dear readers im sorry for not writing continuously, I'm a student of open and distance university and my exams are around the corner and I have to read that's why I've not been writing lately, I'm so sorry cuz it might still be like this for weeks but I will try my best in writing I promise. sorry for disappointing you , and always remember I love you all.
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Creation is hard, cheer me up! VOTE for me! please!! jebal!!!
The mansion gates loomed ahead like a judgment waiting to be passed.
They rose slowly, iron bars sliding apart with a low mechanical groan that echoed through the night. The headlights washed over stone walls and manicured hedges, revealing the familiar grandeur Bobae had once known and now feared.
The car rolled forward.
Bobae's hands tightened in her lap.
Her heart had been pounding since they left the West Estate, but now it felt as if it had climbed into her throat. Every breath came shallow, measured, as though the air itself might betray her if she inhaled too deeply.
She stared straight ahead through the windshield, though she was seated in the back.
The mansion grew larger with every second.
Too large.
Too heavy.
Too unforgiving.
Junpyo slowed the car as they approached the circular driveway. The tires crunched softly against the gravel before coming to a complete stop beneath the towering lights that illuminated the entrance.
For a moment, no one moved.
The engine idled quietly.
Vivian was the first to step out.
She exited with practiced grace, smoothing her coat, her posture immaculate, her expression perfectly neutral. To anyone watching, she looked untouched by the tension of the night. Like this was exactly where she belonged.
Bobae noticed.
That realization hurt more than she expected.
Junpyo stepped out next and walked around to open the back door.
Bobae hesitated.
The door was open. The path was clear. But her body refused to obey her mind.
This place had broken her once.
The marble floors. The silent rules. The eyes that never softened. The rooms that swallowed voices and dignity whole.
Her fingers trembled.
Junpyo noticed immediately.
"It's okay," he said quietly, holding out his hand. "I'm here."
She looked at him then.
Really looked.
His face was calm but determined, his gaze steady, unwavering. He was not asking. He was promising.
Bobae swallowed hard and placed her hand in his.
The contact grounded her just enough.
She stepped out of the car.
The cold night air brushed against her skin, sharp and unkind. The mansion lights felt harsher up close, exposing every hesitation, every crack in her resolve.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, she felt it.
Staff members stood discreetly near the entrance, pretending not to stare while doing exactly that. Whispers moved faster than footsteps ever could.
She's back. The girl from the scandal.
Bobae's shoulders curled inward without her meaning to.
Junpyo did not let go of her hand.
They walked toward the entrance together.
Vivian moved ahead of them, heels clicking softly against stone, never once looking back. Her back was straight, her head high. She did not need reassurance. She had never needed permission.
Bobae noticed that too.
The massive doors opened as they approached.
Warm light spilled out, but it brought no comfort.
The moment Bobae crossed the threshold, her chest tightened painfully.
The smell of polished wood and expensive perfume hit her all at once. The echo of voices, refined and restrained, carried through the halls like a warning.
This was not a place that welcomed weakness.
Her eyes darted around instinctively.
Every corner felt familiar and hostile at the same time.
The grand staircase. The tall pillars. The portraits staring down from the walls like silent witnesses to her humiliation.
Her pulse raced.
Junpyo squeezed her hand gently.
"Look at me," he murmured.
She did.
"I've got you," he said softly. "You're not alone."
She nodded, though fear still clung to her like a second skin.
They stepped fully into the living hall.
Conversation died instantly.
Every head turned.
Bobae felt the impact like a physical blow.
Board members. Elders. Relatives. Guests seated with crystal glasses in hand and judgment in their eyes. Vivian's parents sat stiffly among them, expressions unreadable.
And at the center of it all stood Chairman Yeon and Madam Yeon.
Power radiated from them effortlessly.
Bobae's knees threatened to buckle.
She had never belonged here .
She had only ever survived it.
Madam Yeon's sharp gaze landed on Bobae first.
It lingered.
Measured.
Calculated.
Bobae bowed immediately, deeply, her forehead nearly touching her clasped hands.
"I apologize for causing trouble," she said quietly, her voice trembling despite her effort to control it.
The room remained silent.
Junpyo stepped forward half a pace.
"She did nothing wrong," he said calmly, clearly. "This situation is my responsibility."
Madam Yeon's eyes flicked to her son.
"Is that so," she replied coolly.
Bobae remained bowed.
She did not dare lift her head.
Vivian stood a short distance away, watching.
Her expression was serene. Polite. Perfect.
But her fingers were clenched so tightly at her side that her nails dug into her palm.
She walked back in holding his hand, Vivian thought bitterly.
As if she has every right to be here.
Chairman Yeon cleared his throat.
"Bobae," he said, his voice heavy with authority. "Raise your head."
Slowly, she obeyed.
Her eyes met his for barely a second before dropping again.
"You were reassigned without proper authorization," he continued. "That will be addressed."
Bobae nodded silently.
"You will remain here for now," Madam Yeon added. "Until matters are settled."
Bobae's breath caught.
Remain here.
The words echoed loudly in her mind.
Fear surged again.
Vivian's lips curved into the faintest smile.
Junpyo felt Bobae tense beside him.
He stepped closer, his presence a quiet shield.
"She will stay where I can see her," he said firmly. "Where she is safe."
The air shifted.
Madam Yeon studied her son carefully, then Bobae, then Vivian.
"I hope you understand," she said at last, "that choices made under carelessness often carry consequences."
"I understand," Junpyo replied.
Bobae did not know whether those consequences were meant for her.
A staff member approached quietly. "Should we prepare a room?"
Madam Yeon nodded. "Yes."
Bobae flinched.
A room.
Here.
Junpyo turned to her gently. "You'll stay in the east wing," he said softly. "Near my quarters."
Vivian's composure cracked for just a second.
Her gaze snapped to him.
The east wing was not meant for servants.
Madam Yeon noticed.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing.
Bobae bowed again. "Thank you," she whispered, though fear still lived behind her eyes.
As a maid led Bobae away, Junpyo watched her retreating figure until she disappeared down the corridor.
Vivian followed his gaze.
Her chest burned.
So this is how it ends, she thought.
With me standing here… watching her take my place.
She lifted her chin.
If this was a war, she would not lose quietly.
And Bobae, walking alone down that long corridor, felt the weight of the mansion close around her once more.
But this time, she was not entirely alone.
And that terrified her almost as much as it gave her hope.