POV: Male Lead (Ahn Min-jae)
Min-jae barely had time to process his mother's words before the tension in the air snapped. The masked men in front of him weren't here to talk—they were here to take him by force.
One of them lunged first, a swift strike aimed at his ribs. Min-jae dodged instinctively, his years of training kicking in. Ha-neul moved quickly, positioning herself to shield his mother.
The second attacker came at Min-jae with a knife. He grabbed the man's wrist mid-swing, twisting sharply. A pained grunt escaped the assailant as the weapon clattered to the ground.
"You really think you can drag me back like this?" Min-jae growled, driving a punch into the man's stomach.
Another man rushed toward Ha-neul, but she was faster. With a sharp spin, she kicked him in the chest, sending him stumbling back.
Min-jae turned to his mother. "Go inside. Lock the door."
She hesitated, her eyes filled with fear, but Ha-neul nodded firmly. "We'll handle this."
Reluctantly, his mother disappeared into the house.
The leader of the masked men stood still, watching. He wasn't fighting. He was observing.
Min-jae narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
The man slowly removed his mask, revealing sharp features and cold, calculating eyes.
"My name is Jang Hyun-sik," he said. "I work for your father."
Min-jae's fists clenched. "So you're his lapdog."
Hyun-sik smirked. "Not quite. Your father sent me to bring you back, but I'm not here to fight you. I came to give you a warning."
Min-jae scoffed. "A warning? After sending his men to attack me?"
Hyun-sik ignored the jab. "You think you're close to the truth, don't you?" He took a step closer. "You have no idea how deep this goes, Min-jae. Walk away now, and you might still have a chance to live a normal life."
Min-jae's jaw tightened. "If I walk away, I'll never know the truth."
Hyun-sik's expression darkened. "Then be prepared to lose everything."
With a sharp motion, he signaled to his men. They retreated without another word, disappearing into the night as quickly as they had arrived.
Ha-neul let out a slow breath. "That was… unexpected."
Min-jae's mind was racing. He turned to her. "They weren't here to kill me. They were here to scare me."
Ha-neul nodded. "But why? What does your father know that he doesn't want you to find out?"
Min-jae looked back at the house where his mother had hidden away.
"There's only one way to find out," he said, determination burning in his eyes.
He wasn't going to stop until he uncovered the truth—no matter the cost.
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