Chapter Text
Yu Karina
The man tied to the chair barely lifted his head before my fist crashed into his face again. Blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering across the cold concrete floor. His groan was weak, pitiful. I grabbed his collar, jerking him up, forcing him to meet my gaze.
"Are you ready to talk?" My voice was ice, cutting through the suffocating silence of the building. "Who was the mole? Who gave up his location? Who crashed the plane?"
No answer.
His lips curled slightly, stained red as if he found some sick amusement in his silence. Wrong move. I exhaled sharply, my patience snapping like brittle glass. With one swift motion, I kicked the wooden chair he was tied to, shattering it to pieces. His body hit the ground hard, the impact sending another strangled groan from his throat.
I rolled my shoulders back, suppressing the irritation rising in my chest. "I don't have time for this."
My executive assistant, Dae, stood by the door, his expression unreadable as he held my buzzing phone. "It's the lawyer," he said, watching me carefully.
I clenched my jaw. Of course it was.
"Don't answer it," I muttered, wiping my knuckles against my sleeve. "I already know I'm late."
Dae gave a slight nod but didn't lower the phone. "You know they won't wait forever, right?"
I knew. But right now, this was more important.
I crouched down beside the bloodied man, my fingers gripping his chin, forcing him to look at me again. "You think silence will protect you?" My voice was softer now, more dangerous. "You're already dead. The only thing you get to choose is how much pain you endure before the end."
For the first time, I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Good.
I exhaled sharply and pushed myself up, rolling my shoulders as I stepped over the broken chair. The air was thick with sweat and blood, but I had no time to linger. I needed answers, and if this bastard wouldn't talk, I'd find someone who would.
Dae trailed beside me as I pushed open the heavy steel door, leaving the mess behind. The hallway was dimly lit, the cold concrete beneath my boots echoing with every step.
"We've been at this for two weeks, Miss Yu," Dae said, his voice calm but firm. "I think we have to slow down. They know we're looking."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "Yes," I muttered, "but we can't stop. We need them to give up."
They thought they could outlast me. That I would get tired, that I would walk away. They had no idea who they were dealing with.
We stepped outside, the crisp air biting against my skin as we approached the black sedan waiting at the curb.
Dae handed me a clean white dress shirt and a black jacket matching my suit. I glanced down at my own clothes, my once-pristine shirt now ruined with streaks of red. Without a second thought, I unbuttoned it and slid it off, the cold air biting against my skin.
I got into the car as the driver pulled out of the alley, the hum of the engine smoothing into the background. While I adjusted my cuffs and slipped on the jacket, Dae took his usual seat across from me, tapping his fingers against his phone. I could tell from his stiff posture that he had something to say. He was waiting for the right moment.
I finished buttoning my fresh shirt and rolled my wrists, loosening the cuffs before leaning back against the seat. "Go on," I muttered. "Say it."
Dae didn't waste time. "The company needs to know who the new CEO will be soon. Stocks are plummeting."
I scoffed. "No, they're not."
His brow twitched slightly, but he knew better than to argue. I tilted my head, watching him carefully. "You think I don't pay attention? The numbers will dip, sure, but it's temporary. Investors are nervous. The moment they know who's in charge, they'll stabilize."
Dae didn't dispute that either. He just exhaled, leaning back. "Then who's in charge?"
"That's what I'm about to find out."
He narrowed his eyes, waiting for me to explain.
I looked out the tinted window, the afternoon soon beaming through my face. "That's why I'm going to meet the lawyer. They're discussing the will."
Dae stayed quiet, but I could feel the weight of his stare.
"It's between me and Woo-seok," I continued, voice even. "But let's be honest-if he gets control, this business is dead in a year. He'll run it into the ground."
Dae let out a slow breath, nodding slightly. He didn't disagree.
My brother was more charismatic than me, and that was all he had over me. A technicality. But when it came to running Yu Tech? He was reckless. Short-sighted. The kind of man who spent money before he had it, who made deals based on impulse instead of strategy.
He was dangerous. Not because he was smart, but because he was foolish. And foolish men with power were the most unpredictable of all.
I adjusted my cufflinks, my fingers steady. "I won't let that happen."
Dae studied me for a second before nodding once. "Then I assume you already have a plan."
I smirked. "Of course."
Because when the lawyer read that will, when the decision was made-I knew exactly how this was going to end.
With me on top.
And with Woo-seok realizing far too late that he never stood a chance.
My grandfather built Yu Tech from the ground up, turning it into the powerhouse it is today one of the biggest high-tech engineering firms in the world. My father inherited it and expanded its reach, securing our family's legacy as one of the most powerful in the country.
...
Sure enough, as we pulled up to the grand, stone-faced building, I spotted Woo-seok going into the conference room, looking like death warmed over. His shirt was wrinkled, his tie missing, and even from here, I could tell he reeked of alcohol.
I scoffed. "Subtle."
Dae followed my gaze and sighed. "At least he showed up."
"Barely."
I stepped out of the car and headed inside without a word, the familiar scent of old money and polished wood filling my senses. The conference room was at the end of the hall, the heavy doors slightly ajar. Inside, I found Hyeri slumped over in her chair, arms crossed, completely dead to the world.
And Woo-seok? Well, he was trying and failing to look like he wasn't nursing the world's worst hangover.
The moment I stepped inside, he glanced up, his bloodshot eyes narrowing. "You're late."
I gave him a bored look as I shrugged off my jacket and draped it over the back of my chair. "Only by two hours."
I turned to Hyeri and smacked the back of her head lightly. "Wake up."
She groaned, barely shifting. "Go away."
I smacked her again. "Meeting."
She swatted at me blindly, still half-asleep. "Report it in an email."
I rolled my eyes and dropped into my chair, ignoring the way Woo-seok ran a hand down his face, muttering something under his breath.
The lawyer, an older man with wire-rimmed glasses and a painfully neutral expression, cleared his throat. "Now that everyone is here... It's time to hear what your father wrote in his will."
Silence filled the room. Even Woo-seok straightened slightly, though his fingers still toyed with the rim of his water glass.
The lawyer adjusted his glasses and read, "The company, Yu Tech, will be passed down to my eldest daughter, Yu Jimin."
I barely reacted. Neither did anyone else. It was expected. Woo-seok looked mildly annoyed, but not surprised. Hyeri just rubbed her eyes, still waking up.
Then the lawyer continued.
"But... all inheritance, trust funds, and financial assets will only be granted under one condition."
I felt the shift immediately.
Woo-seok frowned. "What condition?"
The lawyer flipped a page, his voice steady. "Yu Woo-seok must fulfil his duty and promise to marry Kim Duho's firstborn daughter."
The room fell into dead silence.
Then-
Woo-seok shot up, his chair screeching against the floor. "What duty? What promise?" His voice was sharp, incredulous.
I leaned back in my seat, crossing one leg over the other. "You didn't promise that." I tilted my head slightly, watching the realization dawn in his already miserable eyes. "Dad did."
His lips parted slightly, his brain catching up to the mess he was just thrown into.
I kept going, my voice steady, cold. "He set up that marriage when you were...five. It's all a business transaction."
Woo-seok's fingers curled into fists, his expression darkening. "That's insane."
I smirked. "Welcome to the family."
The lawyer cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. "If the marriage does not take place within the designated timeframe, all financial assets will be frozen indefinitely. Including those allocated to Miss Hyeri."
Hyeri finally sat up straight, her eyes narrowing. "Excuse me? How am I involved?"
Woo-seok's breathing turned sharp, his hands slamming onto the table. "That's ridiculous! He can't just-"
"He did," I interjected, my tone final.
For once, my brother had nothing to say.
And I?
I just sat there, watching the walls close in on him.
Because this wasn't just a demand.
This was a trap.
I exhaled sharply, looking at my watch. "And when, exactly, is this 'designated timeframe'?"
The lawyer, ever composed, flipped through the document, scanning the page with practised ease. "According to the date now... you have exactly 45 days to reach an official engagement."
Woo-seok choked on his water. He coughed violently, gripping the edge of the table as if that would somehow steady his life spiralling into disaster.
Hyeri, on the other hand, completely lost it. She threw her head back, laughing so hard she nearly slipped out of her chair. "Forty-five days?" she wheezed, clutching her stomach. "Oh my God this is the best thing Dad has ever done."
Woo-seok shot her a murderous glare. "Shut the hell up, Hyeri."
She wiped at her eyes, still giggling. "I mean, come on. You? Engaged? In forty-five days? You can't even commit to a decent-smelling cologne."
I ignored their bickering, my mind already working through the problem. Forty-five days. That wasn't a lot of time, especially considering Woo-seok's lack of anything resembling responsibility. But the will had been clear-no marriage, no money.
Which meant I had two options:
Let my brother fail spectacularly and make us lose everything in the process.
Or...
Make this engagement happen myself.
I glanced at Woo-seok. He was still grumbling under his breath, raking a hand through his already messy hair. Absolutely useless.
Hyeri was still giggling, scrolling through her phone. Also useless.
That left me.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Alright."
Woo-seok turned to me suspiciously. "Alright, what?"
I tapped my fingers against the table, already calculating. "I'll figure it out."
Hyeri snorted. "What, you're going to force Kim Duho's daughter to marry him?"
"Something like that," I murmured, already thinking of ways to make it happen.
Because this wasn't just about Woo-seok.
It was about securing our legacy.
And I never lost.
...
The moment we left the lawyer's office, I grabbed both Woo-seok and Hyeri by the arms and dragged them straight to Dae's office. Hyeri barely put up a fight, still grinning like she was enjoying the chaos. Woo-seok, on the other hand, was grumbling under his breath the entire time, probably still hungover and still in denial.
Dae barely looked up when we stormed in, already accustomed to my abrupt entrances. He was at his desk, typing away on his computer, but the moment I dropped into the chair across from him, he knew what was coming.
"Find out what you can about Kim Duho's firstborn daughter," I ordered, crossing my arms.
Dae didn't even blink. He turned to his computer, fingers flying across the keyboard. Within seconds, files, articles, and social media profiles filled his screen. His efficiency was why I kept him close.
He scrolled for a few seconds before stopping. "Her name is Kim Winter."
I blinked. "Kim Winter? What kind of horrible name is that?"
Hyeri snorted. "Hey, don't talk about Woo-seok's future wife like that."
Woo-seok groaned. "Oh my God, shut up."
I ignored both of them, resting my chin on my hand. "Go on."
Dae continued, eyes scanning the screen. "She's twenty-three, recently finished her degree in Communications."
I arched a brow. "So she likes wasting her time and money?"
Woo-seok shot me a glare. "Are we forgetting that her family are billionaires as well?"
"Touché."
Dae leaned back in his chair. "I thought Kim Duho was a family friend. How do you not know his children?"
I shrugged. "Why would we care? That was Dad's friend."
"Apparently," Woo-seok muttered, rubbing his face, "We met her when we were little. For my marriage planning."
Hyeri burst out laughing again. "Oh, you're so bitter."
I rolled my eyes. "Alright, so we know her name, her age, and that she made bad life choices regarding her major. What else?"
Dae clicked on another page. "She's relatively private. No scandals, no dramatic social media presence. But..." His voice trailed off as his eyes narrowed at the screen.
I leaned forward. "But what?"
Dae turned the screen toward me. A photo popped up-a candid one, taken at what looked like a business gala. Winter Kim stood beside her father, her sharp eyes focused on someone off-camera. She was smirking, head tilted slightly, like she was in on some secret no one else knew.
"She's... not what I expected," I murmured.
Hyeri peeked at the screen and let out a low whistle. "Damn. Woo-seok, you could do a lot worse."
Woo-seok groaned, flopping into a chair like his life was over. "She's hot but I can't be tied down to only one woman."
I ignored him again, still studying the screen.
The first thing I noticed? Her hair.
Red. A deep, striking shade-not the artificial, overly bright kind people got when they had an identity crisis, but the kind that looked like it belonged to her. It wasn't neat or overly styled, either. A little wild, slightly tousled, like she couldn't be bothered to keep it perfect. It suited her.
Then there were her eyes. Sharp, almost catlike, with a natural smirk tugging at the corners even when she wasn't smiling.
She was dressed in a sleek black dress, standing beside her father. Despite being next to a man as powerful as Kim Duho, she didn't look overshadowed. If anything, she looked like she was studying the room, like she saw things others didn't.
Interesting.
Kim Winter, huh?
Dae continued scrolling, gathering every scrap of information available on Winter Kim. He was fast but thorough. Then, suddenly, he paused. His eyes flickered over something on the screen, and he hummed in interest.
"What?" I asked.
He scrolled down and turned the monitor slightly. "Looks like she'll be attending Ning Yizhuo's big wedding in China. Apparently they're best friends."
"Wait, Ning Yizhuo?"
Hyeri's head shot up. Woo-seok raised an eyebrow.
Dae nodded. "Yep."
I scoffed. "We got invited to that."
Woo-seok rolled his eyes. "Obviously. They invite every big tycoon, and last I checked, we qualify."
"When is it?" I asked, already regretting the answer before it came.
Dae checked his screen. "In two days."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. Of course, it was.
Dae leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "It's a massive, seven-day traditional Chinese wedding. One of the biggest social events of the year. Every major business family will be there."
I exhaled slowly, then turned to my siblings with a deadpan expression. "Well, good luck to both of you. I'm not going to that."
Woo-seok straightened in his chair. "Wait, what?"
"I'd rather die than go to a wedding."
Hyeri grinned. "What, afraid you'll catch wedding fever?"
I shot her a glare. "No, I just hate those things."
Woo-seok groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Karina. Come on. This is literally the perfect chance to meet her again."
"Then you meet her," I said flatly. "You're the one marrying her, not me."
Hyeri hummed. "Yeah, but you're the only one smart enough to make it happen."
I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair.
I knew they had a point. This wedding was the perfect chance to observe Winter, and maybe even manipulate the situation to our advantage. Seven days in a controlled environment, surrounded by the world's most powerful business figures? It was ideal.
But still.
A wedding?
I groaned. "I already regret this."
Hyeri grinned. "That's the spirit."
Woo-seok, still miserable, muttered, "Kill me now."
I smirked. "No, no. Not yet. We have a wedding to attend first."
I exhaled trying not to have thoughts of just ending it all, already accepting my fate.
"Dae, book the jet. We're going to China."