Chapter 48: The Tragedy of Undercover Agent Nikita Romanova

"And these documents? They're proof that the city hall officials and construction companies are cooking up something big right now. It's all connected from top to bottom. If that video from earlier isn't enough, this should help. Plenty of people tangled up in it."

I handed back the fruits of her hard day's labor as if I'd gathered them myself.

"Haha... I can't even speak. How the hell did you pull this off in one day, regardless of the how?"

"I told you. If you grasp at straws, a path might open up."

Gulp! Bora took a swig of cola, her insides clearly burning.

"Haa... You... who the hell are you, really?"

"Just what you already know. The shameless, sleazy guy next door."

Bora stared at me blankly. For the first time in a while, the hatred in her eyes toward me was gone. It stung a little.

"Thanks."

That didn't sit right either. We sat facing each other in silence for a moment. She was probably curious about what kind of man I was, while I racked my brain for ways to reignite that loathing in her gaze.

"But... how do I even explain this to him? I can't make sense of it myself—how am I supposed to convince him?"

She spotted the snag soon enough.

"Tsk tsk. You need me to spoon-feed it to you?"

"But... this doesn't make any logical sense! Even the cops couldn't pull this off!"

She brushed off my jab without a care. Of course. No one but Bora could have pulled off something like this in a single day.

"Sometimes you need a white lie. Like, say one of your buddies from the audit office—or wait, the Board of Audit and Inspection. Yeah, that. Tell him you vented to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a friend there, and they dug this up for you."

"You think he'd buy that?"

"What if he doesn't? Would he toss evidence that could save his ass just because? Is your husband that stupid?"

She nodded, conceding the point.

"He has no idea how you got this anyway, right?"

"Yeah... I sure don't."

"So your only option is to invent someone who could hand it over and pin it on them."

"Got it. Anyway, thanks. To the end..."

"And absolutely do not mention me. You know why."

"Uh..."

Just some random guy next door did all this? A total stranger? Anyone would get suspicious. Bora wasn't that dense either.

Best if that man knew nothing about me. For his own sake, if nothing else.

"This isn't a request—it's a must. Never tell your husband I'm the one who gave it to you. If you do..."

I flashed her a vile grin to drive the fear home. We all knew exactly what terrified her most.

"Got it. No matter what, I'll keep that quiet."

Perfect. I could still hold the upper hand over her.

"Anyway... if this all works out like you said..."

She trailed off, unable to finish. She remembered her own words.

"Here's the deal. If it really gets resolved, we'll extend our contract by one more month. And until it's done, no need to come to my place. Yeah, let's call it a week off."

"For real? That'll do it?"

Bora couldn't hide her relief at just enduring one more month. Sure. What could happen in a month?

"Eh, that should be enough before I get bored. I've already used you up plenty."

There it was. I knew exactly how to earn her hatred.

Her face sharpened.

"You'll get yours someday."

Seeing the anger rise on her face reminded me of tonight's little game. Good. Nikita Romanova's heartbreaking rage, the noble neighbor wife Bora's icy loathing—couldn't waste either one.

"Rot in hell."

"Thinking the same thing."

Hell surely had a spot reserved for me. Not a shred of fear there. Only wish? If possible, go down with all the women I'd tormented. And the ones to come.

Bora snatched up the documents I'd given her and stormed out of the pool area.

Ah! Should've done it once. Her pissed-off face made me regret letting her go.

Speaking of which, that guy was a man after all...

I pulled up a video on the laptop and hit play. The one that woman Yoo Ah-young had meant for the audit office.

It opened in a warehouse stacked with file cabinets. A man and woman faced each other. The woman's shot from behind, face obscured; the man's full frontal, instantly recognizable.

They talked for a bit. Mundane office chatter. His voice was soft, hers carried a hint of warmth—that was all.

Then he stepped closer and kissed her. She froze, then shoved him away with her arm.

He looked sheepish, embarrassed.

"What the hell was that? I didn't peg you for this, Kim Han-seong. How could you?"

Her voice rang out, furious now—nothing like before.

"No... I... I thought we had something..."

"What 'we'? We're just coworkers at city hall, aren't we? You think you can pull this shit on a fellow employee?"

Her tone was sharp, cutting. Any viewer would see it as protesting an out-of-nowhere grope-kiss.

"Sorry. I must've misread things."

He apologized in the end.

"Misread? Isn't that the point? Didn't you know I'm married? And aren't you too?"

She hammered him; he bowed his head and apologized again.

"Fine. I'll chalk this one up to a misunderstanding. Just don't let it happen again."

He apologized once more, promised no repeats, and turned to leave.

She watched him go, then approached the camera and grabbed it. End of video.

Crystal clear: evidence of Kim Han-seong harassing Yoo Ah-young. Ironclad. If he'd known, he'd have had no defense against her complaint.

No way he suspected this existed—that's why he was denying everything now. His life was on the line, after all.

But her phone held more than that one clip from Kim Han-seong. Several others: similar spots, angles, the two talking. Just talk, though. No touches beyond that one kiss.

Easy to infer. She'd set the trap, waiting for him to bite. Over and over. For that final shot.

And her unseen expression? Seductive glance? Silent invitation to embrace? These videos might actually prove his innocence.

But I didn't hand them to Bora. She mustn't see them. Never publicized.

I wanted the Bora who revered and loved her husband. Not one rationalizing affairs over his betrayal. No desire to see that.

What a bastard. Haha...

Anyway... seemed like Bora's husband had a bit of a thing for that Yoo Ah-young. She wasn't prettier than Bora—not by a long shot. Poll a hundred guys, eighty would pick Bora.

Still, men are beasts, instinct wired to hunt fresh meat outside. A touch disappointing.

I'd hoped he'd be as faithful to her as she was to him. So she'd never see these videos.

Better he take the fall unjustly, get booted from city hall, life ruined—anything but that.

I deleted them all. From what I'd overheard between Yoo Ah-young and Little Secretary, no copies existed.

With these gone, any proof of the noble neighbor wife Bora's husband straying—even briefly—vanished from the world.

The neighbor wife Bora's undercover investigation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠video is out. 'Special Undercover Agent - Hunt the Traitor.'

The content diverged a bit from reality. The female agent infiltrates as a civil servant to root out government traitors, nabs her suspect—only for the real betrayer to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be her boss. A tragic tale.

Brilliant! Acting you won't see in any other adult vid. Story-driven smut always disappoints on performance—amateurs, not pros. But Bora's was real.

Of course. No acting involved.

That glare when she realizes her boss's betrayal? Killer. Foreseeing her doom yet drowning in pleasure? Pure adult gold.

Oh, one curiosity: Next time I reactivate the undercover agent cosplay, will she remember? Or forget it all, trusting me anew as her superior?

Thrilling either way. Total reset means fresh betrayal fun; memory intact promises its own twisted kicks.

Why the month cooldown, though? That bugs me.

Epilogue

Bora's husband issue seemed sorted. She showed up at my place the next day.

"Handed over all those docs you gave me yesterday. He was super grateful. Wanted to thank you personally, but I told him no way—I didn't want to reveal the source. Said whoever gave them got them illegally, so it'd be trouble."

Solved the cover story with her hubby, apparently.

"No clue what he did with them. Anyway, this afternoon they said the audit on him is off. Thanks."

She bowed at the door. No stripping urge today—she wouldn't step inside.

"See you next week then."

"Got it. Later..."

Ah... she really shouldn't be this grateful...

Time to plot harsher ways to torment her. I wanted zero goodwill from her toward me.

Soon after, Bora told me Yoo Ah-young hit a wall of troubles. Her husband sniffed out her thing with Little Secretary, stormed city hall—big scene.

Husband a civil servant, her a civil servant, government full of 'em—scandal of the century.

But not over. Pics leaked to staff: her and Little Secretary nearly naked, cozy. Sender unknown.

Well, Bora and I knew exactly who.

Her husband had more backbone than expected. In the end, neither could stick around public office.

Lawsuits possible, but the shame? Tough to show their faces.

Meantime, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the citizen stadium project in Ho-won City chugged along fine. Remote site? Greenbelt bought dirt cheap? No biggie.

Whatever that Kim secretary did with the docs—who knows. Beyond a mere aide's power? Or in on it from the start? Not my concern.

Saving pretty Bora from ruin? That satisfied me plenty. All I'd wanted from the jump.

Eh? Hold up—doesn't that make me a good guy?

Feels off somehow.