Flashback – The Girl Wakes Up
She was lying on the bed, a medical mask covering her face, supplying artificial air.
Her eyelids moved rapidly, as if she were seeing a terrible nightmare and trying to escape from it.
Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide, gasped sharply, removed the mask from her face, and looked around, breathing heavily, her face showing expressions of fear, confusion, and anxiety.
A maid was sitting beside her, and when she saw the girl wake up, she quickly went to inform Chul.
The girl spoke to herself:
"What is this place? Where am I?
And also, the design of this room doesn't resemble Korean heritage or any East Asian civilization. Am I kidnapped in a European country? Oh God, why did they bring me here?"
She pulled the blanket off herself and got off the bed.
She was astonished by the luxurious design of the room: the ceiling was completely decorated, the wallpaper bright and colorful, seemingly designed for a girl who loves life and radiance, filled with classical paintings. The room's colors were a mix of white and light pink, inspired by cherry blossom leaves.
The girl approached the furniture, touched it, and looked at it in awe, marveling at its beauty and peculiarity, saying:
"Who are these people to be this insanely rich?"
She approached the door and opened it slowly, so no one would notice.
But she saw a tall man in a black suit standing directly at the door, saying:
"What are you trying to do?"
The girl stepped back two paces and released the door handle, very scared:
"Nothing, I just wanted to see what's outside the room," she laughed nervously, trying to sound casual.
Chul replied coldly:
"You cannot leave this place unless Sir Nathan sees you."
"Please, I want to go with you now. I want to meet him first; I cannot wait."
"Okay, but you must remain silent until he asks you to speak."
"Agreed, I will do that."
Back to the Present
The girl looked at Nathan, her face a mix of terror, fear, and curiosity:
"Why are you wearing that mask? You're a kidnapper, as I thought, aren't you? What do you want from me?"
Nathan laughed:
"Let's assume I am. What do I want from you?"
"I guess you've already realized, seeing this place, that you're insanely rich and don't need anything from me."
"Then what do you want from me? Also, I have a question: am I still in Korea?"
"You ask too many questions, and I hate that. I want you to answer a few questions first, then I'll let you go. And for your second question: yes, we're still in Korea."
"Okay, go ahead, what do you want to ask?"
"First, please sit down. Don't stay standing. Chul, wait outside until I call you."
Chul bowed and left.
"Come on, sit down, don't be afraid."
The girl sat on the chair, very nervous, her fingers intertwined.
Nathan noticed this and began speaking:
"Why were you with that gang that day? And your appearance didn't match that of a homeless person."
The girl felt tense, trying not to show fear, looking straight into his eyes. She replied:
"It's a long story, but I can summarize it: after graduating from university and completing my training, I couldn't get a proper job, only simple part-time work. One day, I saw a man in his mid-thirties distributing job flyers to passersby. I took one—it was a high-paying job with a charitable organization. I won't lie, I called them immediately out of desperation. They gave me a location for an interview, but when I arrived, it was a trap. They caught me and many others of different ages and races. Then they moved us to a huge warehouse filled with toxic gases and unbearable smells. Shortly after, I fainted."
"Do you really not remember anything after that?"
"No, I don't remember."
"Are you sure?"
"Well, wait… I remember a small fragment."
"And what is it?"
"Someone was carrying me in their arms and took me out of the warehouse. I think it was one of your men."
"That's good. You must be careful next time. You're an adult; don't be naive and trust people easily. I'll have my men escort you to where you live. I hope you forget our meeting and remember nothing about it."
"Sir Nathan, forgive me, but I want to make a business deal with you."
Nathan looked at her coldly, full of sarcasm:
"And what work would I do with you, Miss?"
"You should not underestimate my abilities, sir."
"Okay, I'm curious. Tell me what you want to say."
The girl looked into Nathan's eyes, full of confidence, and said:
"When you held the book, your hands were noticeably trembling. You tried to control them, then closed the book and put it aside. Also, your eyelids are very red, with dark circles underneath, showing severe insomnia. Besides, there is a deep scar near your carotid artery on your neck, which indicates that at one time, you attempted suicide. All these signs point to one thing: you are suffering from a psychological disorder, and probably take medication, but I don't think you visit a doctor regularly."
Nathan felt provoked and angry, moving swiftly toward her:
"Do you expect to leave here alive after what you just said?"
"I haven't finished yet. Listen to me until the end."
"Go on, what else do you want to say?"
"If my observations are correct, I want your help."
"How? I don't understand."
"I mean, I want to become your psychiatrist. I have a degree in psychiatry."
"I didn't expect you to be this bold. And what would you gain from that?"
"I get a job and salary, and you get a private doctor to help you. I assume you have reasons for avoiding regular doctors."
"How can I trust you?"
"You are not a bad person. If you were, you wouldn't have saved me in the first place."
Nathan was shocked by her response and couldn't reply.
The girl smiled and said:
"It seems the deal is done. I promise I won't let you down and will treat you completely."
She extended her hand for a handshake:
"My name is Saya. Nice to meet you, Sir Nathan."
Nathan looked at her hand but didn't shake it. He turned his face and walked away, saying:
"I'll have them prepare another room for you. It will be yours until your treatment is complete."
He left, heading to the grand living room, ordering Chul to gather all the staff:
"I've brought a guest to the mansion. She is human, as you all know. She's been here for a week, so treat her kindly and teach her the rules of the mansion. Anyone who misbehaves, I will not forgive. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Sir, clear."
"Mina, go to her. She's on the balcony. Show her her room and explain the rules."
"And the others, prepare human food for her. She's not like us."
They bowed:
"At your command, Sir."
The staff murmured among themselves as if witnessing a miracle or something forbidden had happened:
"It's the first human to enter here, and she's a woman! What will Sir Nathan do? Also, she won't be comfortable among us, especially because of her smell. And the most dangerous part is that when he brought her to the mansion, he placed her in the forbidden room, and now he changed it after she woke up. His behavior has become unpredictable."
Nathan left, accompanied by Chul, heading to his bedroom.
"Sir, are you serious about keeping this girl in the mansion?"
"Yes, I am."
"But why? And why did you bring her here in the first place?"
"I don't know the real reason. At first, I thought she saw me when I killed the demon and wanted to confirm it, so I brought her here."
"And did she really see you?"
"No, she didn't. I asked her if she saw anything before losing consciousness. She said no."
"Okay, but why did you keep her until now? Didn't you say you would let her go?"
"Don't you know I hate too many questions? I kept her to treat me. She says she is a skilled psychiatrist."
"What?"
"And now, be silent. No more questions."
"Okay, Sir… look, it's—"
"I said no more…"
Chul raised his phone; an outgoing call appeared. The caller's name was President Hwayoung.
Nathan raised an eyebrow:
"He only calls in very rare situations. I wonder what he wants from me now."
Next.....