Pearlborn
Sophia grew up without a father and returned to her mother’s hometown, where she lived with her uncle. From a young age, she knew her family had a generations-old pearl business—her mother was a “clam woman” who produced pearls, while her uncle handled sales. Young Sophia was deeply curious about the secrets of the clam woman and pearl production, but her mother refused to explain and urged her to leave home when she grew up and never return. However, her uncle secretly promised Sophia that he would pass the family business to her one day. So, in college, Sophia quietly switched her major to aquaculture. After graduation, she returned home, intending to take over her mother’s role. But when her mother found out, she did everything to stop her. Frustrated and curious, Sophia secretly observed the family’s pearl chamber—only to discover that her uncle often brought young men inside, where they engaged in unspeakable acts with her mother. After each night with a man, her mother would produce exquisite pearls the next day, but the men who entered the chamber never came out. At that very moment, Sophia’s boyfriend, Kevin, arrived unannounced. Young and handsome, Kevin caught her uncle’s attention, who repeatedly tried to lure him into the pearl chamber—but Sophia thwarted each attempt. Realizing her boyfriend was in danger, Sophia tried to persuade him to leave, but he misunderstood her intentions. Left with no choice, she confided in him, and Kevin agreed to help uncover the truth. They devised a plan to infiltrate the pearl chamber together, but it failed—Kevin vanished without a trace. Enraged by Sophia’s defiance, her uncle dragged her into the deepest part of the chamber, forcing her to witness the secret of the clam women. It turned out that the “clam woman” was not a woman who could naturally produce pearls, but rather someone who helped the family’s elder clam generate them. The men Sophia had seen were actually doctors hired by her uncle—because the elder clam could no longer produce high-quality pearls, and the family’s orders were at risk of being canceled. In the end, Sophia left the old estate with her uncle and mother, leaving the dark legacy behind.
