Lisa was a renowned businesswoman, known for her cold demeanor toward everyone—a trait forged during her troubled childhood. Her parents, consumed by their own careers, had neglected her, leaving her upbringing in the hands of their maid, Chaeyoon. But tragedy struck when Chaeyoon died in an accident when Lisa was only fifteen. From that moment on, she became distant and indifferent, especially toward her parents, with the exception of her uncle Jin, who worked in one of her father's companies in the United States. Her father had passed away two years ago, and she had since assumed control of the Manoban enterprises.
That night, Lisa sat in the backseat of her car, instructing the driver to take her to the mansion after working late at her company. The clock had just struck 11:21 PM when suddenly, out of nowhere, a young woman in her twenties darted across the road, chasing a squirrel. The car swerved dangerously, but fortunately, no one was harmed.
Lisa stepped out of the car, furious, and approached the girl, giving her a sharp push.
"Are you insane?!" Lisa snapped, her anger barely contained. "You could have gotten us killed!"
The girl seemed oblivious to Lisa's wrath, her attention fixed entirely on the squirrel, which had scurried in another direction just behind Lisa.
"It got away… it got away!" the girl exclaimed in a childish tone.
Lisa spun around, finding nothing, her anger escalating. She shot the girl a murderous glare.
"Are you mocking me, for heaven's sake?!" she yelled.
The girl did not answer, still searching for the squirrel, which only fueled Lisa's irritation. She raised her hand, ready to slap her, but the driver stepped forward, grasping her wrist.
"Miss… she seems unhinged," he whispered.
Lisa withdrew her hand, looking at him in surprise.
"What?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I saw her chasing a squirrel," he said softly. "No rational person does that. She's definitely crazy."
Lisa glanced at the girl, who was fidgeting with the frayed edges of her shirt. Considering the driver's words, she moved closer, gently holding the girl's face in her hands. As she studied her features, she realized she was strikingly beautiful. Then she turned to her driver.
"We'll take her with us to the mansion," Lisa said coldly. "And tomorrow, I want you to find out everything about her."
"Yes, Miss," he replied.
Lisa got back into the car, signaling for the girl to sit beside her. The driver complied. A faint smell of urine reached Lisa from the girl, who laughed curiously at the car's interior. She pinched her nose, visibly disgusted.
"Clean the car after we arrive," Lisa instructed with a tone of icy distaste.
"Yes, Miss," the driver replied, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.
As Lisa reached to fasten the girl's seatbelt, their eyes met, and the girl's mischievous laughter momentarily held Lisa captive. She blinked, shaking off the strange pull, secured the seatbelt, and turned to her window to distract herself from the girl's odd charm.
After ten minutes, the car arrived at the sprawling Manoban mansion, where Lisa lived with her mother, Olivia. The staff obeyed out of necessity, for their livelihoods depended on it. Lisa stepped out with confident, charismatic strides. Behind her, the driver gently held back the girl, who had tried to pluck a red rose from the garden. Lisa knocked on the door, hands slipped into the pockets of her long black coat.
The maid opened the door, bowing respectfully.
"Welcome home, Miss," Mina said.
Lisa replied coldly, "Hello," and entered, followed by the girl and the driver. "Heat up dinner," she instructed.
"Right away," Mina said, stepping closer to the driver. "Chun… who is this girl?"
"I'll explain later," he whispered back.
Lisa, about to enter the elevator, turned briefly to Mina.
"Make sure she takes a bath first, then heat the dinner," Lisa commanded with her usual cool composure.
"Understood, Miss," Mina replied.
Lisa ascended to her room, removing her coat and tossing it onto the bed. She walked over to her wardrobe, a room filled with countless garments, the majority of them black.