A Lie Has Turned Into Reality

It was like surfacing from the depths of an abyss—ragged breaths spilled from my lips.

Beep—

Panting, I slowly opened my eyes to the faint, distant sound of tinnitus. The only thing breaking the still silence was the irregular rhythm of my breathing.

As I scanned my surroundings, it became apparent that someone had moved my unconscious body into this room.

I tried to piece together my memories.

The moment I collapsed in agony while recalling my grandfather. The tsunami of unfamiliar memories from ‘another me’ that had overwhelmed me.

A past where I was cherished and loved. The cutthroat battles for inheritance in a chaebol family. The suspicious deaths of my parents. And the subsequent breakdown of family ties.

Heh.

A hollow laugh escaped me.

The abusive, abandoned past of my real self had vanished without a trace, leaving only the rosy memories of ‘another me’ who had grown up adored and privileged.

This feels… unfair.

“…Ha.”

Clench.

And now, what am I supposed to do with this?

Am I expected to uncover the truth about my parents’ deaths? To track down those responsible and hold them accountable? Or to get entangled in those wretched inheritance disputes?

Why me? For what reason?

Ha!

A dry laugh burst out. Sure, my life has completely flipped upside down, but…

I have no intention of burying my pain and scars in the past like a time capsule.

That’s the least I can do to honor the old me.

I’m sorry to ‘another me,’ but I don’t have a shred of interest in wasting my emotions on this meaningless family drama.

I have enough to do just enjoying a life of luxury, blowing through this money.

For the first time, my thoughts felt clearer.

Taking a deep breath, I rose to my feet.

“Are you sure it’s okay to be moving already? You should rest a bit longer.”

“I’m not that oblivious, you know.”

So much for quietly sneaking out.

What a tactless old man. How could I possibly feel at ease in this place?

I turned cold eyes toward my grandfather, who stood before me with a worried expression.

“I’ve called for the family doctor. Lie down and get examined before you go.”

“I’m perfectly fine. There’s no need.”

“You stubborn child. Can’t you at least let me feel at ease for once?”

“Hah, a joke? Now, of all times?”

Not being one for cryptic conversations, I delivered my cutting reply with a wry smile.

I couldn’t wait to leave this suffocating space, even if it meant abandoning any chance to gather information.

Just as I turned my back without hesitation, a sharp, spiteful voice cut through the air.

“Such a dramatic act for a little fainting spell. Do you really have to ruin the atmosphere every chance you get?”

It was my aunt, glaring at me with disdain as she muttered under her breath.

“What a pathetic fool.”

My uncle, standing with arms crossed beside her, chimed in. Judging by their synchronized scorn, their teamwork as a family seemed oddly well-coordinated.

As every pair of eyes in the room bore down on me, I felt like I was trapped in some kind of theater performance.

“Shut up…!”

“Oh, I’m the one who ruined the mood?”

I cut off my grandfather’s booming reprimand, bloodshot eyes and all.

The absurdity of it all felt laughable. It was so vile I almost wanted to gag.

“Well, that’s a relief.”

I smirked bitterly, my lips curling into a broken smile.

“Excuse me, I’ll be going now.”

Ah—

How exhausting.

It’s time to return to the one place where I belong.

Home.

Where I can just play games.

Once a month, the family would gather at a private mansion in Hannam-dong. That day, too, was supposed to be just another ordinary family meeting.

Until I saw the grandson bowing deeply at a 90-degree angle, greeting me with perfect form.

“…”

I couldn’t bring myself to speak, as if my lips had been sealed shut.

That day flashed vividly before my eyes.

The day my youngest son and daughter-in-law—who were more precious to me than life itself—returned as cold, lifeless corpses. And the day I learned that my eldest son, Giyong, and my daughter, Yewon, were behind their deaths.

The day I realized that this entire tragedy had been sparked by the ruthless succession battles for the company—a fire I had stoked myself.

They say the grief of losing a child is like having your very soul ripped apart. For someone like me, who had lived solely to grow the business, it was an unfamiliar, yet piercing agony.

With chapped lips and bloodshot eyes, I spent countless sleepless nights.

My wife, hurling curses at me, eventually left to return to her family, saying she couldn’t endure it any longer.

And then, not long after, even my grandson began to cry tears of blood, wailing that his parents had been murdered by his uncle and aunt.

Though the blame was mine to bear, I couldn’t bring myself to accuse Giyong and Yewon, who had driven my youngest son to his death.

They were still my children. No matter how much the world condemned them, I couldn’t bear to lose the ones who remained.

Surely, if I embraced them with trust and love from now on, everything would eventually fall back into place. They would prove to be worthy successors to the business.

So I buried the truth deep in my heart. I ignored my grandson’s anguished cries.

I dedicated myself to ensuring that my grandson would inherit every penny of our multi-billion won fortune without issue.

To ease my guilt, I even dipped into my personal wealth, sparing no effort in gifting him prime real estate.

Surely, by now, my grandson understands my intentions. He’s always been such a kind, thoughtful child, overflowing with compassion.

And yet, one day, he stopped showing his face altogether.

Curious about his whereabouts, I had someone investigate, only to receive a baffling answer: he hadn’t left his house—not even once.

Fine. Perhaps he just needed time to sort through his emotions.

Surely, with time, he would return to being my beloved grandson, Kim Sung-woo, who used to call out to his grandfather with such warmth in his voice.

I clung to that hope, waiting endlessly. To make sure he could return to me at any moment, I continued to hold monthly family gatherings.

I sent the date and location to him through Giyong every time, hoping he’d come by chance.

“Long time no see, Grandfather.”

And finally, after years, Sung-woo attended one of these gatherings.

It should have been a moment of overwhelming joy, a heartwarming reunion.

But when I saw his empty eyes, I knew something was terribly wrong.

Those eyes, devoid of even a trace of hope, joy, sorrow, or anger, were like those of the dead.

“So… have you finally managed to calm yourself?”

“Yes. I can’t cling to the past forever.”

It was the very response I’d always longed to hear.

I had hoped he’d bury all the past wrongs and begin to look forward to the future.

Where did it all go wrong? Was my approach flawed from the start?

“Kaaagh!”

Thud!

Ah, the heavens have abandoned me.

Fortunately, he regained consciousness not long after and, with his usual detached expression, left the room.

The more I tried to engage him, the colder the atmosphere became. It was clear he was avoiding me.

Anxious, I finally confessed what was in my heart.

“Sung-woo, I only say this because I’m worried about you.”

“Haha, a joke? Now, of all times?”

He looked at me with a faint sneer, as if amused by my words.

There was neither hostility nor warmth in his gaze—only an unbearable emptiness, as though nothing in the world mattered to him.

Ah, my sins have returned to me as karmic retribution.

The guilt I had tried so hard to suppress materialized, suffocating me.

But what was I supposed to have done back then?

Should I have thrown my remaining children into prison to uncover the vile truth?

As if there was nothing more to be said, Sung-woo turned his back on me without hesitation.

I should stop him. I must untangle this mess before it’s too late.

“What a spectacle for something so minor. Do you really need to ruin the mood to feel satisfied?”

“What a pathetic fool.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Rage surged to the surface.

How could they speak like that to someone who had just fainted?

I was about to scold them harshly.

“Shut up…!”

“Oh, so I ruined the mood?”

“That’s such a relief.”

The harsh words I intended for my children never left my lips.

Sung-woo’s face was twisted beyond recognition, his expression a chaotic mess that I couldn’t begin to understand. His voice dripped with disdain, as if he couldn’t stand the grotesque absurdity of the situation.

And yet, my other children continued to disregard him, clinging to their arrogance.

What kind of face am I making right now?

My stomach churned as if my insides were being twisted.

Suddenly, the last conversation I’d had with Sung-woo flashed through my mind.

What had he said back then?

“Grandfather, you still have two children left, don’t you?”

Yes, even then, he’d had the same hollow expression.

As if he had given up on expecting anything anymore.

“I have no one left.”

My heart sank. No one left? What about me, my dear child? You still have me.

“And today, Grandfather, you lost someone, too.”

Please. Please stop. I know I was wrong. This is all my fault.

“At the very least, you lost the one grandchild who loved you.”

Ah.

Tears streamed down my face.

That day, the sweet, loving grandson I cherished died by my own hand.