Chapter 115: The Escape and the Hollow End

What?

The TV anchor’s grave voice kicked in.

“Breaking news: Around 5 p.m. today, suspect Noh escaped during transfer to Uijeongbu Detention Center. Authorities are in pursuit. Noh, who kidnapped Haewon Group heir Choi Seunghyun ten days ago, fled handcuffed. CCTV from a nearby gas station shows him switching taxis in the OO-dong area while escorts looked away…”

My jaw dropped. What the hell?

But Seunghee was faster—cursing, she bolted up.

“You f*cking idiots!”

She paced frantically in front of the TV, then started calling someone. Her voice dripped rage.

“Yes—double security at Seonjeong VIP suite now. No one in or out this floor. Doctors and nurses: confirmed personnel only. No—swap all to women. Yes.”

“Noona, wait—”

She ignored me, hung up, dialed another.

“Yeah, Secretary Jeong—saw the news? Yes—send me the station chief and escort roster immediately. And tell portals and broadcasters: pull ads if they want ’em, stop dragging our name. Why keep saying Haewon when the criminal’s on the loose? We’re the criminals? Do your jobs. And Seunghyun’s name! That bastard’s Noh—why’s it Choi Seunghyun?”

Her icy tone pierced like needles. Even not her secretary, I flinched. Seunghee didn’t glance my way, kept dialing: presidents, police chiefs, lawyers, Grandfather. Finally, she barked into the phone:

“Choi Doyoon—get to Seunghyun’s hospital now. Noh Jae-sik escaped.”

I blinked, stunned.

“…You just called Doyoon? He’s working—why drag him?”

“He busier than me?”

Her snap silenced me. Arguing now would end badly.

Soon, Seunghee calmed slightly, raking her hair, sighing. “If something happens, better with Doyoon than me. Noh might storm here.”

…Using him as a human shield? I forced a laugh: “He’d run, not come.”

“You haven’t seen him. In interrogation? Eyes like a demon. Can’t predict what he’ll do—stay put till caught. Want to discharge you, but two hours gone, even home’s unsafe.”

Her face was dead serious. Grateful, but… overkill?

Doyoon arrived like a gust soon after. I explained, tried saying he could leave.

But their glares pinned me. Doyoon shook his head, exasperated: “Hyung… value yourself more.”

“He’s still childish after all these years.”

“He ignores me. Noona, scold him.”

“Right—why fight them? That’s why you got hurt more. Forgot your training? Pretend to comply, conserve energy.”

“…”

My mouth hung open.

Why are they ganging up? Noh escaped—why am I getting lectured?

Absurd, but before more, I fled to bed. They shut up as I lay down. Seunghee called from afar to Doyoon: “Guard him well. Report anything odd.”

“Don’t worry.”

…Boss and underling dialogue? Once she left, I sat up. “When’d you two get so chummy?”

“We’re not.”

“…”

“Anyway, lie down. Why up again?”

“Stuck all day—can’t sleep.”

Grumpy, I said. Doyoon approached, suddenly hugged me. I startled. “Hey!”

“I’d do the same as noona. How worried was I hearing he escaped?”

My resolve softened. He seemed pleased I didn’t pull away.

“But… noona approved, so we’re legally allowed to hang out all day now.”

The odd phrasing flushed me. “W-What—when were we illegal?”

“You kept pushing me to work.”

“T-That…”

“Noh’ll be caught soon. Don’t worry.”

I leaned into him briefly. Honestly? Worried sick. I pushed back slightly, looked up: “But… if he leaks to the media?”

Doyoon’s face sobered. “Paternity? No worry—Mother’ll handle the hospital. Media’s the issue… Hyung-ju wiped the data, but if it leaks, suppress and sue everything.”

“Yeah…”

I nodded, pondering Koryo Ilbo’s help. Only media ally. Doyoon took my hand: “Don’t overthink. It’ll be fine.”

“Mhm.”

I hoped desperately.

Three days later—unthinkable news hit.

“Hit-and-run suspect Noh, who escaped transfer on the Oth, found dead near XX River. Discovered by a fisherman, cause unclear but appears he fell drunk…”

I shot up from the sofa beside Doyoon. “What?!”

He looked baffled too. “…I’ll check.”

We kept the TV on—no more details. Laptop confirmed: articles popping up.

The guy who’d kidnapped a chaebol heir, demanded 100 billion, caught in eight hours, escaped—national obsession. Dying so absurdly? SNS and headlines exploded.

My phone lit up like wildfire: worried friends, interview requests from randos. I stared, muttered:

“…Hidden camera?”

This fast? Just… dies absurdly? No fallout? Someone pranking me…

I watched Doyoon on calls. Did he…? No—shook my head hard. He never does what I hate. We’d been glued for three days—mostly him working remotely, tending me.

Seunghee called soon.

<Sent people—discharge quietly. Family’s at the main house.>

“…Yeah.”

Her tone confirmed: Noh was dead. Escorted by guards to the basement garage, car ride home still felt unreal.

“…Ends this easily?”

Doyoon eyed me: “…Want to go to the funeral? I can look into it.”

I shook my head violently. “Absolutely not!”

He’d worried I was sad. Silly. My issue? Accepting Noh’s pathetic exit. He held my birth secret—poof.

Am I still too plot-bound? I slapped my cheeks: “…Just surreal. People die that easily.”

“People die easy.”

Doyoon, gauging my mood, added: “Fitting end for him.”

“…Yeah, pathetic and empty.”

He nodded, brighter—clearly hated Noh.

At the main house, family and staff waited in the garden. Grandfather in his wheelchair opened his arms first. I knelt, hugged him naturally.

“Seunghyun-ah… you suffered. My boy…”

He stroked my back repeatedly. Mother dabbed tears, then embraced me as I stood. “You held on, my son.”

Her back quivered. Whisper-soft: “…Sorry.”

Her choked voice tugged at me.

Comforting her, I glanced at Father naturally—he was there. But Choi Young-gil stared blankly, snorted, looked away.