A brilliant flash of light tore through the darkness, accompanied by an earth-shattering roar that jolted Yu-jin awake. He gasped, his body stiffening as he sat up in bed. For a moment, he simply blinked in confusion, his senses still clouded by sleep. Then, as the deafening sound of rain pounded against the windows, the tension in his shoulders eased.
Had he slept too long?
The exhaustion and strain that had weighed on him finally caught up all at once, pulling him into a dreamless slumber. Fortunately, both his body and mind felt significantly lighter now. It had been a long time since he’d woken up feeling this refreshed. Stretching slightly, he glanced at the clock. It was only 8 PM, yet the world outside was shrouded in darkness, as if night had already fallen.
“Angie?”
Only then did he notice the silence in the room. He called out the name, his voice uncertain, but no response came. Maybe she had stepped out, afraid of waking him. Feeling a pang of guilt, Yu-jin pushed off the covers and climbed out of bed.
“Angie! Angie, where are you? Are you here…?”
He moved through the house, opening doors one by one, searching for his daughter. She was nowhere to be found. Even though he knew Angela would never wander off on her own, an uneasy feeling gnawed at him, forcing him to check every possible hiding spot.
As his anxiety steadily grew, he made his way downstairs. Just as he stepped onto the staircase, he froze at the sight of the household staff bustling frantically through the halls.
“Kane?”
At the sound of his voice, the butler, who had been on the phone, looked up. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting second, Kane’s expression stiffened. Yu-jin had never seen him react like that before, and the unease in his chest twisted into something sharper.
“Excuse me, but do you know where Angie is? I’ve looked everywhere, but I can’t find her. It’s already past dinner time…”
His heart pounded violently as he forced a smile, willing himself to stay calm. The butler hesitated. It lasted no more than a second or two, but it was enough to send an icy chill through Yu-jin’s veins.
“Well,” Kane finally began, his voice measured, “we’re looking for her as well. She left the house three or four hours ago and hasn’t returned yet…”
Another deafening crash of thunder echoed through the house. Yu-jin went rigid, staring at the butler in disbelief. His mind refused to process the words he had just heard. Kane continued speaking, his expression strained.
“The staff is searching for her as we speak. I’m sure she’ll be back soon, so please try not to worry. If you could just wait—”
“What did you just say?” Yu-jin’s voice cracked. “Angie is missing? She’s out there right now, in this storm?”
Panic surged through him, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Kane opened his mouth to say something else, but Yu-jin was already moving, his feet flying down the stairs.
“Mr. Yu-jin, wait! It’s dangerous!”
Kane’s warning rang out behind him, but Yu-jin didn’t hear it. All he could see was Angela’s face, vivid in his mind. The torrential rain roared in his ears, drowning out everything else. His thoughts scattered, his reason shattered.
“Ah—!”
“Yu-jin!”
His foot slipped. Before he could react, he tumbled down several steps, his body hitting the staircase hard. The butler cried out in alarm and rushed toward him, but Yu-jin barely registered the pain. He tried to push himself up, only for his balance to waver again. Kane caught him just in time, steadying him.
“Let go! I have to find Angie! Let me go!” Yu-jin shouted, struggling against his grip.
“The entire staff is already looking for her. Please, Mr. Yu-jin, calm down—”
“I said let go! If we don’t find her right now—hurry—Angie!”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
A cold, cutting voice sliced through the chaos. Yu-jin and Kane both froze, turning their heads. Yu-jin blinked, lips parting as he unconsciously murmured his name.
Winston.
His dark hair was damp, the edges of his coat soaked where the rain had touched him. Droplets of water clung to him, catching the light from the grand chandelier above, making them glisten like tiny shards of glass. Through the blur of tears clouding Yu-jin’s vision, Winston’s face twisted into something unreadable.
Kane was the first to speak. “I apologize, Mr. Campbell. We didn’t mean to cause a disturbance—”
“What,” Winston cut him off, his voice slow and deliberate, as if biting off each word, “are you doing?”
Another roll of thunder rumbled through the house. Yu-jin’s delayed response came in a desperate cry.
“Angie is missing! The rain—it’s coming down so hard—We have to go find her now!”
Yu-jin shoved Kane aside and tried to bolt toward the door, but Winston caught him effortlessly. His arms locked around Yu-jin’s waist, holding him back as he flailed. Over Yu-jin’s shoulder, Winston’s voice came, sharp and commanding.
“Explain. Now.”
Kane hesitated for only a moment before quickly responding. “Angela left the house three or four hours ago, and she hasn’t come back yet. The staff is out searching for her as we speak.”
“She left? Alone?”
“Yes.”
Winston’s brows drew together in a deep frown. Kane, looking increasingly uncomfortable, added, “I saw her go out earlier, but I didn’t stop her. I thought she might be feeling cooped up inside, so I let her be. I reminded her that it was going to rain soon and told her to come back quickly. She often plays near the mansion on her own, so I assumed she wouldn’t go far, but—”
“Let me go! I have to find Angie!”
Yu-jin screamed, cutting him off. He fought harder, his entire body thrashing with wild desperation, but Winston held him in place with one strong arm.
“Calm down. They’re already looking for her,” Winston said, his voice firm.
“She’s my child!”
Yu-jin’s cry was nearly a wail.
“It’s been hours! The rain—it’s coming down so hard—she’s only three years old! If she’s still not back by now—Angie, my daughter—”
His breath caught. His vision swam. Just the thought of what could have happened—what might still be happening—made his entire body seize up with terror.
His hands flew to his face as a choked sob tore from his throat.
“If something happens to Angie… I’ll die too…!”
Winston simply watched as Yu-jin screamed in anguish. A flash of light illuminated the mansion’s interior for a brief second before another deafening crash of thunder followed.
“Prepare the horses.”
“What?”
Winston’s quiet voice cut through the relentless downpour, barely audible over the lingering echo of thunder. The butler looked up in shock, startled by the command. Winston repeated himself, his tone colder this time.
“Did you not hear me? Prepare the horses.”
“But, Mr. Campbell, that’s—”
Kane hesitated, trying to protest, but Winston’s sharp glare silenced him. With no choice, the butler bowed his head and left to carry out the order.
“Let me go! I said, let me go!”
“Calm down.”
Yu-jin fought desperately, but Winston tightened his arms around him, keeping him firmly in place.
“Fine. I’ll go search for her myself. You stay here.”
“I’m coming with you!”
“You’re staying.”
Winston’s voice remained cold and unyielding, effortlessly crushing Yu-jin’s resistance.
“And what if she comes back while you’re out running around in the storm? What then? Do you want your daughter to be the one searching for you next? Stop being stubborn and wait. When she returns, you need to be here to reassure her.”
His words were painfully logical. Completely rational. Yu-jin wanted nothing more than to ignore them, to run out into the rain and find his daughter, but… he couldn’t argue. Winston was right.
The fight drained from Yu-jin’s body. He sagged against Winston’s hold, his strength slipping away. Sensing his surrender, Winston loosened his grip as well.
“If I lose Angie… I won’t be able to live anymore.”
“I got it. Enough.”
Yu-jin started crying again, unable to stop the sobs from bubbling up. Winston’s voice remained indifferent, but he reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a handkerchief—only to realize it was damp. With a sigh, he tucked it back in.
“You’ll find her soon. Don’t think about anything else. The moment you give up, that’s when it’s truly over.”
Yu-jin wiped at his tears with the back of his hand, looking up at Winston. His face was as unreadable as ever, completely void of emotion.
“…You would never give up, would you?”
His voice trembled as he asked. Winston met his gaze and spoke without hesitation.
“If something’s meaningless, you should give up.” He paused. “But you don’t believe searching for your daughter is meaningless, do you?”
“Never.”
Yu-jin’s answer was firm, unwavering. Winston simply nodded.
“Then that’s all that matters.”
“Mr. Campbell, everything is ready.”
Yu-jin wanted to say more, but the butler’s timely arrival cut him off. Without another word, Winston turned sharply and gave his next order.
“Contact the physician immediately. Tell them to be ready for emergency treatment. The child could suffer from hypothermia or other complications, so they need to be prepared to act at once.”
“Understood.”
“Winston…!”
Yu-jin’s urgent voice rang out behind them as Winston strode ahead, the butler following closely behind. Winston stopped and turned back. Yu-jin’s lips trembled as he spoke.
“Please… find Angie. I’m begging you…”
His plea was raw, filled with desperate sincerity. Winston stared at him in silence for a moment, then turned away without a word.
The front door shut behind him, leaving Yu-jin alone.
Only the sound of the relentless rain remained.
