Money Loving CEO's Detective Lover

Gayoon was listening intently to his story. There were several pieces of crucial information which was missing from the case files they had and Minho's story was beginning to piece together those puzzles.

"But why didn't the police connect the dots?" Gayoon asked. "How come they didn't realize that Mina was kidnapped by the CCK?"

"At that time, the police teams were not working together," Minho explained. "My sister's disappearance was treated as a kidnapping. The police team handling her case did not consult with the CCK Investigation Team and hence, they lost vital clues. If we hadn't run into Mimi that day, we might have never found Mina."

Gayoon frowned. "But why didn't you inform the police afterwards?"

Minho sighed and continued to tell his tale.

….

By the time Mimi was done narrating her story, it was already nightfall. They were at the patio of her house, listening to her narrating the horrors of that night. Her two children were playing outside. One of them was exactly Mina's age. He waved his chubby fist at his mother.

"I don't know who he was," she said. "The only thing I could think of were my children and that I cannot die there. The drug he gave me was strong but I think it wore off due to some sort of immunity in my body. You see, in order to survive, I volunteer for several experiments conducted by medical experts so that I could get some money from them. I think the medicines injected in me diluted the effects of the drug and I was able to escape."

"Where did he take you?" Minho demanded. "You said it was a den of some sort?"

Mimi nodded and replied, "It was a den but unusually cold. Like a freezer! Yes, it was like a freezer. Cold and icy. I'm sure it was around the woods nearby."

"We should inform the police," Kanji said at once. "This is a very important clue-"

"NO!" Mimi exclaimed. "No police. I will not go to the police!"

"But why not?"

"If this is part of the serial killing case," Mimi said. "Then the media will expose my face. That killer will know that I have testified and will come after me!"

She was trembling in fear and kept on glancing at the front gate as if she expected the CCK to appear there any time. 

"I was so scared," she said tearfully. "You don't know the feeling! He was not a normal human being! He was a-a-a…"

She trailed off and burst into tears. The man's story had chilled her to her very core. 

"Every night I see him in my nightmares," she went on. Her hands were shaking as she recalled the man's menacing voice in her dreams. She may have escaped his den but he was still haunting her. The man was now a part of her and would not let her go. He would keep on tormenting her. Forever.

"I can still feel the cold metal of his scalpel," she whispered. "He was no ordinary man. He was a monster who would devour everything. Literally. The man had no morals nor compassion. I can never forget his voice. I will always feel that he will return for me. And when he does…"

The very thought of it scared Mimi so much that she felt the bile coming up her throat. She quickly darted towards the railing of the balcony and threw up. Minho and Kanji rushed forward to help her, slapping her back to comfort her.

Once she was done, Minho handed her a glass of water.

"My sister is with him," he said. "I know it. She was kidnapped and we have very little time. Please, help us."

"I want to," Mimi said. "But I'm scared. That man will destroy me! If I die, then who'll take care of my two kids? My little one is only six years old! He just started to go to school!"

"I'll take care of everything," Minho promised. "I promise that nothing will happen to you or your children. Which is why I beg you. Please!"

"What are your sons' names?" Kanji asked.

"The older one is Lee Hongbin," Mimi replied. "The younger one in Lee Jongin."

"We assure you that we will take care of everything," Kanji said. "Their education and jobs too! Nothing will happen to you or your family. We'll make sure of it. But please help us. Only you know where he is."

"But I-" Mimi began but suddenly, Minho fell to his knees. 

He was desperate to find his sister and was willing to do anything even if it meant letting go of his pride. Kanji was shocked to see his friend in that state. Minho had bottled his feelings for so long that now it was pouring out of him. The fear of losing another family member was destroying him from within.

Mimi was also in a lurch. She did not have the heart to refuse the boy who was sincerely trying to protect his sister. Glancing at her little ones, she bit her lip. Was she doing the right thing? What if the killer had moved from that place already? What if he was still there, waiting for her?

"Please," he begged. "My sister is now with that monster! She's alone and scared. I don't even know if she's alive or not but I have to find her! Please, help us. You're my only hope right now. Both of us are orphans and we only have each other. If I lose my only family, then I don't know how I'll survive!"

Mimi looked from her smiling children to Minho who was still on his knees, begging for her help. Finally, she made up her mind.

"Fine," she replied. "I'll help you find him."

Minho's face burst into a smile as he stood up. He clasped Mimi's palms and vowed, "I'll forever be indebted to you. Thank you for helping us."

Mimi patted his cheek with a motherly tenderness.

"Let's go," she said. "And save your sister."