Chapter 1.4

Her brother said she only needed to spend one night with Han Baek-geon during her ovulation. Her body was decent enough that if she approached determinedly, it would be hard for him to resist.

‘Even though he’s a terrifying bastard who shows no mercy, he’s relatively generous to women, children, and the elderly. You seem more pitiful than you think, and those eyes strangely touch a person’s heart.’

Her brother’s words, as he smacked his lips and looked at her strangely, came back to her.

‘Just cradle that bastard’s c*ck well. No matter what, he’ll try to take responsibility once he’s swung it. At that time, talk well about me. There’s only the two of us in the world, so you can do that much for me, right?’

Her brother spoke nonsense without hesitation.

‘All you do is call me brother, but what have you done for me? You secretly embezzled money to live luxuriously while attending law school and got a house. It was so small that I got you a job at the streaming channel to earn more money, but you couldn’t even attract a single customer and ended up cleaning. Huh?’

Scolding her, her brother pressed her forehead with his finger, tilting her head back.

‘This is the last time. I’m not joking; it’s really my last chance. If you don’t come out alive, we’ll both die. If you don’t want to end up without even bones, endure until that bastard ejaculates in your p*ssy.’

Just thinking about it was vulgar and disgusting. Yoon-jae shook her head, trying to erase the look and words of Yoon-ryeol from her mind.

The handsome appearance and rock-solid body of Han Baek-geon made her feel even more chilled. Although Yoon-ryeol was skilled at using cunning and vile methods, she feared he might have misjudged this time.

Still, she had to do it. Somehow, she had to reclaim it. Cornered and left penniless.

Yoon-jae gritted her teeth. Although Yoon-ryeol had taught her how to seduce a man, she doubted she could even mimic it now as her consciousness scattered.

The amount of pure drug injected through a syringe was too much for her to act consciously. It happened just before she was caught. Usually, the drug was given in powder form, but today it was injected.

Yoon-ryeol even deliberately injected more than double the standard amount. Knowing this, she couldn’t stop or refuse her brother.

Yoon-jae desperately tried to regain her senses, biting her lips hard enough to burst them. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, painful and burning.

She lifted her head and looked around. The attic was lit by a single small lamp overhead.

At least it was quiet and cozy. Though it was piled with luggage, there was a bed, table, and window. She could lay her body down for one night.

Yoon-jae sighed deeply. It had been five years since she attached herself to a broadcasting studio called a cyber room salon. Unlike her well-known siblings, she was grateful even for the meager star balloons she received daily.

Whether the camera was rolling or not, getting hit, scolded, and hearing abusive language was routine. Cleaning up after the women who came and went was also part of her daily life.

Living like that made her feel aged. No, she had actually wasted away her years. Already twenty-eight. She gave a bitter smile.

Her dream of becoming a lawyer faded like dust. It wasn’t her fault she fell into the pit. It was all due to Yoon-ryeol’s schemes and actions.

Thinking of her brother made her insides churn. Once, he had held her small hand tightly, supporting her dreams.

The betrayal was even greater because he was her real brother. Behind resentment and hatred, old resignation and pessimism were deeply etched in her mind.

How did everything collapse so completely?

Yoon-jae twisted her lips in self-deprecation.

Once, she was called a prodigy, with a bright future. She entered a prestigious university, dreaming of self-made success, studying hard every day until her nose bled.

She had actually come close to realizing that dream. She studied with good peers and even had a boyfriend. But her hopes crumbled quickly with Yoon-ryeol’s sudden proposal.

‘It’s just a vlog. Filming everyday life, you know? Views go up when pretty college students appear. Especially if it’s a law school. People die for prestigious law schools.’

Refusing was useless. Yoon-ryeol raised his fist at Yoon-jae, who rejected him. After being beaten so badly she couldn’t attend school, she had no choice but to go out a few times.

Trying to escape was futile. Repeated violence and coercion gradually instilled resignation in her mind.

Meanwhile, rumors spread at school. Unfortunately, the professor who saw the streaming was her boyfriend’s father. He fiercely opposed their relationship while pestering Yoon-jae.

Unable to endure, she ran away from school, and her life became even more miserable. No matter how she resisted, she couldn’t withstand the violence, abuse, and prolonged mistreatment.

The scariest part was that the more horrible things she experienced, the more she reflexively followed Yoon-ryeol’s words.

She had no strength left to rebel. All she could do was try to avoid the moment. Powerless resignation and compliance were her only ways to survive.

Yoon-jae bit her lips hard enough to draw blood. Having lost everything, this was the only method left for her now.

A lingering sense of self-loathing and defiance circled her mind, but desperation soon dominated her thoughts.

There’s no choice now.

If she seduced Baek-geon and embraced him as her brother said, Yoon-ryeol wouldn’t be able to treat her recklessly.

He promised to return her home, so she could start over.

The only way to freedom was to seduce Baek-geon. There was no other way.

At the sound of a knock, Yoon-jae quickly raised her head. She gathered her thoughts, hoping it might be Han Baek-geon.

However, it was Cheong-o who entered. Yoon-jae lowered her head, unable to hide her disappointment.

Cheong-o, seemingly unaware, spoke to her kindly.

“Are you okay? Did you eat?”

Cheong-o placed the plate and wine bottle he brought on the table. Next to them were untouched dishes.

“Oh dear, Butler made abalone porridge thinking of you, but you didn’t even touch it? You should’ve eaten it out of consideration for his effort. He’s not someone who usually shows such care.”

As Yoon-jae remained silent, Cheong-o offered her food.

“Want to eat this? It’ll recharge your energy and lift your spirits. There’s fruit too.”

Yoon-jae continued to remain silent. Cheong-o looked at her face, asking gently.

“Yoon-jae, you remember me, right? It’s Cheong-o.”

Even with his urging question, Yoon-jae didn’t respond. Cheong-o seemed assured by her attitude and smiled faintly.

“Well, given your state, who could you trust? I understand.”

He sat down heavily beside her. Yoon-jae flinched and looked up.

“You have nowhere to go, right? Because of that bastard Yoon-ryeol. You wouldn’t want to go back to the streaming place either.”

A bit of life returned to Yoon-jae’s cloudy eyes. Seeing her looking at him, Cheong-o nodded and asked.

“Yes, I understand everything. Things aren’t going well, right? Want to come with me? How about staying at my place for a while and looking for a way while doing housework?”

It was a surprisingly kind offer. But Yoon-jae still didn’t let her guard down. What she needed now wasn’t sympathy but the lifeline named Han Baek-geon.

Seeing her silent refusal, Cheong-o sighed lightly and poured wine into a glass. He handed it to her, speaking gently.

“Don’t be stubborn. Drink this first. You took the drug, right? I know. That bastard Yoon-ryeol made you do all sorts of things. You’re the one suffering.”

Yoon-jae flinched and looked up. A deep sense of defeat spread within her. Cheong-o clicked his tongue at her expression.

“How much did he scare you? Hey, drink up and get yourself together. Tomorrow, come to my place, rest for a few days, and start doing housework.”

Everything was over.

Cheong-o knowing meant Han Baek-geon knew too. The shallow trick Yoon-ryeol devised was already blown away.

A deep resignation filled her mind. Yoon-jae hesitated, then slowly extended her hand. She took the glass with trembling hands and gulped down the wine.

She knew that food with fruit could somewhat break down the drug. Cheong-o surely knew this, so it was better to remove the drug’s effects.

But there was something she hadn’t realized. What Yoon-ryeol injected was highly refined and pure.

The compound was enhanced to intensify the drug’s effects, so when detoxifying components entered, it reacted violently inside her. Yoon-jae suddenly clamped her mouth shut, overwhelmed by nausea.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”

Cheong-o asked in surprise, and she mumbled with her mouth covered.

“Bathroom, bathroom…”

“What? Oh, this is the attic, so you have to go downstairs.”

Before Cheong-o could finish speaking, Yoon-jae opened the door and ran out. She couldn’t make it down the stairs before she bent over, unable to hold back the nausea.

“Ugh.”

The wine, red as blood, spilled out and soaked the floor beneath her. As Yoon-jae painfully vomited the wine, a shadow loomed over her head.

She looked up. Her tear-filled eyes captured the image of a man. Instinctively, Yoon-jae covered her mouth.

The man standing on the stairs was none other than Han Baek-geon. Seeing that his feet were dirtied, Yoon-jae’s eyes widened.

Perhaps this was her chance. A perfect opportunity to seduce the man just once. Without realizing her clothes were a mess, she knelt at Baek-geon’s feet and pleaded.