Chapter 42: A Welcomed Encounter

Aeran donned the two-piece suit gifted by Yoo-ri and entered the French restaurant. A neatly dressed staff member approached with a courteous bow, guiding her to the reserved seat.

The room, adorned with more varieties of flowers than Aeran had ever seen in her life, felt less like a dining space and more like an indoor garden. Overwhelmed by the floral display rather than the people, she sat down and waited for Yoo-ri to arrive.

“Can I call you Auntie since you’re Jisoo’s close friend and her mother?”

A few days ago, Yoo-ri had visited the café during its busy pre-opening preparations. With a bright smile, she addressed Aeran as “Auntie” while asking for help preparing for her engagement ceremony.

“Oh my, how can I possibly do that? I’ve never done anything like this before!”

“It’s nothing too strenuous, I promise. My mom is busy, so you’d just need to assist with some minor tasks—like helping choose the engagement dress, handling errands for the ceremony, or preparing gifts for the other family. It’s all very simple, isn’t it?”

When she first heard the request, it sounded straightforward enough. Still, Aeran—who was usually quick to make decisions—hesitated. She worried about inadvertently causing trouble or inconvenience for her only daughter, Jisoo.

After much deliberation, she decided to accept. Even if the role wasn’t significant, assisting on the periphery of a chaebol family’s marriage arrangements might help Jisoo find a good match someday. Aeran hadn’t been able to give her daughter much growing up, but Jisoo had always managed to thrive independently. Now, as a mother, the one thing Aeran could do was ensure her daughter wouldn’t spend life alone—by finding her a dependable partner.

“I’d like to introduce you to my mom. Could you come here by 7 PM?”

The address Yoo-ri sent was written in French, so Aeran had to rely on internet searches to translate it. Thanks to arriving early, she was able to relax with a drink while calming her nerves.

“Who’s this friend of yours?”

At the agreed-upon time for their meeting, Yoo-ri lay side by side with her mother, Madam Kim, in a massage bed at a spa. From the way Yoo-ri informed her mother about hiring Aeran as an assistant for the engagement preparations, it seemed clear she hadn’t forgotten the appointment.

“She’s Team Leader Han Jisoo from the Planning and PR Department at Taesung Group. Quite an interesting friend.”

“Since when did my daughter have friends I don’t know about?”

Madam Kim tilted her head quizzically. Knowing her daughter’s personality well—someone who rarely formed deep relationships regardless of gender—she found it hard to understand why such a private event as an engagement would involve not just a friend but the friend’s mother.

“Yoo-ri, do you think it’s wise to entrust something this important to someone we barely know?”

As Yoo-ri gazed alternately at the softly twinkling ceiling lamp and the wall clock, a satisfied smile spread across her face. By now, she must have arrived and is waiting.

“That’s precisely why we need an ‘insurance policy’—a helper for trivial tasks tied to this crucial engagement.”

“Insurance policy?”

Before the masseuse placed a steaming hot pack over her face, Yoo-ri added her final remark. Watching the clock tick past the scheduled time with satisfaction, she turned off her phone entirely.

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After ordering flowers to send to her mother’s soon-to-open café, Jisoo glanced at the clock—it was far past quitting time. The dazzling bracelet peeking out from beneath the long sleeves of her cardigan caught the light.

Jisoo had researched the value of the bracelet and, true to Tae-ha’s words, ignored it for a day before finally mustering the courage to wear it today upon his return. However, wearing it to the office drew far too much attention, especially from Hui-kyung, who frequented luxury circles. Explaining its presence would only complicate matters further.

After some thought, Jisoo decided to conceal the bracelet subtly by wearing a long-sleeved cardigan. She hoped to show Tae-ha that she had obeyed his request, but fortunately—or unfortunately—his schedule was packed with external meetings all day.

Despite knowing his itinerary, Jisoo couldn’t help glancing repeatedly at her unusually silent phone over the past couple of days. She had been waiting for Tae-ha’s call. Three days ago, his parting words—”I’ll take it into consideration”—had marked the last communication between them.

Though she had mentally prepared herself countless times for the possibility of being abandoned by him, facing a situation eerily similar left her feeling utterly lost.

The number of days without seeing Tae-ha after work grew, and with each passing day, Jisoo’s anxiety and unease intensified. No matter how many times she reminded herself that breaking up meant simply returning to her original state, it didn’t ease the pain.

Swoosh. As Jisoo packed her bag, she rushed toward the phone buzzing on her desk.

[Mom]

The disappointment that it wasn’t Tae-ha outweighed the joy of hearing from her mother. Pushing aside her sadness, Jisoo answered with a cheerful tone.

“My daughter will be here soon. Please understand—I’m not the type to eat without paying. I simply forgot my card, assuming the person I was meeting would show up.”

Each time a staff member approached, Aeran repeated variations of this explanation. True to its status as a high-end, members-only establishment, the staff responded with polite smiles, even though no one asked for payment or presented the bill upfront.

In reality, guests of Kang Yoo-ri weren’t expected to pay for desserts or drinks, but Aeran insisted on settling the bill. After reviewing it, she nervously explained her predicament while asking them to wait until her daughter, who worked at a large corporation, arrived.

Seated near the entrance of the European-style salon, Aeran glanced occasionally at the group of impeccably dressed young men leaving together. Every single one was handsome, tall, and exuded sophistication—an unexpected yet entertaining sight for Aeran, who had spent most of her time staring at abstract sculptures and paintings.

Among them, one man stood out distinctly. His features felt familiar, stirring Aeran’s curiosity. Where have I seen him before? Her sharp intuition began sifting through memories.

“Ah, yes! Yoo-ri’s fiancé! The son of Taesung Group!”

Like Aeran, Tae-ha sensed the persistent gaze of the middle-aged woman sitting on the salon sofa. After exchanging brief farewells with his companions, their respective chauffeurs appeared. Tae-ha accepted his car keys and approached Aeran.

Debating whether to initiate greetings, Aeran stood up nervously as he drew closer.

“Hello, I’m Cha Tae-ha.”

“Oh, yes! Hello! I believe I’ve seen you from afar once before. You probably don’t remember...”

His strikingly handsome face was unforgettable, though his aloof demeanor hinted at potential heartache for Yoo-ri. Aeran, an expert on men, recognized an elusive charm that could easily ensnare women despite its coldness. Women drawn to such men were destined for emotional turmoil—a relief, considering it wasn’t her Jisoo involved.

“No, I remember. You’re Jisoo’s mother.”

Aeran tilted her head quizzically. Hearing Jisoo’s name rather than Yoo-ri’s as their connection felt strange. Was it because Tae-ha was Jisoo’s superior at work? Or perhaps they were keeping the engagement secret until an official announcement? That line of reasoning made sense, given Jisoo’s involvement. Once she started actively assisting with the engagement, things might clarify.

Reflecting on Tae-ha’s companions earlier, Aeran smiled warmly. If there were any reliable friends among them, she resolved to ask for introductions. How wonderful it would be to find a match for her Jisoo! To achieve that, she needed to build rapport and dedicate herself fully to supporting the engagement.

“Please take care of our Jisoo. Not because she’s my daughter, but because she’s exceptional—competent in everything she does, widely respected, and without a single flaw.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of that.”

The sincerity behind his polite response resonated deeply. Hearing praise for her daughter from such a perfect man made Aeran swell with pride. Perhaps influenced by this brief exchange, she dared to entertain the thought of Tae-ha as a potential son-in-law. Of course, it was merely wishful thinking—but having high hopes and aspirations never hurt!

“So, is there something else you need to attend to?”

Noticing Tae-ha lingering near the salon entrance after seeing off his companions, Aeran gently posed the question.

“I wanted to see Jisoo...”

“Mom!”

Jisoo stepped out of the taxi, rushing inside. She had received a call explaining that her mother was stuck at a restaurant in an unfamiliar area, unable to pay the exorbitant bill for tea and cookies.

Confusion swept across Jisoo’s face as she took in the inexplicable sight of her mother standing beside Tae-ha. No amount of imagination could piece together what was happening.

“Jisoo! What a coincidence—we just happened to meet Vice President Cha here. Such a welcomed encounter!”

Hesitating briefly, Jisoo approached and lightly tugged at Aeran’s hand.

“It’s been days since we last saw each other. Aren’t you going to greet him properly?”

“Hello, Vice President Cha.”

Even as Jisoo bowed deeply, her mind raced, trying to comprehend why Tae-ha was with her mother. The faint red marks on her neck from their last encounter remained visible. A natural smile spread across Tae-ha’s lips.

“As your mother said, meeting like this is indeed fortunate. Why don’t we have dinner together? What do you think?”

“Oh, thank you so much.”

“No, we shouldn’t—”

Though mother and daughter gave conflicting responses, outnumbered two-to-one, the three ended up heading back into the restaurant together.