“President, you look very happy today.”

“Do I look that way?”

At Kangjoon’s leisurely question, Chief Yoon’s eyes turned backward.

“I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks so.”

Kangjoon’s style was to wear his manners like a suit and stab you in the front with a smiling face.

‘There’s no need to use the word “hard work.” Prove it with numbers.’

His skill in smiling with a clean face and shaking down executives like a dryer was top-notch. But today, the expressions of the executives leaving the conference room were bright. Instead of being shaken down, they had received carrots instead of whips, and the meeting had ended.

“Adjust my schedule after 6 PM as you see fit. Handle anything urgent with Executive Director Park and Chief Yoon taking the lead.”

“Understood.”

Heading to his office, Kangjoon checked his wristwatch. He had finished his entire workload for the day at a frightening speed, yet it was only 5 o’clock. Time really dragged. The view of the city spread out below Kangjoon, standing by the large window, was always monochrome. Dry, boring, lifeless, always seeming the same. But now, the view with added color was three-dimensional. He could feel the flow of time, the vibrancy, the busy daily life.

“Joo Se-hee.”

Just saying her name made his head heat up. The muscles trapped beneath his suit squirmed again, wanting to explode. She knew how to be shy and bold, how to be endearing and charming.

“Even her name is pretty.”

He remembered last night. The soft touch, the sweet taste, the fragrant scent, the delicate moans. The conversation of their bodies, their intertwined hearts, the shared intimacy, the pleasure they shared. The first night they became an inseparable married couple. His day was filled with her light, but what about her?

“It couldn’t have been you.”

Kangjoon’s expression was bitter as he rubbed his eyebrow with his fingertip. The moment he opened his eyes, he had involuntarily pretended to be asleep because of the fellow who would wake up with him inside his body. Thanks to that, he had heard his wife’s true feelings.

“If you like me so much you could die, you should be greedy.”

It was an incomprehensible logic. To yield to another woman, to remember their first night alone. She said she liked him, but what about their passionate night together, the intimacy they shared? Why was she still so desperate to run away? But it was too late. He had clearly given her a chance, but since she hadn’t left, he had no intention of letting her go now. Even this worry made Kangjoon chuckle.

“Joo Se-hee-ssi, if you slept with me, you have to take responsibility.”

His body was so principled and noble, it would be hard for him to just wipe his mouth clean. Now Kangjoon had only one concern left. Whether or not to investigate his wife’s background. It would take some time, but he could find out everything under the name Joo Se-hee. But he hesitated.

“With that personality, she won’t take it lying down.”

If she found out he had investigated her, everything he had painstakingly built up so far could collapse. He had personally experienced how cold and ruthless his wife was.

“Then the best thing would be to hear it directly.”

But his wife was plotting to escape even after spending their first night together. There was no way she would tell him directly, and she wasn’t the kind of woman to answer if he asked. He had also confirmed that the emotion of love was useless in front of his wife. What should he do to make her confess her secret? Kangjoon simply laughed in vain.

“So, you might love me, but you don’t trust me.”

He felt like he finally understood his wife’s heart. He didn’t trust his wife, yet he wanted his wife to trust him. It was a selfish delusion and an arrogant wish.

“It’s going to take quite some time.”

To open his wife’s heart, to gain her trust, to make her reveal her secret. But Kangjoon intended to wait patiently. Once he had decided to hold onto her, his wife would never escape. He could ruin everything by being unnecessarily impatient. If she wanted him to pretend not to know, if she didn’t want him to dig up her secret, if that was what she wanted.

“......I guess I should.”

But he couldn’t pretend not to know about this. Their first night. Only then would they truly become an inseparable married couple. Kangjoon called his wife’s secretary.

[Hello, President.]

“What time does my wife’s schedule end today?”

He remembered the sight of his wife groaning as she left.

[She canceled her afternoon schedule today and said she would go straight home.]

“Reason?”

[She said she couldn’t sleep well and has mild muscle pain. Of course, she won’t go to the hospital.]

“Could today be that day?”

[......Pardon?]

“That day that comes once a month.”

Unlike Kangjoon, who asked calmly, Secretary Kim was flustered.

[Ah, no! Madam’s is at the end of every month.]

Then what were those traces on the bed? A look of satisfaction spread across Kangjoon’s face as he ended the call.

“Joo Se-hee, I’ll have to take responsibility for you.”

A relationship where they had to take responsibility for each other. It was a satisfying start to their married life.

________________________________________

All morning, groaning sounds escaped Taeryeong’s lips.

“President, are you not feeling well?”

It wasn’t that she wasn’t feeling well, it was that she was in pain. Her skin stung every time it brushed against her clothes, and the muscles all over her body screamed for help. Even intense weight training hadn’t been this bad.

“I couldn’t sleep well, so I’m a bit tired.”

“You had to suddenly attend Chairman Seo’s birthday party last night, so you worked until dawn again, didn’t you? I can’t live like this, you didn’t catch another cold, did you?”

“It’s just mild muscle pain, so don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not worry? Please wait a moment.”

Secretary Kim, who had darted out and back into the office like a nimble squirrel, handed her a water bottle with effervescent vitamins.

“Please drink this first.”

After overcoming one crisis, Secretary Kim sincerely followed Taeryeong. The problem was that nagging came as a bonus with that sincerity. Still, she didn’t entirely dislike the nagging.

“I just need to go home early and get a good day’s rest, so don’t worry about me and just work.”

Taeryeong quickly added to Secretary Kim, who reluctantly turned away,

“And don’t even think about reporting to my husband.”

Secretary Kim’s eyes widened as if asking how she knew. With her sharp intuition, Secretary Kim had noticed the subtle tension between them. Having recognized herself as completely on Taeryeong’s side, she had a tendency to report even the smallest things to her husband. Especially after she had saved Taeryeong from Madam Jo’s assault. After Secretary Kim left, Taeryeong, left alone, murmured softly,

“Is this what it’s usually like?”

When she recalled the memories, strangely, she hadn’t really done anything. All the effort, all the constant movement, it had all been her husband. But why was she so tired, like she was going to die? Just then, the internal phone rang.

[President, Madam Inno is here.]

“Let her in.”

A deep sigh escaped Taeryeong’s lips as she put down the phone. Why did she have to come at a time like this? Madam Jo, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, was still an elegant and cultured madam. But the look in her eyes as she looked at Taeryeong was as cold as ever.

“I hear you’re pushing for the acquisition of Dora Shopping Mall, is that your intention?”

“It’s not my intention, it’s the shareholders’ intention.”

“......”

“Rather than expanding into new fields, they want us to acquire a stably established brand and push forward with the business quickly to show results.”

“......”

“In the past, Inno Fashion recklessly pursued new ventures and even faced a crisis of being sold off.”

Taeryeong calmly stated the answer she had already prepared.

“I was going to contact Mom about this anyway, but I’ve been too busy to find the time.”

Madam Jo’s piercing gaze tried to scrape through Taeryeong’s mind like a hook. Meeting that gaze, Taeryeong carefully continued,

“Mom, please step in and persuade the shareholders. Especially Director Kang. If you can persuade the shareholders, I’ll try to persuade the outside directors.”

“Why should I do that?”

“If Inno Fashion acquires Dora, you might see me again even after this contract ends. It’s risky, and I don’t think Mom would like that either.”

“Aren’t you worried that I might seize your purse strings?”

Madam Jo was reacting exactly as Taeryeong had expected. She wouldn’t miss even the smallest opportunity to torment her.

“Besides your friend, who else do you trust when you even refused the money I gave you? You’ll probably end up working at Dora again. There’s nowhere else that would take someone as pathetic as you.”

From the moment she graduated high school until before this contract, Taeryeong had worked at Dora Shopping Mall. The reason wasn’t because she had nowhere else to work, but because Taeryeong was the real owner. Since Madam Jo didn’t know that, it was natural for her to react this way.

“It’s not me, it’s Jin-kyung who’s having trouble. She wants to expand her business independently, but Inno keeps bothering her with acquisition offers. So, I’m in a difficult position too.”

“Since you don’t want Inno Fashion to acquire Dora, you must have quoted an absurdly low price.”

As if hit right on target, Taeryeong bit her lip and blinked.

“Quote three times the amount you suggested. Then they won’t find it bothersome and will agree.”

“Mom!”

Madam Jo stood up calmly, as if she didn’t want to say any more.

“I came here today to say that. Stop playing petty tricks with your dull brain.”

After Madam Jo left with a cold gust of air, a smile finally spread across Taeryeong’s lips.

“Thank you, Aunt. For moving according to my intentions.”

The situation was unfolding exactly as she had wanted.

________________________________________

This was a first for her, but one thing was certain. In times like these, eating well and getting plenty of rest helped with a quick recovery. Chief Yoon had confirmed that her husband would be late coming home today. So, she had come home early without worry. The living room was bright, and the warm air carried her husband’s scent. Just then, her husband came out of the bedroom, drying his wet hair with a towel. Not knowing where to look at his bare upper body, Taeryeong avoided his gaze and said softly,

“Chief Yoon said Kangjoon-ssi would be late today...”

Her husband’s feet slowly entered her lowered vision.

“Taeryeong-ssi said she would come home early, so I came home early too.”

So, why? As Taeryeong slightly furrowed her brow, her husband said playfully,

“I stayed out last night, aren’t you going to scold me?”

Only then did Taeryeong quietly look at her husband. His unchanging, indifferent eyes were staring intently at Taeryeong. Could this man really not remember last night? That strangely made her feel both relieved and disappointed. It was a truly strange and selfish duality.

“I stayed out too. Kangjoon-ssi slept in the bedroom while I was in the living room. The Chairman asked me, and I couldn’t leave a drunk Kangjoon-ssi alone. So, let’s just let this one slide.”

“Sleeping together in the same space doesn’t count as staying out?”

His gentle tone felt familiar.

“......Yes.”

“Then we’ll let the staying out slide.”

Taeryeong felt strangely nervous at her husband’s nonchalant demeanor.

“I’ve drawn bathwater in the bedroom bathroom, so why don’t you take a half-bath and shower on the first floor today?”

“Why a half-bath all of a sudden?”

“You said you had muscle pain.”

Feeling a sudden heat in her eyes, Taeryeong slowly blinked. Secretary Kim, just how much did you tell him?

“A half-bath is good for relaxing muscles.”

The look in her husband’s eyes deepened as he said that.

“Are you worried about me right now?”

“Shouldn’t I be worried?”

“We’re not that kind of relationship, are we?”

Smiling gently, her husband took another step closer.

“What do I need to do for us to become that kind of relationship?”

She now understood why it felt familiar. Her husband was acting strange today. Warm eyes, a soft expression, a gentle tone. Right now, her husband was acting like he was with a beloved wife. As if they were a real married couple. Taking a step back defensively, Taeryeong snapped in a calm voice,

“I absolutely hate beating around the bush. What do you want to say?”

If you remember, just say you remember. Don’t play games with people’s feelings. The distance between her and her husband, who had closed the gap as much as she had widened it, was precarious.

“It seems like it’s not me, but my wife who has something to say.”

Even though her husband hadn’t touched her, Taeryeong’s ears burned. Last night flashed through her mind. Unlike her head, which was trying to ignore the memory, her body remembered it vividly. Because of her husband, who had imprinted her from head to toe so she would never forget.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

But even if her husband remembered last night, nothing would change. Neither her decision to give up her love for this man, nor the truth that they would soon be strangers.

“No.”

The moment she answered nonchalantly, a firm arm pulled Taeryeong’s slender waist, drawing her close and pressing their bodies together. Her heart pounded as if it would burst. She clearly remembered the embarrassing sensation of his firm body trapping the heat.

“Then just answer me one thing.”

In an instant, his large hand cupped the back of her neck, and his index finger lowered the scarf around her neck. The messy marks on her white nape were as flamboyant as blooming roses. Caressing those marks with his fingertips, her husband leaned down.

“How much of what happened last night should I pretend not to know?”

Her husband’s breath, touching her long eyelashes, was hot.