"Turn that up," she said sharply.

Damian glanced over from the armrest he was half-perched on. "News?"

"It's not the news. That's the education channel."

The screen cut to a clip of an academic panel recap. The camera panned across a large summit hall. A faculty member stood at the podium, introducing the day's contributors.

“And now, to the stage, guest lecturer from University of Daelin—Dr. Soraya Martel."

The camera cut to her.

Hair pinned up. A clean-lined blazer. The calm, poised walk of someone who had stood before hundreds before. The room clapped.

The Daeyuns stared.

"Is that—?" Mr. Daeyun began.

Mrs. Daeyun didn't blink. "Yes."

Camilla straightened in her seat. "Well. That explains the grace she carries herself "

Damian let out a low whistle. "No wonder she doesn't speak much. She’s probably too busy grading papers."

---

Back at the villa, the atmosphere had turned strange. Not tense—not yet. Just... off.

Hana hovered closer than usual. Her laughter floated more frequently, her eyes flicking to Reian when she thought no one was watching. She'd made lunch again. She offered to run errands. She played a song on the old piano.

Soraya watched quietly. Not with jealousy, but awareness. Calculation.

Victor, on the other hand, had texted: "Dinner? Your choice. My treat. Let's celebrate your lecture."

She hadn't replied.

---

Later that evening, in the shared bedroom, Reian emerged from the shower to find Soraya already dressed. Simple dress, low heels. Her perfume lingered faintly in the air.

"Going somewhere?"

"Dinner. With a colleague."

He didn't press. But something coiled inside his chest anyway.

---

Scene: Hotel Lounge

Victor looked sharper than usual, shirt unbuttoned just enough to suggest ease but not effort.

He stood when Soraya arrived.

"You clean up well."

"So do you."

The meal passed in shared memories and clinking glasses. No confessions. No flirtation. Just familiarity. Until dessert.

"You know," Victor said, stirring his coffee, "I never stopped wondering why you never replied to my last message."

She tilted her head. "You know why. I wasn’t in a place to answer."

"And now?"

She gave a soft smile. "Still not in a place."

He nodded, not disappointed—just thoughtful. "I figured. But being here... seeing you again..."

She looked at him.

"What are you trying to say, Victor?"

He chuckled lightly. "I'm saying I had a crush on a girl in uni. And I still do."

She didn't respond.

And that silence said enough.

---

Meanwhile: Hana

She found Reian in the home studio. He was tuning a guitar, fingers absent.

"You're quiet," she said, leaning against the doorway.

"I'm busy."

"I was wrong to leave like I did. But I missed you."

He looked up finally.

"You should go back to your room, Hana."

She smiled sadly. "Still loyal. Even when it looks like she's not."

He didn’t answer. But his eyes lingered on the photo Camilla had sent. Still tucked in his phone. Still unresolved.

The summit footage had been picked up by a local culture blogger. It aired on the nightly news.

Only, this time, the clip included another interview.

Victor stood outside the lecture hall, answering a casual question from a reporter:

"Is this your first time in Daelin?"

He laughed. "First in a long time. I came for the summit. But also to reconnect with someone I lost touch with."

The reporter raised a brow. "A colleague?"

Victor smiled. "More than that, maybe. I had a crush on an old friend. Still do."

The clip ended.

And at the villa, the wives watched it with wide eyes. Elia choked on her drink.

"Wait, was that... her Victor?"

Mina grabbed her phone. "Hold on. He said still do?"

Reian didn’t say a word.

But in his chest, something sharp bloomed.

Not fear.

Possession.