Chapter 23: The Downfall

YN walked into the office with Seokjin by her side, her head held high despite the churning fear in her stomach. She had known it would be difficult, but nothing could have prepared her for the onslaught that awaited them.

As soon as they stepped into the building, all eyes turned toward them. Conversations halted, and whispers spread like wildfire. The atmosphere was thick with judgement, and YN could feel the weight of a thousand stares pressing down on her. Seokjin squeezed her hand gently, trying to offer her some reassurance, but even his touch couldn’t quell the dread rising within her.

“She’s here.”

“Can you believe it? With her own secretary…”

“Disgusting.”

The whispers grew louder as YN and Seokjin made their way through the office. Everywhere she turned, there were looks of disdain, of mockery. She heard snatches of conversation that made her skin crawl.

“I never thought she’d stoop so low.”

“What did she expect? Bringing a secretary into her bed?”

“She’s ruined her reputation. Who’s going to respect her now?”

YN clenched her fists, forcing herself to keep walking, to not let the cruel words break her. But each step felt heavier than the last, the humiliation sinking deeper into her soul. She had worked so hard to build her career, to earn the respect of her peers, and now it was all crumbling around her.

When they reached her office, she found her team gathered in a tight circle, their faces twisted with disdain. Han Beom Seok, her assistant, stepped forward, his expression a mixture of pity and disappointment.

“YN… I don’t know what to say,” Beom Seok began, his voice heavy. “The media is all over this. They’re outside, waiting for a statement. And… some of our business partners have already pulled out of their deals.”

YN felt the world tilt beneath her feet. “What? Which ones?”

“Most of the major ones,” Beom Seok said, avoiding her gaze. “They don’t want to be associated with the scandal. They think it’ll damage their brand.”

Her heart pounded in her chest. She knew this would be bad, but she hadn’t expected it to unravel so quickly. “And the employees?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.

“They’re… they’re talking. Everyone is,” Beom Seok admitted reluctantly. “YN, this isn’t just a small office rumor. It’s everywhere. People are saying horrible things.”

Seokjin stepped forward, his face a mask of anger. “This is ridiculous! How can they judge YN like this? We’re all adults here. What happened between us is no one’s business but our own.”

Beom Seok shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Seokjin. You know how people are. They’re going to judge, and they’re going to talk. And right now, YN is the target.”

Before YN, could respond, the office doors burst open, and a swarm of reporters flooded in, cameras flashing, microphones thrust forward. The sudden intrusion caught her off guard, and she instinctively stepped back, trying to shield herself from the onslaught.

“Miss YN! Is it true you’ve been having an affair with your secretary?”

“How do you respond to allegations that you used your power to coerce Mr. Kim?”

“Is this the end of your career, Miss YN?”

The questions came rapid-fire, each one more cutting than the last. YN felt the panic rising in her chest, her breath quickening as the walls seemed to close in around her. She could barely think, let alone respond.

Seokjin stepped in front of her, trying to shield her from the press. “That’s enough! Leave her alone!”

But the reporters weren’t deterred. They pushed forward, desperate for a reaction, for a soundbite that would sell their story.

“Miss YN, what do you have to say for yourself?”

“Is it true you’ve been sleeping with other employees as well?”

“Do you think your father will disown you after this scandal?”

At the mention of her father, YN’s blood ran cold. She hadn’t even thought about how this would affect him, how he would react. But before she could dwell on it, a voice cut through the chaos, one that sent a chill down her spine.

“YN!”The crowd parted as Lee Jong Suk, YN’s father, stormed into the office. His face was a mask of fury, his eyes blazing with anger. The room fell silent as he approached, his presence commanding attention.

“Dad…” YN began, her voice trembling.

But before she could say anything more, Jong Suk’s hand lashed out, striking her across the face with a resounding slap. The force of the blow sent her stumbling back, and she clutched her cheek in shock, tears welling up in her eyes.

“How could you?!” Jong Suk roared, his voice shaking with rage. “How could you disgrace our family like this?!”

“Dad, please, it’s not what you think—” YN tried to explain, but her father cut her off, his words seething with anger.

“Not what I think?” he spat. “I’ve seen the photos, the videos! You’ve humiliated us! You’ve thrown away everything I’ve worked for, everything our family stands for!”

YN’s heart shattered at his words. The respect she had always sought from her father, the pride she had longed to see in his eyes it was gone, replaced by disgust and disappointment.

“You’re a disgrace,” Jong Suk continued, his voice cold and harsh. “I didn’t raise you to behave like this, to throw yourself at a man who is beneath you!”

“Dad, I love him!” YN’s voice broke as she finally admitted what she had been struggling to accept.

Jong Suk’s eyes narrowed, his fury intensifying. “Love? You call this love? This is lust, YN. Nothing more. And you’ve ruined everything for it.”

Seokjin stepped forward, his voice firm. “Sir, with all due respect, you don’t understand. This wasn’t some fling. We care about each other.”

“Stay out of this,” Jong Suk snapped, his gaze turning icy as he looked at Seokjin. “You’re the reason my daughter is in this mess. I should never have allowed you anywhere near her.”

Seokjin flinched at the harsh words, his confidence faltering under the weight of Jong Suk’s disdain. He had always feared this being seen as unworthy of YN, as someone who could never measure up to her status. And now, that fear was being released in the worst possible way.

“You will never be good enough for her,” Jong Suk declared, his voice dripping with contempt. “You’re nothing but a lowly secretary. How dare you think you can stand beside her?”

“Dad, stop it!” YN cried, her heart breaking as she saw the pain in Seokjin’s eyes. “Please, just stop!”

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Jong Suk’s anger was a force of its own, unstoppable and unforgiving.

“I’m ashamed to call you my daughter,” Jong Suk said coldly, his words like a knife to YN's heart. “As of this moment, you are no longer part of this family. You are on your own.”

The finality of his words left YN numb with shock. She watched as her father turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, broken and humiliated. The reporters, sensing the gravity of the situation, didn’t dare move, their cameras still trained on her, capturing every agonising second.

Seokjin reached out to her, his heart aching at the sight of her tears, but she shook her head, pulling away. She felt hollow, as if everything she had ever known had been ripped away from her in an instant.

The world seemed to spin around her, the weight of her father’s rejection, the judgement of her colleagues, the loss of everything she had worked for it was all too much to bear. She had never felt so alone.

As the press continued to swarm, Seokjin stood helplessly by her side, his own heart heavy with guilt and despair. He had never meant for any of this to happen, never wanted to be the cause of her pain. But now, he couldn’t help but wonder if her father was right if he truly was unworthy of her, if their love had only brought her ruin.

YN’s tears fell silently as the reality of her situation sank in. She was no longer the powerful, respected businesswoman she had once been. She was just a woman whose life had been torn apart by scandal, whose love had cost her everything.

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