"Jiyeon," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Please, I... I didn't mean to hurt you."
Jiyeon's eyes, once filled with trust and love, were now clouded with doubt and pain. She took a step back, shaking her head as if trying to clear the confusion that now gripped her heart. "Yura, how could you do this? How could you go behind my back and plan something so... so underhanded?"
"I was only trying to protect you," I insisted, reaching out to her. But she pulled away, her expression hardening.
"Protect me? Or control me?" Jiyeon's voice rose, the hurt giving way to anger. "You didn't even give me a chance to fight for this on my own. You just assumed I couldn't handle it."
"I didn't want you to get hurt," I said, feeling my frustration build. "You don't know how ruthless the business world can be. I was trying to make sure you had a fair shot."
