The room was heavy with silence, the kind that presses against your chest and makes it hard to breathe. Seojin sat at the table, the file open in front of her, her hand hovering over the name she could barely believe: her father.
Her mind was in turmoil. This revelation—her father's connection to the Council of Nine—had torn apart everything she had believed about him. About her family. It was as though the ground beneath her feet had crumbled, leaving her to fall into a darkness she couldn't navigate.
"Seojin…" Minji's voice was gentle, but there was no mistaking the concern in it. "Are you okay?"
Seojin didn't answer immediately. She couldn't. The words felt foreign in her mouth. How could she even process this? How could she move forward when the very person she trusted most was at the heart of the enemy they had been fighting?
Kade's voice broke through the stillness. "We need to make a decision."
Seojin slowly looked up, her expression unreadable. "A decision?"
Kade nodded. "We know who the real players are now. The Council is behind everything, and they've been controlling this country from the shadows for decades. But if your father is involved…" He trailed off, clearly unsure of how to finish the thought.
Seojin's fist clenched on the table. "I don't know what to think anymore. My entire life—everything I thought I knew about my father—it's all a lie."
Her voice trembled, and for a brief moment, Seojin felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had always thought her father was just a powerful businessman, a man who had played the game of politics for his own gain—but never like this.
She stood up abruptly, pacing the room. "I have to confront him. I need to know the truth."
Kade's expression shifted. He looked almost concerned, but there was an edge to his voice when he spoke. "Seojin, you're not thinking clearly. We're talking about the head of one of the most dangerous networks in the world. If your father is really one of the Council, then confronting him could mean your death."
Seojin stopped mid-stride, her gaze hardening. "You think I'm afraid of that?"
Minji stepped forward. "We can't just run into this blindly, Seojin. We need a plan."
Seojin turned to her, her eyes fierce. "I don't care about plans anymore. I care about the truth."
It wasn't long before Seojin's mind was made up. She wasn't going to sit idly by while the Council of Nine destroyed everything. And if her father was part of it, then he was no different than the rest of them. The man who had once been her hero was now just another enemy to bring down.
The team gathered in the safe house, preparing for what would be the most difficult confrontation of Seojin's life. Kade, as usual, was quiet, but his presence was tense. Dojin and Minji were both quiet, watching Seojin closely, waiting for her to make the next move.
"Do you have a plan?" Dojin asked, his voice sharp.
Seojin met his gaze. "I'm going to meet him. Face to face. I'll get him to tell me everything."
Kade spoke up. "You can't just walk into his office and expect him to confess. We need leverage."
Seojin's gaze flicked to him. "I'll figure something out. But if my father really is one of the Nine, then everything I've done until now was for nothing."
Minji's voice was soft, but it carried weight. "You're not alone in this, Seojin. We're with you, no matter what happens."
Seojin nodded. "I know. But I need to do this myself."
Kade stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "You're still making a mistake, Seojin. Confronting your father now won't give you the answers you're looking for. It could make things worse."
"I don't care anymore," Seojin said, her voice steady. "If I have to bring him down to stop this, then that's what I'll do."
The next day, Seojin stood outside the towering office building where her father's company was headquartered. Her hands shook, but her resolve was stronger than ever.
The building loomed over her, a symbol of everything her father had built—and now, it felt like a tomb. She was about to walk into the heart of the Phoenix's power, and everything would change.
Seojin took a deep breath and walked through the revolving door, the cool air inside doing little to calm the storm raging inside her. She walked to the elevator, her mind focused, but every step felt like it was leading her toward an unknown fate.
When she arrived at the penthouse office, she was met by her father's personal assistant, who greeted her with a wary smile.
"Ms. Seojin," the assistant said politely, "Your father is expecting you."
Seojin nodded stiffly, her breath shallow. "Take me to him."
The assistant led her down a long hallway, passing expensive paintings and sculptures, each one a testament to her father's wealth and status. But none of it mattered now. None of it could distract her from the truth.
They stopped in front of a heavy oak door. The assistant knocked once before opening it. "Ms. Seojin is here to see you, sir."
Seojin stepped inside, her heart pounding in her chest.
Her father was standing by the window, his back turned, looking out over the city. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his demeanor calm, as if nothing in the world could shake him.
"Father," Seojin said, her voice colder than she intended.
He turned to face her, his eyes narrowing slightly when he saw the expression on her face. "Seojin… what brings you here?"
She didn't hesitate. "I know about the Council."
Her father's face went blank. For a brief moment, Seojin saw something flicker in his eyes—a hint of something he couldn't hide. But just as quickly, it was gone.
"You don't understand," her father said, his voice soft but filled with an edge she had never heard before. "This is bigger than you, Seojin. It always has been."
Seojin's heart skipped a beat. "I understand more than you think. You're involved with the Phoenix, aren't you? You've been running this operation from the inside all along."
Her father took a step forward, his face hardening. "You don't know what you're talking about. You think you can just tear everything down? You think this is just about money and power?"
Seojin's voice trembled with emotion. "It's about lives, Father. About people dying for your empire."
He paused, his expression unreadable. "I did what I had to do. You don't understand the weight of the decisions I had to make. The world doesn't work the way you think it does, Seojin."
"I don't care anymore," Seojin said, her voice breaking. "You chose them. You chose the Phoenix over me."
For a long moment, her father didn't speak. His face was unreadable, but the distance between them felt like a chasm that could never be bridged.
"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Seojin's world tilted. Sorry? That was all he could say after everything?
End of Chapter 70
Thoughts for Readers:
Do you think Seojin made the right choice confronting her father? What will happen next?
What do you think her father's true intentions are?
Sneak Peek for Chapter 71:
Seojin's confrontation with her father has shattered everything she thought she knew. But as she uncovers more about the Council's plans, she realizes that the true battle is only just beginning. Choices will be made that could change the fate of everyone they care about.