As soon as Iseo pressed the decline button, the phone rang again, and soon a message followed. When she checked the message, her face instantly turned pale and stiff.
> "I'm contacting you about the money issue related to Choi Byungtae. You should know well enough that ignoring calls won't end this. Let's not make things more tiring for each other."
Her hands trembled.
A feeling of anxiety spread through her whole body.
A past that turned into trauma, and a present still trapped in the shadow of debt.
She felt like something was choking her throat—she couldn't breathe properly.
Gasping quietly through her parted lips, Iseo began walking away to avoid people's eyes, looking like she might collapse at any moment.
---
Inside a luxurious hotel, all eyes turned to Taeseok as he walked in.
He looked flawless in a classic suit, truly fitting the title of Kanghwa Group's crown prince. He had an aura that made others feel they couldn't approach him.
This hotel had been planned and built under Taeseok's lead.
He had worked on every detail—from the design to the construction—for over three years without missing a single day. So, he had a strong emotional attachment to the building.
For a brief moment, Taeseok looked around the hotel, and many thoughts crossed his mind.
Among all of Kanghwa's branches, construction was where he focused most, and it was enough to show off his talent. Thanks to his continuous success, he had become a leading figure in Korea's construction industry.
But the more he became famous as an architect, the more Pilsun became obsessed with marriage.
Pilsun didn't want Taeseok to just be successful in work—she wanted him to succeed in life as a husband and father too. Her hopes had now extended beyond marriage to having a child.
He was attending the wedding on behalf of Pilsun because of her connection with Kanghwa Group.
There were luxurious chandeliers set under a canopy, and ice sculptures surrounded by fresh flowers. The overwhelming scent from the over-decorated flowers brushed past Taeseok's nose.
Wedding photos of the couple were displayed at the entrance.
For some, this was the happiest day. But to Taeseok, it was just another ordinary day. He looked at the photos with a blank expression and let out a short sigh.
Taeseok walked to the lounge area in the hotel lobby.
It was the only place in the hotel that still looked like it did in the beginning.
He designed it specially, hoping that tired people could take a short break here.
Just as Taeseok reached out and brushed his fingers along the edge of a table—
Someone suddenly rushed in through the lounge door, and his gaze turned toward the person.
A woman, out of breath, with no color in her face.
The woman who stumbled into the lounge was Iseo.
Not noticing Taeseok, Iseo collapsed to the floor as if she had no strength left.
Her handbag spilled, and its contents scattered across the floor.
She crouched down, trembling, her shoulders shaking. Taeseok started walking slowly toward her, his eyes fixed on her face.
She was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt.
She looked nothing like the woman dressed in luxury earlier that day, but Taeseok instantly recognized that she was the same person.
"Are you okay?"
Her face was pale, and she was breathing heavily.
Her body trembled with extreme anxiety.
"Haa…"
It was a typical hyperventilation symptom.
"Can you hear me?"
As her face became even paler, Taeseok gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I know it's hard, but focus on my voice."
He spoke slowly, trying to help her calm down.
"Inhale through your nose… stop… then breathe out slowly."
His deep, low voice reached her ears.
"You'll be fine. Just follow my lead. Inhale slowly… now exhale… again, inhale… exhale…"
Iseo began to follow his instructions, breathing in and out.
"Now, take one deep breath and exhale slowly, controlling your breath."
As the hot breath passed through her lips, her rough breathing began to calm down.
"Good. Keep breathing like that, slowly. One more time."
Warmth from Taeseok's hand on her back spread through her.
After a few minutes, color returned to Iseo's face.
"Are you okay?"
"I… I think so."
"That's good."
Taeseok stepped back and removed his hand from her shoulder.
Regaining her senses, Iseo quickly gathered the items scattered on the floor.
"Thank you."
She added a short apology for the trouble, then quickly left without giving him a chance to say anything else.
Taeseok's gaze remained fixed for a moment on Iseo's retreating figure.
The extreme anxiety in her eyes… her trembling body… that image wouldn't leave his mind.
Just then, as he turned to leave the lounge, Taeseok's eyes landed on a small, worn-out wallet lying on the floor.
He picked it up and opened it.
His eyes stopped on the photo and name in the ID card inside.
Pale skin, red lips, sharp facial features, and long hair falling down her neck—all of it left a strong impression on Taeseok.
He couldn't forget the face he saw in front of the department store last night.
The memory of her arguing with the man in line came back, and a strange expression appeared on Taeseok's face.
"Choi Iseo…"
Her name quietly rolled off his lips.
---
After leaving the lounge, Iseo hurried to the restroom.
Her face was covered in cold sweat, and her clothes were a mess.
Avoiding people's eyes, she stepped into the restroom and let out a deep breath.
Leaning against the wall, she exhaled heavily. Her forehead wrinkled again.
> "I'm contacting you about the money issue related to Choi Byungtae. You should know well enough that ignoring calls won't end this. Let's not make things more tiring for each other."
A message from someone.
Just seeing the name *Choi Byungtae* made Iseo bite her lips hard. Her lips turned red.
The blue veins on her clenched fists popped out, and anger boiled inside her trembling body.
That name… a label that followed her all her life.
No matter how much she tried, she couldn't cut off that toxic existence. It felt like her blood was boiling.
How long is this going to go on?
Trying to shake the thought away, Iseo shook her head and closed her eyes.
She had never even dreamed of marriage.
A man who was once her father.
Choi Byungtae, who suddenly disappeared one day, left behind debts that caused her and Soonyoung endless suffering since childhood.
She couldn't even remember when her hyperventilation symptoms started.
Even now, she was still trapped in the same cycle of debt.
The past she wanted to erase stayed deep in her heart, bringing only pain and scars.
After Choi Byungtae disappeared, leaving gambling debts behind, loan sharks and debt collectors kept threatening Soonyoung and Iseo. That led to countless moves and school changes during her childhood and teenage years—even after joining the company.
Even working almost without sleep couldn't pay off the debts. The interest was too high—it was like her soul was being drained.
Just hearing a doorbell or phone ring made her heart drop, and she couldn't breathe properly.
The calls and messages came constantly, anytime, anywhere.
Reading the message on the screen made her start gasping again, just like a habit burned into her body.
She slowly opened her eyes. Sunlight was shining through the restroom window.
Looking at the light, a bitter smile appeared on her lips.
She looked at herself in the mirror, fixed her messy clothes, and retouched her ruined makeup.
The reflection of herself surrounded by expensive brands felt like a stranger.
She bit her lips hard, trying to hold back the tears.
When the metallic taste reached her tongue, the image of the man from earlier popped into her mind.
A tall man in a suit.
The moment she thought she was going to die from that suffocating fear, and her breathing returned to normal, she remembered the gentle, heavy musk scent he wore.
A voice she had never heard before reached her ears.
As soon as that unfamiliar voice echoed, strangely, she could finally breathe again.
---