Chapter 99
The memories of her life before becoming Baek I-hae surfaced faintly. Being an orphan, never knowing the warmth of family. Her timid nature keeping her from fitting in with classmates.
She had no money to go to karaoke with friends or even buy snacks. Her unwashed body sometimes smelled, and she’d pretended not to hear the whispers behind her back.
‘Even after becoming an adult, I couldn’t find a job easily and just stayed home—it made me so depressed. I’d play phone games as an excuse to lift my mood.’
That was around the time she’d played the dating simulation game featuring Seo Do-gyeom. One day, confined to her room, endlessly scrolling on her phone, she’d fallen into it almost as if possessed.
A story where the female protagonist faced trials while becoming entangled with those around her, yet still received love. She’d wondered, with innocent curiosity, what it would feel like to be loved by someone, even if it came with hardship.
She’d wished someone desired her that much.
“I’m jealous.”
It felt like a completely different life from her own lonely existence. They say you’re the protagonist of your own story.
‘I don’t need to be the protagonist—just let me be a supporting character. An ordinary one with a family and friends.’
People called it a game without dreams or hope, but so what? Even appearing as a minor character in a game like this, helping someone before dying, seemed more meaningful than her current life.
At least someone would mourn her.
It was a ridiculous fantasy, but back then, she’d meant it sincerely.
The place Baek Yong-jo’s subordinate dragged her to was the basement of a building. Baek I-hae realized it from the directory sign she’d glimpsed near the elevator.
‘I never thought they’d bring me here.’
It was where she’d once worked part-time, and where Baek Yong-jo was the CEO.
She’d expected some deserted ruin or factory like with Do Ha-jun, so this was unexpected. And they hadn’t even blindfolded her—what kind of confidence was that?
‘If they plan to kill me, there’d be no need to blindfold me anyway.’
Setting aside her worry for Seo Do-gyeom momentarily, Baek I-hae looked at the man seated across from her.
Baek Yong-jo frowned. He clearly remembered her face—the one who’d blocked his swinging golf club.
“I never imagined that insolent girl from back then would be the one Baek Yeong is seeing.”
The man who’d brought her removed the tape from her mouth, but Baek I-hae didn’t speak rashly.
She simply stared. Growing impatient, the man roughly grabbed her hair. The sensation—like her scalp might tear—was one she’d felt before, but it was still hard to get used to, a filthy feeling.
She bit her lip to keep from screaming. Seeing this, Baek Yong-jo raised a hand. The grip on her hair released.
“You don’t even beg for your life in a situation like this. Most pregnant women drop their useless pride and cling desperately.”
“You seem to know a lot about it.”
How unpleasant, she added in her mind, her expression remaining blank. Baek Yong-jo gazed at her with a strange look.
He might have thought a young woman with no backing was being bold. Baek I-hae glared at him—someone who shared no resemblance with Baek Yeong—and thought,
‘By now, they’ll have finished preparing to move in, seeing my location isn’t changing.’
They’d surely captured footage from afar of her being forced into the van—that alone would be enough to ruin a public figure like him.
They weren’t the type to wait for more solid evidence, so she was certain rescue would come soon.
“Aren’t you scared? You could die because of Baek Yeong.”
“I am scared. But that’s not because of Baek Yeong—it’s because you’re in the wrong. Don’t shift your mistakes onto others.”
“Quite the bold little thing. No power, no connections, yet needlessly arrogant.”
Baek Yong-jo lit a cigarette.
“I wonder how long you can keep that up. Doesn’t matter if you don’t beg—I’ll just show Baek Yeong you getting hurt, and he’ll come crawling.”
At Baek Yong-jo’s nod, the man who’d brought her pulled out a camera. Clearly meant to record her being threatened and send it to Baek Yeong.
The man’s practiced ease, without hesitation at the order, made it even more distasteful. How much had Baek Yeong endured under someone like this? How much had Chai Ryeong suffered?
“Boss. About that kid I mentioned earlier—he resisted fiercely, so they brought him too. What should we do?”
The man about to start recording checked a message on his phone and reported to Baek Yong-jo. His face twisted in displeasure.
“Why didn’t they just kill him?”
“There were reports from neighbors, so they hurriedly threw him in the car and are heading here.”
“Tch. Idiots—if they get tailed, what then?”
Neighbor reports. Perhaps something the player had arranged to save Seo Do-gyeom.
Relief washed over her—he hadn’t been killed.
Soon, amid commotion, Seo Do-gyeom was dragged in. He had scratches and some blood, but strangely, his captors looked far more battered.
“What happened to you lot? Beaten by a mere kid?”
“He fights like no ordinary guy. Doesn’t seem normal.”
After glancing at the men making excuses to the one who’d brought Baek I-hae, she turned her gaze to Seo Do-gyeom.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem seriously hurt. The moment he spotted her, he moved to her side and knelt. Despite bound wrists, he looked remarkably composed.
“Hey.”
That was when Baek Yong-jo’s face hardened terrifyingly as he looked at Seo Do-gyeom.
“This is Seo I-heum’s eldest. Fuck.”
Unlike his men, Baek Yong-jo clearly recognized Seo Do-gyeom’s face.
Rising with a deep scowl, he kicked Seo Do-gyeom and said,
“Why bring him here? Killing him would bring Seo I-heum’s retaliation—and with Do Ha-jun’s crew already gone missing, we’re short on men.”
“But if we’d let him go, he looked ready to kill our guys…!”
“Better you all died with him than screw this up. Tch.”
“S-sorry.”
“Sending him back now would still bring Seo I-heum’s revenge. Erase all traces of bringing him here, kill him quietly, and handle it.”
“What about the woman?”
“What do you think? If needed, use her as a shield against Seo I-heum—set Baek Yeong up as the front. Should’ve killed Seo I-heum earlier; that bitch Chai Ryeong was useless.”
Baek Yong-jo reached toward Baek I-hae. Thinking he meant to grab her hair, she flinched involuntarily—when Seo Do-gyeom stepped in front of her.
Bound the same way, yet with a menacing aura unbelievable after just being kicked.
“What, trying to protect the woman who left you for another man?”
“Don’t touch her.”
“Touching loyalty. How desperate must that puppy love from when you were kids be? In the end, when she thinks she’s going to die, she’ll betray you and run.”
“Doesn’t matter. So let Baek I-hae go. I’ll be the hostage.”
“Hmm.”
Baek Yong-jo smiled twistedly, as if considering. He soon swung a ringed fist at Seo Do-gyeom’s face, then chuckled emptily at the unchanging expression.
Baek I-hae’s face paled further watching Seo Do-gyeom’s fresh scratch from the ring.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how long you last as hostage. Hey, bring a knife.”
“Don’t.”
At Baek Yong-jo’s words, a nearby man eagerly handed over a knife. Her heart pounded seeing the sharp blade aimed at Seo Do-gyeom.
She was trembling just watching—why was Seo Do-gyeom’s face so calm? She couldn’t understand.
“I said don’t! You just want Baek Yeong anyway! You never planned to let me go!”
“Haha. The girl’s smarter. That’s true, but seeing a face just like Seo I-heum’s, I can’t just kill him easily. No matter what you say, this one won’t resist.”
So he was just a target for venting anger. Fury rising, Baek I-hae looked at Seo Do-gyeom—who met her eyes and smiled faintly.
“It’s okay.”
His gaze moved to her neck. Perhaps aware of the necklace.
He might not know Baek Yeong and Ye Eun-seol were cooperating, but at least he believed Seo I-heum would come—and was buying time.
Foolish man.
How long did he think he could endure alone? How much pain did he think it would bring…!
‘It feels like giving up on me without even trying means I wasn’t that precious to you.’
Her harsh words to him suddenly resurfaced.
‘I was wrong.’
Words she shouldn’t have said in anger. Seeing him possibly die before her eyes, she finally understood his heart somewhat.
He’d gone through this as a child, so he hadn’t wanted her close—to keep her safe.
‘Why do you love me so foolishly, even giving up on yourself?’
Realizing how much he’d thought of her, to the point she couldn’t even resent him, tears fell.
Then, commotion started outside. Screams, perhaps.
“What the—?!”
“I-it’s a raid! Boss, Baek Yeong and Seo I-heum…!!”
An organization member burst in, urgently reporting. As Baek Yong-jo reached to use Baek I-hae as a hostage, Seo Do-gyeom seized the knife barehanded.
Blood flowed, but his resolute eyes refused to let Baek Yong-jo near her even slightly.
“Damn old man.”
Baek I-hae let out a hollow laugh watching him. For always trying to protect her, in every moment.
Baek Yong-jo’s wavering eyes reflected Baek I-hae’s tear-streaked face.
“You said women betray and run when they think they’ll die?”
Though tears fell, unlike Baek Yong-jo, her steady gaze met his unflinchingly.
“Fuck you—the woman ruining your life is me. Remember that clearly.”
