Chapter 99.1

Chapter 99.1

The National Intelligence Service had secretly replaced Seoryeong’s eyedrops, causing problems with her eyes slowly, and the owl started to experience misfortune.

They gradually extinguish her hopes, preparing things so that Kim Hyun could appear in her life like a savior.

The mission proceeded smoothly, and time flew by.

After their marriage, she first started eating more and then sleeping more. She even corrected her clumsy, awkward chopstick grip to match his, and her habit of sleeping on the floor shifted to holding him close in the warmth.

Although he had always despised wasting time, he sat with her in the bathtub, chatting away.

Some days, while folding laundry, he felt a deep sense of emptiness, a sudden urge to run out of the house. But when he heard her voice calling him, “Hyun—,” soft as a spring breeze, he got up and did the dishes.

Even though she couldn’t see, she laughed with ease. Embarrassed, she’d hug his neck with a kind of greedy affection.

And each night, he’d hungrily kiss her, urging her to open herself to him.

He’d clutch her breasts roughly, pressing himself against her skin. Although she was shy, she’d spread her legs wide to take him in, biting her lip to hold back her moans.

At times, he couldn’t identify the heavy feeling swelling inside him, so he’d pull her tongue into a deep kiss. Just seeing her surprised expression would bring him to the edge.

It was all just a mission. He had to believe it was just a mission.

Her gaze often wandered, avoiding direct eye contact, yet her playful look as she traced his neckline made him feel uneasy. And then, at unexpected moments, he found her affectionate eyes unbearable.

How could someone like him, a survivor, go for the daughter of Rigay Viktor? How could an agent of the National Intelligence Service ever fall for the daughter of that bastard?

Each time he thrusted into her, his thoughts broke off in fragments. Like a man possessed, he’d grab her hips and plunge into her.

Even when his arousal nearly hurt, he’d slow down to check her expression, ensuring he didn’t jeopardize the mission.

He felt disgusted with himself for pretending to be kind. The longer their married life went on, the cracks in the walls he’d built grew daily, yet each day he made them thicker.

That wall could never break.

As he kissed the owl’s lips, he found himself hoping that this miserable mission would end soon.

“—Withdraw.”

The long-awaited order arrived early one morning.

“—Rigay Viktor has encountered a security issue.”

“What does that mean?”

Wooshin asked as he slipped out of the bedroom, wary of waking his sleeping wife. Through the closing door, he saw her shift in bed. Again, she’d kicked off the blanket. Even with a stern face, he clicked his tongue.

“—Rigay attempted suicide.”

“…!”

“—The authorities tried to save him, but it seems something went wrong in his brain. Word has it he’s become a complete idiot. Oh, and the intelligence agent we sent to Russia has died, while Rigay is now in a secure psychiatric ward.”

“….”

“—Quite unexpected, really. He used to be a well-regarded neuroscientist. And now, of all things, he’s lost his mind. Life’s strange, isn’t it? Ha-ha… It’s all pointless now. Quite a sight.”

He heard the sound of a lighter through the receiver, followed by a voice that sounded relieved. Maybe he was pleased that the difficult mission was over, or perhaps he enjoyed the pathetic news about Rigay. Possibly both.

“—Continuing the mission from here would be a waste of budget. You should withdraw as soon as possible.”

“What about owl…”

His breath caught. Wooshin touched his throat nervously and finally spoke.

“…Will owl just be left as she is?”

“—You disappearing quickly will allow her eyes to return to normal—what are you talking about?”

“….”

“A girl who doesn’t even know her husband’s face. What can she do? Even if she cries and screams, they’ll just think she’s crazy. From our perspective, this is the cleanest, most convenient outcome.”

“….”

“The construction site suffers a loss of two billion won if there’s even a one-day delay. That’s why they don’t halt work, even if a worker dies. Why would they? Three hundred million won covers the cost of a life. So why would they push back their schedule for that? Let’s take the cheapest option. Do as you do best—leave no trace and disappear without a hint.”

This ruthless attitude disregarded the owl’s situation entirely.

“Bastard.” Lee Wooshin spat out.

“What did you say?”

“I’ll withdraw within two days.”

“Good… You’ve been doing things out of character all this time, so it must’ve been tough.”

As emotions threatened to well up, he mentally covered his mind like sealing a manhole, closing off every corner to keep anything from surfacing.