Place: The Onyx Mansion (Main Villa)
Time: Morning
The sun-drenched playground was alive with the sound of cheerful laughter. Everywhere you looked, children of all ages—from little toddlers to young teenagers between seven and sixteen years old—were running around, playing under the warm daylight. It looked like a picture-perfect sunny day.
Amidst the crowd, a tiny, innocent girl, barely five or six years old, skipped over to a slightly older girl who looked around twelve or thirteen. The little one reached out, gripping the older girl's hand tightly with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Will you be my big sister?" the little girl asked, her voice pure and sweet.
The older girl looked down, a soft smile spreading across her face. "Yes, of course."
But within a fraction of a second, the warmth vanished. The older girl's smile began to distort, twisting into a sharp, chilling, completely creepy grin. Her eyes turned void of any human emotion. Reaching slowly into her pocket, she pulled out a sharp, wooden pencil. Before the little child could even realize what was happening, the older girl raised her hand, aiming the weapon directly at the toddler's throat, ready to plunge it inside—
Gasps!
Siwon snapped her eyes open, her heart hammering violently against her ribs. She bolted upright in the massive bed of The Onyx Mansion, gasping for air as a heavy, trembling sigh escaped her lips. Cold sweat coated her forehead, her breathing ragged in the quiet, dim bedroom.
She rubbed her face with both hands, trying to shake off the lingering horror of the nightmare. It felt so vivid, so terrifyingly real. As the leader of Valkyrie, she had faced ruthless mafia bosses and cold-blooded corporatizers, but this bizarre, haunting memory from her dream left a freezing chill down her spine.
Siwon adjusted her silk night-suit cover-up, wrapping it tightly around herself as she walked out of her bedroom. Shaking off the chilling remnants of her nightmare, she stepped onto the grand, sweeping staircase of the main mansion and looked down into the hall.
To her surprise, the quiet mansion was buzzing with activity. Three unfamiliar workers—two women and one man—were busy sorting out the estate. Siwon walked down the stairs, her presence instantly radiating an intense, authoritative aura. The workers immediately stopped what they were doing and stood straight.
"Who are you?" Siwon asked, her sharp eyes scanning them.
The first woman stepped forward with a polished, professional posture. "Ma'am, I am Lucia Kim. I am a French-Italian and Korean chef hired specifically for your food criteria. I was brought in by Mr. Nam Go Jung." She finished with a pleasant, respectful smile.
Siwon raised an eyebrow at the mention of her secretary's full name. "Oh... okay. Please do your work then." She then glanced at the second woman standing behind the chef. "And you?"
The woman bowed low. "Ma'am, I am your cleaning maid, Lim Se Young. I also speak Italian fluently."
Siwon nodded her head slightly, keeping her cold expression intact. "Okk."
Finally, her gaze locked onto the only man in the room. He was wearing a stark black, banded designer coat and was standing in a strange position, holding his back as if he were trying to hide his face from her.
Siwon pointed a sharp finger directly at him. "Hey. You. Please show your face."
Suddenly, the man snapped his head around, his whole body shifting into a stiff, panicked salute. "Ma'am! I am Ko Min Seok! I am your new driver—and also, Korea's absolute best driver!"
Siwon stared at him, completely unbothered by his dramatic introduction. "Oh, ok. But what are you doing inside then? Wait outside the house."
Min Seok blinked, looking completely shocked. "But Ma'am... from now on, I live here with you!"
"What?!" Siwon snapped, her voice dropping into a dangerous zone that made the room temperature drop instantly.
Min Seok completely panicked, his hands waving in the air as he stammered, "W-Wee... that... I mean! I mean, I am staying in the staff quarters near the main gate with Mr. Nam's security detail!"
Siwon let out a tired sigh. "So go there. Stay outside. And the rest of you, carry on with your work. I am going to take a bath now."
As she turned to head back up, she paused, remembering something. She looked back toward the chef, snapping her fingers as she tried to recall the name. "And Miss Cook..."
"Lucia, Ma'am," the chef gently reminded her with a smile.
"Yes, Lucia. Please cook some Italian food for me. But remember that—"
Before Siwon could even finish her sentence, Lucia cut in smoothly, "Ma'am, vegetarian, yes?"
Siwon't tensed shoulders instantly relaxed, a rare look of satisfaction crossing her face. "Yes."
"Don't worry, Ma'am," Lucia said confidently, bowing her head. "I will take care of it completely. Enjoy your bath."
With her elite staff officially sorted out, Siwon turned on her heel and walked back upstairs to get ready for the day, while poor Driver Min Seok practically scrambled out the front door to find refuge with Mr. Nam across the driveway.
After some time, Siwon finished her morning routine and stepped out of her quarters. As she walked down the grand staircase, she looked every bit the powerful, untouchable head of Valkyrie. She was wearing a tailored maroon coat over a crisp, sharp white shirt, completed with a perfectly knotted maroon silk tie. Her hair was immaculate, and her aura practically commanded the room.
She walked into the dining hall and sat down gracefully at the long, polished dining table. Lucia, who was already waiting respectfully, stepped forward and smoothly opened the silver covers of the food platters. Instantly, the rich, authentic aroma of fresh Italian herbs, garlic, and olive oil wafted through the air.
A rare, genuinely pleased expression crossed Siwon't cold face. She inhaled the scent and nodded. "Smells nice."
She glanced down at the beautiful spread before her: rich Eggplant Caponata, beautifully arranged Bruschetta al Pomodoro with fresh basil, and a steaming bowl of soft Potato Gnocchi.
"Wow... it looks tasty," Siwon murmured, her eyes lingering on her favorite dish. "Potato Gnocchi... I like it. Please proceed with your work."
Lucia smiled warmly and expertly served a portion of the hot gnocchi onto the fine china plate. Siwon picked up her fork, took a precise bite, and chewed slowly, letting the flavors settle.
"Umm... it tastes good," she said, acknowledging Lucia's impressive culinary skills. Then, her sharp, critical boss instinct kicked in. She looked up at the chef. "But next time, make it with more tomato sauce. Not so simple, okay?"
"Of course, Ma'am," Lucia replied instantly, bowing with deep respect. "I will note that down. More rich tomato reduction for the next time."
Siwon nodded, satisfied with the response, and continued her breakfast in the quiet luxury of the villa, finally getting the perfect morning fuel she needs before entering the battlefield of Seoul's corporate world.
Siwon wiped her mouth elegantly with a silk napkin, finishing her portion of the gnocchi. Feeling a rare streak of generosity after a good meal, she looked up at the chef.
"And please tell your Mr. Nam, his friend Richard, and the new driver to eat this, okay?" Siwon said, gesturing toward the remaining Italian spread. "There is plenty left."
Lucia blinked, a look of slight doubt and amusement crossing her face. She hesitated for a second before speaking up. "But Ma'am... they already ate before you."
Siwon paused, her fork hovering in the air. "What?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Lucia explained, fighting back a smile. "Just when you were coming down the stairs, they practically inhaled their breakfast in two minutes flat. The moment your heels touched the main floor, they grabbed their coats and bolted out the door."
Siwon stared at Lucia in absolute shock, her mind blank for a split second. She had expected them to be waiting outside or working diligently, not running a speed-eating marathon across the driveway to avoid her morning mood.
"Oh..." Siwon muttered, clearing her throat to regain her cold composure. "Okk, then."
She shook her head slightly, realizing that Mr. Nam and Richard knew her way too well—they knew exactly when to stay out of the tiger's den.
Siwon stepped out through the grand entrance of the main villa, the bright morning sun reflecting off her sharp maroon coat. She expected her team to be standing in a perfect, disciplined line, but instead, she was met with absolute chaos.
Her brand-new luxury Mercedes-Maybach was parked in the driveway, and sitting right on top of the front hood was a young man, casually passing the time with his legs dangling off the bumper. Hearing her footsteps, Driver Min Seok quickly slid down from the bonnet and snapped into a disciplined posture right in front of her, saluting instantly. "Yes, Ma'am! Please order where you want to Gooo!"
Siwon rubbed her temples, shaking her head with bored, eyes that radiated exhaustion. This driver was already testing her patience. "Wait. Tell me, where are Mr. Nam and Richard?"
"Ma'am! I'm here!" Mr. Nam's voice echoed loudly from the right side of the villa's exterior, coming straight from the security post located just outside the gate. Siwon looked over and saw him running from the security outpost, holding his encrypted tablet, looking suspiciously cheerful.
"And where is Richard?" Siwon asked, her voice dropping.
Suddenly, the door of the heavy black backup security SUV parked behind them clicked open. Richard stepped out, adjusting his dark sunglasses with a rare, relaxed posture. "Ma'am, I am here."
Siwon stood on the porch, her sharp eyes scanning the three of them. Her trained instincts immediately picked up on the strange atmosphere. They were not tense; they were not stressed—in fact, they looked strangely excited.
Her eyes narrowed. "Is there anything... why are you all seeming so happy? Is there something good that happened?"
Mr. Nam froze for a microsecond, his brain rapidly calculating a lie as he glanced at Richard and Min Seok. "Uh... after some thoughts... No, Ma'am! Everything is absolutely fine! We three were... just smiling like that, for no reason! Haha!"
Siwon stared at them, completely unconvinced. She knew Mr. Nam Go Jung was a terrible liar when he was nervous. But she did not have the time to interrogate them right now.
"Oh, ok," Siwon snapped, checking her luxury wristwatch. "Let's go. Don't we have to go to the meeting? Those people must be waiting for us. Besides, we already delayed it yesterday, and their flight is this evening! Hurry up, move it!"
"Yes, Chairman! Right away!" Mr. Nam shouted, instantly backing away.
But instead of getting into the front passenger seat of her sedan like he usually did, Mr. Nam turned around and jogged toward the heavy backup security SUV parked right behind them. Richard slid back into the driver's seat, waiting with a calm smirk.
Siwon frowned through her dark sunglasses as she watched her secretary slide into the passenger side of Richard's vehicle.
So they are sitting in the other car together, leaving me alone with this chaotic new guy? Siwon thought, her eyes narrowing.
Up front, Driver Min Seok swallowed hard, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel of the main Mercedes-Maybach S-class. He could feel the cold, terrifying gaze of the Valkyrie chairwoman boring into the back of his neck through the rearview mirror.
"M-Ma'am, routing to the destination now. We will reach before their evening flight, I promise!" Min Seok stammered, frantically starting the powerful engine.
Behind them, Richard started the backup SUV, keeping a perfect tactical distance. Through the encrypted walkie-talkie on his dashboard, Mr. Nam chuckled softly, looking at the luxury sedan ahead. "Good luck, Min Seok. Let's see if you really are Korea's best driver or if the chairman fires you before we even hit the highway."
The two-car convoy smoothly accelerated out of the massive iron gates of The Onyx Mansion, heading fast toward the high-stakes meeting. Siwon leaned back against the plush leather seat, looking out the window, completely unaware of the massive surprise her team was secretly hiding from her.