•SEVEN•

In the elegant restaurant, tension filled the air as the walrus-like woman displayed her offence. She had expected her daughter's response, yet it still came as a shock. In an attempt to regain composure, she exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself down.

"Why? Am I not allowed to visit my daughter?" she asked, an ugly smirk replacing her godly self-perception.

Victoria scoffed, momentarily averting her gaze before locking eyes with Yah Yeojin again. Firmly, she replied, "Now, listen, Yah Yeojin, we are not related. I am not your daughter. Just tell me why you're here in Venice."

Victoria, a resilient twenty-one-year-old, fought back tears as memories of Yah Yeojin's abusive treatment resurfaced. Her body ached, reminiscent of the painful days in high school when bruises covered her fragile frame.

She struggled to hold back the flood of emotions, the echoes of her past screams reverberating through her mind. The pain inflicted upon her was a part of herself she had tried to bury for six long years.

The past, submerged deep within her being, resurfaced today when she had the displeasure of encountering her mother.

"We aren't related in any way, legally or otherwise," Victoria added calmly, attempting to regain her composure.

Her words caused Yah Yeojin to turn a dark shade of red. "How dare you disrespect me like that? I AM YOUR MOTHER!" Her voice rose, capturing the attention of nearby waiters.

"I MADE IT CLEAR TO YOU, YAH YEOJIN. WE. ARE. NOT. RELATED!" Victoria yelled, her anger rising and mirroring her mother's shade of red.

As the woman rose from the table, Victoria mirrored her actions. The walrus-like figure had reached her limit. She stared at her daughter for a moment, and then, without warning, she slapped her. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, drawing gasps from onlookers.

Victoria had anticipated the confrontation, but being physically struck was unexpected. The world's most powerful woman had just been slapped by the woman she used to call mother.

The sensation of her mother's hand on her cheek felt both familiar and distant. It burned, leaving a stinging mark.

Losing balance, Victoria tumbled to the cold marble floor. Her hair fell across her face as tears welled up in her eyes. It was reminiscent of her high school days when she endured her mother's abuse. The cries of her past self felt closer now as if she were once again screaming for help.

She possessed great strength, but at this moment, Victoria was overwhelmed. She wasn't Victoria anymore; she was Hwang Yeonjin, the girl who had always felt helpless.

The room fell into an eerie silence as everyone remained frozen, unable to intervene and assist the girl on the ground. Shock and disbelief were etched on their faces.

Disregarding everything else, Yah Yeojin approached Victoria, extending her hand to grasp the trembling, dishevelled locks of her daughter. There was a screech of a chair being pulled aside on the marble floor and hurried footsteps. But to both of them, it was nothing.

Yeojin didn't care for Victoria, never she ever had. However, before she could inflict further harm, a voice interrupted the scene.

"Hey! Step aside! Get away!" The man's voice pierced through the tension, redirecting everyone's attention towards him. He rushed to Victoria's side, crouching down and urging someone to call for security.

Victoria, who was lying helplessly on the floor like a marionette whose strings had been cut, could not even move. Her mind had reacted the way it did back in those high school years; it went blank.

Victoria could feel his careful touch on her body, trying to support her, not caring for anything. "Are you alright?" He whispered to Victoria.

"SOMEONE CALL THE DARN SECURITY!" The man thundered, followed by an array of screeches of the chairs against the floor.

The walrus woman was alarmed, she took her handbag and started stalking away, not wanting to be publicly recognized.

Yah Yeojin, startled, retreated from the scene, her alarm evident. As the woman's heels were pounding on the floor and drifted away, Yeonjin looked up, her hair in disarray, her eyes and cheeks red, her body still trembling from the trauma.

The man wrapped a comforting arm around her, helping her to her feet. To Victoria, who would usually go to great lengths to prevent anyone from touching her, his actions brought solace in her vulnerable state.

As she stood, her legs still unsteady, he held her in a gentle embrace. The man was a stark contrast to her expectations. With his black hair styled into a mullet, multiple piercings adorning his ears, and striking cat-like eyes, he possessed an odd yet captivating handsomeness.

He flashed a comforting smile and draped his cloak over her, shielding her from the prying eyes and flashing cameras. Victoria, consumed by her inner turmoil, fought to hold herself together, refusing to break down completely.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered, his voice a soothing balm as he led her out of the opulent hotel. He grabbed her shoulders with caution as if she were a delicate piece of China and steered the frail figure in his arms out of the lavish hotel.

Now seated in the luxurious Voiture Noire, the man's car, Victoria found solace in Han Seojun's arms. Tears streamed down her face as she released the emotions she had bottled up for far too long, finding comfort in his embrace.

Victoria never cries. Never. The last time she had was once, back in high school when she had met Jennifer. But today, it seemed as if Victoria was back to the place, she tried her best to run away from.

Parked outside an extravagant mansion in central Venice, Han Seojun had managed to contact Ella Musk, the girl who had answered Victoria's phone earlier. After explaining the situation, Ella provided him with Victoria's address.

She now stood outside the car, waiting for Victoria to find some semblance of the two sitting together in the luxurious Voiture Noire, seeking solace from the tumultuous events that had unfolded. Hwang Yeonjin found refuge in Han Seojun's comforting embrace, allowing her tears to flow freely as she released the pent-up emotions she had suppressed for far too long.

The girl was shaking hysterically in his embrace. He knew the feeling too well.

Parked outside an opulent mansion in the heart of Venice, Han Seojun had managed to track down Victoria's location and contact Ella Musk—the girl who had answered Yeonjin's phone earlier—to inform her about the situation.

The girl outside the car was as pretty as the girl in Seojun's arms. The girl in his Baxendale perfume-scented embrace was oddly beautiful. She had a sort of beauty which was perfect in every way. She had a heart-shaped face and had jet black locks till her waist, her eyes were cat-like with green orbs.

Ella patiently waited outside the car, understanding the gravity of the moment and giving Yeonjin the space and time she needed to find solace. Ella was different from the girl he was currently comforting.

The girl outside the car was different. She had brown hair somewhat till her waist but shorter than the girl's hair who was in his embrace. The girl outside had a soft look on her face. She had a pretty face with a cute button nose. She wasn't Seojun's ideal type; he was currently in his arms.

He knew that this girl... was somewhat special. He would puke with cringe every time, but this. This was different. Seojun had let Ella know that Victoria, if that was the girl's name, what had happened in the restaurant.

He also cared to mention that he would give the girl comfort as long as she required. Ella was hesitant at first when Seojun said that but after assuring her that his intentions weren't wrong, she let him be.

The girl outside, Ella, reminded him of his teammate, Alex's ideal; he had made a mental note to let him know about it.

Seojun did not know anything about the girls but was willing to help them because that was what he had learned. "Give without expecting anything in return."

Even though the girl Ella, had asked him if he wanted in return, he had refused knowing that this small action was enough for payment. He had helped a person in need.

He was still caressing the young woman's back. He felt bad for the young woman.

As Yeonjin's cries gradually subsided, she looked up, her tear-stained eyes heavy with the weight of her heart. Han Seojun gently wiped away her tears, his presence offering a sense of comfort and understanding.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked her, his voice soft with concern.

With a deep breath, Yeonjin mustered the courage to ask him a question that had been lingering in her mind. "Can I know your name?" she whispered. She felt a need, an urge to thank this man who had helped her and listened to her problems. She, who demanded respect worldwide, had found solace in a being.

Seojun met her gaze with unwavering sincerity as if his name held a deeper significance. "My name is Han Seojun," he replied, the words spoken with a sense of vulnerability and connection. To him, Yeonjin felt like someone who had a hard life, like his. And meeting her, he felt something he never got to experience. The feeling of being able to relate.

Yeonjin's eyes never wavered from his, as if etching his name into her heart, intertwining their lives in that moment of shared vulnerability and understanding. Whoever had said that the Lord has someone planned for you was right.

The young woman muttered a few lines of gratitude before unlatching herself from the stranger's side.

"I- I- I owe you," she said before she connected their eyes, "Seojun."

Seojun did not wish to leave her side. In that moment, he had decided, that destiny was a real thing. Better, he had found his. "How can I make it up to you?" She asked, her voice trembling from the crying.

"Just... help someone. And I guess that will be it." He smiled. The girl sent him a small smile as pink flushed on her face.

"Goodnight and thank you," Yeonjin said before she got out of the car and shut it behind her carefully.

Seojun wanted to call out to her. Whoever said, "love at first sight?" Seojun had already fallen for a stranger.

Ella, whom he had forgotten the presence of, smiled at him through the window and mouthed a word of thanks before taking Victoria in her embrace.

He smiled to himself as he watched the girl fall into the arms of Ella. Ella sent him a thank you and a notification of a few million sent to his bank account popped up on his phone screen just as she watched her disappear into the opulent mansion.

Victoria Yeonjin Hwang. A girl whom he had helped, a stranger whom he had fallen for. For some time, the young man sat motionless. His dinner was interrupted, so he could meet his destiny.

A sudden realization hit him. He could drag an innocent civilian into his life, no matter what. His job was dangerous, and he could not bear to lose anyone else in life because of him.

Even though he tried hard to shake the feeling of him, he knew they had more than this, and his gut was telling him that they were to meet again.

His phone rang and the car automatically was connected to his phone. The touched the receive button on the car screen, the contact showed a particular contact named "Seokjin Hyung".

"Seojun where are you?" The man asked.

"Coming," Seojun replied.

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