027: BLOOD IN YOUR HANDS 1

"I was too happy. My happiness made me forget that we don't live in a world where happiness is free of charge. . ."

- Ha Eun-Bi pov

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027: BLOOD IN YOUR HANDS 1

Eun-bi pov:

They said unhappiness will come knocking at your door to bring you reality if you're too happy.

My parents started getting along again.

I've been visiting them every day. It's gotten to a point where they would convince me day and night to just stay with them permanently.

I told them it's a waste of a floor to not use the one I bought, so I managed to tone their naggings down.

After visiting my twin sister, mom and her talked about a lot of things.

I can feel disappointment from mom since none of her children want to be a soprano like her.

We stayed with the original plan of me graduating like her so there would be no fuss about her education.

I don't mind since I also have something to do in Korea as well.

I finished packing my things.

Today is the day we'll go back to Korea.

I want to ask them to admit their mistake, but I'm winging it. I want to create a perfect mood before throwing it out.

'Baby steps. I should be satisfied with these baby steps.'

. . . . . . .

Seok-kyung pov:

"She's been going out of the country almost every week these days! It's so unfair!"

"You should be happy! She's getting along with her parents, and if this continues, we don't have to worry about dad marrying Mrs. Cheon."

"I am happy about that! I am . . . but I miss her!"

I pouted at my brother, who patted me on my head.

"They're arriving today, so stop pouting already."

"Really?"

"Uhmm!"

"That's good to know!" I smile secretly.

. . . . . . . . . .

Eun-bi pov:

My shades covered the upper part of my face while my scarf lowered the lower half.

I scoffed at my parents, who had been flirting with each other. Holding each other's hand, playing on the plane, and even leaving their seats to go to the private room of the aircraft only to do things that no children want to know.

I shook my head, turning away from these love birds. My phone vibrated, and when I checked the message, I turned to the side and saw Logan waiting for me, far away from here.

'What does he want?'

"Eomma! Go first. I have to buy something." I left my luggage with them and pointed to my luggage.

"You'll take it home for me, right?'

"Where are you going?"

"I forgot to buy souvenirs for my friends, so I'll buy them here. See you at home."

I smiled at them and hurried in Logan's direction.

He walked ahead as I followed him.

The two of us entered his limousine as we rode in silence.

He popped a bottle of wine, but I shook my head and smirked at him.

"I don't want to wake up and find myself locked in a burning bus."

He pursed his lips as he put the wine down.

"You know we'd never do that to you."

"Do I?"

"Eun-bi ahh. . . you know that it was bound to happen."

"Let's talk later. Is Mrs. Shim waiting in the hotel?"

He nodded as I crossed my hands on my chest and kept my silence after he nodded.

. . . . . . . . .

Logan pov:

I knew she'd be this mad.

I knew it, so I kept postponing the plan because I didn't want her to know about it.

But I didn't really think she'd be this mad.

When we arrived, Su-ryeon was waiting for us on the sofa.

The moment their eyes locked at each other, Su-ryeon stood up.

"You're here. Do you want coffee or juice?"

"Just water."

She sat on the opposite side while I sat beside Su-ryeon.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"You've been avoiding us." Su-ryeon put the water in front of her.

"I don't see any reason for us to meet."

"Eun-bi-ahh. . . what happened to the kids will not happen again."

"Is there any reason for that to happen to them again?"

"Eun-bi. . . Don't do this. It was hard for us too. . ."

"Was it?" Her words pierced our conscience.

"They're my children too. . ."

She scoffed at Su-ryeon.

The way she scoffed at us made us feel that we were the bad ones.

"It's so easy for you to use that mother card, right?"

"To justify your actions as a necessary sacrifice."

I held Su-ryeon's hands as they began to tremble. I scoffed at Eun-bi too.

"Was it really wrong to give Seol-ah the justice she deserves?" I asked her.

Her eyes turned to me.

A look I've never seen.

Something's changed with her. It's like she's much more decisive now.

'What exactly did Eun-byeol say to her?'

She started stating excuses.

"I had to do that!

I have to give justice to my daughter!

They deserve that!"

"They need to know how painful it is for my child and me!"

She listed different excuses as she looked at us, mocking our reasoning.

"What's so wrong with what we did?"

She turned to me, looking at me with disbelief in her eyes.

"Are you seriously asking that?"

"You know that the children will have to pay for their crimes."

"Crimes? Justice? Can you really call that justice? do you really believe that it was?"

"What happened to the children is nothing compared to Seol-ah!"

She laughed at us dryly.

"Can you even hear yourself right now, Logan?"

"Compared? You want to compare Seol-ah and the other kids?"

"The twins are being beaten up by their own father on a daily basis! Jenny had to endure years of mockery."

"My sister survived a damn car accident, lost her first love and memories, and was forced to emotional brainwash about her own dreams for years!"

"You want to compare the kids to Min Seol-ah? All of them had their own fair of agony!!"

"I'm not saying that the children were not wrong when they did that to Seol-ah."

"I'm not angry at you because you punished them! If those things happened to Eun-byeol, I would have done worse!"

"I would have given them a thousand torment that they'd rather wish to die than live!"

"Then why. . . ." She instantly cut me off.

"Because!"

"Because at least I would never disguise my anger and my vengeance as justice!"

"I would never use my own sister as an excuse as I commit atrocities and convince myself that "I" did all those for her!"

"Logan. . . . You, I, and those kids are not different from each other."

"What are you. . ."

"We've seen how this world works! We know how unfair society is to children like Min Seol-ah."

"We know how people like us live! We trample those who are lesser, we get everything we want, we can buy anything we want, and we can go everywhere we want to."

"All because we're rich!"

"Because we're powerful!"

"But you of all people know that there are things that even money or prestige cannot buy!"

"Family!"

She turned to Su-ryeon.

"Love."

Then to me.

"Attention!"

"Affection!"

Then to Su-ryeon again.

"No matter how rich or powerful we become, we can't buy any of the things that truly matter to us!"

"Each day without those breaks us shatters our heart as we live day by day wishing that someone could see that we're in pain!"

My eyes averted her.

Memories of my life before Seol-ah appeared in my mind.

The memories of my so-called friends who only stayed with me because of our money.

"You should have understood them more."

She looked at us, tears rolling on her cheeks.

"What they did is a crime! They only paid for their crime!"

"BULLSHIT!!!"

BANG.

She banged the table, standing in anger.

"Stop disguising your venting as a just cause!"

"Logan, what you did is not justice!"

"It's venting!!"

"You want to vent to them! For being unable to protect her! For not being there for her when she needed it the most."

"You want to vent out your own sins of abandoning her before!"

"You just vented everything to them, blaming them, punishing them because you needed someone to blame!"

She screamed the words that I refused to say myself.

The words that were the reason why I came here.

"I understand! I do!"

"You weren't there when she was suffering! You couldn't do anything for her!"

"The only thing you could do is lend your ears as you hear her agony!"

'Yes! That's right, I was. . . venting. . .'

My body started trembling as tears started flowing.

Su-ryeon held my hand as I looked at Eun-bi, who also walked toward me and held my hand.

"It wasn't your fault!"

"None of what happened to Seol-ah was your fault or yours!" She looked at both of us.

"Stop torturing yourself and others just to lessen the pain."

"You must've realized then that what you did to the kids did not ease the pain in your heart at all."

"You're a good person Logan. I'm sure that you feel more in pain now than you were before."

"Ugghhhh. . . ." I started crying heavier and heavier.

"Everything was my fault! If I only protected her from my parents,

If I only fought for her then, this would've never happened to her."

"I used her,

I threw her away!"

"I. . . ."

"Argghhhhhhh!!"

I cried so much thinking about Seol-ah. . .

"It's my. . ."

"It's no one's fault!"

. . . . . . . . .

Su-Ryeon pov:

Logan started crying heavily.

All the frustrations and all his pain went crumbling down.

I hugged him tight as Eun-bi held his hands.

The words that Eun-bi said cut deep into my heart.

She was right.

None of our actions were justice.

It was simply revenge.

We wanted to ease our own pain by dumping it on them.

"I am not angry at you for punishing the kids. I am angry that you are disguising your vengeance as a just action that is righteously made."

"We all know it isn't!"

I started crying. The way she smiled at us and still looked pained for us made me realize how useless all those plans were.

"We've been so focused on our pain that we've forgotten what we really should be focusing on."

"To get justice! Real justice!"

. . . . . . . . . .

I feel ashamed of myself.

I've been so focused on my pain and loss that I've forgotten.

Where I should be really focusing.

I gathered the confession letters and went to the sink with Logan and Eun-bi.

Eun-bi lit a lighter as Logan took a piece of the confession and placed it above the lighter.

We watch the confession paper burn into flames.

Eun-bi smiled at us.

We did that to all the papers until all turned into ash on the sink.

We watch all the ash pile up, then turn the faucet on to wash it down the drain.

. . . . . . . . .

Eun-bi pov:

After calming ourselves, we took a long break. We didn't speak to each other and let our minds take a break from everything that we poured out.

After, we discussed how we would send all of them for trial.

"What we need is hard evidence that cannot be covered up."

"Something that cannot be covered up with another lie."

"I'll talk to a friend of mine. He knows a lot of people in the media."

"We'll use the media so they won't be able to cover up their crime so easily."

"I'll try and talk to my kids again. This time, I will face them properly."

I nodded at Su-ryeon.

"I'll try to look for CCTVs, and dash cameras."

"I'll have John help you out."

When we all sorted out everything we'd be doing, I smiled at them.

Logan playfully smiled at me and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Eun-bi. Thank you for setting me right!"

I smiled at him and then teased him, "don't worry. What you did was still light. If it was my sister who died, I'd be torturing them a lot more painfully!"

Su-ryeon held my hand.

"Thank you for stopping us."

"Aunt Su-ryeon. . . . I will help you get a confession from the kids."

"I will make sure that all of them go to the police themselves and confess, I promise."

Su-ryeon hugs me. I can feel all her sadness and agony in her hug.

"Thank you for coming to my children's lives."

. . .

Eun-bi pov:

I head straight to Grandpa's office bearing gifts.

"What is my lovely granddaughter doing here?"

"Missing her most beloved grandpa!"

"Now! What does my lovely girl want that she's even willing to sweet-talk me so she can get it."

I hugged grandpa.

"Can't I visit my grandpa without wanting anything?"

"Of course, you can! You are always welcome here! You don't even have to knock or set an appointment. Even though your grandpa is a very busy man, you will always be more important than any of that."

I smile at grandpa as we head to the sofa to talk some more.

He called his assistant in and asked her to make tea for us.

We chatted for about an hour about what we did in the states while we were gone, ate the cake that I brought, and how mom finally came to her senses that none of her children would be succeeding her in the stage of sopranos.

"I'm glad your mother finally came to her senses."

"Yeah! Me too."

"But I don't think I've been graced by my lovely and talented butterfly just to tell this to me."

I smile sadly, facing the floor before breathing deeply.

"I'm going to make a big trouble, grandpa."

"Does it involve the law?"

I nodded.

He sighed as well and removed his glasses.

"Should I assemble a team of lawyers? How many do you need?"

"Should I contact my insider at the prosecutor's office? I can talk to the judge I know. . . ."

"Instead of that, can you forgive mom. . ."

"So it's hers, huh!"

"Grandpa, please forgive her. I will carry all of your disappointment instead."

He touched my hand and placed it on his lap.

"You and your twin really are the same."

"Huh?"

He smiled at me. . . .

"Nothing. . . You two are so alike. My grandchildren like to carry things that they're not supposed to carry."

"We're younger, grandpa. We have stronger bones, so it is us who should carry it."

"Hahahaha!"

"You're right."

"Fine! I promise to forgive anything your mother does!"

"But you don't have to carry it! I will carry it instead."

"Grandpa!" I raised my voice, but he hushed me with his hand.

"I am older, and I've already reached the peak of my life. My daughter is slowly starting to change, and I have wonderful grandchildren. One will be studying at Harvard and become an amazing doctor while the other one is an amazing ballerina who dances like a butterfly!"

"I have nothing more to ask for!"

"Don't say that! I want you to be there when I decide to bring my boyfriend home, to eye him head to toe and interrogate him."

"To make him feel scared of ever hurting me and threaten him to hunt him all over the world if he ever makes me cry."

"That's your dad's job!"

"My job is to eye him up and down and make him feel small for having the Cheong-ah group chairman as a future in-law."

I laughed as he smiled at me.

"Exactly! So you need to live a very long life for that."

"Or you could take that brat, Seok-room, Seok-moon, or whoever that is home. I will eye him up and down and make him feel small."

I giggled again.

"It's Seok-hoon harabuji."

"That's what I said! Seok-joon."

Giggled again.

He's doing it on purpose.

"Don't worry about anything! Your grandpa will always have you back."

"Law! Prosecution? Judge? Tell me anything! I will definitely protect you from anything!"

I hugged him tight as he smiled in my embrace.

"I will definitely protect our family, Grandpa!"

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Cheon Myung-soo pov:

I investigated my daughter's foolishness once again and found out that she almost divorced her husband.

My daughter really is. . . handful.

I finished my will and signed it off.

I also ordered my lawyer to transfer my bonds to Eun-bi's accounts.

'She will know what to do with those.'

While Cheong-ah hospital will be Eun-byeol's private property. When she turns 18, the ownership will immediately transfer to her, no matter who inherits the Cheong-ah group.

My land all over Korea and other countries will go to my daughter Cheon Seo-jin, 7% of my shares will go to my youngest daughter, and 2% to my wife.

I can't trust them to get along with my daughter and grandchildren. I can't give them any power that they can use against my family.

The rest will belong to my eldest daughter.

I took the photo in my drawer.

My beautiful wife. Cheon Seo-jin's mother.

"You would have been so proud of your granddaughter. She managed to do what I couldn't do for a very long time."

"She will be a fine head for Cheong-ah."

"Chairman, a visitor has come to see you."

"Who is it?"

"Her name is Oh Yoon-hee. . . She said she's a messenger from Joo Dan-tae."

"Hmm! Let her in."

"And you can go home now."

Just as she predicted.

A woman in a black dress walked confidently inside and bowed to me.

"I don't remember ever having a business deal with Mr. Joo, so what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Good evening, Mr. cheon Myung-soo. . . I am Oh. . . ."

"Spare me the details. What do you want?"

"I came here to deliver this to you."

How she smiled made me remember all those annoying snakes who had tried to bite my wife and daughter.

I opened the envelope and saw pictures of my daughter's and Joo Dan-tae kissing and doing all things inappropriate.

"Hmm! What is it that you want? Money?"

"Oh my! Of course not. I'm just concerned for the future of the Cheong-ah group. You worked hard to build this only to be ruined by your daughter, right?"

"Pompous bitch!"

I scoffed at her and threw the photos at her.

"Don't think you can threaten me with such weak things. I am Cheon Myung-soo! The head of the Cheong-ah group!!"

"It is so easy for me to crush flies like you!!"

She smiled at me and picked up the photos.

"Looks like you already know about this!"

I coughed while looking at her.

"I will make sure you regret doing this to me."

I threw my phone, which was on my table, in her direction.

"Don't you think you can threaten me, child! You are nothing! Nothing!"

"Not for long!"

She walked away from my office while I breathed deeply again.

'That's gonna be a dangerous snake. I need to make sure that she doesn't become too venomous, enough to kill my family.'

. . . 

Eun-bi pov:

We all decided to have some family dinner. My father and I enjoyed our dinner while waiting for mom.

"Your mom sure is taking so long. . ."

"I know, right? I hope she didn't get into any accidents."

"Cheong-ah group chairman was found at the bottom of Cheong-ah high stairs, unconscious. He was found by his eldest daughter, Cheon Seo-jin, and was rushed to the hospital. A few minutes after arriving, he was declared dead on arrival."

My fork fell on the ground as I heightened the volume.

"Grandpa. . . ."

I rushed to the door with dad as we rushed to the hospital.

"No! Please! Please!"

I cried on the way as I kept on praying that the news was wrong with their report.

"Don't worry, I'm sure the report is wrong."

"Grandfather is definitely alright."

Dad held my hand as he drove.

"Hurry, dad! Hurry!"

. . .

I found mom on the ground, wet from the rain and crying.

My step-grandmother and her daughter are on the side of my grandfather's bed, crying as well.

I slowly walked forward and saw grandpa's ashen face.

I held his cheeks and felt the coldness in his skin.

"No! No!!"

"Please! Please wake up!! Grandpa!!!"

I broke down in tears as I shook him to wake up.

"Don't do this to me!! Grandpa! Please!!"

"Wake up!!"

"I told you! You can't die yet!!"

"You haven't met Seok-hoon yet! You haven't eyed him from top to bottom yet!!"

"You haven't made him feel small yet!!"

"You promised me, grandpa!!"

"YOU PROMISED!!! SO WAKE UP!! JEBAL!!!!!"

"Harabuji!!!!"

I slumped to the floor while holding his hand.

"Please!! Please!! I'm begging you!!! Wake up!!!"

"Grandpa!!!"

Everything went blurred as I held his hand tightly while crying.

"Eun-byeol ahh! Ha Eun-byeol!!!!"

The last voice I heard was dad.

The last thing I felt was my grandfather's cold hands.

The last thing I saw was my grandfather's limp hands.

"Jebal yo. . . Please. . . wake up. . . grand. . . . . . . ."

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TO BE CONTINUED