Chapter 17

Here is Chapter 17: Twisted Reunions (approx. 1000 words):

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Chapter 17: Twisted Reunions

The estate garden was elegant and understated—lush hedges shaped into arcs, soft lights twinkling under twilight skies, and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was the kind of place where whispers lingered longer than conversations, where secrets felt safe. And that was exactly why Damian chose it.

Hena stepped nervously through the gates, her hands curled around the straps of her modest bag. The invitation had been vague—a private business meeting, he said. But the location was far from a typical corporate venue. She scanned the growing crowd of elites and dignitaries in the garden and felt distinctly out of place in her soft cream blouse and black skirt.

Just as she was about to retreat, she saw him—Damian, standing near a marble fountain, dressed in a charcoal suit. He caught her gaze and offered a small nod, almost a smile.

"You came," he said as she approached.

"I wasn't sure I should," she admitted. "After the rumors…"

"I don't believe them," he said firmly. "Which is why I asked you here. I wanted a chance to speak—to really understand."

Before Hena could respond, a sharp, familiar voice pierced the air.

"Well, isn't this cozy?"

Both turned. Hara stood several feet away, her expression unreadable but her eyes burning with restrained fury. She was dressed immaculately in a silk navy gown, but her posture was stiff with disbelief.

"What are you doing here, Hena?" she hissed. "Crashing parties now?"

Hena froze, caught between guilt and confusion.

Before the tension could rise further, another voice broke through the thick air, clear and confident, tinged with nostalgia.

"Hara... you haven't changed at all."

Hara turned abruptly. Her breath hitched as she locked eyes with a tall man in a fitted black coat, his hair slightly tousled, his gaze calm but intense. He was older now, sharper at the edges, but unmistakably familiar.

"Jae-woon," she said, nearly choking on the name.

Damian's brows lifted, sensing something shift.

The moment between Hara and Jae-woon stretched taut with buried emotions. Memories flooded her—soft violin music, stolen kisses behind the conservatory, whispered dreams. And then… betrayal. Abandonment.

"You shouldn't be here," she snapped, her voice trembling. "Why did you come back?"

"I have my reasons," Jae-woon replied evenly. "I didn't know you'd be here, Hara. I came for the music foundation's fundraiser. You're the one crashing my scene."

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "You think this is a joke? You think you can just show up and—what—ruin everything again?"

"I didn't come to ruin anything. But it seems you're already doing a fine job of that yourself."

Hara's eyes flashed. "I feel nothing for you. You betrayed me, remember?"

"And yet here you are, still angry," he said quietly. "You don't rage like that when you've truly moved on."

Just then, Sora appeared at Hara's side, breathless from scanning the crowd. "Hara, what's going on? You need to stay calm. We can spin this. Just—"

"Leave me alone, Sora," Hara muttered, brushing past her. "I don't need you meddling."

As the crowd's attention was pulled by a musical performance beginning on the stage, Damian gently touched Hena's arm. "Let's talk. Somewhere quiet."

Still reeling from the confrontation she had just witnessed, Hena nodded, and the two of them slipped away to a secluded garden path lined with ivy-covered trellises.

"I didn't know Hara had a… history like that," Hena said, glancing over her shoulder.

"There's a lot you don't know about her," Damian replied. "And a lot I'm beginning to question."

He turned to face her. "Hena, what are you truly looking for?"

She hesitated. "The truth," she said. "About who I am. About why there's no record of me, no pictures, no past… nothing. Why my name was hidden. Why I was erased."

Damian's expression softened. "You're not crazy. And you're not alone."

She looked up at him, surprised by his gentleness.

"There's something I need to show you," he continued. "Something I found in my family archives. A photo. Of you… and Hara. As babies."

Hena's breath caught. "Me?"

"Yes. The label was clear. Your name was there. This cover-up—it goes deeper than a rivalry. It's personal. It's been planned for years."

She shook her head slowly. "Why? Why would someone do that to a child?"

"I don't know yet," he said, his voice low. "But I intend to find out."

For the first time, Hena saw the storm in his eyes—not just ambition, but conviction. He was no longer just a cold CEO tangled in an arranged engagement. He was a man determined to uncover the truth.

Even if it meant going up against the Seo family.

Back near the fountain, Hara stood alone, watching from a distance. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her mind swirled with rage.

Jae-woon. Damian. Hena.

All threats. All slipping through her control.

And Hara had spent her entire life ensuring control never left her grasp.

But as the garden lights shimmered and applause filled the air, one thing was painfully clear to her—She didn't expect Jae-woon to return so quickly.