Chapter 134.1

Chapter 134.1

“You!”

Joo Seolheon’s face hardened. Lee Wooshin remained as composed and arrogant as ever, but his hands betrayed him—restlessly brushing over the back of his neck, his impatience laid bare.

“We need to bring her back before she does something even worse.”

“You’re the one who looks more likely to cause trouble.”

Her gaze cut through him like she could see straight into his soul. But even under that cold stare, his resolve didn’t waver.

All he could think was that this might be his last chance to lay everything out.

His mind was consumed by Han Seoryeong.

But the stronger his feelings for her grew, the deeper the self-loathing took root, like a parasite wrapping around his gut. Ever since that kiss, that embrace, it felt like he was living in a waking nightmare.

‘Since when did I have this much of a conscience? There’s no way in hell.’

The pain was sharper than he expected. Every time a bloodied gauze strip landed in the trash, the filth of his resolve went with it—useless, pointless.

That’s how Seoryeong won. She forced him onto a path he had never once considered walking.

“Wooshin, I’m warning you—don’t go down that road.”

Seolheon’s sharp, piercing eyes locked onto his.

“You think it’s not greedy to want a normal life now?”

Wooshin didn’t respond. Seolheon crushed out her cigarette, lit a second one, and let the smoke veil her expression like a curtain.

“Kim Hyun wasn’t the only illusion. That owl, that honeymoon house, that marriage—none of it was real for you either. So why the hell did you let yourself get caught up in it? You want it back? And you want forgiveness on top of that?”

The stench of rotting food stung his nose. Somewhere in the wrecked restaurant, someone had pissed on the floor, leaving behind a foul ammonia reek.

But even in the filth, Seolheon sat with perfect composure, one leg crossed over the other.

“So you think revealing your identity will earn you some kind of absolution?”

“I’ll do my time.”

“What?”

“No need to drag this out. I’ll take the charge for leaking classified information.”

“…”

“Even gangsters walk away with at least one finger left. I’ve done the math.”

“This isn’t the kind of job where a finger cutting will do it.”

“Then should I offer more?”

The smirk barely left his lips before Seolheon shot up from her seat. She strode over, her heels clicking against the floor, and then—

She drove her stiletto down onto his injured foot.

The barely-stitched wound split open under the pressure, sending a fresh wave of agony up his leg. Woo-shin clenched his jaw, swallowing the pain. Seolheon twisted her heel, grinding it in like she was putting out a cigarette.

“Go bring the owl in. Let her catch you, just once. But when the time comes, act exactly like you did before, Wooshin. The only job of that owl’s husband is to disappear—right when she reaches for him.”

Rage flared, burning through his skull. Wooshin curled his fingers into a fist, then forced them open, his jaw clenched so tightly it felt like it would shatter.

“Don’t erase every last question about Kim Hyun just to ease your own guilt.”

“That sounds like you’re saying Seoryeong should stay miserable.”

“Being a little miserable is better than being dead, don’t you think?”

Her expression was ruthless, cold.

“Hating someone means you still have the strength to live. Missing someone means you’re willing to endure to the end. And searching for someone, that’s hope, even if it’s rotten and worthless. But if you destroy all of that… do you really think that owl will stay by your side?”

His face twisted in rage. Those words only amplified his anxiety. His lips felt sealed shut, like they’d been glued together.

“The owl will break. If even the tiniest bit of hope disappears, if she completely loses any attachment to this place, and then meets Rigay… In the end, she’ll follow in her father’s footsteps.”

Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed his collar.

“If she falls into Russian hands, her skull will be split open. She’ll rot away in some dark place, beyond your reach, without ever seeing a sliver of sunlight.”

Crash—!

Lee Wooshin snapped. He slammed Joo Seol-heon into the wall.

This had gone too far.

Rage surged up his spine like wildfire, scorching through his mind. His fingers wrapped around her throat, and he pinned her against the graffiti-covered wall without hesitation.

She was no longer his superior.

She was just something that needed to be erased.

Her skin reddened under his tightening grip.

“You should’ve settled for losing just an arm and a leg.”

His voice was eerily calm, yet a chilling force rippled beneath it, ready to explode.

“Codename Sonya.”

“――!”

For the first time, fear flickered across Joo Seolheon’s face. Her meticulously styled hair fell out of place, and ragged breaths rasped from her throat.

Wooshin’s sharp gaze never wavered. He took in every reaction.

“You bastard! You should’ve just followed orders!”

Her complexion drained, turning deathly pale. But their locked stares refused to break.

Then, as if something had suddenly caught up to her, Joo Seolheon pressed her lips together tightly. A deep, unreadable despair flickered in her eyes before she slowly spoke.

“Rigay was the first and only person to successfully complete a brainwashing experiment.”