II - 76

The misuse of corporate credit cards and issues of improper gifting triggered an investigation by the National Tax Service. This led to a broader special tax audit of AE Cosmetics.

CEO Lee Jung-ae, along with her husband and eldest son’s family, underwent a joint tax investigation, causing turmoil within the company. To take responsibility for her family’s misconduct, Jung-ae stepped down from her position.

No evidence was found of company funds being funneled into family debts.

The father settled the matter by paying a hefty inheritance tax, while the eldest son and his wife were exiled to the countryside, living a life akin to banishment.

The main house in Dogok-dong became as cold as walking on thin ice every day.

Lee Jung-ae and her husband regretted their past actions deeply. Above all, they felt immense guilt toward their second son, I-jun, and even more so toward their daughter-in-law I-ryeong, who had been unjustly assaulted because of their family’s misdeeds.

The couple sincerely apologized to their second son and his wife, vowing to spend the rest of their lives seeking forgiveness for raising their children poorly. They repeatedly expressed their regret and remorse to their younger son as well.

Emotional wounds don’t heal overnight. However, after days of their heartfelt apologies, I-ryeong began to feel slightly comforted.

“Our family will see spring again someday, right? Won’t it, I-jun?”

I-ryeong hugged him tightly from behind as he prepared to leave for work in the morning.

“One day, we’ll all smile at each other again.”

“That day will come... someday.”

I-jun turned to face her directly.

His wife, I-ryeong, stood before him with translucent skin and rosy cheeks, smiling brightly.

“As for me...”

He gently caressed her cheek as if handling a precious treasure.

“I’ll always prioritize your happiness. I hope sadness never touches those beautiful eyes or lingers on those lovely lips.”

He revealed the sincerity he had kept hidden in his heart.

Touched by her husband’s confession, I-ryeong smiled radiantly, looking like the happiest person in the world.

“Do you know something?”

She took his hand, which had been stroking her cheek, and placed it softly over her heart.

“It beats every day. Sometimes I worry it might burst.”

She let him hear the fervent rhythm of her heart, racing for him.

“I love you.”

I-ryeong confessed her love with a crescent-shaped smile in her eyes, glowing beautifully.

“Very much. Only you.”

She vowed to love him until her dying day, this person who had suddenly entered her heart.

“My eyes will always be on you. These lips will always proclaim my love for you.”

She reassured him with her genuine words.

“Don’t be sad.”

She soothed the pain of the once-troubled finger in his heart.

“No one loves you more than I do.”

She clung tightly to him, listening intently to the strong beat of his heart as she tried to steady her overwhelming emotions.

“Can you hear it?”

His deep, resonant voice vibrated against her chest.

How could she calm down when his voice was so enchanting? She closed her eyes and nodded.

“It beats like this every day. No matter how often I see you, I can never get enough. The one and only Cha Eun-ryeong.”

She lifted her head to look at him. Their eyes met, both smiling, and without hesitation, they laughed together.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Only you.”

Their lips, which had exchanged nothing but sweet words, met tenderly.

Their kiss lingered, neither willing to part from the other.

---

The position vacated by CEO Lee Jung-ae remained empty. Instead, with unanimous approval from the shareholders, I-jun was appointed interim CEO to lead the company.

As cool autumn breezes began to replace the summer heat, I-ryeong started commuting to the newly renovated Gangnam branch.

It was called the “AE Personal Center,” a drugstore where skincare and haircare experts were stationed to provide free consultations and sell products to customers.

Her role there was as the responsible manager, and occasionally, she would recommend perfumes based on customer preferences.

This was her small effort to revive the struggling perfume line that had once been her husband’s sore spot.

Customer reactions were positive. Riding the wave of success, she even created one-time-use perfume samples to distribute to customers.

Her quiet, persistent efforts bore fruit sooner than expected.

The AE Personal Center, the only one of its kind nationwide, gained popularity on social media and quickly spread by word of mouth. What had once been the site of a scandal transformed into a success story, with the victim herself writing a new chapter of triumph.

Through I-jun’s planning and I-ryeong’s hard work, customers who had left returned in droves.

It was during this bustling time that a familiar figure caught I-ryeong’s eye while she was attending to customers. Dong-ha had arrived, having heard the rumors.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost. I’m here as a customer.”

It was their first meeting in over a year—someone she thought she might never see again in her lifetime.

Someone she hadn’t invited to her wedding because she never wanted to see him again. This reunion, seemingly not coincidental, was far from welcome.

“Alright. Feel free to call an employee if you need assistance while browsing.”

Unable to hide her displeasure, I-ryeong turned to walk away.

“I heard you recommend perfumes. Recommend one for me.”

His sly smile stopped her in her tracks.

Was he really here as a customer? Unwilling to cause a scene, I-ryeong faced him squarely.

“A perfume?”

“Yeah.”

She stared at him blankly. Once adorned with luxury brands, his current appearance showed no trace of such extravagance.

He looked plain, almost disheveled.

Though she found it odd that someone who once flaunted material wealth had changed so drastically in just a year, that was as far as her curiosity went.

They weren’t close enough for her to ask about his well-being, so she quickly dismissed her fleeting thoughts.

“I’ll call a specialist for you.”

“You know I’m famous, so you came on purpose. Don’t tell me you’re picky about who you see?”

Seeing her about to turn away, he mimicked typing on a keyboard.

“Should I go write something nasty online? It’s just a small fine for trolls like me. Who do you think would lose more—me or you?”

He snickered, revealing his yellowed teeth.

Her skin crawled as if insects were crawling all over her body at his thinly veiled threat.

“Follow me.”

“Looks like your image really matters to you, huh?”

Ignoring his words, she led him to the largest consultation room in the center before any commotion could start. The room was equipped with CCTV cameras and had an emergency call button hidden under the consultation table.

Before making eye contact with him, I-ryeong pulled out some documents and fixed her gaze on the paper.

“What’s your usual eating habit like? Scents are closely related to diet, so...”

“What are you doing after this?”

Once they were alone, Dong-ha dropped his facade.

“Why would a customer be curious about my schedule?”

“Customer? Let’s not pretend we’re anything else.”

“You are indeed a customer. Please refrain from personal comments.”

She crossed out the section meant for recording customer responses with her pen. She realized her mistake—she wasn’t dealing with a person but a beast in human form.

I-ryeong discreetly reached under the table and hovered her hand over the emergency button, ready to press it if needed.

“We weren’t exactly ordinary acquaintances, were we?”

“What do you mean by ‘we’? Someone might misunderstand.”

Her fingers tensed with irritation at his inappropriate remarks.

“Could it be... are you jealous of Ari?”

“Who’s Ari?”

At that moment, all strength left her, and her fingers went limp.

In her world, people like him didn’t exist. Pretending indifference, she brushed off the absurdity.

“After getting married, you’ve become quite cute. Ari and I broke up.”

“I’m not interested in your personal affairs.”

She had long erased the friend who stole her lover—and the lover who betrayed her—from her mind.

“She wasn’t even pregnant.”

Seeing her lack of reaction, Dong-ha threw out another bait.

“These days, fake ultrasound photos are easy to find online. So yeah, I was fooled too. I’m a victim here.”

He added that Ari’s pregnancy had been a carefully planned lie.

“Let me say this again—I don’t want to hear about your personal life.”

The fact that the pregnancy was fake didn’t justify his infidelity. To I-ryeong, they were worse than worms—repulsive beings guilty of vile sins.

Convinced there was nothing more worth hearing, she closed the file folder, placed it in the drawer, and began tidying up. Then, she told him the consultation was over and asked him to leave.

“Come on, I-ryeong. Let’s not be so formal between us.”

“Jong-ha Cho. Are you unaware that I’m married?”

“Why would I be? I know. That’s why I’m here.”

His smug grin sent chills down her spine, and the atmosphere grew increasingly threatening. She knew she had to get him out immediately.

“What’s with this disgraceful behavior? Get out now!”

Hiding her trembling heart, she shouted loudly, pointing toward the door as if she weren’t afraid at all.

“You married without love, didn’t you? Am I wrong? Admit it—I’m right.”

But Dong-ha, brimming with unwarranted confidence, remained seated.

“I know you married out of spite. And because you’re a woman, I know you got jealous.”

She realized reasoning with him was futile—he interpreted everything according to his own convenience.

“Why did you come here?”

I-ryeong threw out the question, hoping to uncover his motive.

“They say dating a married woman is thrilling. Don’t you want to feel that special tension too?”

Taking the bait, Dong-ha revealed the dirty, impure reason behind his visit.

“This is my personal business card. I’m giving it to you exclusively, so make sure to contact me.”

He stood up after handing her the card, finally leaving the spot where he’d stubbornly lingered.

Speechless at his audacity, I-ryeong was momentarily stunned.

“Judging by how you still work despite being married to a wealthy man, seems like he doesn’t give you enough pocket money. But don’t worry—I’ll take good care of you.”

With that, he left, leaving behind a foul stench. Overwhelmed by nausea, I-ryeong rushed to the restroom.

His voice, his gaze, and every emotion she felt—she needed to purge them all to survive.