<Choi Mansion>

"So that's all you know?" Joshua asked as Seokmin sat in front of him, across the table as both of them were sitting in Seokmin's room.

"What else is there to know?" Seokmin sighed heavily, "I hate that night. I hate him. My head spins and heart aches each time I think of it. It was all so beautiful when we were a family.

I had been living so carefree under his shade. I loved my brother, Mr. Hong, a lot. I loved how he was never arrogant about anything. I loved his personality; he was my role model. I don't know what changed in that one night that he had to take such a horrible step.

Being such a great brother, always the caring one, always the one who used to sacrifice everything for my happiness, how could he do this? You know I was adopted, right? But he never made me feel like that.

Now that I think over all of it, was that all just some drama?"

"I understand, Mr. Lee." Joshua looked down, not being able to figure out over how to proceed.

"Excuse me for a while." Seokmin stood up as he went to his drawer. He took a few medicines and swallowed them with water.

Joshu frowned, "Are these the same pills which you took on that day?"

Seokmin nodded, "Yeah. Anti-anxiety pills."

Joshua wasn't really convinced. Especially after knowing how weird the mansion was, he couldn't help but get suspicious of each and every thing. But he also had to be cautious and not come under the radar of anyone.

"I get it." Joshua nodded, "How about instead of talking like a lawyer and client, we talk like friends? It will loosen up our conversations and make things easier for us."

Seokmin chuckled lightly as he sat back again, "Is that so, Mr. Hong?"

Joshua nodded with a small smile, "You can call me Joshua."

Seokmin grinned slightly in return, some of the tension in his body beginning to ease up. The air between them shifted from strictly professional to something more casual.

"Alright, Joshua," he said, crossing his arms in a more relaxed manner. "You can also call me Seokmin if you'd like."

"Sure." Joshua agreed, "Seokmin. Sounds much better and comfortable."

As they settled into a more comfortable atmosphere, Seokmin leaned back against the headboard of his bed, a small smile still playing at the corners of his mouth.

"So, now that we're 'friends', what do you really want to know?" he asked, his tone slightly teasing.

Joshua retorted the smile, "Enough about all these things Seokmin, now, I also want to know about you. All I know is that you're the current CEO of Rose Quartz and you're handling it well even after it's downfall in the middle, when Mr. Choi had the case going on."

Seokmin chuckled softly at the switch of topic, a hint of pride in his tone.

"Well, running the company has been a challenge, but I'm managing," he confessed, a modest smile playing on his lips. "It's certainly not an easy task, but I'm doing my best. And for all the chaos that the case has caused, I'm determined to bring Rose Quartz back to its former glory."

And that was when Joshua decided to test his instincts by hitting a nerve, "Seokmin, do you think it would have been easier if Mr. Choi was still the CEO?"

The question hit its mark. Seokmin's smile wavered for a fraction of a second, his expression betraying a flash of vulnerability before it was quickly replaced with a stoic mask.

After a moment of silence, he responded quietly, "Perhaps. He has a certain way of commanding authority and respect in the business world. But... I believe I'm capable of handling the company on my own."

Joshua gulped, he knew with his further choice of words, he was inviting trouble but he had to do it, "Do you think he was better than you at this? I'm just asking."

Seokmin's jaw tensed visibly at the question, the flicker of annoyance in his eyes revealing that Joshua had indeed hit a nerve. He took a moment, contemplating his response before he finally spoke, his words measured.

"It's not about who is better or worse," he said, his tone sharp. "He had his own strengths and weaknesses, just like I do. Running a company, especially one with such a history, isn't a competition."

"I understand." Joshua nodded, "Just like the employees of your company had split opinions when I talked to them. Some were okay with you being the CEO while some wanted Mr. Choi back. Apparently, they thought that it was all good when the company and YOU were under him."

Seokmin could feel his irritation growing, the comment hitting his sore spot. "Yes, well, people have their opinions," he said tersely, his jaw clenching visibly. "But ultimately, I am the one in charge now and I intend to make decisions that will benefit the company's future. Whether they agree with me or not is not my concern."

I had been living so carefree under his shade. I loved my brother, Mr. Hong, a lot. I loved how he was never arrogant about anything. I loved his personality; he was my role model.

Joshua recalled the things Seokmin had said just a few moments ago and how they were so different from the current ones, the only difference being, he was all soft and warm before taking those pills.

"Umm there's this other question I had to ask, please don't take it to heart." Joshua continued his gaslighting, "Did you despise him when he was the CEO because he was not nice to you or something? Did you ever think of dethroning him?"

The question hit home, stirring up an uncomfortable memory in Seokmin's mind. His jaw tightened, but after a moment, he managed to compose himself enough to respond.

"Yes, I admit that our relationship wasn't always smooth," he answered, his voice controlled. "As siblings, we had our disagreements and petty fights like any other siblings. However, there was no intentional attempt on my part to dethrone him from his position as the CEO. I never sought to cause harm or disruption in the company for personal gain."

"Of course, you are a nice one." Joshua nodded as he was successfully bringing out the unusual side of him, "But all he did at the end was to kill his and your parents."

Seokmin's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, the topic obviously stirring up a mix of emotions in him. "He..." he began, his voice almost a whisper, "He ruined everything. Not just his own life, but mine as well. He took lives and left me to pick up the pieces. He destroyed our family, and there's no undoing that."

"Was he like that since the beginning?" Joshua asked, "Aggressive? Or ill minded? Or someone who could do this?"

Seokmin let out a humorless scoff at the question, his gaze fixed on the carpet. "He always had his... moments," he admitted, his voice laced with resignation. "Mom and dad usually dismissed it as just his fiery personality. But looking back, some of his behaviors... they were concerning."

Lies. Seokmin had himself admitted that he couldn't believe Seungcheol could do that. He had even defended him in the beginning because Seungcheol was never like that.

"Oh, so he had the signs since the beginning." Joshua nodded, "So I assume he used to lash out at you as well. Did he have that superiority complex as well? Because you were adopted and not his real brother?"

The bluntness of the question was almost like a punch to the gut. Seokmin's jaw tightened again, a muscle twitching in his cheek as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

"Yes, I suppose you could say there was a sense of superiority sometimes," he said, his words strained. "He made it clear that he saw himself as the rightful heir, the one who would continue our parents' legacy. And... Yes, sometimes he would lash out at me, reminding me that I was adopted, not biologically part of the family."

Joshua gasped. Lies, clearly lies. Seokmin was changing all of his statements. And as a matter of fact, it was happening after taking those pills.

"It must have been hard." Joshua nodded, "So he wasn't a great brother as he claimed to be."

Seokmin let out a bitter Laugh. "Great brother? Yeah, that's some joke. He was good at playing the role when others were around, but behind closed doors... it was a different story entirely." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "I think he saw me as competition more than family. He took every opportunity to belittle me, make me feel small, and remind me that I didn't belong."

Being such a great brother, always the caring one, always the one who used to sacrifice everything for my happiness, how could he do this? You know I was adopted, right? But he never made me feel like that.

Joshua pointed out yet another difference in the wordings, "Is that so, Seokmin?" He asked in a consoling tone.

"Yeah, it is," Seokmin affirmed, his voice hollow. "I don't know if he ever truly saw me as his brother. I always felt like an outsider, like I was constantly trying to earn his approval and affection. But no matter what I did, it never seemed enough. He never truly cared about me, just about himself and the power he held."

"That must have been hard." Joshua agreed.

There was a moment of silence after which Seokmin stood up, "Excuse me." He walked to the bathroom and went in.

Joshua was quick to rush to the drawer and pick out Seokmin's medicines. He took a few sampled from them and stuffed into his bag which was kept on the couch. He sat back again as before, keeping a straight face even though his heart was racing at the anticipation of getting a clue of the truth.

Jeonghan inhaled a deep breath as he pushed the older away with all of his might. He screamed on the top of his lungs, "THIS ISN'T YOU, SEUNGCHEOL!! SNAP THE FUCK OUT OF IT!"

Jeonghan's push was strong and unexpected, knocking the older off balance for a moment.

His scream echoed through the room, filled with frustration and emotion, the words ringing in their ears like a slap in the face.

The older stumbled back, his eyes widening momentarily as if he had been shaken out of a trance. The intense, menacing demeanor was replaced by confusion and clarity for a split second.

"Jeonghan? What did I do?"

Jeonghan gulped hard, torn between rushing to the older or waiting to be assured that he was back to normal.

Seungcheol collapsed on the floor as he clutched his head tightly, "W-what just happened? I- argh! My head hurts."

Jeonghan's heart ached at the older's pained groans and confusion. He knelt down next to him, his hand instinctively reaching out to comfort.

His voice was filled with concern, "Seungcheol...you don't remember anything? You...you completely lost control just a moment ago."

He couldn't stop the shudder that ran down his spine at the memory of how intense and menacing the older had been.

"I don't know." Seungcheol squeezed his eyes shut as he started panicking, "W-what did I do? Did I hurt you? Or anyone? Please tell me!! Did I- argh! I'll go crazy!"

Before Jeonghan could reply, Seungcheol stood up, his right hand still cuffed as usual. He reached a drawer to pull out a box of pills as he hurriedly drew a few of them.

"Stop, what is this?" Jeonghan held his wrist, halting the older to intake it.

"Don't interfere." Seungcheol muttered as his hand trembled.

"No, Seungcheol. Stop!" Jeonghan's voice was urgent, filled with fear and concern.

Seungcheol inhaled a sharp breath, "I need it. I need these pills to calm down! Just let me!"

"No!" Jeonghan held his wrist tighter, "I'm your therapist and I can't let you have some random pills without getting to know what they are."

"And?" Seungcheol grunted, "Did I ask for your permission?! Why can't you just mind your own damn business Jeonghan?!" His hands trembled more as he began to sweat profusely, "Leave!"

"You-" Jeonghan was cut off by the loud banging on the door, "Seungcheol, open the damn door!"

Seungcheol's head snapped towards the sound as his eyes widened. Before Jeonghan could react, Seungcheol himself walked to open the door as two men dressed in white coats walked in.

"Time to sleep, isn't it?" One of the men sharply stated, "Go to bed."

Seungcheol nodded as he went to lie down on the bed while Jeonghan watched the scene unfold with confusion. His eyes widened when he saw the other male preparing an injection.

"What...what are you giving him?" Jeonghan's voice was shaky but filled with alarm.

The two males avoided Jeonghan's question as they continued to focus on their task. They looked at him for a moment to introduce themselves with code names, "Ben and Joe."

Jeonghan stepped forward, his voice more insistent this time.

"Stop! What are you giving him? He doesn't need any more medication!"

"Dr. Yoon, aren't you asked to solely focus on your job and not interfere in the other things that happen?" Ben raised a brow, "Or you desperately want your life upside down?"

Jeonghan's eyes widened at the man's words, but he held his ground, refusing to back down.

"I'm his therapist," he said firmly, "It's my job to look out for his well-being, and I won't let you just inject him with medication without any explanation."

He took a step closer to the bed, his voice filled with determination, "I'm not leaving until you tell me what you are giving him and why."

Joe rolled his eyes as he walked towards Seungcheol, grabbing his hair forcefully and landing a tight slap across his face, "This is the only way we will answer your useless questions, Dr. Yoon."

Jeonghan's blood boiled. He stepped forward, his expression filled with anger.

"Stop! You have no right to treat him like that!"

Jeonghan's breath was coming out in angry gasps as he tried to hold himself back from lashing out.

Ben laughed as he stepped closer to the bed as well, "Who is going to stop us? You?" He forcefully grabbed Seungcheol's jaw, "Look, what your little therapist thinks he can do. Shall we show him, how much of an obedient pet you actually are?"

Jeonghan's eyes flickered with frustration and anger as the men spoke.

Seeing Seungcheol being handled so roughly, being treated like some sort of mindless puppet, made Jeonghan's fists clench in anger.

He swallowed hard, trying to hold back his anger as he snapped, "Stop it! You have no right to force him to do anything. He is a human being, not a pet or some toy you can play with!"

Ben and Joe looked at each other as they laughed out loud. With a brutal force, Joe thrashed Seungcheol on the ground after which he spoke, "Sit. Eyes low."

Jeonghan gulped hard at the scenario but what hurt him the most was the fact that Seungcheol obeyed, without any question or protest.

The realization that the older was conditioned to obey without question was a painful one, and it only fueled Jeonghan's anger towards the men in front of him.

His voice trembled with anger as he took a step forward, "Stop treating him like that! This is inhuman!"

"Oh, trust me, this is nothing." Ben chuckled, "He has seen worse, haven't you, Seungcheol? And I bet you don't mind any of this, do you?"

Seungcheol's jaw was clenched but he nodded, "I don't mind any of it."

Jeonghan's heart ached at Seungcheol's words.

The way he had spoken, as if he were desensitized to the treatment, as if he accepted it as a part of his life.

It was gutwrenching to witness, and it only fueled Jeonghan's anger towards the men even more.

He clenched his fists tighter, his voice coming out strangled, "Why are you doing this to him? This isn't right."

"Ugh he talks too much." Joe rolled his eyes. He walked towards Seungcheol and grabbed his hair to make him look at himself, "Your therapist is causing trouble to you, Seungcheol."

Seeing him being manhandled like that made Jeonghan's heart clench in his chest.

He wanted to interfere, to pull the man's hands away from the older's hair, but he knew it would only make the situation worse.

His voice was shaky, "Leave him alone! You're hurting him!"

"We are not, you are." Ben snapped, "The more you'll try to dig into all this, the more he is going to suffer."

Before any ifs or buts, Joe roughly injected Seungcheol with whatever he had brought as Seungcheol collapsed on the floor, "Now, let him sleep."

Jeonghan's voice trembled with a mixture of fear and fury, "You...you can't just do this! What did you give him?"

"Dr. Yoon!" Sunwoo's voice interrupted the scenario as he stepped into the room, "Did you forget our deal? If you're going to interfere in our tasks, Seungcheol is going to suffer. So you better shut the fuck up!"

Jeonghan's eyes darted between Sunwoo and the other men, his voice filled with barely contained anger, "And I can just let you manhandle him as you please?"

"Seems like he isn't going to get any sleep today." Sunwoo grinned with a clenched jaw as soon enough three guards walked in, to forcefully hold Jeonghan in place at on corner of the room.

After that, Sunwoo looked at Ben and Joe as he turned to Seungcheol, "Beat him until he wakes up."

Jeonghan's heart lurched at the order, a desperate protest escaping his lips.

"No, don't!" he cried out, struggling against the guard's hold.

He watched, his heart heavy with worry and anxiety, as the two men approached Seungcheol's motionless form.

"Please, stop this..." he pleaded, his voice shaky with emotion.

"I had warned you Dr. Yoon." Sunwoo looked at him, "Bear the consequences now."

"Please, don't do this!" Jeonghan's voice came out as a desperate plea, "Stop, please!"

Fists and kicks began to land on Seungcheol's unconscious form as the cuffs were brutally tightened around his right wrist.

"Do remember one thing, Dr. Yoon. This is happening because of you." Sunwoo stated as he watched his orders getting obeyed cruelly.

The sight of the older being hurt so mercilessly, all because he had tried to intervene, made Jeonghan's stomach lurch.

"No..." he muttered, his voice shaking with a mixture of fear and despair, "Stop, please..."

He tried to struggle against the guards holding him, tears streaming down his face.

"I promise, I won't interfere again." Jeonghan finally spoke up.

Sunwoo raised a hand to stop the two men, "What?"

"I- I promise." Jeonghan looked down, "I'll never interfere again."

Sunwoo grinned, "Hmm better. Maybe Seungcheol didn't deserve his sleep to get interrupted."

Jeonghan gulped hard as he stood there, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

He knew he was making a promise his heart wouldn't let him keep, but seeing Seungcheol being treated like this, seeing the older bear the brunt of his actions...

He couldn't let it happen again.

His voice was quiet, "Yes...I promise. I won't interfere again."

Sunwoo walked out of the room as all the other men followed him after slamming the door shut.

Jeonghan's heart ached as he slowly walked over to Seungcheol's unconscious form, his steps heavy and reluctant.

He knelt down next to the older, swallowing hard as he took in the sight before him.

Bruises and marks were already beginning to form on the older's body, a testament to the brutality of the beating he had just endured.

Seungcheol stayed unconscious due to the effect of the pills as he laid still on the ground.

Jeonghan gently moved the older's body, carefully avoiding the already forming bruises, and laid him back on the bed, his movements gentle and careful.

He sat on a chair next to the bed, his eyes never leaving the older's face, his heart heavy with guilt and worry.

Jeonghan furrowed his brows, his mind swirling with questions as he thought about the pills the men had injected Seungcheol with.

He looked at the older's unconscious form, his heart aching with worry, "What were those pills for...?" he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with confusion and concern.

He stood up as he carefully picked up the kit the other men had earlier brought. He carefully examined the contents and gladly there were enough remains of it to be checked.

He quickly dropped a text to Woozi and kept his phone back, waiting for him to arrive soon. After an hour or so, Woozi arrived, excusing his visit as the occasional ones which he had been assigned in the case.

"What happened hyung?" Woozi asked as he reached Jeonghan's room.

Jeonghan cleared his throat, "Did you bring it all?"

Woozi nodded, "Yes." He handed his small bag to Jeonghan, "Why did you suddenly need the copies of Mr. Choi's reports?"

Jeonghan kept the samples of the pills and injections in Woozi's bag in such a way that they won't be able to be found even while his bag would be getting checked at the exit, "I don't need the reports."

"What are you doing?" Woozi asked.

"I need you to get these pills and injections examined." Jeonghan muttered, "And get me the reports as soon as possible."

"What- you too?" Woozi raised a brow.

"What do you mean?" Jeonghan asked.

"Mr. Hong handed me some samples too." Woozi stated, "He said he would inform you over text."

Jeonghan quickly reached for his phone and opened the chats of Joshua.

Dr. Yoon, I think that the pills which Mr. Lee Seokmin is being fed are a bit suspicious. I sneaked some samples and handed it to Dr. Woozi, he'll get the reports. Let's hope for the best! We need to hold another meeting soon.

"What the hell is going on?" Jeonghan muttered, "Mr. Lee and Seungcheol, both are being given some sort of pills?"

"What is even happening in this house?" Woozi scrunched his brows.

"Go fast Woozi, get the reports." Jeonghan stated.

"Sure, take care." Woozi left the mansion after passing the security check successfully.

At night, Jeonghan received a call from Woozi as he picked it up, "Yeah?"

"The reports are out. It's really bad."

A/n : I do apologise for the late updates but I just can't help it😭😭

Anyways take care everyone!
-Jeonghanneyonghaseyo