The Predator's New Target
The office was thick with heat. The air was heavy with the sound of ragged gasps and the rhythmic slap of skin against skin. On the sofa, Lee Han and Park Mina were tangled together, their bodies slick with sweat.
"Manager... please, don't ever abandon me..."
Park Mina whispered, clutching Lee Han’s back as if begging for her life. Her eyes burned with a manic, obsessive intensity. As they raced toward the end, they finally reached the peak, and Park Mina shuddered, drowning in ecstasy.
Once he had finished, Lee Han pulled away. Used condoms were scattered everywhere. Leaving Park Mina, who lay limp on the sofa catching her breath, Lee Han walked to the water cooler and poured a glass. After quenching his thirst, he approached her again. Looking at Lee Han, who smiled while biting his moist lips, Park Mina realized she would never be able to let him go. As Lee Han’s hand swept down her cheek, she closed her eyes and surrendered her entire body to his touch.
Their long, dark night seemed to have only just begun. Unlike the look in Park Mina’s eyes, which suggested she had tasted the forbidden fruit, Lee Han’s eyes held nothing but desire and animalistic instinct. He watched her like a predator eyeing its prey. In that tragic imbalance, they were sinking deeper into a mire.
Lee Han, catching his own breath, carefully lifted Park Mina’s limp body. Her head lolled, resting against his shoulder. Walking through the night streets of the apartment complex, Lee Han arrived at Park Mina’s home, opened the front door, and stepped inside.
When he laid her on the bed, she curled up with a soft moan. Lee Han sat beside her and slowly brushed her hair back. The touch was persistent, as if confirming his possession of her.
A faint smile played on Lee Han’s lips. Now, Park Mina would never be able to escape his grasp. Both her body and her soul would belong to him. He rose gently, careful not to wake her.
There was not a trace of regret in Lee Han’s back as he opened the front door and stepped out. The cold night air slapped his cheeks, but only a faint smile lingered on his face. Thinking of the latest trophy he had claimed today, Lee Han walked slowly through the complex. Only his footsteps echoed in the quiet apartment grounds.
Lee Han wandered through the apartment complex under the morning sun. Perhaps due to the intense night with Park Mina, his body was filled with fatigue. A yawn escaped him along with a sigh. The memories of last night flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. Park Mina would likely be unable to go to work and would be resting at home, perhaps having pushed herself too hard.
Complex emotions regarding Han Sujin were blooming in Lee Han’s heart. The fact that he had intentionally used Han Sujin to break Park Mina crossed his mind. Han Sujin’s tear-stained face, her eyes filled with terror, and her screaming voice echoed in his ears.
That was why Lee Han decided to give Han Sujin a brief respite. He didn’t want to break her completely yet. He couldn’t give up the pleasure she provided just yet. For that reason, Lee Han had avoided contact with Han Sujin for several days. As if he were being considerate of her.
'I can just visit her later. She won't be able to refuse me anyway.'
A cold smile hung on Lee Han’s lips. It was a smile that didn't fit the peaceful scenery of the apartment complex spread out before him. Perhaps Lee Han had completely severed ties with his past self.
Now, only desire and malice remained within him. Like a predator prowling for new prey, Lee Han began to move slowly. He fell into thought for a moment, wondering who the next victim would be.
He stretched his body slowly and moved forward. It was time to find new prey. Just then, someone greeted him from behind.
"Hello? It’s been a while."
When he turned around, the woman he had encountered when he first arrived at this apartment as the manager was standing there. She had an elegant impression and a gentle smile. Her sparkling eyes were striking. As soon as Lee Han, who had hurriedly bowed his head to greet her, caught sight of her, a spark of desire ignited.
The woman’s voluptuous figure as she pushed a stroller caught Lee Han’s eye. The smooth skin visible through her clothes, her slim waist, and her curved chest. The Lee Han who had been full of innocence had long since vanished. He now stared at the woman before him with greedy eyes.
Lee Han smiled brightly and greeted the woman.
"Hello. I am Lee Han, the manager of this apartment. I apologize for not being able to greet you often."
"We’ve met once before, haven't we? Isn't it actually better that we don't see the manager often?"
The woman responded to Lee Han’s apology with a playful smile. Lee Han quite liked that.
"Thank you for saying that. By the way, what is your name?"
"Oh, I’m Kim Eunju. Nice to meet you, Mr. Lee Han."
"But the baby is so cute. How old is he?"
Lee Han tilted his head slightly toward the stroller beside Kim Eunju and asked.
"He just turned one. Isn't he really handsome, just like my husband?"
Kim Eunju asked with a satisfied smile. Lee Han scratched his head, not knowing what to do.
"Is that so? I haven't met your husband yet. Haha..."
"My husband is the most handsome man in the world!"
Kim Eunju said loudly with a bright smile. Lee Han laughed awkwardly and chimed in. However, a question was rising in his mind.
'I wonder what kind of guy that husband is...'
Just then, the sound of a baby crying leaked from the stroller. It seemed he had woken up.
"Oh my, I think my baby woke up. Mr. Lee Han, I’ll be going now. See you next time!"
Kim Eunju greeted Lee Han, quickly turned the stroller, and walked away. Lee Han watched Kim Eunju’s retreating figure in silence. His eyes were shining fiercely.
Lee Han returned to the office and sat in front of the computer. He accessed the management system and looked up Kim Eunju’s profile.
'Kim Eunju, 33 years old. A civil servant, currently on maternity leave. Her husband is Lee Hyunwoo, looks like he’s a civil servant too.'
After confirming the simple personal information, Lee Han turned the security camera screen to examine the inside of Kim Eunju’s home. The living room, decorated charmingly with baby items for a one-year-old, appeared on the monitor.
Curiosity piqued, Lee Han began to watch the past video records one by one. Then, suddenly, a scene appeared where Kim Eunju’s husband appeared. Lee Han watched the screen intently.
'Hmm... he’s certainly on the handsome side...'
Lee Han nodded and muttered to himself. They were a perfect couple. While scrolling through the screen, he caught some strange behaviors from Kim Eunju. Watching the video again carefully, he often saw Kim Eunju smelling her husband Lee Hyunwoo’s clothes or secretly checking his phone.
'Hmm... looks like she has Othello syndrome. Interesting.'
Lee Han’s eyes shone maliciously. He had found Kim Eunju’s weakness. A vicious plan began to sprout in his mind. Lee Han slowly smiled and began to search for more past videos. This time, he focused on Lee Hyunwoo’s actions.
Scenes of Lee Hyunwoo coming home late after a company dinner, staggering while drunk, and talking familiarly with women in the apartment stood out. In reality, it wasn't enough to be suspicious, but to Lee Han, it looked like a plausible excuse.
It didn't matter if he was actually cheating. He just had to make Kim Eunju believe it. A sinister scheme was wriggling in Lee Han’s mind.
'I’ll plunge Kim Eunju into a swamp of suspicion. It doesn't matter if it’s not true. I just need to make her doubt her husband’s change of heart.'
Kim Eunju and Lee Hyunwoo on the screen looked affectionate. They seemed to be enjoying a peaceful daily life. However, in Lee Han’s eyes, their relationship looked precarious. Kim Eunju’s flaw, her jealousy, was eating away at their marriage.
Lee Han intended to dig into that weakness. First, it was important to approach Kim Eunju and gain her trust. To do that, he would have to stage a meeting disguised as a coincidence. Starting a conversation on a topic Kim Eunju would be interested in as a mother who had just given birth was also a good method.
'It would be strange if I did it myself... then, of course...'
He thought of Han Sujin. If they met as fellow married women, Kim Eunju would naturally bring up stories about her husband. In particular, he had confirmed that Park Taeyoung and Han Sujin were talking about pregnancy recently. If they talked through a more common topic, he would be able to dig up more information about Lee Hyunwoo. He planned to start with trivial things and stimulate the suspicions Kim Eunju harbored.
Lee Han slowly rose to his feet. It was time to take a step closer to Kim Eunju. He intended to find out even the most trivial information and plunge her into a deep swamp of suspicion. A naive weakling who would fall for the devil’s temptation. Lee Han grinned, imagining Kim Eunju in that state.