* * *
In a nearby café, a man sat humming a tune while scrolling through his phone.
“Damn, a new release? That’s totally my style.”
It all started when Jungin’s grandmother, momentarily regaining her senses, panicked about Jungin’s fragile health.
Fearing his body might shatter or even destroy his soul, she made a rash decision.
“Five billion? I should’ve asked for fifty billion…”
Or maybe he should’ve just switched bodies temporarily and embezzled some money.
Looking back, the “fragile body” his grandmother had worried about didn’t seem fragile at all.
If he’d known, he would’ve held out longer and pocketed some cash.
Choi Jungin scowled at the missed opportunity, tapping his nails irritably.
He had already squandered the money he’d received from Jungjin and the proceeds from selling the mansion in the U.S. in just a few months through gambling and shopping.
His lavish spending habits from his time as Lee Jungin hadn’t changed, even after returning to his original body.
Sipping on a whipped cream-covered drink, the man muttered to himself while resting his chin on one hand.
“Well, at least I still have him.”
From a young age, Lee Jungin had always been easy to manipulate.
A little kindness, and that idiot would hand over money without hesitation.
To Choi Jungin, Lee Jungin was a goose that laid golden eggs.
As he smiled slyly, typing a message to a luxury shop manager, he suddenly froze.
A cold, sharp gaze bore into him, making his breath hitch.
“It’s been a while.”
The man was right—seeing Ki Beomhyeon’s face again after so long was even more terrifying.
From their first meeting, Beomhyeon had always felt less like a human and more like an emotionless machine, utterly unapproachable.
There was a time when he’d considered pursuing something with Ki Beomhyeon, captivated by his wealth and striking appearance.
But the atmosphere around Beomhyeon, the crushing weight of his presence, always held him back. Getting close to him had seemed impossible.
Even now, the same oppressive feeling gripped him.
As a Beta, he didn’t emit pheromones, but the sensation of having his neck constricted was almost suffocating.
Choi Jungin bit down hard on the inside of his cheek, trembling as the metallic taste of blood made him nauseous.
“Have you been well?”
“W-who are you?”
His instincts screamed that he shouldn’t acknowledge the man, no matter what.
Jungin avoided eye contact and tried to make himself as small as possible, but the man seated across from him stared him down with pitch-black eyes, as if he could see straight through him.
“Forgotten already? Or does it feel unfamiliar because it’s your first time seeing me in that body?”
Jungin’s heart sank.
Did Lee Jungin tell Ki Beomhyeon everything?
That bastard.
Grinding his molars together, Choi Jungin clenched his fists under the table and stammered out a retort, his voice tinged with bitterness.
“I-I don’t know what you’ve heard from Lee Jungin, but… kuh.”
Before he could finish, the man’s hand shot out, grabbing his throat.
The veins on the man’s hand stood out starkly, as if they might burst.
“L-let go…!”
As the grip tightened, strength drained from Jungin’s limbs.
While his hands clawed weakly at the man’s wrist, Beomhyeon looked down at him with a calm yet cold expression and said,
“I never mentioned Lee Jungin.”
Despite his composed tone, his gaze was sharp, as if he could rip Jungin apart with ease.
Realizing his slip, Jungin paled, the blood draining from his face.
“Unlike soft-hearted Lee Jungin, I have no intention of letting you go.”
“Y-you bastard! I’m a victim too! Do you know how much I suffered because of that crazy woman? I almost died so many times—”
“You should’ve stopped there. You should’ve shut your mouth and left when you got your hefty compensation payout.”
The utter lack of remorse in Jungin’s words made Beomhyeon clench his fist.
Even if Jungin’s actions had temporarily freed Lee Jungin from that deranged woman, the wounds and time stolen from him could never be undone.
Beomhyeon tightened his grip on Jungin’s throat, his voice icy.
“Sure. You got your money to compensate for your suffering. But what about Jungin? How will you make it up to him?”
“He… he grew up without getting hit because of me…”
“Shut up, Choi Jungin. Do you really not know the damage you and your grandmother’s schemes caused to his body?”
Jungin’s eyes widened in shock.
Beomhyeon sneered at the look of dawning realization.
“So, you do know. Unbelievable. I had my doubts, but you really are irredeemable garbage. If anything happens to Jungin, you’re the first one I’ll kill. And it won’t be a quick death—you know that, don’t you?”
“N-no, I didn’t know! I swear I didn’t!”
Beomhyeon brushed his hand across his face as if done with the conversation, then stood.
Panic gripped Jungin as he reached out to grab him.
“Don’t touch me with those filthy hands.”
“Please, you have to believe me! I didn’t know! It wasn’t me—it was my grandmother! She’s the one who did everything!”
Trembling, Jungin broke down into sobs, fear gripping his very core.
On his knees, he begged for forgiveness, promising to live quietly from now on.
But Beomhyeon didn’t respond, not even a word.
When Jungin, overcome with terror, glanced up, Beomhyeon’s empty gaze made his legs give out.
Calling for the team leader standing behind him, Beomhyeon’s voice cut through the air.
“Mr. Yoon.”
“Yes.”
“Take him to the hospital. Since he’s so eager to see his grandmother, let’s arrange the meeting.”
“Understood.”
“H-hospital?”
Jungin whimpered in dread, but Beomhyeon chuckled coldly, crushing any faint hope Jungin might’ve had.
“A perfect place for scum like you and Kim Chunja. You’ll love it.”
“Hey! Ki Beomhyeon! Let me go, you bastard—”
Choi Jungin struggled as they dragged him away, but a sharp blow to his neck left him limp.
After ensuring the area’s security footage had been taken care of, Mr. Yoon joined Beomhyeon in the car.
“Shall we go?”
Confirming that the secondary team had transported Choi Jungin, Mr. Yoon instructed the driver to depart while stealing a glance at Beomhyeon, who sat silently in the backseat with his eyes closed.
How had he endured those three days without losing his mind after Jungin disappeared?
Every time he found traces of Jungin, it felt as if every heightened sense of his dominant alpha body was telling him he was drawing closer to him.
[On the 27th, during an intense investigation by the prosecution, Jang Sunhee, director of the Prasis Art Museum, denied all allegations.
However, seized documents revealed evidence of money laundering amounting to 50 billion KRW through the museum’s artworks since 20XX, as well as bribes totaling 15.2 billion KRW, sent in five installments to the former Minister of Justice last April.
Furthermore, the February incident involving the alleged assassination of Mr. A, known as the illegitimate child of Chairman Lee Changhan of the Hyun Group, disguised as a traffic accident, was confirmed to be true based on the testimony of suspect Mr. B during prosecution questioning.
Meanwhile, Chairman Lee Changhan is also under investigation for charges of illegal drug use and solicitation of prostitution.
Amid the ongoing scandals, the Hyun Group issued an apology for causing public concern and promised full cooperation with the prosecution.
Because of her connection to the lobbying scandal involving the late Minister of Justice, who had taken his own life a few days prior, it wouldn’t be easy for Madam Jang to escape.
Consequently, even the Hyun Group headquarters faced an unavoidable raid, though preparations made in advance minimized the damage.
Reports from the industry indicate a high probability that Lee Jungjin, the managing director of Hyun Electronics and eldest son of Chairman Lee Changhan, will be officially positioned as the successor to the chairmanship.
Meanwhile, rumors of Managing Director Lee Jungjin’s engagement to Yoo Hyemin, the eldest daughter of Seonah Pharmaceuticals, were recently reported through stock market tabloids.
However, Ms. Yoo confirmed her relationship with famous actress Song Ji-ae, putting those rumors to rest……….]
* * *
Please come back everything is solved now jungin
kill that fcking bitch!!