Page 98 of Ruthless Touch

He grunts like he’s not entirely convinced, but thankfully pivots to a different topic. “Director Hart gave me an earful about how you’ve turned your back on the agency. She’s not happy with your recent choices.”

“You’ve heard the wrong version of events. It was more like the agency wanted to control me, and I couldn’t get the job done under their guidance anymore. I’m my own person, and I want to pursue my vendetta against the Cheongryong myself.”

“That’s respectable. The agency only cares about money anyway.”

“That’s how it’s begun to feel,” I admit. “KD is still loyal to them, though.”

He scoffs derisively. “Figures. I always warned you that you can’t trust him. You can’t really trust any of them.”

“Yeah,” I mumble.

But it’s not even KD, Director Hart, or the agency that I’m thinking about.

It’s Gun that enters my mind. I’ve begun to trust Gun in ways that terrify me at my core. Doubt creeps in like poison—what if it’s misplaced? What if he’s somehow deceiving me, playing some long game I can’t see? Could history be about to repeat itself?

Rhee Tae-hwan betrayed my father twenty years ago. Maybe now his son is about to betray me.

It sounds insane and paranoid, but hearing Uncle Jerald’s warnings serves as a reminder that nothing’s impossible.

“Your father was so sure he could trust Rhee Tae-hwan,” he says sagely. His eyes find mine, unyielding and somber. “But he realized he was wrong, and it was a price he paid with his life. I’m glad you’ve learned from his mistake. Once we eliminate the Cheongryong, we can finally move on with our lives.”

I nod, rendered speechless by the weight of what lies ahead. The conflict churns in my chest and makes it hard to breathe.

Everything he’s saying makes sense, aligning with what I’ve believed for years. But now it feels like betrayal to the man who’s shown me tenderness I never thought I deserved.

Uncle Jerald gives the room one last sweeping glance and then comes in close for a final goodbye hug. “Keep me in the loop, baby girl. And whoever your gentleman caller is—don’t let your guard down around him either.”

They’re his partying words as he heads out and I lock the door, releasing a breath I’ve been holding for minutes.

I have to come clean. I have to tell Gun he came by.

I check the time and wait for him to get home.

There’s a sudden bang at the door out of the silence. It sounds like someone’s pounded a fist against it and then took off. I stop pacing and look to the door, hesitating for a second before I approach.

I check the peephole to find nobody’s in the hall outside. But there is a package on the floor in front of our door. Unlocking the deadbolts, I swiftly snatch the small package off the ground.

It’s been haphazardly wrapped in brown paper, like whoever did it couldn’t be bothered to make it look halfway decent.

They scribbled the words, “Your Friend”, where the sender’s address should go. Clearly they didn’t want to identify themselves otherwise.

I tear it open with cautious fingers, peeling back the brown paper wrapping to find a videotape. The label is faded and peeling at the edges with a single date scribbled on it in blue ink.

It’s from the same month Dad passed away…

A chill blows through me as I stare at the tape wondering what the hell could be on it. Who would send it to me?

It seems to be some kind of security footage judging by the label on it.

My burner phone starts buzzing with a call from Gun. I set the tape down on the TV console and go to answer.

“I’m not going to make it home until later tonight,” Gun says in greeting. Wind crackles in the background, hinting at the fact that he must’ve stepped outside to place this call.

“Why?” I ask. My gaze travels to the videotape on the TV console, eyeing it like it’s a ticking time bomb liable to explode any second.

“There’s an important family dinner my father is insisting I attend. My older brother, Ho-seok, is throwing it so he can propose to his longtime girlfriend. The whole family is attending. I tried getting out of it, but he was hearing none of it.” Gun’s sigh is audible through the speaker. “It’s a big deal because my brother is one of the most renown neurologists in the country. This officially takes him off the market in some of South Korea’s higher class circles. Many young Korean women will be disappointed.”

“You’re still available to be snatched up.”