DOTH Volume 2 Chapter 5.3

“Ah, really, you’re being such a hassle.”

Shim Soocheon shoved Kim Jiwon aside and delivered another punch to the beta’s stomach.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

“Let’s wrap this up already. What was the injection Heeyeon-ssi got?”

“Ah… I’ll tell you! Ugh… I’ll talk!”

Lee Yootae shouted urgently. In this situation, keeping secrets was utterly pointless. There was no way he could return to Chairman Jung anyway. After all, it was Lee Yootae himself who had betrayed him, and with the young master now in Director Yeon’s hands, it was nearly impossible to steal him back. Even if he returned, he’d be a dead man at the hands of Chairman Jung. It was better to reveal what this man wanted to know and demand compensation in return.

Director Yeon wouldn’t kill him. Who else could obscure the truth from Chairman Jung but him?

“I-It was a pheromone suppressant.”

“Suppressant?” 

Kim Jiwon frowned, a puzzled look on his face.

“Yeah. It’s not an illegal drug, so just check the records.”

“Heeyeon-ssi said he’d been getting injections for quite a long time… Even though he’s not an adult yet, you had to give him injections? …You did it on purpose, didn’t you? To forcefully delay his heat and make pheromones build up in his body.”

Kim Jiwon grimaced as if disgusted by his own words. There was no need to use injections to suppress pheromones unless there was something seriously wrong with the body. Pills would have sufficed. Besides, Jung Heeyeon had been a minor until recently—a dominant omega at that.

Using injections deliberately suggested an intent to delay his heat and force pheromones to accumulate in his body. It was a dangerous practice, as allowing pheromones to build up could cause someone to lose their senses when their heat eventually hit.

“…The chairman must have… ordered me to do so… for that reason.” 

“That reason?”

“The young master, ugh… was going to marry an alpha as soon as he became an adult… You know that pent-up heat releases stronger pheromones. Any doctor would know that.”

In other words, it meant they had deliberately administered pheromone injections to amplify the pheromones during Jung Heeyeon’s first heat. Simply put, they were trying to forcibly manipulate his hormones.

“Haaa.”

Kim Jiwon let out a hollow laugh as his worst suspicions were confirmed. Suppressing a heat for so long must have been agonizing. For now, he needed to confirm whether Lee Yootae’s words were true. Preparing and assessing Jung Heeyeon’s physical condition came first. After all, from now on, the guy would be handled by Director Yeon and the alphas of Jiwoo. Thus, there was no reason for him to stay here any longer.

Kim Jiwon turned his back, preparing to leave. The man who had been silently listening to the conversation still sat on the sofa. His expression remained as solid as before, but any trace of boredom had disappeared entirely.

“Director.”

Director Yeon didn’t respond with words, merely shifting his gaze toward Kim Jiwon. Having worked at Jiwoo for years, Kim Jiwon could tell his superior was in a state of anger. Letting out a faint sigh, he offered professional advice as a doctor.

“I’ll confirm everything first. However, just in case, it’s better to not kill him.”

Director Yeon rose slowly. The leather sofa made a sound as it released the alpha from its embrace. He brushed past Kim Jiwon, who nodded a quick goodbye to the remaining alphas before leaving. It took only a few steps for Director Yeon to stand before Lee Yootae.

Outside, the rain intensified, droplets hammering against the glass windows. Director Yeon tilted his head slightly as he stared at Lee Yootae. The beta’s eyes turned pale with fear.

“S-Spare my life.” 

Lee Yootae begged, his terror so overwhelming that he abandoned formal speech, babbling like a madman.

“You need me, don’t you? Right?”

After hearing everything related to Jung Heeyeon, for the first time, Director Yeon smiled. It was a lazy, mocking smile, finding amusement in the pitiful man attempting a futile bargain.

“The young master’s disappearance, Chairman Jung still doesn’t know. T-That’s all thanks to me! I’ve been keeping it hidden this whole time. I’m the one sending him the surveillance footage. So, you have to keep me alive…!”

Smack!

The hurried plea was cut off abruptly as Lee Yootae’s head snapped to the side. His nonsensical rambling was silenced instantly. A heavy stillness settled over the lavish room.

“Oh, right.”

Director Yeon’s voice was calm, a stark contrast to the harsh sound of the slap.

“You, the butler, never laid a hand on the baby’s cheek, right?”

The man whispered as he adjusted Lee Yootae’s disheveled clothes.

“I must have forgotten.”

It wasn’t even a punch—just a slap. Yet it tore the skin on Lee Yootae’s cheek, drawing blood instantly. Lee Yootae, too shocked to make any sound, straightened his head without making a sound. The person who just hit him wore the same lazy expression as before, looking down at him.

“What’s the matter, Butler Lee Yootae?”

“Ah… ugh…”

“Didn’t you realize it would hurt when you hit the baby?”

The man lightly tapped the wounded cheek he had slapped. Even the slightest touch sent waves of pain through the swollen flesh. Lee Yootae realized that Director Yeon had intentionally used his palm rather than his fist, aiming to humiliate him further. A surge of resentment flared within him.

“I-I only d-did what I was ordered to do, nothing else! I only followed Chairman Jung’s orders!”

His swollen cheek made his speech slur. Blood from his split lip and nose continued to trickle into his throat.

“Is that so?”

Director Yeon tilted his head at Lee Yootae’s plea. After a brief, contemplative silence, he turned to Shim Soocheon.

“Team Leader Shim Soocheon.”

“Yes, sir.”

Shim Soocheon responded promptly beside him.

“What should I do?”

“You’re free to do as you see fit, sir.”

At this predictable response, Director Yeon smirked faintly as he looked down at Lee Yootae.

“That’s what he says.”

“…W-What do you mean…?”

“I’ll just follow orders too, Butler Lee.”

Director Yeon extended his hand to the side, speaking in a low voice. Kim Chulwoo, standing nearby, handed him a military knife—the same one used earlier to cut the rope. Lee Yootae’s face instantly turned ashen.

“Some people think I like to do things neatly.” 

Director Yeon mused, lightly twirling the knife between his fingers. The blade gleamed under the chandelier’s light. His movement had a childlike playfulness that belied its lethality.

“But that’s only in business. This kind of thing doesn’t count.”

He recalled the bruises that had marred Jung Heeyeon’s collarbone.

“This scar here.” 

Director Yeon said, tapping the scar near his left eye. Lee Yootae’s face froze in fear.

“You wouldn’t happen to know how I got it, would you?”

“Ah… uh…”

“Now, how many years has it been since I started selling guns…”

Lee Yootae’s bound body trembled violently, as if in a seizure.

“Well, that’s not the point. Selling guns doesn’t change one’s instincts. Isn’t that right, Butler Lee?”

Director Yeon lowered the knife, setting its point against Lee Yootae’s collarbone.

“And some bastards, you see…”

“Aaah! Aaac! Argh!”

With a calm expression, Director Yeon drove the knife into Lee Yootae’s skin. Piercing through human flesh and muscle with a blade was not an easy task, but for this man, it was almost second nature.

“They just kill animals for fun.”

The sharp pain tore through Lee Yootae’s skin and muscle, shredding them apart. The overwhelming agony made him choke and gag, his voice breaking into pitiful gasps. But Director Yeon didn’t stop. He kept pressing until the knife’s handle touched the surface of Lee Yootae’s skin.

“You’d better stay still.” 

“Ugh… ah…”

“You know there’s an artery behind your collarbone, don’t you?”

Director Yeon twisted his lips into a crooked smile as he watched Lee Yootae’s face contort in pain.

“This knife could sever it, even though it’s just a military one. But I don’t plan on killing you right away.”

“Wh-why… please… spare me…”

“Have you ever seen a hunting dog kill its prey instantly? No, right?”

Director Yeon withdrew the knife, and blood began to soak through Lee Yootae’s thick clothing.

“Urgh…”

Twirling the bloodied knife absentmindedly, Director Yeon leaned toward Lee Yootae.

“Besides, I know exactly where to stab to avoid killing you instantly.”

“Aaagh! Ack!”

Director Yeon plunged the blade into Lee Yootae’s thigh, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He fully intended to cover Lee Yootae’s body with bruises, just like Jung Heeyeon’s.

Foaming at the mouth, Lee Yootae’s eyes rolled back. The brutal scene left no one in the room shaken, it was clear they were used to such sights.

“Uhhhh…”

“Contact Kim Jiwon. He needs to stay alive.” 

Director Yeon ordered Shim Soocheon, handing him the knife. 

“Yes, sir.”

As he pushed back his disheveled hair, Kim Chulwoo handed him a phone from behind.

“Sir, it’s Lee Haejin.”

The man accepted the phone with his clean hand. Although the name on the screen read Lee Haejin, it was clear someone else had made the call. 

– Director.

“Yeah, Heeyeon.”

His voice, dripping with affection, gently called out Jung Heeyeon’s name.

***

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