By Zephyria Two pairs of eyes focused on Yu-jin at the violent cry. Winston frowned, and Charlotte was terrified with her eyebrows drooping.
Ah, damn it.
Yu-jin immediately regretted it. He shouldn’t have made eye contact with Charlotte. At that moment, Yu-jin’s heart completely crumbled. He felt pathetic for being so afraid and trembling all this time. What more could someone with that expression do? Winston opened his mouth at his hesitant appearance with his head bowed, unable to continue speaking.
“Is it enough to just hear her out?”
“Huh?”
Winston looked at Yu-jin with a dry expression as he inadvertently raised his head and said again.”You just need to listen to the story. Is that what you want?”
Yu-jin looked at Charlotte again. She was already shedding tears. Seeing her covering her mouth with both hands and trying to hold back her sobs, Yu-jin’s wariness disappeared.
“…Yes.”
It was then that he felt a strange sense of unease. After answering, Yu-jin thought that Winston’s words sounded odd.
‘What you want.’
Why does it feel like there’s something else after that?
As he hesitated and looked around, Winston ordered Charlotte.
“Speak, since Yu-jin wants to hear it.”
At those words, Charlotte was startled, and Yu-jin also widened his eyes.
“You, you’re going to stay too?”
He naturally thought that they would leave him alone with her, but he was quite taken aback by the unexpected situation. In response to Yu-jin’s reaction, Winston spoke as if he was dumbfounded.
“Leave you alone with the woman who tried to kill you? Why, should I leave a gun behind too, while I’m at it? So you can make sure she doesn’t fail this time.”
Yu-jin was completely deflated by the sarcastic words.
“That’s not what I meant… Don’t you already know? There’s no need to hear it again…”
There’s a huge difference between hearing it alone and having a third party present. Charlotte might not tell the whole truth. If that happens, Yu-jin might never know. And there’s no reason for Winston to tell Yu-jin, is there? He’d want to hide the misfortune that happened in his family anyway.
“I haven’t heard it.”
“What?”
His train of thought was broken by the unexpected answer. When Yu-jin asked without realizing it, Winston continued in a slow tone.
“There’s plenty of time, and there’s no need to rush.”
The corners of his mouth loosened. Even though he couldn’t tell what he was thinking, a chill ran down his spine. Combined with the strange feeling from before, he felt like he knew a little this time.
Could he be planning something with Charlotte…?
Maybe he’s planning something even worse than he imagines. He definitely will. Yu-jin will want to meet her, and that’s why he’s leaving her in good condition. To show that he hasn’t done anything to harm Charlotte. But after this is over, Charlotte will definitely…
I’ll grant you what you want, but I’ll take care of the ending.
Only then was the perfect sentence formed. Yu-jin wavered for a moment. Is Winston really the one saying those words? The he he knew was such a kind man. He always said he loved him, was kind to everyone, and was rational in everything he did. He was never so arrogant or intimidating, as if he would get rid of anyone who bothered him. Yu-jin was now more afraid of Winston, feeling a hint of murderous intent in the air.
Well, the old he wouldn’t have said such harsh things to me.
When will he be able to accept that the Winston he loved is gone? Yu-jin’s mind was complicated by the fact that he had once again indulged in old memories and momentarily forgotten reality. The man in front of him now is not him. Changing his mind and raising his head, Yu-jin’s eyes were somewhat stable.
“Okay, then stay there.”
Yu-jin decided to focus on Charlotte now. It took another courage to look at her face again, but he resolutely lifted his chin and met her gaze. Thin and tall, she was hunched over and looked half her actual size. Yu-jin felt bitter and opened his mouth.
“Charlotte.”
“I, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that…”
Just calling her name made Charlotte burst into tears and sob loudly. She was crying so hard that he was worried she might faint. As he didn’t know what to do, Winston warned her in a cold voice.
“I’ll give you only five minutes. Finish your story within that time.”
He didn’t say what he would do otherwise. But that was enough. Charlotte gasped for breath as if she was about to suffocate, barely stopping her crying. He wanted to give her something to wipe her face, but Yu-jin had nothing. He could only watch her rubbing her cheeks meaninglessly with her hands, which were as wet as her face.
“I want to know why you did that to me.”
Yu-jin paused before finally speaking.
“Did I make some big mistake to you? Enough to make you think you had to… kill me?”
The word didn’t come out easily. Charlotte distorted her face again as if she was about to cry at the words that were barely connected after a pause, as if they were stuck in her throat, but fortunately, she seemed to be biting her lip and holding back.
“You… said it.”
She finally confessed through her sobbing voice.
“Gordon said he hit a woman… that the woman almost died… And that he covered it up using despicable means.”
Yu-jin was momentarily stunned by the unexpected words. As Yu-jin was just blinking, Charlotte finally burst out with intense emotion and shouted.
“Why do you know that? Why, how!”
“Charlotte…”
Yu-jin was flustered and just called her name. It was certain that he had crossed the line. But even so, to try to kill him, there must be another reason.
Could it be, could it be…?
“Do you know who she is?”
Yu-jin’s voice trembled slightly. Charlotte immediately scoffed. A hysterical laugh escaped from her, who had been crying and sobbing until just now. As he watched with bated breath, Charlotte glared at Yu-jin with agitated eyes and gritted her teeth.
“Ah, of course I know. I know very well.”
She quickly clenched and unclenched her fists. He couldn’t tell if it was because she was nervous, because she couldn’t control her emotions, or for another reason. And Charlotte finally revealed the truth.
“That woman is my sister.”
47
Only Charlotte’s rough breathing echoed through the heavy silence. Yu-jin momentarily didn’t understand what he had heard. What did she just say? Charlotte and that woman… what?
“She’s my sister.”
Charlotte continued to insist roughly.
“The person Gordon beat and almost killed is my own sister. Do you understand now? Why I did that?”
Her usually quiet and unconfident voice gradually rose. Her voice was still shaking like scratching glass, to the point where it hurt his ears. But Charlotte didn’t care and continued to lash out as if protesting.
“That was something you shouldn’t have known. Everyone kept it a secret, and we were living well until now, so why did you tell me that? You must have wanted something! To threaten me? You’re going to tell people what Gordon and I did! What I did to get into the Campbell family, even though my sister’s man, even though my sister was in that state, you’re going to tell everyone…!”
She grabbed her head and screamed. It was as if she had gone completely insane. When Yu-jin curled up in fear, Winston suddenly stood up. The man’s huge body gave the illusion that the wide hospital room had suddenly shrunk infinitely.
“Is that enough now?”
His voice was still dry. For the first time, Yu-jin felt a little grateful that Winston had joined him. Maybe he had expected this result.
He must have already guessed.
He would know everything about his family’s affairs, so he would have guessed the reason. That’s why there was no need to rush. Now Yu-jin felt like he understood his actions one by one.
“…It’s enough.”
When Yu-jin answered after a pause, Winston immediately grabbed Charlotte’s arm. Charlotte, terrified, tried to resist while crying, but it was no use.
“Wait a minute.”
Yu-jin belatedly shouted at Winston, who was about to push her out of the hospital room and hand her over to the security guard.
“I might… have more questions to ask, so don’t do anything too harsh to her.”
Even he thought his words weren’t very convincing. But Yu-jin’s heart was sincere. Above all, Charlotte’s face was too strongly imprinted in his mind. He wouldn’t be able to bear the guilt if something happened to her.
It’s for me.
Yu-jin thought repeatedly. It’s because I don’t want to get hurt, it’s not for that person.
Winston looked at Yu-jin without saying a word, then turned his head and pushed Charlotte to the security guard. Charlotte’s crying quickly faded away, and only the two of them were left in the hospital room again.