Ji-hyun was now dressed in a delicate blue floral dress.She followed the maid through the labyrinthine corridors, trying to take in the opulent decorations and artworks that adorn the wall. They walked past the grand staircase, and Ji-hyun caught a glimpse of a beautifully decorated chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
As they approached the dinning room, Ji-hyun's eyes widened in shock. Hanging on the wall were several portrait of herself, each one capturing a different moment in her life. There was one of her as a child, playing in the park, another of her as a teenager, laughing with friends, and yet another of her as a young adult, standing alone on a cliff overlooking the ocean.
Ji-hyun's mind reeled as she stares at the portrait ,her heart racing with mix of emotions .
Who could have painted these? And how did they end up here,in this stranger's mansion?
The maid tend to sense her distress and guided her into the dinning room .
"Ma'am please seat here,"she said pulling out a chair for Ji-hyun.
Ji-hyun sat down, still trying to process the shock of seeing her portraits on the wall.She looked around the table, hoping to find some answer but the only other person was the stranger ,who was watching her with an enigmatic smile.
"Your wondering how I acquired these portrait,"he said, his voice low and smooth .
"I must admit, I have my ways. Lets just say, I am a very talented artist ,one who is able to capture the essence of his subjects with remarkable accuracy"
"And how long have you known me... how long have you been spying on me?"
He leaned back on his chair, a small smile playing on his face.
"I am your shadow...I have always wanted this day, so badly."
Ji-hyun who was speechless, finally spoke.
"So all this nonsense was a conspiration with my mum, hope you were also informed of my fiancé, before your arrival..."
"Conspiraton?...not at all, your mum forced you into this marriage because she was scared... I mean your late dad's business was in edge of collapsing so she had to marry you off to the most wealthy family in town... THE LIN FAMILY...you should be happy...I mean, this is a very clever way to patch things with your mother,"
Min-soo's eyes locked onto Ji-hyun's, a sly glint sparkling in their depths. A dark smile played on his lips, his cheeks slightly raised in a subtle, cheeky grin. His umber eyebrows quirked upward, giving him a mischievous air, as if he was plotting something delightful.
"It's high time everyone stop pushing the incident to my face," Ji-hyun said her voice trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks. She grip the edge of the table, her hands clenched with tension. "I didn't kill my dad!" she exclaimed, the words bursting out her like a dam breaking."I was just a kid who wanted her teddy bear... and Daddy was trying to help me... then...then a car ran him over." The memory still hunting her, the sounds of the screeching tires and shattering glass forever etched in her mind.
Her voice cracked as she slammed the fork down on the table, the metallic clang echoing through the room. "Stop reminding me of the reason my mother hates me so much!" she exclaimed, the pain and anguish pouring out of her. "Can't you see it's killing me? The guilt, the shame, the constant feeling of being responsible for his death... it's suffocating me!" Ji-hyun's body shook with sobs as she pushed her chair backwards and stumbled out of the dinning room, leaving behind a stunned silence.