The moment the notification from Seoul chimed again, my heart seemed to stop alongside the device in my hand. It wasn't the usual video call filled with warmth; it was a brief message that snatched the last drop of light from my life.
"He is gone..."
The entire world fell into a deafening silence as I felt the very foundations of my heart crumble. I wanted to scream until my lungs burst. I wanted to tear down the doors of this house that held me captive and run until I reached Seoul in a single breath. But the pathetic reality was... I remained imprisoned in the same house. The skies outside were sealed by a pandemic, and the skies within my soul were locked shut by the man I called 'husband.'
I collapsed onto the bathroom floor, letting the cold shower spray wash away tears that would never dry. I couldn't go to him. Not even in the final second when he closed his eyes did I have the chance to say goodbye. I was trapped in a gilded cage, guarded by the 'Dermatologist' and his facade of virtue.
"Why are you crying again? Your father has been dead for a while. Or are you just restless because the insurance payout hasn't hit the account yet?" My mother's voice barked through the door. It was so cold it made me shiver. She had no idea that her daughter had just lost her very breath. She cared only for the numbers on the policy—the policy I had faithfully paid for to ensure my father's security.
I emerged from the bathroom with a deadened heart. My eyes met Thana's, who was playfully chatting with our sixteen-year-old daughter. He smiled at me—the smug smile of a victor who knew he had shackled my child with his filthy secret. He walked closer, leaning in to whisper in a tone that was tender yet freezing.
"Sad about Korea? Don't be... At least you still have me here to take care of you."
He knew. He knew I was dying inside, and he took pleasure in watching me writhe in the fire he had lit. He used the death of the man I loved to mock me, and he used the innocence of our daughter as his human shield.
While my aunts and uncles sat in a circle, criticizing me for being an ungrateful wife—accusing me of seeking 'pleasure' abroad while ignoring my husband's nobility—none of them knew. No one saw that in my trembling hands, I was clutching something else.
The sky in Korea may have collapsed... but the scar Thana carved beneath my skin today will serve as a permanent reminder: I will never back down until this monster's mask is ripped off for the entire world to see!