Kai barely had time to take a breath, that fragile moment of decision still ringing in the air—when the door slammed open with force only one man carried like a curse.
Mr. Baek.
"Absolutely not," his voice cut like cold steel. "You are not going to Paris."
Kai's eyes snapped to him in the mirror, jaw tightening. "It's not your call anymore."
Baek moved toward him, slow, calm, lethal. "You believe I gave you a chance to start your life over just so I could stand here and watch you destroy it again for him? You owe everything you've gained here to this second chance—and I'm not going to let you waste it running after shadows."
Kai spun, all the way, pounding heart. "You believe this is a waste? You believe Noah's a shadow?"
"I believe you've forgotten the type of pain he caused you. I believe you're forgetting the type of mess he made. And above all—" Baek's voice fell, cold and cruel, "—I believe you're forgetting I have the ability to destroy everything you've rebuilt."
