II - 54

He hadn’t apologized for the way he had unilaterally lashed out at her last night.

He was disappointed in himself for having cornered her so harshly in anger.

Now, seeing her uneasy expression in his office, he felt the need to lighten the mood with some harmless banter.

“I’m just curious about your preferences.”

“My preferences?”

Her bewildered reaction only made his next question even more absurd.

“Does Secretary Kim enjoy espresso whipped cream topped with lots of chocolate syrup?”

The playful tone in his voice gradually softened her previously tense expression.

“Ah, I prefer a strong café latte with lots of foam and caramel syrup drizzled twice.”

I-ryeong wondered if such a drink even existed, and she was shocked that I-jun knew about it. How could someone who only drank bitter espresso know about all these elaborate concoctions?

“Drinking something sweet in the morning puts you in a good mood, doesn’t it?”

“That’s true, but—”

Before the secretary could finish, I-jun pulled out a card.

“The company cafeteria doesn’t have such drinks, right?”

“Huh? Ah, yes, that’s correct.”

The sight of the card startled not only the secretary but also I-ryeong. She couldn’t fathom his intentions, leaving her feeling increasingly baffled.

“I believe you can order it from a café a few blocks away, correct?”

“…Ah, yes! That’s right!”

“Do we have any major tasks scheduled before the morning meeting?”

“No, Vice President. Nothing significant.”

Kim, the secretary, answered confidently, and I-jun smirked slightly.

“Would just drinking the beverage suffice? You should have dessert too, since we have plenty of time.”

“Thank you, Vice President!”

Without hesitation, Kim took the card and left the office.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events, I-ryeong set down her teacup and looked at I-jun. He hadn’t touched his tea either.

Now alone in the office, I-ryeong cautiously observed I-jun, who remained silent.

The warmth he had shown just moments ago was gone, replaced by the same cold gaze she had seen in the annex the previous night.

I-ryeong picked up her teacup again. Feeling how it had cooled in the air conditioning, she decided to drink it all at once.

It was then that she resolved to leave the office.

“Ten minutes left.”

I-jun broke the silence, shifting his posture as he relaxed into the sofa.

“You must have something to say to me.”

“…Something to say? I don’t know what you mean.”

I-ryeong hesitated, carefully lowering her teacup and focusing on him.

Leaning back against the sofa, he crossed his legs and folded his arms.

What could this be about? Her heart, which had calmed earlier, began to race irregularly again with rising tension.

“I’ll give you ten minutes.”

His flat, rigid tone sent shivers down her spine.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Her trembling lips betrayed her unease, as if she already knew what he meant.

“Nine minutes and thirty seconds.”

While he checked his watch and counted down the time, she remained silent, praying her assumptions were wrong and resolving not to say a word.

“Are you going to play dumb?”

Still with his arms crossed, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them.

The heat of his breath against her face felt like it might burn her alive.

Unconsciously, I-ryeong turned her head to avoid his piercing gaze.

“…I really don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll be late. I should head down to the office.”

Her toes trembled so much that she could barely keep her balance. Still, she had to get up and escape from him no matter what.

Determined not to confess under pressure, she decided to leave first.

“Time for the truth is slipping away. Are you just going to let it pass like this?”

His heavy voice caused I-ryeong, who had just risen from the sofa, to collapse back into her seat.

“I clearly gave you a chance—to clear up my misunderstanding and explain yourself.”

As she had suspected, he already knew everything.

---

Upon graduating from university, I-ryeong had secured a position at First Apparel. The final acceptance call had left her so ecstatic that she couldn’t sleep.

First Apparel, known for launching cost-effective SPA brands, had captured the hearts of the younger generation with unique events and enthusiastic support, propelling the company into the ranks of major corporations.

I-ryeong was familiar with First Apparel, having often worn their clothes.

With unwavering determination, she had poured six months of effort into applications and interviews, eventually landing the job.

She was assigned to the General Affairs Department, where she nurtured her dreams further.

At First Apparel, which she considered her lifelong workplace, she uncovered an accounting error that even senior employees had missed. This remarkable achievement earned her a promotion to assistant manager within just one year of joining.

Such a rapid promotion for a new employee was unprecedented, causing quite a stir within the company.

Her colleagues in the General Affairs Department and her peers celebrated as if they themselves had been promoted, making her feel like she truly belonged.

Every day wearing her new title brought her immense joy. Unaware that she had become the target of envy among her teammates and peers, she worked with growing pride and dedication.

One day, while fully immersed in her work amidst the rhythmic tapping of keyboards, someone forcefully opened the glass door and entered the office.

“You can’t do this! Please come out!”

A lobby security guard followed, trying to pull away a lavishly dressed woman.

“Let me see… Oh, there she is!”

“Ma’am, this is serious! You can’t stay here!”

Despite the guard’s attempts to stop her, the woman moved quickly.

As if she knew exactly where to go, she headed straight for I-ryeong’s desk.

“Ms. Chae I-ryeong?”

“Yes, I’m Chae I-ryeong.”

The employees in the General Affairs Department watched curiously but, like the security guard, none actively intervened to stop the outsider.

“I’m Kang Suk-tae’s wife.”

Kang Suk-tae wasn’t part of the General Affairs team she belonged to; he was the head of the Human Resources department. Since their departments were different, they had only exchanged polite nods in passing and had little interaction.

“Shall I call Director Kang for you?”

Though confused as to why someone from another department would come looking for her, she calmly rose from her seat to handle the outsider.

“Call him? How dare you make such a bold face!”

“What are you talking about?!”

Unfamiliar with the woman, I-ryeong instinctively raised her voice at the rude comment.

“You! Did you spread your legs in front of my husband with that pretty face of yours?”

The next words left her speechless.

I-ryeong felt her entire face flush red at the indecent accusation—it was the first time she had heard such an outrageous claim in her life.

She wanted to tell the security guard to hurry and escort the outsider out, but her mind went blank, and no words came out.

“Don’t act like you don’t know! You’re having an affair with my husband, aren’t you?”

The woman clearly didn’t believe her denials.

I-ryeong clenched her fists and pressed them against her chest, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.

“With that delicate face of yours, did you call him out every night?”

But her heart wouldn’t settle under the barrage of accusations. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay composed.

“…This is all a misunderstanding. Please stop causing trouble.”

Her strained voice barely escaped her tightening throat. Her head throbbed as she wondered why she had to defend herself against something she knew nothing about.

“If there’s been a misunderstanding, please speak directly with Director Kang. This is completely unrelated to me.”

Moreover, enduring the curious gazes of her coworkers became unbearable. They seemed to view the commotion as mere entertainment, and she desperately wished the situation would end quickly.

“Escort this person out immediately! How could you let an outsider into the office like this?”

She sharply reprimanded the security guard, who had been standing idly by, watching the chaos unfold.

“My husband confessed! He said he slept with you!”

“How many times do I have to say it? I don’t know anything about this! I don’t even have Director Kang’s contact information—how could I possibly reach out to him?”

Frustration turned to anger as the woman refused to back down. I-ryeong couldn’t understand why she was so convinced and attacking her like this—it felt like her insides were twisting painfully.

“No, dear. What are you doing here, causing trouble like this?”

Director Kang Suk-tae approached slowly, his tone relaxed and his expression completely nonchalant, as if there was no urgency to the situation.

“Director Kang!”

I-ryeong directed her sharp glare toward him, raising her voice louder than ever before since joining the company.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Lee.”

Suk-tae plastered a wide smile on his face and clasped his hands together mockingly, pretending to apologize.

He showed no sign of understanding the gravity of the situation.

“You’re calling her by name so affectionately even though I’m right here?! This proves it!”

The woman alternated her gaze between her husband and I-ryeong.

“Aaah! Let go of me!”

Grabbing a fistful of I-ryeong’s long hair, the woman began shaking it violently, as if venting all her rage.

“Stop it! I told you, this is a misunderstanding! Director Kang, please say something!”

Tears welling up in her eyes, I-ryeong struggled to free herself, but the woman’s grip was too strong.

“If you don’t let go, I’ll report you for assault!”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Lee. I never expected her to come all the way to the office. Honey, let’s leave now, okay?”

Suk-tae didn’t deny the accusations outright, making it sound as though he had indeed committed adultery with her.

The sudden attack left I-ryeong feeling like she was losing her mind. She didn’t know how to erase the mix of irritation, anger, injustice, and humiliation boiling inside her.

“How long have the two of you been sleeping together? Must feel good sneaking around behind my back, huh?”

“That never happened! Let go of me!”

Scratching at the woman’s hand, I-ryeong finally managed to pry her grip off her hair.

Her scalp burned with heat, and the floor was scattered with clumps of her dislodged hair—a mess she couldn’t bear to look at.

No one stepped forward to help her. The silence of her colleagues, especially those she worked alongside daily, hit her hardest.