The day dawned cool and gray, a heavy blanket of clouds draping the city in a muted, oppressive atmosphere. It felt like the calm before a storm, a fitting backdrop for the plan Yura and I were about to set in motion. I stood by the window, staring out at the overcast sky as my thoughts churned. Today was the day we would expose the saboteur, the person who had dared to try and destroy everything I'd worked so hard to build.
Yura's voice broke through my reverie. "Are you ready?"
I turned to see her standing in the doorway of our bedroom, her expression as cold and focused as I'd ever seen it. She was dressed in a sleek black pantsuit, every inch the powerful businesswoman, exuding an aura of calm authority. But I knew the fire that burned beneath that cool exterior, the ruthless determination that made her a force to be reckoned with. Today, I was counting on that fire to help us take down our enemy.
I nodded, my own resolve hardening. "Ready."
We left the house together, the silence between us heavy with anticipation. As we drove to the new property, I couldn't help but replay the plan in my mind, going over every detail, every possible outcome. Yura had been meticulous in her preparations, as always, but the stakes were high, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at my gut.
When we arrived at the site, the atmosphere was eerily quiet. The usual hustle and bustle of construction was absent, replaced by an almost ghostly stillness. It was perfect for what we needed to do. We parked the car a short distance away, out of sight, and made our way to the small, rented office space Yura had set up as our command center.
The room was sparse, just a few desks, computers, and surveillance equipment. Yura had spared no expense, ensuring that we had everything we needed to monitor the site without being detected. She moved with purpose, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she brought up the live feeds from the hidden cameras and microphones she'd placed around the property.
"Everything's in place," she said, her voice cool and detached. "We just need to wait."
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. Waiting was the hardest part. But Yura had been clear—we couldn't rush this. We needed the saboteur to think they had won, to believe they were untouchable. Only then would they make a move that would expose them for the rat they were.
To sell the illusion, I'd spent the past few days playing the part of the stressed and overwhelmed business owner, putting on a show of frustration and exhaustion for the benefit of anyone who might be watching. I'd even made a few appearances at the site, deliberately allowing myself to be seen looking frazzled and on the brink of giving up. It was all part of the plan, but it left me feeling vulnerable and exposed, a feeling I hated.
Yura's hand on my shoulder brought me back to the present. "Jiyeon," she said softly, her voice cutting through the fog of my thoughts. "We've got this. You're not alone in this fight."
I looked up at her, seeing the determination in her eyes, the unwavering confidence that had always been one of her greatest strengths. She was right. I wasn't alone. We were in this together, and I knew that with her by my side, there was nothing we couldn't handle.
"Thanks, Yura," I said, my voice steadier now. "I needed that."
She gave me a small, reassuring smile before turning back to the screens. "Now, let's see if our little rat takes the bait."
Hours passed, the tension in the room building with each tick of the clock. The surveillance feeds showed nothing out of the ordinary—just an empty construction site, silent and still. I forced myself to remain calm, to trust in the plan. Yura was the picture of patience, her eyes never leaving the screens, her expression unreadable.
Then, just as the sun began to set, the stillness was broken. A figure appeared on one of the feeds, slipping through the gate and moving stealthily toward the building. My heart leaped into my throat as I recognized the saboteur—the very contractor I had once trusted with the project, now revealed as the traitor in our midst.
Yura's eyes narrowed as she watched him, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. "He's here," she said, her voice a deadly whisper.
I nodded, my pulse quickening. This was it—the moment we had been waiting for. We watched in tense silence as the saboteur crept through the site, clearly believing he was alone. He moved with purpose, heading straight for the area where we had planted the fake documents and misleading information. Yura had made sure that the files looked authentic, enough to convince anyone that the project was on the brink of collapse.
The contractor—our saboteur—began rifling through the documents, his expression one of barely-contained glee. It was clear he thought his sabotage had succeeded, that he had delivered the final blow to our project. My hands clenched into fists at my sides as I watched him, fury bubbling up inside me. This man had tried to destroy everything I'd worked for, had betrayed my trust, and now he was standing there, smug and self-satisfied, believing he had won.
"Let's go," Yura said, her voice cutting through my anger. She was already on her feet, her movements swift and purposeful as she grabbed a small device from the desk—a handheld microphone connected to the hidden speakers we'd placed around the site. It would allow us to communicate directly with the saboteur without revealing our location.
We moved quickly, slipping out of the office and heading toward the building. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the site was shrouded in shadow, the perfect cover for what we were about to do. My heart pounded in my chest as we approached the building, but my resolve was solid. This was it. We were going to end this, once and for all.
As we reached the entrance, Yura handed me the microphone, her expression deadly serious. "This is your moment, Jiyeon. Make him pay."
I nodded, taking the device with a steady hand. The contractor was still inside, completely unaware of our presence. I pressed the button, my voice echoing through the speakers in the empty building.
"Looking for something?" I asked, my tone cold and biting.
The contractor froze, his head snapping up as he looked around in confusion. He hadn't expected this, hadn't anticipated that we would be watching his every move.
"J-Jiyeon?" he stammered, his voice laced with fear. "What are you—"
"Save it," I cut him off, stepping into the room. The shadows clung to me like a cloak, hiding my face from view. "I know exactly what you've been up to, you lying, backstabbing piece of shit."
He recoiled at my words, his bravado crumbling in an instant. "I-I can explain—"
"There's nothing to explain," I spat, my anger finally boiling over. "You betrayed me. You tried to destroy everything I've built. And for what? A few pieces of silver? How much did Min-seok pay you to sabotage my project?"
The color drained from his face at the mention of Min-seok's name. "I-I didn't—"
"Don't lie to me!" I snapped, stepping closer. I could see the fear in his eyes now, the realization that he was caught. "I know everything. You've been working for Min-seok, feeding him information, sabotaging my work. But it ends tonight."
He backed away, his hands trembling as he tried to find an escape. But there was nowhere to run. Yura stepped out of the shadows behind him, her presence like a dark, looming storm. She didn't say a word, but her cold, piercing gaze was enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine.
"You've made a grave mistake," Yura said, her voice low and deadly. "You thought you could play us, that you could get away with it. But you're about to learn just how wrong you were."
The contractor looked between us, panic written all over his face. "Please," he begged, his voice shaking. "I didn't want to do it! He forced me—Min-seok forced me! I didn't have a choice!"
"There's always a choice," I said, my voice laced with contempt. "And you chose to betray me. You chose to work for that scum, to sabotage my work. You thought you could get away with it, but you were wrong."
He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded for mercy. "I'm sorry! Please, I'm so sorry! I'll do anything—just don't hurt me!"
Yura's lip curled in disgust as she looked down at him. "Pathetic," she muttered. "You're not even worth the time it took to catch you."
She turned to me, her eyes softening slightly. "What do you want to do with him, Jiyeon? It's your call."
I looked at the man kneeling before me, the man who had tried to ruin everything I held dear. Part of me wanted to unleash all my fury on him, to make him pay for every sleepless night, every moment of doubt and fear he had caused. But as I looked into his tear-streaked face, I felt only pity. He was a pawn, a weak-willed coward who had allowed himself
to be used by someone more powerful.
"Leave," I said, my voice cold and final. "Get out of my sight. If I ever see you again, I won't be so merciful."
He didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and bolted for the door, tripping over himself in his haste to escape. I watched him go, the anger still simmering inside me, but now tempered by a sense of resolve. This wasn't over—not by a long shot. Min-seok was still out there, still pulling the strings. But now, I knew who my enemy was, and I wasn't going to rest until he was brought down.
Yura stepped up beside me, her expression unreadable. "You did the right thing," she said quietly.
I nodded, though my thoughts were already turning to what lay ahead. "This was just the beginning," I said, my voice steely with determination. "Min-seok made a mistake coming after me. Now, it's my turn to go after him."
Yura's lips curved into a small, approving smile. "Good," she said. "Let's make him regret ever crossing us."
As we left the building, the clouds above began to part, revealing a sliver of moonlight that bathed the site in a pale, ghostly glow. The storm was coming, and I was ready for it.