Chapter-2

Few hours ago before the arrival of the chairwoman,

Outside the hotel, in the gardens, she walked while untying her long silky black hair. "That wench, is going to pay for what she did", she exhaled, "her poor father had to tolerate her like this? Shameful, now I won't let it slide". She tapped a phone number.

"Yo, come get me and change my dress for tonight, make it extravagant, bring a dress that suits my reputation the best", she narrowed her eyes, "I need to teach someone a lesson"

"Did something happen?" asked the person on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah long story", she replied, "see ya in ten minutes"

"I'll get them ready"

Currently at the party,

"What in the…", Eun Chang-Ae's voice trailed off, "how could…" She was unable to speak a single word.

"Now that I think about it, her last name was 'Ryu', how could I not notice?" Soo Yu-Mi asked herself, "I bet the old foggy knew about it", she meant the manager beside the chairwoman.

The manager was a woman in her fifties yet she was bulky like those weight lifters from the gym. She was cold and arrogant in her work and not to mention very strict and rude.

"She allowed the chairwoman to work among us and especially with me", Soo Yu-Mi thought of all the times she made fun of Ryu Tae-Ra, "I bet she will fire me now. Anyway I want to see what will happen to the bitch who threw wine on her", she looked at the actress, Eun Chang-Ae and she was satisfied. "look of horror suits her the best"

"Thank you all for your patients" smiled the chairwomen, "I hope I did not intrude or disturb the party with my late arrival"

"You jest Miss. Ryu", said a young man holding a glass of red grape wine, "you came just in time for the show", then he a wicked grin "this here Miss. Eun Chang-Ae, the spot light of today's event. I suppose you never knew", he smiled at Eun Chang-Ae.

This man is one of Ryu group's many best partner snd investor. His name is Kim Ji-ho.

"I have heard of you, miss. Eun, from your father Mr. Beom", she said calmly and with grace, "he asked me to make the party the best moment in your life because it was your birthday and also, a special someone would make a comeback with you. I was over joyed to hear that, how lovely that would be? And since he couldn't attend on time" Ryu Tae-Ra came close to the actress and whispered in her ears "do you know how he paid me and begged me to tolerate you to night?" she smirked making Eun Chang-Ae more scared than she already was "one billion won", Eun Chan-Ae's face became pale white like a ghost "never mock me, little fly. You and I are on a different level in this society"

Then the chairwoman moved away from the actress, again smiling gently, "my goodness, you must have been very overly joyed at what I said"

"What?"

"I mean your father will be coming soon", she was happy for that, she has to teach woman a hard lesson, "he informed me few hours ago, on the phone", Ryu was enjoying the look on her face.

Everyone knew what was happening there even if they were far away. Just then a the manager informed something in Ryu's ears, Ryu smirked, "I see thank you" she said to manager, she looked at Eun Chang-Ae, "your father has arrived, he is on his way to the hall at this moment"

Eun Chang-Ae couldn't hide her horrifying expression. Why would her father come now? Why at this moment? After what she had done, she thought nothing would go wrong because she could hide from him but she cant. He will be very furious at her, maybe even ground for that matter.

Mr. Beom entered the hall bit worried about being very late at his daughter' party, he wanted his beloved daughter to always have the best in her life. He even went to great lengths to make Ryu Group's chairwoman to attend. He thought that bringing the chairwoman would a great honor for his daughter; she could learn something from her.

Nonetheless, his happy dreams were shattered when his daughter's attendant informed him about everything what had happened since the beginning of the party. Poor father was humiliated in front of everyone. He couldn't even meet the chairwoman's eyes.

"Your promise, Mr. Beom" the chairwoman mouthed to him and when his eye understood what she had, Ryu Tae-Ra smirked. Mr. Beom became anxious at what she had said, months ago, before the reservation.

Mr. Beom and the Ryu group's chairwoman had a private meeting over the party arrangements and others things especially about his daughter. He had promised her that if his daughter misbehaved in anyway and caused trouble at the party, he would keel to her in front of everyone there.

Therefore, he knelt before her, the chairwoman; Ryu Tae-Ra. Mr. Beom is man of his words after all, "how unfortunate he has a daughter like that? A daughter that destroyed her father's pride and respect like this way", Thought Ryu Tae-Ra, but letting him kneel for long will hurt her reputation too so she has to do something "Mr. Beom what in the world are you doing?" she wanted to him get up but the man refused "shouldn't apologies for what happened earlier" she said unfazed by him.

"Even so I must apologies no behave of my useless daughter", he said begging, "I should have taught her manners since young. Because I didn't she became spoilt rotten, please forgive her chairwoman I beg of you", the poor man couldn't think of anything else except for his daughter crimes and how to protect what he has.

"She won't even move an inch, I see", Ryu looked at Eun Chang-ae, who still holding on to her partners hand with little to no conscience. Everyone was disappointed and disgusted at the actress, Eun Chang-Ae. How could a Korean make their parents bow to others in public like that? This is unacceptable by the society. They started to look at her with disgusted eyes.

Even for Hyun Hae-Il was standing beside her could not do help her; he could only have sympathy for his partner. People only see what they want to see. Eun Chang-ae was in total loss, she doesn't know what to do here how can she help her father? She doesn't know anything about defending others.

"Mr. Beom, I think highly of my employees and their hard work for me", she with angry tone to make them feel intimidated, "what your daughter did was un forgivable. Fortunately that waitress was forgiving and a patient person."

"Wait so Ryu Tae-Ra is not chairwoman", thought Soo Yu-Mi, "possible because they don't look that alike. Their personalities are very different, the chairwoman's is not forgiving at all even if she smiles that's just for show anyway and Ryu Tae-Ra which I know is very easy going and doesn't hold any grudges against other", then she thought something else, "their name are same though" thinking about that she had lost her mind.

"She had already forgotten what had happened", the chairwoman continued, "I don't forgive those who humiliate my people" she stared at him dead eyes.

"Please forgive me, chairwoman", Mr. Beom was about bow lower.

"Mr. Beom", she shouted and hit the floor with her staff. The hall became dead silent. Kim Ji-ho took a sip of wine and smiled at the amusing show he is witnessing right now. The chairwoman was furious for real this time, "how dare you?" Mr. Beom looked at confused.

Just then Eun Chang-Ae called the chairwoman, "how could you do this? He is my father and was saying sorry", before she could finish the chairwoman had very hard on the face that Eun Chang-ae fell to the ground.

"Do you have any right to speak in this matter, Miss. Eun Chang-ae?" she said to her and to her father, both of them were out of words.

"Raise Mr. Beom", said the angry chairwoman, "you are making a fool out of yourself. I will let go of this matter, however, I must take my support from your company", Eun Cher-Ae's father became hopeless, Ryu group was his major shareholder, and if they leave then other companies will follow it. His company is doomed now; the poor man has lost all words.

"The party isn't over yet, everyone", she announced, "enjoy, I shall take my leave", she looked at Eun Chang-Ae, "I am busy person after all"

Both the chairwoman and her butler left the hall, silencing everyone in there. She had finally thought that bitch a lesson. It was very hard for too because she had humiliate a good and upright person it Mr. Beom. But it had to be done at point

"Who'd want enjoy after all that", said Il-Seong her butler and secretary, "you destroyed the party"

"What else am I supposed to do?" she said annoyed thinking about that girl, "go along with it? No way"

"You always do that unfortunately", Hye Ii-Seong sighed "anyway I have an important from 'the mask", Ryu narrowed her eyes, "specifically, the recent murder cases that are rising. New murder case came out, this a family of four in the suburbs of Boseong"

"Did you find anything?" she asked with serious tone

"You should go there yourself to confirm", Hye Ii-Seong said, "that crime scene should be investigated by you, personally"

"I see than 'he' must be the one behind this one too", Ryu looked at the distance of the long empty hall way, "I will leave to city of tea three days later. I will bring you something from the trip"

"Sure thing", he replied happily,

"I should bring you a girl then" she joked around.

"I don't need a damn thing from", he said feeling disgusted at the thought of having a weak opposite sex besides him, "you yourself don't have a guy"

"I have", she said

"That would be me then and I am 'friend', right", and Ryu agreed with him. She basically doesn't have romantic feelings for anyone, not now or in past or in future.

Everyone in her family had arranged marriage and no one was interested in finding a person they love that includes Ryu Tae-Ra and everyone she knows. She has always been independent and busy with work.

Even when she had free time, she'd be busy sleeping or doing physical training at home. Arranged marriage is what she prefers the most and there are many candidates to choose from.

After the chairwoman left, the party it became a depressing hall of misery, the star of today's show was shut downed by her. Her father lost all his investors and the business went down within one night. Eun Chang-Ae's reputation hit the rock bottom after the incident; many of her contracts were canceled no one would offer her any roles in the movies. Her life became a mess.

Hyun Hae-Il on the other hand had many questions for her she was the girl he met nine years ago, but she indirectly denied that she was the butler. He has to meet her at least once more. Then all his questions could be answered, although now was not the time for that. So he waited for the opportunity to arise.

In Ulsan, a high school girl was walking alone in the empty streets under the midnight skies. Looking for her house after long day with her friends, it was her first time out so late. Her parents would be furious at her. When she came half way close to her home, a person in dark clothes passed by her, the feeling of uneasiness rushed inside her and thus she sped up her walk. She never cared to look back.

"What a scary man? I must hurry home", said the scared girl. Finally when she could see her house door she was very happy.

Unfortunately, the man in black grabbed her from behind. In the morning, the police got a report about a high school girl found dead near her home. The police immediately surrounded the crime scene. The family members were crying out of their mind.

"That poor child", said a neighbor, "who could do such a thing to her?", "That girl was so kind she never deserved this fate", said another neighbor.

"But the world is too cruel this days", said another.

"What's the situation?" asked Hyun Hae-Il while inspecting the dead body.

"Same as the others", said the detective beside him, "she is missing her heart", the detective looked disgusted at the body, "it seemed to have been taken out while she was alive"

Hyun Hae-Il looked at her with emotionless eyes and closed the girl's eyes with his hand, "there must be something this killer is up to, we find what it is that he wants to do", then looked at the detective, "remember the similarities between them?" he asked.

"Well, all of them had no signs of struggle and no sign of attack. It was as if the killer killed them without even touching them, like taking out their souls. And the most important part is yet to come; the hearts were torn out of the bodies"

"Bingo", said Hyun Hae-Il, "but that's not possible. At the same time that might be a possibility"

"How can those things be possible?" asked the detective, "that's like saying magic exists"

"Donno but might be", Hyun Hae-Il said touching the wound of the girl and scanning the surrounding to find any clues on the killer.

"Common, you are not like that, Hyun", said the his partner, "how could you believe in things that don't exists"

"Anyway I think there something else that makes them the target", said Hyun Hae-Il, he thought of the dead girl's parents and felt bad for their loss. When will he catch that bastard? It has been years now, since he made him his target of revenge. "Let's go back to the department, Dae-Jong" he to the young detective "we'll review all the cases"

Back in the department, "look at detective Hyun Hae-Il", the female officer watched the handsome detective walk past her, holding the box of evidence, "and he is still single", her eyes were filled with lust for him.

"He is an ex-celebrity you know, so no way you have even one percent chance with him", said the male officer, "don't dream about him anymore"

"Chief", called Hyun Hae-Il, knocking at the office door, "I bought the new evidence just as you asked" he entered the office right after without the chief's permission.

"Why in the world are you not following manners?" said the chief annoyed by his sudden entrance, "here, take this", the chief handed him a report file, "go to Boseong", said the chief, "they need your help there"

"I am already busy with the 'heart eater' case"

"This is also about The Heart Eater", the chief handed him the report, detective Hyun Hae-Il went through the papers of the report. The report was about an entire family of four being slaughter and the daughter was missing. Their hearts were missing as well "why would he take the girl?" asked the detective.

"Take?" repeated the chief "I think he might have just killed her and threw her somewhere else" said the chief. "I don't think so" said the detective "he isn't like that"

"How do you know that?" asked the chief "he might be doing it for fun, like psychopaths"

"Not him, chief" said the Hyun Hae-Il while smiling at the chief "psychopaths play with their prays before killing them and they have weird habits and will leave a signature touch, to let others know about them" Hyun Hae-Il stared at a picture of a dead body the heart eater had killed four days ago "he doesn't hurt his victims or make them suffer, although now his is getting desperate"

"How?" asked the chief

"In the past years he'd never even scratch his victims but now he took out the hearts while they were alive. He doesn't have time to make them fall asleep" he said while keeping the eye contact between them "it is also unknown how he them fall asleep because the forensic team didn't find any anesthetic in the body autopsy"

"Well…then" said the chief making a serious look "I don't get anything you saying so just go and stop wrecking my brain" the chief pushed him out of the office "don't waste time and go already"

"Who's gonna pay my bills?" Hyun Hae-Il asked while leaving the room.

"Put it in the department's tap" said the chief as he shut his office door behind him "as if he does not have any money? Kids these days"

Ryu Tae-Ra was preparing to leave for the long journey for few days. "I will bring something for you" she said to her butler, Hye Il-Seong "take care of the company"

"I always do that, so don't worry" he said while packing some food for her journey "will you take him? He is going all over"

"Forget it I am not taking him. He has school to attend to" she said "he is too hyper anyway"

"He likes you"

"Still, not gonna happen"

Just then a knife was thrown towards Ryu and she stopped it with invisible powers from her hand "jeeze", she whispered, "now?" A small boy came, flying at her, but missed her.

Both of them started to fight, the boy tried his best to land at least one hit but couldn't. Ryu on the other was dogging his blows like a professional; she was very calm and did not break a sweat. When the boy found an opening the boy tried to land a kick from below. He was very confident about it. However, Ryu caught his leg and smirked at him mischievously.

"Damn it"

"Good bye, kid"

"No!"

Ryu sent him flying in the sky. While he was on the air he screamed "I wanna go too" and he started to cry after he crashed on a tree. He didn't give up yet, he must go with her"

An hour later, Ryu Tae-Ra waited for Rhee Kwan in black RR, to finally leave the cafe's bathroom. It's been half an hour since they'd stopped for quick break and side seeing. It was very tiring taking care of children and especially teens his age.

Rhee Kwan was just thirteen years of age but was very capable then others around his age, "well growing up with strong family made him already strong and independent at a young age" Ryu sighed at his situation because he would never play like other kids around his age. And most of the time he would leach himself onto her, "maybe it's my fault he is like this"

"Big sis" Rhee Kwan called out to her, Ryu saw him with no surprise as he was carrying a huge box in front of his face that he couldn't even ahead, "I can't see at all, please help"

"I am your damned, Aunt" she shouted at him feeling all irritated, she was his aunty and not his sister. Just because she doesn't look old didn't mean that she wasn't and aunty. This kid will never learn at all. Ryu Tae-Ra got out of her car and wen to help Rhee Kwan. After taking the box of off him she asked him what it was and he replied "it's for you chocolate cake, it's a payment for brining me along"

"Where did you get the money?" she asked him.

"Saved some" he said "since you only give me twenty dollars at the max"

"you are wasting the money one something like this" said Ryu, although she was happy for the fact that he'd learned to never be indebt but sometimes even for the act of kindness he'd over think them, "let's go we might be late already and the police might already be swarming the place"

"Who are we looking for aunt?" Rhee Kwan asked curiously, because his second grand uncle had told him a story, "I mean it must someone important because you have been searching them for long time from what I heard"

"Did uncle Yo Han tell something about it?" she asked him as though she could read his thoughts, however, it wasn't like that at all. The only person in this family who will the children everything was Ryu Tae-Ra's uncle Ryu Yo Han.

The man's appearance was still young as ever although he was some fifty on the inside, his powers kept him young. It was obvious to her that it would be his work, "what did he say?" she asked him while keeping cake in the back sit of the car.

"Well, he said that long time great grandfather's best student had rebelled against him and caused too much harm and in the process great grandpa had passed away" Rhee Kwan told Ryu everything what his grand uncle had told him not so long ago, he was amazed at the story which unfortunately was true, "and that now he was alive and coming for revenge or whatever"

"and bingo" she said smiling that her little nephew knew so much about the work she does, "now we have to catch the traitor, okay?"

"Okay" he replied back.

When the Ryu reached the destination, she could not find the house with her GPS, instead it lead her to an old potato farm. "Why do these GPS things never work when I needed them? What is this place, huh? Why, do I have to eat potatoes now? Common" Ryu Tae-Ra was furious; she was never taken to the right place by the GPS not even once in her life time "I should just ask around, relying on gadgets is hopeless"

After giving up on the GPS Ryu Ta-Ra asked around for directions and it turns out that she was very far away from where she was supposed to be at. She was furious and screamed a bit around here and there. "This won't do" she said in frustrations and went to nearby dark alley, "no one's around" she turned and checked. She sat down on her toes then jumped up, on top of the building's roof. It was very natural for her. She was blessed with supernatural powers.

As she walked to edge of the roof, with her incredible eye power she was able to locate the crime scene, "finally" she thought "this is always easy with the help of little magic" she giggled at herself. She jumped down from the building and on the same second Ryu Tae-Ra came out of shadows of the alley in front of the house, "Teleportation is the best"

The crime scene was already crowded with people and police men. This was big story because an entire family was killed on the same day and in the same way. Many suspected that it was done for revenge or hatred of the family's prosperity, due to their blessed framing and wealth, very rare for this region. However, there was no one to suspect of. Thus, these speculations were dismissed. The truth was hidden from the public.

"Yeah because it was done by the so-called heart eater" Ryu stared at the place where the father was found lying dead and she wiped out drops of blood from the wooden floor board, "what a tacky name they gave?" she laughed slightly.

"Tacky?" a man from behind her responded at her comment, it was detective Hyun Hae-Il, he was little annoyed by hearing that "how is it tacky? And who are you anyway?" he asked her calm voice.