SS - 30

“I’ve always been curious about who would become Choi Joo-hyuk’s bride. He didn’t date many women, and even when he did, the relationships never lasted long.” 

“So what?” 

“I was really looking forward to seeing what kind of woman could become his wife.” 

His words and scrutinizing gaze irritated Sena. From their first meeting, Kang Un had rubbed her the wrong way. 

“Did I meet your expectations?” 

“Exceedingly so.” 

“…Good to hear. I’d appreciate it if you left now. I’m in a bit of a hurry.” 

Though she knew he was an old friend of Joo-hyuk’s, she had already shown him as much courtesy as she could. Thankfully, Kang Un smiled and stepped aside. 

Sena gave a slight nod as a farewell and climbed into her car. Just as she was about to close the door, however, Kang Un grabbed it firmly with his hand. 

“What are you doing?” 

Startled by his forceful grip, she swallowed hard and looked at him. He bared his teeth in a sly grin. 

“Let’s meet again soon, sister-in-law.” 

Her entire body stiffened with fear. This feeling was all too familiar—it was the same unease she always felt around her brother Ji-cheol. 

Kang Un finally released the car door, and as Sena pushed it shut, the door slammed loudly. She quickly started the car and drove off. 

“Congratulations, President.” 

“Thank you.” 

Joo-hyuk greeted guests entering the banquet hall with a smile. 

The past few days had been so stressful that he barely had the energy to smile, but KMS had successfully launched, and the first broadcast was running smoothly as planned. For now, he felt a small sense of relief. 

Still, with an unpredictable ticking time bomb hanging over him, his smile twitched slightly. 

“Are you okay? You look tired.” 

He turned his head toward the gentle hand that lightly pulled at his. 

Sena, wrapped in a sleek black dress, gazed at him with concern. Her bare shoulders quivered faintly under his gaze. 

“I’m fine. How about you? Are you okay?” 

“Well, I’m not used to these kinds of events, but I’m fine.” 

She blushed and lowered her head. With her hair tied up high, the delicate curve of her neck was fully exposed. 

At this moment, all he wanted was to cancel the celebration party and take her home. He imagined pushing her until her pale neck flushed red and her shy face burned with excitement. 

Was this what Sena referred to as love? 

“Joo-hyuk?” 

Realizing his heated thoughts, Sena blushed even more deeply. 

Her flustered expression made him want to kiss her right then and there. 

“Want to dance?” 

“Huh?” 

Joo-hyuk lightly kissed the back of her hand and winked. 

“May I have this dance?” 

Noticing the music had shifted to something suitable for dancing, he decided to channel his impulses into the moment. Otherwise, he might actually whisk her away from the party entirely. 

“I don’t know how to dance.” 

“I do.” 

Taking her hand, Joo-hyuk led her to the center of the bustling hall. 

The guests, holding cocktails or wine glasses while chatting, suddenly turned their attention to the couple now occupying the middle of the floor. 

Placing Sena’s hands on his shoulders, Joo-hyuk gently wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close. They swayed slowly to the soft melody of cello and piano. 

Soon, several couples among the guests joined them, dancing nearby. 

As Sena leaned her flushed face against his chest, Joo-hyuk smiled and brought his lips close to her ear. 

“Not so bad, right?” 

She gave a small nod. 

He rested his cheek against her small, round head. In this moment, with her in his arms, he felt like even if the world ended, it would be alright. 

Without realizing it, she had become such a significant part of his life. 

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Joo-hyuk spotted a man sitting at a table, sipping champagne and smirking at him. 

Reporter Seo... His expression suggested he had much to say.

Joo-hyuk immediately recognized the man. Reporter Seo, whom he had hoped wouldn’t appear until at least tonight, had been watching him from who-knows-when. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Sensing Joo-hyuk’s tension, Sena asked softly. As her gaze followed his, he spoke. 

“I need to go for a moment.” 

Eun-yoo seemed to have noticed Reporter Seo as well. She hastily walked over, pulling her hands out of the pockets of her black tailored pants instead of the dress she usually wore. 

“Go ahead.” 

Sena gently placed a hand on Joo-hyuk’s back. Thanks to their prior conversation, she understood the situation and subtly helped refocus his attention. 

Joo-hyuk approached Reporter Seo. On his way, he glanced toward Park Secretary, who was waiting near the entrance. Thankfully, Park Secretary was already moving toward Seo before Joo-hyuk even signaled. 

Joo-hyuk casually picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray as he made his way to Seo’s table. 

“There seem to be quite a few guests here.” 

Seo smirked, his pupils slightly dilated. His flushed face revealed his state. 

“You seem to have had too much to drink. Perhaps it’s time for you to head home?” 

“Why? Are you worried I’ll ruin the mood?” 

The jab hit its mark. 

“What’s going on?” 

“Nothing.” 

Joo-hyuk answered Eun-yoo’s question in a low voice. 

He didn’t know when this uninvited guest had arrived, but empty glasses already littered the tables around Seo. The intervals between waiter cleanups weren’t long, so it was clear Seo had been deliberately drinking heavily. 

“President, shall I escort him out?” 

Park Secretary whispered discreetly into Joo-hyuk’s ear. 

Joo-hyuk slowly shook his head. A drunk person being dragged out would only draw more attention. Instead, he decided to talk to Seo while avoiding unwanted stares. 

“You don’t seem to have come here to congratulate us.” 

“Oh, how hurtful. I came to celebrate this fleeting honor of yours.” 

“Do you really think your article can shake KMS or me?” 

“At the very least, I can shake you.” 

Suddenly, Joo-hyuk wondered: Why does Reporter Seo harbor such animosity toward me? 

“You’ve worked with KMS for quite some time now. Why are you suddenly making me your enemy?” 

“I’m the type who chases scoops without thinking twice. Plus, I can’t stand people who act so high and mighty.” 

“Let’s talk after you sober up tomorrow.” 

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll spill everything somewhere else tonight?” 

“Afraid?” 

Joo-hyuk’s eyebrows twitched. 

“Enough, Reporter Seo. Your article won’t uproot KMS or me. In fact, I should thank you for revealing this.” 

“Do you think I’ll give up on the story?” 

For a moment, Seo’s eyes gleamed sharply. 

Had Joo-hyuk touched a nerve? He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he’d triggered something dangerous. 

“I know you won’t give up. But there’s nothing you can do about it here, is there?” 

“Hmph.” 

Seo snorted, flaring his large nostrils. 

“I’ll contact you soon. So why don’t you leave for now?” 

After staring at Joo-hyuk for a moment, Seo finally stood up, brushed off his clothes with his hands, and straightened himself. 

“You’d better contact me soon.” 

With that, Seo turned and left the banquet hall without looking back. 

The shareholders attending the party glanced at Joo-hyuk, curious about what had happened, but their attention didn’t linger for long. 

Only four people remained visibly tense: Joo-hyuk, Eun-yoo, Park Secretary, and Sena, who had quietly joined them. 

“What should we do?” 

Park Secretary asked with a worried expression. 

“Should we assign someone to monitor him…?” 

“There’s no need for that.”

“But...” 

“If we get caught tailing him, it’ll only lead to bigger misunderstandings.” 

If rumors spread that they were hiding the truth by following Seo, the situation would spiral out of control. 

“He’ll publish the article somewhere, right?” 

“He’s planning to, no doubt.” 

“Where do you think it’ll be?” 

“KO Channel, most likely.” 

It was the broadcasting station with political leanings opposite to KMS and had voiced the strongest opposition during the recent review for KMS’s launch. 

“This is troubling. They love blowing things out of proportion.” 

“You expected this, didn’t you?” 

“Well, yes, but... I was hoping Reporter Seo might back off after seeing how things turned out. But judging by his attitude just now, that ship has sailed. And what did he mean by ‘I’ll contact you soon’?” 

“We’ll have to offer him some other form of compensation for this situation.” 

“What? You’re not thinking of resolving this with money, are you?” 

“Of course not.” 

Seeing Joo-hyuk’s vague response, Eun-yoo pressed her hand to her forehead in exasperation and shook her head. 

“Is it more serious than we thought?” 

Sena asked, her face darkened with worry. The scene she had just witnessed, along with the trio’s conversation, seemed to have frightened her. 

“It’s fine. Think of it as a sacrifice to ensure our broadcasting station prospers,” Eun-yoo forced a laugh, but no one joined in. 

“Don’t worry too much. We just need to tell the truth. The power of truth is strong.” 

Joo-hyuk emphasized his words as he pulled Sena close, wrapping his arm around her delicate shoulders. 

The power of truth was stronger than anything else—this had been his unwavering belief since founding KMS. It was the force that had brought them this far. And so, he believed this issue could also be overcome by confronting it with facts. 

KMS had already broken through countless false reports and reached this point based on truth. There was no way it would falter now. 

His grip on Sena tightened.