#124.

Im Ha-yoon let out a deep sigh as she stepped into the dark house. As she turned on the entryway light, she noticed documents scattered haphazardly on the living room table. She slowly walked over and threw herself onto the sofa.

,Something… something’s off.”

Her voice cut through the silent space. Im Ha-yoon closed her eyes and replayed her conversation with Park Min-ah. Her statement, her trembling voice, her anxious eyes… everything seemed like the victim’s appearance, yet something felt awkward.

Im Ha-yoon’s fingers unconsciously tapped the sofa armrest.

,Too perfect to be a victim… It’s like she’s reading from a script.’

She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Park Min-ah’s voice lingered in her ears.

,That man… I think he’s connected to the police. I was threatened, too.”

Im Ha-yoon’s brow furrowed. ‘Why the sudden change of story? It’s completely different from before…’

She got up and headed to the kitchen. Pouring herself a glass of cold water, Im Ha-yoon organized her thoughts.

‘I shouldn’t suspect the victim. But…’

Her intuition kept sounding alarms. It felt like there was a missing puzzle piece. A gap in Park Min-ah’s statement, and another truth hidden behind it.

Im Ha-yoon returned to the living room and rummaged through the documents. Her sharp gaze greedily followed the letters on the paper.

‘Lee Han… how the hell did he connect the victims?’

Her finger stopped. Her gaze stopped on Lee Han’s name.

,Is this a trap…?”

Im Ha-yoon’s lips slightly curved upward. A resolute will settled in her eyes.

,Okay, fine, even if it’s a trap. I can get out of this much.”

She took a deep breath. Something hot surged from within her chest. She felt like she had finally caught a clue in the cases that had been without a trace until now.

,Tomorrow… everything will become clear when I meet that victim tomorrow.”

Im Ha-yoon took one last look at the documents scattered on the desk. Her sharp gaze greedily followed the letters on the paper. Turning the last page, a subtle tension settled on her lips.

,This time… I’m going to uncover the truth, no matter what.”

Her voice was small, but the determination within it was firm. Im Ha-yoon slowly got up from her chair. As she organized the documents on the desk, complex thoughts still swirled in her head.

With a deep sigh, she covered her face with both hands. She rubbed her face as if to relieve the stiff muscles from fatigue and tension. After a dry wash, Im Ha-yoon tightly closed and opened her eyes. Her eyes still held a sharp determination.

,Tomorrow… everything will become clear.”

Im Ha-yoon took another deep breath. For tomorrow, and for the long journey towards the truth, she steeled her heart. Slowly getting up, she headed to the bed.

The cold air of dawn brushed against Im Ha-yoon’s cheek. She took a deep breath as she looked at the familiar police station building. Like the sky that had not yet cleared of darkness, her heart was still confused.

Entering the office, Im Ha-yoon went straight to her desk. Opening the drawer and taking out past data, her eyes shone sharply. Greedily scanning the letters on the paper, she tried to find the missed clue.

,Are you still looking at that case?”

At the familiar voice, Im Ha-yoon raised her head. Park Joon-ho was placing a cup of coffee on her desk. His eyes seemed to hold a strange tension, but Im Ha-yoon just thought it was her imagination.

,Ah… yes. I’m just trying to wrap it up.”

Im Ha-yoon’s voice trembled slightly. Her eyes, telling a lie, shook uneasily.

Park Joon-ho’s gaze looked through Im Ha-yoon’s face. A shadow of doubt passed through his eyes.

,Why, is there something on my face?”

Im Ha-yoon quickly smiled and said. ,No, you just look more radiant today.”

Park Joon-ho shrugged and laughed. ,Even if you praise me like that, I won’t drop any crumbs.”

He tapped Im Ha-yoon’s shoulder and returned to his seat. Watching his back, the seed of doubt began to grow in Im Ha-yoon’s heart.

,Why didn’t he ask me to have dinner today?”

In an instant, past memories flashed through her head. Park Joon-ho’s attempts to subtly make dinner plans whenever she was stuck on this case.

Im Ha-yoon’s fingers unconsciously tapped the desk. Her eyes grew sharper and sharper.

,A detective living in the apartment… and Park Joon-ho, who approached me while I was in charge of this case…”

Park Min-ah’s statement echoed in her ears. ,I think he’s connected to the police.”

Im Ha-yoon’s chest tightened. The moments she had carelessly passed by, Park Joon-ho’s subtle changes in expression, now all felt suspicious.

,Could it be… is that why he approached me?”

Once a doubt arose, it did not easily subside. Im Ha-yoon was swept up in complex emotions as she looked at Park Joon-ho’s back.

Im Ha-yoon’s head became complicatedly entangled. Her fingers unconsciously tapped on the desk. Past memories flashed by like a scene from a movie.

,The relationship started… when I took on this case.’

Her eyes wavered. Park Joon-ho’s gentle smile, warm touch, and his sweet words… everything now felt suspicious.

,Don’t get hung up on cases like this. It won’t help your career.”

Park Joon-ho’s voice lingered in her ears. Im Ha-yoon bit her lip. She felt pathetic for being persuaded by his words and distancing herself from the case.

,Was I… being used?”

A corner of her heart sank heavily. The moments she encountered him, pretending to be coincidental, whenever she went to the apartment, his subtle approaches… everything now seemed like calculated actions.

Im Ha-yoon’s hand unconsciously clenched into a fist. Her eyes cooled coldly.

,I can’t trust anyone. I have to solve this alone now.’

She slowly raised her head and looked around the office. The faces of her colleagues all felt unfamiliar. She couldn’t tell who was the enemy and who was the ally.

Im Ha-yoon let out a deep sigh. Her shoulders drooped heavily, but her eyes became even sharper.

,Park Joon-ho… you’re also a subject of investigation.’

She quietly got up from her seat. She felt like she couldn’t stay in the police station any longer. She needed to go outside and organize her thoughts alone.

Im Ha-yoon quickly packed her bag. Her steps were fast but cautious. She left the office, hoping not to be noticed by anyone.

In the elevator, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Despair, anger, and resolute will were mixed in her eyes.

,I’m alone now…”

Her whisper echoed in the narrow space. Im Ha-yoon took a deep breath. From now on, she had to suspect everything and dig up the truth herself.

The elevator doors opened and she stepped out with a determined step. She knew that the journey ahead would be difficult, but her eyes held a strong will that she could not give up.

–

Lee Han stared intently at the monitor screen. Park Joon-ho’s brilliant career was unfolding before his eyes. A graduate of the police academy, recipient of numerous commendations, a fast track for promotion… A cynical smile spread across his lips.

,The reach of the Aryong Group extended this far.”

His fingers moved quickly over the keyboard. Information about other people connected to Park Joon-ho appeared on the screen.

,He’s not alone. It’s a pretty big game.”

Lee Han paused for a moment to think. Digging deeper into this information and going higher up could be dangerous for him as well. He shook his head.

,I should stop here. I value my life, too.”

His eyes shone sharply. He had the thought of making Im Ha-yoon his ally instead of Park Joon-ho. A secretive smile spread across his lips.

,It will require work… but it’s definitely possible.”

Lee Han picked up his cell phone. His conversation with Chairman Park came to mind. ,Do as you see fit.” That one word gave him freedom.

,Park Joon-ho is in the same situation as me… there won’t be a big problem.”

At that moment, the cell phone vibrated. Checking the screen, it was a message from Im Ha-yoon.

,Could I see you for a moment?”

Lee Han’s eyes deepened. A smile spread across his lips.

Lee Han picked up his cell phone and checked Im Ha-yoon’s message once more. A smile spread across his lips. He slowly began to write a reply.

,I’m always in the management office. If you contact me before you come, I’ll be there.”

Before pressing send, he hesitated for a moment. He was worried that the message might seem too eager, but he shook his head. ‘This much is okay.’

Not long after sending the message, Im Ha-yoon’s reply arrived. ,Thank you.”

Lee Han put down his cell phone and fell into deep thought. His eyes shone sharply, then wavered with complex emotions.

,Im Ha-yoon… she’s a more outstanding woman than I thought.”

His voice was mixed with admiration and wariness. Lee Han slowly turned his chair and looked out the window. The sunlight shone on his face, but his expression was dark and deep.

Im Ha-yoon’s appearance of doubting Park Min-ah’s statement came to mind. Her sharp eyes, the questions she carefully threw out… Lee Han bit his lip slightly.

,She’s suspecting my acting. And that suspicion is correct.’

He slowly tapped the desk with his finger. A regular sound, like keeping time, echoed in the office.

,She’s different from the other women. She’s rational and cold-blooded.”

Lee Han’s eyes deepened further. New strategies for dealing with Im Ha-yoon began to be drawn in his head.

,Simple seduction won’t be enough. I need a more complex… more cunning method.”

A smile spread across Lee Han’s lips. It was not a simple smile. It was a dangerous, seductive, and calculated smile. He was now ready to start a new game. He slowly got up from his chair and walked to the window. Looking outside, complex thoughts swirled in his head.

,Did Park Joon-ho approach her on purpose…”

Lee Han’s eyes cooled coldly. His hand unconsciously clenched and unclenched into a fist.

,To take that woman before me…”

He returned to his seat and turned on the computer screen. He began to carefully examine Park Joon-ho’s information. He began to dig into Park Joon-ho’s career, family relationships, and hidden secrets one by one.

,Simple exposure won’t be enough. I have to completely destroy him.”

His eyes shone dangerously. Park Joon-ho’s marriage information appeared on the screen. A cold smile spread across Lee Han’s lips.