Chapter thirty eight: Paradise bled into a nightmare

Mr. Adam sat in his luxurious, high-rise office—an elegant space designed with dark mahogany wood, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city skyline, and polished marble floors. The air carried a subtle scent of rich leather and fresh coffee. On the wall behind him hung a grand abstract painting, while a sleek black desk held his gold-plated pen holder, a stack of confidential files, and a steaming cup of espresso. The soft hum of the air conditioning was the only sound in the room—besides the troubled sighs escaping his lips.

His thoughts wandered restlessly back to the harsh words William had said that morning. As much as he wanted to brush it off, it lingered in his mind like a bitter aftertaste.

Suddenly, a gentle knock on the door snapped him from his thoughts.

"Who is there?" he asked, his voice a little sharper than he intended.

"It's me," came a familiar voice.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Secretary Kim walked in, followed closely by a shy little girl of about ten years old. Her delicate hands clutched the strap of her small pink bag, her large eyes scanning the room with quiet curiosity.

The moment Mr. Adam saw her, he stood up, a rare softness appearing on his face. He squatted in front of her with a kind smile.

"You're Tricia, right?" he asked.

The girl nodded timidly.

"I'm Mr. Adam. Nice meeting you, Tricia."

Tricia smiled and replied, "Everyone talks about you. They say you're kind and powerful and always help people. I want to be someone like that when I grow up—someone people respect and look up to."

Mr. Adam blinked, taken aback by her words, then smiled even wider.

"You're a smart girl," he said. "And I'm sure you'll be even more known than me one day."

"Thank you for the gift, sir," Tricia added sweetly.

"You're welcome."

Just then, Secretary Kim signaled, and a young woman entered—Tricia's nanny, Min-Joo.

"Min-Joo will take care of you now, alright?" Secretary Kim said.

Tricia nodded and followed Min-Joo out of the office.

Mr. Adam returned to his chair, his expression shifting back to serious.

"I want you to look into something for me," he said without looking up from the file.

"What is it, sir?" Secretary Kim asked.

"William was kidnapped yesterday. Find the ones responsible. I want them in front of me before tomorrow."

Secretary Kim straightened, nodding firmly. "Understood."

"And also," Mr. Adam added, his voice dropping to a colder tone, "no one else needs to know about this. Keep it off record, and don't trust anyone outside this room."

"Yes, sir," Secretary Kim replied before turning and leaving the room.

Mr. Adam exhaled and turned his attention back to the file before him, though his mind was still very far from work.

---

In Jae min's apartment.....

The room was dim, the fading twilight seeping in through half-drawn curtains. Jae Min stirred on the couch, eyes fluttering open as silence welcomed him. His head throbbed slightly—he had fallen asleep right after school without meaning to.

He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, then rose and headed for the small kitchen. The apartment was quiet, almost too quiet. From the fridge, he pulled out a cold bottle of water and poured himself a glass. He took a long sip, trying to shake off the heaviness in his chest.

Ring. Ring.

His phone buzzed on the counter, slicing through the silence. He picked it up and checked the caller ID.

Boss.

He sighed and answered.

"You've been silent for too long," the voice on the other end barked. "No updates. No reports. Nothing. Are you still working or just wasting time?"

Jae Min exhaled slowly. "I've been trying my best. These people don't open up overnight—"

"Don't talk to me about patience," the man cut in. "You think I care how hard it is? You're not paid to be careful. You're paid to deliver."

Jae Min gritted his teeth but said nothing.

Then came the final blow, the words delivered like a cold slap:

"If you betray me, I'll throw you back into the street where I picked you."

The line went dead.

Jae Min stood still, the words ringing louder in the silence than the phone had. His fingers trembled slightly around the empty glass. The sting of those words clawed deep—because they were true.

He closed his eyes. And it came rushing back—the past he had buried so deeply.

---

Flashback

She had been called Tina then.

A little girl in torn clothes, dirty and hungry, crawling through dumpsters and back alleys to pick leftovers and survive. That day, she had thought luck had finally found her. A man in a shining black suit had stopped, eyeing her like a stray dog. She remembered the words he said to the one walking beside him.

"This one could be good."

She was taken.

They brought her to a huge mansion surrounded by tall concrete walls and an iron gate that never opened from the inside. Inside, she saw many kids—some scared, some blank-faced, others trying to smile. She was pushed into line and later led through corridors, past strange rooms filled with strange men and women packaging something white into little plastic bags.

She didn't know what it was. Not then. But she would.

Later, she was taken to another part of the estate—clean, cold, and clinical. That was where the training began. She was then renamed Xin Ling, the black rose.

They gave her food, clothes, and a room. She was taught to read, write, count, and speak. But she was also taught to fight. To lie. To manipulate. And to obey.

Xin Ling excelled at everything. Fast, focused, and silent. Her master noticed. She became his favorite. He gave her gifts, smiled at her often, and whispered praises she thought were love.

She began to think it was paradise.

Until the day of her first mission.

That was the day paradise bled into a nightmare.

Her first mission had seemed simple—steal a golden seal from a wealthy official. She had trained for this. She was confident. Dressed in disguise, she slipped into the lavish estate like a shadow, eyes sharp, movements rehearsed.

But everything changed when she encountered her target.

She overhead the man discussing with his friend about her master. The terrible things he does.

"That man is evil—he's a monster. He sells children. Sells drugs. He commits abduction, take different children away from thier family. He is a devil. "

The words hit her like ice water.

A storm of confusion and disbelief clouded her focus—and that moment of hesitation cost her. She was caught, barely escaping through the servant quarters, empty-handed and shaken to the bone.

Back at the mansion, her master's face darkened with fury. He didn't shout. He didn't hit her. He only leaned in close and said coldly, "You're lucky I like you. But if you ever fail me again… you'll go back to the streets. Where I found you."

She wanted to ask about what the man said—but she saw it in his eyes.

She didn't dare.

From that day on, Xin Ling silenced her doubts. She obeyed.

She killed. She stole. She abducted. Again and again.

And slowly… she got used to it. She became a monster, herself.

And few weeks after that failed mission, the man was reported dead. Her master had sent another agent towards him.

---

Present

Jae Min opened his eyes, the silence of the room pressing against his chest. The past was never far behind—it clung to him like a second skin.

Picking me up wasn't luck, he thought bitterly. It was trouble.

He lowered the cup onto the table, its clink loud in the hush of the apartment.

Then he turned, laid his head on the edge of the bed, and stared into nothing.

Maybe… maybe I just have to play my part to survive.