Secretary Kim, who had been moving her lips as if wanting to make an excuse, finally lowered her head deeply. Taeryeong, who had lowered her gaze again as if nothing had happened, focused on her work. The rustling sound of her smooth fingers checking and turning over approval documents echoed through the office.

“Thank you, CEO.”

Only after a long while did Secretary Kim speak in a trembling voice. It was gratitude for giving her time to compose herself and think. Only then did Taeryeong slowly raise her head and look at Secretary Kim.

“Secretary Kim has probably noticed that the relationship between my mother and me isn’t normal.”

Secretary Kim nodded slightly.

“And that there’s a reason I’m being cautious?”

“......Yes.”

“Then you understand. The days I need to be cautious aren’t going to last much longer. But you didn’t report even that.”

This was also why she had trusted Secretary Kim and kept her by her side until now. Because Madam Jo had never found out about the insignificant information Taeryeong had leaked to Secretary Kim as a test several times in the past.

“Madam asked and requested things that were truly trivial, so I couldn’t bring myself to refuse. But if she had asked about work matters, I would never have answered. I can swear on my name.”

“Should I call this betrayal, or not?”

Taeryeong had already decided what to do with Secretary Kim, but she dragged out the time as if she were considering it. To truly grasp her as her own, she needed to make sure this wouldn’t happen again.

“Since what Secretary Kim reported was truly insignificant, I won’t hold you responsible. I’ll also compensate you sufficiently for taking good care of me until now.”

“......”

“If you quit cleanly right now.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Secretary Kim collapsed to her knees.

“CEO, could you please give me one more chance? I really want to serve you for a long, long time.”

Secretary Kim probably knew. She might never meet a boss like Taeryeong again, and it would be hard to be recognized this much anywhere else. Feeling like it was enough, Taeryeong opened her mouth calmly.

“My mother is quite intimidating, isn’t she? And intelligent too.”

How many people could stand up to Madam Jo?

“But Secretary Kim, unlike my mother, I’m younger, smarter, and more ruthless.”

Madam Jo, who held everything in her hands, fundamentally didn’t know how to handle people. She only knew how to threaten with fear and entice with money. But Taeryeong was different.

“Unlike my mother, I also know how to cherish my people.”

Secretary Kim’s pupils fluttered. How meticulous and opportunistic the boss she served was, with her quick judgment. The way she treated people with warmth as a human being instead of acting high and mighty like her cold exterior, kept replaying in her mind countless times.

“So, will you trust me and truly become my person?”

Before she even finished speaking, Secretary Kim nodded her head vigorously.

*** 6 PM, Baekje Hotel Fitness Club. One hour filled intensely with exercise or sports. Thirty minutes of tea time at the hotel lounge cafe after the workout. Unless there was an urgent schedule, this was the daily routine of the trio after Kangjoon’s return. Today, the tables around the trio, who were sitting in their usual spot, were completely empty. It was because Kangjoon detested noisy places and crowds.

“Jae-woo-ya, how long do we have to keep doing this, guys going to a cafe?”

The joy that the trio had become complete again with Seo Kangjoon’s return was a fleeting spring breeze. Before Kangjoon came back, they would exercise occasionally when they felt like it. After exercising, they would have a cold beer or start drinking enthusiastically from early evening. But a cafe instead of a club? Bitter tea instead of delicious liquor that rolled over the tongue? The biggest complaint was that even at parties where they used to let loose, they now had to stay sober and play moderately. The culprit behind all this was Seo Kangjoon, a righteous man who lived by the book.

“You enjoy your righteous life alone, why drag us into it? We’re still young, we want to run wild and have fun.”

“Either accept it like me, or Kyungjin, you can argue with that guy.”

Jae-woo, who had already accepted the situation, chuckled, and Kyungjin pursed his lips. With the first digit of his age changing, his stamina wasn’t what it used to be, and every morning was a struggle. But with Kangjoon’s return, he was back to a 20-year-old’s lifestyle. Getting mornings without a hangover meant Kyungjin didn’t doze off during meetings anymore, and his work efficiency had increased. Keeping up with Kangjoon’s intense workouts made him want to swear, but afterwards, his muscles would pop and define. His body felt like a sculpture, and his condition was so good, it felt like he had returned to his twenties.

“If you can’t win, give up cleanly. That’s also a manly way.”

Just as Jae-woo was chuckling at Kyungjin’s grandly packaged words, a cold voice seeped in low.

“What does it mean when a wife is indifferent even when she sees her husband with another woman?”

At Kangjoon’s words, who had been looking out the window indifferently like a bystander until now, Kyungjin replied first.

“What else could it be? It means she’s not interested in her husband.”

“What about making way for a woman who’s hitting on her husband when they’re together?”

He was clearly talking about himself. Kyungjin, who caught on, smiled slyly and said,

“What else could it be? It means she treats her husband like non-recyclable trash.”

Seo Kangjoon, who was perfect in everything, had only one weakness: he was clueless about women. It was his own small act of revenge against such a friend. He hadn’t received a wedding invitation, which was unbelievable, and then he had announced his marriage after three years.

“Trash, huh.”

A sharp edge formed in Kangjoon’s dark eyes as he mulled over the word.

‘Kangjoon-ssi, do you want me to interfere when we’re together?’

He thought he knew why his wife had asked that question that day. Why should he bother interfering? If another woman picked up a trashy husband she had no interest in, it would be something to be grateful for. So, she had watched him indifferently and turned away no matter what he did.

‘But I think I’ll hate you. Maybe even more in the future.’

How terribly she must have disliked him, this husband who demanded attention and acted annoyingly. Now everything clicked into place. Just as he despised his wife, his wife disliked him. From the moment she hid her true self and started acting, maybe even from the wedding. The conclusion was that no matter what Kangjoon did now, he couldn’t hurt his wife. Rather, he was the one being swayed and agitated by his wife. Startled by the dark and eerie atmosphere emanating from Kangjoon, Kyungjin cautiously opened his mouth.

“Seo Kangjoon, surely you don’t think I was serious when I...”

“What should I do?”

Kangjoon, raising his head, cut off Kyungjin’s words with sharp eyes.

“About what?”

“To make a wife want to pick up her trashy husband again.”

“Just be good to her.”

“So, how?”

Kangjoon had never paid attention to women. So, naturally, he had never thought about wanting to be good to one, and he didn’t know how to.

“I don’t quite get Taeryeong-ssi. That kind of style is exactly what I dislike, so I’ve never dated anyone like her.”

“What’s wrong with my wife?”

The low voice that suddenly burst out was chilling.

“Whoa, whoa. Don’t overreact, calm down. I didn’t insult Taeryeong-ssi. I enjoy casual dating, but Taeryeong-ssi seems like the type you’d have to pledge eternal loyalty to. A woman you should marry rather than date. That’s what I meant.”

In fact, Kangjoon couldn’t understand why he had overreacted either. It felt like she was insulting his wife, it grated on his ears, it just made him feel unpleasant. Still, she was his wife. Perhaps that was why his wife had sided with him against the bar owner.

“Tell me about wine appetizers that women like.”

Kangjoon, who had slowly closed and opened his eyes, said in a low, monotone voice.

“Why?”

This time, Jae-woo showed interest.

“She said we should drink at home today.”

“You pushed forward with the reckless jealousy tactic and now you’re retreating and changing strategy?”

“Yeah.”

Kangjoon admitted it cleanly. That his strategy had failed.

“Then tell me what the strategy is. That way, I can tell you what fits.”

“First.”

What should he do with her? The long fingers that had been slowly caressing the coffee cup stopped.

“I’m going to be good to her starting today.”

Kangjoon thought he knew what had gone wrong. He had fastened the first button wrong, so everything else was bound to go awry. He had mistakenly thought his wife would naturally have feelings for him. Because that’s how all women had been until now. It was Kangjoon’s own terrible arrogance. *** It was the first time his commute home felt so gloomy. It felt more like entering a jungle teeming with wild beasts than going home. Perhaps that’s why he suddenly wanted to eat green yogurt. Taeryeong, who had gotten out of the parking lot, headed to the large supermarket on the second floor of the next building. But as soon as she bought the yogurt, she fell into another dilemma.

“Where should I eat this?”

In the end, Taeryeong chose the emergency stairs. Sitting on the steps, she inserted a straw into the first yogurt she hadn’t even unwrapped and murmured softly.

“What is it about this that I can’t even eat it freely?”

Even the employees who came and went from the house were people Madam Jo had sent. The internal management of the house, even the food that filled the refrigerator. Everything was done according to Madam Jo’s will, and even trivial things were reported to her in detail. It was Madam Jo’s atrocious behavior, wanting to torment Taeryeong by even controlling her breathing.

“Just wait until the contract ends. I’ll buy and eat all the yogurt I want.”

Just as she was trying to put the straw in her mouth, trying to pull herself together from her weakening heart, she heard the sound of a door opening. Taeryeong, who had turned her head without much thought, was startled and turned back again.

“......!”

Standing blocking the half-opened emergency exit door was clearly Seo Kangjoon. No, it wasn’t important why he had come into the emergency exit. The problem was what she was holding in her hand right now. Yogurt, something that the real Madam Jo’s daughter wouldn’t even touch, would hate even looking at. Since she was sitting far below, with her back to the door, maybe he wouldn’t notice if she quietly ran away. Taeryeong, who had taken off her heels and was holding them in her hand, felt a surge of annoyance. Why did this man always make her want to run away? Holding the yogurt in one hand and her heels in the other, Taeryeong quickly started going down the stairs. But as if it were a lie, the sound of her husband’s shoe heels echoing in the emergency exit as he came down the stairs reached her ears. He was really crazy, why was he following her! Unlike Taeryeong, who was hurrying her steps, her husband’s steps coming down the stairs were leisurely. But why did it sound like the sound of his shoe heels was getting closer and closer? Anxious, Taeryeong looked back and met her husband’s eyes at close range.

“Ah!”

So startled, she missed a step. A large hand swiftly snatched her body as she lurched forward.

“Do you have a hobby of running away or something?”

Hot, rough breaths brushed against her cheek.

“You’re making me develop a hobby of wanting to catch you.”

In the quiet stillness, they could feel each other’s heartbeats through their closely pressed bodies. A heart, whose it was she didn’t know, was beating intensely out of rhythm, but one thing was clear. Both hearts were pounding wildly as if they would burst.

“It seems you like yogurt.”

When she slowly opened and closed her trembling eyelids, she saw the yogurt lying on the floor.

“But you dropped it because of me.”

Just like the braised short ribs, and now the yogurt. Why did she always show such a pathetic side in front of this man? And over something to eat, no less.

“I’ll have to buy you another one.”

His slightly softened voice strangely made her feel weak. Last time he had bought her braised short ribs, and now he was saying he would buy her yogurt too. And she hadn’t even said anything.

“I don’t like yogurt.”

If she admitted to liking it, she felt like she would become somehow pathetic.

“I dislike it so much that I only eat it once in a while when I want to give up on dieting. To ruin my appetite.”

“......”

“Please believe me.”

So she wanted to make even a pathetic excuse. Please believe me. Hoping that this man would say it again, even if insincerely like during the meal.

“I believe you.”

But as if it were a lie, her husband said it again. Why on earth?

“Still, I’ll buy you yogurt.”

“......I told you, I don’t like it.”

The moment Taeryeong whispered softly, her husband released her from his arms. When she turned around slowly, his dark eyes, holding a subtle light, were looking down at Taeryeong.

“Let’s just say I like it.”

“......”

“So buy a lot, with interest.”

Taeryeong felt strange. His words sounded like he was telling her to use him as a shield.

“Why are you doing this?”

With a complicated heart, Taeryeong asked calmly. It felt like these words had become a constant line he used with her now.

“Just because.”

Her husband chuckled and slowly reached out to take the heels Taeryeong was holding. Then he bent on one knee and placed them in front of her so she could easily put them on.

“Let’s just say it’s because I don’t want to be treated like a trashy husband.”

In her husband’s eyes as she looked up at him, Taeryeong saw duality. He was itching to torment her, yet he was also eager to be good to her.