Novels by Kimmy Kim

Chapter 8: The Unmasked TruthThe crimson light on the phone screen cast a jagged, bloody glow against the sterile hospital walls. Leon gripped the edge of the dresser, his ribs screaming in protest, but the agony was a distant hum compared to the electric terror radiating from his pocket."Leon, wait. You’re going to pass out," Clara said, her voice sharp with desperation. She stepped into his path, her hands hovering as if she wanted to catch him but was afraid to make the pain worse."I can’t sit here waiting for them to walk through the door," Leon gasped, his knuckles white as he reached for his jacket. "That note—the photos—they’re not just surveillance. It’s a map. They’re telling me exactly where they are.""You don't even know who they are," she countered, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for a hidden weapon. "It could be a trap. It probably is a trap. You’re barely standing.""If I stay here, I’m a sitting duck," Leon snapped, his breathing shallow. "Look at the ti

Chapter 7: A Recovery in SecretThe silence in the room was rhythmic, broken only by the low, steady hum of a high-end air filtration system. Leon’s ribs felt like they had been reconstructed with jagged shards of glass, a sharp, white-hot protest every time he dared to draw a full breath.He shifted, the movement eliciting a hissed curse.“Easy, Leon. Don’t try to move yet. You’re still a mess.”Clara’s voice was soft, stripped of the brittle armor she usually wore like a second skin. He turned his head slowly, finding her sitting in an armchair pulled right up to the side of the hospital-grade bed he’d been moved to. Her hair was loose, falling in dark, unstyled waves over her shoulders. She looked exhausted, her eyes rimmed with the redness of a long night.“Clara?” his voice sounded like dry gravel. “Where are we?”“Private wing of the city hospital. The one you just dumped fifty million into, remember?” She leaned forward, checking the IV line that snaked into his hand. “They wer

Chapter 6: Corporate WarfareThe fluorescent glow of the office monitors felt like needles against Leon’s tired eyes. He didn’t wake up so much as drift back into a reality that was colder than his dream. Clara was still sitting at the desk, her brow furrowed, the blue light of the terminal casting deep shadows across her face."You’re back," she murmured, not looking away from the scrolling data. "The Central Oversight Board has been quiet for three hours, which is the most terrifying thing that’s happened all night."Leon rubbed his face, the stubble on his chin feeling like sandpaper. "Quiet is never good when you’re dealing with ghosts. What’s Thorne doing?"Clara finally turned, her shoulders sagging. "He’s moving fast. He’s filed for a hostile takeover of the urban infrastructure firm you backed. If he gets a majority stake by the board meeting tomorrow morning, he’ll liquidate the equipment, scrap the hospital contracts, and leave you with nothing but a worthless shell company.

Chapter 5: The Ghost in the LedgerThe screen was a blur of hostile code and cascading numbers. Leon sat slumped in the mahogany chair of the office, his thumb hovering over a line of data that shouldn't have existed. “You’re telling me that this company, this Aethelgard thing, is actually me?” Clara stood by the window, her silhouette sharp against the city lights. She didn’t look at him, but her voice was tight. “How does a human being own a shell company that’s shorting their own charitable grants?”“I don’t know,” Leon whispered, his eyes burning from the screen’s relentless glow. “I’m looking at the backend, Clara. Every time I move money, the system creates a hedge. It’s like a reflex. Like the world is trying to keep its own balance by betting against me the moment I try to do something good.”Clara turned around, her expression a mix of bewilderment and something deeper—perhaps fear. “So, when you gave that money to the hospital, your own internal… whatever this is… created a

Chapter 4: Behind Closed DoorsThe silence in the small back office was thick, heavy with the scent of lilies from the foyer and the lingering tension of the gala. Leon’s fingers traced the line of Clara’s jaw, his heart drumming against his ribs—a rhythm that felt less like biology and more like the frantic processing speed of a server under load.Clara pulled back, just an inch, her eyes searching his. She looked disheveled, a stark contrast to the iron-willed titan of industry she had been only moments ago on that stage."We shouldn't be here," she whispered, her voice breathless. "There are reporters, board members, and half the financial district looking for us."Leon pressed his forehead against hers. "Let them look. For once, they don’t know where to turn their gaze.""They’ll find it, Leon. You know how this works. You give fifty million to a hospital, and the sharks start circling to see where the blood is coming from.""Let them circle," Leon said, his voice dropping to a lo

Chapter 3: Gala of ShadowsThe invitation felt like a physical weight in Leon’s jacket pocket. It was embossed on heavy, cream-colored cardstock that smelled of old money and fresh ink. He looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror of his small, sparse apartment. He had traded his usual hoodie for a charcoal suit he’d spent half his remaining liquid cash on. It fit well enough, but he still felt like a man wearing a costume.He checked his phone. The screen flickered again. Balance: $412,890.12. The numbers pulsed with a rhythmic, golden light that only he could see."Just a game, Leon," he whispered to the glass. "Just a really, really expensive game."*The Metropolitan Gala was a cathedral of excess. Crystal chandeliers hung like frozen constellations above a sea of tuxedos and floor-length gowns. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and the low, predatory hum of networking.Leon stood by the entrance, feeling the familiar itch of the ‘glitch’ beneath his skin