The mansion had quieted into evening by the time Ji-Ah and Yoo-Na finally returned.
Warm lights glowed softly through the tall windows.
Rainwater still clung to the garden paths from earlier.
And inside the car Yoo-Na looked spiritually damaged.
Absolutely devastated. "I can still smell it."
Ji-Ah parked the car slowly. "You washed your shoe."
"I washed my trauma."
"You stepped on poop, not ancient curses."
Yoo-Na turned dramatically. "You don't understand what I survived."
"You screamed like you got stabbed."
"IT SQUISHED."
Ji-Ah burst into laughter again.
Yoo-Na pointed accusingly. "You laughed while I suffered."
"You started negotiating with villagers emotionally."
"They looked experienced."
Yoo-Na climbed out of the car carefully like the ground itself had betrayed her once already.
"I'm never leaving Seoul again."
"We don't live in Seoul."
"You know what I mean."
Inside the mansion meanwhile something uglier had already begun.
Min-Ji stood near Ha-Joon's bed quietly.
Watching.
Waiting.
The nearly empty glass sat beside him now.
Only a little orange liquid remained at the bottom.
He had finally drunk it. Slowly. Carelessly. Without suspicion.
Because why would he suspect her? At first nothing happened.
Then gradually his movements slowed. Small things first. Longer blinks. Heavy breathing.
His focus drifting in and out. Ha-Joon frowned faintly while looking at his phone screen.
The words blurred strangely.
His head felt too warm. Too heavy.
Min-Ji stepped closer instantly. "Are you okay?"
He rubbed a hand over his eyes once. "…tired."
"You should sleep."
"…maybe."
His voice sounded lower now.
Slower.
Like his thoughts were dragging through water. Min-Ji's heart pounded harder. it was working. Actually working. Ha-Joon shifted slightly like he wanted to stand.
But dizziness hit immediately.
Hard. The room tilted sharply.
His phone slipped from his hand onto the bed sheets.
Then suddenly his body dropped heavily backward onto the mattress.
A dull thud.
Eyes barely open now.
Min-Ji stared at him breathing unevenly.
For one moment she hesitated.
Just one. Because seeing him like this felt wrong even to her.
Then jealousy returned. Sharp. Burning.
Ji-Ah Always Ji-Ah. Her expression hardened again.
Slowly she climbed onto the bed beside him. Careful. Quiet.
Hands trembling slightly. "Ha-Joon…"
She leaned over him. Too close.
Her fingers reached toward his face.
Toward his shirt.
Trying to create something fake enough to trap him permanently afterward.
If he woke up confused…
if the family misunderstood…
if people talked…
he would take responsibility.
That was the kind of man he was.
But even drugged even barely conscious—
something in him reacted violently to wrongness.
Ha-Joon's eyes opened slightly. Blurry. Dark. Unfocused.
But still instinctively rejecting her.
The second Min-Ji leaned closer his hand shoved against her hard.
Not fully conscious strength.
But enough.
Enough to send her falling backward completely. "AH—!"
She crashed against the floor painfully.
Her back slammed into the edge of the low table before she hit the ground.
The scream echoed through the hallway.
Downstairs Yoo-Na froze mid-complaint about village bacteria.
"…did someone just die."
Ji-Ah paused too. Both stared upward. Silence followed.
Then faint movement upstairs. Yoo-Na immediately stepped backward. "No."
Ji-Ah blinked. "What."
"I survived rural combat today. I'm done."
"You're unbelievable."
"You go."
Ji-Ah rolled her eyes and headed upstairs anyway.
Meanwhile inside the bedroom Min-Ji panicked instantly.
Ha-Joon looked half-conscious on the bed.
Clearly drugged. Clearly not okay.
And footsteps were approaching fast. Her eyes widened.
Without thinking she rushed toward the wardrobe and slipped inside quickly, pulling the door almost closed.
Darkness swallowed her immediately. Her breathing turned shaky.
Fast.
The bedroom door opened seconds later.
Ji-Ah stepped inside slowly. "…Ha-Joon?"
No response.
Only quiet breathing from the bed.
She frowned immediately. Something felt off. The air felt strange somehow. Heavy.
Still. Then her eyes landed on the juice glass first. Almost empty.
And beside it Ha-Joon sprawled across the bed looking exhausted and disoriented.
Ji-Ah's expression changed instantly.
Concern replacing confusion.
She walked toward him quickly. "Ha-Joon?"
The second she got close his hand suddenly caught her wrist.
Strong.
Unexpected.
"Hey—"
Before she could react properly he pulled her downward toward him.
Ji-Ah stumbled onto the edge of the bed with a soft gasp.
And immediately his arms wrapped around her.
Holding tightly.
Not romantic.
Not intentional.
Instinctive.
Like somewhere inside the foggy mess in his head he recognized her.
Trusted her. Needed something steady.
"Ha-Joon let go—" He didn't.
Instead he buried his face weakly against her shoulder.
Breathing uneven. Warm. Sleepy. Ji-Ah froze.
Then slowly realized something was seriously wrong. His pupils looked strange.
His responses delayed. And there was no smell of alcohol.
Only juice. Her eyes slowly moved toward the glass.
Then narrowed. "…you were drugged."
Inside the wardrobe Min-Ji covered her mouth tightly. Watching through the tiny crack.
Eyes burning with panic and rage.
Ji-Ah exhaled sharply. "Unbelievable."
She tried pulling away again. "Ha-Joon seriously let go."
His grip only tightened slightly. Barely conscious. Barely awake. Still stubborn somehow.
"Wow," Ji-Ah muttered under her breath. "You're difficult even unconscious."
Eventually after struggling for several minutes and quietly threatening him three separate times she managed to ease him properly back against the pillows.
He looked exhausted now. Completely drained.
Still trying weakly to reach toward her sleeve once before his eyes closed again.
Ji-Ah's expression softened despite herself. "Sleep."
Surprisingly he listened immediately.
She sighed and adjusted the blanket over him properly.
Straightened the pillow.
Brushed messy dark hair away from his forehead absentmindedly.
Then looked again toward the glass.
Anger slowly settling into her chest now.
"…what did she give you."
Inside the wardrobe Min-Ji secretly raised her phone.
Recording everything carefully.
Ji-Ah close to him.
The way he held her.
The bed.
The closeness.
The angles.
Enough to twist later.
Enough to destroy reputations if needed.
Finally Ji-Ah stood up fully.
The room fell quiet again.
Only rain tapping softly outside now.
Then creak. Tiny sound.
From the wardrobe. Ji-Ah turned slowly.
Eyes narrowing immediately.
Inside Min-Ji stopped breathing.
Please don't open it.
Please.
Ji-Ah walked toward the wardrobe carefully now. One step.
Then another. The silence became unbearable.
Min-Ji pressed herself farther back desperately.
But then Ji-Ah suddenly yanked the wardrobe doors open fully.
Min-Ji stumbled forward in shock.
Both women froze staring at each other.
Long silence.
Very long silence.
Ji-Ah blinked once. "…what are you doing in the wardrobe."
Min-Ji recovered fast.
Too fast. "I heard a scream."
"And hid in a closet?"
"I was scared."
Ji-Ah stared at her flatly. "…of what. Hangers?"
Min-Ji stood up stiffly and fixed her dress quickly.
Trying to regain composure.
Trying to look normal.
But her eyes kept flickering toward Ha-Joon sleeping on the bed.
And Ji-Ah noticed.
Min-Ji's lips slowly curled upward slightly.
Tiny.
Sharp.
Satisfied.
Because even if tonight failed—
she still had the video.
Still had something dangerous now.
Then without another word—
she walked past Ji-Ah calmly and left the room.
Ji-Ah stared after her with growing suspicion.
Then glanced back toward Ha-Joon sleeping peacefully now.
Then toward the half-empty juice glass again.
And finally muttered under her breath:
"…weird-ass woman."
Min-Ji walked back to her room slowly.
Quietly.
Carefully.
But the second the door shut behind her—
she smiled.
Not soft.
Not relieved.
A dangerous smile.
The kind that grows slowly after someone believes they finally gained control again.
Her heels clicked softly across the room as she reached for her phone immediately.
Then opened the video.
And watched it again.
The screen showed Ji-Ah leaning over Ha-Joon.
Ha-Joon holding her.
Pulling her close.
The bed.
The blanket.
The dim lighting.
From certain angles it looked intimate.
Too intimate.
Min-Ji replayed it again.
And again.
And again.
Her eyes slowly brightening with satisfaction each time.
"She's finished."
The whisper came out low.
Cold.
Almost excited.
Because context didn't matter anymore.
Not really.
People believed what they wanted to believe.
And society loved scandals.
Especially ones involving betrayal.
Min-Ji sat slowly at the edge of her bed while staring at the paused video frame.
Ji-Ah close to Ha-Joon.
His hand around her wrist.
Her face near his.
Perfect.
Perfect enough.
A slow laugh escaped her.
"She said she was just his friend."
Her nails tapped lightly against the phone screen.
"Let's see how long that survives."
Her mind immediately began spinning through possibilities.
Too many possibilities.
She could send the clips anonymously.
To reporters.
To company employees.
To Madam.
To family group chats.
To gossip pages.
Or worse—
she could wait.
Wait until Ji-Ah lowered her guard completely.
Then release everything at the perfect moment.
During another family gathering.
At the company.
At a public event.
Min-Ji imagined the reactions vividly.
Employees whispering.
Madam furious.
People calling Ji-Ah shameless.
A homewrecker.
A liar.
Someone seducing an engaged man.
And Ha-Joon?
Even if he defended Ji-Ah—
the damage would already exist.
Rumors spread faster than truth ever could.
Min-Ji smiled wider thinking about it.
Because Ji-Ah's biggest strength was people loving her naturally.
And this—
this could poison that.
Then another thought crossed her mind.
More cruel.
More personal.
She could edit the videos.
Cut out the parts that mattered.
Remove the struggle.
Remove Ha-Joon looking half-conscious.
Remove everything except closeness.
Her breathing slowed with excitement.
"Yes…"
That would work better.
Much better.
She imagined Ji-Ah trying to explain herself.
Trying to defend herself while everyone watched those clips.
And people never listened properly once scandal started.
They judged first.
Always.
Min-Ji leaned back against the chair slowly.
Triumphant now.
For the first time in days—
she felt powerful again.
Like she finally had something sharp enough to strike back with.
Meanwhile somewhere else in the mansion—
Ji-Ah sat beside Ha-Joon's bed with crossed arms.
Still suspicious.
Still staring at the juice glass like it personally offended her.
Completely unaware that somewhere nearby—
Min-Ji was already planning how to turn one terrible moment into a weapon against her.