BACK FROM THE DEAD

CHAPTER 2:I USE THEM

The elevator shot up. No music. No small talk. Just the sound of his expensive cologne and my own heartbeat.

Taewook stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the floor numbers like he could burn them with his eyes.

He didn’t look at me once.

“10 minutes,” he said finally, voice flat. “Start talking.”

I swallowed. My past-life self would’ve stuttered. This one wouldn’t.

“You think I’m crazy,” I said. “And you’re right to think that. Because 3 days ago, I died.”

His eyes snapped to me. Cold. Sharp. Calculating.

“Continue.”

“Soon, your nephew Minho will forge my signature. He’ll drain my mother’s shares and collapse her company. Then he’ll blame me, Jihye will testify against me, and you’ll cut all ties to avoid scandal. In 5 years, Kang Industries loses 30% of its value because of him.”

I paused. Watched his jaw tick.

“You don’t know any of that,” he said.

“No. But I know you hate him. And I know you hate losing.” I stepped closer. “I’m offering you a way to stop it before it happens. Marry me. Make it a contract. 2 years. I stay out of your life after. But while I’m your wife, I give you every move Minho will make. You ruin him first.”

The elevator dinged. 48th floor.

The doors opened to a penthouse. All glass, all black, all him.

Taewook walked out without waiting. I followed.

He stopped at the floor-to-ceiling window. Seoul’s lights below us looked like stars.

“You came to my office. You lied to my staff. You threatened my family name in front of witnesses,” he said. “Do you know what I do to people like you?”

My hands were shaking again. Not from fear. From adrenaline.

“What?” I whispered.

He turned. Slow. Those ice-cold eyes pinned me to the spot.

“I use them.”

He pulled a contract from his desk drawer. Already printed. Like he was expecting this.

“Clause 1: No love. No physical contact unless I say so.”

“Clause 2: You feed me information on Minho. Everything.”

“Clause 3: If you lie to me once, I bury you myself.”

He slid a pen across the marble table.

“Sign it, Cha Soyeon. And pray your ‘memories’ are real. Because if you waste my time…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.

I picked up the pen. My hand was steady this time.

In my past life, I signed a marriage certificate with Minho and lost everything.

This time, I was signing one with his uncle.

I wrote my name.

_Cha Soyeon._

Taewook took the paper, signed without looking, and rang a bell.

A secretary appeared instantly. “Prepare the marriage registration. Tonight.”

Tonight?

My breath caught.

Taewook finally looked at me again. No smile. No warmth.

“Welcome to Kang Industries, Mrs. Kang. You’re mine now.”