The public announcement of Hena and Damian's engagement had sent ripples through every corner of Seoul's elite society. Hena stood confidently beside Damian as flashbulbs from the press lit up their poised figures. It was her moment of truth—not just as a woman reclaiming her identity, but as someone finally choosing to stop running.
"She's stunning," one reporter whispered, watching Hena smile gracefully for the cameras. But not everyone shared that admiration.
In the front row of the engagement celebration, seated in a reserved section of the luxurious Jeju Island resort ballroom, sat Victoria Sterling, Damian's mother.
She was elegant and striking, dressed in a sapphire-blue gown that mirrored her cold, calculating eyes. A woman of immense influence and wealth, Victoria was known in American high society as both a formidable businesswoman and an unforgiving mother.
As Damian held Hena's hand proudly on stage, Victoria leaned toward her husband with a tight-lipped frown. "She's not one of us," she said in a clipped British accent, her voice low but sharp. "This is not what I imagined for our son."
"I think she's… poised," his father replied cautiously.
"Poised? She's a scandal magnet, from everything I've read," Victoria snapped. "And let's not forget—he was engaged to the other twin just weeks ago. This entire affair is nothing but tabloid bait."
Damian saw the look on his mother's face from across the room. He knew that look—it was the same one she wore when she was preparing for war.
Later that evening, after the guests were mingling and sipping champagne, Damian pulled his mother aside into a quiet lounge near the garden.
"Mother," he said, closing the door softly behind him.
Victoria turned, folding her arms. "So, this is it? You're truly going through with this farce?"
"She's not a farce," Damian replied firmly. "Her name is Hena, and I love her."
Victoria scoffed. "You barely know her. First the engagement to Hara, now this? Do you even realize how unstable this looks from the outside?"
"I made a mistake," Damian admitted. "But I'm correcting it. Hena is the one I want to build my future with—not for business, not for status—for love."
Victoria's eyes narrowed. "And what does she want, Damian? Your heart, or your power?"
Damian sighed. "I didn't bring you here to argue. I wanted you to see her—to really see her. She's not who the tabloids say she is. She's strong, intelligent, and everything I need."
Victoria's lip curled. "You always were a romantic fool."
"Maybe," Damian said quietly. "But I'd rather be a fool in love than a puppet in a perfect image."
Victoria said nothing for a moment. Then she straightened her shoulders. "We're leaving for America soon. If you go through with this marriage, don't expect my support—or a place in our world back home."
Damian met her eyes, unwavering. "Then I guess I'll be staying in Korea."
—
Meanwhile, across the city, Hara watched the engagement footage play on her hotel TV, her glass of red wine trembling in her hand.
Her face was unreadable at first. Then, slowly, the cracks began to show. Her lips twisted, her nails dug into her palm.
"They're all fools," she muttered. "Thinking they've won."
Min-ah sat across from her, watching with concern. "Hara… maybe it's time to let it go."
"Let it go?" Hara snapped, slamming her glass down. "She took everything. My life. My identity. My fiancé."
"You lied to the world," Min-ah said gently. "What did you think would happen?"
Hara stood up, pacing. "No. This isn't over. You think one public proposal erases what she did? What she is?"
Min-ah sighed. "What are you planning now?"
"A counterattack," Hara whispered, her eyes glowing with renewed fire. "If Damian and Hena want to play fairy tale, fine. But I'll be the nightmare that wakes them up."
Min-ah shook her head. "You promised me you'd stop."
"I lied," Hara replied coldly. "Just like everyone else."
—
Back at the estate, Hena stood quietly in the garden, watching the lanterns float across the koi pond. Damian joined her a few moments later.
"Did you talk to her?" Hena asked softly.
"I did," Damian said. "She's not pleased."
"I didn't expect her to be," Hena admitted. "I just don't want to come between you and your family."
"You're not," Damian said firmly. "You're the only one who makes me feel like I belong somewhere."
Hena leaned her head against his shoulder. "We still have a long fight ahead."
"Then we fight it together," he whispered.
As the night wore on, neither of them noticed the car parked just outside the gates—or the shadowed figure inside, eyes fixed on them through binoculars.
Hara's second move was already in motion.