⇢ ˗ˏˋ 13 ࿐ྂ

༘♡ ·˚꒰A Love That Kills꒱ ₊˚ˑ༄

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Her breath came in shallow, ragged gasps, her chest rising and falling far too quickly. The world around her blurred, her vision swimming as the weight of her uncle's words crashed over her like a tidal wave. Her hands trembled, her entire body shaking so violently it felt like she might collapse. The phone slipped from her grasp, hitting the pavement with a dull thud, but she barely noticed. They came to her.

In Ho reached her first, his hands immediately gripping her shoulders, his voice urgent yet gentle. "Hae In. Breathe." His fingers tightened slightly as if to ground her, but she couldn't. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but tremble under the crushing weight of her own panic.

Jimin and Chanwoo exchanged worried glances before stepping closer, while Taesik hovered nearby, his expression tense. She barely registered them. All she could hear was the pounding of her heartbeat, the deafening rush of blood in her ears.

"Look at me," In Ho urged, tilting her face up with firm but careful hands. His thumb brushed against her damp cheek, and it was only then that she realized she was crying. The panic refused to subside. It grew sharper, heavier.

She clutched at his jacket, fists twisting into the fabric as she shook her head frantically. "I-" Her voice broke. She was falling apart.

In Ho's brows knitted together, concern darkening his gaze. He gently pulled her forward, wrapping his arms securely around her, tucking her against his chest. His touch was soothing, warm, safe. He smoothed a hand over the back of her head, his fingers threading into her hair. "It's okay," he murmured against the crown of her head. "Just breathe, Hae In. Breathe."

She couldn't because it's not okay.

Her body shook harder, and she clung to him, hands tightening around the back of his coat. She felt herself sinking into his warmth, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek, the familiar scent of his cologne mixing with the faint trace of smoke on his clothes. It should have been comforting. But it wasn't because she didn't deserve it.

A broken sob tore through her as the truth clawed its way out.

"I lied to you," she whispered, the words barely escaping past the lump in her throat. "I'm-" Her voice hitched, her fingers gripping him like she was afraid he'd disappear. "I'm not who you think I am."

The air around them shifted.

In Ho's arms didn't loosen, but he leaned back slightly, just enough to search her face. His eyes were filled with confusion, with a quiet, growing dread. The trios, who had been standing close, stiffened.

She forced herself to meet his gaze, even as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "I'm Baekdo."

Jimin inhaled sharply, chanwoo tensed, taesik muttered a curse under his breath but it was In Ho's expression that nearly destroyed her. He didn't pull away or move. He just stared at her, as if trying to process what she had just said, as if waiting for her to take it back.

Her chest tightened painfully. The words kept spilling out, breaking her apart.

"My uncle is Baekdo's leader," she continued, voice raw. "The night we met, the night you were bleeding on the street, I only helped you because he sent me."

A flicker of something passed through his eyes, something cold, but she pressed on, needing to get it all out before she lost the courage to do so.

"I was sent to steal the black ledger." She choked on a sob. "And I did."

Chanwoo's brows furrowed, disbelief written all over his face. Jimin took a small step back, like the ground had suddenly become unsteady beneath him. Taesik muttered another curse, this one sharper, more bitter.

In Ho just stood there. She swallowed hard, her breathing uneven. "I gave it to my uncle weeks ago. Along with everything else. Every single piece of information on Myeongju."

A heavy weight settled over them.

And then she whispered, "I gave them everything, information about Myeonju and they will use it against you, they will attack you and it will be over."

The words barely left her lips before she broke down completely.

Her sobs came in violent, uncontrollable waves, her body shaking so hard it felt like she might shatter. Taesik was already moving. He grabbed his laptop from the car, fingers flying over the keyboard as he accessed Myeongju's internal security logs. The others barely breathed as they waited, tension thick enough to suffocate.

Then, his screen flashed. Vault room Access: GRANTED. The date was weeks ago, the exact time they had all been in Busan. A slow, heavy silence stretched between them before Taesik looked up. His face said everything.

Jimin's throat bobbed as he swallowed, his expression grim. Taesik exhaled sharply through his nose, jaw tightening. But Chanwoo snapped.

He took a step forward, his hand gripping the gun at his side so tightly his knuckles turned white. "You betrayed my boss?" His voice was sharp, shaking. "My fucking brother?"

Hae In flinched at the raw anger in his voice, her body curling in on itself as she sobbed harder.

"Chanwoo," Jimin warned, stepping in quickly to put distance between them. "Not here."

Hae In couldn't stop crying. The weight of her own betrayal crushed her, the reality of what she had done sinking deeper, becoming unbearable. She turned to In Ho but he hadn't said a word.

His arms were still around her, but they were no longer holding her close. His entire body had gone tense, his warmth slowly fading. Then, he started to pull away.

She panics, her arms locked around him, clinging, refusing to let go.

"In Ho," she gasped between sobs. "Please."

"Let me go." His voice was low and unreadable.

She held him tighter.

"In Ho, please-I love you."

"Let me go." His tone hardened.

She shook her head frantically, gripping onto him like he was the only thing keeping her from completely falling apart.

He shoved her. Not violently, but with enough force that she lost her balance, her knees hitting the pavement. Her hands and knees scraped against the rough ground, but she barely felt it. She crawled forward, reaching for him, tears blurring her vision.

"In Ho, please" She gasped between sobs, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

He didn't move, didn't look at her or even say a word. The air was too heavy, too thick. It felt like it was crushing her, like she couldn't breathe.

In Ho's voice broke through the weight, but it was nothing like before. It wasn't soft, or teasing, or warm, it was shattered.

"Why?" His voice shook, raw and broken. His eyes, red at the corners, were fixed on her like he couldn't believe she was real. "Why would you do it?"

She tried to speak, but he wasn't done.

"If you only wanted to lure me in, why did you let me in?" His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths. "Why did you make me love you?" His voice cracked, his hands trembled. "I've never-" he swallowed thickly, blinking too fast. "I've never felt like this for anyone. Why did it feel so real?"

"It is real." Her voice broke, thick with tears. She pressed a hand to her chest like she could pull the words out stronger, like she could show him what she meant. "It wasn't real before, but it is now."

"Bullshit," Chanwoo spat, his grip tightening around his gun. "Shut the fuck up."

"No! listen to me." Her voice cracked as she turned back to In Ho, desperate. "My uncle wanted to end Myeongju after getting the ledger, but I told him not to. I made him promise." She was sobbing again, voice barely holding together. "He broke it, In Ho. He lied to me. But I didn't lie when I said I love you."

Chanwoo lost it. "Shut the fuck up!" He grabbed In Ho's shoulder. "Come on, Boss. Let's go. This is fucking pathetic."

In Ho's chest heaved. Tears slipped down his face. He lifted a hand, running it through his hair in a sharp, frustrated motion. He turned away but his fingers brushed against his pocket, where the small velvet box still sat and slowly, he reached for it.

"No, no, please."

She lunged forward, falling to her knees. The same knees that had already been scraped raw when he pushed her down earlier, now bleeding but she didn't care.

She grabbed at his knee, his hand, whatever she could reach. "Please, don't do this. Please don't throw it away."

With one swift motion, he hurled the ring away. It skidded across the pavement, disappearing into the darkness. Then, he reached for his gun.

Hae In froze.

"In Ho.." Her voice was a whisper now, weak, small, terrified.

But he didn't point it at her. Instead, he pulled the trigger at nothing. The gunshot rang out into the night, shattering the silence, making her flinch so hard her whole body trembled.

"Take me home." he muttered. His voice was hollow.

The trio exchanged looks. Chanwoo's jaw was clenched so tightly his face twitched. He turned to Jimin, who nodded. Taesik moved first, grabbing In Ho's arm gently, guiding him away.

Chanwoo stayed back, eyes still locked onto Hae In, seething with rage.

"Should I finish her?" His voice was sharp, hungry for blood.

In Ho didn't look back. "Do whatever you want." His voice was empty.

Chanwoo's lips curled in disgust. He grabbed a metal pipe from the nearby alley, stepping toward her with pure intent.

Hae In didn't move, she was still on the ground, hands trembling, tears streaking down her face. She didn't even flinch when he raised it.

Suddenly, imin stepped in. "Stop."

Chanwoo's eyes flickered with irritation. "Get out of the way."

Jimin didn't move. "There's no point," he said, voice heavy with exhaustion. He turned his head slightly, glancing back at Hae In. "It's over now. She did it. It's done."

Chanwoo gritted his teeth, seething, and raised the metal pipe higher. "She fucking betrayed us! betrayed him." His voice was sharp, shaking with fury. "You really think we're just gonna walk away after what she did?!"

Jimin's jaw tightened. "Put it down, Chanwoo."

"The hell I will." His grip tightened as he stepped forward, eyes burning with rage.

Jimin shoved him back. "I said enough."

Chanwoo staggered, then lunged, shoving Jimin back just as hard.

"Get the fuck out of my way."

Jimin shoved back. They crashed into each other, fists gripping collars, pure aggression radiating between them.

Taesik grabbed In Ho and quickly moved him toward the car, knowing this was about to get worse.

"You don't get to call the shots," Chanwoo growled. "She's the reason we're in this mess! she's the reason Boss is like this!"

Jimin's hands balled into fists. "You think I don't know that?" His voice was lower now, darker, laced with something dangerous. "You think I don't want to fucking kill her myself?"

"Then move."

But Jimin didn't.

Instead, he threw the first punch.

It landed hard, right across Chanwoo's jaw, sending him stumbling back.

Then, Chanwoo let out a bitter laugh, wiping the blood from his lip. "You son of a bitch." Then, he swung back.

They crashed into each other, fists flying, all rage, fury and grief.

Hae In could barely breathe. Everything was unraveling around her, Chanwoo and Jimin were locked in a brutal fight, fists slamming into each other with raw anger, Taesik had rushed in to separate them, yelling for them to stop. But she couldn't focus on any of it.

Her eyes darted to In Ho.

She scrambled to her feet, knees stinging, blood smeared against her skin from when she had fallen but she didn't care. She ran.

"In Ho!" Her voice cracked, desperate, pleading.

He didn't stop.

She grabbed his wrist and he turned.

But when he did, his expression wasn't the same anymore.

It wasn't the man who looked at her with quiet amusement when she teased him, or the man who held her without hesitation, or the man who pressed soft kisses against her temple when she thought he wasn't looking.

This man was a stranger.

"What do you want now?" His voice was cold, so unlike him, but his eyes were shattered.

Tears blurred her vision. She shook her head, gripping his hand tighter. "I just-"

She couldn't even form the words. Because what could she even say? That she was sorry? That she never meant for this to happen? That she loved him?

"I love you," she whispered anyway, voice trembling, barely audible.

A bitter scoff left him. "You love me?" His voice was sharp, raw. "How much of it was real, Hae In? Tell me."

"All of it." Her grip on him tightened. "It was all real."

His jaw clenched. "Then why did you do it? Why did you lie to me?"

"I never lied about this." She placed a trembling hand over his heart. "Not about us."

"Us?" His laugh was hollow. "There was never an 'us,' was there?"

She shook her head frantically. "No, there is. There is. In Ho, please"

She couldn't lose him. So she did the only thing she could, she kissed him. Desperately, fiercely, like it could fix everything.

He froze and for a fleeting second, he almost kissed her back. He quickly shoved her away making he stumbled. Her heart shattering as she saw the look in his eyes.

It wasn't just betrayal, it was hatred.

"You don't get to do this," he whispered, voice hoarse.

Her breath hitched.

"You don't get to stand here and beg when you already chose your side."

His hand clenched into a fist.

For a moment, it looked like he wanted to say something else.

But then he just turned around and walked away.

Hae In's breaths were ragged, her vision blurred from the tears streaming down her face, but she forced the words out, voice trembling. "Baekdo is at the main warehouse."

The air in the alley dropped to a freezing point.

"They're already armed," she continued, barely able to breathe. "Your men will call you the second you answer, they'll lure you there, and once you arrive" She squeezed her eyes shut, guilt crushing her chest. "They'll attack. It's an ambush."

The weight of her confession suffocated the air around them.

Chanwoo was the first to react. His gun was in his hand before she could blink, rage burning in his eyes.

"You-" His voice was deadly, his grip tightening around the handle. "You set us up."

"I didn't" she gasped, but before she could say another word, his hand was around her throat.

Her back hit the wall, hard. The breath was knocked from her lungs.

"You fucking traitor," he snarled, his fingers digging into her skin, cutting off her air. "I should kill you right now."

Taesik and Jimin grabbed him, prying him off her, but his grip was iron.

"Chanwoo stop!" Jimin barked, pulling at his arm. "This isn't the time!"

"She sold us out!" Chanwoo roared. His hands finally ripped away from her neck, leaving her gasping, coughing, struggling to stand. "She fucking-"

Hae In collapsed to her knees, coughing violently, clutching her throat. Her body shook so hard she thought she might fall apart.

And then a hand grabbed her arm. In Ho.

Her heart stopped. His fingers dug into her wrist as he yanked her up, his eyes burning with fury.

"Get the fuck out of my face" His voice was low, cold, dangerous.

Her stomach twisted. "In Ho, please, just listen"

But he shoved her. She stumbled back, barely catching herself, her chest aching not from the fall, but from him. He had never touched her like that before. She looked up at him, her vision blurred, but he wasn't looking at her anymore.

He turned to the others. "We're going."

Jimin and Taesik exchanged uneasy glances, but they followed.

Chanwoo spat on the ground beside her, his glare burning into her like a brand. Then he turned and got into the car.

Hae In watched, helpless, as they all climbed inside, as the car roared to life, as the doors slammed shut.

She ran to them, her hands slamming against the window.

"In Ho!" she sobbed, her voice breaking. "Please! please, don't go!"

She saw his silhouette in the backseat.

But he didn't even look at her.

The car peeled away, leaving her in the dust.

Hae In screamed.

A broken, earth-shattering wail tore from her throat as the car disappeared down the street. "NO!"

Her legs buckled beneath her, but she caught herself on trembling hands, her nails scraping against the pavement. Panic clawed at her chest, suffocating her.

"PLEASE!" she shrieked, voice cracking, her sobs ragged and desperate.

She scrambled for her phone with shaking fingers, barely able to see through the flood of tears blurring her vision. She had to stop this. She had to fix it.

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The road to war was paved in blood. Their car sped through the darkened streets, tires screeching, engines roaring like beasts charging into battle. Inside the car, Chanwoo gripped his gun, jaw tight, eyes stormy. His knuckles whitened over the handle.

"Tell them to get ready." In Ho's voice was deadly quiet, the kind that made even his own men stiffen.

Jimin was already on the phone. "Move in. Secure the perimeter. Shoot to kill."

The reply was instant. "Understood."

Their fleet tore through the city. A war machine on wheels.

As they neared the warehouse, the radio crackled. "They're here."

Chanwoo pulled back the slide of his gun with a sharp click. "Let's kill every last one of them."

And then, the first explosion went off.

The blast rocked the ground beneath them, flames swallowing the far side of the warehouse. Screams, gunfire and chaos.

"FUCK!" Taesik swerved hard, dodging the raining debris as bullets tore through the windshield of the car ahead. It spun out, crashed into the side of the warehouse, bursting into flames.

"GO!"

Doors flew open before the car fully stopped. They hit the ground running. Gunfire erupted from every direction, Baekdo's men already positioned, already firing. Myeongju fought back like animals. The sound of bullets ripping through bodies echoed, blood splattering onto the concrete.

Chanwoo moved like a goddamn demon, unloading his clip into the first wave of attackers. Taesik was beside him, ducking behind a stack of crates, reloading in a blink. Jimin fired, taking down a man before he could launch a grenade.

The night was thick with the scent of blood, smoke, and death.

In Ho didn't flinch as a bullet whizzed past his face, barely missing his cheek. His gun raised, one shot, straight to the head. The man fell instantly.

"PUSH FORWARD!" In Ho commanded, voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.

They moved as one, a killing force. Chanwoo tackled a man, slammed his skull into the pavement, didn't even flinch when the blood splattered across his hands. He shot another point-blank, not bothering to watch him fall. Taesik was ruthless, breaking bones with the butt of his rifle before sending bullets through their skulls. Jimin took cover behind a crate, gun raised, blowing apart anyone who got too close.

But Baekdo was waiting as more men spilled out of the warehouse, armed to the teeth.

"AMBUSH!" someone shouted.

Another explosion. The ground shook. Debris rained down. A Myeongju car blew up, flames swallowing the street. Bodies hit the ground, screaming.

"FUCK!" Taesik shielded himself from the heat.

In Ho's head snapped to the warehouse doors where Baekdo's leader stood.

Her uncle. He was smiling.

In Ho barely had time to react. Her uncle moved like a ghost, his strikes swift, precise, brutal. Before In Ho could raise his gun, a fist slammed into his ribs, cracking something.

"Fuck" The wind was knocked out of him, but he barely had time to suck in air before a boot connected with his stomach. He crashed into the crates behind him, knocking them over as he gasped for breath.

"That's all you got, kid?" The old man's voice was casual, like this was nothing. He rolled his shoulders, adjusting his stance.

In Ho wiped the blood off his chin, glaring.

The fight outside was still raging, but Chanwoo, Taesik, and Jimin were all struggling. They had tried to ambush the old bastard together but it didn't matter. He took them all down like nothing.

Chanwoo was barely standing, lip split open, gun knocked from his hand. Taesik's arm was dislocated, blood dripping from his temple. Jimin was on the ground, groaning, struggling to push himself up. None of them could touch him.

The old man laughed, shaking his head. "Your little gang of puppies thought they could take me? My own brother was an inspector, a trained high-class fighter, he couldn't even beat me. And you?" He smirked, taking a step closer. "You're just a kid playing king."

In Ho gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. His ribs were screaming, his body barely moving, but he lifted his fists anyway.

The old man clicked his tongue. "Pitiful."

He rushed forward, In Ho barely dodged. A blade slashed across his side, burning hot pain spreading instantly.

"FUCK!" Blood poured from the wound. He stumbled, vision blurring.

The old man didn't stop. Another hit, In Ho blocked, but his arm went numb. A kick to the ribs, a punch to the face, he was losing.

"How's Hae In's acting skills?"

In Ho froze.

Her uncle smirked, circling him. "Did she do good?" He tilted his head mockingly. "Did she whimper sweet little words in your ear? Did she pretend she cared? Did she moan for you like a good little whore?"

In Ho's blood ran cold. His grip tightened around his gun.

The old man laughed, dark, amused. "Her body's that good, huh?" He spat on the ground. "I trained her myself, you know. Trained her to fool you, seduce you, make you fall until you couldn't breathe without her..and look at you."

In Ho's chest rose and fell, shaking. "Shut up."

"What? You mad? You think she loves you?"

His smirk widened. "Tell me, did she feel good? Was she tight? Did she shake when she came? She told me you fucked her so good, she couldn't even walk the next day."

In Ho snapped, gun raised and fired.

Her uncle dodged, too fast. He was on him in seconds, slamming In Ho against the wall, blade pressing into his throat.

"You're weak."

Before the blade could cut deeper, a sharp, dull thud echoed through the warehouse. The force of the impact sent her uncle stumbling forward, his grip on the blade loosening for a split second. In Ho fell to his knees, gasping for air, blood dripping onto the concrete floor beneath him.

Hae In stood behind her uncle, gripping a rusted metal rod with both hands, her chest rising and falling violently. Her entire body shook from the impact, but she tightened her hold, her knuckles turning white.

Her uncle turned slowly, his expression twisting into something inhuman. His jaw clenched, veins bulging against his skin as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "You." His voice was low, guttural. "You dare?"

Hae In didn't move, but she could feel her pulse pounding so hard it made her ears ring. "I love him," she whispered, her voice raw. "I love him, and I won't let you kill him."

Her uncle exhaled sharply before letting out a deep, rumbling laugh. "Love?" His lips curled in disgust. "You think love is going to save him?"

She barely had time to react before his fist connected with her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs. Hae In staggered back, coughing violently as pain shot through her ribs. But she didn't fall.

Her uncle lunged at her, throwing a brutal punch aimed at her jaw. She barely dodged, the air slicing past her face as she spun to the side. Using his own momentum against him, she slammed the rod against his ribs, but he barely flinched. He caught her wrist in an iron grip, twisting it until she cried out in pain, the rod slipping from her grasp.

"Ungrateful brat," he spat, yanking her closer. His fingers wrapped around her throat, lifting her slightly off the ground as she struggled against his hold. "I raised you to be stronger than this. To be ruthless. And now you cry over some man?"

Hae In gasped for breath, her fingers clawing at his wrist, but his grip was unrelenting.

"You belong to Baekdo," he hissed. "You are mine."

She lifted her knee and slammed it into his ribs, forcing him to release her. She dropped to the ground, coughing violently, "No," she gasped. "I was never yours."

Her uncle's face darkened. "Then you'll die with him."

She rolled away just in time as her uncle's fist slammed into the floor where her head had been. Scrambling to her feet, she lunged at him, delivering a sharp kick to his knee. He grunted, stumbling slightly but recovering almost immediately.

"You fight well," he muttered, wiping the blood from his mouth. "But not well enough."

Hae In's breath was ragged. Her hands curled into fists. "You ruined my life," she spat.

Her uncle's lips curled into something almost amused. "I saved you. You would've been nothing without me."

"I would've been free," she hissed.

He laughed. "Free? As what? A lawyer? You think the world would've let you be anything but what I made you?" His voice dropped, sickly sweet. "I gave you power. Purpose. You should be grateful."

Hae In felt the bile rise in her throat. "You stole everything from me," she whispered.

He sighed, shaking his head. "I raised you. I made you strong. And this is how you repay me?" He took a step closer. "You were always mine, Hae In. You still are. Come home. There's nothing left for you here."

She tightened her grip on the gun.

"Come home," he repeated, extending his hand. His voice softened. "I love you, sweetheart. You're the daughter I never had."

The words should've hurt. Should've made her hesitate but it didn't.

A gunshot rang through the air, her uncle's body jerked.

His expression froze, shock flickering across his face as his legs gave out beneath him. He hit the ground hard, his breath coming in shallow, sharp gasps.

Hae In stood over him, gun still raised, her face blank.

He stared up at her, blood seeping from his wound. His lips moved, but no words came out.

"Thank you for raising me" she whispered.

His body stilled.

Silence fell over the battlefield. Baekdo's men stood frozen, their eyes darting between her uncle's corpse and the blood-soaked chaos around them. Fear took over. Their leader was dead. There was no one left to fight for.

One by one, they retreated. The war ended not with a bang but with the quiet sound of footsteps fading into the distance.

Hae In barely registered it. Her body felt numb, her chest heaving as she turned only to see In Ho, sitting by the wall a few feet away.

His face was unreadable. Blood dripped from his temple, his hands hung at his sides, tense, exhausted.

Her heart clenched.

He looked just like he had the night they first met, bleeding, battered, staring at her with an intensity that burned.

Tears welled in her eyes.

"In Ho" Her voice cracked. She took a step forward.

He didn't move.

Her hands trembled as she reached for him, barely touching his sleeve before the weight of everything crashed down on her. She broke.

"In Ho," she choked out, her vision blurred with tears. "I love you. I never meant for any of this. I swear"

His hands reached up, cupping her tear-streaked face. His touch was warm despite the coldness in his eyes. "I know," he murmured.

She leaned into his palm, desperate, drowning in the way he looked at her. "I love you," she whispered again, her voice breaking.

He let out a shaky breath, his forehead pressing against hers.

The trio stood a few feet away, watching in silence. Taesik sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Chanwoo crossed his arms, lips twitching in irritation. Jimin only exhaled slowly.

In Ho sighed, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "I love you too," he admitted, his voice soft. "And I can forgive you."

Hae In's heart clenched. She gripped his wrists, hope flickering in her chest.

"But I don't think I want to."

Her breath caught. "W- What?"

Something sharp pierced her abdomen, her body tensed. She gasped, eyes widening as pain bloomed from deep within her.

In Ho's grip on her face didn't falter. His expression remained heartbreakingly tender as he watched the realisation dawn in her eyes.

Then, slowly, he twisted the knife.

Hae In's lips parted, but no sound came out. She barely processed the warmth of his forehead pressing against hers, the way his breath ghosted over her tear-streaked skin.

Her fingers trembled as they clutched at his shirt, gripping him. "In Ho" she whispered, her voice weak, desperate.

His eyes closed, his lashes brushing against his blood-streaked cheek.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I had to."

A sharp, searing pain spread through her abdomen, hot and unbearable. She sucked in a breath, but it felt like she was drowning.

"You betrayed me, Hae In," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can forgive you. But I don't want to."

Hae In's body trembled, her grip on his shirt loosening. A choked sob escaped her lips.

"But a part of me," he whispered, his voice raw, breaking, "will always love you."

His hand slowly slid away from her cheek. His warmth faded.

And he let her go.

Hae In's body crumpled to the ground, her vision blurring as she collapsed into the pool of blood spreading beneath her.

The last thing she saw before darkness swallowed her whole was In Ho's figure, standing above her. Watching, unflinching, as if memorising the sight of her one last time.

Then, he turned away.