Jinyoung didn't return to his hotel.
He couldn't.
The moment he stepped out of Jun Chao Group, the humiliation followed him.
He could still hear Seojun's voice.
Give me two solid reasons why Jun Chao Group should invest in Woolim Group.
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
He had gone into that building expecting to negotiate.
Instead, he had sat across from the man he had spent the previous day accusing of stealing his future.
And now that same man held the key to saving his company.
"Unbelievable."
Jinyoung drove without a destination.
Eventually, he stopped outside a bar.
He walked inside.
"Whiskey."
The bartender placed the glass in front of him.
Jinyoung drank it quickly.
Then ordered another.
And another.
He didn't count.
He didn't care.
Across the city, Kyrah sat on her sofa with her feet slightly elevated.
Her phone was in her hand.
She had been scrolling through news articles when she found herself distracted by something entirely different.
Baby reels.
Tiny shoes.
Nursery ideas.
Little boys laughing.
She smiled at one video of a baby trying to crawl toward his mother.
"Peppa," she whispered.
Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach.
She was becoming obsessed with baby content.
Everything seemed to remind her of him.
She had just started another video when her phone rang.
Linda.
Kyrah answered.
"Hello?"
Linda's voice came immediately.
"Have you heard, Kyrah?"
Kyrah frowned.
"Heard what?"
"Jinyoung's company is failing."
Kyrah sat up slightly.
"I heard about his company having problems."
"No. Not that."
"Then what?"
"His stocks are falling."
Kyrah's expression changed.
Linda continued.
"He's apparently looking for investors everywhere. Korea, Hong Kong, everywhere."
Kyrah sighed.
"He's still in Hong Kong, right?"
"Yes."
Kyrah looked toward the window.
"Yes. He's still here."
"Have you spoken to him?"
Kyrah's expression immediately hardened.
"You know I haven't."
"I know."
"And I won't."
"I'm not asking you to."
"Then why are we talking about him?"
Linda sighed.
"I just thought you should know what's happening."
Kyrah leaned back.
"I don't need to know."
"I know."
"I don't want him in my life."
"I know that too."
Kyrah swallowed.
"He abandoned me, Linda."
Her voice became softer.
"He told me he wanted nothing to do with me."
"I know."
"How am I supposed to forget that overnight?"
"You aren't."
"It happened."
She looked down at her stomach.
"Those were my feelings. My real feelings. I loved him. I trusted him. And he made me feel like I was a mistake he wanted to get rid of."
Linda didn't interrupt.
Kyrah took a breath.
"I can't just pretend none of that happened because he's suddenly sorry."
"I know."
A pause.
"I don't want him in my life."
Linda's voice softened.
"I know. And I respect that."
Kyrah nodded even though Linda couldn't see her.
"Fine. I know now."
"Okay."
"It's not going to change anything."
"I didn't think it would."
Kyrah sighed.
There was a pause.
Then Linda's voice suddenly became playful.
"So..."
Kyrah frowned.
"So what?"
"How's my girl doing?"
"I'm fine."
"No, no. I mean my mommy."
Kyrah laughed.
"Linda."
"My pregnant best friend. How are you doing?"
"I'm coping."
"And how's everything with Seojun?"
Kyrah immediately became defensive.
"What with Seojun?"
Linda laughed.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Really?"
"He's just there."
"Just there?"
"Yes."
"Kyrah."
"He's there for me and Peppa. That's all."
Linda laughed again.
"You're hopeless."
"There's nothing going on."
"Okay."
"Linda."
"I'm not saying anything."
"Good."
"I'll talk to you later."
"Why?"
"I have to work overtime."
Kyrah smiled.
"Don't overwork yourself."
"I won't."
"And Linda?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Linda's voice softened.
"Always."
The call ended.
Kyrah smiled at her phone.
Then her phone rang again.
She frowned.
Unknown number.
She hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Is this Ms. Kyrah?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"This is Platinum Bar."
Kyrah sat upright.
"Platinum Bar?"
"Yes. There's a gentleman here who is heavily intoxicated."
Her eyebrows pulled together.
"We asked him to provide the number of someone who could come and pick him up."
Kyrah's heart sank.
"Who?"
The bartender gave her the name.
Jinyoung.
Kyrah closed her eyes.
Of course.
Of course it was him.
"Is he conscious?"
"Not really. He's been drinking quite heavily."
Kyrah looked at the time.
She could simply tell them to call a taxi.
She could tell them she wasn't coming.
She could let him deal with the consequences of his own choices.
Part of her wanted to.
But another part of her couldn't leave someone unconscious in a bar.
She didn't love him anymore.
She didn't want him back.
She didn't even want him in her life.
But she didn't hate him either.
She had let go of that anger.
She wanted to be happy.
And being happy didn't require her to wish misery on him.
Kyrah sighed.
"Send me the address."
When Kyrah arrived at Platinum Bar, she immediately spotted him.
Jinyoung was slumped over the table.
There were bottles everywhere.
Too many to count.
His jacket was thrown over the back of the chair, his shirt was partially untucked, and the smell of alcohol reached her before she even got close.
Kyrah stopped.
She stared at him.
This wasn't the Jinyoung she remembered.
This was a man falling apart.
She walked closer.
"Jinyoung."
No response.
She touched his shoulder.
"Jinyoung."
He moved slightly.
"Jinyoung, wake up."
His eyes slowly opened.
He stared at her through blurred eyes.
Then his expression changed.
"Kyrah?"
"Yes."
A weak smile appeared.
"You're here."
"I'm here because the bar called me."
He tried to sit up.
Kyrah immediately stepped back.
"Don't."
A male staff member came over to help.
Kyrah looked at him.
"Can you help me get him outside?"
"Of course."
Between the two of them, they managed to get Jinyoung outside.
A taxi was waiting.
Kyrah opened the back door.
"The driver will take you to your hotel."
Jinyoung stared at her.
"Hotel?"
"Yes."
"Which one?"
Kyrah sighed.
"Jinyoung, just tell the driver where you're staying."
He mumbled something.
"What?"
He looked at her.
"Jun Chao Group."
Kyrah frowned.
"What?"
"Jun Chao Group."
She stared at him.
"That's not a hotel."
Jinyoung leaned against the taxi.
"My company..."
Kyrah's expression changed.
"What about your company?"
He laughed bitterly.
"That cocky, egotistical..."
Kyrah's heart skipped.
"Who?"
"Seojun."
She froze.
Jinyoung continued drunkenly.
"I won't let him take everything from me."
Kyrah stared at him.
Her mind began connecting the pieces.
Jun Chao Group.
Investment.
Seojun.
Jinyoung.
Her eyes widened.
"Jinyoung..."
He barely heard her.
"First Kyrah..."
He frowned.
"No."
He shook his head.
"I won't let him take her either."
Kyrah stood completely still.
The realization hit her.
Jinyoung had gone to Jun Chao Group.
He had gone to Seojun.
The man he was calling arrogant and egotistical.
The man he believed was taking everything from him.
The same man who had been quietly helping her prepare for Peppa.
Kyrah looked at Jinyoung.
For the first time, she saw just how far things had fallen.
This prideful man who had once walked away from her because he believed he had a future to protect was now drunk in the back of a taxi, his company collapsing, his marriage gone, and his pride hanging by a thread.
And somehow, even after everything, Kyrah didn't feel satisfied.
She only felt sad.
Not because she wanted him back.
But because she finally understood something.
Jinyoung wasn't just losing his company.
He was losing control of the life he had once believed he could command.
And Seojun was now standing directly between him and the one thing he desperately needed.
Kyrah looked at him for a long moment.
Then she closed the taxi door.
"Take him to his hotel," she told the driver.
She stepped away.
The taxi pulled into the street.
Kyrah remained standing there.
Her hand slowly moved to her stomach.
"Peppa..."
But she knew that whatever storm was coming next, she didn't want to be pulled back into the past.
She wanted to keep moving forward.