When love became the curse 💔

Chapter 3 ( Debt time )

CHAPTER 3

Marco’s POV

Korea looked smaller than I imagined Too bright. Too clean.

Too… still.

I stepped out of the airport with Luca beside me, both of us dressed like ordinary tourists. No tailored suits. No black coats. No recognizable rings. Just jeans, sunglasses, and an attitude that made people move out of the way.

I hated blending in.

Power was meant to be seen.

But my father always said:

“When hunting debtors, be the shadow, not the storm.”

And in Korea, I had come for a man who owed our family far too much.

Someone who thought distance could protect him.

Luca glanced at his phone. “Marco… update. The man hasn’t paid in six months. He’s running a whole restaurant chain now. Looks comfortable.”

I smirked. “Good. I like when they’re comfortable. It means they never expect me.”

We grabbed a cab. The driver stared at me a few times, then quickly looked away when he saw my eyes. Luca chuckled.

“You don’t even try to look normal, do you?” he whispered.

“I’m never normal.” I rolled my shoulders. “But here, I need to be invisible.”

We pulled up to the apartment building I picked online. Nothing special. A low-rise, two-tone building, quiet neighborhood. The kind of place you’d forget existed minutes after passing it.

But the moment I stepped out of the cab, a strange sensation crawled up my spine.

A tug.

Like something — or someone — was close.

Luca raised a brow. “You okay?”

“I don’t know,” I muttered.

A faint warmth pulsed at the center of my chest. As if a memory tried to surface… but couldn’t. My head tightened, a low ache spreading behind my eyes.

Faces. Shadows. A scream.

A name…

Then nothing.

Luca waved a hand. “Marco?”

I blinked. “It’s nothing. Let’s go inside.”

But it wasn’t nothing.

Something was here.

Something familiar.

And I hated not knowing what it was.

⸻

Aria’s POV

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to spill it!” I bowed again, mortified.

The senior staff woman — Miyeon — glared at me as if I had set the building on fire instead of accidentally dropping a stack of papers.

“You new hires are all the same,” she snapped. “Clumsy and useless. Clean this up.”

I knelt, fighting embarrassment. The office was huge, all glass and marble, and every mistake echoed louder than normal.

I needed this job.

I needed the money.

I needed somewhere to belong.

I had been working for Joon Hoo for two weeks, and it was not what I expected. He was calm, precise, and strangely observant. Not cruel. Not cold. But intense — so intense it sometimes felt like he could hear my thoughts.

And I hated how nervous it made me.

I gathered the last of the fallen papers and hurried into his office.

He looked up immediately.

“Aria,” he said, voice soft but commanding. “You’re trembling.”

I froze. “Oh— I’m fine. Just… just nerves.”

His eyes followed the movement of my hair as I tucked a strand behind my ear.

Then his gaze dipped to the small scar on the side of my neck — the one I tried to hide often.

He stared too long.

Long enough for my heartbeat to jump.

But not in a romantic way.

More like he recognized something… and didn’t want to.

He straightened slowly. “What happened to your neck?”

I instinctively touched it. The little line of healed skin that had been with me for as long as I could remember. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve had it since I was young.”

He hummed — but not because of the scar.

No, it was something else.

A memory he was trying to catch.

His voice lowered. “Has anyone… ever told you that you feel familiar?”

My breath caught.

“Sir?”

He blinked, as if waking from a trance. “Nothing. Forget I said that.”

The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable, but heavy — as if something unsaid floated between us.

He slid a file toward me. “Prepare this presentation. We have a board meeting tomorrow.”

“Yes, Mr. Joon Hoo.”

When I turned to leave, I felt his gaze on my back.

Watching.

Studying.

Searching for something he couldn’t name.

⸻

Joon Hoo’s POV

She’s not just pretty.

She’s unsettling.

The way she moves.

The quiet strength in her expression.

The kindness she doesn’t flaunt.

And that scar…

I had seen something like it before — though not in this life. In flashes. In dreams. In strange, fragmented memories I could never explain.

A girl crying.

A girl bleeding.

A girl reaching for someone she loved.

Her face blurry.

Always blurry.

I massaged my temple as Aria walked out of my office, her soft footsteps fading down the hallway.

Why do I feel like I’ve lost her before?

Why does her voice feel like a memory?

Why does that scar… hurt to look at?

I wasn’t falling for her.

Not yet.

But I was remembering her.

Even though that made no sense.

I shook the feeling off and stood. Work awaited. Responsibilities. A company my father built — MinSik Spirits, the largest wine and luxury beverage corporation in Korea.

I was raised to rule it.

Control it.

Perfect it.

I wasn’t raised to get distracted by a woman.

Yet here I was, thinking about her again.

Aria’s POV — After Work

The sun was low when I finally reached my apartment. My feet hurt. My head ached. And all I wanted was sleep.

But when I turned the corner, someone new was standing on the steps of the building across from mine. A tall man. Broad shoulders. Sharp eyes. Dressed casually but… not ordinary.

He scanned the building like he was entering enemy territory.

His presence was loud — not literally, but energetically. Dangerous. Controlled. The kind of man who could silence a room by breathing.

Something about him made my throat tighten.

He lifted his head slightly, like he felt someone watching.

I quickly lowered my gaze and walked faster.

He didn’t look like he belonged here.

But neither did I.

I rushed into my apartment shutting my door from his glance .

Marco’s POV — Same Moment

Someone’s eyes were on me.

A soft presence.

Warm.

Shy.

I turned slightly — just enough to catch a glimpse of hair, movement, and a woman rushing away as if she’d been caught staring.

I didn’t see her face.

Just a feeling.

That strange tug returned again.

Luca nudged me with the keys. “Bro, relax. It’s Korea, not an ambush.”

“That’s the problem,” I muttered. “It feels too familiar.”

He snorted. “Familiar? You’ve never lived here.”

“I know.”

But I couldn’t shake it.

Something — or someone — was close.

Close enough that my chest tightened just breathing the air.

I stepped inside the apartment, looked at the bare walls, and felt nothing.

But outside…

for a split second…

I felt everything.

The cold air bit at my skin as I stepped onto the balcony of the temporary apartment. Korea was loud, messy, and far too cramped for my taste — but tonight, the street felt strangely quiet.

My gaze drifted lazily across the buildings until something caught my eye.

Across the narrow gap — in the old, peeling apartment opposite mine — someone was sitting by the window. A girl. Small frame. Head bowed. Shoulders bent like she’d been carrying weight she couldn’t shake off.

I couldn’t see her clearly, just a faint outline under the dim yellow light. Nothing special. Nothing memorable. Just… still. Too still.

Then I felt it — that prickling sensation across the back of my neck.

Like someone was staring at me.

I lifted my head slightly, eyes narrowing in her direction.

She froze.

Even from this distance, I could tell. Her spine locked. Her breath stalled. Her hand faltered around the fabric of her sweater. For a split second, she looked like a deer caught under a spotlight.

And then —

she snapped her curtains shut.

Fast. Nervous. Almost panicked.

A slow smirk pulled at my lips.

People feared me in Italy for good reason. Here in Korea, I was supposed to blend in, quiet, unnoticed. But fear…

fear recognizes me even when faces don’t.

Her reaction was instinctive. Pure. Raw. And somehow, it pleased me more than it should have.

She didn’t know me.

But she could sense something dangerous.

Good.

Fear keeps people in their place.

I lingered for a moment, staring at the closed curtains like a challenge I had won without speaking a word. Then I turned away, sliding the balcony door shut.

I had debts to track. A mission. A man who owed me his life or his blood.

The girl across the building?

Irrelevant.

Just a frightened silhouette who made the mistake of looking at me too long.

Aria’s POV — Same Night

I stood on my balcony, hugging my knees. The night was cold, but that wasn’t why I couldn’t sleep.

The dreams were getting worse.

Screams.

Blood.

A man dying.

A girl falling.

And the names.

Always the names.

Eun-Ji.

Kang-Min.

They echoed in my skull like they belonged to me.

I rubbed the scar on my neck. It tingled again — something that only happened when my dreams were too vivid.

I took a breath.

“That’s enough,” I whispered to myself. “You’re fine. It’s just stress.”

But when I looked across the street, my breath stopped.

A light turned on in the new apartment.

The one that had been empty.

A silhouette passed in front of the window.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

I couldn’t see his face.

But something… pulled at me.

A warmth in my chest.

A familiarity I shouldn’t feel.

I shook my head quickly. “Get a grip, Aria.”

I stepped back from the balcony.

But before I could turn, the silhouette stopped as if he sensed me.

He turned toward my direction.

My heart dropped.

I moved inside quickly and shut the curtains.

Marco’s POV

Korea at night was different.

Too quiet.

Too… unsuspecting.

Places like this made debtors bold. They thought the distance, the politeness, the bright lights at night would protect them. They thought no one would cross oceans for them.

They forgot I always did.

After settling into the apartment, I changed into something darker, more comfortable — something that made me feel like myself again. Luca sat on the couch, scrolling through files on his tablet, legs kicked up like he owned the place.

“You’re already working?” I asked.

“When are you not?” he shot back.

Fair enough.

He handed me the tablet. “Your target is named Baek Yoon-Sang. Former gambling addict. Moved here three years ago after running from Europe. He opened a chain of mid-tier restaurants. Very proud of himself.”

“And how much does he owe?”

“Enough to make a man disappear,” Luca murmured.

I raised a brow. “Relax. I’m not here to start a war in Korea.”

“Good,” he said. “Because the company he owes…? Turns out they’re tied to a family here. Big. Influential.”

I leaned back slowly.

“Name?”

He hesitated, then:

“MinSik Spirits.”

I froze.

Not outwardly — no one could see that — but internally, something clicked.

“MinSik… ?” I muttered.

Luca nodded.

Interesting.

I didn’t care about the company itself. I didn’t care about their success or their influence. But I cared about problems. And it seemed like trouble was waiting for me before I even started.

“Fine,” I said, rising. “Let’s go meet him.”

“Tonight?” Luca blinked. “We just got here.”

“That’s why he won’t expect us.”

⸻

We reached the first restaurant

It was quiet, almost closed, lights dim, only staff cleaning up. The windows reflected my image — a man who didn’t fit here, a stranger with a mission.

Luca checked the address twice, then whispered, “Owner’s upstairs. His office has a view of the kitchen.”

Good.

I pushed through the back door. Staff turned instantly. Rigid. Nervous. Determined to avoid eye contact.

I smiled politely. “I’m here to see Baek Yoon-Sang.”

No one answered.

Fear spread through the room like smoke.

Then a man in a suit stormed from the staircase, irritation written all over his face.

“You can’t be here! This is private!” he barked.

I took my sunglasses off slowly.

Recognition hit him first.

Then fear.

He stumbled back, nearly dropping the ledger he held. “Y-You… You can’t be— I thought— You were in Italy—”

“Not anymore.”

His face went pale.

Good.

“I came for what you owe,” I said softly. “But I want to hear your version first.”

He swallowed hard, eyes shaking. “I-I was going to pay. I just needed more time—”

“You’ve had enough time.”

I wasn’t shouting. I didn’t need to.

Quiet men terrified more.

He wiped sweat from his brow. “I can pay. I can. I just… not now—”

“It wasn’t a question.”

The room grew colder.

Then suddenly — footsteps thundered from the stairs.

A second man rushed in, panicked. “Yoon-Sang! Mr. Min Sik is asking for the final reports—”

He froze when he saw me.

His expression changed.

Recognition.

Fear.

And something else.

Whispering.

Like he wanted to run back and warn someone.

Luca stepped in front of him. “No one is going anywhere.”

The message was clear.

⸻

But then… something strange happened

From the staircase, I heard soft footsteps. Not hurried. Not afraid. Calm. Steady. Controlled. Someone who walked like he belonged everywhere.

A man appeared — tall, sharp suit, perfectly composed expression.

And I recognized him.

Not personally.

But instinctually.

Joon Hoo.

The CEO.

The golden boy.

The man whose company was tied to this debt.

He looked at me only briefly, but something flickered in his eyes.

Not fear.

Not shock.

Recognition.

But from where?

He glanced between me, Luca, and Yoon-Sang without speaking.

Then, in perfect Korean, he said, “I’m assuming this is… business?”

Yoon-Sang nearly collapsed. “Sir, I— I didn’t mean for this to— H-he just arrived—”

I stepped forward. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“I run the company this man owes,” Joon Hoo said calmly. “It concerns me more than you think.”

Luca exhaled sharply. “Fantastic. Just what we needed.”

The tension between us wasn’t ordinary.

It wasn’t territorial either.

It felt like two storms recognizing each other.

Not enemies.

Not allies.

But forces on a collision path.

I knew about him because I had studied everything relating to the debtor in Korea but for some reason he looked familiar like someone I knew very well.

After the confrontation at the restaurant, I left things on pause.

Not ended.

Not resolved.

Just… paused.

Joon Hoo didn’t push.

He didn’t challenge me.

He didn’t question who I was or why I was there.

But he watched me carefully.

Like he was studying me.

Reading me.

Trying to connect dots in his mind.

The scarred man.

The CEO.

The son of a billionaire.

Strange.

But he wasn’t my concern.

My concern was this familiarity I couldn’t shake.

I stepped out onto the balcony of my new apartment to clear my head.

Joo hoo and I had an agreement that he would pay everything they owed with a 50% interest and I was okay because money was involved so our confrontation was a peaceful.

“Do you know joo hoo “ Luca asked with him gaze fixed on his system on the table

“Hmm…I don’t think so” I replied with dipping my hands into my pocket breathing out.

“Something is up with you, that look had deeper meaning “ Luca murmured under breathe but I could hear him loud.

“It’s been a long day am going to rest” I said patting his shoulder as I stepped inside .

ARIA POV

THE NEXT MORNING

My alarm dragged me out of sleep, and I groaned into my pillow. Today was my first full day working at seongwa wines, the largest wine company in Korea. My new boss, Joon Hoo, had interviews lined up for me, and I couldn’t afford to mess up.

I quickly showered, dressed, tied my hair into a loose ponytail, and left my apartment.

I didn’t even think about the mysterious man again.

JOON HOO’S POV

Most people working for me are predictable.

Aria was not.

She was careful but not timid. Soft-spoken but not weak. Smart but not arrogant. And most importantly—she learned ridiculously fast.

I noticed every detail.

Her organization skills. Her quiet endurance. Her gentle way of refusing to be intimidated by harsh coworkers. And most of all—

The faint scar on her neck.

Barely noticeable. A thin, silver line.

But something about it made my breath stop.

A memory flashed—blurry, dreamlike. Someone crying. Someone bleeding. A girl clutching her throat.

Why did this stranger make old nightmares resurface?

Why did she feel strangely familiar?

I wasn’t sure.

But I intended to find out.

ARIA POV

I locked my door behind me and hurried down the hallway. My bag felt too heavy, my nerves stretched thin from the tension at work.

But halfway down the hall, a man stepped out of the opposite apartment—tall, dressed in black, sunglasses even though it was early morning.

He froze when he saw me, almost like he wasn’t expecting me either.

“Oh—uh—good morning,” he said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

I blinked. “Good morning…”

We stood there for a heartbeat. I didn’t know who he was—maybe a tourist, maybe a new tenant. But something about his stiff posture told me he wasn’t used to greeting neighbors.

He gave a quick, polite bow.

“I’m… here temporarily.”

“Ah. Welcome,” I said softly.

He nodded too fast and practically ran back into the apartment, shutting the door behind him.

Weird.

But harmless.

I shook it off and hurried toward the stairs before I missed my bus.

Arrived at the force few minutes late (7:30am instead of 7am)

Being Joon Hoo’s assistant wasn’t bad. It was actually… nice. He was polite. Strict, but fair. Focused. And he didn’t yell like the stories said CEOs do.

But others… weren’t so kind.

Especially Seo-Yeon.

A tall, elegant woman with a cold smile and perfect eyeliner.

“You’re in the wrong department,” she said smugly as she blocked my path. “Assistants need to be fast. Efficient. Pretty, too. You’re only one of those.”

My cheeks burned. “I’m trying my—”

She tapped my chin with one manicured nail. “Don’t try too hard. Men like Joon Hoo get bored easily.”

I stepped back instinctively. Her hostility felt personal, but I had no idea why.

“I’m just here to do my job,” I said quietly.

“That’s the problem,” she whispered. “Some of us don’t want you here.”

Joo-hoo walks in with a frown screaming ; enough!!!

To be continued