The office was silent, though the wall clock in the corner still ticked softly. Beyond the large glass window that overlooked the city, Mingyu stood with his back to the desk, one hand in his pocket, the other clutching a document that had become crumpled from being held too tightly. This room was usually the command center. The place where major decisions were made, where he hosted investors, signed contracts, even laughed freely during smaller meetings with his trusted team. But tonight, it felt like a prison. Cold, suffocating, and laced with betrayal hanging in the air like toxic fog.

A few hours ago, the internal audit division had sent him a confidential report. The file was thin, no more than ten pages. But its contents were enough to shatter all the trust he had built over the years. A single name appeared repeatedly in system access logs and confidential document trails. A name that had always stood closest to him. The one who scheduled his meetings, reminded him to eat, prepared his personal files, and even... kept his secrets. His secretary. Someone he had considered his right hand. Someone he had defended in front of the board for being exceptionally capable. Someone who had been feeding data to a rival using the same polite smile, the same gentle tone, and the same neutral gaze that now felt entirely false.

Mingyu closed his eyes for a moment. His chest tightened, not from the company's potential loss, but from having trusted someone who knew his birthday, knew his allergies, knew how to make his coffee exactly the way he liked it, and still chose to betray him without hesitation. Footsteps approached from the door. The secretary entered without suspicion, carrying a tablet and notes for tomorrow's meeting. Just like always. The smile was still there. The voice still soft.

But tonight, nothing was the same.

Mingyu slowly turned around. His gaze was icy, his jaw tightened, and his voice came out calm, yet sharp like a blade.

"You've been reporting to someone else behind my back, haven't you?"

**[ WELCOME TO AU SEVENTEEN! KIM MINGYU IS HERE! HAVE A GOOD TIME<3 ]**