Inside the CEO's office at RIC Group, Rico was reviewing the neatly stacked files on his desk. Over the past few days, Mia's performance as his personal assistant had been nothing short of extraordinary. One by one, the critical issues threatening the company's stability had been unraveled by Mia's sharp strategies. Rico let out a deep sigh—if it weren't for Mia, RIC Group might have already sunk into major losses.
Suddenly, the office door burst open.
Ryu stormed in, his face tense and a fresh cut visible on the corner of his lip. His breathing was ragged, and his eyes darted wildly around the room.
Rico immediately stood up from his chair. "What happened to you?" he asked in confusion, stepping toward Ryu. "What's with your face?"
But Ryu didn't answer. Instead, he fired back a question, urgent in tone. "Where is she?"
"Who do you mean?" Rico's confusion deepened at Ryu's uncharacteristic behavior.
Ryu didn't respond. He began rifling through the files on Rico's desk, tossing them aside carelessly and scattering important documents.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing? Those are important documents!" Rico shouted angrily. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I know you're hiding her here!" Ryu growled, his eyes blazing with fury.
He moved quickly and dropped himself into Rico's large office chair. "That woman... Mia! She was with me last night. And now she's gone. Where is she?!"
Rico tensed. "She didn't show up for work today," he replied cautiously. "I should be the one asking you—what did you do to her that she suddenly disappeared?"
"Don't turn this around on me, Rico!" Ryu snapped. He suddenly grabbed Rico by the collar. "Don't you dare hide her from me! Tell me now—where is Mia?!"
Rico's face hardened, but his voice remained calm. "Let go of me, Ryu. If you really want to find Mia, we should be looking together—not like this."
Rico stood in the middle of his now-messy office. Documents were scattered everywhere, some on the floor, others trampled by Ryu's expensive shoes as he stormed in and tore through everything.
"I told you—she's not here!" Rico snapped back. "Why would I hide that plain-looking girl? If you don't believe me, go search the entire RIC Group building! But stay the hell away from my files!"
Ryu took a deep breath, trying to control the rage boiling inside him.
"Fine," he said coldly. "If she's not here, then give me her data."
Rico frowned, confused. "Her data?"
"Yes. Mia's information. Doesn't your company keep personal records of every employee?" Ryu pressed. "Give it to me. Now."
Rico crossed his arms, eyes sharp. "Wait a second, Ryu. This isn't like you. Usually, you'd just order your men around if you wanted to find someone. But now you're here yourself, injured, trashing my office... all because of one woman?"
Ryu didn't answer right away. His eyes looked exhausted.
"I've searched everywhere," he finally muttered. "But Mia's trail... it's gone. Like it's been locked. The database, her social media profiles, even old photos—vanished. It's like... someone intentionally erased all traces of her."
Rico started to take him seriously after hearing that.
"Usually, when someone's data is wiped that clean... it means they're being protected by someone powerful," Ryu continued, his voice low and full of suspicion.
Rico looked away, masking his shock. Deep down, he knew—only one man could do that: Mr. Biromo.
But Rico chose to stay silent.
"I have to find her," Ryu said firmly. "And I'll keep searching, even if I have to shake the whole city."
Silence returned to Rico's office after Ryu's chaotic departure. Rico sat down, staring at the door that had just slammed shut.
"What did that plain-looking girl do... to make Ryu search for her so desperately?" Rico muttered, twirling a pen in his hand. "You've got some guts, Mia."
He let out a long sigh and looked back down at the scattered documents.
"My company doesn't keep full records on Mia," he said aloud, as if speaking to Ryu's lingering shadow. "Phone number, home address—I don't know them. She's not a regular employee. She was directly recommended by my father to be my personal assistant."
His eyes stared blankly ahead before he added, more quietly, "If you really want to know about her... go ask my father."
---
A few minutes later, Ryu stepped out of the RIC Group building in a rush. His face was tense, his steps heavy. There was one thing he needed to confirm—what was Mia's real motive?
"This woman is really good at hiding. Who's helping her, huh? To the point where I can't trace anything at all," he muttered angrily as he started his car and sped off into the city crowd.
"She must've drugged my drink that night... just to sleep with me," he hissed, rage boiling in his chest. "First begging for help, then suddenly vanishing—taking my seed with her... Damn cunning woman."
Ryu stepped harder on the gas. His destination was clear: the Biromo residence.
---
Meanwhile, at the Xiao family home...
Tension gripped the living room. The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the house.
Smack!
"Where were you all night? You didn't come home!" shouted Mr. Jerry, his eyes burning with fury.
"None of your business," Mia snapped, walking away from the living room toward her room.
Smack!
Another slap landed on her cheek.
"Disrespectful brat!" Mr. Jerry yelled, even angrier now.
Agnes, standing not far away, seized the moment.
"She must've spent the night with that man," she said in a tearful voice, pretending to cry. "I begged her not to leave me… but she chose to be with that guy and left me all alone at the nightclub."
"And I was nearly attacked by a stranger!" Agnes added between sobs. "I had to run for my life..."
Smack! Smack!
Slap after slap rained down on Mia's face. But this time, she didn't stay silent.
"Go ahead, slap me, Father! If you're not satisfied, keep going! But hear this—this house doesn't belong to any of you. It's my late mother's inheritance, and one day… it'll be mine!" Mia screamed, her voice shaking with pain and fury.
"Kick me out if you want! But one day, all of you will know who was right!"
Mr. Jerry froze, but his anger still burned in his eyes.
Suddenly, Mia stepped toward Agnes—her eyes sharp, her face flushed red.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
A series of slaps struck Agnes's stunned face.
"That's for you! For all your lies! You think I wouldn't dare fight you in front of Father? You're dead wrong, Agnes! I won't stay silent anymore!"
Agnes stumbled back, shocked.
Mia glared at her with fiery eyes and said, voice trembling, "You've trampled on me for too long. But no more… I'm going to fight back!"
Mrs. Yanti, who had just seen her precious daughter get slapped, bolted toward Mia in a rage.
Her face was crimson with fury, her eyes blazing like a predator.
"You filthy brat!" she screamed, lunging at Mia's neck.
"How dare your filthy hands touch Agnes!"
Mrs. Yanti's hands gripped Mia's neck tightly, her grasp fueled by years of buried hatred. Mia gasped, her body instinctively struggling, but the grip was so strong it choked the breath from her lungs.
"Mom! Stop! No matter what... Mia is still my daughter!" Mr. Jerry yelled in panic, trying to pull his wife's hands away.
"Don't kill her! Let go of her now!"
But Mrs. Yanti shoved her husband aside violently, as if she heard nothing.
"Get out of my way!" she hissed venomously. "She dared hurt my daughter—now she has to die! Let her join her wretched mother in hell!"
Her grip tightened.
Mia's eyes widened, her breaths becoming shallower. Sounds gurgled from her throat, barely audible.
Her hands flailed weakly, trying to break free, but her strength faded.
The floor beneath her seemed to blur. Everything was spinning. Her breath caught in her throat. Then...
Mia's body went limp.
Her eyes were closed. Her arms and legs went limp, no longer fighting back. She wasn't moving.
Mr. Jerry stood still, his breath caught in his throat.
Mrs. Yanti froze, her hands still suspended in the air—until she realized: Mia wasn't moving.
A look of shock spread across her face as she released her grip.
Mia's body collapsed to the floor with a thud that echoed through the entire room.