Seoha’s POV

"That’s not true" I whisper, taking another careless step backward that sends me falling to the staircase.

"Seoha" Hanbin says, and I shake my head, holding the guitar to my chest.

"You’re lying, I don’t have any siblings..."

"You do, I’m Shin Yechan’s first son, I thought I was the only one till your mother was introduced to me" he says and I keep shaking my head.

What is wrong with my life? Why does everything have to be and feel so wrong?

"You’re lying" I say in denial.

"I’m the reason he came looking for you, I didn’t want to be a part of his...legacy, but he needed an heir" Hanbin keeps talking and I press my hands against my ear.

I don’t want to hear any of it anymore, I don’t want this, it’s too much.

"I watched you run away with Daeshin, and I stayed at a safe distance, looking after you"

"What are you talking about?!" I yell, trying not to cry.

"When you ran into Taesan, I stepped back completely, just waiting for when you’ll need me" he says and I squeeze my eyes shut.

He was the man that visited me that day, the day that Taesan told me about his parent’s murder, he was the one who told that he was on my side.

He’s my half-brother? Is that why he showed up when I needed the ride? And when Minjae and I needed a break?

"I don’t trust you" I whisper.

"I know, I don’t expect you to, but I’m begging you not to go to that man" he says with a stern look on his face.

I hold on to the guitar harder, feeling the rusted strings dig into my palm, and it burns.

"Taesan needs me" I say and he comes forward.

"Taesan can take care of himself" he says through his teeth and I growl at him, "people like you are the reason that man is like that!" I yell.

"Y-you see him suffer and assume he’s okay, that’s why he has to be...so fierce" I say and start to cry.

"H-he hurts too! He’s a person too! I don’t care who you are or what this is, I won’t let you stop me" I say.

Even in my own ears, I sound like a mad man, loud and messy and...stupidly in love with a beast...with captain the murderer.

"Seoha, this guitar has your inheritance in it"

"I don’t care; I don’t want an inheritance from a man that killed people" I say.

"You don’t understand, he kept the password to a vault in that guitar! And that’s what Lord Kang wants" Hanbin says and I keep shaking my head defiantly.

"I don’t care"

"It’s a land property, if we’re careless and he owns that land, he’ll make it his den" he says and I drop my head backward against the steps behind me.

"I just want to save my mate, and my daughter" I whimper tiredly.

My daughter, Sooin, needs me.

"I can’t change your mind, can I?" he asks and I don’t give him a response, I need him to know that I’ll do anything to save them.

"Fine, let me get my weapons and contact Junho" he says and I wipe my face with the back of my hand out of habit.

"Junho knows you?" I ask.

"Not as Hanbin, just as Ghost, a member of the silent part of the underworld" he says.

Ghost...no wonder he has the ghost tattoo.

"Come wait in my car" he says and I follow him, sitting in the car as he goes away.

Once I’m alone, I stare blankly at the dashboard of his car, rethinking every word I’ve said and every mess I’m in.

Hanbin is my half-brother.

My father turned my mother’s most valuable thing into a mafia tool.

Taesan’s grandfather might kill him.

I left Minjae all alone with Daeshin...

"Oh goddess" I gasp and jump out of the car, running back into the apartment to Minjae’s place.

"MINNIE! MINJAE!" I bang on the door and he opens the door, "what? What? What?" he asks in panic and I push my way into the house.

"Daeshi- oh..."

The alpha is tied up in old clothes on a chair, most of the blood has been cleaned up, and the whole place smells nice.

"What did you do?" I ask my pregnant best friend and he shrugs.

"I told you going to the gym and watching all those mafia movies will pay off" he says with a smug look and I breath a sigh of relief.

"I feel stupid for leaving you alone" I whisper.

"It’s okay, go save your...man" he says, saying the word man through his teeth.

"I’m interviewing this motherfucker, at least till he passes out" my best fiend says and cracks his knuckles.

"Be safe" I say to him before returning to the car.

Hanbin, Ghost, is already in the car waiting for me, he welcomes me with a nod as I get in, leaving the guitar between my legs.

"Have you said your goodbye to the guitar?" he asks and I look at him in confusion, "he just wants the password...right?" I ask and he sighs.

"Lord Kang is not a man that does things halfway, don’t get your heart broken" he says and starts to drive.

"The location..." I say with a cracked voice and he scowls, "I know where we are going" he says.

When we arrive: it’s at one of the biggest houses I have ever seen in my life.

Taesan’s mansion doesn’t come close in size to the big house, it looks like it was made for an emperor and was made with all the most expensive things.

"He’s here!" someone yells and three men come out of the house with their guns aimed at me, but I don’t feel fear.

"Where are Taesan and Sooin?" I ask and one of them scoffs, "look at him asking for the pup and her father"

"Who is that with you?" another one asks and I look behind me at Hanbin.

He is wearing his black hoodie and a mask over his mouth; he looks quiet but dangerous.

"He’s a friend" I say and they mutter to each other before opening the door, gesturing for me to go in.

Hanbin walks behind me quietly as I follow the men.

They finally come to a stop in a very spacious living room, the old man Kang is here with Yuki by his side, and a cane in his hand.

Why is Yuki here? She came to save Taesan and Sooin too?

"Welcome Seoha, you brought a friend I see" he says in a loud and happy voice, tapping his cane against the floor.

"I brought the guitar sir, where are they?" I ask, faking a bold look and he smiles, getting out of his seat while Yuki keeps sitting.

"Hmm...you are pretty when you’re fierce" he says with a disgusting expression on his face, coming towards me with slow steps.

"Don’t be afraid child, you are not the kinds I like...you’re too old" he says.

"Where are they?" I demand and one of the doors open as Jaemin comes out with Sooin.

The omega idol looks beautiful, and Sooin looks unhappy to be with him.

"Baby..." I whisper.

"Daddy!" Sooin cries out as she sees me. She snatches her hand out of her mother’s hand and run to hug me, hiding her face in my stomach

"My baby, are you okay?" I ask and she nods.

"I want to go home, I miss you so much" she says and I squat to scent the little girl.

"I’m here now" I promise as I rub my nose against her neck, holding her tight and holding back tears.

She doesn’t smell distressed.

"Now hand it over" the old man Kang says, and I don’t waste any time to giving the guitar to him, Sooin’s life is more important than holding on to an inanimate object.

It hurts but...

"And Taesan?" I ask, standing up and hiding Sooin behind me.

"Tch, like you have any relevance with him" Jaemin says and I ignore him, refusing to let anything steal my attention from the most important thing.

"Would you like..." the grandfather says, pointing his cane at Sooin, "to see her father that way?" he asks and I look at Yuki.

"Fine, Yuki will take Sooin home" I say and the pup holds me tighter, "I want to stay with you" she protests.

"I know, I know princess, I want to stay with you too...but I need to do something" I say and she whines but doesn’t cry.

Yuki gets out of the chair and comes to my side, and just before I hand Sooin to her, Ghost stops me.

"I will go with them, I don’t trust her" he says in my ear and I nod.

"I love you, daddy, come home soon" Sooin says as she leaves with Yuki and Hanbin.

"I love you, daddy, come home soon..." Jaemin repeats Sooin’s words with mockery, and I steel myself against him.

"Taesan" I say stubbornly and the grandfather gestures to a door, "go on, he’s in there" he says and one of his guards opens the door.

Truly, he’s there.

My mate is lying on the floor, covered in blood, and as I take the first step towards him.

I hear a loud noise that startles me.

So this is goodbye...