Chapter 15

Jae-hee quickly moved the mouse. Work was piling up, but she couldn’t concentrate, forcing herself to stare at the monitor. At that moment, the office phone rang. Extension 001. It was an internal number she didn’t recognize.

Jae-hee placed the receiver between her shoulder and ear.

“Thank you, this is Yoon Jae-hee from the Strategic Marketing Team 2.”

• Hello, Jae-hee. This is Kwon Gi-seok.

“…….”

The voice she knew well suddenly came through. Jae-hee shrugged her shoulder and grabbed the phone with her hand.

Straightening her back, she focused on the call. Kwon Gi-seok. He was Chairman Cha’s personal secretary, bodyguard, and loyal assistant.

Not long ago, he had visited Kang-joo’s house with a file containing photos of potential match candidates. Now, he was contacting her through the office phone.

“Hello, Gi-seok. Oh, Director Kwon. What’s the matter?”

• Chairman Cha is looking for you. He asked you to come up right away.

A neat response from Gi-seok came from the other end.

Finally, the expected moment had arrived.

Jae-hee nodded and hung up the receiver without hesitation. A sense of unease crept up her fingertips.

It was something she had anticipated. She had already received a hint from Kang-joo.

“Soon, you might get a call from Director Kwon.”

“Because Chairman Cha wants to meet me?”

“That’s right.”

It was clear that she would receive a direct call from Director Kwon. If Kang-joo had brought up the topic of marriage at home, it was most likely that Chairman Cha would be the first to make a move. Kang-joo, understanding Chairman Cha’s nature, had given her an indirect warning.

“You don’t need to shrink back. Act with confidence. Chairman Cha will try to manipulate you because you’re an easy target.”

Marriage with him. A transaction driven by logic, not emotion.

If this marriage had been the result of love, Jae-hee might have wavered. She might have hesitated under Chairman Cha’s pressure, whispering to Kang-joo, “I can’t handle this, I’m scared, Kang-joo.”

But this was a transaction. A means to achieve mutual goals. There was no need to be swayed by emotions or succumb to trials, as the marriage between them was simply a tool.

Jae-hee replied firmly, her eyes shining.

“I won’t waver. This is just a marriage of contract.”

“…….”

The only people who could shake her were her family and Kang-joo. Whether it was mutual or one-sided, the people she entrusted her heart to. Chairman Cha wasn’t one of them. If the truth about her mother’s accident were revealed, Chairman Cha would be the one she would need to bring down.

Kang-joo, staring at Jae-hee with a hard expression after hearing her say the marriage was just a contract, soon relaxed and smiled nonchalantly.

“If it’s too hard to face him alone, just call me. I’ll come whenever you need me.”

With a quiet but firm tone, Kang-joo’s words made Jae-hee look at him again, as though seeing him in a new light.

He was always kind as long as she didn’t express her feelings for him. If she had kept her feelings hidden as a child, perhaps they would have remained a fond but unspoken bond.

This marriage was the same. If she simply followed along as he wished, closing her ears and eyes, his kindness would continue, at least until the contract was over.

“You’re so kind, Mr. Kang.”

Jae-hee said with a faint smile, and Kang-joo smiled quietly back as their eyes met.

“Now, Jae-hee, you’re mine.”

Jae-hee stood up. If Chairman Cha called, she would go.

She smiled confidently at Director Kwon, who was waiting for her in front of the elevator.

“Hello.”

“Hello, let’s go up.”

Following Director Kwon to the top floor, Jae-hee felt a wave of nervousness. As her body moved closer to the sky, her heart started to pound. She discreetly rubbed her palm against her clothes and stood in front of the Chairman’s office.

“Go ahead, Jae-hee.”

“Thank you.”

She stepped inside through the partially open door, into the space of someone who had money and power at their feet.

A few steps into the office, she saw the glass windows filling up the wall. Beyond the glass, the Han River flowed peacefully. The dark blue water looked cold.

Jae-hee stopped halfway into the office and bowed her waist towards Chairman Cha.

“Hello, Chairman. I heard you were looking for me.”

“So, we meet again, Jae-hee. Come closer.”

“Yes.”

Jae-hee walked straight across the spacious office and stood in front of his sofa, as though she were an employee waiting for approval. It was their first meeting with him as “Chairman.”

“Don’t stand. Sit down.”

“Yes.”

She bowed her head again at his gesture and sat down opposite him.

“Do you know why I called you?”

Jae-hee paused for a moment before answering calmly.

“I assume it’s because of the matter with Mr. Kang.”

“If you can call marriage a business matter, then yes, that’s why I called you.”

Arranging his children’s marriages is indeed a long-standing goal. Chairman Cha laughed lightly and then raised his gaze to Jae-hee. She met his gaze fully, suppressing the tension that was slowly creeping up her body.

The two gazes lingered for a while. Jae-hee hesitated slightly. Should she lower her gaze now? She felt it might come across as too bold. It seemed best to keep her head down for now—whether the marriage would happen or not. Just before she lowered her eyes, Chairman Cha spoke.

“I’m not an old-fashioned person. I don’t care about things like family background. If my son likes you, I’ll support him. If you love each other, I’ll certainly bless the union.”

“Thank you, Chairman.”

The words she had expected came out. Kang-joo had also warned her in advance. Chairman Cha would never oppose this marriage. His attitude, like the breeze blowing from behind her, was not surprising.

“But Director Yoo is a different story. Director Yoo will likely oppose it. She’s a person with a lot of pride.”

Jae-hee’s expression remained calm. She had already anticipated Director Yoo’s reaction, which was also to be expected.

If this marriage with Kang-joo were the result of love, she would have been hurt by the opposition. But this marriage was a transaction, an exchange. She considered Director Yoo’s opposition just another hurdle to get through, which actually made her feel more at ease.

“Given that my background is not as strong as Mr. Kang’s, I understand it’s natural.”

Chairman Cha nodded and interlaced his hands.

“But Kang-joo is still Mr. Kang, I see.”

“Ah... yes.”

The title she had gotten used to was hard to let go. Kang-joo had often teased her about this. He would laugh and ask when she would stop calling him “Mr. Kang,” but no matter how much she was teased, the words wouldn’t come out easily. Perhaps it was because she felt a certain distance, a solid and tall wall, between them.

Chairman Cha, after asking when and how long they had been meeting, smiled kindly, telling her that he was busy and she should leave now.

“I’ll try to convince Director Yoo, so don’t worry too much. You may leave now. If you have more to say later, I’ll call you again.”

“Yes, Chairman. Thank you.”

Jae-hee bowed her head. Chairman Cha’s gaze lingered on the back of her neck as she lowered her head. His eyes seemed to thoroughly examine her, scanning her figure with a lingering, intense gaze. His high nose bridge and tightly pursed lips, his elegant eyes slightly lowered—it reminded her so much of her mother, Mi-ryeong.

Chairman Cha, perhaps feeling thirsty, cleared his throat loudly before reaching out his hand to her. He was offering a handshake. Jae-hee hesitated briefly but extended her hand cautiously. His large, dry hand gripped her slender one tightly.

“You’ll be facing me often from now on.”

“Yes, Chairman. I look forward to working with you.”

“...By the way, Jae-hee. You look a lot like your mother, Mi-ryeong.”

“I hear that a lot. After all, I’m her daughter.”

In the middle of her response, a chill suddenly crawled up her spine. It was an inexplicable coldness. All she had exchanged with Chairman Cha were a few words and a handshake.

Jae-hee tried to pull her hand away from his firm grip, but Chairman Cha didn’t let go. Without realizing it, he held her hand tightly and muttered softly.

“You really resemble your mother. Just like her... so beautiful.”

Jae-hee washed her hands several times. She squeezed soap multiple times, rubbed it, and scrubbed her hands clean. Today, she realized how unpleasant a handshake could be.

Her instincts were telling her: Chairman Cha was dangerous. The way he looked at her was dangerous, and the uninvited contact was dangerous. It wasn’t just because she suspected him due to her mother’s situation; it was a warning sent by her senses.

She needed to carefully uncover the truth. As she wiped her dripping hands, she looked up at the mirror. A pale woman with a white face was glaring at her from the reflection.

When she returned to her desk and sat down, Deputy Im leaned forward and asked, “Why did you go up there?”

“Just a summons,” Jae-hee answered vaguely.

“You’ve been called up often lately, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Is something going on?”

“No, don’t worry about it.”

Jae-hee gave a half-hearted smile and shook her head.

Previously, there had been a personnel committee meeting due to Manager Kim’s sexual harassment and workplace bullying. Since then, the calls from upper management had increased, and Deputy Im had been genuinely concerned, wondering if Jae-hee was being targeted.

It wasn’t unusual. Upper management didn’t like standing out. If someone showed any sign of sticking out, they would simply cut them off.

“You’re the only one who worries about me, Deputy Im,” Jae-hee reassured him, taking the mouse in hand. She had wasted a lot of time meeting Chairman Cha earlier, and even though she had work to do after lunch, it was already approaching noon.

As she was getting ready to start working, there was a commotion at the entrance. Jae-hee glanced up and saw employees bowing toward someone.

“Hello, Executive Director!”

“Hello, Executive Director!”

Kang-joo Cha. He was walking in, drawing everyone’s attention. Since he had visited the 8th floor a few times, it wasn’t particularly surprising.

Kang-joo gave a vague wave in response to the greetings and walked directly toward Jae-hee.

“...Huh?”

Jae-hee awkwardly stood up from her chair. It seemed that he was heading straight for her. Why? Though he had occasionally come down to visit the accounting or product planning teams, he had never come to her department. Aside from when the TF team was formed, they had never crossed paths for work.

What could this be about?

“Hello, Executive Director.”

“Were you working?”

Asking the obvious, Kang-joo stood in front of Jae-hee. She responded with a simple, “Yes,” and bowed slightly. Deputy Im also stood up to greet Kang-joo before sitting back down, a puzzled look on his face. Why had the Executive Director come to find Jae-hee?

Kang-joo, with an expressionless face, but likely quite flustered inside, casually said to Jae-hee, who was surely a little startled, “I came to have lunch with you.”

A sudden silence filled the office. The clicking of keyboards, the sounds of mice, and the sipping of drinks all stopped at once. Everyone, without meaning to, fell silent, listening intently, as Kang-joo’s completely unexpected remark stopped them in their tracks.

Lunch? Why would the Executive Director want to have lunch with Jae-hee?

The office workers exchanged curious looks, digesting the strange suggestion from Kang-joo.

This time, Jae-hee’s previously calm expression cracked. She hesitated, flustered, and her lips moved as she spoke.

“But it’s not lunchtime yet, Executive Director.”

“In 30 minutes, it will be twelve.”

“......”

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

Kang-joo, with a small smile, reached out and gently took Jae-hee’s hand. At that moment, a surprised exclamation came from Deputy Im, who had been secretly watching them.

“Oh my!”

Deputy Im, who had let out a loud exclamation, immediately covered her mouth. Embarrassed, she rubbed the back of her neck, turning her head to stare intently at her monitor as if nothing had happened. I didn’t scream. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t act at all. She muttered these self-reassuring phrases in her mind.

The shout just now had been unavoidable. Why would the Executive Director ask Yoon to have lunch? Why is he holding her hand? This is driving me crazy. What’s going on? What does this mean?

It was a series of events she couldn’t comprehend. Her fingers, gripping the mouse, were trembling slightly. She felt a fleeting thought brushing her mind, but she couldn’t bring herself to express it.

Could it be? No, that can’t be. That’s impossible.

Pretending to be busy, she moved the mouse quickly and acted as though she were working. Kang-joo, however, started walking out with Jae-hee. Only then did Deputy Im turn to look at their retreating figures.

It wasn’t just Deputy Im. Everyone’s eyes followed them as they walked out. Pretending to be absorbed in their work, they would stop and awkwardly turn their heads whenever Jae-hee and Kang-joo passed by their desks.

Unlike them, Kang-joo walked out naturally, leading Jae-hee, and casually spoke to her.

“What would you like to eat?”

“Korean food.”

To be honest, Jae-hee felt like even drinking water would make her throat choke. Her mind was in a whirlwind. She had been offered a marriage contract, but she hadn’t anticipated a situation like this.

“I sent you a message earlier asking if you wanted to have lunch together. Did you not see it?”

“I was called by Chairman Cha and went to see him, so I didn’t get a chance to check.”

“I see. You’re giving more attention to my father than to me. It makes me jealous.”

With Kang-joo’s last words, the office door closed behind them. As they disappeared, the whispers in the office, which had been held in check, started to bubble up.

“What’s that? Did you hear that? What the heck was that? What’s going on?”

Some of Deputy Im’s close colleagues gathered around her desk, buzzing like a swarm of bees, eager to ask about what they had just witnessed.

“Deputy Im, what’s going on? What was that? Huh?”

“Deputy Im! Why was the Executive Director holding Yoon’s hand and leaving? Huh?”

“Do you know something, Deputy Im?”

Even Manager Kang from the Planning Team, who was sitting behind a partition, stood up and pretended to stretch while sneaking a glance. It seemed like he, too, was waiting for an answer from Deputy Im, although he could have shouted about the inappropriate behavior during work hours.

Deputy Im released the mouse from her hand. She then slowly looked at each person who was waiting for her answer and finally spoke slowly.

“I don’t know... I really don’t know. That’s why I’m scared...”

What have I done to Yoon? Did I upset her somehow? Deputy Im nervously pinched her trembling fingers.

“They say the two of them left holding hands.”

“Really? It seems like Kang-joo made up his mind.”

Chairman Cha had just received a report about Kang-joo and Jae-hee leaving holding hands.

A few days ago, Kang-joo dropped a bombshell at home.

“I’m seeing someone.”

At those words, Chairman Cha widened his eyes in surprise. He never expected Kang-joo, who had always been indifferent to marriage and almost had no relationships, to say something like that.

Kang-joo’s mother, Yeong-hyeon, wasn’t as surprised as he had expected. She had already received a hint from Kang-joo, and it wasn’t uncommon for someone young to be dating.

At that moment, there was a belief that even if he were dating someone, he would marry someone of the right status and background. However, Kang-joo’s next words made him raise his eyebrows in surprise.

“I want to get married as well.”

After that, everything became chaotic. Yeong-hyeon, his mother, asked in shock who the other party was, and Chairman Cha was equally stunned. He thought perhaps it was the granddaughter of the Bu-yong Group chairman that Yeong-hyeon had been trying to introduce. If Kang-joo were to marry into that family, his rise would be unstoppable. It would be the worst-case scenario.

But seeing his wife, Director Yoo, so surprised, it seemed that the person wasn’t from Bu-yong Group.

When Yeong-hyeon repeatedly asked who the person was, Kang-joo gave an answer that no one could have predicted.

“Yoon Jae-hee.”

“Yoon Jae-hee?”

Both of them racked their brains to remember who Yoon Jae-hee was. No immediately recognizable face came to mind. Kang-joo smiled faintly.

“You both probably know her. Yoon Jae-hee, who lived here for a while.”

...What?!

The voices of Chairman Cha and Yeong-hyeon echoed loudly in the space.

The expressions on their faces changed drastically in response to Kang-joo’s answer. Especially Yeong-hyeon, who was so shocked that her lips moved, but she couldn’t get the words out. This was truly an unexpected and unbelievable situation. Yoon Jae-hee?

Chairman Cha, recalling the events of that day, smiled with a pleased expression.

“We need to marry Kang-joo off to Yoon Jae-hee before he loses interest. Director Kwon, keep me updated on the two of them.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Chairman Cha muttered to himself, looking at Director Kwon’s bowed head.

“Yoon Jae-hee... to think it’s only Yoon Jae-hee.”

It was something he couldn’t have imagined. The always composed and calculated Cha Kang-joo, the choice of the sly Cha Kang-joo, had ended up with Yoon Jae-hee. Chairman Cha laughed at Kang-joo’s foolishness, thinking how there was no substance in this decision.

“Yoon Jae-hee... she must be quite clever, huh? She looks so docile, but she doesn’t know her place. How dare she covet the son of the chairman? The daughter of a housemaid, of all people, how dare she... am I right, Director Kwon?”

“...Yes, that’s correct, Chairman.”

“Does she really think she can mingle with people from our world?”

Chairman Cha’s voice rang through the office. Director Kwon, with a smile on his face, walked out. The words of class difference—”lowly” and “dare”—clung to his steps like a damp cloak.

Director Kwon, who usually handled security, took out his phone as soon as he left the office. Two missed calls. After confirming the caller’s name, he was about to press the call button when the phone rang again. He glanced briefly toward Chairman Cha’s office before answering the call.

“Yes.”

• Finally picking up, Giseok? Do you have time this evening? I’ll be free after 8.

“Today, Chairman Cha has a prior engagement, so I can’t, but I’m available tomorrow.”

Giseok lowered his voice and walked briskly toward the door.

• Why is your father always so busy, making our Giseok work so hard? And giving him so little money? Giseok, don’t you want to see me?

Giseok smiled faintly at the whining voice over the phone.

“I do want to see you, Si-eun.”

At that moment, Kang-joo’s mother, Yeong-hyeon, was meeting with Yoo-seon from the Bu-yong Group, confiding in her.

“I never expected Kang-joo to suddenly bring up marriage. I thought it was just a throwaway remark to smooth things over. I didn’t even know the person he was talking about was Yoon Jae-hee.”

“You must have been shocked.”

“I was really shocked. How could he…”

Yeong-hyeon had just finished venting to Yoo-seon about the situation. Kang-joo’s sudden mention of marriage, and the unintended awkward situation that had put Yoo-seon in, were some of the things she expressed.

Sighing deeply, Yeong-hyeon shook her head. No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

Several bothersome thoughts kept swirling in her mind. Kang-joo had promised to bring Yoon Jae-hee formally, but had postponed the conversation, saying they would discuss it later. Yet, there was only so long she could keep delaying it.

Her son, who had never caused any trouble, was now hitting her with this unexpected decision. How could he say he wanted to marry the daughter of the housemaid?

What made it worse was that it was Kang-joo, who never said anything foolish, making such a decision. She knew Kang-joo’s character better than anyone. He must have given it serious thought, and once he made up his mind, he wouldn’t be easily swayed.

“I’m sorry, Yoo-seon. I’ve caused trouble for you.”

“No, it’s fine, Director. I went to meet Kang-joo because I wanted to.”

At Yoo-seon’s calm words, Yeong-hyeon clicked her tongue. She couldn’t help but feel regret. Yoo-seon was such a perfect match for Kang-joo—outgoing, poised, graceful, and charming. She was the granddaughter of the chairman of Bu-yong Group. In terms of both appearance and background, she was perfect.

Unable to shake her feelings, Yeong-hyeon kept looking at Yoo-seon, who smiled faintly.

“I can wait.”

“Huh? Wait for what?”

“For my marriage to Kang-joo.”

Yeong-hyeon raised her eyebrows. Marriage?

“You know I won’t easily approve of the marriage, right?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just leave them alone and let it go for now? I’m not thinking of breaking them up, but perhaps we should delay the marriage a little.”

“That’s what I was thinking too... Yoo-seon, are you sure you won’t give up on Kang-joo?”

Yeong-hyeon quickly caught on to Yoo-seon’s intentions. Yoo-seon, smiling confidently, answered.

“No, nowadays divorce is nothing. What’s so big about dating and breaking up?”

Her statement was as if she had already accepted the inevitable breakup between Kang-joo and Yoon Jae-hee. The marriage of the heir of a conglomerate and the daughter of a maid—it seemed impossible. No matter how strong Kang-joo’s determination, Yoo-seon was certain it wouldn’t be easy.

Yeong-hyeon nodded, feeling like she had finally found someone who understood.

“I’ll oppose the marriage, but I won’t oppose their relationship. If I oppose it, it will just make them want each other more.”

“You’re right, Director. Fanning the flames only spreads the fire.”

“The flames will die down eventually. Once the enchantment wears off, Kang-joo will come to his senses. Is this even something that makes sense?”

Yeong-hyeon murmured as if speaking to herself. Yoo-seon nodded in agreement.

“I don’t care about my man’s past. I can wait for Kang-joo.”

What I want, I will get. Yoo-seon’s words echoed in her mind before fading away.

Yoon Jae-hee lightly put down her chopsticks. She had just finished her meal.

A sound of flowing water could be heard from somewhere. The clear, high-pitched chirping of birds as well. To think that such refreshing sounds could be heard in the heart of Seoul. Jae-hee was once again surprised by this fact as she finished her 수정과 (a traditional Korean cinnamon punch).

“But, Mr. Executive Director. What’s going on today, all of a sudden?”

She was referring to the fact that they had come here together, holding hands, to have a meal. The atmosphere in the office earlier, which had shifted without a sound, came to mind. Thinking back to that moment, the food she had just eaten felt heavy in her stomach.

How should she even go back into the office now? It’s already past 1 o’clock—will it be okay?

From the situation earlier, it was clear that even if she were late, no one would reprimand her. In fact, that realization made Jae-hee feel even heavier.

Kang-joo, who had been staring at Jae-hee, finally spoke up.

“Several days ago, I told my family. That I’m going to marry Jae-hee.”

As expected. Jae-hee was surprised again and slowly wet her lips, then pulled them away. Her mouth felt dry.

“...They must have been very surprised. Chairman Cha and Director Yoo.”

“Well, yes.”

Kang-joo answered casually, as if it were someone else’s business, and then, without missing a beat, asked another question.

“Did you enjoy the food?”

“Yes, it was delicious.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

He smiled lightly, showing no sign of being bothered by the bombshell he had dropped earlier. Whether it was his boldness or indifference, his carefree attitude seemed strangely fascinating.

Kang-joo poured some more 수정과 into Jae-hee’s empty cup and continued.

“To be honest, my mother isn’t going to approve easily. Just this morning, she told me to meet with Jeong Yoo-seon one more time.”

“Ah.”

Jae-hee stiffened slightly, but Kang-joo paid no mind.

“But I’m serious about marrying you, Jae-hee. That’s why I came out holding your hand like this, so don’t overthink it. Just act like you usually do. I’ll handle everything.”

“Don’t overthink a difficult topic? I don’t even know how to go about it.”

Jae-hee muttered jokingly, shaking her head. The situation was rushing forward like a fast-flowing current, and it was overwhelming to the point where she felt she could barely keep up.

Kang-joo’s sudden proposal of marriage, followed by a series of awkward events.

But Jae-hee decided to stay calm. It had already happened. Even if she tried to stop it, it was too late. They were both pursuing their own goals, and she intended to play her part.

The daughter of a housemaid daring to seek the heir of a conglomerate. She was going to try for it.

Jae-hee pressed her lips tightly together. This was really just the beginning.

When they returned to the office, the atmosphere was notably awkward. The intense stares were overwhelming. Having lived quietly without drawing much attention, the attention now felt piercing.

As soon as she stepped into the entrance, the previously bustling office fell silent. Like a snap, the fingers that were moving stopped, the lips that were speaking closed, and all eyes followed Jae-hee as she walked in.

Jae-hee split the sea of attention as she made her way to the marketing team’s desks. Everyone pretended not to notice as they went about their work, but in reality, they were just drawing circles on paper or making blue squares on the computer screen with their mouse.

As soon as Jae-hee arrived at her desk, she called out softly.

“I’m late, I’m sorry.”

It was already 2 o’clock. It had been quite a while since she and Kang-joo had been talking. For someone like him, the time it took to finish lunch, whether it was 2 p.m. or 3 p.m., didn’t matter, and whether he came back to the office or not wasn’t important. But for someone like her, a junior employee, it was.

“Here, drink this. Team Leader, you have a café latte.”

As soon as Jae-hee set down her bag, she started handing out coffee to her team members as a small gesture of apology. It was almost like a bribe.

“It’s okay, it happens.”

“It’s not even that late... it’s only 2 o’clock.”

Everyone awkwardly reached out to take their cups.

After handing coffee to all her team members, Jae-hee forced a smile as she walked toward Assistant Manager Park with the last cup in hand. He was the temporary team leader who had come to replace the demoted Team Leader Jeong.

“I’m sorry for being late, Assistant Manager. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“It’s fine, really. When people are talking, sometimes things run long... it happens. Don’t worry about it.”

With an awkward laugh, Assistant Manager Park patted Jae-hee on the shoulder. Then, realizing something, he quickly withdrew his hand, almost as if he had been burned. He had just realized that Assistant Manager Yoon might have a close relationship with the Executive Director. Can I really pat her on the shoulder like that?

Thud. Suddenly, something fell from the coffee tray that Jae-hee was holding. A credit card. It had been hastily stuffed between the tray after the payment, in a rush.

Assistant Manager Park picked up the dark credit card without thinking.

“Jae-hee, you dropped this... Cha Kang... uh... oh... this... this is the Executive Director’s card... I see...”

He mumbled to himself as he read the English name without thinking. Before long, he was holding the card with both hands, as if treating it with great respect.

Cha Kang-joo’s card. The shoulders of the marketing team members who had been listening to the conversation over their shoulders trembled in unison.

Jae-hee has the Executive Director’s card! Of course, didn’t you see them holding hands and leaving earlier? They exchanged a silent, frantic conversation with just their eyes. It was the moment when the reality of the situation really hit them.

Our marketing team’s Yoon Jae-hee! The Yoon Jae-hee in front of us!

Jae-hee awkwardly took the card. She wasn’t sure if she was shoving it into her pocket out of embarrassment or out of confusion.

“Thank you for picking it up.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s nothing. Really. Don’t worry about it. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Assistant Manager Park waved his hands dismissively, signaling for her to return to her desk since she must be busy. Jae-hee walked back to her desk, accepting the situation with a heavy heart. She could feel the eyes of her team members silently piercing her back. It felt as though her back was being painfully pierced.

This, too, was because of Kang-joo. It was his words earlier, telling her to take his card and use it as she pleased, which had caused this mess. Maybe the situation had become even more exaggerated because of it.

It felt like a rabbit that had grown bold from riding on the back of a tiger. She had been peacefully grazing in the world of herbivores, but now, dragged by Kang-joo, a predator, she felt like she had been pulled into the brutal world of beasts.

As she sat at her desk, Assistant Manager Lim awkwardly peeked out.

“Did you eat... well? Team Leader Yoon?”

Her tone was stiff, and her words were awkward. It seemed like she didn’t know how to address Jae-hee.

Jae-hee’s voice quietly escaped.

“Ah, Assistant Manager Lim-!”

The rumors about Cha Kang-joo and Yoon Jae-hee were naturally making their rounds through the messenger apps. Not only the eighth floor where Jae-hee’s office was, but the entire building was buzzing. The office was quieter than usual, but the clacking of keyboards seemed louder than ever.

“Did you hear? The Executive Director is seeing someone from the marketing team. I heard they even held hands and left together, like a public declaration.”

“Is that true? The Executive Director? The one who... no way. With his personality, he wouldn’t do that. No way he’d hold hands and walk out in front of everyone.”

“Seems like he’s completely smitten. I heard the woman’s really beautiful. They say they look great together.”

Jae-hee was sure of it. Half of the people furiously typing on their keyboards, no, almost 80% of them, were talking about her.

This wasn’t just excessive self-consciousness. If she were on the other side, hearing a rumor that the Executive Director was going out to eat with a company employee, she would have been frantically gossiping about it on the messenger app too.

The problem was, she was the subject of the rumors.

‘Don’t overthink it, just act like you usually do,’ Kang-joo’s words repeated in her mind.

But there was no way she could. Unlike Kang-joo, who was born a tiger, she had been born a rabbit. If a wolf were to tear at the tiger, the tiger would just swipe it off, but a rabbit would be suffocated.

From the moment she had accepted Kang-joo’s marriage proposal, she had been putting her head into the tiger’s jaws.

“Sigh...”

Jae-hee let out a deep sigh. At the sound of her sigh, the marketing team members flinched. Even Assistant Manager Park leaned forward from beside his monitor to check her profile.

“...”

It was a situation where even a sigh seemed like it was hard to let out freely. Jae-hee stared at her monitor and quietly nodded to herself.

She would have to ask the Executive Director not to make it so obvious in the office from now on.