Father Zhi did not reach for the tea. Instead, he leaned back, studying her with the weight of someone who already knew too much.
Her father's voice was calm, but his tone carried steel. "I had you investigated."
Page after page stared back at her, reports of her daily movements, photos clearly taken on campus, even transcripts of interactions she thought had been private.
Her throat went dry. He knew.
He knew about her feud with Tiffany Rhian and the legal case it had spawned. He knew she had already retained a legal representative: Nathaniel Armour, of all people.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she turned another page. Marco Fabian's name jumped out at her. The report detailed his sudden confession to her… and the mysterious man who had appeared at that very moment, documented in words as her boyfriend.
Yeri's heart skipped, her mind racing. Her father's eyes never left her, waiting for her to speak.
"Who is your boyfriend?" Father Zhi asked, his tone deceptively mild. Then, as though anticipating her favorite excuse, he added evenly, "And don't say Jj. He was attending a night class at that time."
Yeri's smile faltered. Her palms felt clammy, but she forced herself to keep her tone light. "Just… a friend. He saw me in a predicament and helped me out, that's all."
Father Zhi nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.
Yeri couldn't tell if he was convinced or if her answer only deepened his suspicion.
Just when she thought she had survived that moment, his next words blindsided her.
"I heard you met Leo Nafplion at the hospital?"
Yeri blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. "Ah, yeah?"
"Do you remember him?" Father pressed.
Her lips pursed as she searched her memory. "Well, I think he was that arrogant, narcissistic boy back then. Says the most ridiculous things without even being provoked," she muttered, recalling how he had taunted her.
Yeri didn't spare the details, she even relayed some of the absurd, offensive lines Leo had thrown at her at the hospital.
Father Zhi listened quietly, his face solemn. When she finished, he exhaled a long, weary sigh, the kind that carried more weight than words.
"Part of what he said was true." His voice was grave.
Yeri straightened, unease prickling down her spine.
"Back when you were born," her father continued, "your grandfather promised you to him, as his fiancée."
For a moment, the world tilted.
"What?" Yeri whispered, her expression frozen between shock and disgust. Then, with rising horror, she gasped, "Does Grandpa hate me that much? Why would he do such a thing?"
The thought of being bound, even in name, to a man like Leo Nafplion, his sewer mouth, his smug arrogance, made her stomach churn.
Father Zhi's eyes darkened with memory. "At that time, the Nafplions and the Zhis had a strong relationship. Your grandfather and old Nafplion were close, more than business partners, they trusted one another like family. But after both of them passed away… things changed. That bond weakened, and so did the promises tied to it."
Yeri sat in stunned silence, her mind struggling to reconcile the absurdity of her situation with the reality of her family's past.
Father Zhi continued gravely, "That boy is trouble. The promise between the two of you shouldn't have been a big deal, especially since they were the ones who later broke it once they climbed higher. But recently, the Nafplions have been pressuring us, insisting we push through with the marriage alliance. No other family within the circle will marry their daughter. Of course, there's also the matter of business interest."
His forefinger tapped rhythmically against the armrest, each thud carrying the weight of unspoken pressure. "You should know," he added quietly, "I have yet to officially announce an heir."
Yeri nodded slowly, understanding at last the heavy stone pressing on her father's shoulders.
"Dad," she said carefully, "if they're after the company… then isn't it more reason I shouldn't marry him?"
Father Zhi didn't answer, his finger still tapping the armchair.
Yeri's chest tightened. She wanted to help him, but she wasn't blind. She knew marriage alliances in their world were double-edged swords, either both families prospered, or one was devoured.
Society may call them outdated, even unethical, but in the high circles of wealth and power, alliances forged through marriage were still the sharpest weapon.
Her father would never willingly use her as a tool but the fact he was saying all this now meant one thing: the Nafplions weren't people he could simply refuse.
Unfortunately, Yeri knew herself too well. She had no talent for business. She couldn't run the company, couldn't shoulder the weight her father carried. And yet, how could she sit back, living the comfortable life of a sheltered young lady, while her parents bore the burden alone?
Seeing her father remain silent, Yeri clenched her fists and spoke before she could second-guess herself.
"Dad… if you could find me a good marriage partner, then I'll marry that person. Anyone, anyone at all...as long as it's not that sewer-mouthed Nafplion."
Her father chuckled softly, both at her determination and the undisguised disgust flashing in her eyes. "Don't worry yourself. Did I ever say I would honor that old agreement? Anyway…" His gaze shifted, measuring her reaction. "Have you thought about studying abroad? After graduation, you could pursue college elsewhere."
Yeri frowned instantly. Running away? Leaving her parents behind to face this storm?
"Dad, I'm not leaving you and Mom to handle this alone," she said firmly. "I mean it. If this is about a marriage alliance, then surely there's someone decent out there, someone who could help our company rise even higher. I don't mind… as long as it benefits us."
Her father leaned back, watching her intently. "Is there someone you like?" he asked casually.
The question struck her like an arrow.
Like? Like…?
For no reason, Shin Keir's face flashed in her mind. She immediately shook her head, refusing the thought. No, no, impossible.
What about Levi Ando? He was kind, dependable but how could she drag her good friend into her family's mess?
The problem was glaring now: she barely knew the bachelors within their circle.
How could she even begin to consider?
While she wrestled with her thoughts, Father Zhi opened his laptop and turned it toward her.
"Look at this."
Yeri glanced at the screen casually and her heart dropped.
Her face drained of color.
It was a post. A photo.
Of her.
Her at the convenience store late at night.
And next to her… a man. Shin Keir.
Though he was covered from head to toe, face hidden and unrecognizable, the context alone was damning. The fact she had been out late with a man, unknown or not, was enough to ignite her father's fury.
Yeri's throat tightened. She swallowed hard, silently cursing whoever had taken and posted that picture. Nosy, shameless people! Isn't it illegal to post about strangers without permission?
But right now, none of that mattered. What mattered was the sharp, unreadable look in her father's eyes as the silence between them thickened.
"Who is this man with you?" Father Zhi's tone was calm, almost too calm.
Yeri opened her mouth, then shut it. No words came out.
Seeing her silence, her father didn't press, nor did he raise his voice, he simply went straight to the point.
"I remembered you told Jj you liked Shin Keir. It seems you succeeded. That man also likes you."
It was like Yeri's brain exploded.
Like? Like??
Who likes who??
No—wait—the most important thing is her father knows?!
She could no longer keep her composure. In one gulp, she downed her tea like a shot of vodka.
"Dad, w-what are you talking about?" she stammered.
Father Zhi raised an eyebrow at her nervous theatrics.
Yeri forced a laugh, shaking her head. "I—I have no relation with Young Master Keir. We… we're only friends because of brother Jj."
"Friends?" Father Zhi repeated lightly. "Friends who hired the best lawyer in the city to defend you. Friends who arranged your immediate transfer to Neri Medical Hospital. Tell me, is that something ordinary friends do?"
Yeri froze. He was testing her. Measuring how much she'd admit.
At least… at least he didn't know how she really met Shin Keir. If he knew, he'd never be this calm.
Alright, Yeri, breathe and stay calm.
So she tried another angle, putting on a shy, almost guilty smile. "Dad, did you just say… he also likes me? Are you serious or just teasing me? I know my worth, I wouldn't dare imagine… or overstep…"
"He said it himself," Father Zhi interrupted, watching her reaction closely. "The moment he saw you at your debut, he claimed he liked you."
Yeri nearly choked.
He said?? When did he say?? And why didn't she heard about this??
"He said…?" she whispered in disbelief.
Her father nodded. "Shin Keir asked to see me days ago. He said he wanted to date you formally."
Yeri: "…"
Her mind flatlined.
"Of course, I had my suspicions," Father Zhi continued evenly. "Like you, I wondered...how could someone suddenly fall for a girl they saw once? But it seems the two of you have been in contact since then."
Yeri: "…"
Looking at her stunned face, Father Zhi assumed she was simply overwhelmed, the man she liked had approached her father.
"Anyway, to show his sincerity," Father Zhi said, sliding a folder across the table, "he gave me this."
Yeri blinked, then looked down.
Her heart dropped.
Inside was a transfer agreement. Her name was written neatly on it, stating she now held 3% of KGG shares.
Yeri almost fainted on the spot.
"…Dad, this is fake, right?"
Even Father Zhi looked grim. He was stunned too. Giving away a slice of his company, it's not something done lightly. He made his intention clear. This isn't just about dating. Shin Keir is asking for something deeper.
Yeri gripped the paper with trembling hands.
Three percent of KGG?! People out there would sell their soul for a tenth of a percent!
This wasn't sincerity, it was lunacy!