Bonus chapter (2/2)! Thanks to Goosey & Jess for the Kofi~
Through Sarah Stewart, Hyunseung learned that the person blackmailing him was likely someone named ‘Wales.’
He called the number immediately.
Sure enough, when he asked, “Mr. Wales?” the man’s flustered reaction confirmed his suspicion.
“But how did you know?”
After making sure the call was disconnected, Hyunseung turned to Sarah and asked.
“It happened a while ago, but he once tried to blackmail the Unice Music Group.”
“Blackmail?”
“Yeah. He somehow found out that Mateo and I are father and daughter and tried to use that against us.”
Hyunseung’s expression hardened at Sarah’s answer.
That…
There was a high probability it was because of him.
He was the one who had brought the estranged father and daughter together and even recorded them, so Wales likely discovered the truth while tailing him.
“Don’t make that face; I’m not saying it’s your fault,” Sarah said firmly, as if reading his mind, before adding as she recalled the memory. “Back then, there was a huge fuss about suing him or paying him off, and I happened to overhear Austin talking about it.”
Hyunseung nodded without saying much. He felt guilty, thinking it was his doing.
“Wales… that man is infamous in this industry. They call him the ‘Informant’ because there’s nothing he doesn’t know about this business. It’s said that unless you’re someone truly important, you’ll never see him in person. Most people don’t even know his name.”
Sarah looked at Hyunseung and added emphatically, “Apparently, he used to be a reporter for BNC. An elite one, too; very passionate, with a great track record.”
“A reporter?”
“Yes. But that passion led to his downfall. While he was at BNC, he caught a major scoop and published it with his superiors’ approval, but it turned into a massive problem.”
“And then?”
“The usual. BNC framed him, saying it was his sole doing, and kicked him out.”
“I see.”
“So he eventually quit journalism altogether and now works as an informant in this industry.”
Sarah continued her explanation calmly, but her tone soon grew heated.
“But ‘informant’ is just a nice way of putting it. In the end, he’s just a paparazzi, someone who makes money by selling other people’s weaknesses and private lives.”
“So, how did you handle it?”
“Unice and my dad gave him a lot of money. Of course, they made him sign a contract stating he’d destroy all information related to me.”
Sarah grabbed the shoulder of the silent Hyunseung.
“There are rumors that if Wales opens his mouth, all of America will be in an uproar.”
She warned him, meeting his eyes.
“So, be careful.”
The moment his eyes met Sarah’s, memories of the past resurfaced. Hyunseung avoided her gaze and gave a vague answer.
“First, I’ve agreed to meet him, so I’ll be going.”
He then picked up his helmet.
Just then.
Hyuna grabbed his sleeve.
“Oppa, I’m coming too!”
“No.”
“Why! This is about me!”
Hyunseung pulled Hyuna’s hand away, placed his hands on her shoulders, and met her eyes.
“Min Hyuna, listen carefully.”
He spoke in a very firm tone.
“I know how you feel, but I am your guardian. It’s only natural for me, your guardian, to protect you.”
Hyuna’s lips parted as if to argue.
“So, don’t think about anything else. Follow Sarah and stay at home.”
Overwhelmed by Hyunseung’s firm resolve, Hyuna eventually pressed her lips tight.
“Miss Sarah, can you take her home?”
He asked, gently pushing Hyuna toward Sarah.
“Yes, I will.”
Sarah nodded without a second’s hesitation.
She judged that this was the point where she should step back.
She trusted that Hyunseung would handle whatever came next.
“Let’s go.”
Just as she was about to lead Hyuna out of the CEO’s office.
“Sarah.”
Hyunseung called out to her cautiously.
“Once things are settled, I’ll call you. I have something to tell you.”
Sarah was momentarily taken aback by those words.
“Oh, okay…”
Her cheeks flushed as she hurried her pace.
Hyunseung arrived at a secluded bar on the outskirts of the city.
Wales had chosen the location himself. Hyunseung didn’t want to follow his lead, but Wales had argued that it wouldn’t be good for either of them to be seen in public.
Hyunseung complied, as it was described as a secret meeting place.
Creeak, creeak.
The sign, as worn out as the building’s exterior, swayed in the wind. The place looked so old that one might wonder if any customers ever came here.
Perhaps because it was late, there were few people on the street.
Thump, thump.
As he descended the narrow, long staircase leading to the basement, a dark iron door blocked his path.
“Ahem.”
Standing before it, Hyunseung carefully adjusted his helmet.
Then, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The interior was as empty as expected.
At the bar counter, which looked like it couldn’t even seat five men, a woman sat facing the bartender.
The three or four small tables were completely empty.
Except for one.
‘That’s him.’
Seeing a man sitting with his back to him, Hyunseung slowly walked toward him.
Step, step.
As he approached the man presumed to be Wales.
“The songs the bartender plays here are quite good.”
The man spoke without turning around.
“It seems so.”
Startled, Hyunseung’s body gave a small involuntary shiver, but he responded calmly.
Does this man have eyes in the back of his head? Well, I suppose someone with senses this sharp could work as an informant… no, as a paparazzi.
Screech.
Hyunseung pulled out the opposite chair and sat down.
“I figured you’d come wearing a helmet.”
The man presumed to be Wales gave a faint smile as he looked at Hyunseung, as if he were glad to see him.
“Let’s skip the greetings and small talk and get straight to the point.”
Hyunseung, irritated by Wales’s attitude, spoke firmly.
That’s right.
They weren’t in a relationship where they should be exchanging pleasantries or asking after each other.
The blackmailer and the blackmailed.
What else would two such people have to talk about while sitting across from each other?
“How much do you want?”
It would all come down to money.
“Your impatience… Which of your parents did you inherit that from?”
Instead of answering, Wales scratched at Hyunseung’s nerves with a smirking face.
“Are you indirectly telling me to be careful because you know everything about my parents?”
“That wasn’t my intention, but it’s true that I know a bit.”
Then, as if finding something incredibly amusing, he continued with a smirk.
“Like how your mother passed away in an accident when you were young, and that your father is hearing impaired?”
Hyunseung felt as if the air had been knocked out of him. The fact that his mother died in an accident was information he had never shared with anyone.
Which meant this wasn’t information he’d gathered from someone else, but something he’d uncovered on his own.
“Just give me the figure.”
Hyunseung was struck by the thought that if he talked with this man any longer, he might lose his composure.
He felt he needed to end the negotiation as quickly as possible.
“From what I heard earlier, it seems your sister has quite a desire to become famous. Was I wrong?”
“Stop playing games and just give me the amount.”
Wales’s eyebrows flickered at those words.
“I’m not playing games.”
The smile vanished as he continued.
“I’m seriously considering spreading information about your sister.”
“You, you bastard…”
“I told you, you’re very impatient.”
He heartlessly cut Hyunseung off and asked back.
“In this situation, do you really think continuing to hide your sister is the right answer?”
“What?”
“You say people are boycotting Baddy right now, but you know how it is. The public forgets quickly.”
“So?”
“Moreover, there are more people enthusiastic about him than you think. In the midst of that, your sister’s identity remains completely hidden. And then, what if Baddy gets arrested?”
Wales paused and tilted his head.
“Where do you think the arrows will fly then?”
As if answering his own question, he held up one finger and elaborated.
“A Korean girl who hid behind her successful brother and sued Baddy just because she heard one derogatory remark.”
“Hyuna….”
“Exactly. The arrows will turn toward your sister.”
Wales pointed his finger directly at Hyunseung.
“And those arrows will soon pierce you as well.”
His face looked delighted, as if he found the whole thing thrilling.
Hyunseung couldn’t answer immediately. Wales’s words held a certain amount of logic.
People could be surprisingly ungenerous when it came to who they chose to pity.
Yes.
Even in his past life, they had torn him apart without mercy.
Only when news of his father’s passing broke did they send tokens of sympathy.
It was a ridiculous thing, but that was the reality.
Unless Baddy committed an inhumane crime right now, there was a high probability he would receive sympathy from the public before long.
They would ask if it was really necessary to go as far as a lawsuit over a few words.
They would frame our side as heartless.
Furthermore, we were foreigners from another country.
“I don’t care.”
Even so, he didn’t want to throw his sister into the court of public opinion for such reasons.
Yes, anyway…
“Like you said, the public will forget soon enough.”
As Hyunseung finished firmly, Wales stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Haha, hahahaha!”
“What’s so funny?”
“You really are interesting.”
Hyunseung couldn’t understand Wales’s reaction. What on earth was so funny?
Eventually, Wales wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and pulled a small piece of film from his inner pocket, placing it on the table.
“What is this?”
Hyunseung asked, looking back and forth between the film and Wales with wary eyes.
“The thing you need most right now.”
Wales added, his lips curling upward.
“Baddy’s weakness.”
“Are you trying to sell me information on Baddy now?”
Hyunseung asked, narrowing his eyes.
“No, I’ll just give it to you.”
“Why?”
“I told you. Because it’s interesting.”
Unlike the serious-looking Hyunseung, Wales had a constant smile on his face, as if he found the situation quite entertaining.
“So, let’s protect your sister and send Baddy away for good. Right down to the roots, so he can’t even beg for sympathy.”
“You’re helping me with no conditions, simply because it’s ‘interesting’? You, the man who was blackmailing me?”
However, Hyunseung didn’t trust Wales.
Perhaps this, too, was a trap set to lead him into a quagmire.
Yes.
Swallowing something you don’t know well is a sure way to get sick.
“Just be honest and ask for money.”
Hyunseung pushed the film away.
At that, Wales handed the film back to Hyunseung.
“To be honest, there is only one thing I want.”
He met Hyunseung’s eyes and added.
“Hire me at VINCIS.”
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