032: PERSONIFICATION OF EVIL

"There are just some people who are born monsters, and when they grow they become the devil."

- Shim Su-ryeon pov

. . . . . . . . .

032: PERSONIFICATION OF EVIL

Eun-bi pov:

"How can anyone be so evil!"

Su-ryeon gripped the photos tightly, crumpling them.

Logan comforted her, caressing her back as she broke down in tears but even while crying, the fury in her eyes was as clear as the sky.

I looked worriedly at Seo-jun.

"I'm worried about him."

"I think I made the wrong decision in letting him investigate this matter on his own."

"Eun-bi. . . ."

"I can't let the others see him like this, especially Seok-hoon and Seok-kyung. He might harm them even though it's not intentional."

"I understand."

"I'm also very worried about my children." Su-ryeon wiped her tears as the two of us thought of the current situation.

"What if we sent them abroad? Just for the vacation?"

"I'll book them a flight."

"And you?"

"I can't leave him like this. . . I'm worried he might do something stupid if I leave him like this."

"I understand. . . I'll take the kids to the states during the vacation, you can follow us there any time you want, okay?"

I nodded to her as we made a decision.

I'll probably leave as well, with Seo-jun that is. I'll take him somewhere he can breathe and think of his next move.

Now that I'm certain that Joo Dan-tae is not a human, I know for sure, no jail or prison can ever be enough for a monster like him.

'I'll take him down, by whatever means necessary.'

. . .

Su-ryeon pov:

I was drinking in a bar while waiting for Logan when I received a call from Seok-kyung.

I smiled at my phone as I pressed the answer button.

"Eomma!!!"

I stood up from my seat as I heard my frantic daughter's voice.

"Seok-kyung ah. . . ."

"Eomma!!! Help!!!"

"Where are you!!"

"Appa!! Appa . . . ."

"Wait for me!!! I'll come to you now!!"

I ran out of the bar immediately, setting my destination to Hera palace.

"You better not harm my children!"

"JOO DAN-TAE!!!"

. . .

When I arrived at the penthouse, I saw the maid told me that the children are in his study.

I remember all the horrid things he did to my children there.

I immediately run inside but the study is pitch black!

I looked around in the dark when I saw a shadow of a person.

"Seok-hoon ahh. . ."

"Ugghhhh!!"

A cold sharp object pierces through me as I take a look at the shadowed person.

"Joo. . . dan-tae. . . ."

"Why. . . . ?"

"Why!!! You have the audacity to ask me that!" He pulled the knife again only to push it in again.

"After everything you did!!" And again.

And again

And again.

I tried pushing him away but all the blood and his tight grip made me feel really weak.

"Dan. . . . tae. . . ."

He pushed me to the ground, looking at me with a cold gaze.

Then as I forced myself to breathe, he pressed on me before stabbing me again on the back.

. . .

Joo Dan-tae pov:

"How unfortunate. . . .

Your revenge ended with your death. . . but you must feel relieved now,

Since you can finally see that daughter you missed so much!"

I hear the door opening.

'She's here, my culprit.'

"Farewell, my beloved wife!"

I threw the vase on the side, leaving the knife filled with only her prints on it as I left using my secret passage.

I smirk at Shim Su-ryeon's dead body before closing the door.

'If only you were a bit more useful, I would have let you live!'

'But you irritate me too much already. . . .'

'This is my win! Shim Su-ryeon!'

. . .

Seok-hoon pov:

I pace back and forth as I worry for Eun-bi.

She's been missing for quite some time and she won't answer any of my calls or messages at all.

'Where did you go again?'

Even mom and Logan are not answering.

"Breaking news, Shim Su-ryeon of Hera palace, wife of Joo Dan-tae is found dead on the study of their penthouse. . . stabbed multiple times by their maid. . . ."

My phone slipped from my hand.

SHATTER.

I heard something shatter from behind me.

"Oppa. . ."

We both rushed to Hera palace as we heard the news.

"Eomma. . . Eomma!!"

My sister kept trembling on the way, with her eyes closed and her hands sweating.

"It can't be!! They're wrong, right oppa?"

"Yes, it can't be true! Mom's not dead. . ."

. . .

When we arrived at Hera, a group of people was crowding over the ambulance as they dragged someone inside.

We pushed through the people and saw a bed with a white sheet covered all over someone's body.

"Wait!! Wait a minute! Please!!"

Seok-kyung pushed through the people as she slowly pulled the sheet away.

"Ahhhh!!" My sister started sobbing and crying as mom's pale body lay in it.

"Seok-kyung ah. . .Let go! They need to take her. . . let go!!"

Dad pulled Seok-kyung away as I stepped backward, still not believing what I saw.

"Eomma!!! Eomma!!!! Mommy!! Please!!"

"Eomma!!!" Seok-kyung tries to push her dad as the medic takes mom inside the ambulance.

"EOMMA!!!!"

. . .

Eun-bi pov:

I ran to the morgue the moment I heard about the news and found Seok-hoon and Seok-kyung already in it.

I stepped forward slowly as I slowly saw the body.

'Auntie. . .'

"Eomma. . . . Eomma. . ."

Seok-kyung kept crying, leaning on Seok-hoon as he silently cried.

I stepped forward more until I came face to face with Su-ryeon shii. . .

"How can this be?"

"How can you be here. . ?"

We were just together earlier.

We. . . .

I slumped to the ground, crying.

"Auntie. . . . how can you be here. . . . what are you doing here?"

I cry silently, covering my lips with my hand as I cry in silence.

. . .

I sat with Seok-hoon and Seok-kyung while Joo Dan-tae fix the procedures for her death.

"Eomma. . . . I've been so mean to mom all this time! I thought I could finally make it up to her. . . I thought we can finally be happy now. . . ."

I turned to Seok-kyung who cried beside Seok-hoon.

I left my seat, forcing my body to stand and go to Seok-kyung.

I held onto Seok-kyung's hand as she continued to cry.

The door opened again and showed huffing Logan.

He's both sweating and crying.

He slowly dragged himself to Su-ryeon, hugging Su-ryeon's dead body.

"Arggg!!!!"

"Su-ryeon!!!"

Tears swell again as I hear Logan's painful growl.

I forced myself up as I walked toward him.

I placed my hands around him, hugging him.

I cried with him as I lean on him.

I could feel the vibration of his body as he cry and hear his cries of pain.

The morgue was filled with the cries of our pain.

. . .

Seok-hoon pov:

Seok-kyung hasn't been eating for days since the burial. She would stay seated, not greeting the guests that came for mom.

Dad went mad when he saw Logan in the morgue and has forbidden him to go near mom or us ever again.

Seok-kyung and Eun-bi lean to each other, holding each other's hand as I tend to the guest.

Honestly, I still can't believe mom's gone.

I keep looking at her picture but I still. . . .

I keep calling her phone, hoping she'd answer but she doesn't.

As the guests come and go, Seok-kyung and Eun-bi keep seated, silently crying together.

Seo-jun arrived in a black tux, smiling sadly at me.

"Jun-ahh. . ."

Seok-kyung ran to him the moment she saw him and she embraced him tight.

Seo-jun embraced her, comforting her as she cried in his arms.

Seok-kyung clung to him as he stayed with her.

. . .

It's the last night of the funeral.

And Seok-kyung is in another room, resting with Eun-bi.

Dad's gone somewhere else.

And I'm all alone with mom.

"Mom! Are you really gone?"

"Did you really leave us for good?"

"Mom. . . . please. . . tell me this isn't real. . . please?"

I sob in silence, forcing myself to cry quietly.

I felt hands embracing my body, making me lean on her.

"Eun-bi ahh. . . mom's gone. . . mom's gone. . ."

I held onto her as she cried with me, caressing me and comforting me.

"Shh. . . just let it all out!"

"Just . . . cry. . . ."

"You don't need to hold anything back. . . just cry. . . I will stay with you!"

"Eun-bi ahh. . . Eomma is. . . . Eomma is. . . ."

"Mmm. . . I know, I know. . ."

. . .

Seo-jun pov:

I helped Seok-kyung as we came back to Hera palace.

I carried her here as I placed her on her sofa inside her room.

"I'll get water, stay here. . ." I told them before running to their kitchen to get her some water.

Truth to be told, I didn't really want to come to the funeral.

I know I shouldn't be angry at them but they are the family of the man who murdered my family.

But. . . . .

The moment I saw Seok-kyung's crying look, all my anger melted away.

When she ran into my arms.

When I felt her cold temperature and heard her cries, everything that I felt for them melted away.

'I love her! I love her so much that I can't hate her for my family!!'

'I'm sorry mom! Dad!'

When I reached their kitchen I saw Joo Dan-tae there drinking water too.

My body went stiff.

I felt like . . . . I couldn't breathe.

"Thank you for staying with my children. You've been a great help."

He smiles at me as I only stare at him.

"Is there anything you need?"

I remained quiet as if I couldn't hear anything.

"Ahh. . . . I. . ."

"We're just here for some water."

Eun-bi arrived and smiled at me.

She smiles at Joo Dan-tae before going to the refrigerator and taking two bottles of water with her.

"Here. . . Let's go. . ."

"We'll get going uncle."

"Yes. . . see you around Ha Eun-byeol."

She smiles back at his cold smile.

"Yes, that would be good."

She drags me away as he gives me the water.

"Take this to the twins, tell them I have something to do first, okay?"

"Hmm. . . ."

I watch her leave in a rush.

'What's wrong?'

'Did something happen again?'

. . .

Eun-bi pov:

I locked myself in my bedroom, leaving the guards outside the door in case of emergency.

My mom's paranoid that something will happen to me again so she hired more bodyguards for me.

I opened the laptop and inserted the cord, connecting the camera that I placed in Joo dan-tae's office before.

My hands were shaking while I waited for the file to show up.

My fingers trembled as I hit the play button.

I fast forward to the other times then moved to the time when auntie was found dead in the study.

My hands covered my mouth as it went agape from watching Joo Dan-tae stabbing auntie. . .

"Ahhh. . . !!!"

"How can he. . . !!"

"How can. . . . ."

I cry as I watch my aunt's blood splatter all over the place. He continues to stab her even as she falls.

"THAT BASTARD!!!!"

I was about to call Logan myself but Dan-tae suddenly turned to the camera. . . and smiled.

I jumped back, leaving the laptop on the bed.

"Hi!!!!"

His voice sent shivers down my spine as he waved at the camera.

"Eun-byeol. . . right?"

"Or should I call you. . . . Ha Eun-bi?"

My eyes trembled at his voice.

"Don't worry! This is our little secret!"

"You can keep this a secret too, right?"

He pointed at Su-ryeon's dead body.

"I mean, it's gonna be too bad if you suddenly have to really live as your sister because you can't keep a secret!"

I stood from the bed, away from the laptop as I trembled in fear.

"Remember, keep my secret and I keep yours."

I immediately looked for my phone and called Eun-byeol.

"Answer my call, HA EUN-BYEOL!!"

"ANSWER IT!!"

"FAST!!!"

"PLEASE!!"

I immediately tracked my sister instead when she wouldn't answer my call.

The location showed she's her apartment in States.

"JOHN!"

"Yes miss."

"Send our men to Eun-byeol, now!!"

"Send 5, no send 20 men to guard her, make sure all of them are armed and able to kill! Understand!!"

"Yes, Miss Ha."

While my bodyguard made a call, I saved the video to a separate drive.

"Oh! Make sure to delete the video okay?"

His voice popped again. The video is still on the play button.

"Damn you!!"

I still saved a copy, while waiting for John to give me information on my sister.

I immediately called Logan after assuring my sister's safety.

On the phone:

DT: Oh!! You called? Is there something I can do for you?

I pulled the phone away. My trembling hands hit the recording button as I put the call on speaker.

EB: Why do you have Logan's phone?

DT: Well, we're actually together, bonding.

EB: Where is he?

DT: He's on a restroom break, do you want me to pass a message?

EB: How about passing him to me, alive!

DT: (Laughs) you're a feisty one, aren't you. . . so different from your sweet twin sister.

EB: Don't even go there!!!

DT: OR WHAT!!!?

EB: Where. Is. Logan?

DT: Don't worry! I'll send him to you alive. His parents were so kind enough to pay for his . . . well . . . . ransom?

EB: BASTARD!!!

DT: now! Now! That's not a nice term!

EB: If you think you can threaten me like this, I assure you! The moment you try to touch my sister or anyone around me! I'm gonna slaughter you!!

DT: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! You really are different from your stupid family!!

DT: I like that in a woman!

I looked at John and put his hands on a thumbs up. Now that I know that Eun-byeol is safe, I just have to save logan.

DT: Did you delete the video?

EB: Yes!

DT: ehheeh!! Don't lie to me! I want to see you do it! Turn on the video camera.

EB: I. . . . .

DT: Turn it on!! Or I shoot!

I flinched as I heard a gunshot.

I immediately turn the call into a video call as I show him that the video is deleted.

EB: It's all gone!!

DT: No copies?

EB: NONE!!!

DT: I don't believe you!!

I watch him point his gun at Logan's head. Logan's all tied up, glaring at Dan-tae.

L: Don't listen to him!!! Give the video to the police, now!!

DT: What will it be? His life or Su-ryeon's life.

I showed him the flash drive and went to the microwave, putting it inside and turning the oven on.

EB: There! Happy!!!

DT: Very!!! Now, we really do have a deal!

End of phone call. . .

He turned the call off as I slump on the floor.

"Miss Ha!"

John took me to the sofa as he got water for me.

"I did the right thing, right John?"

"Yes Miss Ha! You did the right thing."

I broke down in tears as I covered my face with my hands.

. . .

Min-hyuk pov:

We listen to the recorded audio from the bug that Seok-hoon planted on his girlfriend's pad.

Seok-hoon looks livid right now.

"DAMN HIM!!!!" He threw the vase on the ground as I flinched in his glare.

"We almost had him!!" Seo-jun punched the table.

"Eun-bi did the right thing. It's not her fault!"

"I know that! I know that too!!"

"I'll make him pay for this!"

"I'll make him pay for killing our mom!!"

"For threatening Eun-bi and for hurting Logan!!"

"I swear!!!"

Min-hyuk looked at the both of them, remembering what happened earlier when they called me in Seo-jun's pad.

. . .

Flashback. . . .

DING. DONG.

"Condolence," I said then tapped his shoulder as I go in.

We both came inside with Seo-jun waiting on the sofa, with a can of beer in his hands.

"Where's Seok-kyung?"

"Sleeping."

"Hmmm. . . so what's this about?"

"Remember when I asked you to give me a bug. . . ."

"Yeah. . . what about it?"

"I want to hear something right now, so set it up."

"Okay. . ."

I set the device up while they wait.

"Who did you bug anyway, your dad?"

"Eun-bi. . ."

I stopped typing on my laptop as I looked at them.

"Are you nuts!! Eun-bi is gonna kill us!"

"She's hiding a lot of secrets! I can't help her if she keeps on. . . ."

"She's. . . . ugghhh!!! Eun-bi's gonna murder me!!"

"I'll take responsibility so please. . . ."

"Aisshhh!!"

I set the listening device as we start hearing something.

SHOOT.

We all flinched at the sound we first heard.

DT: Turn it on!! Or I shoot!

EB: It's all gone!!

DT: No copies?

EB: NONE!!!

DT: I don't believe you!!

L: Don't listen to him!!! Give the video to the police, now!!

DT: What will it be? His life or Su-ryeon's life.

We heard another boom. Something different from the first one.

EB: There! Happy!!!

DT: Very!!! Now, we really do have a deal!

"Miss Ha!"

"I did the right thing, right John?"

"Yes Miss Ha! You did the right thing."

End of flashback. . . . . .

. . . 

Seok-hoon pov:

I stood in front of her place.

Her bodyguards let me stay there with them while I contemplate on ringing the doorbell.

'Why do you keep doing everything on your own?'

'Why won't you let me. . .'

I was about to ring it when the door opened.

Our eyes met as I saw her tear-stained eyes.

I bit my lips as she ran into my arms.

"Seok-hoon ahh. . . ."

"I'm sorry!! I'm really sorry!!"

She cries in my arms as I embrace her tight.

"It's okay! Everything's gonna be fine!!"

"What should I do now?"

"How should I face you and Seok-kyung now!!"

"It's okay. You have nothing to apologize for."

"It's fine."

. . . 

I look around and see her bodyguards all over her pad.

I turned to John, her most trusted guard and he nodded to me before ordering the others to leave the room and stay on guard outside.

"I will leave her to you, Sir. Joo."

I nodded back at him as Eun-bi spooned herself to me.

"What happened?"

". . . . . ."

"It's okay even if you don't say anything. . . I will wait until you can."

"I bugged your dad's office before. . . I placed a camera in it."

"I'm sorry. . ."

I smiled at her and shook my head.

"It's okay. I think I should do that too from now on."

"I. . . . I saw it!"

"He killed her," I said for her.

The words that I hoped were a lie myself.

"He killed mom!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Did he threaten you?"

"He knows about Eun-byeol. . . He called my name. . ."

I gripped my fist in a ball tight.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"

"Shhh! It's not your fault!"

"I would've done the same!"

"Don't blame yourself!!"

"I promise you! We'll find another way!!"

"Seok-hoon. . . . I'm really sorry!!"

"Shhh. . . . stop crying! Please! This is not your fault!!"

When the door opened again, I turned to the door while shielding Eun-bi. I gripped her firmly as I glare at the door.

"Who are you?"

Eun-bi left my embrace and turned to the door.

Our eyes soften as we see Logan in tattered clothes.

"Logan!"

Eun-bi ran to his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Oh god!! Thank god you're safe!!"

She breathed deeply as Logan hugged her back.

"I'm sorry! If I wasn't caught. . . ."

"No! No! It's okay! It's okay! You're safe!! That's all that matters!"

Logan left Eun-bi's embrace and looked at her with certainty.

"We'll definitely avenge Su-ryeon!"

"I promise you Eun-bi!!"

"I will make sure to give her justice!"

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

TO BE CONTINUED