Chapter 32: The Split-Second Lie
Clara's heart didn't just skip a beat; it completely stopped. Min-ho's eyes were already tracing the movement of her hand as she held the phone. If he read the name Ariadne, the entire castle of cards she had built would crash down right here on his expensive marble floor.
With a sudden, sharp gasp, Clara deliberately let her knees buckle.
"Ah...!" she cried out softly, instantly tilting the phone screen away from his line of sight and pressing it flat against her thigh. She let her head drop against his broad chest, pretending to lose her balance.
Min-ho's protective instincts flared instantly. His grip on her waist tightened, and his other arm shot out to catch her, pulling her flush against his warm body. "Clara! What is it? Is it your wound?"
"Yes... yes, a sudden sharp pain," she lied through her teeth, keeping her face buried in his shirt so he couldn't see the sheer panic in her eyes. Her heart was hammering so loudly against his ribs that she was terrified he would realize it wasn't from physical pain. "I... I just got a bit dizzy. It passed, but I think I just need to sit down."
Min-ho didn't hesitate. He practically lifted her off her feet, guiding her gently over to the plush velvet sofa. "I told you to rest. You're pushing yourself too hard after what happened."
As soon as his back was turned to fetch her a glass of water, Clara slipped her phone out. With trembling fingers, she swiped the notification away into oblivion, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Min-ho returned, handing her the crystal glass. His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her phone, which was now face down on the coffee table. "Your phone was buzzing. Was that the hospital? Or... him?" His voice grew dangerously cold at the mention of the stalker.
Clara swallowed hard, taking a sip of water to buy herself some time. "No! No, it was just... an automated alert. From a writing app I use. You know, for... reading. It pushes notifications for new chapter updates."
Min-ho stared at her for a long, agonizing moment. Clara held her breath, praying that her voice hadn't trembled too much.
Finally, the tension in his jaw relaxed, and he let out a soft sigh, sitting down next to her. "Good. For a moment, I thought..." He didn't finish the sentence, but the dark look in his eyes told her everything. He was ready to destroy anyone who threatened her peace.
He reached over, taking her small hand in his large, warm palm. "Tomorrow, I have to go to the Shinwa Group headquarters for a few hours. The board of directors is demanding a meeting regarding the security breach. But you stay here. The penthouse is completely locked down. Nobody gets in or out without my biometric clearance."
Clara nodded, forcing a grateful smile. But inside, her mind was already racing. He's leaving tomorrow. For a few hours.
This was her chance. She needed to update her next chapter as Ariadne, and she needed to contact her editor without Min-ho's state-of-the-art security system tracking her IP address or her data. Living with a billionaire meant she was safe from the stalker—but it also meant she was living inside a high-tech surveillance fortress.