Silver Pine Estate
Neither Tae-jin nor his grandmother spoke for several seconds.
The living room had become unusually quiet.
Old Madam Kang was still watching him.
Tae-jin stood in front of her with one hand in his trouser pocket, his expression as controlled as ever.
But his grandmother knew him too well.
She could tell when something was bothering him.
And tonight, something clearly was.
“You’re thinking about it,” she said.
Tae-jin’s eyes shifted toward her.
“About what?”
“The marriage.”
His expression hardened slightly.
“I have more important things to think about.”
Old Madam Kang smiled.
“That’s not an answer.”
Tae-jin said nothing.
She studied him for another moment.
Then her eyes softened.
“Little Tae.”
His gaze returned to her.
“You’ve always been too serious.”
“I know.”
“You were serious even as a child.”
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
“Grandma, where is this going?”
She laughed.
“Nowhere.”
She leaned back against the sofa.
“I just find it interesting.”
“What?”
“That the boy who never cared about anything except work is suddenly standing in front of me because of a girl.”
Tae-jin’s expression remained unchanged.
“She isn’t the reason.”
“Then why are you still standing here?”
He paused.
Old Madam Kang smiled triumphantly.
Tae-jin looked away.
“Because you won’t let me leave.”
“Exactly.”
She picked up her tea.
“And because you know I’m right.”
Tae-jin gave her a quiet look.
For anyone else, that look would have been enough to end the conversation.
Not for her.
She simply smiled.
“You should eat something.”
“I ate.”
“You barely ate.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You’re always not hungry.”
“Grandma.”
“What?”
“I’m leaving.”
He turned.
“Tae-jin.”
He stopped.
Old Madam Kang’s voice had changed.
This time, there was no teasing in it.
“When you find out who did this…”
Tae-jin looked back.
“Don’t make a decision based on anger.”
His eyes became colder.
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
A pause.
“Because whoever put your name on that record knew exactly what they were doing.”
Tae-jin’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But his grandmother noticed.
He had already thought the same thing.
“This wasn’t random,” he said.
Old Madam Kang nodded.
“Then find out why.”
Tae-jin turned toward the hallway.
“I intend to.”
Silver Pine Estate — Private Study
The study door closed behind him.
Tae-jin walked to his desk.
A thin folder was already waiting there.
He picked it up.
The marriage registration.
His eyes moved over the document again.
Kang Tae-jin.
Kim Hana.
Two names.
One legal record.
His jaw tightened.
He hated things he couldn’t explain.
He hated uncertainty even more.
Tae-jin placed the document on the desk.
Then he pressed the button on his phone.
“Daniel.”
The door opened almost immediately.
Daniel stepped inside.
“Yes, sir.”
“Where is James?”
“On his way.”
“Tell him to come directly here.”
“Yes, sir.”
Daniel turned to leave.
“Tae-jin’s voice stopped him.
“And Daniel.”
Daniel looked back.
“Yes?”
“Did anyone access the temporary verification server after the system update?”
Daniel hesitated.
“We’re still checking.”
Tae-jin looked at him.
Daniel immediately corrected himself.
“James is checking it now.”
“Good.”
Daniel nodded.
He was about to leave again when Tae-jin spoke.
“Did you tell anyone about the bride?”
Daniel froze.
“No, sir.”
“Good.”
“Although…”
Tae-jin’s gaze sharpened.
“Although what?”
“The people at the bureau know her name.”
Tae-jin’s expression turned colder.
“I know.”
“And someone called her.”
Silence.
Tae-jin looked down at the document.
“She thought it was a prank.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
For some reason, Tae-jin remembered her expression from the day he had carried her through the rain.
She had been injured.
Exhausted.
And still stubborn enough to argue with him.
His eyes narrowed.
“She doesn’t know.”
“No, sir.”
“Keep it that way.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
He left.
Tae-jin remained alone.
His fingers lightly tapped against the desk.
Kim Hana.
He had known her name before.
But now it felt different.
Not because of the marriage certificate.
Because someone had deliberately connected her to him.
And whoever had done it had known enough about both of them to make the connection believable.
That bothered him.
His phone rang.
He answered.
“Speak.”
James’s voice came through.
“Sir, I found something.”
Tae-jin’s eyes sharpened.
“Come upstairs.”
“I already am.”
The study door opened.
James stepped inside carrying a laptop.
Unlike Daniel, he didn’t waste time with unnecessary words.
He placed the laptop on the desk.
“The registration wasn’t created from outside the system.”
Tae-jin looked at the screen.
“It was created using an authorized channel.”
“Correct.”
“Which means?”
“Someone had legitimate access.”
Tae-jin’s expression remained unreadable.
James continued.
“But there’s something strange.”
“What?”
“The access was disguised.”
Tae-jin looked at him.
“Can you trace it?”
“Eventually.”
“Eventually isn’t good enough.”
James nodded.
“I know.”
Tae-jin leaned back slightly.
“How long?”
“Give me a few hours.”
“You have two.”
James didn’t react.
“I’ll do it.”
He turned toward the door.
“James.”
He stopped.
“Don’t involve the police.”
James looked back.
“Understood.”
“And don’t let anyone know you’re investigating it.”
“Yes, sir.”
James left.
Tae-jin looked at the closed door.
His eyes became colder.
Someone had entered a system they should never have been able to enter.
Someone had used his family network.
Someone had registered him to a woman he barely knew.
And somehow…
Kim Hana had been chosen, but why her?.
That was the part he couldn’t understand.
Meanwhile at the Kim Family Mansion
Morning sunlight slipped through Hana’s curtains.
She slowly opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she didn’t move.
Then she remembered.
Her arm.
Hana lifted it carefully.
She stared.
The pain was almost gone.
She flexed her fingers.
Once.
Twice.
Her brows rose.
“That was fast.”
She sat up.
The sling hung loosely beside her.
Hana looked at it.
Then at her arm.
She carefully removed the sling.
There was barely any discomfort.
A small smile appeared on her face.
“Two days.”
She had been right.
Her recovery was faster than expected.
Before she could examine it further, the door suddenly opened.
Seo-ma walked inside carrying two cups.
She stopped.
Her eyes immediately landed on Hana’s arm.
Then on the sling lying beside her.
Then back at Hana.
“What happened?”
Hana blinked.
“What?”
Hana looked down.
“Oh.”
Seo-ma slowly put the cups on the table.
“You’re not wearing it.”
“I don’t need it anymore.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“What do you mean you don’t need it?”
Hana moved her arm.
“Look.”
Seo-ma’s mouth opened.
She immediately walked over.
“Move your fingers.”
Hana did.
“Again.”
She did it again.
Seo-ma’s expression changed from suspicion to amazement.
“How?”
Hana shrugged.
“Apparently I’m lucky.”
Seo-ma narrowed her eyes.
“I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t have to.”
Seo-ma examined her arm again.
Then she sighed.
“Fine.
I’m happy you’re better.”
Hana smiled.
“Good.”
Seo-ma picked up one of the cups.
“Now get dressed.”
“Why?”
“School.”
Hana’s smile disappeared.
“Today?”
“Yes, today.”
Hana leaned back.
“I just got better.”
“You’re going back to school.”
“Seo-ma.”
“No.”
Hana sighed.
Seo-ma smiled.
“Come on.
You’re going to miss everything.”
Hana looked at her suspiciously.
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”
Silver Pine Estate
Tae-jin stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in his study.
The city stretched beneath him.
Daniel stood several feet behind him.
“Sir.”
Tae-jin didn’t turn.
“What?”
“James sent an update.”
“And?”
“He found the first access point.”
Tae-jin finally turned around.
“Who?”
Daniel hesitated.
“We don’t have a name yet.”
Tae-jin’s eyes hardened.
“But?”
“There was a foreign connection.”
Silence.
Tae-jin walked back toward the desk.
“Foreign?”
“Yes.”
“Country?”
“China.”
Tae-jin stopped.
For the first time that morning, something resembling interest appeared in his eyes.
“China.”
“Yes.”
“Trace it.”
“We are.”
Tae-jin picked up the marriage certificate.
His gaze returned to Hana’s name.
Someone had been watching.
Someone had planned this.
And now someone had left a trail.
He placed the certificate back on the desk.
“Find him.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
Tae-jin’s voice was quiet.
“And when you do…”
He looked toward the window again.
“I want to know everything.”
Somewhere in the City
A laptop screen glowed in a dark room.
A man sat alone in front of it.
He was young.
Calm.
Almost too calm.
A message appeared on the screen.
Kang Tae-jin has begun investigating.
The man read it.
His lips curved into a faint smile.
“So he noticed.”
He closed the laptop.
Beside him was a folder.
Two photographs rested on top.
One belonged to Kang Tae-jin.
The other belonged to Kim Hana.
His fingers touched Hana’s photograph.
“You really are the better choice.”
He leaned back.
“Soo-min would have been too easy.”
A quiet laugh escaped him.
“But you…”
His eyes darkened.
“You don’t even know how valuable you are.”
He placed the photograph back inside the folder.
Then closed it.
For now, Kang Tae-jin was looking for the person behind the marriage registration.
He had no idea that the person he was searching for had been studying Kim Hana long before either of them realized it.
And the game had only just begun.