Chapter 61: Omega In Crisis

There are days like that. Days when your luck seems unusually good. Days when you’re in a good mood from the moment you wake up, for no particular reason.

Days when even a leaf rolling down the street might make you laugh. Days when the same blanket you’ve slept under every night somehow feels especially pleasant against your skin.

Today was one of those days for Go Ha-jin.

Even after having breakfast with Woo-seok and watching him leave for work, that pleasant mood lingered. Nothing special had happened. When Lee Ah-seong called him to the main house for lunch, he went without complaint.

A few comments still grated on his nerves, but he was in such a good mood that he simply smiled and responded with things like, “Oh, I see,” and “Father is absolutely right.”

After lunch, he returned home and spent some time drinking tea with the household staff. There was no harm in getting along with them. Most of them felt more like older brothers and sisters than employees anyway.

“Chairman Lee is looking for you.”

Apparently, however, there was such a thing as a daily happiness quota.

Perhaps he had already used up all of his.

The misfortune arrived in the form of Team Leader Yang, who had been nowhere to be seen all day before suddenly appearing to summon him.

The man’s tone was curt and commanding, but Ha-jin was feeling generous enough to let it slide. Everyone had bad days, after all.

But the moment he stepped into the main house, he sensed that something was wrong.

“…You called for me, Father?”

Everyone was gathered in the entrance hall rather than the living room.

Lee Ah-seong.

Chae Jae-yi.

Tae Seol.

Even several staff members.

Just from the atmosphere alone, Ha-jin could tell that something had happened.

“Yes. Since you’re family, I thought it would be best if you heard this as well.”

Unlike at lunch, Lee Ah-seong’s expression was rigid.

Angry, even.

Though, to be fair, he usually looked angry.

“What happened?”

He let out a long sigh.

“I hate to even say it. It seems there’s a thief in this house.”

The frustration in his voice was obvious.

“What was stolen?”

“The bracelet I received as a wedding gift. You might remember it. I wore it at your wedding.”

Ha-jin remembered.

A dazzling bracelet that had rested on Lee Ah-seong’s wrist.

Whether it was platinum or something else, he couldn’t tell, but it had been lavishly decorated, a brilliant red gemstone at the center surrounded by diamonds.

Even at a glance, it looked outrageously expensive.

“Let’s just say it once belonged to Russian imperial nobility. Anyway, it has sentimental value.”

In other words, it was worth a fortune.

“We should find it quickly, then.”

Lee Ah-seong studied him carefully.

“You didn’t take it, did you?”

“What kind of question is that?”

Chae Jae-yi crossed his arms.

“You were here earlier for lunch. I’m just asking. Don’t take it personally.”

Ha-jin felt irritation prick at him.

He had scammed people before.

He had even stolen a thing or two in his past.

But not this time.

This accusation was absurd.

“Why would I? I probably have more money than you do. Why would I risk stealing a bracelet?”

“Fine, fine. Just asking.”

Jae-yi clicked his tongue.

“Whoever did this is dead.”

One by one, every staff member’s belongings were searched.

No exceptions.

Even the butler and Team Leader Yang were inspected.

Their rooms were searched as well.

Naturally, nobody complained.

Everyone simply wanted the matter resolved as quickly as possible.

Ha-jin included.

Something about all of this felt wrong.

“Chairman.”

One of the staff members suddenly raised a hand.

“What is it?”

“Well… after lunch, I think I saw Ha-jin leaving your room.”

The statement was so absurd that Ha-jin didn’t even feel angry.

The speaker was someone he’d barely noticed before.

“Excuse me?”

“I only saw him standing near the door. I’m not completely sure he came out of the room itself. Sorry.”

Watching Lee Ah-seong’s reaction, Ha-jin finally understood.

‘A trap.’

And he had walked right into it.

“Dad, let’s calm down. We can verify it.”

Jae-yi spoke smoothly.

“Think about it. The staff have all worked here for years. Why would something like this suddenly happen now?”

The cold stares gradually shifted toward Ha-jin.

Some seemed convinced already.

Others looked disappointed.

People really did judge by appearances.

“No matter how rough someone’s upbringing was, surely they wouldn’t steal from family.”

“Let’s just check. You don’t mind, do you?”

Lee Ah-seong had chosen his role perfectly.

The reasonable patriarch.

The fair-minded elder refusing to jump to conclusions.

Jae-yi, meanwhile, played the aggressor.

Ha-jin considered refusing.

Then another voice interrupted.

“Actually… there was someone else who saw him too.”

The same staff member looked toward Tae Seol.

The younger man was visibly nervous.

His gaze darted around the room.

His fingers picked anxiously at his skin.

“Feel free to speak,” Jae-yi encouraged. “If you saw something, say so.”

Tae Seol hesitated.

So Ha-jin helped him.

He wasn’t surprised that Tae Seol had become involved.

At this point, it hardly mattered.

Nothing Tae Seol said would change the situation.

Part of him even thought,

‘Then choose their side completely.’

At least that would make it easier to hate you.

“I… I think I saw him too.”

“Speak clearly!”

Jae-yi snapped.

“I saw him. I saw him coming out.”

Tae Seol never once met Ha-jin’s eyes.

Not even for a second.

“Interesting.”

Lee Ah-seong folded his hands.

“I’m not accusing you, but the circumstances are concerning.”

“They certainly are.”

“You swear you didn’t do it?”

“I swear.”

Among everyone present, Lee Ah-seong was acting his part best.

Concerned.

Reasonable.

Disappointed, but fair.

The perfect balance.

In reality, however, Ha-jin knew better.

The real Lee Ah-seong would never behave this calmly.

He would be screaming demands and accusations by now.

“Fine. Then let’s search your house.”

Jae-yi sounded almost excited.

As if this were some kind of outing.

“Go ahead.”

Did Ha-jin have a plan?

Not at all.

The situation was terrible.

He knew it was a setup.

But he couldn’t stop it.

There were already witnesses.

And he was willing to bet the bracelet would soon be found in his house.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Jae-yi, Team Leader Yang, and Tae Seol returned.

Judging by the smug look on Jae-yi’s face, they had found it.

“What do we have here?”

The bracelet glittered in his hand.

The staff began whispering among themselves.

“Everyone leave.”

At Lee Ah-seong’s command, the staff filed out.

Only Lee Ah-seong, Chae Jae-yi, Tae Seol, Team Leader Yang, and Go Ha-jin remained.

“I didn’t do it.”

“There’s testimony and evidence. And you’re still denying it?”

“Yes.”

Jae-yi scoffed.

“Unbelievable.”

Lee Ah-seong finally dropped the act.

“I’m not surprised. You’ve always coveted things that weren’t yours. Maybe that’s what happens when someone grows up without proper parents.”

“Will you regret this?”

“What?”

“This accusation.”

Lee Ah-seong laughed.

“Regret? What exactly do you think you’re capable of?”

“We’ll find out.”

Ha-jin never looked away.

He had nothing to be ashamed of.

Nothing to fear.

That calm confidence only irritated Lee Ah-seong further.

If Ha-jin had begged, cried, or panicked, perhaps things would have ended differently.

Instead, he stood there as though he’d expected this all along.

“Stealing is one thing. People are tempted by expensive things.”

Lee Ah-seong stepped forward.

“But lying to my face?”

Smack!

The slap echoed through the hall.

Ha-jin didn’t dodge.

Didn’t even raise a hand to block it.

The reason was simple.

At that exact moment, he had seen someone enter through the front door.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Woo-seok’s voice cut through the room like a blade.

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