All Chapters of My mysterious billionaire : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Emily’s POVTrue to his word, Jin didn’t contact me over the weekend. The only message I got was a single, sterile text yesterday evening: Pickup Friday, 8 PM. Black tie event at the opera. Details to follow. - JinIt was Tuesday, and I was already dreading Friday. The "no contact" had been my idea, my desperate plea for space to build my emotional fortifications. But the silence felt less like a reprieve and more like a void. He’d given me exactly what I’d asked for, and it was… lonely. The memory of our last encounter on the sidewalk played on a loop.I wanted to smash my head against the keyboard, but I didn’t because I’m supposed to act like a freaking adult.Chloe’s intervention helped a little, but I’m unsure if all her training will work once I’m in front of Jin.By Tuesday afternoon, my brain was a fog of unproductive anxiety. I’d stared at the same paragraph about the new story I wrote for hours, but that

Emily’s POV.Finding information about Yuna Kim was not as hard as I thought. Ilay wasn’t kidding when he said the breakup was quite public. The only reason more people didn’t know about it was that it happened in Korea, and not everyone is interested in news from that country.But I was.Late at night, with the glow of my laptop staining my face an unhealthy blue, I clicked through archived news articles, gossip blogs, and old interviews. Yuna Kim—actress, socialite, philanthropist. The kind of woman who walks into a room and makes everyone else feel like they’re extras in her movie. And Jin… Jin had been on her arm once. Smiling in photos that didn’t look forced. Standing close in ways that didn’t seem staged.I told myself I was looking for inconsistencies, evidence of Minjun’s involvement, and proof that Ilay wasn’t feeding me a carefully curated narrative. But if I was hone

Emily’s POVMy blood ran cold. It was a different kind of chill than the one Ilay inspired. This was deeper, more profound, a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach that had nothing to do with rivalry and everything to do with a ghost stepping out of the past.There, standing near the grand staircase, surrounded by a hushed, admiring crowd, was Yuna Kim.She was even more stunning in person. The photos hadn't done her justice. She was ethereal, like a porcelain doll brought to life. She wore a pale pink gown that seemed to float around her, her dark hair swept into an elegant chignon. She was smiling, nodding graciously at something an older socialite was saying, her movements fluid and poised. She was everything I wasn't: serene, effortless, perfect.And she was here.My hand, which had been resting on Jin's arm, tightened involuntarily. I felt him go rigid beside me. His entire body stiffened, the casual ease h

Emily’s POVThe voice was smooth as silk, laced with a familiar, predatory amusement. Ilay.My blood ran cold. "I have nothing to say to you." My thumb moved to end the call."Wait!" he said, the amusement vanishing, replaced by a sharp command. "This isn't a game. I’m sending you a link, open it. Now."The urgency in his voice was foreign, and it made my hand freeze. "Why?""Because your professional replacement has just been announced. And it's a masterpiece of an insult." He gave a short, bitter laugh. "I almost have to admire the cruelty of it. Check the news, Emily. Then, if you still want to hang up, I won't bother you again."The line went dead.My heart was a frantic drum against my ribs. Professional replacement.I tried to hide the true nature of my relationship with Jin, but Ilay was as smart as a fox. I may not have confirmed it, but he didn’t need me to.M

Jin’s POVOne more week has passed. I still go to different events with Yuna, and this time was no different. I have gotten used to my acting; I know how to be a gentleman, but every time she tries something else, I immediately stop her.“Don’t you get tired of these events?” Yuna asked as I guided her through the throng of glittering guests with a hand on the small of her back.“Tiredness is irrelevant,” I replied, my voice low and devoid of inflection. I accepted a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, not to drink, but to have something to hold. “They are a requirement when you belong to this world.”She sighed. “Everything with you is a requirement, Jin. A transaction. Is there anything you do simply because you want to?”Yes, a traitorous voice whispered in my mind. Arguing with a journalist over economic policy. Watching terrible movies because she l