae-sung?"

Tae-sung's expression was torn. "I can't say. But trust me, Min-jae, you don't want to go down this path."

Ha-neul took a deep breath. "Then help us."

Tae-sung let out a bitter laugh. "You think it's that simple?"

Min-jae didn't hesitate. "Yes."

For the first time, Tae-sung wavered.

His grip on the gun loosened.

For a second, Ha-neul thought he might actually lower it—

But then, a loud bang echoed through the room.

A gunshot.

Ha-neul gasped.

Min-jae's body jerked slightly—

And Tae-sung collapsed to the ground, clutching his side.

Blood pooled beneath him.

Ha-neul's head snapped toward the doorway—

Where a man stood, holding a smoking gun.

Min-jae froze. His entire body went rigid.

Because he recognized the man.

His father.

Kang Dae-hyun smiled coldly.

"Enough playing games, son. It's time to end this."

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