Chapter three: The Woman Who Disappeared
1044 Words
Jae-hyun stood outside the hospital room for several seconds.
His hand rested on the door handle.
He had imagined this moment thousands of times.
Seeing Seo-ah again.
He had imagined himself angry.
He had imagined demanding answers.
He had imagined telling her that he hated her.
But now that she was only a few steps away, he couldn’t move.
Five years.
Five years of believing she had betrayed him.
Five years of wondering why she had left without saying goodbye.
And now she was lying behind that door.
Weak.
Sick.
And apparently carrying secrets that could destroy his entire family.
Jae-hyun finally opened the door.
Seo-ah was lying on the hospital bed.
Her face was pale.
Her long black hair was spread across the pillow.
The woman who had once been full of laughter now looked fragile.
The moment she saw him, tears filled her eyes.
“Jae-hyun…”
He stopped.
Hearing his name from her lips brought back memories he had spent years trying to bury.
He didn’t answer.
Seo-ah looked past him.
“Where is Min-jun?”
“He’s safe.”
She closed her eyes in relief.
“Thank God.”
Jae-hyun walked closer.
“Why?”
Seo-ah opened her eyes.
“Why what?”
“Why did you come back?”
She looked away.
“I had nowhere else to go.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Seo-ah’s lips trembled.
“I knew they would find us.”
“Who?”
She didn’t answer.
Jae-hyun’s voice became colder.
“Your letter said my father threatened you.”
Seo-ah looked at him.
“Your father wasn’t the only one.”
Jae-hyun frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Before she could answer, the door opened.
Mr. Park entered.
“Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Jae-hyun turned.
“What is it?”
“There was a problem downstairs.”
“What kind of problem?”
“The security team found someone trying to enter the hospital.”
Jae-hyun’s expression changed.
“Who?”
“We don’t know. The person escaped.”
Seo-ah suddenly looked terrified.
“He’s here.”
Jae-hyun turned back to her.
“Who?”
She grabbed his wrist.
“Take Min-jun and leave.”
“Seo-ah—”
“Please!”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Don’t let them take him.”
Jae-hyun stared at her.
“Who are you talking about?”
Seo-ah whispered,
“The people who took my other son.”
Silence.
Jae-hyun’s face went completely still.
“Your… other son?”
Seo-ah nodded.
“I had twins.”
Jae-hyun felt as if the floor had disappeared beneath his feet.
“Twins?”
Seo-ah began crying.
“Yes.”
Jae-hyun took a step back.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“After they were born.”
She wiped her tears.
“I called you.”
Jae-hyun frowned.
“I never received any call.”
“You didn’t receive it because your father stopped it.”
Jae-hyun’s eyes widened.
Seo-ah continued.
“I gave birth to two boys. Min-jun and his brother.”
“What was his name?”
Seo-ah looked down.
“Han Min-ho.”
Jae-hyun’s breathing became heavy.
“Where is he?”
Seo-ah shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“He disappeared the night they were born.”
Jae-hyun stared at her in disbelief.
“How?”
Seo-ah closed her eyes.
“I woke up after surgery. Min-jun was beside me.”
Her voice broke.
“But Min-ho was gone.”
Jae-hyun’s hands curled into fists.
“Who took him?”
“I don’t know.”
“Seo-ah, tell me everything.”
She looked at him.
“Your father came to the hospital that night.”
Jae-hyun froze.
“My father?”
Seo-ah nodded.
“He told me that if I ever wanted Min-jun to live, I had to leave Seoul and never contact you.”
Jae-hyun’s face darkened.
“And Min-ho?”
Seo-ah began sobbing.
“He told me Min-ho was dead.”
Jae-hyun stood completely still.
“Dead?”
“I didn’t believe him.”
She looked at Jae-hyun.
“Because three months later, I received a photograph.”
“What photograph?”
Seo-ah pointed toward her handbag.
“Inside.”
Jae-hyun opened the bag.
There was a small photograph.
He pulled it out.
His eyes widened.
A little boy was standing in front of a large mansion.
He looked almost exactly like Min-jun.
But beneath the photograph was a single sentence.
YOUR OTHER SON IS ALIVE.
Jae-hyun’s heart pounded.
“When did you receive this?”
“Three months ago.”
“Who sent it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you come to me immediately?”
Seo-ah looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“Because the message came with a warning.”
“What warning?”
She whispered,
“If you tell Jae-hyun, his son dies.”
The room became silent.
Suddenly—
BANG!
A loud sound came from the hallway.
Jae-hyun turned toward the door.
Mr. Park rushed inside.
“Sir!”
“What happened?”
“The guards found an intruder.”
“Where is he?”
“He escaped through the emergency exit.”
Jae-hyun’s eyes narrowed.
Then he noticed something.
The hospital room window was slightly open.
He walked toward it.
Far below, a black car sped away from the hospital.
Jae-hyun’s phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Who is this?”
There was silence.
Then a man’s voice spoke.
“Mr. Kang.”
“Who are you?”
“You have something that belongs to us.”
Jae-hyun’s eyes turned cold.
“What do you want?”
“The boy.”
Jae-hyun looked toward the door.
“Min-jun?”
The man laughed softly.
“No.”
Jae-hyun froze.
“The other one.”
His grip tightened around the phone.
“Where is my son?”
The voice answered,
“Closer than you think.”
Then the call ended.
Jae-hyun slowly lowered the phone.
For the first time, he understood.
His missing son wasn’t just alive.
Someone had been watching him.
And whoever that person was…
they were already inside his world.
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