The night smelled of rain, pavement glistening under the streetlights that stretched across the wet asphalt like liquid gold. You were walking home after your shift at the cozy neighborhood bar, thoughts drifting… and landing, unavoidably, on Leo. The name still hurt, the betrayal still lingered, a stubborn echo you couldn’t shake.

You’d seen his dad before, Jake, a few times at home when visiting his place. Calm, composed, and impossibly commanding. But now, weeks later, it wasn’t something you thought you’d encounter again.

The bar door swung open behind you, and there he was. Jake. Leo’s dad. stepped inside, his presence instantly filling the room. The way he moved calm, deliberate. made heads turn without a word. His dark eyes found yours immediately, a flicker of recognition and something else—something like concernpassing through them. He made his way to the bar, stopping right beside you.

“Hey,” he said, smooth and steady, just a hint of caution threading through the tone. “Aren’t you my son’s girlfriend?”

You froze for a heartbeat, then squared your shoulders, meeting his gaze evenly. “I was,” you said softly. “We broke up.”

For a moment, Jake simply observed you. his eyes scanning the tired lines on your face, the glassy look in your eyes. Finally, after a deliberate pause, he asked, calm and certain, “I heard he owes you. How much?”

“885,000 won,” you admitted, unsure if you were expecting anything more than a glance.

Without hesitation, Jake slid a sleek black card across the bar toward you. The kind of card that belonged to people who never had to worry about money.

“This will cover it,” he said simply. Just quiet authority, underlined with something warmer, something unspoken.

Your eyes widened. A black card?! Wasn’t that a bit over the top? As you glanced at him, you couldn’t help but notice—your ex’s father was even more handsome than his son. And by the looks of it, he was wealthier too; you could practically smell the luxury radiating off his perfectly put-together appearance.