Chapter 23
Ji-an
I was in a better mood by the time we when downstairs. Emily was exactly like I thought she would be. Some people are very different from their online persona, myself included, but Emily was who she was and she didn't act like anything else. It was awesome.
So I was in a really good mood even with last night's drama and Min-ji's attempt to get ahead of me. I was in a good mood, until she showed up.
Tall. Slender. Russian or eastern European. Not movie-star gorgeous, but effortlessly striking. Dark blonde hair, high cheekbones, a slight scar across her cheek, sharp blue eyes and that immediately locked onto Logan .
She walked towards him, the sort of long legged shapely walk that runway models used. People watched as this woman walked. She was tall.
I am pretty tall too, just not like her. My eyes wandered around her. It's not like she was making ME insecure, but damn was she beautiful, I couldn't help but wonder if Logan thought so too. She wore a business suite, something you'd probably see on Wall Street except she had a gun on her hip. It was like she was some sort of sexy spy."
I will never get used to the open carry rules in the Us. Don't get me wrong, I love it. But it's still a little unsettling compared to Korea or Australia.
Her eyes were a deep hazel color and her lips curled slightly as she approached. "Carter."
Logan exhaled. "Sonya. Glad you could make it."
I froze.
Jisoo grabbed my arm.
Hye-won's eyes widened. "Oh no."
Sonya crossed her arms, her smirk deepening. "Didn't think you'd be the one making headlines."
Logan ran a hand down his face. "Please don't start."
She laughed.
Like they had some kind of inside joke.
Like they had history.
And suddenly, I hated her.
I didn't even know why.
"Who is she?" I muttered to Min-ji.
Min-ji, still recovering from her own embarrassment, peeked over. "How should I know?"
Emily actually spoke up. "Freelancer. Security computer specialist. She's not on Logan's team, but… she works with him a lot."
Jisoo muttered, "Oh, this is bad."
Hye-won smirked. "You're mad."
"I am not mad."
"You so are."
"I don't care."
Hye-won grinned. "Right. That's why you're glaring at her like she personally offended your bloodline."
I was not glaring. I was assessing the situation.
And the situation was that I did not like the way this woman looked at Logan.
Sonya tilted her head, giving me a once-over.
Then she smirked.
Like she knew something I didn't.
And I snapped.
I turned to Logan, forcing my sweetest smile. "We're leaving. Now."
Logan blinked. "We are?"
"Yes."
Sonya raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
But Logan?
Logan sighed. "Looks like I've been summoned."
"Looks like," Sonya murmured, eyes flicking between us. "I will meet you at the venue. We have much to discuss. You owe me big time and I intend to collect."
I turned on my heel, walking away before I did something really stupid.
And Logan, after a beat, followed.
Logan
The security office was chaotic.
The moment Sonya and I stepped inside, a sharp bite filled the air, punctuated by the unmistakable authority of a man used to being obeyed.
A man in a navy suit stood at the center of the room, furious, barking at the security team in rapid-fire in Korean.
Lee Jae-won.
CEO of Hwa International, the parent company of JP Medi—the corporation that owned Nova.
Lee Min-hyuk's father.
I'd met a lot of powerful men in my life, and Lee Jae-won fit the mold perfectly. Sharp-eyed, composed, dangerous in the way only businessmen who controlled entire industries could be. His voice cut through the room, demanding answers, his security team barely able to stammer out responses under his scrutiny.
I recognized the type.
A man who expected control. Who did not tolerate failure. Who could end someone's career with a single phone call.
But when he turned and saw me—his entire demeanor shifted.
His anger didn't vanish, but it refocused. Sharpened.
His gaze locked onto me, cool and unreadable, and then—to my surprise—he inclined his head slightly.
"Mr. Carter."
His tone was polite. Controlled.
I nodded back. "Mr. Lee."
"You have my gratitude for what you did last night," he continued, voice smooth. "Nova is a global treasure, and if anything had happened to them…" His lips pressed into a thin line. "I would not have been pleased."
There was something weighty about the way he said it. A promise. Or a warning.
"Just doing my job," I said evenly.
His lips twitched slightly. Not quite a smile. "Perhaps. But you still have my thanks."
Sonya, leaning casually against a desk, let out a quiet scoff. She wasn't even trying to hide her amusement, watching the exchange like it was a particularly entertaining drama.
Lee Jae-won turned back to his security team, snapping something in Korean. They practically bolted from the room.
When the door shut behind them, it left only the three of us.
He exhaled slowly, adjusting his cufflinks. "I assume you are here to discuss security measures for tonight's event."
"I am," I said. "But I also want to talk about something else."
His brow lifted slightly. "Oh?"
"The Brotherhood."
Sonya stiffened next to me.
I didn't blame her. This wasn't exactly something I had planned on saying. Not yet.
But the moment I said it, I knew I had his attention.
Lee Jae-won went still.
Then, after a beat, he let out a quiet breath. "Interesting," he murmured. "And what, exactly, do you want to know about them?"
Sonya shot me a look, one that practically screamed, What the hell are you doing?
But I ignored her.
Because the way he reacted—calm, knowing—told me exactly what I needed to know.
He wasn't surprised by the name.
He already knew
I crossed my arms. "First, let's discuss the breach."
He studied me for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Very well. What do you need to know?"
"The attackers last night were organized," I said. "This wasn't just a handful of obsessed fans. Their movements were coordinated. Their goal was clear." I exhaled. "And they almost succeeded."
Lee Jae-won's expression didn't change, but something in his posture shifted.
"You think there is a larger network at play."
"I know there is," I corrected.
His jaw tightened. "I was assured that security at the venue was adequate. Yet somehow, this… The Brotherhood was able to bypass it." His voice was measured, but there was steel underneath. "That is unacceptable."
"It wasn't just a lapse in security," I said. "It was a planned infiltration. Your team got outmaneuvered."
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
I wasn't just talking to a CEO—I was talking to a man who had built an empire. He wasn't used to being told his systems had weaknesses.
But he didn't argue.
Instead, he turned his head slightly. "Min-hyuk."
A fourth voice joined the conversation.
I turned.
Lee Min-hyuk entered.. Unlike his father, his expression wasn't unreadable. It was tight. Frustrated.
And maybe… embarrassed.
I hadn't even realized he was here. He had been silent while his father handled the yelling, but now that the conversation had shifted, he stepped forward.
"My team is already reviewing the breach," he said. His voice was controlled, but there was something behind it—like he was forcing himself to sound professional. "We're pulling surveillance, analyzing access logs, reviewing communications from last week."
Sonya arched an eyebrow. "And? What have you found?"
Min-hyuk hesitated, glancing at his father.
Lee Jae-won nodded once. "Speak freely."
Min-hyuk exhaled sharply. "The attackers weren't using fake credentials. They bypassed security completely. No forged IDs. No access passes. They moved like they knew the weak points in the system."
Sonya's eyes flickered. "An inside job?"
Min-hyuk frowned. "Possibly. Or someone who had prior knowledge of the venue's security layout."
Lee Jae-won's expression darkened. "Unacceptable."
I nodded. "Which brings us to the other reason I'm here." I motioned toward Sonya. "I brought in extra help. Sonya, don't bother asking for a last name, she won't give you one, She is running her own investigation into the Brotherhood's online activity on my request."
Lee Jae-won's gaze flicked to her, sharp and assessing.
She didn't flinch. Just smirked. "Nice to meet you."
He nodded once. "And what have you found?"
Sonya pulled out her phone, tapping through a few screens before holding it up. "Most of the Brotherhood's online activity is funneling to two major locations. Northern California." She tapped again. "And Seoul."
Lee Jae-won nodded for her to continue.
Sonya continued her narration. "This group is way more well funded then some online Red-pill frat should be. There are retreats, recruiting and fundraisers. There is even a request for tax exemption under a religious 503(c)(3). This group has an agenda. Its unlikely they are going to stop after this attack."
The room went silent.
Then—
Lee Jae-won exhaled, closing his eyes briefly. Like he had just confirmed something he didn't want to be true. "Thats what I was afraid of."
I narrowed my eyes. "You knew."
He nodded. "This isn't the first time we've had fanatics go crazy. This seems like an extra bit of insane and a little too organized. So like you Mr. Carter. I had some people check into things. We found much of what Ms. Sonya has stated. But not really as well detailed."
Sonya and I exchanged glances but didn't say thing.
He glanced at his phone. "They are more than your atypical. The mere fact that they were able to injure Si-woo is testament to that. Thank you for saving him as well Mr. Carter. He says that he owes you a bottle of Soju."
I laughed. "Never drank the stuff."
Mr. Lee gave a rare smile.