Chapter: 51

[T.W: Mentions of alcohol and violence.]

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"Mirae, stay here and call Mom and Dad," fifteen-year-old Miyeon whispered urgently, her trembling hands gently pushing her ten-year-old sister into the bedroom. Her voice cracked under the weight of fear she tried to hide. "Tell them to come home fast, okay? Please."

"Miya," Mirae whimpered, her small hands clutching tightly onto her sister's. Tears streamed down her cheeks, glistening in the dim light filtering through the hallway. "Please don't go. Stay here with me. We can wait for them together."

Before Miyeon could respond, a loud crash reverberated through the house, followed by a sharp, gut-wrenching cry. Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened in terror. The sound came from the living room.

Acting on instinct, she gently but firmly pushed Mirae further into the room and shut the door, her hand lingering on the doorknob as she whispered, "Don't come out until I tell you to. "She turned and ran toward the sound, ignoring Mirae's muffled sobs and desperate pleas from behind the closed door.

The house was cloaked in darkness, the only illumination coming from the pale moonlight streaming through the curtains. Miyeon's breath hitched as she reached the living room, her eyes darting around until they landed on the scene before her.

Dino, her cousin and younger brother in every way that mattered, sat on the floor clutching his forehead. Blood oozed from a deep gash, and his groans of pain echoed in the otherwise silent room. Standing over him, his father swayed unsteadily, reeking of alcohol. His face was twisted in rage, his voice slurring as he spat venomous words.

"You're just like your mother," he sneered, his tone laced with disgust. "A worthless bastard."

Miyeon's heart thundered in her chest as she saw him lift his foot, preparing to kick Dino. Without thinking, she screamed and ran forward, throwing herself between them.

"UNCLE, NO!" she cried, her arms outstretched as a human shield. Her small figure trembled, but she stood her ground.

Her uncle's bloodshot eyes bore into hers, his expression shifting from rage to something far darker. She knew that look all too well-it was a look that had haunted her childhood, one that sent icy fear crawling up her spine.

"Move," he growled, his voice low and menacing as he took a step closer.

Miyeon swallowed hard, her knees weak, but she held her ground. "No," she said firmly, masking the tremor in her voice with sheer determination.

Her uncle chuckled darkly, a malicious smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," he muttered, his words dripping with derision.

Behind her, a faint voice called out, trembling and weak. "Miya..." Dino's voice. She turned and knelt beside him, her hands shaking as she gently pried his hand away from his forehead to inspect the injury. A wave of fury coursed through her as she saw the swollen gash, blood staining his pale skin.

"Dino," she whispered, her voice breaking as she cupped his face.

Before she could stand, Dino grabbed her hand, his grip weak but desperate. "Don't," he murmured, motioning toward his father with a subtle shake of his head. "He's not in his right mind. Don't go near him."

Miyeon's chest tightened. She knew Dino was right-his father was too far gone, too drunk to be reasoned with. But she also knew that if she did nothing, Dino would take the brunt of it. He always did. That was the pattern. The shouting, the violence, the pain-it was a cycle that never seemed to end.

And Miyeon was tired. So tired.

But when she looked into Dino's eyes, filled with pain and quiet resignation, something inside her snapped. She couldn't let this continue. Not this time.

"Look at the kids of two bitches," her uncle hissed, his voice dripping with hatred as he glared at them. He stumbled forward with alarming speed, grabbing Miyeon by her arm and yanking her to her feet. She gasped in pain, her vision swimming as he shoved her backward with enough force to send her crashing to the ground.

"Stay away from my son, you thief," he snarled.

Miyeon's head hit the floor hard, and for a moment, the world around her tilted and blurred. The faint sound of shouting reached her ears, but it felt distant, like it was coming from underwater.

"Miya!" Dino's voice broke through the haze, panicked and desperate. His hands were on her arms, shaking her, but she couldn't focus. Her vision darkened, and the last thing she saw was the faint outline of her parents rushing into the room, their voices filled with alarm.

And then there was nothing.

Darkness enveloped her, heavy and unrelenting, as if it were pulling her into a void. All she could feel was the ache in her chest, the lingering fear, and a single thought repeating in her mind:

Be brave, Miya. Be brave.

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The house, once so vibrant and alive whenever Miyeon visited, now felt hauntingly quiet. It was the kind of silence that pressed down heavily, making every small sound magnify into something unbearable.

The people within its walls moved cautiously, their muted voices and restrained movements as if afraid that a single wrong word might shatter the fragile truce they were all desperately holding onto.

For Miyeon, the silence was deafening.

Dino and Wonwoo had left earlier, deciding to take Riko and Mirae out for some fresh air after Mirae's persistent urging. They had invited her too, insisting that a change of scenery would do her good. But Miyeon had declined. She needed time to herself, time to think, in the quiet solace of her room. Or so she thought.

Now, alone within the confines of those four walls, the stillness wasn't soothing-it was suffocating. Her thoughts spiraled as the weight of her family's fractured history pressed down on her.

Her gaze wandered to the hallway, where somewhere in this sprawling mansion lurked her uncle, Lee Ju-won-the youngest brother of her father and the last remaining member of their extended family.

Her grandparents had died in a tragic plane crash when she was only seven, and ten years later, her eldest uncle and his family perished in a car accident.

Her father, devastated by the loss, had clung to Juwon fiercely, forgiving his endless transgressions because he was all the family they had left. But Juwon had never deserved such loyalty. He had been a source of chaos and heartbreak for as long as Miyeon could remember.

A raging alcoholic, Juwon would stumble home late at night in drunken fits, his violence leaving deep emotional and physical scars on everyone around him.

Miyeon vividly remembered the nights he would lash out, his temper terrifying and unpredictable. His wife, broken and weary, eventually left him, abandoning their young son in the process.

It had been four years since Juwon was sent to a rehabilitation center for his substance addictions. Four years of relative peace. And now he was back, threatening to unravel the fragile stability they had rebuilt in his absence.

Miyeon felt drained, utterly and completely. She had prayed for simplicity, for a life that didn't feel like a constant uphill battle. But now, even breathing felt burdensome.

A pang of regret hit her for refusing Wonwoo and Dino's offer earlier. The thought of being alone in the same house as her uncle sent an uneasy chill down her spine. She needed to leave, needed an escape.

Only one name came to mind: Jeonghan.

Her eyes landed on her phone beside her, and for a long moment, she hesitated. She wasn't sure if she should reach out, if she was burdening him with too much already. But the gnawing sense of isolation won over.

Ignoring the unread messages from an unknown number-the same one she had been avoiding for weeks, hoping the stalker would give up and leave her alone-she opened her chat with Jeonghan.

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Jeonghan :)

You:Hi!

Are you free by any chance? It's okay if you're not. I just wanted to ask you something.|

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Her thumb hovered over the send button. Doubt gnawed at her-was this too much? Would he think she was being overly needy amd clingy? But for once, she silenced her overthinking and hit send.

As the message was sent, Miyeon exhaled shakily. She didn't know if he would reply, but right now, reaching out was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.

The clock ticked relentlessly, each passing second amplifying the silence in Miyeon's room. Her phone sat on the bed beside her, the screen dark and unresponsive, mocking her for the hope she'd placed in it. It had been over an hour since she'd sent Jeonghan the message. No reply.

Her rational mind told her he was probably busy-maybe caught up with work or out with friends. But her heart, fragile and desperate for comfort, felt the sting of disappointment. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to focus on her breathing. She hated feeling this way, hated being so vulnerable.

"I can't stay here," she muttered under her breath, the oppressive weight of the mansion bearing down on her.

Making a snap decision, she grabbed her coat and bag. She would go out herself. Maybe a drive would clear her head. She didn't know where she wanted to go, but anywhere was better than being trapped in this suffocating house.

Leaving her room, she headed down the dimly lit hallway toward the front entrance. The air felt heavier outside her sanctuary, thick with the tension that always seemed to linger when Juwon was around. She tried not to think about it, keeping her focus ahead, her pace quickening as she neared the stairs.

But as she turned a corner, her heart dropped.

There he was.

Her uncle, Lee Juwon, stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall with an air of indifference that made her stomach churn. He looked gaunt, his face pale and sunken, but his eyes-bloodshot and restless-still held that familiar glint of unpredictability. A half-empty bottle of whiskey dangled loosely from his hand.

Miyeon froze, her body tensing instinctively. She hadn't seen him since his return from rehab, and now, face to face, the memories came flooding back-his shouting, the bruises, the fear.

"Well, if it isn't my dear niece," Juwon drawled, his voice low and slurred. He pushed off the wall, staggering slightly as he stepped closer. "Where're you running off to, huh? Too busy to spend time with your favorite uncle?", he mocked.

The smell of alcohol hit her, sharp and nauseating. So much for rehab.

"I was just... heading out," she replied carefully, her voice even despite the rapid pounding of her heart. She edged back a step, her hand gripping the strap of her bag tightly. "I have plans."

"Plans?", Juwon let out a dry laugh, the sound devoid of any real humor. "You kids, always running away. Always leaving me behind." He took another step forward, and Miyeon's pulse spiked.

"Excuse me," she said firmly, sidestepping to move past him.

But he grabbed her arm. Not tightly, but enough to make her stop. Enough to make her skin crawl with past feelings.

"Don't be like your aunt," he murmured, his voice dipping into something almost pleading, "Don't abandon family. You all are all I've got left, Miyeon."

Her stomach twisted. The desperation in his voice might have been convincing if she didn't know better, if she didn't remember all the nights he had screamed at her, at her father, at the world. If she didn't remember the terror of his anger.

She yanked her arm free, taking a deliberate step back. "I'm not abandoning anyone. I just need some space. Excuse me."

For a moment, he said nothing, just staring at her with a hollow look that sent chills down her spine. Then, without warning, he barked a laugh, shaking his head. "You're just like the rest of them. Always running away. Not for too long, though."

Miyeon didn't respond. She turned and hurried down the stairs, her breath coming in shallow bursts as she reached the front door.

Her family's driver, Mr. Kang, was waiting outside near the car. She practically ran to him, her steps unsteady but determined.

"Miss Miyeon, are you all right?" he asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Yes," she lied, sliding into the backseat. "Let's just... go somewhere. Anywhere."

Mr. Kang hesitated for a moment, clearly unconvinced, but nodded. "Of course, miss."

As the car pulled away from the mansion, Miyeon pressed her forehead against the cool window, her chest tight. She didn't know where she was going, but at least she was moving-away from the house, away from him.

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