Eunji had spent the last few months in a haze, her life becoming a blur of training, therapy, and an unrelenting pursuit of perfection. Her Japanese had improved remarkably, no longer a barrier but a fluid second language. She spoke with ease now, understanding the cultural nuances and the subtlety of the language. Yet, with each passing day, her sense of self continued to wither, overshadowed by Hiroto’s expectations.

She had become the model he wanted, her body sculpted, her skin flawless, her presence stunning. Yet, something within her still felt broken. The constant pressure to be perfect had dulled the fire inside her, and she often found herself lost in thought, wondering if this version of herself—this ideal image—was truly who she wanted to be.

One day, while walking through the mansion’s long, quiet hallways, Eunji overheard something that stopped her in her tracks.

“Poor girl,” she heard a voice murmur from a corner just beyond her sight. It was one of the housekeepers, speaking with another woman in hushed tones. “She has no idea how much her life will change when the truth comes out. She thinks she’s here because of some bet, but she’s really just being used.”

Eunji’s heart skipped a beat. She leaned closer, though the women didn’t notice her presence. The words she had overheard were enough to ignite a spark of dread in her chest.

“She’ll be shattered,” the other woman said. “When she finds out Hiroto isn’t just her uncle... when she realizes who he really is, it’s going to destroy her. She’s so blind to it.”

The first woman sighed. “She’s already so broken. They’re all pretending, even him. But the truth... the truth will change everything.”

Eunji’s body froze. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what she had just heard. Hiroto wasn’t just her uncle? What did that mean? And why was the mention of the truth so painful?

Her pulse quickened as the fragments of conversation swirled in her head. “She thinks she’s here because of some bet… she’s really just being used…” Eunji’s fingers clenched into fists. What were they talking about? What was this truth that everyone seemed to know but her?

She had suspected for a while that there was more to her relationship with Hiroto than met the eye, but this—this was something deeper. Something she had never dared to consider. Her mind struggled to piece it all together, but one thing was clear: there were things about her life, about Hiroto, that no one had told her. And now, she was beginning to understand that the truth she had been so desperately avoiding was right in front of her, hidden in plain sight.

The next few days were a blur of confusion and fear. Eunji kept to herself, retreating into the privacy of her room, her thoughts a constant whirlwind. The more she tried to push the unsettling conversation out of her mind, the stronger it tugged at her.

She had always trusted Hiroto, always believed that he cared for her. But could that really be true? Had everything she had been through, all the sacrifices, the pain, the relentless training—had it all been for something she didn’t even fully understand? Was she truly just a pawn in his grand design?

But Eunji wasn’t ready to confront Hiroto yet. Not without proof. The whispers, the little fragments of conversation, weren’t enough. She needed answers, something concrete that would show her the truth. If Hiroto was hiding something from her, she would make sure she understood it all before she spoke to him.

That evening, after dinner, Eunji found herself alone in the mansion’s library. It was a vast, quiet space, filled with old books and dusty tomes, a place where she often went to unwind. But tonight, it was more than just a sanctuary. She needed answers, and she wasn’t going to find them by waiting for Hiroto to tell her.

Her fingers skimmed the rows of books, her heart pounding as she searched for anything that might offer insight. Her eyes landed on a thick folder tucked away in the corner of a bookshelf. The name on the folder caught her attention: Kwon Family Documents. Without a second thought, she pulled it out and opened it, scanning the papers inside.

What she found shocked her. It was a mix of legal documents, contracts, and other official records—records that she had never seen before. As she flipped through the pages, one document in particular caught her eye. It was a copy of her birth certificate.

Her breath caught in her throat as she read the name listed under "Father"—Hiroto Kwon.

She felt the room spin as her mind struggled to process the information. The truth had been staring her in the face all along. Hiroto wasn’t just her uncle. He was her father. The man who had raised her, trained her, molded her into the person she was becoming... was the same man who had never told her the truth about her past.

Her hands trembled as she reached for the next set of papers. These ones were even more revealing—documents outlining her dual citizenship, her inheritance rights, and her position in the Kwon family legacy. There were even letters, ones she had never seen before, addressed to Hiroto. They spoke of his deep grief, the loss of his wife, and his decision to place Eunji in the care of his younger brother, Jihoon.

The weight of the information pressed down on her, suffocating her. Hiroto hadn’t just been keeping her in the dark for a simple reason—he had hidden everything from her. He had watched her grow, watched her struggle, and never told her the truth.

Eunji sat in the library, the weight of the documents heavy in her lap, her mind reeling. The quiet of the mansion felt suffocating. She had known something wasn’t right, but this... this was a betrayal in its most profound form.

She needed answers. She needed to confront Hiroto. But she couldn’t do it yet. Not without a plan.

Eunji rose from the chair, the documents still clutched in her hands. She knew what she had to do. She would confront him, but only when she was ready. Only when she had the proof, the truth, in her hands.

For now, though, she would keep the secret to herself—waiting, watching, and gathering the strength to face the man who had changed her life forever.

And when the moment came, when she finally stood face-to-face with Hiroto, she would demand the truth.