Ji‑Eun's POV
The newsroom smelled of stale coffee and recycled air, a far cry from the sterile hush of the hospital. Ji‑Eun stood at the threshold, heart hammering like wings against a glass ceiling. Flashbulbs had been banned in advance, but the murmur of reporters—tense, expectant—was louder than any camera click.
She spotted Joon‑Hyuk across the room, a lone pillar of calm in a sea of whispered questions. His tailored suit seemed less a costume of his legacy than a suit of armor he'd donned for her. When his eyes met hers, he offered a small, reassuring nod.
Stepping onto the dais, Ji‑Eun felt the weight of every hidden truth settling on her shoulders. Her voice trembled at first. "Thank you all for coming." She paused, tongue unwrapping itself. "Yesterday, I learned that the man standing beside me—my fiancé—bears the face of the man who destroyed my family." A collective intake of breath rippled through the crowd. "But today, I choose to speak my truth."
Her fingertips brushed the folder at her feet—a trove of evidence: bank ledgers smeared with illicit transfers, affidavits recanting false testimonies, a recording of Seok‑ho's threats. She inhaled, voice steadying. "My mother's life—and my father's reputation—deserve justice. And I will not rest until both are restored."
Joon‑Hyuk's POV
Behind her, Joon‑Hyuk matched her breath for breath, mind alive with guilt and purpose. He watched as she laid out each accusation, pausing only to steady herself. When she revealed the recording—his father's own words—Joon‑Hyuk felt the room shift. The men who had followed his father's lead now leaned in, forced to reckon with his crimes.
He stepped forward when she finished, voice clear. "I am not Kang Seok‑ho, and I never will be. My inheritance was poisoned by his corruption, but today marks the beginning of its cleansing. I stand with Ji‑Eun, and with the truth." His words rang like a challenge, and with every nod from reporters, a new tide of possibility rose.
A Private Moment
Later, in a quiet hallway beyond the press room, Ji‑Eun slumped against the cool wall, relief and adrenaline mingling in her veins. Joon‑Hyuk knelt beside her, brushing a damp strand of hair from her face.
She closed her eyes, leaning into his warmth. "I was terrified."
He cupped her cheek. "I know." His thumb traced the line of her jaw. "But you were brave."
Her lips trembled into a smile. "We did it."
He pressed his forehead to hers. "Together."
Evidence and Alliances
Over the next days, they worked side by side—Ji‑Eun coordinating with her mother's lawyer, Joon‑Hyuk confronting board members who had profited from his father's schemes. Allies emerged: a whistleblowing executive, an investigative journalist, even Seok‑ho's former lawyer, who handed over sealed documents in exchange for protection.
Each piece of evidence was another brick dismantling the old regime. And with every revelation, Ji‑Eun felt her trust in Joon‑Hyuk grow, not despite his heritage, but because he'd chosen honesty over denial.
Promise of Tomorrow
One evening, as the sunset turned the city skyline molten gold, Joon‑Hyuk led Ji‑Eun to a rooftop terrace overlooking the estate where his father once ruled. The wind carried the first scent of jasmine, her favorite.
He held out a small velvet box. "We've fought ghosts and lies," he said softly. "Now I want to fight for us."
Ji‑Eun opened it to reveal a delicate ring—inscribed inside: Veritas et amor (Truth and Love). Her breath caught.
"I promise," he continued, dropping to one knee. "To live by truth, to honor your courage, and to love you fiercely, every day."
Tears glimmered in her eyes as she whispered, "I promise, too."
They rose together, the city lights framing them like stars come to earth. Behind them lay the wreckage of old sins; before them, a path they would forge hand in hand—where legacy bowed to love, and truth shone brighter than any shadow.