24 hours earlier.
Kim Myeongju walked into her room. She took off her dress in the closet and slid into a bathrobe. She was about to go into the bathroom when she heard a funny sound, coming from her bedroom. She walked slowly and saw Kim Yi Hun seated on her bed, with a tablet in his hand. The sound of the heavy breathing and soft panting coming from the video made her stop dead in her tracks. Her heart thudded against her chest.
"Yi Hun..."
"Mother, I didn't know you were this freaky in person." Kim Yi Hun said, his cold and sinister eyes resting on her. "No wonder Ah Zan was rejecting my calls that day. To think he was with you."
Kim Myeongju's forehead sweated coldly. That video would be the end of her.
When Kim Yi Hun was still in high school, he was bullied because he had a high build and he was extremely smart. He was an introvert and didn't have any friends. But one day, he excitedly introduced Kim Myeongju to his new friend, Ah Zan, a Chinese transfer student. Her first impression of him was that Kim Yi Hun was just his lapdog. Because he had a tall build, with muscular shoulders and was bursting with masculinity, but the more Kim Yi Hun invited him over, the more at ease Kim Myeongju became with him.
They went to the same college after graduating and Kim Yi Hun grew taller and stronger as well, no longer needing Ah Zan to protect him. They were best of friends and were practically inseparable.
Kim Yi Hun had just graduated from business school last year and Ah Zan came over for dinner to celebrate with them in a private villa.
On that occasion, Kim Yi Hun stepped out, to go meet a girl he'd met on a dating app and Kim Min-ho was on a business trip. There were no servants around and only Kim Myeongju and Ah Zan were in the house.
The atmosphere was awkward as they'd watched television together. She'd never known him for a long time and was like a second mom to him. So when she'd sat next to him watching TV, she didn't have the air of the duchess she was.
"Ah Zan, when can my Yi Hun come to your parents' house?" She'd asked, trying to break the awkward atmosphere.
"Oh. My parents are in China. He can travel over whenever he wants." Ah Zan had said, staring deeply at Kim Myeongju.
She'd met his eyes, her breath hitching in her throat. Clearing her throat, she'd picked up the wine glasses they used and had taken it to the kitchen. She'd dropped the glasses in the sink, breathing deeply when her waist was held by a pair of long arms.
"Ah Zan, you can't do this..." She'd started, caught off guard.
"Shh. Don't you want this as well?" Ah Zan had cut her off.
"Noo. What if Yi Hun finds out?" She'd asked in a hushed tone, afraid that someone might hear.
"He won't. This is a private villa. The servants and the Duke are away, and I've made sure Yi Hun won't be able to return until tomorrow." Ah Zan had said, a calculating gleam in his eyes.
"How long have you been planning this?" Kim Myeongju had asked.
"Ever since I noticed your interest in me. What do you say? How about I satisfy you?" His tongue had tickled her burning ears, as she moaned.
"Ah Zan..." She'd whispered in a hushed tone.
It didn't take long for her to fall into his embrace and the rest was history. He had become her secret lover.
Ah Zan was a virile young man and he had a slight interest in older women because of a perceived level of experience. He was always having young women and someone of Kim Myeongju's age was a breath of fresh air to him. Plus, Kim Myeongju was very beautiful and looked years younger than she actually was. When Ah Zan noticed her stealing glances at him when he and Kim Yi Hun were still in college, he'd made up his mind.
Kim Myeongju was awoken the next morning by a phone call from Park Tae-yong. In her daze, she took the call and whispered 'Ah Zan' into the phone. When she heard Park Tae-yong's deep voice calling her, her eyes cleared up instantly, but Park Tae-yong on the other end hung up.
Kim Myeongju was afraid and didn't have the courage to call him back. With his intelligence, would he know what she had done? She couldn't imagine him actually knowing. Park Tae-yong had recently rejected Kim Harang and she didn't want him to possess any bargaining chips against her.
Luckily, Park Tae-yong had not called back that entire day. Ah Zan had left early and Kim Yi Hun had returned, complaining about how he had drunk to stupor with the girl the previous night.
During the period of the last few months, she had met with Ah Zan a few more times and they'd done it again. She couldn't help herself and she constantly scolded herself.
Looking at Kim Yi Hun's cold eyes now, she felt like she was looking at a monster. She did not recognize him at all.
"Yi Hun, mother was just confused, please don't do this." Kim Myeongju looked at him with begging eyes.
"Mom, do you know, Ah Zan passed me this video? I don't know why, but he seems to have something against you, recording this from the start."
Kim Myeongju's eyes furrowed.
"Not to worry, Mom. I won't release the video. How could your son possibly do that to you?" Kim Yi Hun said coldly, emphasizing the last sentence.
"Yi Hun, I love you. You're my son." Kim Myeongju squatted and cupped his face with her palms.
"Mother, you shouldn't worry about me. Right now, find Ah Zan, I haven't been able to reach him. But I'm keeping the video." Kim Yi Hun caressed her palm and smiled.
Kim Myeongju's body shivered coldly, her eyes meeting Kim Yi Hun's sinister ones.
…
Kim Ye-sol got off the phone with her informant. She went through the pictures she'd been e-mailed.
It was as she thought. Kim Seo-yeon was hiding something from her.
What did her relationship with Park Tae-yong have to do with visiting the Kim castle in O-yeong? What kind of a man was Park Tae-yong?
She tapped her forehead with her phone with squinted eyes, as she called Kang Eun-ho.
…
The chandeliers were brightly lit. The atmosphere in the Kim castle was merry.
Kim Seo-yeon stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection.
She didn't know what the hooded figure was planning. If he ruined the evening, Kim Seo-yeon's image would be ruined, before it was even made.
She took a deep breath and told herself to relax. She had never done anything shameful in her life and had no secrets that could never get out. Whatever he planned, she would disprove it with facts. Besides, what could such an ordinary person even do? This was the Kim castle!
She patted her chest and opened the door to the servant, who led her down the stairs.
When she got to the living area, there was a light applause.
"Seo-yeon, my daughter." Kim Myeongju who was dressed up nicely this evening said and smiled at Kim Seo-yeon.
Kim Seo-yeon looked at the audience with calm eyes, despite the qualms in her heart. A lot of the people there were the never seen in public or the internet kind of people. But the expensive clothes, makeup and jewelry was enough to tell Kim Seo-yeon that the wealth in the room was not something to be sneezed at.
There were no abnormalities.
She looked at Kim Myeongju and nodded. After a small speech, Kim Seo-yeon walked to the crowd of rich ladies her age to socialize.
"Hello. I'm Kim Seo-yeon. Can everyone introduce themselves?" Kim Seo-yeon said calmly and scanned her eyes through the women.
Ko Do-eun couldn't believe her eyes. The woman she had mocked was on an equal level as her.
"Hello. I'm Hwang Bo-young, I'm Ko Do-eun's friend." Hwand Bo-young stretched forth her hand first with a friendly smile.
Kim Seo-yeon took it and nodded, returning the smile. Hwang Bo-young was internally elated, not noticing the murderous glares of Lee So-hee and Ko Do-eun behind her.
More women introduced themselves after Hwang Bo-young and Kim Seo-yeon politely answered. The last person was Ko Do-eun and everyone looked at her. For some of the ladies, being able to talk to the future duchess of the most highly militarized territory of the country was already good enough for them.
"Since I've already met you, you don't have to introduce yourself to me, Duchess Ko." Kim Seo-yeon said calmly.
Ko Do-eun scoffed, her eyes cold. "After crawling onto Park Tae-yong, you've crawled in here as well? Kim Seo-yeon why don't you explain to us why you're suddenly the heiress?"
"I don't owe you an explanation."
The ladies stared at Kim Seo-yeon and Ko Do-eun whose temperatures were below freezing point. They didn't seem to pay attention to the point Ko Do-eun made about Park Tae-yong.
"Do-eun, let's leave her be. Duchess Kim is known for her ruthlessness. Once she finds out this woman is a fake, she'll cut off both of her hands. Does she think she can replace Kim Harang?" Lee So-hee spat.
"On that subject, Kim Seo-yeon where is your sister? We haven't seen her in over a year." Jun Myung-hee asked with cunning in her eyes.
Jun Myung-hee had been in the same class as Kim Yi Hun. She was like the rest of the class and constantly bullied him. But when they got into college, he began to change. One night, at a frat party, she had gone to trouble him, but instead she was assaulted by him. She couldn't retaliate against him because he was the Duke's son.
She had gone complaining to Kim Harang and Kim Myeongju, hoping to gain their sympathy, but Kim Harang had told her to solve her own problems, and Kim Myeongju had angrily thrown her out, accusing her of bullying Kim Yi Hun in high school.
This left an indelible mark on her heart. She was filled with hatred towards the Kim family and she sought every opportunity to throw stones at them.
"My sister is not in the best condition right now." Kim Seo-yeon replied.
"Are you saying she's sick? Ahh. I didn't think being rejected by a man could keep someone bedridden."
It was an open secret that Park Tae-yong had rejected Kim Harang and that she was depressed because of it (having not appeared publicly in over a year). Everyone thought she had either gone insane, or had hidden away to avoid public shame.
"Who says I'm bedridden?" A cold voice sliced through the light chatter.