The next morning, Carrie and Jae-wook stepped into the sitting room almost simultaneously, their coordinated timing raising more eyebrows than usual. The sight of Ava nestled into Leo's chest was a visual equivalent of coffee with a shot of sentimentality.
"Get up, you two! Didn't I tell you to go to your rooms?" Carrie said, tapping them both like she was trying to wake up furniture.
"You guys are up early," Leo said, stretching like a smug cat.
"And dressed too," Ava yawned, standing up slowly.
"You both reek of alcohol," Carrie remarked, scrunching her nose.
"But we didn't even drink," Leo protested, his face a picture of innocence.
"Exactly," Carrie said with a sly smile.
Jae-wook muttered under his breath, "Ouch!."
Ava blinked at Carrie in delayed realization. "Did she just indirectly say we stink?"
"Anyway, I'm off," Jae-wook announced, walking out like he had somewhere important to be (which he didn't).
"Me too," Carrie added.
"Wait—are you two going to school together now?" Leo asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Nope, my Uber is here," Carrie said before bolting out like her life depended on it.
Ava sniffed the air dramatically and frowned. "Do we really smell bad?"
Leo leaned in and kissed her softly. "No, babe. The only thing we reek of is love," he said, grinning before walking off.
---
Minutes later, the class was its usual snooze-fest as Mr. Justin, in his element, droned on about how great a lawyer he was before his epic downfall. The room had the energy of a deflated balloon until his face lit up like someone flipped a switch in his brain.
"I see you're all drowsy from my amazing lecture, so let's switch it up!" he announced.
Students perked up, ready for what they thought was a miracle. Notebooks were flipped open with hopeful enthusiasm.
"No, you boring ass students. Not more lecturing! I meant fun," Mr. Justin said, lounging against his desk like he was hosting a game show.
"He's always proving why he was a terrible lawyer," Carrie muttered under her breath. "He can't even teach."
Julia, the class loudmouth, couldn't hold back. "Mr. Justin, exams are around the corner, and we haven't even touched family law!"
Mr. Justin smirked. "What do you mean? I've been explaining my family issues and broken relationships for weeks. Isn't that enough?"
Julia shot back without missing a beat, "And your terrible judgment in both is probably why you can't set a relationship straight!"
Mr. Justin clutched his chest dramatically. "How dare you?"
"As a future lawyer, that's my judgment on your broken ties," Julia said, bowing with mock respect.
"Well then, Ms. Trevor," Mr. Justin snapped. "Get ready for an F in this course. That's my judgment as your teacher."
"Is that a threat?" Julia challenged, raising a brow.
"No, just a design upgrade for your transcript. Imagine: AAAFAAA. It sounds more fun when you say it out loud," he said, flouncing out of the room as if he'd won the argument.
The class sat in stunned silence until Carrie whispered, "Okay. That was...unexpected." She chuckled as she packed up her books.
The blonde girl next to her, who looked like she just stepped out of a Russian fashion magazine, leaned closer. "Seems like you enjoyed the show, Carrie," she said in a clipped tone.
Carrie grimaced. "And you must be Olivia Adams, aka Ivy. First-class law student, former cheerleader who got kicked off the squad because you couldn't even nail a simple split. Pathetic, by the way. Did I miss anything?"
Olivia's composure faltered. "Are you stalking me or something?"
"Just doing my homework. If you're here to talk about Jae-wook, save it. I have nothing to do with him. In fact, I hate him almost as much as I hate your creepy smile." Carrie flashed a sinister grin before walking off, leaving Olivia gaping like a fish.
---
Minutes later Carrie walked into the cafeteria to find Ava and Leo were waiting for her, waving at her like overenthusiastic children.
"Oh my God, we heard what happened in class," Ava said, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Julia is definitely coming back to this nightmare," Carrie said, laughing.
"Not that, but that's juicy too," Leo added.
"So what are you on about?" Carrie asked, her tone nonchalant.
"I overheard some girl talking about Olivia's meeting with you," Ava teased.
Leo grinned mischievously. "Apparently, you roasted her so hard, she canceled her afternoon plans."
Ava giggled. "She's probably in therapy right now. Carrie, how do you come up with this stuff?"
"I don't come up with anything," Carrie said with a shrug. "People just make it too easy."
"By the way, where is Alex?" Leo questioned, his gaze sweeping across the room.
"He left earlier than I did. Looked like he was in a hurry," Carrie replied casually, munching on a cracker.
"Maybe something came up." Ava shrugged.
"True." Leo nodded in agreement, though a hint of curiosity lingered in his eyes.
---
MEANWHILE
Jae-wook stood in the dimly lit hallway, his jaw clenched, eyes cold as steel. The presence before him made his skin crawl, but he refused to show it.
"What do you want?" His voice was low, edged with warning, his entire demeanor exuding hostility.
Na-eun let out a slow, taunting chuckle, her red lips curling into a smile filled with wicked amusement.
"That's no way to greet your dear aunt—the one you haven't seen in so long." She tilted her head, eyes glinting with something dark. "Or have those Western brats corrupted your manners?"
Jae-wook's expression remained unreadable, but the tension in his stance deepened. "I don't have time for this. Say what you want or I walk away." His tone was sharp, leaving no room for negotiation.
Na-eun sighed dramatically. "So impatient. But fine, I'll let it slide—just for today." She reached out, presenting an elegant, beautifully decorated cake box. "You really thought I'd forget? Happy birthday, Jae-wook or should I say young master Chang?"
Jae-wook's breath hitched—just for a fraction of a second. Then, his lips curved into something dangerous, something hollow. His eyes darkened, yet there was a flicker of something even more destructive beneath the surface.
He took a step closer, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "You should keep the cake, Na-eun. You need it more than I do. Maybe, just maybe, a little sweetness could seep into your rotting, bitter soul.
The words were venomous, sharp as knives. Before she could respond, he turned on his heels and stormed away, the air around him thick with suppressed rage.
Na-eun remained still, watching his retreating figure with an eerie smile. Then, she chuckled, the sound laced with malice.
"Do I sense a threat there?" she mused, her fingers tapping against the cake box. Her eyes gleamed with a cruel excitement.
"How amusing. You still live in my cage, dear in-law… and I think it's time I tighten the bars."
With a smirk, she waved in his direction, even though he was already too far to see.
"You can run, Jae-wook," she murmured to herself, "but you can never escape, you're always only where I want you."