The first few days after Grandmother's funeral had been strangely quiet.
Not peaceful.
Just quiet.
The house had returned to its usual rhythm, but something about it felt different now. The laughter that once filled the halls had disappeared. Conversations were shorter. Doors closed more softly. Even the servants seemed to move carefully, as though the slightest noise might disturb the grief still lingering in the walls.
Yerin was trying to return to normal.
Trying.
She had started waking earlier, helping her mother with small things around the house, and occasionally talking about the future again.
Do-hyun had also begun spending more time at the company.
His mother's decision had pushed him into a new phase of his life, and although he handled it with his usual calmness, Yerin could tell that the responsibility was heavier than he admitted.
That morning, he was in the middle of a meeting when his phone vibrated.
He ignored it.
A second vibration followed.
Then a third.
Do-hyun glanced down.
The number wasn't saved.
His expression barely changed, but something about the repeated calls made him excuse himself from the room.
He stepped into the hallway and answered.
"Hello?"
There was silence for a moment.
Then a man's voice spoke quietly.
"Mr. Choi, I think you need to see this."
Do-hyun's expression hardened.
"Who is this?"
"Someone who has been looking into Madam Hwang's medical records."
Do-hyun straightened.
"What about them?"
"I found something."
"What?"
Another pause.
"Her death may not have been caused by natural illness."
Do-hyun's jaw tightened.
"What are you talking about?"
"The report showed traces of a toxic substance in her system."
For several seconds, Do-hyun said nothing.
The hallway around him seemed to disappear.
"You're certain?"
"We had the sample checked twice."
"Send me everything."
"I already have."
The call ended.
Do-hyun stared at the screen.
His first thought was Yerin.
Her face when the doctors had told her that Grandmother was gone.
The way she had stood there completely broken.
The way she had held onto the hope that maybe, somehow, the doctors were wrong.
And now—
Someone might have taken Grandmother from her.
Do-hyun returned to the meeting room, but his mind was no longer there.
He closed the folder in front of him.
"We're stopping here."
One executive looked confused.
"But sir, we still have—"
"Tomorrow."
His tone left no room for discussion.
He walked out.
Yerin was sitting in the living room when Do-hyun arrived.
She looked up immediately.
"You came back early."
Do-hyun didn't answer.
Something in his expression made her smile disappear.
"What happened?"
He walked toward her slowly.
"Yerin."
She stood.
"What?"
Do-hyun hesitated.
For the first time in a long time, he seemed unsure of what to say.
Yerin noticed.
"Do-hyun?"
He took a breath.
"I found something about your grandmother."
Her face changed instantly.
"What?"
"I don't know how to tell you this."
"Just tell me."
He looked directly at her.
"The doctors may have been wrong about what caused her death."
Yerin stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
Do-hyun lowered his voice.
"There were traces of poison in her system."
Yerin didn't move.
For a moment, she seemed unable to understand the words.
Then her lips parted.
"Poison?"
Do-hyun nodded.
"We don't know who did it."
Yerin's eyes filled with tears.
"Someone..."
Her voice broke.
"Someone poisoned her?"
"I don't have enough information yet."
"Then who?"
"I don't know."
"Do-hyun, who?"
"I don't know, Yerin."
She turned away.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She quickly wiped it away.
Then another came.
Her shoulders trembled.
"I was standing there."
Do-hyun said nothing.
"I was right there when they told me she was gone."
Her voice became smaller.
"And all this time..."
She covered her mouth, trying to steady herself.
Do-hyun stepped closer.
"Yerin."
She shook her head.
"No."
She looked at him again.
The sadness in her eyes had changed.
It had become something sharper.
"Someone did this."
"We don't know that yet."
Her eyes hardened.
"I want to know who."
"We will."
"When?"
"As soon as we have evidence."
Yerin grabbed her bag.
"Where are you going?"
"To the Hwang Mansion."
"Yerin—"
"If someone in that house knows something, I'm going to find out."
Do-hyun watched her walk toward the door.
"Don't do anything reckless."
She stopped.
For a moment, she didn't turn around.
Then she quietly said,
"I won't."
And walked out.
The next morning, the Hwang Mansion was unusually tense.
The house supervisor had barely finished his breakfast when Yerin entered the main lounge.
"Call everyone."
He looked confused.
"Madam?"
"Every servant."
He hesitated.
"Everyone?"
"Everyone."
"Yes, Madam."
"And the guards."
"Yes."
"Security staff too."
"Of course."
Yerin looked at him coldly.
"Anyone who works inside this house, outside this house, in the kitchens, gardens, security rooms, garages, staff quarters—bring them here."
The supervisor swallowed.
"Everyone?"
Yerin's voice became firmer.
"I said everyone."
"Yes, Madam."
He immediately began making calls.
Within the next hour, people started gathering.
Servants.
Cooks.
Housekeepers.
Drivers.
Gardeners.
Security guards.
Night staff.
House supervisors.
Everyone.
Do-hyun received the call while sitting in another meeting.
"Mr. Choi?"
"What happened?"
"It's Madam Yerin."
His expression changed.
"What about her?"
"She has called everyone to the mansion."
"Why?"
"I think she is questioning the staff about Madam Hwang's death."
Do-hyun stood.
"Where is she?"
"Inside the main lounge."
"Don't let anything happen until I get there."
"Yes, sir."
Do-hyun looked at the executives around the table.
"We'll continue later."
He left before anyone could argue.
When he entered the mansion, he stopped.
The lounge was filled with people.
Everyone stood in silence.
The servants were lined up in rows.
Security stood along the walls.
The house supervisor remained near the entrance.
And at the center of it all stood Yerin.
Her arms were crossed.
Her face was expressionless.
Do-hyun had never seen her look like that.
He approached her.
"Yerin."
She turned.
"You're here."
"What's going on?"
She looked toward the people standing behind him.
"You already know."
"Tell me anyway."
"Someone poisoned Grandmother."
The room went completely silent.
Yerin looked at every person in front of her.
"And I want to know who."
Do-hyun studied her face.
"Yerin, we don't know if it happened here."
"That's why I'm asking."
She stepped forward.
"Everyone stays where they are."
Nobody moved.
She pointed toward the kitchen staff.
"You."
A woman stepped forward nervously.
"Yes, Madam."
"You prepared Grandmother's meals?"
"Yes."
"Every meal?"
"Most of them."
"Who helped you?"
"Sometimes another cook."
"Who?"
She gave the name.
Yerin immediately turned toward the second cook.
"You."
The woman stepped forward.
"Yes, Madam."
"Did you ever prepare anything for Grandmother without the head cook knowing?"
"No."
"Think carefully."
"I wouldn't lie to you, Madam."
Yerin stared at her.
"Good."
She turned toward another servant.
"You worked the night shift?"
"Yes."
"Did anyone enter Grandmother's room after midnight?"
"I don't remember."
Yerin's expression hardened.
"You don't remember?"
The servant swallowed.
"There were guards outside."
"I didn't ask about the guards."
Yerin took another step.
"I asked if anyone entered."
"I... I saw someone."
The entire room seemed to freeze.
Yerin's voice dropped.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then what did you see?"
"A person leaving the corridor."
"When?"
"Late at night."
"Which night?"
The servant gave the date.
Yerin's eyes narrowed.
That was one of the final nights before Grandmother's condition suddenly worsened.
She turned toward the security team.
"Who was on duty?"
One guard answered.
"I was."
"Who else?"
"Two other guards."
"Names."
He gave them.
Yerin pointed toward one.
"You."
The man stepped forward.
"Yes, Madam."
"Did you see anyone?"
"No."
She pointed toward the second.
"You?"
"No, Madam."
"You're certain?"
"Yes."
She looked at the third.
"And you?"
He hesitated.
Yerin noticed immediately.
"You hesitated."
"I..."
"Answer me."
"I saw someone near the corridor."
"Who?"
"I couldn't see the face."
"What were they carrying?"
"I don't know."
"Then why did you remember them?"
The guard lowered his eyes.
"Because they shouldn't have been there."
Yerin's breathing changed.
"Why?"
"The person wasn't wearing staff clothes."
Silence.
Yerin looked toward the house supervisor.
"Who had permission to enter the house that night?"
The supervisor immediately answered.
"Only family, authorized staff, and security."
"Visitors?"
"None were recorded."
"Deliveries?"
"None."
"Doctors?"
"The medical team came earlier."
Yerin stared at him.
"Check the records."
"Madam?"
"Check every record."
"Yes."
She turned back toward everyone.
Her voice was beginning to rise.
"Nobody leaves this house until I know what happened."
One servant began to cry quietly.
Yerin looked at her.
"You."
The woman stepped forward.
"I-I don't know anything."
"I haven't asked you a question yet."
The woman froze.
Yerin walked closer.
"Did you ever enter Grandmother's room?"
"Only when I was told to clean."
"Who told you?"
"The supervisor."
"Did you ever touch her food?"
"No."
"Her medicine?"
"No."
"Her water?"
The woman hesitated.
Yerin's eyes sharpened.
"Her water?"
"I only carried it."
"From where?"
"The kitchen."
"Who gave it to you?"
"The cook."
Yerin turned toward the cook.
The cook's face had gone pale.
Do-hyun watched silently.
He could see it happening.
Yerin wasn't simply grieving anymore.
She was investigating.
And every unanswered question was feeding her anger.
She turned toward the entire room.
"Listen carefully."
Nobody moved.
"Someone may have entered this house."
Her voice trembled.
"Someone may have stood beside my grandmother while we thought she was dying."
She looked around.
"If any one of you knows something..."
She paused.
"...anything..."
Her eyes moved from face to face.
"Speak now."
Nobody answered.
Yerin's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Because if I find out later that you knew..."
She took one final step forward.
"I will make sure you regret the day you decided to protect whoever did this."
The room remained silent.
Yerin grabbed her bag.
"I'm done."
She walked toward the door.
Do-hyun followed immediately.
Before leaving, Yerin stopped and looked back.
"Find the truth."
"And check everyones stuff and there room find something that is suspicious and there should be now mobile phones there too i guess you guys know clearly staff is not allowed to carry mobile phones."
The supervisor nodded quickly.
"Yes, Madam."
"And if anyone tries to leave..."
She looked toward the guards.
"...stop them."
Then she walked away.
The moment the car doors closed, Yerin's composure shattered.
Her breathing became rapid.
Do-hyun immediately turned toward her.
"Yerin."
She pressed a hand against her chest.
"I can't..."
"Look at me."
"I can't breathe."
"Yes, you can."
Her hands trembled.
Do-hyun took one of them carefully.
"Slowly."
She tried to inhale.
It came out uneven.
He reached for the water bottle and handed it to her.
"Take a sip."
She did.
"Again."
After several minutes, her breathing finally began to settle.
Do-hyun kept his hand around hers.
"You don't have to solve everything today."
Her eyes remained fixed on the window.
"I need to know."
"I know."
"I need to know who did it."
"We'll find out."
She finally looked at him.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
They stopped at a quiet restaurant for lunch.
Neither of them had much appetite.
Eventually, Do-hyun placed his glass down.
"We need to approach this carefully."
Yerin looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"We investigate quietly. Security footage. Medical records. Staff schedules. Visitors. Deliveries. Everything."
"And nobody knows?"
"Not until we have something concrete."
Yerin nodded reluctantly.
He continued.
"Your anger isn't wrong. But don't let it make decisions for you."
She looked down.
"You don't have to carry this alone."
She looked at him.
For the first time that day, her expression softened.
"Thank you."
After lunch, Do-hyun drove her home.
Before leaving, he looked at her.
"Rest."
"I'll try."
"And Yerin?"
She looked at him.
"Don't Worry."
She gave him a small nod.
"I won't."
His phone rang.
His assistant.
Do-hyun answered.
"Yes?"
He listened for several seconds.
His expression changed.
"I'll be there."
He looked at Yerin.
"I have to go back."
He drove away.
Hours later, the house was quiet.
When Do-hyun finally returned, it was late.
He opened the bedroom door.
Then stopped.
Yerin was there.
She looked exhausted, disheveled, and clearly intoxicated.
Do-hyun's brows drew together.
"Yerin?"
She slowly looked up.
"You're back."
He walked toward her.
"How much did you drink?"
She smiled faintly.
"Enough."
"Why?"
She didn't answer.
He reached out to steady her when she stood.
She immediately held onto him so she wouldn't fall.
"You're really annoying," she murmured.
"You're drunk."
"Come on. You need to sleep."
He tried to guide her toward the bed.
She refused to move.
Instead, she looked at him with an unusually mischievous expression.
"You're always so serious."
"And you're currently drunk."
"Maybe I like serious."
Do-hyun stared at her.
"Yerin."
She laughed.
"What?"
"Bed."
"No."
"Yes."
She suddenly pushed him backward.
Do-hyun stumbled and landed on the mattress.
He stared at her in complete disbelief.
"Yerin."
She stood there, looking far too pleased with herself.
"What?"
"What exactly are you doing?"
She smiled.
And for the first time that night, Do-hyun realized—
The woman standing in front of him was nothing like the Yerin he had left that afternoon.
He slowly sat up.
"You're going to regret this in the morning."
Yerin tilted her head.
"Maybe."
And the room fell silent.
...To Be Continued...