Yeri glanced at Shin meaningfully, trying to put some distance between them, but he simply closed the gap again.
Jj spoke through gritted teeth. "Young Master Keir, don't you have work to attend to?"
Shin only shrugged. "I'm the CEO. If I can't walk away from work whenever I want, what's the point of having people on my payroll?"
Jj was left speechless. Still, he couldn't deny that Shin prioritizing his sister over work gave him a strange sense of reassurance.
But a thought lingered uneasily in his mind: was Shin Keir only attracted to his sister physically?
"Well, it's good that both of you are alright. When I arrived at the scene, I almost thought I was too late," Shin said softly, turning to Yeri and pinching her cheek.
Yeri tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"Who do you think brought you to the hospital?" Shin asked.
"You… you saved us?" Jj asked in bewilderment.
Shin's lips curved in a subtle smile. "No. You saved yourself. And thank you for protecting her."
Jj blinked, utterly shocked. Never in his life did he think he would hear a thank you from Shin Keir.
"Naturally, she's my sister. Of course I'll protect her," Jj muttered.
Shin didn't take the credit. After all, he couldn't exactly reveal that he had saved them with his ability. But it wasn't a lie either that Jj really had protected Yeri, refusing to abandon her in that desperate moment.
Without Shin's intervention, Jj and the other girl with him would most likely have died. But Yeri… she would have lived, though severely injured, because Jj had been shielding her with his body. The impact would have struck him first.
Giving Jj the credit wasn't unjustified.
"Thank you for helping us," Yeri said sincerely to Shin.
Jj unconsciously nodded in agreement.
"And of course, Brother Jj, you're the best! Thank you too." Yeri beamed, wanting to hug him, but Shin, whether pretending not to notice or simply unwilling, still held her by the waist, keeping her firmly in place.
While the three of them were caught in that moment, Jj's phone rang. His expression darkened as he quickly ended the call and scrolled through his social media feed.
"What's wrong?" Yeri asked, noticing his heavy look.
Jj sighed and held up his phone. "My friend just called me."
On the screen was a livestream that had ended only minutes ago.
It showed a haggard woman, crying and apologizing.
Yeri's eyes widened. Wasn't this the same woman who accused her of costing her job and injuring her as a customer?
But the Lucia Hera in this video looked completely different, like she aged by ten years, gaunt as if she had starved for days, her entire figure radiating misery.
"I know many of you wondered why I haven't come out to explain…" Lucia sniffled, wiping her tears. "I just had some personal matters lately, but that's not why I'm here today."
With a sorrowful expression, she continued, "I'd like to publicly apologize to Miss Yeri Zhi, daughter of Zhi Corporation, for my mindless accusations in my previous post and livestream. At the time, I wasn't thinking clearly, I acted according to my emotions and blamed the wrong person. Someone like me doesn't know how to reach Miss Zhi directly, so I can only do this… I'm deeply sorry."
Lucia bowed deeply. "It wasn't Miss Zhi's fault. The surveillance footage from Zhi Corporation already proved that. When I lost my job, I was at a loss. When the scalding happened, CEO Keir fired me on the spot. I thought it was because I failed in my duties and tarnished KGG's reputation. But I was wrong. I was blind and reckless. Miss Zhi, please forgive me."
Yeri frowned as the video continued with Lucia weeping, apologizing, rambling incoherently.
But a heavier question pressed in her mind: how did Lucia know her identity?
And more than that, the whole apology seemed off.
On the surface, it was a sincere, remorseful plea. But underneath, it suggested that Yeri, as the daughter of Zhi Corporation, had been offended and behind the scene, had used underhanded methods to get revenge.
Anyone would feel suspicious, this woman had disappeared for days, then returned looking like a ghost that had crawled out of hell.
"How did she find out who you are?" Jj muttered. "Did an employee slip up, or did she hire a private investigator?"
Yeri shook her head. "Hard to say. Besides, my background isn't exactly a secret. After my debut, some people were bound to recognize me."
"Your face was blurred in that surveillance footage." Jj frowned, realizing what was wrong. "She could've just apologized. But she had to reveal your identity while looking like she'd been bullied or threatened. What is she implying?"
Yeri didn't reply. She simply replayed the video, her frown deepening.
It was that one line that caught her attention,
'When you got scalded, CEO Keir fired me on the spot…'
That sentence alone could send netizens spiraling into wild speculation. The implications were dangerous.
"What are you thinking? I'm here. Don't worry about something so trivial," Shin said gently, noticing her furrowed brows.
"Did you already know about this?" Yeri asked.
Shin shook his head. "No. But there's definitely someone behind her. Otherwise, why would she dare risk offending a major family?"
Jj's eyes lit with realization. "Right. Initially, we didn't even sue her for defamation. If she had any sense, this matter would've ended there. But this… this livestream doesn't feel like an attempt to settle things at all."
Just as he finished, both Yeri's and Jj's phones buzzed with nonstop notifications.
Nina had sent Yeri the video link with a frantic: Watch this now!
Dozens of classmates and friends messaged, asking questions or out of gossip.
Jj's inbox wasn't spared either, his friends at school, who all knew about his beautiful sister, flooded him with messages.
Then Father Zhi called, instructing Yeri to ignore the commotion and focus on her recovery.
Jj, who was supposed to be discharged today, grew even more reluctant to leave her side.
Yeri skimmed through online comments while Shin stepped out briefly to make a phone call.
As expected, netizens were in an uproar.
Most of the online comments revolved around curiosity about the daughter of Zhi Corporation, what she looked like, and why she was working as a server.
Others were critical or scolding toward Lucia Hera, saying she had simply reaped what she sowed.
"So the café server wasn't just a server but she's actually a wealthy heiress? What kind of drama is this? Lucia, you're so unlucky!"
"This is why you don't look down on people. Tsk, karma's fast."
"I'm so confused right now. What's the situation? I swear this doesn't look like the same woman from before. Isn't she Lucia's mother or maybe her older sister?"
Others were harsher:
"You deserved it! Making a scene and accusing people, don't you realize your actions could ruin someone's life? If that server wasn't a rich girl, with no protection or anyone to clear her name, she might have been driven to suicide by crazy netizens scolding her."
"I agree with the comment above. If it were me, I'd definitely send this bitch to jail."
But soon, the narrative began to twist, reflecting Yeri's own worries and thoughts.
"Is it just me, or does Lucia seem like a shadow of her former self? Yes, she made a mistake, but don't you find it odd that Zhi Corporation only posted a clarification video and didn't sue her? The server wasn't just an employee but the CEO's daughter. How could he just let it go?"
"Something feels wrong here. Lucia looks unwell. Could it be that she was forced to publicly apologize?"
"There's more to this than the public knows. What if Zhi Corporation's surveillance footage was fake?"
"That's not what I'm dwelling on. What bothers me is how Lucia was fired on the spot. If that girl is the CEO's daughter, does she perhaps know Shin Keir?"
"We demand the full footage of this incident to be verified and checked by the police."
Shin returned and quietly took Yeri's phone from her hand.
"Don't bother with what other people say. Do you have any other doctor's appointments? Don't you still need to take some medicine?"
"No, I should be discharged after a couple more days of observation," Yeri assumed.
Shin's gaze dropped to her legs, his frown deepening.
Just when her scalded leg had healed, she had gotten new scratches and injuries, first when she had to hide from the mercenaries who had chased them and climbed a tree, and now from the impact of the bomb.
Though none of these wounds were life-threatening, the sight of her arms and legs covered in bandages and scars still weighed heavily on him.
He could have healed them instantly with his ability, but Yeri would undoubtedly notice.
Should he… help her recover some of her succubus memories instead?
Just as he was about to ask if she had experienced strange dreams lately, a sharp knock rattled the door.
Jj got up, but before he could reach it, the door slammed open.
Venice burst in, crying.
Her eyes instantly lit up at the sight of Shin Keir, and she darted toward him.
"Young Master Keir! Please help me! Please explain to them. I was only trying to help your relative!"
Yeri arched a brow. What mess has she gotten herself into now?
It was only then they noticed several medical staff gathered outside. Upon recognizing Shin Keir, their stern expressions immediately softened, shifting into polite smiles.