Money Loving CEO's Detective Lover

"Jina!" both of them exclaimed and quickly scrambled to get up. Jina stood there, looking petrified at what she had just seen. Gayoon buttoned her shirt while Minho fixed his hair, trying to diffuse the situation. 

"Jina, we were simply talking," he lied. "Ms. Gayoon fell on the bed and I also happened to trip on her. And then you came to see us like this-"

But Jina was silent, trying to cleanse her mind off the image she has just witnessed. Even holy water would not be able to purify her anymore. She silently glanced from Minho to Gayoon, both of them looking down in shame. They were unable to face the little girl who was no doubt shocked by what she had stumbled upon.

This is so embarrassing, Gayoon moaned inwardly. She never thought she would end up making out with Hwang Minho on his bed and to top it off, get caught by Jina!

I must handle the situation, she decided.

"Jina," Gayoon said tentatively. "We just happened to trip on the bed. It really is nothing! Completely innocent stuff! Nothing to worry about."

The little girl was still quiet, staring at the adults who were caught red handed.

"Why don't all of us go out for lunch?" Minho offered. "We'll go to your favorite restaurant-"

"Will you two end up having a shotgun wedding?" Jina asked out loud. 

Minho and Gayoon gaped at her. What did she just say? Shotgun Wedding?

"Who taught you all that?" Gayoon asked suspiciously.

"Uncle Kanji," she replied. "He said when two people make babies before marriage, they have a shotgun wedding. If that's the case, I want a little brother!"

Gayoon facepalmed herself while Minho flexed his fingers, ready to beat up Kanji as soon as the latter appeared in front of him. That would make one less victim for CCK.

"And I'll get to choose his name too!" Jina added. 

"Okay that's enough!" Minho spoke up and got off the bed to shoo Jina away. 

"Can we name him Puppy?" Jina asked as she was being escorted out of the room by her dad. 

"No more hanging out with Kanji!" he scolded his daughter.

"Why am I being scolded?" Jina protested. "You were the one who was kissing the Lady Cop! And now I want a little brother!"

Gayoon sat up, unable to control her rapid heartbeat. Was she really about to hook up with Hwang Minho?

Her face was blushing furiously as she remembered him touching her breast. If Jina had not arrived, they would have gone much further.

At least grandma would have been happy, Gayoon thought. Ahjusshi would have chased me across seven continents though.

Minho returned a few minutes later to find Gayoon had fixed her clothes and tied her hair. She was standing as far as possible from him, afraid that she would end up pouncing on him herself if they were closer in proximity.

"Now tell me about what happened between you and CCK," she ordered. "We need to know why he disappeared all those years ago."

He sighed and said, "Let's talk in my study. I don't want people to eavesdrop on us."

Gayoon hesitated before following him out. The household staff stared in surprise as they watched a policewoman coming out of Minho's room.

"Ahjumma, who is that?" One of the new maids asked Kim. "Is the young master being arrested?"

"Shh!" Kim shushed her. "Quiet down! No, that's his girlfriend!"

"He has a girlfriend?" the maid asked in surprise. "I thought the CEO of Hwang Constructions never dated anyone!"

"But this looks serious!" Kim said gleefully. "I hope he gets married and calms down. His temper tantrums can be wild!"

Gayoon was very much conscious of the stares she was getting. If any of them found out what was really going on inside that bedroom, she would have to pack her bags and leave the country only to get away from Hwang Minho.

He led her into his study, closing the door behind them. Gayoon watched as he leaned against the desk, trying to come up with answers.

"Tell me everything," she said. "Why is the CCK after you?"

"Did your team find out anything about the CCK?" Minho asked.

"That's confidential information," Gayoon stated.

"Then they did not find anything," he concluded. Gayoon blinked at him. How did he know?

Minho opened a drawer and took out a file. He silently handed it to her. Gayoon frowned as she went through the file.

"These are all the old articles about CCK," she said. "We have these already."

"What you know about CCK," Minho began. "All come from these articles."

He turned the page to point out the pictures of his earlier victims. "In March 1999, he killed his first victim," he stated. "An old woman who was kidnapped from right outside her grocery shop. Then a ten year old child who went missing after going to the park to play."

He turned more pages and went on, "A thirty year old housewife who was kidnapped from her own home. Then a teenager who was taken while she was on her way to school. All these women were taken randomly from different parts of the city. They had no connection with each other and yet, this killer targeted them."

"We know all this," Gayoon frowned. "But how is this relevant to you?"

"The CCK seemingly doesn't follow a pattern," Minho said. "But he does. There is a pattern of his kidnappings. I only found out about this after we had encountered him."

"What's the pattern?"

Minho pointed at the articles. "Tell me the time when the victims were killed."

Gayoon glanced at the articles. The first victim was stated to have died around midnight the night she was found. The second victim also died around midnight. Third victim also…

"Midnight?" She whispered.

"11:59 PM to be exact," Minho replied. "He timed their deaths in such a way that his victims would die exactly a minute before midnight."