Chapter 22. A Hundred Curses Wouldn’t Be Enough (2)

Translator: Lili

With dangers lurking in every direction, the safest place was a quiet, hidden corner where no one’s eyes would reach. Settling at a table at the far end of the ballroom, Sera finally let out a sigh.

Occasionally, people glanced at her sitting alone, and sometimes, she could hear unpleasant whispers. But she didn’t care. By now, she had learned to laugh off this level of hostility.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we sincerely thank you for attending this event.”

At precisely seven o’clock, the lights in the ballroom dimmed, and the event officially began.

Sera, idly sipping champagne, suddenly felt someone staring at her. Without much thought, she turned her head—and her eyes widened slightly.

Lee Rowoon, seated among the key executives of Sungwon Group, was watching her.

A special table had been set up for the Sungwon Group executives at the front of the ballroom, but of course, Sera was not welcome there. His gaze, filled with disdain, made that painfully clear.

“…”

Suddenly, she felt tired. Tired of the endless waves of hostility constantly crashing over her.

With a reckless sense of defiance, she met Lee Rowoon’s eyes directly. It was an unmistakable act of provocation. A flicker of interest flashed through his cold stare.

As they locked eyes in silent confrontation, the event came to an end, and the lights turned back on. People rose from their seats and began mingling, and before long, Lee Rowoon vanished from Sera’s sight.

Now that even the childish staring contest was over, there was nothing left to do.

‘I’ve stayed long enough. Time to go.’

She had been polite enough to Lee Seonkyung and had avoided any major conflicts with the three men. Wasn’t that a decent way to wrap up the day?

Just as she was indulging in a wry sense of self-congratulation—

“You wretched bitch!”

A sudden shout made everyone’s heads turn toward the entrance of the ballroom.

A middle-aged man in shabby clothes stood there, seething with fury. The moment his eyes locked onto Sera, the rage burning within them flared into a blazing inferno.

“Even if I cursed you a hundred times, it wouldn’t be enough! Because of you, Seon-young…!”

“W-what’s going on?”

“Ahhh!”

Before anyone could react, the enraged man charged straight at Sera. Guests in his path screamed and scattered in panic. Sera, frozen in shock, found herself grabbed by the hair.

“…!”

By the time she regained her senses, she was already on the floor.

The pain from hitting the ground was momentary, quickly replaced by the searing agony of her scalp being yanked. Her body swayed helplessly under the force of his violent grip.

“You tore my precious daughter’s life apart, and you thought you’d get away with it? Just thinking about how someone like you ruined her…!”

‘What the hell is happening?’

The man sobbed hysterically as he rained down blows on her. Half-dazed, Sera endured the onslaught.

Her expensive hairpiece was ripped away. Her dress crumpled. Her ankle twisted in her heels, sending one of her shoes flying off.

“Somebody, stop him!”

“You can’t do this here, sir!”

It was a completely one-sided assault. The difference in strength was overwhelming.

And yet, no one stepped in to help her.

She could only endure the beating until security guards finally arrived to subdue the man, who was howling like a wounded beast.

“If not for you, if only you didn’t exist…! H-huuuh…!”

Even as he was dragged out by the security guards, the man did not stop his grief-stricken wails. After his agonized screams faded, a deathly silence settled over the ballroom.