MBS Morning Talk Show
Mr. Kang Ji-eun sat across from the host under the bright studio lights as the two discussed the latest controversies circling the internet.
"…I'll give her credit for that," Mr. Ji-eun said, adjusting his suit calmly. "Even though I smell an ulterior motive, it's still important that she takes proper care of the child her sister left behind."
"But you know, Lee Mina has a father," the host said. "Don't you think she should've let him handle his role as guardian?"
"The bullying issue, as we all know, has been ongoing for a long time," he replied. "Without Miss Choi's involvement, it has always been Mina's father trying to intervene. But as you can see, without influence, a man of his status can only do so much in a school dominated by power. So now that Miss Choi stepped in, she first secured legal guardianship. That way, there's really no issue with her involvement."
"You just said something interesting," the host leaned forward. "You said Miss Choi is now the legal guardian of her niece. How—when did this happen? This is my first time hearing it. Is it true?"
Mr. Ji-eun chuckled softly, proud.
"It is. My sources are reliable." He said with a smug smile "You see, Miss Choi—"
---
While the video continued playing on the laptop set on the table, Minjae sat across from it, a tablet in her hands.
On the screen was CCTV footage — her full attention fixed on it.
She was outside, on the rooftop of the Choi mansion, her usual quiet sanctuary. A soft wind brushed her hair as she sipped from her mug, the Bluetooth earpiece glowing faintly.
"Have you confirmed what I asked?" she said calmly.
"Yes, Ma'am," the male voice responded through the earpiece.
She nodded once.
Just then, Madam Kim approached her carefully.
"Young Miss—"
"Are they out already?" Minjae cut in without looking up.
"Yes."
Minjae shut the laptop, stood, and walked off without another word.
---
Inside the Mansion
Minjae walked down the long staircase. Below her, a line of house workers stood nervously gathered in the center of the grand hall, exchanging uneasy glances. None of them had any idea why Minjae had summoned them this early morning — which only made their fear worse.
As soon as they spotted her gracefully descending the stairs, silence consumed the entire room.
She looked stunning even in her silk nightdress — effortless, expensive, impossible to ignore.
She stopped halfway down the stairs.
Silence hit immediately.
Her eyes scanned every single face, slow and sharp, like she was taking an attendance. A few workers quickly looked at the floor.
"I just realized I've been living with strangers," she began. "I can barely recognize half of you, and yet we all share the same roof."
The workers tensed, completely confused. They clearly suspected this wasn't a morning-friendly 'get-to-know-each other' session — and they were absolutely right.
"In case you're wondering why I've gathered you all here, do not fret," she said lightly. "As long as you're not guilty of anything."
Several throats tightened.
"Is it something that would put one of you in trouble? Yes, it is," she said with a small smirk. "Very much so, actually..."
She rested one arm on the stair railing and continued calmly,
"It came to my attention that there's a little bird living among us," she said. "A bird who's been… chirping family secrets to outsiders."
The room stiffened. Glances flew every where, everyone staring at each other like suspects in a murder mystery.
"Yes, yes, do look around," Minjae said, waving a hand lazily. "Even I was… mildly stunned by the realization that one of you here may have been moonlighting as a traitor." She spoke so casually it bordered on boredom.
"To tell you the truth, I don't mind anyone taking small side jobs for extra money." She said casually. "In fact, I find that adorable. But what I find truly fascinating…" Her smile sharpened. "Is that someone here actually had the courage to do dirty work inside this house. My home."
Her eyes finally stopped on one person.
"You must think we've gotten softer, Im Yujin."
Every head snapped toward the trembling maid in the center.
Her coworkers immediately stepped away from her like she carried a contagious disease. Her eyes widened, already trembling.
Minjae continued
"Isn't that why you thought you could stab us in the back and still collect your paycheck?" Minjae said. "I don't know if I should call that smart or pathetically Short-sighed," she smirked, sounding almost amused
"tell me, Who Is it, Mrs. Seo?, Kang Ji-eun?"
She smiled mischievously as she descended the final steps, approaching Yujin.
"I—I'm so sorry, Miss…" Yujin burst into tears all of a sudden. "I needed money for my mother's hospital bills…"
"Always the helpless ones," Minjae sighed, rolling her eyes. "The ones with the stories that touche's the heart."
She tilted her head.
"So what exactly do you expect me to do with that information? Hmm? You can't really serve two masters, you know? Most certainly if you betrayed one you have to leave. Obviously."
Yujin sobbed harder.
"And I sincerely hope you weren't foolish enough to think you'd walk away without consequences." Minjae added, voice dropping as fear shot through Yujin's body.
Minjae's smile sweetly—there was that familiar spark, the one she tried to suppress ever since she started carrying so many responsibilities.
She'd been polite, measured, strategic…
and honestly, painfully bored.
Letting a little fear loose in the mansion?
It was the first time in while she actually felt alive, and Yujin was just the perfect prey.
She continued calmly
"I don't think you understand how serious your actions are. Did you know…"
She folded her arms and leaned in slightly.
"…that during the Joseon era, a spy in the Choi household was as good as a traitor? Someone who leaked harmless little information could still endanger the entire nation. A sin so big, yet we pretend it no longer exists."
She smiled,
"And do you know how they were punished?" she asked
descending from the stairs while Yujin automatically took a step beckward.
Minjae continued
"The traitor would be locked away in a remote detention house, no contact, no voice, no sunlight.
Their arms and feet would be chopped off, leaving them unable to stand, or assist themselves.
They were forced to move on their knees, crawl, bow, and feed like an animal, stripped of every shred of dignity.
They'd be given just enough food to stay alive, never enough to feel human, left alone with silence so thick it crushed the mind.
Their family would be fined until they could barely breathe, their home seized, and every relative marked with a stain of disgrace.
They would all be turned into slaves and dragged off to labor camps, worked until their joints cracked and their backs bent permanently, a punishment that never killed, only broke."
Minjae said calmly, like she was reciting a bedtime story.
Yujin's eyes stretched in horror. Yes, the world had changed.
Punishments like that didn't exist anymore.
But Minjae, wealthy, powerful, and unpredictable, she was the kind who could drag an ancient punishment into the 21st century and upgrade it into something even worse. Money could do many things, Yujin knows that much.
"I'll tell you what, Yujin," Minjae said finally. "From today onward you are done. You'll be blacklisted from every staffing agency, Your face and name will be flagged in every platform, Your profile will silently disappear from the system, as if you never existed, i will make sure of that, its a shame your sister would have to carry everything alone in the family." she smirked
"Especially with that little bakery job she's holding onto by a thread, Im Yuna, is it?."
Yujin froze. Her breath caught, eyes widening.
How did she know… she panicked what have I done…
The realization sank fast and heavy, the fact that even her family was now under Minjae's mercy. And there was nothing she could do about it.
Minjae continued, ignoring the look on Yujin's face
"Looks like you will have to place your last hope on Kang Ji-eun.
Since you seem so eager to warm his pocket with information. Pray he needs a maid. Or a pet, maybe you might still be useful then." as Minjae talked immediately Yujin dropped to her knees instantly.
"Miss!" Yujin cried, tears spilling as she looked up at Minjae in raw desperation.
Around the room, the other staff watched her with pity—some even rethinking their whole life choices, wondering if that side hustle their cousin mentioned was maybe… not worth it after all.
"Please… I just wanted to help my family," Yujin sobbed.
"I also want to protect mine," Minjae said coolly, stepping forward. "Which is exactly why I clear out back-biters before they start breeding."
She didn't wait for a response.
"The door is open. Help yourself out," she added, already turning for the stairs. "I'm sure Kang Ji-eun will welcome you with open arms."
Without a word more, she ascended, and the rest of the staff scattered instantly, eager to escape the blast radius, reconsidering their life choices, and mentally deleting every gossip message they'd ever typed.
Mean while Yujin remained alone in the quiet, her whole life tilting painfully beneath her feet, she had'nt seen this coming.
Footsteps sounded. Mina descended the opposite staircase, dressed neatly in her new school uniform, backpack slung over one shoulder.
Yujin spotted her and rushed forward.
"Young Miss," she said quickly, scrubbing her tears away, trying to gather herself. "Please, you—"
"I'm running late for school, Yujin," Mina said simply.
Yujin blinked. Yujin?
She normally called the maids Unni.
Confusion and dread tangled in her chest
Something had changed.