The Thread Starts to Unravel

“Oppa! Why didn’t you answer your phone!!”

“I’m sorry. I was tired and fell asleep.”

As Jaekyung stepped out of the café, he suddenly turned and looked behind him.

If the clock was correct, he had been sleeping in the café for over three hours.

Unbelievable.

How could he fall asleep like that in a public place?

Maybe his body really wasn’t doing well.

“I thought something happened… Do you know how scared I was?”

“What would happen to me? I was the one surprised. You called so many times. What did the hospital say?”

“They said I’m fine. Completely healthy. The doctor told me not to even show up at the hospital anymore.”

Thank God.

Thank you, God.

“I wanted to tell you the good news and eat with you… but Dad told me to come home right away. I don’t think I can go out again. Are you free tomorrow? There’s a restaurant I’ve been wanting to try. I made a reservation.”

“Of course. Tell me the time and place.”

“Should I just pick you up instead?”

“Hm? You have a license and a car?”

“Of course. I told you I’d make your life easier, remember? I got my license, and Dad has three cars he doesn’t even use.”

“Haha. Okay. Then come pick me up. I want to ride in a car you drive.”

“Okay! I’ll call you when I leave.”

“Alright.”

Jaekyung laughed brightly for the first time in a long time.

He hadn’t expected his younger sister to give him something to smile about.

He felt genuinely happy.

Maybe… life could be like this now.

He walked home lightly, chatting with her the entire way.

“Jaekyung.”

It was the birthday of Chairman Han, the father of Han Taeseok, the head of NI Company.

Every year, he held flashy celebration banquets, but this time he claimed he wanted a quiet family gathering.

So Jaekyung and Taeseok sat beside him at the table in the main family home.

The food was plentiful, resembling a refined Korean course meal.

The flavors were mild, just as the chairman preferred, but edible.

They ate in silence, exchanging only minimal polite conversation.

Then the chairman called Jaekyung’s name.

He rarely summoned Jaekyung directly.

The gallery matters and family affairs were usually handled by Director Ji.

When the chairman called Jaekyung, it rarely meant something good.

“It has been almost three years since your marriage. I would like to hear some good news soon.”

He phrased it gently, but the meaning was clear.

He wanted a grandchild.

Jaekyung felt his throat tighten.

He wanted to drink water, but he held himself still and nodded calmly.

“We will try.”

“Yes, I hope you do. Three years is not a short time. And I hear that Executive Han sleeps away from home often. It does not look good to outsiders.”

“I apologize.”

This time, it was Taeseok who answered.

No further conversation followed.

Director Ji, unusually, ate quietly without comment.

After forcing themselves through dessert, they left the family home.

Two cars waited outside.

They would not ride together.

Good.

Secretary Oh bowed and Jaekyung nodded back before entering the car driven by the family chauffeur.

He did not speak to Taeseok.

Taeseok did not look at him.

There was nothing to say.

And Jaekyung felt nothing about it.

He no longer expected anything from him—not even resentment.

The marriage had simply emptied him.

It was a sad realization, but also freeing.

When they arrived home, the familiar nausea rose again.

He rushed to the bathroom and threw up everything he had eaten.

He only stopped once stomach acid burned up his throat.

He washed his mouth and lay on the bed.

He threw up almost everything he ate these days.

He should probably get examined.

But medical records would be reported to the family.

That meant Director Ji would say something.

He chose to endure instead.

“Ah… right…”

He checked his phone calendar.

Heat cycle soon.

He should take his medication.

But he was tired.

He would do it in the morning.

He hugged his pillow tightly, rubbing his scent into it.

His mind wandered.

Would having a child make him less lonely?

No.

A child born into this house would be miserable.

Neither he nor Taeseok would love them properly.

He shook his head.

He would delay as long as possible.

He fell asleep to the silence of the house.

But things never go the way one wants.

He realized that again a month later.

It began with his sister’s phone call that morning.

“Oppa…”

Her voice was barely alive.

Jaekyung’s hand trembled.

She kept saying “Oppa”, but did not explain.

She cried for a long time, whispered that she loved him, and hung up.

A terrible feeling surged in him.

He called their mother.

No answer.

He hurried to get dressed when the housekeeper came running.

“Jaekyung! Jaekyung!”

“What is it?”

“Please come quickly!!”

She pointed at the television.

The news headline made his world collapse.

— Han–China joint venture Jaewang Steel under intensive tax investigation… Possible offshore tax evasion suspected —

He left the house immediately.

He called his parents.

No one answered.

His father’s phone was turned off.

He drove to his family home, but reporters surrounded it.

He couldn’t get close.

He called his father’s private lawyer.

At first, no answer.

Then the lawyer finally picked up and told him to meet discreetly.

They met in an old, shabby office used for confidential discussions.

Jaekyung asked what happened.

The lawyer sighed heavily.

“Do you know nothing?”

“I know nothing. The news said something happened. My father and mother are unreachable. Please tell me. What happened to them?”

“Your mother left urgently for Canada. Your sister is in very poor condition, so she needed to be there. The problem… is your father. He left for China two weeks ago. And something happened there.”

“Something?”

The story that followed was overwhelming.

His father had overreached.

He had invested aggressively in a steel company and entered into a joint venture with Chinese investors.

But the Chinese partners betrayed him.

They took the company, the funds, everything.

And then they submitted evidence of your father’s lobbying, tax evasion, and offshore dealings to the Korean prosecution.

The prosecution issued a summons.

But your father was still in China.

So now… they were preparing to issue a warrant and file an international wanted notice.

Jaekyung felt dizzy.

How was he supposed to fix this?