“Are you okay?” a concerned voice called out from behind.

Clara turned to face the person to thank them when she stared at the man in silence, her blood running cold. He had piercing dark brown eyes and a strong jawline and wore a clean-cut black suit, adorned with a silver brooch. He stared at her in concern as he grabbed her tightly to prevent her from falling over. The person who was holding her was none other than her half-sibling, Cha Soo-ho. Clara, in her state of panic, pushed him away, causing the tall man to stumble backwards. He looked at her, astonished as to what just happened with his mouth agape. Clara glared at him before she straightened herself. The Planning Director of Daesung Foods glared back, appalled at her behavior. All he had done was help her from keeling over and this was the thanks he received?

“… Don’t touch me…” Clara gave him an icy look, as she walked away from him, her long hair fluttering behind her.

“…What the hell…?” Soo-ho muttered, with an angry grimace, staring at Clara’s retreating figure.

The young man turned away and made his way back to his father and the waiting car. Chairman Cha glanced at his son as he got into the car. With a curious glance, the elderly man looked behind him, watching the young lady walking away from the company. He hummed before he turned back to his son.

“Who was that? Do you know her?” he asked, as his son told the chauffeur to start driving.

“No, I just helped her because she was stumbling over her feet. It’s nothing for you to worry about, father.”

“Hmm. She seems familiar… No matter, have you gotten in contact with Mrs. Tan?” his father inquired.

“We’ve reached out to her. We’re still waiting to hear back, I’m sure she’ll get back to us within a few days.”

“Hmm. I hope we get that investment with her, that’s the only chance we have against HANSUNG. They need to be put back in their place… It’s also the one opportunity for you to prove to the Board of Directors that you are capable of becoming the next CEO of our new hotel venture. Make sure to do well and prove your worth.” Chairman Cha remarked, with a huff. Soo-ho glanced at his father and said nothing as they made their way home.

The father and son walked into their luxurious home and were greeted by their family, Cha Jung-hyun, Chairman Cha’s youngest daughter, and the siblings’ mother, Yoo Ji-eun. Soo-ho smiled as his mother embraced him welcoming him home, before going up to his room to change and retire for the night. As he made his way up to the second floor of the mansion, he paused, gazing at the locked room near the stairs. He hesitantly stood at the landing, before shaking his head and retreating to his room. With a sigh, he took off his necktie and placed it on his bed before he laid down, putting an arm across his eyes. He couldn’t stop remembering that woman’s face. Why did she look so disgusted by him? The thought of her angered him—she reminded him of that small child he had met years ago- his missing half-sister. The heir to GK Group sat up from his bed clenching his fists in annoyance, while memories of his childhood washed over him...

He had been eight years old when he learned that his father was the heir-apparent to the conglomerate corporation. Soo-ho had not cared about his father’s social standing—all he was worried about was being able to spend time with his loving father. However, he noticed the strained relationship between his mother and father, as rumors circled around them. Everyone who knew of Soo-ho’s existence had whispered the words, ‘bastard son’, telling him that he was a child born out of wedlock and to be ashamed to be alive. They casted a glare of disapproval towards the young boy and his mother, gossiping how the legitimate heiress’s position as the future chairwoman of GK Group, was in danger. He had not known what they meant by that, but had an inkling that whatever they said, did not mean anything good for him or his mother.

Soo-ho had been visiting his father at his company when he saw the young Soo-hyun, who was around five at the time, running up to his father, calling him ‘papa, papa’ with a bright smile on her face. His father, who had showered him with love and affection, just stared at her as if she was insignificant, ignoring her attempts to be picked up by him. Soo-ho had been shocked—why was his father looking at that bubbly child with such disdain and indifference? The mere thought that his father may also one day stare at him as such, scared him. The young child trembled, praying that he would never fall from his father’s good graces.

Watching from a distance, Soo-ho had tried to hide when his father noticed him, a big smile plastered on his face as he called out to his son, ignoring his wife and daughter. Their father walked up to him, leaving behind the poor girl who stared after her father longingly. The look of anger and sadness the small girl had on her face made Soo-ho flinch away from his father. No one had ever looked at him in such a way; it frightened him to think what that child would be capable of doing. Would she steal his father away from him and his mother…? Soo-ho had tightened his grasp on his father’s suit jacket, scared that he would leave him behind just like he had with Soo-hyun.

Soo-ho smirked as he shook his head in displeasure, shaking off the bitter memory. Why am I thinking about that child? She’s long gone now…, he thought as he let out a sigh. He stood up from his bed and changed out of his clothes, trying to not remember the look on his half-sister’s face. He closed his door as he headed downstairs to his father’s study.

Soo-ho looked around the mansion, every trace of that child and her mother were locked up in that room on the second floor, and he hoped, that it would stay that way forever. His wish that he had made as a child, was coming to fruition, he had nothing to worry about now. It was already 20 years since that night, and he was named the heir to the company... so why did he feel so agitated? Soo-ho was about to knock on the door when his phone rang.

“Hello? Yes, hello Mr. Wang… Really? That sounds great, thank you for calling me personally and letting me know. I hope to see you and Mrs. Tan in the next coming weeks. Goodbye.” Soo-ho grinned, as he hung up the phone. He knocked on the door, and waited for his father to let him in.

“Father, I’ve managed to schedule a meeting with Mrs. Tan. We will be meeting three weeks from now.” Soo-ho reported, feeling giddy and relieved.

“Good, good job, my son. I am proud of you, you did well.” Chairman Cha responded, his eyes beaming with pride.

“Thank you, father. I will make sure to win this contract.” Soo-ho said as he smiled at his father.

“I know you will. I believe in you; you are the only one who is fit to become the next chairman. Look at how fine of a man you have become.” his father smiled proudly, as he motioned for Soo-ho to sit beside him on the couch.

Soo-ho was about to sit when he stopped in his tracks. He abruptly excused himself as he told his father that he had somewhere urgent to be at. His father looked startled but nodded his head in approval as the heir bid his father goodnight before shutting the door quietly. Soo-ho quickly gathered his coat and car keys and left the house as he called his secretary to bring some flowers to the family’s gravesite/ crematorium.

“Wait, you want me to bring flowers to the gravesite? At this hour?” Stephanie Kim, his secretary, asked incredulously.

“Yup. I need to go and pay my respects to a certain someone. I also need you to look into something for me…” he replied, as he raced down the highway.

“… Ha. All right, I’ll be there in about 45 minutes, you can tell me then.” she said as she hung up the phone.

Soo-ho stared blankly ahead as he continued to speed down the busy road. He had no idea why he felt so uneasy, but he couldn’t shake this ominous feeling. He knew that he should be happy as he had managed to score a meeting with the infamous Singaporean investor, Elizabeth Tan however, something just didn’t feel right… He sighed. Maybe it was the thought of his missing sister that led him to feel on edge. He needed to find out once and for all... And for him to do that, he needed to make sure no one knew of his plans; hence, his late-night meeting with his secretary at the crematorium.

Within 30 minutes, Soo-ho arrived at the crematorium. He strolled to his family’s section, stopping at Soo-hyun’s plaque. He stared at the empty urn and the baby pictures of his missing sister. The overwhelming feeling of guilt that he had tried to repress all those years, shadowed him as he stared at her name on the urn.

Soo-ho remembered the news coverages of his missing sister. He had heard about the unfortunate tragedy of his sister’s mother when he was eating breakfast with his family. The young Soo-ho had been shocked—just a year ago, he had seen them both alive at his father’s company, now they were dead and missing? He recalled turning his head to look at his father who just stared stoically at the screen. Despite Chairman Cha’s attempt to not look affected by the news, Soo-ho remembered his father’s eyes filled with pain and sorrow. His father had desperately tried to find his missing daughter—doing interviews with news medias, pleading for anyone to find his missing girl. However, after waiting a year and a half for her return, his father had filled out her death certificate and had held a funeral in her honor. That was the first and last time his father and mother had ever visited the crematorium, despite the many trips they had made to the family’s gravesite next door.

In his young and naïve self of not wanting to lose his father’s favor, Soo-ho had wished to his missing sister that she never return, to help him finally have a family that no one disapproved of. Soo-ho sighed as he placed a hand on his half-sister’s plaque. He heard Stephanie walk up to him as she handed him the bouquet of white chrysanthemums. Soo-ho smiled as he placed the flowers next to Soo-hyun’s urn.

“What’d you call me here for?” Stephanie asked as she leaned against one of the pillars of the crematorium.

“Can you look into my sister? Soo-hyun, I mean.” he answered, as he turned his head slightly to glance over at his secretary.

“… Ha… Not this again. You know I’ve tried to look for her, I can’t find a trace of her anywhere. If even the Korean National Police Agency couldn’t find her, do you honestly believe I can find her?” Stephanie doubted her abilities with a sigh.

“Yes, I do believe that you can find her. Look into it for me.”

“… Fine. I’ll look again, but don’t expect anything.” she grumbled, turning away and storming out of the place. Soo-ho was left all alone in the dark crematorium. He turned to face his sister’s urn again.

“… Dear sister, I’ll wish it again; stay dead forever. If you come back… I will never be able to be part of GK Group… So, don’t ever return…” he prayed sadly, as he walked away from her urn, the heels of his shoes clacking against the marble floor.

**NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.**