Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
Maybe it’s because it’s been a while, but it feels like my eyes are opening.
But maybe it’s because I ate something sweet, I feel better than bitter.
By the way, won’t people think we’re a couple on a date?
The chances of meeting someone from the company are low, but that worry still crept up.
“How is it? Delicious, right?”
“Yes, it’s very delicious.”
“That’s a relief.”
Hyun-woo smiled softly and took a bite of the macaron. He licked the cream that had slightly oozed out.
In that moment, Eun-chae realized how handsome he was and quickly drank her coffee to hide her flushed face.
“Wow, Eun-chae, you have such pretty hands.”
“Yes?”
“Can I take a look at your hands for a moment?”
“Why my hands...?”
When she gave him her hand in a daze, Hyun-woo gently held it and examined it closely.
“They look like hands that would suit playing the piano.”
“Ah...”
At the word ‘piano’, Eun-chae quickly pulled her hand away.
She also liked the way her hands moved dazzlingly and beautifully on the piano.
When she played the piano, she could forget everything else and concentrate only on the music.
If only the accident hadn’t happened.
“Sorry. Your hands were so pretty, I couldn’t help it.”
“No, it’s okay.”
She reassured Hyun-woo, who was embarrassed.
“Can you play the piano?”
“I used to play a little.”
“I knew it.”
Hyun-woo smiled brightly.
“Don’t you play anymore?”
“No. My hands are stiff, so I can’t play well.”
It wasn’t that her hands were stiff, but that her nerves were damaged in the accident, so she couldn’t play as delicately as before.
Even now, the faint surgical scar on the inside of her wrist clearly reminded her of the accident.
“You don’t look good. Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t really like sweet food.”
She blurted out a lie, thinking she should avoid another situation like this.
“Really? You were talking about desserts so enthusiastically with Hyun-jung before, I thought you liked them...”
“That’s...”
Since she had actually talked about desserts with Hyun-jung, she couldn’t think of a good excuse.
It would be awkward if he found out she was lying...
“Maybe you like looking at desserts more than eating them because they’re pretty?”
“Yes? Ah, yes!”
Unexpectedly, Hyun-woo gave her an excuse.
“I knew it! When you saw the macarons earlier, your eyes sparkled, so I thought you liked desserts, but you like them because they’re pretty!”
Hyun-woo smiled brightly, as if relieved.
It wasn’t that her lie wasn’t discovered, but her heart felt uncomfortable at the thought of deceiving such a kind person.
“Did I take up too much of your time? Wait, I’ll pack the rest for you.”
Fortunately, when the coffee she ordered was almost gone, Hyun-woo got up from his seat and said.
He packed the remaining macarons in half, handed them to Eun-chae, and even drove her to the entrance of her apartment.
“Thank you for today. See you on Monday.”
“Yes, team leader. Drive carefully.”
Hyun-woo smiled and started the car, and Eun-chae watched his back until his car disappeared from the entrance.
She had lied, but it was a good save, so there was no reason to be awkward with Hyun-woo, which was a relief.
I’ll give it to Seok-kyung after dinner.
She thought, looking at the macaron box Hyun-woo gave her.
________________________________________
Ms. Cha, who put a piece of lamb chop steak in her mouth, held up her wine glass with a satisfied expression.
“It’s gotten much better.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“From now on, we’ll have to come here for lamb chops, manager.”
The faces of the chef and manager, who had been watching nervously, brightened instantly.
“Let’s make this restaurant this month’s ‘Baek’s Choice’.”
“Thank you!”
The two bowed 90 degrees and stepped back.
Baekdo Group publishes a magazine that features new luxury brands, ultra-luxurious travel destinations, or restaurants around the world every month.
This magazine, which was initially only seen by the upper class, recently became the motif for the FLEX challenge among young people.
Especially for restaurants, Ms. Cha, who is known for her picky taste, personally selects them, so famous restaurants around the world try to contact her.
“How is it? Not bad, right?”
“Yes.”
“They don’t use too many spices, but there’s no gamey smell. This is what a real first-class place is like.”
Ms. Cha swallowed her wine with a satisfied smile at Seok-kyung’s answer.
“Did you meet Joo-eun well?”
“Yes. But.”
Seok-kyung, who wiped his mouth with the napkin on his lap, carefully brought up the story he wanted to tell Ms. Cha.
“Why didn’t you consult with me about my wedding schedule?”
“Consult?”
“I have a schedule for work, and it’s difficult if you set the date as you please.”
“Difficult?”
Ms. Cha asked back briefly with a cold face.
“Do you have something busy that I don’t know about?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
She looked like she couldn’t understand at all.
“Still, it’s my wedding, so you could have asked me about the date...”
“Stop.”
Ms. Cha put the knife on the plate and reached out to Seok-kyung. Soon, she put her hand on her forehead as if she was tired.
“I’m sorry I rushed your wedding without saying a word, but you know it’s all for you, right? Don’t you?”
“I know.”
“Your flaw is enough with the divorce.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about...”
“I told you to stop, didn’t I?”
Seok-kyung closed his mouth at her cold and sharp gaze.
“Don’t think nonsense and treat Joo-eun well. At least her family won’t cause problems like last time.”
“Don’t be so sure. You never know what will happen. Even with Eun-chae...”
As soon as he mentioned Eun-chae’s name, Ms. Cha frowned.
“She was my mistake. I was crazy to put someone like her with you. This time it’s different.”
Ms. Cha smiled, pulling up one corner of her lip.
“Unlike her, Joo-eun is like a fox and knows how to do her job.”
“Her job?”
“Isn’t her ballerina career a waste? She said she wanted to have a baby as soon as they got married.”
Seok-kyung was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t reply.
“I don’t mind, so how about you two have a baby this time? I hear they even bring them as part of the dowry these days?”
“I have no intention of doing that.”
“Tsk, you treat women like stones. I’m starting to worry if you have a problem in that area.”
Ms. Cha smiled and picked up her knife again to cut the meat.
‘A problem in that area?’ Don’t worry. I don’t have any problems at all.
There was a time when even I wondered if I had a problem, but those doubts disappeared completely after reuniting with Eun-chae.
If anything, the problem is that I get impulses whenever I see her.
“If your father can’t get up like this, I’m going to ask your grandfather to appoint you as the CEO of Baekdo Group.”
“My father will get up.”
“Even if he does, the doctor said he can’t guarantee how well his brain will function. So, the CEO position of Baekdo Group will pass to you anyway.”
He knew that day would come someday, but not like this. It was too early to inherit the group, skipping his father.
“Why don’t you take the position, mother?”
“What?”
“Instead of me, you can take the position. You’re already managing the company in place of father...”
“Baek Seok-kyung.”
At her trembling voice, Seok-kyung stopped talking and looked at Ms. Cha.
Her fingers, holding the knife in anger, were white.
“Do you think I’m trying to take your father’s position like everyone else?”
“...It’s not that.”
He didn’t completely rule out the suspicion, though.
“It’s enough for me that your father and you continue Baekdo Group. My whole life is about supporting you two men from behind, understand?”
Seok-kyung nodded, accepting her fiercely glaring gaze.
She was a scary person, even as an ally. He was just glad she wasn’t an enemy.
“I’m keeping a close eye on your father-in-law’s side, so you just need to prepare diligently to take the CEO position. Don’t forget that your marriage to Joo-eun and having a second child are all for that. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“...Eat.”
Ms. Cha drank her wine to calm her anger.
Seok-kyung felt suffocated. He knew very well that inheriting Baekdo Group was his parents’ life goal. Of course, it was also his own goal.
But something bothered him.
Marriage to Joo-eun and plans for a second child didn’t take up any space in his heart.
Was it because of Eun-chae?
Even he thought it was ridiculous.
She was a woman who refused to be part of the Baekdo Group family three years ago.
He just wanted to punish her for betraying him back then, he had no intention of bringing her back to her original position.
He couldn’t do that.
And she wouldn’t want it either.
No. Would she really not want it?
He was lost in other thoughts and didn’t even remember how the meal ended.
“I’ll be going now.”
“Alright.”
Seok-kyung got up first, greeted Ms. Cha, and left the restaurant.
Ms. Cha stared intently at Seok-kyung, who walked away without looking back, and then took out her phone from her clutch and called someone.
As she crossed her long legs, her smooth thighs were revealed through the slit of her short skirt.
“This is me.”
• Yes, yes, ma’am.
Chief Secretary Won answered the phone with a trembling voice.
“How has Seok-kyung been doing lately?”
“Yes? Uh, what do you mean by how he’s been doing?”
“I mean, has anything unusual happened?”
• Uh, no, nothing.
His stammering voice, as if he was flustered, bothered her. Was he hiding something? No, he always stammered when he was nervous.
“Really nothing?”
• N-nothing really.
Something was strange, but since Chief Secretary Won insisted it wasn’t, she had no choice but to believe him.
“Alright.”
Google Sites
Report abuse