The morning sunlight filtered through the windows of Allure's apartment, but it did little to brighten my mood. I had barely slept the night before, tossing and turning as thoughts of Jun, Seong, and everything that had happened flooded my mind. Hyun Su's attack still weighed heavily on me, and though I had managed to survive it, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story.
As I sat on the couch, sipping coffee and trying to distract myself, my phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from Jun Ho.
Jun Ho: We need to talk. It's important. Can we meet today?
A lump formed in my throat. Jun Ho rarely texted me like this, and the urgency in his message made my heart race. I quickly typed out a response, agreeing to meet him at a nearby café later that afternoon.
---
When I arrived at the café, Jun Ho was already there, seated in a quiet corner. His expression was tense, and the usual calmness in his demeanor was replaced by a seriousness that put me on edge. I sat down across from him, my hands nervously clutching my coffee cup.
"Jun Ho, what's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He looked up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and something darker. "Censia, I need to tell you something, and it's… it's not going to be easy to hear."
A chill ran down my spine. "What is it?"
Jun Ho took a deep breath before speaking. "Hyun Su didn't act alone. He wasn't just harassing you on his own. Someone was helping him."
I frowned, confusion swirling in my mind. "Helping him? Who would do that?"
He looked at me, his expression grim. "My mother."
The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I stared at him, completely stunned. "Your… your mother?"
Jun Ho nodded, his jaw tight. "She's been paying Hyun Su. Financing him, even giving him instructions. She wanted to get rid of you, to push you out of Jun's life. she's Mrs Lee's best friend and I think she confided in my mother about you and my mom thought it was good to get involved and "help" a friend and they planned it together using Jun to execute the plan"
I felt the blood drain from my face as his words sank in. Jun's own mother had been behind Hyun Su's actions? The attack, the harassment—it had all been orchestrated by her? My stomach churned, and I felt sick.
"I don't understand," I whispered. "Why would she do that? Why would she go to such lengths to hurt me?"
Jun Ho's face softened, and he reached across the table to take my hand. "Because she doesn't think you're good enough for Jun. She sees you as a threat. She's always been controlling, but this… this is beyond anything I could've imagined."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to process what he was saying. Jun's mother, the woman who had already made it clear she didn't like me, had gone as far as to pay Hyun Su to harass me. To hurt me.
"I can't believe this," I said, my voice shaking. "What am I supposed to do?"
Jun Ho squeezed my hand gently. "You need to tell Jun and Seong. They need to know the truth."
I hesitated, the thought of confronting Jun and Seong with this information filling me with dread. Jun loved his mother, despite her flaws. How would he react to knowing she had orchestrated all of this?
"I don't know how they'll take it," I admitted quietly.
"You don't have to do it alone," Jun Ho assured me. "I'll be there with you. But they deserve to know."
---
Later that evening, I sat anxiously in Allure's apartment, waiting for Jun and Seong to arrive. Jun Ho had called them, asking them to meet us here. My stomach twisted with anxiety as I thought about what I had to say.
When the door finally opened, and Jun and Seong stepped inside, I froze. Jun looked worried, his eyes scanning the room for me. Seong, ever calm, followed behind him, his gaze steady but concerned.
"Censia," Jun said softly, approaching me. "What's going on? Jun Ho said it was important."
I swallowed hard, feeling my heart race in my chest. "It is. There's something you both need to know."
Jun Ho stood nearby, his arms crossed as he watched the interaction. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I had to say.
"It's about Hyun Su," I began, my voice trembling. "And your mother."
Jun's expression darkened instantly, his body tensing. "What about my mother?"
I glanced at Jun Ho for support before turning back to Jun and Seong. "She's been paying Hyun Su. She's the one who's been helping him harass me, to try to drive me away from you both."
Jun's eyes widened in disbelief, and Seong's usually composed expression faltered. "What?" Seong whispered, stepping closer. "Censia, are you sure?"
I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. "Jun Ho found proof—bank transactions, money sent from your mother to Hyun Su. He confronted her, and she didn't deny it."
Jun's face paled, and he stumbled back, his hand running through his hair as if trying to make sense of it all. "No… no, that can't be true."
"Jun," Jun Ho spoke up, his voice firm. "It's true. I saw the proof. She's been trying to push Censia out of your life."
Jun's body trembled with a mix of rage and devastation. He paced the room, his hands clenched into fists. "I knew she didn't like Censia, but this? This is insane!"
Seong placed a calming hand on Jun's shoulder, though his own face was tight with concern. "I can't believe she would go this far."
I stood there, tears streaming down my face as I watched the man I loved unravel before me. "I'm sorry, Jun. I didn't want to be the reason for any of this."
Jun stopped pacing, his gaze locking onto mine. His voice broke as he spoke. "You're not the reason, Censia. My mother… she's the one who crossed the line."
He stepped toward me, pulling me into his arms. "I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve any of this."
I buried my face in his chest, the weight of everything finally crashing down on me. The betrayal, the hurt—it all felt too heavy to carry.
Seong stepped closer, wrapping his arms around both of us, offering silent comfort. "We'll deal with this together," he said softly. "You're part of us, Censia. We'll get through this."
But even as they held me, a part of me still felt broken, wondering if things would ever truly be okay again.