Chapter 48: The Announcement

Friday slipped by in a blur for Jisoo, her mind preoccupied with imagining the time she’d spend with Tae-ha tomorrow.

It wasn’t their first weekend together, but today her heart raced more than usual. The excitement bubbling inside made it hard to focus on work.

Was it because they had planned ahead this time? They rarely set detailed plans—no itinerary of where to go or what to eat. Until now, their meetings had always been spontaneous. After work ended, Tae-ha would naturally meet her. On days when Jisoo didn’t have overtime and he wasn’t busy with external schedules or business trips, they’d grab dinner outside and head back to his officetel.

Their late-night tussles—him wanting her to stay over, her insisting on going home—often stretched into the early hours, usually ending with him driving her home. More than once, their kisses in the car had led to them waking up wrapped in each other’s arms.

“Team Leader, have a great weekend.”

At exactly 6 p.m., Hee-kyung cheerfully bid farewell as she picked up her bag. Only then did Jisoo’s wandering consciousness snap back to reality. She glanced at the cluttered desk and scattered monitor windows, offering Hee-kyung a faint smile.

“Hee-kyung, you too. See you on Monday.”

“Huh? Didn’t you say you’re going to Taesung Resort with Director Kang on Monday?”

That’s right—it had been decided during today’s weekly meeting. Team Leader Seo from the PR Department had taken her maternity leave two weeks early, so her tasks were redistributed among the team leaders. Jisoo had been assigned workshop-related duties alongside Eun-ho.

“Did something good happen today? You seem fine, but you’ve been lost in thought all day.”

“Oh, was I? Maybe it’s Friday fatigue catching up. Sorry about that.”

“Well, no need to apologize to me. I’ll be going now. Actually, my boyfriend’s waiting for me downstairs.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

Others left the office along with Hee-kyung. Alone again, Jisoo stared absently, her thoughts drifting aimlessly. She began tidying her messy desk. Once she finished cleaning up, prepared the documents needed for Monday’s resort visit, and packed up, she could leave.

After disposing of confidential documents and brewing a cup of coffee, she sipped it slowly. From the end of the hallway, Eun-ho emerged from the director’s office. It was past 8 p.m.

“You’re leaving late. Lots to do?”

If it were any other time, he might have offered help, but knowing Jisoo’s true feelings now, even small gestures of kindness felt delicate.

“Almost done. Just need to prepare materials for Monday’s meeting.”

“Ah…”

Eun-ho trailed off wistfully, his eyes lingering on the coffee cup in Jisoo’s hand before traveling up her slender arm, neck, and cheeks. Though autumn was approaching, today’s late summer heat made the office stuffy. Jisoo had draped a scarf around her long, pale neck.

“Aren’t you hot?”

“No, the air conditioning is too cold.”

Startled, Jisoo set down her coffee cup and adjusted her scarf carefully.

“Work is important, but take care of yourself. Should I grab you something to eat on my way out?”

“No, it’s fine.”

He knew she’d refuse, but asking was unavoidable. Otherwise, he’d have undoubtedly brought her a meal and walked straight into her office.

“I’ll get going then. Take care.”

“See you Monday. Have a safe trip home.”

Jisoo picked up her coffee cup and returned to her seat. Beyond the partition, the soft clatter of papers being organized reached her ears. To her, it sounded like pleasant background music. With that thought, Eun-ho stepped outside.

________________________________________

Though Tae-ha despised loudmouths, sometimes their loose lips served a purpose. Like using O Yoon-mi’s chatter to spread news efficiently without direct involvement. The reason for visiting his family home on the eve of his birthday was precisely that.

Yoon-mi nervously arranged dishes prepared by Myung-sun’s skilled hands onto expensive plates, aligning them neatly on the dining table.

“Having Tae-ha here makes the house feel full again. Right, Chairman?”

How old was she—ten years younger than him? Tae-ha found hearing his name from Yoon-mi’s mouth irritating, but he remained expressionless as he ate. The food itself was innocent enough.

He didn’t want to dismiss Myung-sun’s efforts in preparing such a lavish birthday feast.

Myung-sun, whom In-hee had brought along, was an exceptional cook. Even after Geon-wook sent In-hee away, Myung-sun stayed. Whether it was birthdays or anniversaries of those women—including Yoon-mi, his fifth legal wife—Geon-wook meticulously kept track through his secretary.

“What kind of guy are you, making it so hard to see your face?”

Geon-wook tossed out a complaint half-heartedly, though deep down he assumed Tae-ha managed fine on his own.

“Well, between giving up vacations, working overtime, attending various gatherings on your behalf—whose absence do you think makes seeing me difficult?”

Yoon-mi’s face instantly turned pale. If he rarely showed up at the company, did that mean the rumors about him dating a grad student were true? And how much was this one costing?

“Being so busy solidifies your position. I have my reasons.”

“Don’t push too hard. I also need personal energy for other matters.”

“Yes, Chairman. With the engagement soon and the wedding planned for next year, please let Tae-ha ease off a bit. There’s so much to prepare on our side.”

Tae-ha paused his chopsticks and lifted his gaze. Catching Yoon-mi’s eye across the table, he smirked faintly.

Flustered, she quickly looked away. Despite being younger and lower-ranked, she couldn’t help but tense up whenever Tae-ha was near. There was something inherently oppressive about him—even if he wasn’t directly harming her.

In this household, Tae-ha and Yoon-mi were perhaps the strongest opponents of the Jinshim Foods alliance, albeit for different reasons.

Yoon-mi didn’t want influential in-laws tying her son down. She’d even orchestrated deliberate introductions to various women once. Ironically, that only pushed him closer to Jisoo—someone who visibly recoiled whenever attention lingered on her.

“We’ll arrange a formal meeting soon to discuss details…”

“No engagement. The annulment notice arrived this afternoon. Contract termination negotiations begin tomorrow. Since there’s been no official announcement, we won’t issue a press release unless Jinshim Foods insists.”

“What? Is marriage a joke to you?”

“It’s not a joke, which is why we’re going through this costly and complicated process.”

“Tae-ha, I’m shocked. Can you tell us why you’re calling off the engagement?”

Yoon-mi asked sweetly, recalling the haughty attitude of Yoo-ri’s mother during their recent fitting. That woman’s subtle condescension irked her deeply.

Tsk, tsk. Mothers sending daughters into such households shouldn’t act superior. She’d been plotting ways to make Yoo-ri suffer silently under her thumb.

“Why does anyone need a reason? Do you know how much this costs?”

“Our legal experts are working hard to minimize corporate losses.”

So that explained delaying the engagement announcement. Yoon-mi had secretly stockpiled shares related to the merger under borrowed names. Now, with everything collapsing, she wondered what came next.

“Tae-ha’s no child—he’s smart. He must have his reasons, right?”

Ignoring Yoon-mi’s sugary tone, Tae-ha rose from the table.

Father and son, alike in appearance yet polar opposites, repelled each other like magnets. Maintaining distance had always been key to keeping peace.

Yoon-mi anxiously watched, fearing Geon-wook might flip the table or break Tae-ha’s leg.

“If negotiations fail, appropriate consequences will follow, and I’ll handle them myself. No loss compares to what you’ve caused thus far. Madam Myung-sun, thank you for the meal.”

As Tae-ha exited, he made sure to thank Myung-sun, who watched him worriedly.

Myung-sun hurried after him. “Judging by Tae-ha’s gaze… it seems like a woman’s involved.”

Geon-wook sighed. Women were always trouble—except when it came to himself. The two continued their interrupted meal.

Left behind, Yoon-mi started scheming whom to call first. Perhaps Lady Jung, a distant relative of Jinshim Foods? Inviting Yoo-ri’s mother separately to deliver the annulment notice might be risky—but oh, how satisfying it would be to see her reaction.

“Look into it.”

“What should I look into?”

Yoon-mi suppressed a grin while asking.

“Should I just sit quietly and do nothing?”

“And if you don’t? Tae-ha’s handling it himself. Doesn’t that inspire confidence? Surely he’ll bring someone worthy to match our family.”

Coincidentally, the weekend’s regular social contribution meeting was coming up. Starved for attention, Yoon-mi’s heart raced at the thought of becoming the center of gossip.