Chapter Thirteen: The Turning Point Is

Yang Xizhen and Shen Dongxu were taken to the police station. Although Han Ji-eun didn’t want things to come to this, she had no choice.

Rachel Liu bought a band-aid at a roadside service station and stuck it on Jin Won’s face, hoping to prevent infection until they could get to the hospital.

Jin Won’s entire face was dark with anger, but since Shen Dongxu had already been dragged into the police car, he couldn’t vent his fury on the man. Though he was an elite, he certainly wasn’t above using force.

Seeing his expression, Rachel Liu couldn’t help but laugh. Her laughter made Jin Won realize how absurd he looked, and his face relaxed a little.

But their “deep gaze” was quickly interrupted.

What started as a minor incident was blown out of proportion when Jin Won called the police, uncovering a case of fraud. Rachel Liu and Jin Won became witnesses for Han Ji-eun, so they had to go to the station to give statements.

Rachel Liu was worried about Jin Won’s injury. That woman was truly vicious, lunging at him with her nails, leaving a long, swollen scratch on his right cheek.

“Brother, let’s go to the hospital first,” she said to a nearby officer. “Can we treat the wound before heading to the station?”

Once they got permission, Rachel Liu hurried Jin Won to the nearest hospital. Her proactive attitude was mostly because Han Ji-eun was her friend. Otherwise, Jin Won wouldn’t have been involved, and besides, he had to go to work tomorrow. It wouldn’t do for a CEO—or perhaps president—to show up with injuries resembling those from domestic violence.

Jin Won, for once, found himself at someone else’s mercy, but the feeling wasn’t so bad.

Rachel Liu bustled about, and Jin Won’s face was wrapped in bandages, transforming him from a victim of domestic violence to someone injured in an accident.

He glanced at himself in the mirror; the situation was truly bizarre. He had to call Director Yoon and decided to continue working remotely the next day.

Yoon Jae-ho sounded mournful. “Young Master Kim Tan is back lately. Are you not even coming to the office?”

Of course, that wasn’t the reason, but Jin Won didn’t elaborate. Just then Rachel Liu called out, “Brother, do you have any change? They don’t accept cards here.”

She was picking up medicine for Jin Won.

Yoon Jae-ho was stunned, recalling Jin Won’s SNS posts, and suddenly felt uneasy.

“President…”

The phone clicked and was disconnected.

When Rachel Liu walked over, she realized Jin Won had been on the phone. “Sorry.” He seemed to have hung up hurriedly, clearly interrupted.

Jin Won shook his head. “It’s fine. Go pay.”

After settling the bill, they rushed to the police station, where a spectacle was unfolding.

Yang Xizhen was attractive enough but brash, with a petty mindset.

As soon as Rachel Liu entered, she heard Yang Xizhen shouting.

“Han Ji-eun, you’re so cruel! After more than ten years of friendship, you’d let us rot in jail? I’m pregnant, do you know that? Oh, my stomach hurts! Honey, my stomach hurts!”

Shen Dongxu comforted his wife while glaring at Han Ji-eun.

Han Ji-eun tried to say a few words, but Yang Xizhen’s hysterics drowned her out.

Rachel Liu wanted to turn around and leave.

It was like a weapon of mass destruction. Jin Won’s brows furrowed; even with his oddly bandaged face, nothing could stop him from exuding a chilling aura.

Dressed in a suit, Jin Won looked formidable, and Rachel Liu wore a newly tailored dress. As soon as they entered, everyone’s eyes were drawn to them.

Sometimes, a person’s aura is a strange thing. Standing there, they seemed like celebrities stepping out of a TV screen, radiating their own light.

Yang Xizhen realized she’d provoked someone important. When Jin Won glanced at her, she froze, shrinking behind Shen Dongxu. Han Ji-eun discreetly wiped away tears—after this, she truly had no hope left for these friends.

With Jin Won’s arrival, things were quickly resolved. Rachel Liu told the investigators everything she knew, and the next step would be gathering evidence. Until then, her friends would be detained.

After two hours at the station, Han Ji-eun felt deeply apologetic, especially seeing the handsome Jin Won now bandaged up like that—it left her embarrassed to face them.

Despite her embarrassment, Jin Won still escorted Han Ji-eun to the hotel. Rachel Liu stayed with Han Ji-eun to chat, while Jin Won returned to his room, his first task being to shower. Though his face couldn’t touch water, a bath was still possible.

He was exhausted; today had been chaotic, and he’d even been injured.

Whether in China or Korea, whenever he was with Rachel Liu, something was bound to happen.

But this was better than a monotonous life.

Ten days later, Empire High School began its term.

On the first day, Rachel Liu heard rumors that the second son of the Empire Group would enroll at the school. Although this stirred her heart, she was somewhat prepared, having already met Kim Tan and Cha Eun-sang.

Li Bona came running while Rachel Liu was organizing her things in the storage room. After the break, she wasn’t sure what she’d left last semester—the locker was packed.

“Hey, is it true that Kim Tan is back?”

Li Bona wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with Rachel Liu, but they weren’t close either—each seemed to look down on the other.

She’d wanted to be sarcastic, especially knowing Li Bona was Kim Tan’s ex-girlfriend, but recalled her conversation with Han Ji-eun that day:

[You probably think I’m foolish, too lenient with friends, but sometimes you have to let your guard down to make friends, right? It’s like we’re opposites.]

So she hesitated and replied, “I don’t know, but he’s back in Korea.”

Even without a smile or eye contact, Rachel Liu’s tone surprised Li Bona.

Had this girl spent her vacation cultivating her temperament?

“Speaking of which,” Li Bona couldn’t hold back, “is it true between you and Jin Won? There’s a lot of gossip.”

After all, the school belonged to Empire Group. The rumors about Jin Won and Rachel Liu’s “private meeting” in Beijing were prime fodder, especially since Kim Tan was returning—another love triangle seemed imminent.

But…

Rachel Liu scoffed. Wasn’t Cha Eun-sang the perfect lightning rod for drama?

“Look,” she raised her brow and pointed ahead, “see that girl?”

She wasn’t wearing the Empire High School uniform, walking side by side with Yoon Chan-young on campus.

Li Bona’s eyes widened in shock. “Cha Eun-sang! Why is she so close to our Chan-young? Why is she here? It’s so annoying—I can’t get rid of her!”

Every time she went out with Chan-young, they’d end up at Cha Eun-sang’s workplace. Bona had been at her limit, hoping school would keep Chan-young away, but now Eun-sang was here at Empire High.

“I have to drive her out,” Bona said, kicking the floor and hurrying away.

“Good luck,” Rachel Liu said gleefully.

“That’s not very nice,” Choi Young-do said, stepping out from the corner, leaning lazily against the lockers and looking down at Rachel Liu. “Watching from the sidelines is your usual style, but aren’t you going to check it out?”

Rachel Liu didn’t want to engage. Choi Young-do was notorious for bullying the weak at school. She didn’t interfere, but she didn’t approve either.

Still, his words had merit.

Because Kim Tan arrived on the second day of school, accompanied by Cha Eun-sang.

A spectacle indeed—one that might make the chairman faint if she saw it.

Li Bona had already “snatched” Chan-young away. Kim Tan and Cha Eun-sang were talking, but Eun-sang seemed reluctant to engage.

“Who is that girl?” Choi Young-do wondered, staring at Cha Eun-sang. Her figure was unremarkable, clad in outdated jeans, looking out of place beside Li Bona, Kim Tan, and Yoon Chan-young.

“Let’s go watch the show,” the boy said with a wicked grin to Rachel Liu. “It’s bound to be entertaining.”

“No interest.”

Rachel Liu was unimpressed and turned to leave.

Choi Young-do shrugged and headed toward Kim Tan.

That day, the standoff between Choi Young-do and Kim Tan at the school entrance drew a crowd. The girl standing by Kim Tan was also watched, but her plain looks, rustic attire, and lack of presence led everyone to assume she was Kim Tan’s maid from home.

Let’s skip the details—none of it was particularly significant. The only thing that mattered was Rachel Liu receiving a call from Esther after class.

“Come home right after school. I need to tell you something.”

Rachel Liu wondered what could be so urgent. Her relationship with her mother had warmed slightly in recent days, making her happy, so she hurried home after class. The news she received nearly made her snap.

“I’m getting married. The groom is Representative Choi from Zeus Hotel,” Esther said with a gentle smile. “Tomorrow, we’ll dine together, and you must get along with Choi Young-do.”

“Are you insane?” She’d come home with a bit of hope, only to be struck by thunder. “Do you know what kind of person he is? Do you not see the wounds Choi Young-do always has? Do you know why he divorced? What’s good about a man with violent tendencies?”

Esther knew her daughter would react this way. “It’s just a marriage of convenience; don’t make such a fuss.”

She said it so calmly, as if fate was inescapable for them.

“Convenience? Isn’t it all about Empire Group’s shares?”

Rachel Liu questioned the still-glamorous woman coldly, nearly losing her sanity. “If you really want Empire Group’s shares, why not let me marry Jin Won? Wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone?”

After saying this, Rachel Liu stormed out. As expected, Esther was furious. “Go ahead—if you leave, don’t come back!”

Rachel Liu paused, steeled herself, and left. Yet as the door closed, regret washed over her. She knew her mother worried about her relationship with Jin Won, but in her fury, she’d said things that hurt the most important person.

She left with nothing, barely any cash. Wiping her tears to avoid looking so pitiful, she wandered aimlessly through the streets, determined not to return yet.

As she was walking, she suddenly heard a loud shout from afar. “Ah… make way!”

She turned, just in time to see Cha Eun-sang barreling toward her on a bike, about to crash, only to be stopped by a man who appeared out of nowhere.

“Honestly, I’m not lying. If you join us as a trainee, we’ll pay you double. If you succeed, money won’t be an issue… balabala…”