NT - 8

Compared to the nights she had spent with the other two men, her encounter with Seo Mu-won could hardly be described as eventful. There had been no penetration, no violent force exerted by a man’s overpowering strength.  

And yet, the weight of it lingered all the same. When Hae-soo finally opened her eyes the next day, the sun was already high in the sky—it was past noon. She hastily combed through her messy hair and put on the clothes she had discarded the night before, then stepped out of the room. The house was as quiet as it had been when she first arrived. Judging by the time, Seo Mu-won had likely already left for work.  

“Good morning. I see you’ve just woken up.”  

The moment she descended the stairs to the first floor, someone greeted her. Startled, Hae-soo turned to see a woman wearing a uniform-like apron bustling about the living room. It dawned on her belatedly that this must be the housekeeper Seo Mu-won had mentioned. Bowing politely, she replied:  

“Director Seo instructed me to ensure you have your meal first. Please follow me to the dining room.”  

The housekeeper, who appeared to be of considerable age, guided Hae-soo to the dining room with practiced ease. On the expansive table, a single serving of food was neatly laid out.  

“Has Director Seo already left for work?”  

“Yes. There was some traffic. Were you looking at the clothes?”  

“Yes... Um, but—”  

Though shopping was the purpose of her visit, unfortunately, the clothes hadn’t registered clearly in her vision for a while now. It wasn’t just the piercing gazes or the overwhelming attention—it was also the knowledge that even a single piece of clothing here likely cost an exorbitant amount, enough to leave her mouth agape.  

“Still haven’t picked anything? If it’s difficult, I arranged for the staff to assist you.”  

“No, it’s not that difficult—”  

She trailed off, turning back to the rack and flipping through the garments aimlessly. The next moment, the scent of his cologne grew stronger. The sleeve she had been clutching slipped from her fingertips as she realized his chest was now pressed lightly against her back.  

“Did the staff behave rudely?”  

“What? No, no, they didn’t.”  

Shaking her head quickly, she turned around only to meet his gaze head-on. Startled by how close he was, she immediately lowered her eyes and looked away. Her discomfort stemmed from her own unease, not any fault of the employees.  

“It’s just… I’m feeling a bit awkward…”  

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but the movement felt unnaturally stiff. Ordinarily, such an action wouldn’t have seemed strange, yet every little thing felt overly scrutinized simply because Seo Mu-won was so near. In short, his presence made her tense.  

“If I’d known you’d feel this awkward, I should’ve booked a private shopper’s lounge.”  

Seo Mu-won’s indifferent tone brushed lazily against her ear.  

“I thought this would be easier for you than that.”  

“Easier?”  

“I thought being reminded of my brother might make things harder.”  

“Ah...”  

Only then did she understand why he had chosen this open browsing method instead of the secretive shopping trips Seo Hae-seung used to take her on. Surprised, she couldn’t help but turn to look at him again.  

“You knew?”  

“About what?”  

“That Seo Hae-seung took me shopping every time.”  

As Hae-soo absentmindedly flipped through the clothes, Seo Mu-won chuckled softly.  

“I should be the one asking: when will you fully realize?”  

“Realize what?”  

“That Seo Hae-seung is under my control.”  

“...”  

“Everything he does—where he goes, who he meets, what he buys—is reported to me hourly. It’s less about excessive control and obsession, and more about precautionary measures due to his reckless behavior since childhood.”  

His explanation carried a monotone cadence, yet it was laced with natural arrogance and authority. It evoked both an unshakable sense of security—if he could protect her from Seo Hae-seung—and an odd gratitude that she herself wasn’t the object of such scrutiny. A strangely conflicting sensation.  

“Your skin is so fair; lighter colors suit you well.”  

Seo Mu-won, still browsing on her behalf, pulled out a peach-colored dress and held its hem close to her palm, as if gauging how well it complemented her snow-white complexion.  

Their bodies weren’t directly touching—just the fabric brushing against the back of her hand—but inexplicably, her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. Perhaps it was the way his broad chest seemed to envelop her entirely, or how his cologne felt particularly potent today.  

The sharp intake of breath came a moment later.  

The fabric rustled and fell away, and his now-empty palm swiftly shifted to pull her lower abdomen firmly against him. Already close, their proximity now resembled an intimate embrace. Her head instinctively nestled into the crook of his shoulder.  

“So this is what I smelled in the bedroom.”  

“...”  

“The scent after you washed.”  

Seo Mu-won’s voice remained as dry and detached as ever, devoid of overt desire.  

Yet, the firmness of the hand wrapped around her stomach, and the way he leaned in until his nose nearly grazed her earlobe and neck, couldn’t be dismissed as mere indifference. Desire was there, subtly concealed beneath a veneer of calm composure, quietly seeping through.  

Hae-soo tightened her trembling fingers and whispered, “I used the same thing to wash...”  

Though they had rented the entire floor, and aside from them, no other customers were present, the staff’s prying eyes lingered in her mind. Recalling their overbearing gazes, she urgently grabbed his forearm.  

“The staff is watching.”  

Even so, he continued unabashedly inhaling her scent, leaving her flustered.  

“Director Seo, please listen—”  

“Think of them as decorative pieces with eyes.”

“He left quite early.”  

Embarrassed by the curt confirmation, Hae-soo took a sip of water before picking up her spoon.  

“Mr. Han, the secretary, will be visiting shortly.”  

“Mr. Han?”  

“The director’s personal assistant.”  

Only then did she recall Seo Mu-won’s earlier mention of having her belongings from her previous residence moved via his secretary.  

“And here—”  

The housekeeper promptly refilled her empty glass and placed a pen and a notepad beside her rice bowl.  

“If there are any necessities you need, jot them down, and I’ll take care of it for you.”  

“Ah, okay.”  

“First, please finish your meal.”  

When Hae-soo reached for the pen immediately, the housekeeper smiled and gestured toward the food. Perhaps due to sleeping well despite the change of environment, her appetite was better than yesterday. As she ate, she realized the meal was expertly prepared—delicious and satisfying. After filling her stomach with the generous spread, she picked up the pen and began listing items she needed. After some hesitation, she added birth control pills at the bottom. Even if Seo Mu-won were to find out, their entire arrangement revolved around such reasons, so she saw no harm in including it.  

“Here you go.”  

Handing over the carefully considered list, she watched as the housekeeper gave it a quick glance, folded it, and tucked it into her apron pocket.  

“As for clothing, Director Seo initially considered ordering through his dedicated shopper, but he worried there might be miscommunication, leading to something you wouldn’t like. He suggested you visit personally to choose what suits you best. Would you prefer to arrange a schedule?”  

“Ah… so I should go myself?”  

“Yes. Whenever is convenient for you.”  

Though she briefly wondered if buying new clothes was necessary, the thought of the turtleneck she’d worn continuously since yesterday made her nod in agreement. After finishing her meal, she returned to the living room. Just then, through the large window curtains, she spotted a car entering the garage.  

Sitting on the sofa to wait, she wasn’t surprised when the person who appeared was none other than the secretary who had brought her to the house the day before.  

“I’ve organized and brought your belongings.”  

Han, the secretary, placed two fairly large boxes on the floor. For someone who had moved an entire life’s worth of possessions, the contents seemed shockingly sparse—but to Hae-soo, this minimalism had become normal. Each time she fled from one place to another, her belongings dwindled further. For someone living the life of a fugitive, even owning too much was a luxury. All that remained were a few seasonal outfits and basic personal items.  

Opening one of the boxes, Hae-soo froze upon spotting a familiar photo frame neatly placed atop her belongings.  

“…”  

It was the picture frame she had hidden away in the closet of her tiny studio apartment. Inside was a family photo capturing her happy, intimate childhood—a stark reminder of everything she had lost. Her father’s failed business, her mother’s suicide, the white chrysanthemums at the funeral, the shabby one-room apartment…  

Her eyes stung inexplicably. Pressing them firmly to hold back tears, she was startled when Han handed her something.  

“This is the phone Director Seo arranged for you. It’s fully registered and activated, so you can use it right away. I’ve also saved his number just in case.”  

“Thank you.”  

As Hae-soo fiddled with the phone, Han remained standing before her, as though he had more to say.  

“Um… there’s something else.”  

His tone confirmed her suspicions even before he continued.  

“The place was in quite a state.”  

“Huh?”  

“The place where we retrieved these belongings.”  

Han gestured to the box from which she had taken the photo frame.  

“It’s possible there was a break-in while you were away. Please check the contents and let me know if anything is missing. We can send someone to investigate or replace whatever’s gone.”  

Blinking in confusion, it took Hae-soo a moment to process his words—and then another name came to mind.  

“Lately, some part-timers have been saying they’ve seen gangster-like figures around the hotel...”  

Could it have been Lee Ho-beom?  

No, this was no longer something that could be dismissed as mere coincidence.

The sudden appearance of gangsters lurking around the hotel and the chaotic state of her tiny studio apartment, as if it had been ransacked by burglars…  

‘They’re looking for me.’  

It was highly likely that Lee Ho-beom was behind it all.  

The latter scenario—the mess in her apartment—seemed like the result of his frustration boiling over. Unable to find her, he must have vented his anger by destroying what little remained of her space. Still, doubts lingered thick in her mind. If her debt had already been settled under her name, then what reason could he possibly have to keep searching for her?  

‘Let’s live together.’  

The memory of those words, sharper than shards of glass, tore through her thoughts like a nightmare come to life.  

“Hae-soo?”  

“Ah, yes. I understand.”  

“And Director Seo also asked if you need any hospital appointments scheduled.”  

As Han spoke, his gaze briefly flickered toward her neck—a detail Hae-soo didn’t miss. He likely knew, just as she did. The queasy feeling of disgust returned, clawing at her throat like bile threatening to rise.  

Unconsciously, her hand moved to touch the bruised area.  

Bruises would fade with time, even without treatment. Yet, she understood why Seo Mu-won had suggested it.  

Last night, he had seen her naked body. What he had only glimpsed before, hidden beneath clothing, was now fully exposed to him—and clearly not something he could easily overlook. Even she had to admit that the marks weren’t pleasant to look at.  

Remembering how swallowing saliva had often felt unusually difficult after Seo Hae-seung’s violent outbursts, Hae-soo nodded.  

“Not today, but I’ll go sometime this week.”  

“Yes, understood.”  

Han personally carried the boxes up to her room, politely bowed, and left. Alone once more, Hae-soo began unpacking. It was hard to believe that the items which had occupied a corner of her shabby one-room apartment were now filling this opulent space. Her circumstances had changed overnight simply because she had accepted Seo Mu-won’s offer. But she wasn’t celebrating. She was acutely aware that their relationship was built solely on a transactional agreement.  

‘If it doesn’t work, this luxury will vanish like smoke.’  

She couldn’t shake the thought that if she failed to help cure Seo Mu-won’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies, everything would crumble. That awareness kept her on edge.  

After finishing the clothing arrangement, Hae-soo picked up the photo frame from the box. After a moment of hesitation, she placed it on the bedside table. Staring at her smiling parents’ faces through the smooth glass, she gently closed the frame.  

It was a futile attempt to hide the truth from them—that she was living in comfort here in exchange for offering her body to Seo Mu-won.  

‘To think he meant visiting a department store...’  

Hae-soo fidgeted uncomfortably with the clothes, feeling as though thorns were pricking her neck. She hadn’t expected “shopping in person” to mean sweeping through entire floors of brand-name stores at her leisure.  

When she left the house, she hadn’t suspected anything unusual. But when the car pulled into the flagship department store, she started to feel uneasy. By the time she realized an entire floor of the clothing section had been cleared out specifically for her, her fingertips had gone cold.  

Her suspicions were confirmed by the overly polite demeanor of the staff. Now, as employees hovered discreetly at a distance, watching her every move, the situation felt suffocating. This wasn’t just shopping—it was a private showroom masquerading as a public retail space. If she’d known it would turn out like this, she would have simply ordered online instead.  

Glancing back, Hae-soo noticed the staff shifting restlessly, ready to pounce at the slightest opportunity. Their eagerness wasn’t directed at her but rather at impressing Seo Mu-won. Still, their attention weighed heavily on her shoulders.  

Quickly averting her gaze to avoid eye contact, Hae-soo scanned the garments displayed under the bright ceiling lights. The fabric felt silky against her fingertips, luxurious to the touch. These were clothes whose value was immediately apparent—and their price tags were undoubtedly higher than anything she dared imagine.  

A moment later, the sound of heavy dress shoes echoed across the cold marble floor.  

“Sorry I’m late.”  

Before she even raised her head at the voice, the familiar scent arrived first.  

As Seo Mu-won approached, the subtle yet distinct musk enveloped her senses—a presence that announced his arrival before he even spoke.  

“No, it’s fine. You’ve just arrived.”

“What?”  

“I instructed them to clear out the floor so there wouldn’t be any other customers.”  

His lips were so close that every whisper felt like a soft brush against her skin. Hae-soo flinched slightly, hurriedly averting her gaze. The clothes she had struggled with earlier now seemed like a godsend.  

“But like this, I can’t even look at the clothes properly.”  

“You can look while staying like this.”  

It was an absurd notion.  

In her current state, even swallowing saliva felt difficult—how could she possibly browse through clothing?  

“…It’s uncomfortable…”  

Finally admitting in a voice as small as an ant’s, Seo Mu-won chuckled softly.  

“Then I’ll sit over there, and you can choose at your leisure.”  

Thankfully, he moved away, creating some distance. Only then did Hae-soo feel like she could breathe again. True to his word, Seo Mu-won sat down on a velvet sofa positioned in one corner of the store, crossing his legs. As if confirming her suspicions, the staff’s collective attention shifted entirely to him.  

In the meantime, Hae-soo quickly glanced through the racks. Whether by Seo Mu-won’s orders or not, one employee quietly followed her but refrained from speaking. From the moment she stepped into the store, she had already guessed that anything here would come with an exorbitant price tag. Selecting only two relatively “affordable” pieces, she called him over.  

“Thank you, Director Seo. Your purchases will be delivered to your residence.”  

She thought it unnecessary to have just two items delivered, but since Seo Mu-won didn’t comment, she kept quiet as well. With shopping concluded, leaving the department store was a swift process.  

Since they were already out, they decided to have dinner before heading back. Through Han, the secretary, a reservation had been made at a traditional Korean restaurant. Just as Seo Mu-won had avoided booking a private shopper’s lounge to prevent reminding her of Seo Hae-seung, this place was also different from where she had dined with him. It exuded a far more exclusive and secluded atmosphere.  

The establishment occupied an eco-friendly plot surrounded by trees and rocks, with several traditional Korean-style detached houses scattered across the grounds. The entire courtyard surrounding each house served as a parking lot, allowing guests to step directly inside upon arrival, further enhancing its secretive ambiance.  

As they exited the car, the fresh scent of early spring filled the air, with plum blossoms decorating the entrance. Thanks to their reservation, dishes freshly prepared to order filled the table as soon as they sat down. Picking up her chopsticks, Hae-soo began her belated meal.  

“Do you dislike fish?”  

Amidst the silence reminiscent of their first dinner together at his house, Seo Mu-won suddenly asked. Hae-soo set down her chopsticks and looked up.  

“At the previous traditional restaurant, at home, and now here too—”  

“…”  

“You haven’t touched it at all.”  

Her gaze fell on the untouched fish amidst the numerous side dishes. Hae-soo struggled with deboning fish. Though her chopstick skills weren’t particularly clumsy, she found fish especially challenging. Instead of neatly separating the flesh from the bones, she often ended up mashing it, making the process tedious. Over time, she stopped eating fish altogether. While it might seem trivial, the reason carried weight precisely because it was so mundane. Explaining that she avoided fish simply because it was hard to debone might sound childish, like a child refusing a dish. So, she offered a vague excuse.  

“Ah, my throat still hurts a bit.”  

She knew he was aware of her condition and hoped this explanation would suffice to end the topic. As expected, Seo Mu-won didn’t press further about the fish. Instead…  

“Can I see your chopsticks?”  

He abruptly asked.  

Tilting her head quizzically, Hae-soo handed over her chopsticks. Seo Mu-won took them and deftly began removing the flesh from the fish she had ignored. Effortlessly separating the tender meat from the bones, he placed it neatly atop her bowl of rice before returning the chopsticks to her.  

“This restaurant prepares fish in a steamed style, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to chew and swallow.”  

Hae-soo stared blankly at the plump, neatly arranged pieces of fish atop her rice. It was an unexpected sight—one that stirred something deep within her memories. She used to struggle so much with deboning fish that her mother or father would always do it for her during family meals. Even when she insisted she was fine, they’d insistently place carefully deboned portions onto her spoon, urging her to eat a balanced diet.  

When had it been? During her mother’s funeral? Or perhaps later, when she forced herself to eat cold plain rice alone? She remembered thinking then that she would never again eat fish someone else had deboned for her. Why that thought had crossed her mind, she couldn’t say, but it lingered. It wasn’t as though fish was the only food she ate with her parents.  

Perhaps it was because witnessing someone painstakingly prepare food for her symbolized affection and love.  

Seeing such care from someone unexpected stirred her emotions deeply. Her chest tightened painfully. Hae-soo lifted a piece of fish to her mouth, chewing slowly. Just as Seo Mu-won had described, the tender flesh practically melted away with just a flick of her tongue. Yet, her throat kept tightening, and tears threatened to spill.  

“Why are you being so kind to me?”  

The words tumbled out impulsively, as if rebelling against the surge of emotion within her. Offering her a place to stay, providing expensive clothes and necessities—it wasn’t enough. Now, he was even meticulously attending to the smallest details. His thoughtfulness and consideration were surprising, constantly undermining the despair she initially associated with him. Each time, she found herself unsure how to define him. How could the same man who had silently watched her fall into Seo Hae-seung’s grasp now act as a shield protecting her from him?  

She couldn’t define this man.  

Seo Mu-won set down his chopsticks and sipped his tea. His sharp gaze urged her to clarify her thoughts further, prompting her to speak again.  

“The expensive clothes, this lavish meal…”  

“…”  

“You don’t need to do all this for me…”

If there was one thing that had crumbled alongside her family’s downfall, it was undoubtedly Hae-soo’s pride. But it wasn’t just her pride—her self-esteem and sense of self-worth had been eroded too. The pillars that once upheld her identity as a whole person were worn down by the relentless storms of reality and the harsh waves of hardship.  

Having endured so many violations of her dignity before she could even grow into a fully formed individual, Hae-soo’s mindset had sunk to its lowest point. She learned to read the room to survive, instinctively distrusting any help that came her way.  

Seo Mu-won remained silent for a long while, as if digesting her words. Though Hae-soo was in no position to demand an answer, his languid demeanor—sipping tea and slowly rubbing his temples—made her feel as though she was the one being pressed for a response.  

“I’m a businessman.”  

“…”  

“When I decide to invest in something, it’s because I’ve judged it to be worth the investment.”  

The man’s thick fingers traced the delicate plum blossoms painted on the surface of the antique teacup.  

His gaze darkened, like shards of the ocean floor breaking apart and sinking endlessly into the abyss. There was something predatory in his eyes, something raw and unfiltered, openly appraising her body with brazen intent.  

“Sometimes I think about it,” he continued. “For now, I’m merely observing, but if the opportunity arises for contact in the future…”  

“…”  

“I might end up devouring every inch of you, from your fingertips to your toes.”  

It was impossible to dismiss his words as mere jest or exaggeration—not when his gaze burned with such intensity. Beneath his dry tone lay a simmering fervor that couldn’t be ignored. It was as if his very presence could tease her skin through layers of clothing, raising goosebumps across her flesh.  

“So this is a fair exchange.”  

Finally, Seo Mu-won smiled—a smile that seemed genuinely unbothered by the extent of his generosity toward her.  

And it wasn’t until the next day that Hae-soo understood why he had insisted on delivery for what she thought were only two items.  

In truth, it hadn’t been “two items” at all. She should have suspected the employee who had trailed her silently, checking off items with a glance whenever she so much as looked at them. Dresses, bags, accessories—all filled her dressing room. Only then did she realize that Seo Mu-won spared no hesitation when bestowing material wealth upon her.  

He was serious about this exchange.  

“Our encounters will mostly happen at night.”  

True to Seo Mu-won’s earlier words, their meetings occurred primarily under the cover of darkness.  

He consistently urged Hae-soo to pleasure herself. Why he found such fascination in watching her rub herself to climax was beyond her, yet there he sat, sipping wine and observing the scene with unwavering attention. His calm demeanor masked a glaring contradiction: despite his composed exterior, the unmistakable bulge beneath his trousers betrayed his arousal.  

It was on the seventh night of their meetings that Seo Mu-won showed a different reaction.  

“Ah…!”  

Startled by the sudden grip tightening around her thighs, Hae-soo let out a soft gasp as she stimulated herself.  

“Keep going.”  

The man who had been seated like a statue was suddenly right in front of her. With her legs firmly pinned in place, he stared intently at her glistening folds. Realizing how close his gaze had become made her lower body burn with unbearable heat.  

Hae-soo tilted her chin, letting out sultry moans as her hand moved provocatively. His pupils blazed with such intensity that it felt as though her most intimate parts were being stripped bare by his mere gaze.  

“Hnn, ah…!”  

“Why don’t you try inserting a finger?”  

Seo Mu-won, now standing within arm’s reach, issued another command. When Hae-soo raised her flushed face to meet his eyes, he held her gaze.  

“You’ve been twitching like you want to swallow something.”  

As if waiting for his permission all along, Hae-soo slid her finger between the folds. Pressing lightly against the opening, her finger slipped inside easily, lubricated by her arousal. The sound of penetration echoed audibly as her knuckle bent and pushed deeper.  

The man watched, his expression betraying a desperate desire to thrust himself inside her. Yet he restrained himself, content to observe her self-pleasure. Being held down by him only heightened her shame, making each movement more explicit. Occasionally, sticky fluids would splash upward, causing Seo Mu-won to furrow his brow—whether in pleasure or displeasure, she couldn’t tell.  

Three days later, he displayed another unexpected behavior.  

“Haa, mmm…”  

By now, the act had become familiar enough to perform almost mechanically. As she leaned her head back, she noticed Seo Mu-won’s shadow looming closer. Before she could process it, his lips were on hers.  

This was their first real contact—her naked body exposed to him, vulnerable and raw.  

Of course, it wasn’t much of a kiss. No tongues entwined, no breaths mingled chaotically—it was merely a press of lips. His actions felt experimental, as if testing the limits of his own restraint through her.  

Hae-soo didn’t dare extend her tongue or take initiative, knowing full well that doing so might trigger his obsessive-compulsive tendencies.  

That night, she reached an intense climax while stimulating herself, their lips still pressed together. Seo Mu-won reacted when a hot moan escaped her parted lips.  

His lips, which had lingered without any sign of pulling away, abruptly detached. His face clouded with an unmistakable flicker of displeasure as he pushed her shoulders back onto the bed. Without a backward glance, he turned and left the room.  

Left alone, Hae-soo blinked repeatedly before pulling the blanket over herself. The look of deep revulsion on his face before he hastily exited lingered in her mind.  

Her heart twisted strangely.

She know better than anyone that he suffers from a severe form of germaphobia. After all, these nightly sessions are part of a bold attempt to overcome that very condition.  

And yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had become something utterly repulsive, unworthy of his touch. That thought alone kept her tossing and turning through the night. No matter how much she tried to reassure herself it wasn’t worth worrying about, her mind refused to cooperate.  

The next day, perhaps due to her poor condition, Hae-soo noticed her throat felt unusually sore. Deciding to visit the hospital, she stayed in her room after waking up, avoiding any chance of running into Seo Mu-won. Only after seeing his car leave did she finally venture downstairs.  

“Um, I think I’ll go to the hospital today.”  

Relaying the message to the housekeeper in place of Secretary Han, she responded without hesitation, as though she’d been expecting it.  

“I’ve already contacted Driver Kang to be ready whenever you wish to leave.”  

“Driver Kang?”  

Just as she was about to decline and insist on going alone, Secretary Han’s earlier words suddenly resurfaced in her mind—how her tiny studio apartment had been left in shambles, as if ransacked by burglars. Of course, that detail wasn’t what mattered. What troubled her was the suspicion of who might have caused the disturbance.  

With that uncertainty lingering, Hae-soo nodded reluctantly.  

After finishing breakfast and making some quick preparations, she stepped outside to find the car already waiting. Climbing into the backseat, the man she presumed to be Driver Kang met her gaze through the rearview mirror.  

“I’ll take you to the hospital.”  

The midday roads flowed smoothly, unlike the evening traffic.  

The urban landscape slid past the window like a painting, familiar as if it had once been part of her daily life. But now, it felt foreign, a stark reminder of how far she had fallen.  

The sleek car soon pulled into a large hospital. Whether due to prior arrangements made by Secretary Han, she didn’t have to register or wait like an ordinary patient. Instead, she was promptly led to the examination room. After a few simple tests, she met with the doctor.  

Introducing himself as the attending physician for the Sungjo Group, he treated her with the same deference as Secretary Han or the housekeeper.  

“The test results show no significant issues with your throat. The occasional difficulty swallowing might stem from the lingering trauma of having your neck continuously pressed. It could be a psychological symptom.”  

Perhaps the doctor was right.  

Judging by how the bruise marks were fading, it was clear her injury was healing over time.  

“Apply cold compresses whenever you can. If the discomfort persists, please come back for another visit.”  

“Yes.”  

As Hae-soo left the hospital, she paused upon spotting an ATM in the lobby. Driver Kang had stayed in the car, leaving her alone for the moment.  

Clutching her bag like a lifeline, Hae-soo approached the machine. Pulling out the card Seo Mu-won had given her, she checked the back. Four digits were neatly written there.  

Hesitating for a moment, Hae-soo inserted the card into the machine. When prompted for a PIN, she entered the numbers from the back. As expected, the screen advanced without any warnings. Her fingers tapped lightly against the keypad.  

The image of Seo Mu-won’s expression from last night lingered like a ghost, refusing to fade. It wasn’t until she was in the car heading home that Hae-soo realized why my heart had felt so bitter. If she became useless to Seo Mu-won, this deal would end. It was anxiety—pure and simple. Even if he felt desire for me, if he couldn’t overcome his germaphobia, everything would be for nothing. With stakes this high, Hae-soo couldn’t trust this arrangement.  

If she were suddenly cast out unprepared, it would be disastrous.  

That thought spurred her fingers into action. She needed to set aside some money, just in case. Not a large amount—just enough to help her escape if problems arose later.  

Hae-soo didn’t know who she’d be running from—Seo Hae-seung, Lee Ho-beom, or someone else entirely. Besides, this amount was pocket change to Seo Mu-won. Rationalizing it this way, she pocketed the cash and left the hospital. The sunlight streaming down felt unusually bright.  

And as if her unease hadn’t been unfounded, that night, Seo Mu-won didn’t come to her room.  

He returned exactly four days later. In other words… after failing to overcome the psychological discomfort, he hadn’t set foot near her room for four whole days.  

Each night, Hae-soo washed with fragrant body wash, put on her robe, and waited for him, only to fall asleep repeatedly. The night he returned was no different.  

“Is he not coming again tonight?”  

Hae-soo was tidying the bed, preparing to sleep, when she heard heavy footsteps approaching beyond the closed door. Before she could react, the door swung open abruptly.  

The light from outside spilled across the threshold, unnaturally bright. Before Hae-soo could furrow her brow, a large shadow quickly crossed the doorway and approached her bed.  

“Gasp!”  

Her chin was seized, and her lips were sealed shut. Startled by the unexpected urgency from a man who had always maintained a lukewarm demeanor, Hae-soo pressed her body against the headboard. Yet, Seo Mu-won held her jaw firmly, carelessly grinding his lips against hers. His tongue invaded her mouth, which she failed to close in time.  

“Mmm, mmph…!”  

Seo Mu-won twisted her jaw. Compared to the childish pecks from before, this kiss burned with fervor. Hae-soo’s wide eyes slowly rolled as she relaxed her body. Sensing this, his violent exploration of her mouth softened slightly. He gently nibbled her lower lip before pulling away with a soft smacking sound.  

“An Hae-soo, you’ll never understand this feeling.”  

His voice carried the weight of someone who had endured a great trial. It felt like resignation, or perhaps a vow.  

“These lips, this tongue, saliva, breath… knowing they’re unbearably filthy, yet thinking about them all day, wanting to suck them in whenever they cross my mind…”  

His distant confession tickled her lips.  

“The torment of risking contamination—it’s a feeling you’ll never comprehend.”

In the end, his lament about his desires amounted to nothing more than a confession of surrender. Seo Mu-won gazed down at Hae-soo, who was awkwardly propped up against the headboard, with a complex expression before lowering his head. Their lips met again. His tongue naturally slipped through the parted gap, and as he slowly swirled it, he pulled her body down onto the bed.

“Mmm, mnn... mmh...”

That night, Seo Mu-won seemed utterly captivated, as if entranced by his first kiss. He hungrily devoured Hae-soo’s lips and tongue for what felt like an eternity. His persistence was so intense that her lips soon became swollen and flushed. Struggling to keep up with the urgency of the kiss, Hae-soo hesitated before finally wrapping her arms around his neck.

‘Was I wrong...?’

Judging by his earlier demeanor, which had clearly signaled revulsion, she had assumed she had become useless to him—proof that this deal would soon come to an end. But every time he greedily pushed his tongue deeper, those thoughts blurred into obscurity. As Hae-soo stole a glance at the drawer where she had hidden the money she withdrew, she closed her eyes.

Her tongue tingled from being sucked so intensely, and she gasped raggedly, occasionally twitching. It was whenever his thick arousal pressed firmly against her thighs or groin, their bodies clinging together like mating snakes.

Yet, despite his fervor, Seo Mu-won didn’t seem intent on taking things further. Perhaps he still lacked the courage—or maybe he simply chose to focus solely on the act of kissing. His approach was both aggressive and cautious, radical yet unexpectedly slow-paced. Sensing this unexpected vulnerability in a man who had always seemed so composed, Hae-soo closed her eyes.

Still, the thought that she might still be of some use to him eased her anxiety, if only slightly.