Chapter 74: The Missing Daughter

“Th-then! It’s a bit much if you suspect me, isn’t it? I was at home yesterday!”

“Really? From what I remember, you were out shopping and stayed outside for quite a while.”

“Th-that’s true, but… if you’re going to say that, what about you, Chae Woo-seok? You came home late yesterday too.”

Though Go Ha-jin protested indignantly at being suspected, the truth was that Chae Woo-seok had plenty of suspicious points himself. The unusually rational way he had behaved today, for one.

He was also the family member who spent the most time outside. And of course, he had access to the SHS Art Center.

“So I’m the culprit?”

Ha-jin’s heart began beating faster.

This wasn’t the first time he had imagined Woo-seok as the Omega Killer. He had entertained the thought countless times before. Back then, he had thought it didn’t really matter whether Woo-seok was the killer or not.

All that mattered was taking whatever benefits he could from their relationship.

But now, things were different.

It was because he had witnessed a dead person with his own eyes.

To imagine that the person who committed such a cruel act could be Woo-seok, the man who lived his life so casually, was unbearable. Eating together, breathing the same air, sharing a home and a bed with a murderer… that was impossible.

“You’re not, right?”

Watching Ha-jin’s eyes, Woo-seok felt puzzled.

Ever since the incident, Ha-jin had looked deeply shaken. Understandably terrified, too. That was why Woo-seok had hesitated to tell him about the bracelet fragment. Especially when there was no way to know who the culprit might be.

And yet now, Ha-jin was speaking with certainty. So much certainty that it almost felt like he knew the real culprit.

“How would you know that?”

“I don’t know… but I’m pretty good at this kind of thing. My instincts.”

In truth, Ha-jin had no real evidence.

It was simply a feeling.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t connect Chae Woo-seok with those murders. If anything, he almost felt guilty for having suspected him before. Real murder was far too horrific.

“And if you were the killer, I don’t think you’d have done it like that. You’re not the type to go through all that trouble. And… well, no, never mind. Anyway, I don’t think it’s you.”

He swallowed the rest of what he had been about to say.

For all his flaws, Woo-seok cared about omegas in his own way. More than most alphas or betas did. Even the best con artist couldn’t perfectly act out every tiny habit in daily life.

If everything about the way Woo-seok treated Ha-jin had been an act, there would have been moments when it felt unnatural.

For example, when he first discovered Ha-jin was a scammer, he could have beaten him half to death before talking. Even after Ha-jin ran away, Woo-seok had chosen conversation instead. There had been plenty of threats, sure, but still.

The reasoning was flimsy, but it existed.

He just didn’t want to say it aloud.

He didn’t want to praise Woo-seok that much.

“I didn’t know you trusted me that much. That’s kind of surprising.”

“T-trust? It’s not like that…”

Trust.

The word felt oddly amusing to Ha-jin.

Could such a thing really exist between them?

Still, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

The Woo-seok he had watched all this time was, at least a little, trustworthy.

Not that he would ever admit it easily.

“Although…”

“What now? Don’t say things that make me nervous.”

It was strange.

Just a moment ago, the tension had been unbearable. But after exchanging a few words with Woo-seok, those feelings seemed to melt away. He felt almost normal again.

“I still don’t believe Go Ha-jin is innocent.”

“…What?”

Woo-seok wasn’t much different.

Since finding the bracelet fragment, anxiety had gnawed at him relentlessly.

If he claimed he had never doubted Ha-jin, he’d be lying. Even after hiding the bracelet, the face that came to mind most often was Ha-jin’s.

But now, as Ha-jin angrily defended himself, even that tiny lingering suspicion began to fade.

He was the least trustworthy person in the world.

A man who had spent his entire life lying.

And yet somehow, hearing those words from him brought Woo-seok relief.

“You’re still a suspect.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous!”

Woo-seok wanted him to keep defending himself.

To give him more reasons to believe.

Though judging by the smile threatening to escape as he watched Ha-jin’s sulky expression, perhaps he already had enough.

“Why is it ridiculous? Can’t omegas kill people? Honestly, your personality isn’t exactly great. You get angry easily and you’re terrible at holding it in.”

“Uh… okay, that part’s true, but still! It’s not me! Don’t even think that. Doesn’t it make your skin crawl, imagining you kissed a serial killer and did all that stuff with one?”

Ha-jin protested passionately.

Not that Woo-seok was a police officer.

But what if? What if Woo-seok suddenly reported him and said, “This guy’s the Omega Killer”? Before he knew it, he could end up framed and rotting in prison.

“Oh. Then there’s an easy way to check.”

“Check what?”

“Whether you’re a killer or not.”

Ha-jin was just wondering what nonsense he was talking about now when…

“How wou- mmph!”

Like a predator seizing its prey, Woo-seok closed the distance in an instant and pressed his lips against Ha-jin’s.

No matter how hard Ha-jin tried to push him away, Woo-seok’s arm around his back held him too tightly to create any space.

At first, Ha-jin thought there was no way a kiss could prove whether someone was a murderer.

But as the rough kiss gradually softened, he began to think maybe it could.

The man sharing his breath and saliva right now didn’t make him uncomfortable at all.

The way Woo-seok’s tongue swept through his mouth felt almost like comfort after the terrible day he’d had.

And because of that, Ha-jin knew.

This man couldn’t be a killer.

At least, he desperately hoped Woo-seok felt the same way.

****

“…If the police ask for cooperation, give it. Fully. But make sure a lawyer from the legal team is with you at all times. Watch every word you say.”

“Why are you telling us something so obvious? We’re not children.”

“You little brat, I’m talking to you! Don’t run your mouth carelessly somewhere!”

For once, Chae Il-joo was conducting a proper family meeting.

Even Lee Ah-seong, who still wasn’t fully recovered, had attended. The atmosphere was that serious.

But because Woo-seok had already reverted to his usual troublemaking self, Il-joo’s temper flared after only a few sentences.

Woo-seok lazily cleaned his ear, acting completely unfazed.

“What exactly do we have to be careful about? We’re only witnesses. It’s not like there’s a murderer among us.”

As he spoke casually, Ha-jin studied everyone’s faces.

Maybe Woo-seok had said it deliberately—to see whether anyone would react.

But aside from Ha-jin and Woo-seok, the other four showed no change whatsoever.

Even after hearing a brutal murder brought up, they remained perfectly calm.

“…Watch your mouth. Even rumors like that could seriously damage SHS, whether they’re true or not.”

“What are you talking about? You think someone in this family would spread lies like that?”

For the first time in a while, Woo-seok and Jun-seok clashed.

Jun-seok’s frustration met Woo-seok’s sharp retort.

Ha-jin couldn’t help wondering why those two always seemed ready to tear each other apart whenever they were together.

“That’s enough. Neither of you is wrong. It’s true that SHS being associated with those rumors would be bad. Which is exactly why we need to trust each other and get through this together.”

“Chairman, I agree with that. But there’s something we need to address.”

Lee Ah-seong’s voice was unusually hoarse.

Whether he was genuinely shaken or merely acting, he sounded different.

But only for a moment.

His gaze sharpened and landed on one person.

“You were away from the house for two days, weren’t you?”

“M-me?”

It was Tae Seol.

Startled, Tae Seol looked around at everyone gathered there.

“Father! You were the one who told Seol not to attend the Art Center opening!”

Jun-seok immediately jumped in to defend him.

“The only person who wasn’t in this house was him. What’s wrong with asking what he was doing? And if we’re being honest, why else would someone do something like that at the Art Center’s grand opening? It has to be revenge! Who here has more reason to resent this family than he does?”

After speaking at length, Lee Ah-seong drank some water.

Then silence settled heavily over the room.

The accusation was absurd.

Yet not entirely impossible.

Ha-jin himself had considered it.

He had suspected Woo-seok, after all. How could he be completely certain about Tae Seol?

Like Ah-seong said, Tae Seol had suffered more than enough in this household. It wouldn’t be strange if he harbored resentment.

“…Seol. Tell them the truth.”

“I-I was at the hospital with my father. He wasn’t feeling well. There should be CCTV footage there… you can check it.”

Jun-seok apparently thought it would be better if Tae Seol explained for himself.

But something about Tae Seol’s answer bothered Ha-jin.

The ready-made alibi.

The immediate mention of CCTV evidence.

For someone supposedly flustered, it was an awfully polished explanation.

“I’ll verify it myself.”

Apparently even Chae Il-joo didn’t fully trust Tae Seol.

Otherwise, he would have scolded Ah-seong instead of personally volunteering to check.

“Anyway, everyone behave yourselves for the time being—”

“Chairman!”

The secretary abruptly interrupted, looking visibly alarmed.

“What is it?”

“It’s… Miss Jae-yi…”

Everyone turned toward him.

Why bring up Chae Jae-yi all of a sudden?

“What about my daughter?!”

“She’s gone missing, Director…”

At those words, Lee Ah-seong collapsed back onto the sofa just as he was trying to stand.

Ha-jin felt like doing the same.

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