Yeo Eun’s sharp gaze turned towards the woman.

It was a silent question asking what she was doing.

Then, a cold smile fleetingly crossed Cha Do Ha’s expressionless face.

“Didn’t expect this?”

She hadn’t expected it.

This wasn’t an ordinary matchmaking meeting.

It was a place for companies to promise each other a future.

The matchmaking was just a formality; the marriage was already a foregone conclusion.

So she thought he would at least keep up appearances.

“It’s not that I didn’t expect it… I thought you’d bring Kim Hae Ri, so I was surprised it was someone else.”

“Ah, Kim Hae Ri.”

Cha Do Ha let out a cold chuckle and nodded.

“I was going to, but this woman said no.”

Then he casually gestured to the woman beside him.

The startled woman bit her lower lip as if troubled, visibly so.

Watching her, Cha Do Ha smiled.

It wasn’t a sharp sneer or a sardonic smirk.

It was a genuine smile, curling up one corner of his mouth and crinkling the corners of his eyes, as if he found it amusing.

“Yeo Eun, introduce yourself too. You came out nicely for this matchmaking you were told not to mess up, so you should greet them properly.”

As he teased, carefully taking in the woman’s face, Cha Do Ha was an incredibly gentle man in that moment.

It stung a bit, but it was an unexpected gain.

The most important thing in a political marriage is the power struggle, and openly showing weakness like this isn’t bad for her either.

Shifting her gaze to the woman, she carefully examined the uninvited guest.

She’s pretty.

Enough to captivate even another woman.

Her small, oval face with delicate features was quite beautiful.

Perfect almond-shaped eyes with distinct double eyelids, a small but straight nose bridge, moist plump lips – aesthetically speaking, she was perfect.

Moreover, her graceful neck line was like that of a ballerina, making her seem as if she were performing an elegant dance just by sitting still.

To bring such a visually flawless woman to a matchmaking meeting.

Maybe that’s why it stung a bit more.

“I’m Jin Yu Hee.”

Jin Yu Hee abruptly extended her hand to the woman, offering a handshake.

“May I ask who you are, the kind person who nicely brought Cha Do Ha to this matchmaking meeting?”

The blood drained from her skin, which seemed almost transparent in its fairness.

Her trembling eyes also couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

Then, straightening her back, she carefully took Jin Yu Hee’s outstretched hand.

Her slender hand was white and clean.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Seo Yeo Eun, an image trainer at ‘Persona’.”

Image trainer?

Jin Yu Hee’s brow furrowed slightly at the unfamiliar term.

Then, with an “Ah,” Seo Yeo Eun prettily parted her lips and rummaged through her handbag for a business card.

But the woman’s business card didn’t reach Jin Yu Hee.

Because Cha Do Ha grabbed the woman’s hand holding the card, as if crumpling it.

“You’re doing business even here.”

Cha Do Ha twisted his lips askew and shook his head, chiding the woman.

“Let’s just focus on me, okay? For the sake of our fifth meeting too?”

Cha Do Ha’s gaze, unable to tear itself away from the woman as if she were the only one in his eyes, was even seductive.

In contrast, the woman was busy trying to pull her hand free from Cha Do Ha’s while anxiously glancing at Jin Yu Hee.

What a comedy this is.

“Seo Yeo Eun, was it? Well, at least this one seems to know what shame is.”

It was already an unpleasant matchmaking meeting.

Even if it was a political marriage, she wanted to marry someone who at least knew how to be courteous as a couple.

In that sense, Cha Do Ha was never a consideration from the start.

If he hadn’t been someone ST Group absolutely needed to catch for their leap forward, she wouldn’t have even come to this meeting.

“Cha Do Ha, do you know no shame?”

Letting go of her hopes and choosing this marriage for the group.

Then she should at least firmly grasp the initiative.

“You do understand what this matchmaking means, don’t you?”

After all, this is just an extension of business.

“It’s a future business agreement between ST and Hanju.”

Yu Hee criticized Cha Do Ha for bringing his tawdry private life into a corporate agreement.

“To bring a woman to such a meeting and be so rude…”

But she couldn’t finish her words.

“Rude?”

Cha Do Ha’s cold voice crushed her words.

An arrogant light slowly spread across Cha Do Ha’s face as he looked at her.

His emotionless black eyes gleamed sharply, as if honing a keen edge.

“I wonder which side is being more rude?”

But his tone was rather gentle, making it chilling.

“As you said, Jin Yu Hee, this isn’t just an ordinary matchmaking. It’s a place to show off the collateral for an agreement.”

Though his voice was soft, it carried weight.

“To put it simply, it’s a place to size each other up.”

Sizing each other up.

With just one phrase, Cha Do Ha made the matchmaking seem very casual, and continued with a sardonic smile.

“Here’s a question.”

A hint of playfulness crept in.

“Why would Hanju want to make a biotech agreement with ST?”

And his following answer was quite cruel.

“The answer is because they’re the easiest target.”

She had heard something similar from her father before.

That Hanju had many options besides ST.

But ST only had Hanju as an option.

Cha Do Ha was pointing that out precisely.

“But ST has no choice but Hanju. The situation is so desperate that ST Chemical’s stock price would change immediately if news of this matchmaking gets out.”

Yu Hee’s face turned pale.

Quietly watching her, Cha Do Ha slowly opened his mouth.

“So should I have brought a reporter to the matchmaking meeting?”

Her heart sank.

There are only two reporters she brought in the VIP lounge right now.

They’re just quietly taking photos among the staff, but how did Cha Do Ha…

“From matchmaking to engagement. There are stages to go through, and dozens of conditions to agree on, but you want to make it news already?”

The more Yu Hee froze, the more a smile appeared on Cha Do Ha’s face.

He now seemed to be enjoying the situation a bit.

“Go ahead. Make it tomorrow’s front page news that the three of us had a friendly matchmaking meeting.”

Cha Do Ha raised his left hand onto the table.

His hand was still grasping Seo Yeo Eun’s hand, as if embracing it.

Smiling brightly at Yu Hee, Cha Do Ha continued.

“If you came to size each other up, just do that and go. Don’t use petty tricks.”

Though his tone was sarcastic, his smile was exceedingly sweet.

Sweet enough to make one’s mouth water just by looking at it.

But he didn’t hold that sweet smile for long.

“I only allowed my face to be used for Hanju Group’s promotion.”

Cha Do Ha’s face, with his smile removed, was cold enough to chill one’s heart.

“It’s not public property.”

Then, as if he had said all he needed to, he rose from his seat.

“Let’s go.”

Cha Do Ha’s gaze turned to the woman beside him.

His sharp eyes, which had sunken coldly, softened languidly for just a moment as they took in the woman.

As Cha Do Ha turned to leave like that, Yu Hee called out to stop him.

“Wait a moment.”

What kind of meeting is this.

She couldn’t let Cha Do Ha leave like this, with a desperate heart.

“The engagement… we’ll proceed step by step, right?”

But the answer that came back was ambiguous.

“Well…”

Cha Do Ha answered coldly, slowly shifting his gaze to Seo Yeo Eun, that woman.

“Let’s decide… after seeing what this woman does.”

A faint smile appeared on Cha Do Ha’s lips.

Leaving such an ambiguous answer, Cha Do Ha left the VIP lounge with a quite satisfied look.

Left alone, Yu Hee didn’t hesitate.

Raising her hand to call her secretary, she urgently gave an order.

“Look into the image training center ‘Persona’. And also into Seo Yeo Eun, who’s a trainer there.”

So it’s Seo Yeo Eun, is it?

The cheat key to shake Cha Do Ha.

* * *

Just 15 minutes?

The time Cha Do Ha spent on the matchmaking was only about 15 minutes.

Physically it was a short time, but for Yeo Eun it felt like an extremely long time.

No, from the moment Cha Do Ha took her hand, time seemed to stop completely.

He approached the table where his matchmaking partner was sitting while firmly grasping her hand, and even pulled out the chair for her to sit.

Just when she thought he would let go of her hand, Cha Do Ha grasped it again.

This time more gently and affectionately.

His thumb caressed her hand, which was getting sweaty from nervousness, as if savoring it.

Her fingers kept curling from the ticklish sensation that gave her goosebumps and the heat that felt like it would burn.

Whenever that happened, his hot fingers gently stroked her, leaving Yeo Eun with no choice but to remain still as if frozen.

That’s how she left the matchmaking meeting.

But why was he still holding her hand?

“Please let go.”

Yeo Eun, who had left the VIP lounge without even being able to breathe, only opened her mouth after getting on the elevator.

There was no strength in her hand held by Cha Do Ha.

She couldn’t tell if the tingling sensation was pain or ecstasy.

But she couldn’t look directly at Cha Do Ha’s face either.

[Yeo Eun is perfectly Doha’s type, and Doha will try to possess Yeo Eun. That’s when you tame him.]

Suddenly Cha Hyun’s words came to mind.

What does it mean that he will try to possess her?

How should she tame the raw Cha Do Ha at times like this?

Foolish her was just repeating like a parrot to let go of her hand.

“Sir. Your hand…”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

It was a gentle voice.

But for some reason, he didn’t loosen his grip on her hand at all.

Rather, he pulled her more firmly, drawing her close to him.

Yeo Eun’s balance shifted slightly and she stumbled, bumping into him. Then Cha Do Ha’s other hand grasped her shoulder.

His hand felt hot through her thin blouse.

“Is it uncomfortable that I’m holding your hand…”

The hand on her shoulder pressed down firmly.

“Or is it uncomfortable being with me?”

Startled, Yeo Eun looked up at him, tensing up.

His black eyes were gazing at her, containing a languid heat.

“Which is it?”

Which is it?

Both.

But Yeo Eun, unable to dare answer, just bit her parched lips tightly.

Cha Do Ha’s red lips tilted crookedly.

“At this rate, how will you be able to do the training?”

Though his words were mixed with mockery, his smile was quite gentle.

That’s why it felt more dangerous.

“Seo Yeo Eun, you’re really a troublesome person.”

Cha Do Ha pushed her body against the elevator wall and applied pressure.

Though a cold sensation penetrated her back, that didn’t matter.

Because Cha Do Ha’s body loomed over her as if about to cover her, making her dizzy.

“Do you know why I don’t have female secretaries?”

She could hardly breathe.

Every time she inhaled, her swollen chest was almost touching Cha Do Ha’s body.

“Haven’t you heard the rumors that I go crazy for women?”

She had heard.

“Do you really not know what it means to assign a female dedicated trainer to someone like me?”

She knew that too.

She had received orders to seduce Cha Do Ha and properly tame him.

“Or is even this innocent face part of the plan?”

Yeo Eun remained silent at Cha Do Ha’s question.

She couldn’t judge whether she should say it was planned or not in order to seduce Cha Do Ha in this situation.

How should she seduce him and properly tame him?

Is that even possible?

No, is it even possible for her?

Yeo Eun just looked at Cha Do Ha with an overwhelmed heart as he approached as if about to kiss her, emanating hot energy.

For a moment, Cha Do Ha’s lips came close enough to almost touch her left earlobe.

“I’m curious which side Seo Yeo Eun is on…”

Hot breath moistened her eardrum, raising goosebumps all over her body.

“Really curious.”

His hot lips seemed to touch her earlobe for just a brief moment.

Yeo Eun closed her eyes tightly and hunched her shoulders, shrinking her neck.

She can’t seduce Cha Do Ha with such a foolish appearance.

He’s the scoundrel Cha Do Ha, after all.

Yeo Eun clenched her fists, hiding her trembling hands, and met Cha Do Ha’s gaze.

Flickering eyes, cold smile.

Yeo Eun mimicked Cha Do Ha’s expression, gently curling her lips.

“If you’re curious about that, why don’t we have our fifth meeting at night?”

At her answer, Cha Do Ha’s lips curved into a gentle arc.