Addicted to you

The old matriarch tilted her head, remarkably unruffled by his bluntness. "Can’t you tell I’m doing this for your sake? At times like these, the family must show unity. If we expose even the slightest weakness, our rivals will exploit it and topple us."

Shin’s brow creased. Dire times?

What dire times? Did Sin City collapse while he was asleep?

Shin knew the old hag had always been paranoid about the Keirs’ reputation to the point of imprisoning herself in it, but he had no intention of being dragged into that cell with her.

Pulling a folder from his desk, he placed it in front of her. "Take this and leave."

Elder Madam Keir picked it up lazily, as though humoring him. "What is this?"

The next second, her hand trembled and her face drained of color.

Inside were clear records of money transfers, lists of names, people bribed to capitalize on the slander and the one pulling the strings?

Madam Ricci.

"How could this be?!" the matriarch’s voice cracked. "We’ve always had a good relationship with them! Why would she harm us?"

As if answering her own question, she recalled the recent quarrel between Eleanor Keir and Calin Ricci. Of course. No matter how cordial things appeared, Madam Ricci must have been furious.

There was also the matter of the long-pending engagement.

But still, why take the feud to the public? This should have been settled privately.

And true to habit, rather than direct her anger where it belonged, she turned it on Shin.

"You know all of this wouldn’t have happened if you were obedient and simply got engaged to Calin!" she hollered. "Her mother wouldn’t have been upset. Eleanor, that crazy woman has no sense to apologize. It should have been your responsibility to clean up her mess and show the Riccis some face. But no, you’re always arrogant, never showing an ounce of magnanimity!"

Shin pressed the intercom button with a calm, indifferent expression.

"Security office, CEO Keir, do you need something?" a man’s voice answered instantly.

The old matriarch blanched, realizing what he was about to do. To be seen dragged out by security? She would rather die.

"What do you think you’re doing?! You demon! I am still the matriarch! Don’t you care about this family at all?"

Shin’s gaze sharpened like a blade. "Get out."

"This is how you repay me after I worked so hard to protect your reputation? I must’ve been insane to think an unfilial demon like you had even a shred of conscience!" she shrieked.

Fortunately, the walls of the CEO’s office were soundproof. No matter how much she screamed, not a soul outside would hear.

"Then go ahead," Shin said coolly, "rectify your statement however you like. Whatever suits you."

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"..."

Against Shin, who had nothing to lose, the matriarch knew she couldn’t win.

With a frustrated stomp, she slammed the folder back onto his desk. "Then at least stop bullying that girl Calin! She came to me yesterday in tears. She didn’t tell me why, but now I understand, she must have been unaware of her mother’s deeds."

Shin only stared at her, silent.

Seething, the old woman grabbed her bag. But before leaving, she flung a black envelope embossed with gold onto his desk.

"There’s a meeting tonight with all the clan elders. Don’t think you can wriggle your way out this time." She harrumphed, spun on her heel, and swept out.

Shin picked up the invitation, brows furrowed.

---

Not seeing Yeri for a week, Nina decided to pay her a visit and dragging Levi along after class once they heard what happened.

The three sat in the hospital room, chatting about classes, laughing, and passing along the notes Yeri had missed. She was supposed to return to school already, but fate had landed her here instead.

"Is everything alright at school?" Yeri asked.

Nina nodded. "Actually, after that incident in the park, a lot of students got scared. Some didn’t go to school for days, others just locked themselves in their dorms."

"But I heard the police already closed the case," Levi added. "They said there was new evidence proving the criminal blew himself up with the bomb. You’re really lucky to have survived."

Yeri smiled faintly. Indeed, she had been lucky, escaping with only minor injuries. Yet, part of her found it odd. The way the man had been blown to smithereens, leaving nothing recognizable, even the police seemed uneasy. Perhaps the public pressure forced them to shut the case quickly.

Suddenly, Nina clapped her hands as though remembering something vital.

"You weren’t at school these days, so you don’t know! Apart from lessons, so many things happened! But the juiciest one... guess what?"

Yeri chuckled at her glowing eyes. "I’m too muddled to guess. Just say it."

Nina popped a chip into her mouth, savoring the suspense.

But Levi, oblivious, killed the moment. "It’s about Tiffany Rhian. She dropped out."

Nina sprang to her feet in outrage, pointing at him. "Ah! Why do you have to be such a killjoy? I was supposed to be the one to say it!"

Levi scoffed. "What’s so exciting about a bully dropping out? Don’t you have a life?"

"It’s called girl talk," Nina sneered. "You wouldn’t understand, you only socialize with your game characters."

Yeri broke in before their bickering escalated. "Is it true? Tiffany really dropped out?"

Nina nodded eagerly, all irritation forgotten. "Not just Tiffany, but her two minions too. The school announced it yesterday. No surprise you missed it."

Yeri blinked, surprised. Considering Tiffany’s personality and her family’s background, she never thought they would let something like this happen.

"What about her friends?" Yeri asked softly.

"Oh, Rita and Cherry?" Nina snorted. "They dropped out too. Rumor has it their parents might send them overseas until this blows over, probably to save face. Some people said they were crying in the bathroom before leaving, but honestly, who cares?"

Levi leaned back, unimpressed. "Classic. Burn bridges, then run away. Their reputations are ruined anyway. Even the freshmen gossip more about them than the actual curriculum."

"Tiffany didn’t sue or make a scene?" Yeri asked, blinking in disbelief.

Nina shook her head with almost comical vigor. "Nope. Imagine it, Tiffany, the queen bee, dethroned not by a rival student, but by her own arrogance and the school board’s decision. That’s what I call poetic justice."

After the bullying broke out, the school was under intense pressure. Parents were unhappy, it wasn’t just about their children’s education anymore, but the school’s reputation. If things didn’t improve, many threatened to transfer their kids.

After all, who wanted their child to graduate from a school stained with scandal? It would discredit all their hard work.

The problem was, Tiffany hadn’t just bullied one or two students. The evidence, witnesses, and victims were too solid to ignore.

Worse, the families of students she offended, especially the Rhian family’s business rivals took advantage of the scandal. They stirred up more trouble, digging into the Rhian’s dirty secrets and exposing skeletons long hidden.

The Rhians soon found themselves overwhelmed. Threats, backlash, and attacks came from every direction.

In the chaos, Tiffany’s bullying case became the least of their worries. Naturally, the family had to focus on protecting their business.

What no one knew was that Shin Keir had been pulling the strings all along, helping not only Tiffany’s victims but also her family’s enemies.

He wasn’t about to let the girl who tormented Yeri walk away unpunished, even if Yeri herself never took Tiffany seriously.

"Another shocking update, remember Marco Fabian?" Nina arched a brow, smiling like a cartoon villain. "He’s officially engaged to Tiffany! Can you believe it? The two of them together at last! At least now they won’t harm anyone else."

Yeri stared, stunned. From her impression of Marco Fabian, he was ambitious, selfish, and definitely not the type to settle for one woman.

On top of that, Tiffany’s reputation had hit rock bottom. Why would he tie himself to her now?

"Did something happen between them?" Yeri asked.

Nina burst into laughter, nearly choking on her chips.

"Actually—" Levi started, but Nina shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel. He shrugged helplessly. "You do know you look like a villain right now, right?"

"At least I’m not a stick boy. Do you even know what eating means?" Nina shot back.

Levi sneered. "I may look skinny, but I’ve got abs, you know."

Nina widened her eyes. "Can your abs stand my fist? Want me to test it?"

"Can you two stop arguing? I want to hear what happened," Yeri sighed.

Nina immediately snapped back to excitement. "Right! You really missed a lot. This is the juiciest part...everyone’s still talking about it at school. Did you know Marco wasn’t just dating Tiffany? He was stringing along both of her best friends too!"

Yeri wasn’t all that surprised. She’d noticed subtle hints, especially from Rita.

"Tiffany found out?"

Nina’s head bobbed like a drum. "Oh yeah. Since the three of them were suspended, they were basically grounded at home. One of the students who lives in the same apartment complex with Marco said he overheard fighting days ago. He peeked out and saw Tiffany and Marco screaming at each other. She had gone for a surprise visit, but instead she got the surprise of her life, her boyfriend and her best friend... doing that thing."

Yeri: "..."

Levi: "..."

"It was insane!" Nina said dramatically. "Like something out of a TV drama."

Apparently, Tiffany had been completely clueless about Marco and Rita’s relationship. According to the witness, she went hysterical, screaming loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood.

What shocked students even more was Rita who was usually quiet and loyal, shed all pretense and fought back without a shred of remorse.

When a neighbor finally called the police, the situation escalated. It turns out Rita wasn’t the only girl in the apartment. Cherry was there too along with two other college boys hiding in the bathroom, semi-naked.

Yeri: "..."

Levi: "..."

Levi, usually indifferent to gossip and never heard the details, started coughing, his face turning red.