After two hours, Mr. Kim, Lee-Soo, and Eun-Sang entered the emergency ward.
Kiera was wide awake, but lost in her thoughts.
"Jung-Ha," Lee-Soo called out softly.
Kiera looked up and gave a bitter smile. "What are you all doing here?" she asked.
"Ah, Jung-Ha, don't be like that," Eun-Sang said playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
"Miss Kiera," Mr. Kim began with reddened eyes, "your father prepared his will when he found out you were coming. Jung-Cha gets 10% of his property, and you get the rest. He left nothing for any other members of his family. He also recently added that you must marry Young Master Lee-Soo. Your father never had anyone truly by his side. They envied him. Please, Kiera… don't reject this."
No one noticed, but Mr. Kim was grieving Jung-Sik too.
Kiera looked at him with blank eyes. "You can leave."
They all stared at her in shock.
"I want to be alone," she added and closed her eyes, suppressing all her pain.
Lee-Soo looked at her with deep regret. He took the legal document from Mr. Kim and placed it gently on her bed. Then he signaled the others to leave.
Outside the emergency ward, Eun-Sang tapped Lee-Soo on the arm.
"Lee-Soo-ah… are you okay with such an agreement? Marriage isn't something that can be rushed and moreover, you are dating Aera."
"Ever since my father died, Jung-Sik became like a father to me. Eun-Sang… I indirectly killed him. If his final wish is for me to marry his daughter, he's really asking me to protect her. I'll honor that mission for the rest of my life so, arrange a meeting with Aera." Lee-Soo replied solemnly before walking away.
Kyung and Mr. Kim exchanged glances.
Meanwhile, in her room, Kiera replayed every moment she had shared with her father before he passed.
Tears streamed down her face. She wiped them away quickly.
"Kiera, you don't cry. This isn't worth it. You shouldn't have come here in the first place," she whispered to herself, trying to hold it together. But the tears kept flowing.
She sat up and picked up the document. Everything Mr. Kim had said was true.
But why?
Why would Jung-Sik give her such a heavy burden?
Her phone rang. She glanced at it and hung up. It was her mother.
She didn't want to talk over the phone—she needed to speak to her in person.
She laid down again and shut her eyes.
In the hospital cafeteria, Kyung and Mr. Kim sat together eating.
"She hasn't eaten yet, right?" Mr. Kim asked while chewing his rice.
"No. I really pity her," Kyung replied quietly.
"You know… Jung-Sik really loved her," Mr. Kim said, looking at Kyung.
Kyung turned red and looked down. Then she summoned the courage to speak.
"What's happened has happened. Now, we just have to make sure she's okay and stay by her side. We both know what her family is like, but with Lee-Soo and us supporting her, she'll pull through. And… I know you're hurting too. We all are. But if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'll be there for you."
Mr. Kim stared at her in surprise.
Kyung quickly realized what she had said, coughed awkwardly, and stood up.
"Ah! I can't eat this alone. And Kiera must be feeling lonely. I have to go."
"Kyung!" Mr. Kim called after her. She paused but didn't look back.
"Thank you. It felt good to have someone look out for me," he said with a smile.
Kyung closed her eyes in embarrassment, slapped her lips, and ran off.
In California, Caroline, Jack, Kara, and Mira were at the airport.
"Aunty, please be safe. And tell Kiera to pick up my calls, or I'll take the next flight and stay with her," Mira said firmly.
"I will tell her. But there's no need for you to come. From what I've heard, she's not in a stable condition and might not want too many people around her," Caroline replied, nearly tearing up.
Jack pulled her into his arms. "Kiera loves you. You'll make her feel better. I'll help manage your business while you're gone, so don't worry."
"Caroline, no matter what happens, call me. I'll book the next flight to Seoul," Kara said, hugging her.
After an emotional goodbye, they all waved until Caroline was out of sight.
In a boardroom, Lee-Soo was completely distracted. All he could think about was Kiera—and the guilt.
"Young Master! Young Master!" a shareholder called, snapping him back to reality.
"The meeting is over," Lee-Soo said abruptly and stood up.
"But sir, we haven't even started—"
Lee-Soo ignored him and walked out.
Eun-Sang ran after him and jumped into the car.
"Lee-Soo! What are you doing?!"
No answer.
"Sir, where to?" the chauffeur asked nervously.
"The hospital," Lee-Soo replied and closed his eyes.
Back in the hospital, Kiera heard slow, deliberate footsteps. Not Kyung's.
She sat up and saw an elegant elderly woman.
"Who are you?" she asked coldly.
"Ah, Jung-Ha! I'm so sorry you're going through this. I'm your haeomoni, Jung-Jin-a," the woman said gently, reaching out to caress her face.
Kiera pushed her hand away.
"I understand how you feel but—"
"Get lost," Kiera said, her voice low and sharp.
Jung-Jin froze.
"Are you deaf? I said get lost! The only person I came to Seoul to see was my father. Not any of you backstabbing bitches."
Though taken aback, Jung-Jin composed herself.
"I didn't mean what I said back then. I only told you to disappear because you burned my son's eye. I regretted it all—"
"Save it," Kiera snapped. "Every time I hear how I made your son one-eyed, it gives me joy. So stop wasting your breath."
She lay back down.
Jung-Jin's gaze landed on the legal document on the bedside table.
"Seol-ma… did your father leave everything to you?" she asked, stunned.
Kiera gave no reply.
"Answer me!" Jung-Jin shouted, suddenly furious.
Kiera scoffed and sat up.
"That's what you want, isn't it? You want me to play nice so you can enjoy a piece of this."
Jung-Jin stepped back, shaken. "Have you gone crazy?"
Kiera picked up the landline and called security.
"There's a woman here I don't want to see. Take her away. Do whatever you want with her."
"This is the family's hospital. What makes you think they'll kick me out?" Jung-Jin sneered.
"Wait and see. My dad's wife and her kids were kicked out too—and not nicely. Don't mistake me for my mother."
Jung-Jin froze at the words. Then she turned and stormed out.
As she left, she thought to herself, Looks like she already knows everything. But she can never outmatch me. No one's a bigger devil than I am.
She smiled wickedly.