Chapter Text
The engine of the black Rolls Royce hummed as it stopped in front of the building's glass gate.
Soon, the camera lights began flashing fast like lightning, and even with the windows closed, the loud voices of the reporters could be heard as they fought to reach the front line to get an answer from her.
Jihyo stepped out of the car, her heels clicking strongly against the marble floor beneath her, the guards gathered around her to protect her from the crowd of reporters that was losing their minds for an answer to their magazines.
It's been months since the last time she came here, to this building and to this country as well. She spent months away from korea, running from her responsibilities here, only to return with a scandal that was ruining her name.
But here she is, back to being the center of it all.
The strong camera lights hit her hard, causing her to lower her glasses over her eyes to block them. She could feel the weight of every word they're saying.
Each small step towards the entrance feels like going back into the nightmare she thought she escaped.
“Ms. Park! Can you comment on the rumors we are hearing? Are they true?”
“Ms. Park! How do you feel about returning after everything?”
"Ms. Park!, what's your family reaction to everything going around?."
Despite hearing all their questions, she kept her face straight without any emotions, she has imagined this moment hundreds of times before, she was ready for it.
Yet despite that... she still feels the pressure and their judgment..
They all wanted a photo, a story. And she...she wants nothing from that..
But she couldn't escape now... not anymore.
One of the guards opened the door for but she paused just for a second, as if she was living her last moment of freedom before entering that's building.
A single sigh followed by a step.
And she entered that building.
The cold air inside the building hits her, and all the sound outside disappeared after closing the door, and the silence full the place.
Her heels echoed sharply against the lobby floor, each step filled with controlled annoyance.
"Ms. Park." A soft voice interrupting her, a firm and serious tone.
Jihyo turned slowly, it was her father secretary, ot let's say his trusted aide.
She was standing by the reception desk, holding a thin folder in one hand, and the other was over the table.
"Your father wants to see you..now." She said firmly leaving no space for Jihyo to talk.
Jihyo's jaw tightening. She knew she'd meet him sooner or later but she didn't want him to be the first person she saw..
the thought of facing him after months away, after the scandal, made her chest tighten.
"I'll go." She said, her voice was low but firm, showing none of the tension she was feeling.
The secretary led the way through the sleek corridor of the company, as if Jihyo needs any leads in a place she grows in..
They passed some of the employees who started whispering when they saw her. She was back. And they were watching her again.
They finally reached the massive wooden door of her father office. Jihyo froze for a second, one hand resting gently over the handle. She inhaled slowly.
She open the door and steeped inside, the scent of the leather hit her first, grounding her for a second. And then...there she was..
Her mother.
sitting gracefully in the couch, her presence calm and firm, yet somehow full of warmth that cut through the tension like sunlight through a storm cloud.
"Mother..." Jihyo said lowly, as if forgotten how to speak again, her shoulders relaxed for the first time since she landed her..
Her mother looks up, eyes lighting with softness and expression that was so motherly. Seeing her alone melted all the worry Jihyo was carrying..
"My dear hyo.." she said gently.
She didn't even though for a second and crossed the room in a few quick steps and kneel in front of her mother, kiss her hands before wrapping her arms around her.
Her mother's arms tightening around her in return, warm and steady. "I've missed you.."
"I've...I've missed you too, mom..." Jihyo admitted, her voice shaking just slightly..
She let herself stay in the embrace of her mother, feeling the familiar warmth she hadn’t realized she needed that's much.
But that warmth was interrupted by a sharp, commanding voice.
"Enough, what i say about you spoiling her like a little girl?." Her father said, rising from his chair, his presence alone seemed to full the room with tension.
Jihyo stand up quickly, the tension coming back to her shoulder, her mother holds her hand, concern filling her eyes.
Without saying anything, her father turned toward the large screen on the wall, with a small press of the remote, the office filled with harsh loud noise of the news.
The screen flashed with photos, videos, moments that was supposed to stay private.
The headlines scrolled at the bottom in red color. Saying harsh things that was truth..
"A sex scandal about the heiress of one of the biggest modeling company in Asia."
"The company reputation at risk."
Jihyo’s heart tightened, she had seen some of this before through online articles. But seeing it all laid bare in front of her family made it feel like a strong blow.
Her fingers curled into fists at her side, but she didn't say anything. She couldn't say anything.
Every small thing in the news was truth and that what make it hurt more.
"Do you see now?, do you see what you have done?, your mistake and stupidness have consequences."
Jihyo swallowed hard hearing her father harsh words. The room around her feel smaller, colder. The screen continues to play the news, each photo is a reminder of how her private life is no longer a private one.
The journalist on the news began speaking, sharp and relentless.
"New evidence has begun to emerge, and doubts and questions are raising about Park Jihyo's life and its impact on the family's reputation and their work. Since last week, the company's stocks have started to collapse, a decline that continues to this moment-."
"Turn it off!." Jihyo snapped, her voice sharp.
But her father didn’t.
Instead, he raised the volume.
The voices became louder, harsher. Every single word feels like a blow to her heart.
"...the source close to her confirmed these rumors to be truth, but people still waiting for answers from her personally."
"do you hear that?" He father said, his voice cutting through all the noise. "do you see what you have done to yourself and to all of us?."
Her father take steps closer to her then he continued talking. "I told you to be careful. I warned you. Over and over again, but you choose to ignore everything. You choose your stupidness over your responsibility."
"I don't commit a crime, it's just a relationship." Jihyo tries to fight back, her hands trembling at her side.
Her father looks at her before letting out humorless laugh. "a relationship?, that not what everyone is calling it!, that's not how world sees it! And it's not how our partners see it."
Jihyo felt something inside her crack.
The sound of the news blurred with her father’s voice, overlapping, crushing.
“…a disgrace—”
“—you embarrassed us—”
“…irreversible damage—”
“—you risked everything—”
her breathing grow heavier, the familiar ache spread through her chest, heavy and tight that even breathing was hard.
She tried to hold on herself but everything was way to much for her alone.
Her mother finally stood. "enough!." She said firmly, standing in front of Jihyo. "just look at her, she already understands so stop."
Her father sharp eyes turn to her mother then back to her. "as if understanding is enough anymore."
He snort before turning back and finally close the TV.
But Jihyo stay in her place, trapped between her past and present with everything forced upon her.
She lowered her eyes, jaw clenched, pride breaking under the exhaustion.
"but still, your daughter crossed a line, and she will face the consequences."
Jihyo feels her stomach drop.
"If you think you can continue living like this, dragging our name through all this bullshit, and humiliating this family, then you're so wrong."
his words was full of fury and hatred, nothing like the father who used to carry her over his shoulder around the house.
“You will be stripped of your position.”
Jihyo’s breath hitched. “w...what?”
"I'll remove your name from this company, your influence, your access to this company..everything."
She felt her heart beat violently against her chest. "you can't do that, father...please."
"I can..and I'll will."
"Stop, you're going too far!." her mother snapped getting closer to him.
He didn't even glance at her. “Too far? She nearly destroyed everything we built.”
"I know that i made a mistake.." Jihyo said with a weak trembling voice. "but I'll...I'll handle everything on my own..I'll endure all the humiliation. I'll do whatever its take."
“I want responsibility,” her father snapped. “I want to see that you are worthy of carrying my name.”
his words hurt her even more than any headlines could..
Jihyo felt her throat tighten, her eyes start burning her with the tears she's trying to hide. All her emotions was tangled together wanting to be released.
Her mother grabbed his arm. “please enough. look at her. She’s barely standing.”
But he shook her off. “She needs to understand what she had done.”
"I do!..I've always understand."
Yet even as she said it, a part of her knew that it would never be enough..
“Until you prove yourself,” her father continued coldly, “you will remain nothing more than a burden.”
Jihyo felt as if the whole world was collapsing around her.
a burden.
Not daughter. Not heir.
A burden..
Jihyo swallowed hard, trying not to break in front of him. She dug her nails into her plams to ground herself at this moment.
She stood at her place for a minute, when her father didn’t say anything else, and turned sharply toward the door to leave.
Every muscle in her body screamed to leave, to hide away, to escape again. Her hand closed around the cold handle, then her father voice interrupt her..
"stop."
Jihyo froze.
"you'll not leave this room without a solution."
Jihyo slowly turned around, disbelief flashing across her face. "a solution?.." she repeated, her voice was low..
"you want me to find a solution? You threaten to strip me from everything!, me! Your only daughter!. And you want to me sit calmly and find a solution?!."
"Yes." he replied without hesitation. "this is what I want and what you'll do."
"I'm your daughter before being your business tool."
"Right now, you're nothing more that a problem that's need to be fixed."
This words has the most painful thing she ever heard..
Her mother gasped softly. “what—”
"The company is bigger than your personal feeling for your daughter."
Jihyo couldn't stop the bitter laugh, the sound was weak. "so what exactly do you wants me to do?..go kill myself?."
"You'll rewrite your image." he said. "you'll prove to everyone that you're not a burden."
"And if I don’t?” she challenged.
His gaze locked onto hers, unwavering.
“Then you walk out of here with nothing.”
She has faced a lot of problems is her life, scandal, public hatred...
But this one was different.
This on was her family.
“Fine, then tell me” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her father’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
her father sigh before turning to sit back on his chair.
"sit down, both of you."
Jihyo hesitated for half a second before walking over and lowering herself on the couch.
“Think,” her father said.“Both of you. I want solutions. Not excuses.”
Silence followed.
Not the comfortable kind, but the kind that pressed against the ears, thick and suffocating.
Her mother clasped her hands together, glancing between her husband and daughter, searching for words that could bridge the widening gap. But she finds none.
Jihyo let out a slow, bitter breath. “So,” she murmured, “you want a miracle.”
"I want a solution, an endless one."
Another heavy silence fell.
Her father turned back toward them, gaze sharp and expectant.
“Start talking,” he said.
Jihyo feel her mother hand resting gently over her arm grounding her. "Jihyo, maybe...maybe you could marry...A proper arrangement...someone suitable..Someone who can help stabilize everything.."
Jihyo’s eyes snapped up at her mother. "Marry?..are you serious right now?.." her voice was sharp full of disbelief.
"mom..I'm not a child wanting someone to come and...and help me.."
Her mother’s eyes softened, but her tone remained firm. "i know...i know that more than anyone. But people will judge..and this...this the only way we can turn everything to our side.. "
Jihyo leaned back, expression full of annoyance and anger. "so I just need to marry someone stranger just because the world is so judgment?!. That's crazy."
Her mother sighed, placing a hand gently over Jihyo’s. “You don’t have to marry just anyone. I’ll help find someone suitable... Someone who won’t hurt you.”
Before Jihyo could respond, her father start talking. "suitable?, like who?."
Her mother looked briefly to him. "we can consider options. But this will help, at least temporarily.”
“Options?” Jihyo’s voice rose. “I don’t want options! I don’t want to be part of a arrangement! I don’t—”
Her father waved a hand, cutting her off. “Fine. Then let me suggest one.”
He paused for a second, he's expression was sharp. "I have a friend, he's daughter is younger than Jihyo by couple of years.. Jeon-.."
"no!! I'll not marry her, i prefer to die!."
Her father’s gaze remained steady. “Then suggest someone better."
Jihyo’s jaw clenched, chest rising and falling rapidly. The room felt smaller, the air heavier. She just wanted to run.
Her mother leaned back slightly, a thoughtful expression softening her features. "listen, I'll look among the people i know.."
"Mom!! This isn't a game please."
“I know,” her mother replied gently. "but this someone doesn't have to be from our society or than wealthy.." She glanced at her husband, who raised an eyebrow.
Her father snorted softly, though not unkindly. "Alright. We’ll see who you find..”
Her mother smiled faintly, reaching out to touch her daughter’s hand again. "I'll find the right person for you. That's my promise. I won't force anyone on you unless you like them."
For a moment, the tension in Jihyo’s chest eased, not much, but enough for her to feel a flicker of hope. Her mother have this kind of power over her.
Jihyo exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the conversation still pressed against her chest.
She stood, smoothing the crease of her blazer, and allowed herself a small, bitter smile.
Her mother followed her gaze, a soft smile on her lips. “Go ahead, my dear” she said quietly. "Take a breath, you can leave if you want"
Jihyo nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She turned toward the door, each step feeling heavy.
She opened the door, and the hallway stretched out before her. It was quieter here, almost empty. Her heels clicked against the floor, the sound echoing softly, grounding her in the moment.
Jihyo open the door to her own office and stepped inside. The space was quiet, and the silence pressed against her like a physical weight.
She closed the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment..
Her chest felt tight, every breath shallow, remembering everything that had happened today, her father harsh words and the judgment and the cracks in her composure became visible..
She moved toward her desk, dragging herself along the polished floor, and sank into the chair and sigh tiredly.
She wanted to scream, to run, to escape—not just the office but from everything else..
Her gaze fell on the framed photos on her desk, the photo was taken when she little. She's over her father's shoulder who was smiling and her mother next to them smiling at them.
images from happier times, a reminder of who she had been before everything spiraled out of control.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. She barely recognized that girl anymore.
Jihyo slumped further into her chair, letting the silence of her office swallow her whole.
She let her fingers wander across the surface of her desk, tracing the edges of papers, the smooth frame of a photo, anything to anchor herself.
Her phone buzzed softly, a quiet interruption to the oppressive quiet. Glancing down, she saw a message from her mother.
- "Jihyo-ah, an idea just came to me… I think I know someone who might be perfect."
- "I have a feeling you’ll like this person."
- "come have a dinner with me and we'll talk."
Jihyo blinked. She stared at the screen, the words feeling like a small, unexpected light in the darkness of her day.
She typed back nothing, she didn't know what to say.
Someone perfect?..
Someone she might like?..
She didn’t know it yet.
But the story—her story—was about to take a turn.