The Choi family villa was unusually quiet the next morning, save for the hum of housekeepers busy polishing the silver and arranging fresh orchids in tall crystal vases. Jaehyun stirred in his enormous bed, the silk sheets clinging to his body as he groggily reached for his phone. His eyes squinted at the blinding screen—10:00 a.m. A few missed calls from his father's secretary, but nothing important.
Yawning, he dragged himself to his private bathroom, where a marble jacuzzi awaited him. The warm water did little to soothe the nagging pit in his stomach—an unexplainable unease that had lingered since last night's dinner. He ignored it, just as he ignored most things that hinted at responsibility or introspection.
By noon, Jaehyun was in his usual spot: the living room couch, a plate of pastries beside him and a gaming controller in hand. The butler stood a respectful distance away, his expression as neutral as ever.
"Sir," the butler began, "your parents have requested your presence in the study."
Jaehyun groaned. "Now? Can't it wait?"
"I'm afraid they were quite insistent, sir."
Reluctantly, Jaehyun paused his game and heaved himself off the couch, brushing crumbs off his designer tracksuit. The study was one of the few places in the house that Jaehyun actively avoided. It reeked of intimidation, with its dark mahogany walls, towering bookshelves, and the ever-present gaze of his father's stern portrait hanging above the fireplace.
When he arrived, his parents were already seated on the leather armchairs, their expressions grim. Ji-Na and Ji-Ho stood to the side, both looking suspiciously smug.
"What's this about?" Jaehyun asked, dropping into the nearest chair with a careless flop.
Seung-Hyun's gaze bore into him, cold and unyielding. "Jaehyun, we've come to a decision."
Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. "A decision about what?"
"About you," Min-Ji said bluntly, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "It's time we stop enabling your behavior."
He frowned, sitting up slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Ji-Na interjected, her tone dripping with superiority, "that you're finally being held accountable for your laziness. You've been a parasite long enough, and the family can't afford to carry dead weight anymore."
Jaehyun's chest tightened. "Dead weight? Are you kidding me? I'm part of this family—"
"No," Seung-Hyun interrupted, his voice as cold as winter frost. "You're an embarrassment. You've squandered every opportunity we've given you, and you've proven time and again that you're incapable of contributing to this family's legacy."
Jaehyun stared at him, his heart pounding. "So what? You're cutting me off? Is that it?"
Min-Ji folded her hands in her lap, her expression unreadable. "Not entirely. You'll still have a monthly allowance, enough to survive. But the trust fund? The shares in the company? Those are being reassigned. You're no longer a beneficiary."
His stomach dropped. "You're joking."
"We're not," Ji-Na said, her lips curling into a satisfied smile. "Honestly, I'm surprised they let you mooch off us for this long."
"This is insane," Jaehyun said, his voice rising. "I'm your son! How can you just cut me out like this?"
"You left us no choice," Seung-Hyun said, his tone final. "You've had every advantage, every privilege, and you've done nothing with it. It's time for you to grow up, Jaehyun. Sink or swim."
For the first time in his life, Jaehyun was speechless. He looked at each of them in turn, searching for some sign that this was a cruel joke. But their expressions were unyielding.
Ji-Ho snickered. "Guess you're not Daddy's little boy anymore."
Jaehyun's fists clenched, his face burning with humiliation. "You're going to regret this," he spat, rising to his feet. "All of you."
"Perhaps," Min-Ji said coolly. "But I doubt it."
Hours later, Jaehyun sat alone in his room, his mind racing. The pastries, the video games, the opulence surrounding him—it all felt meaningless now. How could they do this to him? He was their son, their blood. And yet, they'd cast him aside as if he were nothing.
He tried to tell himself it didn't matter, that he could survive without them. But the truth was, he had no idea how to live without their money, their power, their influence. For the first time in his life, Jaehyun felt truly powerless.
That night, as he stared at the twinkling city lights outside his window, a dark thought crept into his mind. If his family thought he was worthless, maybe it was time to show them just how wrong they were.
But how?
The question lingered, unanswered, as the first cracks in Jaehyun's pampered world began to form.