AOA 135

“You think you’ll get away with this? You’ll get hurt too!”

“Before I get hurt, your reputation will be dragged through the mud. The people who bought your paintings won’t let you off the hook, and Jeong Guhyeon will make for a perfect target too. So let’s not touch each other and live like strangers. No, just pretend I never existed. Then your secret will be kept forever, so don’t worry. I’ve said all I needed to say, so I’ll be leaving now.”

I didn’t want to see my biological father’s face anymore. Even the energy to curse him felt wasted.

As I rose from my seat, Aunt Soyeon moved with me.

“It hasn’t even been ten minutes. Let’s go now. Oh, right. Minchae’s aunt and his younger brother have left Korea. We’ll be leaving soon too. So, just like we’ve done until now, let’s live without seeing each other. That’s how we’ve avoided problems until now, right?”

“You’re the one who pushed Minchae, right?”

“Right. I told him I’d give him a lot of money if he cut ties with his father. I’ve got some cash lying around. A father who says his child is useless isn’t a father at all. Right?”

“Selling out for money like that… You really are a loan shark’s bloodline.”

“Ha. Who sold their son? Who sold off cultural treasures? Brother-in-law is more vulgar than any loan shark’s bloodline. Right? That’s enough. Stop spewing shit from your mouth and just shut up.”

Having said her piece, Aunt Soyeon slammed the baton she held in her hand down on the sofa. Thud. The sound of the high-end leather being struck made my biological father flinch. Then he glared at me and Aunt Soyeon as if he wanted to kill us.

“Do you think Chairman Baek will just stand by and watch this?! You’ll be divorced immediately.”

“I should get divorced. I have pheromone issues. Do you think Chairman Baek will just let that slide? You know that too, don’t you?”

“The pheromone abnormality might improve…”

“Just say I went abroad for treatment. It’s the truth anyway.”

I didn’t even tell Baek Jinseok that I’d regained consciousness. The divorce was as good as certain anyway. Baek Mogyeong had said he couldn’t have sex with me, and Baek Jinseok wouldn’t just stand by and watch his grandson’s wife with a pheromone problem.

“I’ve never seen a traitor to their family end well. Just you wait.”

He hurled insults until the very end, but I didn’t respond. Leaving my biological father trembling behind, I turned away. I didn’t bow my head in any sort of farewell.

It was time to sever this toxic bond.

With light steps, I exited the chairman’s office and moved, surrounded by bodyguards.

During the elevator ride down to the first floor, Aunt Soyeon showered me with praise. She was thrilled, saying it was the first time she’d seen my biological father so flustered.

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you, Auntie.”

“Oh, come on. You handled it perfectly.”

“But how did you bring the baton?”

“This? It’s a modern woman’s essential item.”

Aunt Soyeon waved the baton, making a meaningful joke. Her composed demeanor made me laugh. I hadn’t realized how reassuring it was to have a reliable adult to lean on. If I’d met my biological father alone, the atmosphere would have been quite different.

Aunt Soyeon mentioned she also carries a stun gun. She boasted that in America, they had all kinds, and she’d gift me one someday, revealing her vast generosity.

Escaping the building uninterrupted and heading toward the outdoor parking lot, I ran into Jeong Guhyeon.

Jeong Guhyeon, puffing away on a cigarette, spotted me, flicked his butt away, and stormed over, snorting. Naturally, bodyguards blocked his path.

“You bastard. Are you out of your mind? Think you’ll walk away from this unscathed? Huh?!”

Jeong Guhyeon spat out words like a clichéd villain. He was someone you couldn’t reason with. Trying to persuade or convince him was a fool’s errand.

“Psychoactive drugs are highly addictive. Especially something like ecstasy – you can’t quit it willingly. Your life is over. Congratulations.”

I delivered the facts calmly, without emotion. I didn’t forget the congratulatory part either. Jeong Guhyeon, who had only smoked marijuana or hookah in Korea, encountered ecstasy after going to the US. And it wasn’t just once or twice.

When I received the materials from Baek Mugyeong, I cheered inwardly. It was obvious he’d destroy himself without needing me to take revenge with my own hands.

The memory of being murdered by Jeong Guhyeon remained vivid even now. I still suffered nightmares occasionally.

If I could, I wanted to grab Jeong Guhyeon by the collar and beat him senseless. I wanted to go beyond threatening to kill him; I wanted to finish him off for real. But I couldn’t let my life be held back by a man who was going to ruin his own life anyway.

A slight provocation twisted Jeong Guhyeon’s face into a hideous grimace. Even with all the advances in medical technology, he must know that the addictive nature of drugs cannot be cured. From now on, it was nothing but a bottomless descent.

“You fucking bastard! I won’t let you get away with this! I’ll kill you! I’ll fucking kill you!”

Jeong Guhyeon charged forward, shouting at the top of his lungs, but was blocked by the bodyguards. While they restrained him, I got into the car with Aunt Soyeon.

Our destination was the airport. Just in case, my passport was always hidden at my aunt’s house. I had no idea what would happen to the things left in the house I shared with Baek Mugeong after the divorce, but I could leave Korea anytime.

The destination was America.

*

[Choi Jaeha: Mugyeong hyung just called a little while ago]

[Choi Jaeha: He asked where you were]

[Choi Jaeha: I said I didn’t know]

[Choi Jaeha: So he just said ‘Got it’ and hung up]

[Choi Jaeha: He must be freaking out right now?]

[Choi Jaeha: No]

[Choi Jaeha: If it’s him, he’ll figure out you went to the US in no time]

[Choi Jaeha: Did he contact you by any chance?]

[Choi Jaeha: If you see this]

[Choi Jaeha: You need to contact him to let him know what happened]

Right after arriving in the US, my physical condition remained poor.

The pheromones imbalance was corrected, but my stamina was in shambles from being unconscious for over a month. I didn’t realize how much energy it took to prepare for facing my biological father. Then, on the flight to America, I finally relaxed, and I slept like I was fainting.

Even after arriving in the US, I couldn’t leave my bedroom for three days. I only got up to go to the bathroom or eat, repeating cycles of sleeping and waking.

In between, I exchanged messages with Choi Jaeha.

It was the morning after those three days. Due to the time difference, messages from Choi Jaeha had piled up.

“Back from your business trip, huh…”

Seeing Baek Mugyeong’s name after so long made him feel restless. He was the person who appeared most often in my dreams during those three days of illness.

“I don’t know. Don’t think about it.”

I didn’t want to get depressed thinking about Baek Mugyeong first thing in the morning. I shook my head vigorously to chase him away and scrolled up the message window.

It was filled with information about famous tourist spots in Los Angeles.

Choi Jaeha said he’d come to see me in the US before summer vacation ended. He said he’d come to Los Angeles to have fun while he was at it. He said he wanted to go to Disneyland and Universal Studios again, even though he’d been there several times before, and that he would definitely go.

After arriving in the US, I kept getting sick, so we couldn’t make plans together. Above all, I had to ask my younger brother and aunt about their intentions, so it inevitably took some time.

“We have to have fun.”

I fled Korea, but I hadn’t committed any crime. I just had to live well in America, as if to show them. To do that, I’d saved money relentlessly. And I had one more chance to make a killing in the stock market. If I succeeded properly, I could live without worrying about money for the rest of my life.

After making plans for the future, I checked the time on my phone. It was just past 10 in the morning.

Just yesterday, I’d been drenched in sweat and drained, but now I felt light. Perhaps thanks to sleeping for three straight days, my condition was decent.

I got out of bed and started with some light stretching. Feeling my body creak and groan, I stretched both arms high above my head. As I did, the view outside the window caught my eye.

“He must have been really rich.”

My grandmother’s house in the suburbs of Los Angeles was so spacious it could be called a mansion. There was even a separate guest house in the backyard.

According to Aunt Soyeon, even if a rich man goes bankrupt, it takes three years to lose it all. She said it was part of the inheritance left by my grandfather, who was once called the ‘King of Loan Sharks’. Instead of staying uncomfortably in a hotel, they offered us the guest house in the backyard to rest comfortably.

Even though it was called a guest house, it was practically another house. It had four bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a separate living room. It was more than enough for me, my brother, and my aunt. Plus, there were several helpers, so we didn’t have to worry about cleaning or cooking.

My aunt was delighted, saying we were living in luxury. My brother marveled at how delicious the food was. But a part of me felt anxious, knowing they were going out of their way for me, doing things they wouldn’t have to do otherwise.

The upscale neighborhood was quiet and pleasant, but there was nothing to see, and wandering around alone was impossible. Most importantly, since I was sick and bedridden, the two of them stayed by my side, not going anywhere.

Now that I was better, it seemed like a good idea to go see the sea together. No, before that, I had to properly greet my grandmother first.

When I arrived at the mansion, my mind was foggy. I did have a brief conversation with my grandmother, but I couldn’t really remember her face or anything.