CHAPTER 12: HOME*
994 Words
*CHAPTER 12: HOME*
I was holding 420B won in my hand.
It didn’t feel real. Paper. Ink. Numbers I couldn’t even count without losing track.
Taewook watched me. “You’re quiet.”
“I’m thinking,” I said. “About what my mother would say if I walked in with this.”
“She’d tell you to put it in a bank,” Taewook said. “And buy insurance.”
I laughed. First real laugh in days. “Yeah. She would.”
He nodded to Joon. “Drive. Cha Residence.”
My stomach flipped. “Now?”
“You said you want to tell her,” Taewook said. “So we do it now. Before you talk yourself out of it.”
The car was silent the whole way. Not tense. Just… heavy.
_10:20 AM. Cha Residence. Busan._
It was smaller than I remembered. Older. The paint was peeling. The garden my mom used to take care of was overgrown.
In my past life, she lost this house at 22. When Minho took her shares.
This time, I was pulling up in a Bentley.
The door opened before Joon could ring.
Mom.
She looked older. Tired. But alive. Eyes wide when she saw me.
“Soyeon?!” She rushed out in slippers. “What are you doing here? It’s a weekday— are you okay? Why is there a—”
She stopped when she saw Taewook get out of the car. Suit. Sunglasses. 32. Terrifying.
“Who… who are you?” Mom asked. Instinctively stepping in front of me.
Taewook took off his glasses. Bowed. 90 degrees. “Mrs. Cha. I’m Kang Taewook. Your daughter’s husband.”
Mom blinked. Then blinked again. “Husband?”
I stepped forward. “Mom. Can we talk inside? Please.”
---
_15 minutes later. Kitchen._
Mom sat down. Hard. Staring at the check on the table. Then at me. Then at Taewook.
“Explain,” she said. Voice flat. The ‘I’m not mad, I’m disappointed’ voice.
I took a breath. “I’m 19. I’m married. And I’m about to start my own company.”
Mom frowned. “You’re 19. You’re in university. And you’re married? To him?” She pointed at Taewook.
“Yes,” I said. “And no, not to him. Not because of him. Because of me.”
I pushed the folder across the table. “Minho tried to take your shares. 18%. He failed. I got them back. And Chairman Kang bought 10% from me for this.” I tapped the check.
Mom’s hands shook. “4… 420 billion?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’m not giving it to Kang Industries. I’m not giving it to you. I’m using it to start something new. My name. My company. Not Cha. Not Kang.”
Mom looked at me. Really looked. “Soyeon… why?”
“Because in my last life,” I said. And stopped myself. “Because I watched people take everything from us. I won’t let it happen again. Not to you. Not to me.”
Taewook hadn’t spoken. He was just watching. Letting me do this.
Mom reached across the table. Grabbed my hand. Her hands were rough. Calloused from work.
“You’re serious,” she said.
“Yes,” I said. “I want to build a tech firm. Cybersecurity. The thing that would’ve stopped Minho 5 years ago. I want to protect people like us. Small companies. Families.”
Mom was quiet for a long time. Then she nodded. Once.
“Okay,” she said. “Then you do it. And I’ll help. I may not understand stocks or companies, but I know how to cook for employees. And how to yell at you when you work too much.”
I laughed. Choked on it. Tears fell.
Taewook finally spoke. “Mrs. Cha. I will not interfere with her company. No equity. No control. Only funding if she asks. And protection.”
Mom looked at him. “You hurt her, I don’t care if you’re a Kang. I’ll kill you myself.”
Taewook bowed again. “Understood.”
Mom stood. “Come. You’re both skinny. I’m making lunch. And Soyeon, you’re telling me everything. From the beginning.”
I followed her.
Taewook stayed at the table. He didn’t follow. Because this was mine.
In the kitchen, Mom handed me onions to chop.
“So,” she said, low. “Did you love him? Or did he trap you?”
I thought about it. The basement. The bridge. The hand on my back. The hand in mine at 4AM.
“Neither,” I said. “He found me. And I chose to stay.”
Mom nodded. “Then I trust you.”
We ate lunch together. All 3 of us. Me, Mom, Taewook.
He didn’t talk much. But he ate everything she gave him.
On the way out, Mom hugged me. Tight.
“Be safe, Soyeon-ah,” she whispered. “And call me. Even if it’s 3AM.”
“I will,” I said.
In the car, Taewook handed me a folder.
“Company registration papers,” he said. “Name’s blank. You choose.”
I opened it. My company. 420B capital. 100% ownership.
I picked up a pen.
And wrote:
*Phoenix Corp.*
Taewook saw it. He didn’t comment. He just said, “Good name.”
My phone buzzed.
_Jihye: Boss. Minho’s loan sharks are asking questions in Gangnam. They think you still have the money. What do I do?_
I smiled.
_From: Soyeon_
_`Tell them the girl they’re looking for died 5 years ago. And the woman standing here now doesn’t run.`_,
I put the phone down.
“Drive,” I said to Joon. “To the office. We have a company to build.”
Taewook looked at me. “Partner.”
“Partner,” I said back.
The girl who died in a red dress was gone.
The woman building Phoenix was just getting started.
- Writer
