Na-ri arrived at the hospital, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floors. She walked with purpose, a mix of curiosity and amusement dancing in her icy blue eyes. She had come to see what kind of drama would unfold when Soo-ah regained consciousness. The tension of the evening banquet had not abated but had instead morphed into a new kind of spectacle within the sterile hospital corridors.
She stopped outside Soo-ah's room, her gaze fixed on the small round glass window set into the door. Inside, Soo-ah lay unconscious, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The room was dimly lit, and the steady beeping of the monitors was the only sound.
Joon-oh, Na-ri's father, stood beside the bed, his face a mask of stern disapproval. As soon as he noticed Na-ri through the window, he stepped out into the hallway, his expression hardening further.
"How dare you show your face here?" he began, his voice a low growl. "After all you've done, you have the audacity to come here and check on her?"
Na-ri remained silent, her eyes never leaving the window. She watched Soo-ah, noting the pallor of her skin, the shallow breaths. Her father's voice was a distant hum, barely registering in her consciousness.
"Your actions tonight were disgraceful. You've always been a thorn in this family's side, but tonight you crossed a line," Joon-oh continued, his voice rising in anger.
Na-ri finally turned to face him, her expression impassive. "At least she's not dead yet," she said calmly, cutting through his tirade with a cold, detached statement.
Joon-oh's face flushed with rage. "How can you say something so heartless? She's your sister!"
Na-ri shrugged slightly, her gaze drifting back to the window. "She's still breathing, isn't she? Save your speeches for when she actually needs them."
Just then, Hyejin, her stepmother, stormed into the hallway. Her eyes were red from crying, and her voice was a sharp, piercing wail. "How could you do this to Soo-ah? Look at what you've done! She's in there because of you!"
Na-ri turned to her stepmother, her expression unchanged. "Again, she's not dead yet. So please, save your breath. Your dramatic speeches and pep talks aren't going to change anything."
Hyejin's face contorted with fury, and she began to hurl curses at Na-ri, her voice echoing down the sterile hall. "You ungrateful, vile girl! You've brought nothing but shame to this family!"
Na-ri stood there, unflinching, letting the words wash over her. Her calm demeanor only seemed to enrage them further. Eventually, both Joon-oh and Hyejin, exhausted from their outburst, turned and walked towards the reception area, their shoulders tense with unresolved anger.
Alone again, Na-ri glanced at her phone. As she scrolled through the latest news updates, a small smile played on her lips. The reporters had done their job well. Headlines about Soo-ah frequently copying Na-ri's designs were spreading like wildfire. The scandal was out, and the public was eating it up.
She slipped her phone back into her purse and peered once more through the small round glass window. Soo-ah remained unconscious, oblivious to the storm raging outside her hospital room.
"Don't sleep too long," Na-ri murmured, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "You're missing out. The party has just started."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, her head held high. The night was far from over, and the real battle had only just begun. The hospital, with its bright lights and sterile walls, seemed a fitting backdrop for the unfolding drama. Na-ri had played her part perfectly, and now it was time to see how the next act would unfold.
******
Na-ri received the news of Soo-ah's awakening with a mix of anticipation and caution. She knew their conversation wouldn't be easy, but it was necessary to confront the years of deceit and manipulation that had festered between them. As her parents left, their lingering disapproval hanging in the air, Na-ri made her way to Soo-ah's room.
Entering cautiously, Na-ri found Soo-ah propped up in bed, her expression guarded yet weary. The room felt stifling, filled with the sterile scent of hospital disinfectant. Soo-ah's eyes narrowed slightly as Na-ri approached, a silent challenge passing between them.
"I can't believe the false news spreading about me," Soo-ah began, her voice tinged with frustration. "They're making me out to be a thief, Na-ri. Do you have any idea how damaging that is?"
Na-ri stood at the foot of the bed, her posture rigid. "And what about the times you conveniently fell ill whenever I was working on a project, only to miraculously recover with my ideas neatly integrated into your work?" she retorted, her voice cold and calculated.
Soo-ah's jaw clenched, her gaze flickering towards the door. "This isn't a conversation for my hospital room. Walls have ears, Na-ri," she whispered urgently.
Without another word, Soo-ah swung her legs over the edge of the bed and gestured towards the door. Na-ri understood the unspoken invitation and followed her sister out into the hallway. They moved silently through the maze of corridors until they reached the rooftop—a sanctuary away from prying eyes and whispered gossip.
The rooftop offered a panoramic view of the cityscape below, the night sky spread out above them like a canopy of stars. Soo-ah turned to face Na-ri, her expression a mix of defiance and vulnerability.
"Let's settle this once and for all," Soo-ah challenged, her voice echoing in the quiet night air.
Na-ri took a deep breath, her emotions roiling beneath the surface. "All these years, Soo-ah," she began, her voice trembling with suppressed anger, "you've taken credit for my hard work, my creativity. You've sabotaged my career, my reputation.
"Soo-ah's eyes flashed with defiance. "And what about you, Na-ri? Always the victim, always playing the martyr," she shot back. "You think you're the only one who's suffered?"
The tension between them crackled like electricity, each word a verbal dagger aimed at the other's heart. They argued vehemently, accusations and grievances pouring forth, each sister refusing to yield an inch.
Finally, Na-ri reached a breaking point. "I haven't even begun to reveal what you've done," she said quietly, her voice laced with a chilling resolve. "But when I do, Soo-ah, you'll be so afraid that even the thought of walking out that door will terrify you.
"With those words hanging between them, Na-ri turned on her heel and began to walk away, her steps heavy with the weight of years of betrayal. Soo-ah's voice, cold and calculated, stopped her in her tracks."I'll see how you'll achieve anything you've planned if you're lying in a hospital bed with me," Soo-ah taunted.
Na-ri's confusion lasted only a split second before Soo-ah's hands connected with her back, sending her crashing down the stairs. The force of the push was brutal, enough to potentially end a life. Soo-ah wasted no time in collapsing at the top of the stairs, feigning unconsciousness as if she had fallen too.
A passing patient, drawn to the rooftop by the allure of fresh air, stumbled upon the scene.
"Somebody's bleeding!"
They cried out in shock, their voice echoing through the quiet night.
Blood pooled around Na-ri's head as she lay unconscious at the foot of the stairs, her once immaculate gown now stained crimson. The hospital staff rushed to the scene, the emergency protocol kicking into high gear as they worked to stabilize her.