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Kim Taehyung knew he had to inform his father. There was no other way now.

As he drove toward the mansion, he saw the iron gates opening up ahead, the massive house standing stark white against the cloudy, gray sky, hiding the layers of red that coated it.

No matter how many times his father had the place repainted, Taehyung knew of the blood that remained splattered underneath, of the horrors concealed beneath the pristine surface.

This house had been his home since childhood, as it had been for his father before him, and his grandfather before that. The estate had been in their family for three generations, each generation adding more to the sprawling property.

His family had been the first to establish themselves in the organized business in Shadow Port. Back then, it had simply been known as the city of docks. Located on the country's West coast, connected to international waters through the sea and locally by the river that split the city, Shadow Port was a prime hotspot for trade.
His ancestors had recognized the lucrative potential there and had claimed the city as their own, expanding over time to dominate the entire region.

The residence he now approached had originally been a single building. His late grandfather, and later his father, had transformed it into the sprawling mansion that now sat before him, creating a familiar knot of tension in his stomach.

Especially the extra wing his father had added, where he managed 'sensitive' business matters. Taehyung rarely ventured into that wing-only when it was absolutely necessary.

And today, it was necessary.

Swallowing, Kim Taehyung slowly drove up the driveway, his gaze drifting over the lush green lawns and the second-floor window of his private suite. He had everything-his own bedroom, study, and walk-in closet. Materially, Taehyung had grown up with no lack of luxury.
If he needed a new computer, it arrived within hours; a new suit brought an entire wardrobe. For years, he mistook these gifts as signs of his father's affection.

Yet, he learned early that such gestures were more about control than care. His father, Kim Dohyun, had placed him on the top floor, just above his own quarters, not for safety but for surveillance.

His every movement was meticulously tracked, his desires met to keep him from seeking them outside their walls. Taehyung stopped asking the moment he realized this and began carving out small pieces of autonomy wherever he could.

As he neared the guarded entrance of the mansion, Taehyung found himself wondering what life might have been like with his mother, Kim Ha-rin, around. Perhaps the mansion would've felt like a home. His mother had left soon after his birth, retreating from the brutal reality of his father's empire.

The marriage between Kim Ha-rin and Kim Dohyun had always been a strategic business alliance, a union for profit over passion. She had tried to adapt, staying for two years before she finally left.

According to rumors, she had wanted to take Taehyung with her, but his father's ultimatum left her with no choice: either leave alone or never leave at all. Taehyung didn't know how true these stories were, but he had come to accept that she didn't want to be found.

His father had never shielded him from the gruesome details of their world. Instead, Taehyung had been exposed to every bloody facet, left to grapple with the weight of a reality most fathers would hide from their children.

Ironically, he admired and detested that about his father. He knew that for that very reason, his father would see the codes as a betrayal and have him killed for it. That would be his father's version of mercy-he'd select an expert for the job, ensuring it would be painless.
After all, there was an example to be set for treason against Kim Dohyun, Boss of Shadow Port.

Parking his car in the usual spot, Taehyung got out to the sound of thunder rumbling in the sky, looking up at the arched doorway above the low stairs leading into the house.

One of his father's goons stood against the door, and he sighed, ignoring him like he had done with all his father's men for most of his life. They had ignored him, and he'd returned the favor.

The inside of the house was tasteful, the foyer leading to the upstairs and to the corridor on the left that connected to the other wing. Taehyung closed his eyes for a second, knowing he was walking into what could be his own death but understanding it was necessary.

Keeping his father in the dark could cost countless innocent lives. With his father's influence, he might just be able to track down and destroy the codes.

Slowly, he made his way to the section of the house he rarely visited, focusing on steadying his breathing and keeping his mind sharp. Whatever happened, he would not beg-not for his life, not for the codes, not for anything.

He let his mind drift back to the meeting he'd had in town. After shaking his bodyguards yet again, he had gone to meet a college classmate, a highly intelligent man, hoping for advice. After a week of exhausting his own skills, this had been his last resort.

He'd explained the issue in vague terms, hoping for a miraculous solution. But his friend had pointed out that retrieving the codes wouldn't be possible unless he happened to be within fifty feet of them-something nearly impossible without both the codes and knowledge of their location.

Jackson had believed the codes were with the Black Throne. But since the Black Throne's own agents had come to him for help, he was fairly certain they didn't have them either.

Or maybe they did.

Maybe Jeon Jungkook did.