It's been a week since Jihoon left.
Since that day, Emylia hasn’t stopped.
From the moment she wakes up until she is forced to close her eyes for sleep, her life is filled with work—handling everything Jihoon left behind, controlling the people under her, ensuring all businesses run as usual.
Today, she finally removes her mask.
All this while, she has been working under a different name, hiding her identity from everyone. But now, there’s no point anymore. Jihoon is dead. Taehyung…
She bites her lip.
As she stands before Jihoon’s people, she can see the shock in their eyes.
"This woman…!"
"Emylia?"
"No way… she was supposed to—"
"She’s alive?"
She lets their whispers linger before slightly lifting her chin and signaling for silence.
"I don’t care what you think," her voice is firm. "But there’s one thing you all need to know—starting today, I’m in charge of everything."
Silence.
No one dares to speak.
She knows they are assessing her. Some might disagree, some might want to challenge her position. But Emylia doesn’t care. She has already made a promise to herself—she will make sure Jihoon’s efforts don’t go to waste.
And in the midst of managing everything, she tries not to think about the one thing that hurts the most.
Taehyung.
Yet, the more she tries to forget, the more the memories haunt her.
The deep voice of that man.
The way he says her name.
The rough yet meaningful touch every time they clashed.
And his last words—
"Go, Emylia. I don’t want to see you again."
She takes a deep breath.
She wants to be angry. To be hurt.
But she knows Taehyung didn’t say that out of hatred.
He said it out of fear.
Fear of losing again.
And now, he truly has lost her.
Emylia clenches her fingers before focusing back on the work in front of her.
Because if she stops for even a moment…
She knows she will break.
Day after day passes, and Emylia sinks deeper into the world Jihoon left behind.
As the ‘master,’ she must ensure everything runs smoothly—from the casino business to the underground dealings. There is no room for mistakes.
Today, she stands on the upper floor of the biggest casino under Jihoon’s name, watching the gaming floor below. The sound of slot machines, the laughter of drunk customers, and the voices of her people managing the crowd blend into one.
"Boss," one of Jihoon’s right-hand men, Han, pulls her out of her thoughts. "We have a problem in the VIP room. A client refuses to pay his debt."
Emylia exhales slowly. Situations like this are common.
She descends to the VIP room, where a wealthy Chinese man sits with a smug expression. A glass of wine in his hand, despite owing millions.
"Mr. Zhang," Emylia’s voice is soft but firm. "I heard you’re having trouble paying your debt?"
The man smirks. "I just need more time, darling. You know, business isn’t always profitable."
Emylia raises an eyebrow. "Time? I don’t think you deserve more time."
She signals to Han, and he, along with a few others, drags Zhang from his seat.
"What are you doing?!" Zhang struggles.
Emylia leans in, whispering in his ear. "You can pay now, or you won’t be leaving here in one piece."
In the end, after a few threats and one punch from Han, the man gives in. He makes a call, and within an hour, the money is delivered.
Problem solved.
And so, her days go by—problem after problem, decision after decision.
And in the midst of it all, she doesn’t realize…
Weeks have passed, and she hasn’t once tried to find Taehyung.
Not because she doesn’t want to.
But every time she wants to pause and search for him, work keeps coming at her relentlessly.
She can’t escape.
Because now, she is no longer just Emylia.
She is the new Master here.
Sitting in the casino’s main office, Emylia goes through Jihoon’s old files. She carefully reviews every document—contracts, investments, profits, and debts.
However, one thing catches her attention.
Among the business documents, there is a name she doesn’t recognize. Not a full name, just a codename as a major partner in several of Jihoon’s projects.
"Black Fox."
Emylia frowns. She has never heard that name before. If Jihoon ever mentioned it, she must have overlooked it.
"Han," she calls without looking up.
Han, who is standing near the door, immediately approaches the desk. "Yes, boss?"
"Who is Black Fox?" Emylia closes the file and looks at him sharply.
Han hesitates before answering. "One of Jihoon’s key partners… but the boss never met him. All dealings were done in secrecy. Even Jihoon never revealed his identity."
Emylia leans back in her chair. "Since Jihoon is gone, I don’t see a reason why we should continue doing business with him."
Han stays silent, waiting for her next command.
"Arrange a meeting," Emylia orders. "I want to meet him personally and cancel this partnership. I don’t trust anyone who still works in the shadows."
Han nods, though there is a hint of doubt in his expression. "Alright, boss. But… if he was Jihoon’s partner, there’s a chance he’s not an ordinary person."
Emylia smirks. "If he’s not ordinary, then he should know that I’m not either."
Han gives a small smile before leaving to arrange the meeting.
Emylia takes a deep breath.
Now, she just has to wait and see… who Black Fox really is.
Not long after giving the order, a tall man in a black suit enters her office. From the way he walks and his posture, Emylia can tell he’s not just a regular messenger. This is someone who knows what he’s doing.
"Our boss couldn’t make it," the man says in a deep voice. "But I’m here to negotiate on behalf of Black Fox."
Emylia leans back in her chair, observing him. "I don’t need to negotiate. I just want to end the partnership."
The man raises an eyebrow, seemingly amused by her boldness. "And why do you think we would agree?"
Emylia gives a thin smile. "Because Jihoon is dead. All agreements were made between him and Black Fox, not me. I have no obligation to continue what he left behind."
The man studies her intently. "This deal involves many parties. If you cut it off just like that, there will be consequences."
Emylia crosses her arms. "Oh? Are you threatening me?"
"It’s not a threat," the man replies calmly. "Just a reminder of the risks."
Emylia lets out a quiet chuckle, but there’s an edge of warning in her voice. "Listen… I’m in charge now, so I make the decisions. If Black Fox has a problem with that, tell him to meet me himself."
The man doesn’t react immediately, merely reassessing her with his gaze.
Emylia leans forward, closing the distance between them. "I don’t care who Black Fox is. If he thinks I’ll follow the old rules, he’s wrong. I have my own way. And if he tries to interfere… I’ll make sure he regrets it."
There was a moment of silence. The man finally sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll deliver the message to Black Fox."
Emylia smirked in satisfaction. "Good. I hope we won’t have to meet again."
The man turned and left the room, leaving Emylia alone.
She took a deep breath.
One problem was solved.
But… who exactly was Black Fox?
•••
Jungkook stood in front of his office window, gazing at the city skyline illuminated by neon lights. A cigar burned between his fingers, the ash slowly building as he tapped it lightly.
"Emylia canceled the deal."
The voice came from Kris, his trusted man, who stood firmly in front of the desk.
Jungkook took a deep breath before turning around, his sharp eyes locking onto Kris. "That woman sure has guts."
"She didn’t hesitate, boss. She doesn’t care who we are. Threats don’t work on her," Kris reported calmly.
Jungkook raised an eyebrow. "Interesting… She thinks she can just walk away like that?"
Kris shook his head. "She’s confident because she now holds everything Jihoon left behind. She’s not an ordinary woman, boss. I’ve dug deeper into her background."
Jungkook smirked. "And?"
"She was involved with Kim Taehyung."
Jungkook's eyes narrowed slightly. "Taehyung?"
"Yes. They weren’t just acquaintances; they have a deep history. In fact, there’s a strong possibility she still has feelings for him."
Jungkook was silent for a moment before letting out a dark chuckle.
"So… she thinks she can step into my world, challenge me, and walk away without consequences?" He flicked the cigar’s remains into the glass ashtray on his desk before stepping closer to Kris. "I won’t let her off that easily."
Kris nodded. "What are your orders, boss?"
Jungkook smirked. "We’ll play her game. If she’s too busy with business, we’ll entangle her in something she can’t control."
"And Taehyung?"
Jungkook thought for a moment before letting out a small chuckle. "If he still matters to Emylia… then he’ll be part of my plan too."
Kris smirked knowingly. "Understood, boss. I’ll arrange everything."
Jungkook nodded before turning back to the window.
Emylia… you made the wrong move this time.
Jungkook leaned back in his chair, his fingers playing with a silver ring on his hand. There was no rush. Every move had to be executed perfectly, without flaw.
"Kris," he called out.
"Yes, boss."
"Find Taehyung’s location."
Kris raised an eyebrow slightly, as if understanding where Jungkook was going with this. "You’re planning to use him?"
Jungkook smirked. "Emylia made a mistake by stepping into my territory without fear. I’ll make her regret it."
He leaned forward, locking eyes with Kris meaningfully. "And there’s no better way to break her than by using the one person she’s weakest against."
Kris nodded. "Understood, boss. I’ll track Taehyung down as soon as possible."
Jungkook nodded slowly, letting his mind craft the next step of his strategy.
Kim Taehyung… you will be the key to bringing Emylia to her knees.
•••
Taehyung’s POV
The deep hum of Taehyung’s luxury car engine echoed through the streets of Seoul. He had just returned from Thailand, carrying exhaustion and an emotional burden too heavy to put into words. He wanted to focus entirely on his business, to forget all the chaos that had unfolded.
But as soon as he turned into an alley leading to his company’s parking lot, his instincts flared.
From the side mirror, he spotted several muscular men approaching with determined strides. They were dressed casually, but their aura screamed anything but ordinary.
An ambush?
Taehyung had no time to think. The moment he stepped out of his car, one of the men charged at him with a baseball bat.
Swiftly, Taehyung sidestepped, kicking the man backward. But before he could catch his breath, two more men lunged at him from the sides.
Pang!
Taehyung’s fist connected squarely with one man’s jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. The other grabbed his shoulder, but Taehyung twisted his body skillfully and drove his elbow into the man’s stomach with full force. The attacker groaned in pain.
"Didn’t bring enough people, did you?" Taehyung mocked.
Another man rushed forward, wielding a small knife, aiming straight for him. Taehyung swiftly caught the man’s wrist, twisting it sharply until the knife clattered to the ground. With a single strike, he slammed his elbow into the man’s head.
Bam!
The man collapsed, unconscious. The remaining attackers hesitated, clearly realizing they had underestimated their target.
Taehyung stood in the middle of the alley, his chest rising and falling with adrenaline still surging through him. His sharp gaze scanned the remaining men.
"Who sent you?" he asked coldly.
No answer. The ones still conscious merely furrowed their brows, seemingly afraid to speak.
Taehyung sighed before stepping toward one of the men still sitting on the ground. Grabbing the man’s collar roughly, he pulled him closer.
"I’ll ask one more time," he whispered, voice sharp as a blade. "Who sent you?"
Footsteps suddenly echoed at the end of the alley.
"Taehyung!"
The familiar voice made Taehyung turn his head instantly. Ray stood there, his expression serious, eyes scanning the scene.
Sensing Ray’s presence, the remaining attackers panicked. Without hesitation, they fled in the opposite direction, disappearing into the narrow alleyways before they could be stopped.
"Damn it," Taehyung muttered, releasing his grip on the man’s collar. But the guy quickly scrambled to his feet and ran before Taehyung could react.
Ray approached, frowning at Taehyung. "What happened? Who attacked you?"
Taehyung exhaled heavily, still trying to steady his racing heart. "I don’t know. But someone is clearly looking for trouble with me."
Ray glanced at the now-empty alley before turning back to Taehyung. "Are you okay?"
Taehyung nodded, though his hand still tingled from the fight. "I’m fine. I just need to know who’s behind this."
Ray crossed his arms, looking unconvinced. "If you want answers, I can help investigate. But first, you need to be more careful, Taehyung. An unseen enemy is more dangerous than one you know."
Taehyung remained silent, his mind racing with possibilities. Who had sent those men? And for what purpose?
Ray patted his shoulder lightly. "Come on, we can’t stay here. I’ll take you home first, then we’ll figure out what to do next."
Taehyung nodded slowly, following Ray out of the alley.
One thing was certain—this wasn’t a random attack.
Someone was watching his movements.
And he needed to be ready for whatever came next.