WANG JANGFEI'S P.O.V

Wake up! Wake up!

The morning of work had arrived. I glanced over at the table clock, which was ringing nonstop, irritating my already sour mood. I groaned, switched it off, and sighed, which turned into the biggest yawn I've ever had. I didn't get a great sleep because my great, great boss, Jeon Jungkook, had some errands for me to deal with.

That vicious yet handsome man needs to be more considerate sometimes. Who gives 15 files to audit overnight? It was impossible, and I've only managed to finish 13 files. I know exactly what I'm going to face now.

Should I die?

I scoffed at the thought. I don't want to die, especially not after enduring all the pain and agony life has thrown at me. My life has given me nothing but pain, pain, and more pain.

I dressed up for the day, ready to face the cruelty of the world again and to deal with the consequences of living as a normal human being.

The day at the office was grueling. Jeon Jungkook was out all day in meetings, leaving me with a mountain of work to manage. My desk was buried under stacks of files and documents, each one demanding my immediate attention. I worked tirelessly, but it felt like I was barely making a dent.

Midway through the afternoon, my marketing manager, Ryu Shin, stormed over to my desk. His face was a storm cloud of frustration, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Jangfei, what's the meaning of this?" he barked, slamming a file onto my desk. "These reports should have been completed yesterday! Do you have any idea how behind we are because of your incompetence?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ryu," I stammered, my voice trembling. "I'm trying my best to keep up."

"Trying isn't good enough!" he snapped. "We need results, not excuses. Do you understand how critical this is?"

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. I nodded, my throat tight with emotion.

"Yes, sir. I'll finish them as soon as possible," I promised, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You'd better," he warned, turning on his heel and storming away.

I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady myself. The weight of his words hung heavy over me, a reminder of how far I still had to go. I felt utterly exhausted, my body and mind pushed to their limits.

As the hours dragged on, I forced myself to keep working, each keystroke and calculation a battle against the fatigue that threatened to overwhelm me. By the time the office began to empty out, I was the last one left, still hunched over my desk, desperately trying to finish the reports.

When I finally closed the last file, I felt a wave of relief, but it was short-lived. My body ached, my head throbbed, and my spirit felt utterly drained. I glanced at the clock, realizing it was time to head to jeon Jeongguk's the demon's mansion for my Italian lessons.

Despite my exhaustion, I knew I couldn't skip it. The lessons were the only thing keeping me sane, a small glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak existence. I gathered my things, my movements slow and heavy, and made my way home to change.

In the mirror, my reflection looked as tired and worn out as I felt. Dark circles ringed my eyes, my skin pale and lifeless. I splashed water on my face, trying to wash away the fatigue, and pulled on a fresh outfit. It took all my willpower to muster a small smile, to find a spark of determination within myself.

"You can do this, Jangfei," I whispered to my reflection. "Just one more push."

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and headed out the door. The night air was cool against my skin, a small comfort as I walked to Sir Jeongguk's place. Each step felt heavy, but I kept going, determined to prove to myself that I could handle whatever came my way.

I approached the grand hall, which was infused with the smell of alcohol and a manly, woody scent, with intimidation hanging in the air.

I gulped down the uneasy yet giddy feeling, only to be met with a dominating figure leaning on the couch, a whiskey glass in his right hand, his head resting on the couch back, and his arms spread out. I frowned, but a pout formed on my lips.

He must have been very tired.

Tired of what, killing?

Uh, torturing ?

Maybe trafficking?

"Are you going to stand there all night, babygirl?" A deep voice snapped me out of my unstoppable train of thoughts. I flinched a little but composed myself.

"Uh, no, Mr. Jeon, it's just I thought you were sleeping." I smiled sheepishly and fiddled with my fingers shyly, my gaze lowering.

"Predators never sleep; they snatch the sleep of their prey," he husked out while getting up, his handsome face illuminated under the warm light of the mansion. The mansion was lit, but there was still darkness. His hands leaned on his knees, those emotionless dark eyes locking onto mine with a musky smirk adorning his lips.

"You are late today, chocolate cake lover. What happened?" he asked nonchalantly while gulping down the full glass of whiskey, the alcohol bringing a painful pleasure to his face, his lips twisted in a savory form.

I gulped and looked around the mansion, trying to dodge the question, and scrambled closer to his table. He just looked at me with his dark eyes. I could feel his gaze on me, but I pulled out my accessories to study. "I hate when someone ignores my questions, little girl. Answer my question or leave my mansion right now," he husked with his demonic, dark voice, sending trembles through my body. I shakily looked up at him from the floor where I sat, and him on the couch. The only difference was one foot between us. His face was closer; I could see the darkness in his eyes, but they unknowingly glimmered when they saw me. A sense of comfort evoked in them.

"I had a long day, Mr. Jeon. A lot of work." And humiliation. I let those words stay inside my heart. I couldn't let him know my vulnerable side; I would definitely look pathetic.

"Hmm, was it tough to answer?" He raised his brow and leaned back on the couch, manspreading. I removed my eyes from his form and pulled out the papers.

"No, Mr. Jeon, it wasn't," I whispered.

"Now let's see what you've learned in two days," he said as he took the papers from my hand.

Learned? I didn't even touch them. I had a lot of work to do, but now I can't tell him that. He would throw me out of the mansion. I gulped and instinctively pulled my knees closer to my chest, looking down.

"By the scaredy-cat behavior of yours, I can predict that you haven't learned anything?" He rumbled out, a little harshly, making me clench my eyes shut. Please, please, please don't scold me. I can't take it now. I'm already on the verge of crying. I can't hold it in anymore. Why am I never enough? Why am I always a failure? I sobbed a little inside.

It's tough, it's really tough to do everything. I've never had anything, but please, please let me breathe. My train of thoughts broke when I felt papers under my chin, pushing it up. I lifted my head and opened my numb eyes, tears unnoticeable, I thought.

"I haven't even started, and you're crying already?" He frowned, pushing my head up by my chin. His eyes had a little softness in them, but he composed his dark face and leaned back, throwing the papers on the table casually. He leaned back with his hand resting on the couch.

"You can take a rest if you want. I'm not in the mood to bother myself," he said. I gulped and looked up at him. He strangely looked at me and nodded.

Rest?

I can take a rest?

After a long day?

My little sobs turned into bigger ones. I hiccupped, tears forming in my eyes. His dark face changed to a surprised one, and he frowned, looking at me with concern. "Why are you crying now?" he asked.

Why am I crying?

I haven't eaten all day. Nobody treated me well since the morning. How can I not get emotional when someone just offered me rest?