Rin stared at his phone long after blocking Than's number. His chest was tight—not just from the fight, but from the cold, sharp edge of fear. Than's words echoed in his mind: You don't walk away from me.
But Rin wasn't sure anymore who was the hunter, and who was the prey.
The next morning, Rin found a message waiting on his encrypted inbox—anonymously sent, but unmistakably from Kieran.
Meet me. I have something you need to see. Noon. Café Verde.
Rin hesitated. But after yesterday, after Than's silent invasion of his space, he needed answers.
At the café, Kieran was already waiting, eyes scanning the room like a hawk.
"You didn't answer my calls," Kieran said as Rin slid into the seat opposite him.
"I was busy," Rin said, voice guarded.
Kieran smirked. "Yeah, with Than, I imagine."
Rin swallowed. "How do you know so much?"
Kieran leaned in. "Because I've been watching HanCorp for years. They don't just run businesses—they control narratives, careers, people."
Rin's fingers curled around his cup. "Including me?"
"Exactly."
Kieran pulled out a small tablet, tapping to bring up a screen full of emails and internal memos. "Look here—your recent project proposals, quietly 'lost' in the system. And here—subtle mentions in the media casting doubt on your reliability."
Rin's stomach sank.
"Than's not just angry. He's weaponizing the system around you. The board, the media, even your closest allies—many have been nudged to keep their distance."
Rin clenched his jaw. "Why me?"
"Because you're the one he can't control. You're the variable he's desperate to eliminate."
Silence settled between them.
Rin's voice broke through. "What do I do?"
Kieran's eyes softened, but his tone hardened. "You keep fighting. But smart. You let me handle the dirt in the shadows. You stay above it."
Rin looked up, meeting Kieran's gaze. "And what if Than doesn't stop?"
Kieran smiled darkly. "Then we make sure he's the one left standing in ruins."
---
The days that followed were a careful dance.
Rin kept his distance from Than, but the weight of unspoken threats settled in his bones like cold stone. Meetings that had once been routine turned frosty, casual greetings dwindled to nods or silence. He felt eyes on him—judging, waiting for him to falter.
But it wasn't just the people around him. It was the quiet whisper beneath everything: the unmistakable pull of Than's presence, even when he wasn't there.
One evening, Rin found himself walking down a rain-slick street, the city lights blurred by the mist. His phone buzzed.
Kieran: Coffee? Need to talk.
He agreed without hesitation.
At the dimly lit café, Kieran waited with two steaming mugs, his eyes sharper than ever.
"You're holding back," Kieran said, sliding a cup across the table.
Rin sighed, tracing the rim with a finger. "Than's been in my head since that day. I keep replaying everything—the way he looked at me, like I was his to own. And it terrifies me."
Kieran's gaze softened. "That kind of control isn't love. It's a cage."
Rin swallowed. "I know. But it's complicated. When he's near, I feel… alive. Like all the chaos makes sense."
Kieran nodded slowly. "That's how they get you. The chaos, the intensity—it's addictive. But it's also poison."
Rin looked up, searching Kieran's face. "And you? What do you want from me?"
Kieran's smile was fleeting, almost sad. "I want you to see what's real. Not the power plays, not the masks. You deserve better."
For a moment, the tension between them eased. Rin felt the first crack in his defenses.
But then his phone vibrated again.
Than: You think you can run? I'm closer than you realize.
Rin's heart slammed. He glanced at Kieran, who gave a grim nod.
"We're running out of time," Kieran said quietly.
---
Meanwhile, back at HanCorp headquarters, Than sat behind his polished desk, fingers steepled with a slow, calculating smile curling on his lips.
He didn't need to shout or storm the halls. That was amateurish. Real power moved silently, invisibly, like a virus spreading through the bloodstream of the company.
His phone buzzed with messages from board members and trusted allies—quiet reminders to "be cautious" around Rin, to "reassess" their loyalties.
Than's voice was calm when he called his closest confidant, a sharp edge beneath every word.
"Make sure Rin's next steps are... complicated. No direct attacks. Just enough friction to slow him down, isolate him."
He paused, eyes darkening. "And keep an eye on Kieran Tae. That man is trouble. I want to know everything he's doing before it's too late."
Than leaned back, satisfaction curling in his chest. Possession wasn't about control alone. It was about breaking you down until you couldn't stand without him.
But this time, Rin wasn't just a piece on the board.
He was the opponent.
To be continued....