TDIMEH Chapter 64

 

64. I Have Ten Billion

Even though she had said that, Se-ah ended up shaking her head slightly at Junhyuk.

Perhaps the warning had been enough, as Director Kim cautiously observed both Se-ah and Junhyuk.

As her agitated emotions slowly calmed, she finally began to take in her surroundings.

Se-ah, noticing the bewildered expressions of the men around her, belatedly crouched down.

There was no way to escape, but just in case, she pressed herself tightly against Director Kim’s side.

“I’ll keep an eye on things.”

Junhyuk, looking displeased, inserted himself between them.

At that moment, the building’s door swung open, and people stepped outside. The chaotic atmosphere instantly quieted.

Among the six men, the shortest and most slender one was the only one without a gun. But despite being unarmed, his piercing gaze exuded an air of sharpness.

Judging by the tension among the men standing beside him, he was undoubtedly the owner of the room they had arrived in today.

His eyes swept over his surroundings before locking onto Junhyuk and Se-ah.

“[Are those the bold fools who stole my phone?]”

The men beside him held up the confiscated belongings and nodded in confirmation.

Unlike the others, who seemed to shrink back in fear at his presence, Junhyuk alone remained unfazed, his eyes steady and alert.

A smirk formed on the man’s lips as his gaze lingered on Se-ah.

His snake-like, narrow eyes glimmered with interest.

A chill ran down the back of Se-ah’s neck, and she instinctively shrank away.

The man deliberately licked his lips before pointing a thick finger at her.

“[Why didn’t you mention she was a beauty?]”

“[It was too dark in the mountains for us to see her face clearly. This is the first time we’re seeing her properly too. We had no idea she was this beautiful.]”

The regret in the man’s voice was apparent.

“[Next time, report things like that first.]”

“[Understood.]”

Trying to avoid the man’s lecherous gaze, Se-ah turned to Junhyuk. His face was filled with fury as he glared at them.

Fear gripped her as she worried the man might do something to Junhyuk. She whispered softly, just loud enough for him to hear.

“Don’t make eye contact.”

“So what if I do?”

“What if they hit you?”

“If it stops them from looking at you, I’d rather take the hit. It’s only half a day—we just have to endure.”

Junhyuk scoffed, holding his head high. The man’s gaze, which had been fixated on Se-ah, now shifted back to him.

Junhyuk stepped in front of Se-ah, making his intentions clear.

“[This one’s got quite the bold attitude.]”

The man’s mocking remark chilled the air around them.

A subordinate stepped forward, grabbing Junhyuk’s hair and yanking his head back.

“[He’s got a decent face and a fearless streak—he’d fit right into the organization instead of being a mere prisoner. Find out what he does.]”

“[I don’t owe you any answers.]”

Junhyuk retorted fluently in English.

“[You’ll talk after a few hits.]”

The man tilted his head, clearly unimpressed.

At his signal, the subordinate standing next to Junhyuk struck him with the butt of a rifle.

“[How dare you act cocky in front of the boss?]”

The impact was so strong that a loud sound echoed through the air, but Junhyuk remained standing tall.

“[Judging by your attitude, you must be a man with some money. But here, everyone is just a prisoner.]”

Another man joined in, and the merciless beating continued. Every dull thud made Se-ah flinch.

Seeing the weapon stained with red, she screamed.

“[Please, stop!]”

She even tried to rush forward to stop them, but Boss Nam threw himself at her, holding her back.

“President Do Junhyuk is doing this to protect you, Coco. If you interfere and get hurt too, all his efforts will be in vain. Endure it, for his sake.”

“But…”

Tears welled up in Se-ah’s eyes once again.

She couldn’t just stand by and watch him being beaten.

As she was about to step forward again, Junhyuk’s cold voice reached her ears.

“Jin Se-ah, stay still. If even one of them lays a hand on you, I’ll fight them to the death.”

His sharp tone made Se-ah collapse to the ground as if her strength had been drained.

There was nothing she could do to help. Unable to bear watching, she squeezed her eyes shut.

The violence, which felt like it would last forever, finally ended when Junhyuk, who had been standing firm, lost consciousness and collapsed.

“Junhyuk!”

Se-ah screamed and rushed to his side.

His clothes and hair were in a mess, and she couldn’t even begin to guess how badly he had been beaten. A crimson line of blood trickled down his forehead and dripped onto the ground.

Tears she hadn’t wiped away trailed down her chin.

Lowering herself, she stifled her sobs and pressed her ear to his chest. His heartbeat was irregular, but it was still there.

“[Why the fuss? It’s nothing serious. Now, maybe he’s finally in a state where we can have a proper talk.]”

The man smirked and leaned back in his chair.

“[Pour water on him to wake him up.]”

At his command, one of his subordinates ran inside. Se-ah’s stomach twisted with anxiety.

Soon, the man returned holding a bucket filled with water.

Se-ah could no longer hold back. Crawling on her knees, she sat beside Junhyuk.

“[Talk to me instead. Just leave him alone, please.]”

She didn’t want to go against his wishes, but she couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

“[And who do you think you are to speak out of turn?]”

The man sneered.

“[He’s my husband.]”

At her words, everyone except Director Kim and Boss Nam—who knew the truth—looked shocked.

Jo Jisang, who had been sitting like a corpse, suddenly spoke loudly.

“Is that true? You’re Junhyuk’s wife? No wonder you looked familiar!”

Next to him, Moon So-hee’s face turned pale as if she had seen a ghost.

As everyone’s attention focused on her, Se-ah glanced at Director Kim before finally speaking.

“[I have a proposal for you.]”

“[A proposal? Have you forgotten that you’re just a captive here?]”

The man scoffed and snapped his fingers.

“[Listen to it first before making a judgment.]”

“[You and your husband sure know how to amuse me. Go on, let’s hear it.]”

Se-ah forced herself to steady her trembling voice and spoke as nonchalantly as possible.

“[I have an offshore account with more than ten million dollars in it. I will give you all of that money, but in return, you must release my husband and the others.]”

Her words caused a huge stir among those around her.

Boss Nam looked as if he was about to faint from shock.

Ten million dollars was over a hundred billion won.

“[What? Ten million dollars? That’s enough for our organization to live lavishly for years!]”

“[The boss was planning to ransom them for a decent sum, but you’re saying you have that much money?]”

“[But can we trust this? She doesn’t look like someone with that kind of money.]”

The boss's eyes widened in particular. He stepped forward, scrutinizing Se-ah as if trying to determine the truth.

Up close, the man looked every bit the ruthless leader of a criminal syndicate.

A long scar ran from his left temple down to his right cheek, making his sharp features even more menacing.

Despite his terrifying appearance, he spoke in an oddly gentle tone.

“[Is that true?]”

“[He can confirm it for you.]”

Se-ah nodded toward Director Kim and continued.

“[He’s the one who ran off with the account details, which is why we came after him and ended up stranded here. With the account number and the documents he holds, you can withdraw the money from the bank directly. Isn't that right, Director Kim?]”

All eyes turned to Director Kim, who flinched in surprise.

“[Is this true? A gambler who couldn’t even pay off his debts the last time we caught him knows about this?]”

Under the boss’s cold stare, Director Kim hurriedly nodded several times.

“[Y-Yes, it’s true.]”

“[If you had access to that kind of money, you should have paid me back first.]”

“[It’s useless to me. That money can only be withdrawn by the account holder or a direct family member. That’s why I once said that with a proper authorization letter, the debt could be repaid.]”

“[So that means this woman can access the money?]”

“[Yes.]”

At Director Kim’s confirmation, the boss’s lips curled into a grin.

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