Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s expression grew increasingly displeased as he received a report about what had happened at the HJ Hotel VIP lounge today.

Even Secretary General Gong Hyun Soo, who has been assisting Chairman Cha Ji Seop for 25 years now, flinches at moments like these.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop waved his hand, looking at Secretary Gong with a crooked gaze.

“Continue.”

Secretary Gong carefully observed Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s deeply furrowed brow before speaking again.

“The ST Group young lady brought two reporters, from Jinil Ilbo and Haesin Ilbo.”

“How dare she bring reporters to a matchmaking meeting. That youngster is so impertinent.”

Even if the matchmaking is just a formality and the initial gateway towards an already determined goal, there should still be some boundaries maintained between the parties.

Bluntly speaking, the “product” presented at a matchmaking meeting could be the worst, so both sides should leave room to back out.

But to have prepared reporters to prevent that, it’s not just a little impertinent.

As Chairman Cha Ji Seop made no effort to hide his discomfort, Cha Hyun, standing behind him, quietly added:

“It shows how desperate ST is. They need to grab onto something no matter what.”

Cha Hyun gently patted her father’s shoulder and looked at Secretary Gong.

“So Do Ha knew this in advance and took Seo Yeo Eun with him, right?”

“Yes. According to the secretary’s office staff who was sent there…”

Secretary Gong nodded and displayed a few photos on the wall of the chairman’s office.

“He reportedly said something like: ‘If you want to take pictures, go ahead. Let’s all three of us appear in the article together nicely.'”

Every moment from when Do Ha entered the VIP lounge until he left was displayed on the wall.

Then Chairman Cha Ji Seop raised his voice angrily.

“That fool is crazy too.”

The chairman’s gaze lingered on Do Ha’s face as he entered the VIP lounge, tightly holding the hand of the image trainer.

His handsome face bore a smile rarely seen on it.

“Where does he think he is, bringing a woman along. And holding her hand like that too.”

Somehow, an unpleasant feeling tickled the back of his neck.

But Cha Hyun maintained her composure, only smiling faintly.

“Yeo Eun seems quite shocked. Her expression is completely frozen.”

Chairman Cha Ji Seop was displeased with Cha Hyun’s reaction.

“Do you want to take that woman’s side?”

Even though some worthless woman of unknown origin had intruded on the matchmaking scene?

It was truly a mess, to put it mildly.

The side that brought reporters to try to make the marriage happen might actually be more normal; where in the world would you find someone bringing a woman to a matchmaking meeting?

“I put her there based on your word, but what on earth is this? It’s so embarrassing, really.”

As Chairman Cha Ji Seop frowned and groaned, Cha Hyun gently smiled and pressed down on his shoulder.

“Yeo Eun called me. So I told her to go. The goal was to have him attend the matchmaking first, wasn’t it? If not for this, there would have been an even bigger problem, Father.”

It wasn’t wrong.

From the moment he agreed to go to the matchmaking, it was ominous.

It was obvious how Do Ha, who never just goes along quietly like In Woo, would act.

“What if he had taken Kim Hae Ri to that meeting? What would have happened?”

Chairman Cha Ji Seop had to agree with Cha Hyun’s words.

The worst case scenario he had imagined was Kim Hae Ri showing up at the matchmaking meeting.

“So it’s fortunate that Yeo Eun went along.”

That’s right.

Since she has the title of image trainer, there’s at least something to explain away if misunderstandings arise.

At those words, Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s voice softened a bit.

“Then she should have just gone along. What is this, what is this.”

Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s finger pointed at his grandson who was tightly holding Yeo Eun’s hand.

In the photo, Do Ha was properly interlocking fingers and smiling brightly.

“Bringing another woman in front of the woman who’s supposed to become his wife, he looks absolutely thrilled.”

He was told to shed his playboy and rascal image, but instead he proved it at the matchmaking meeting.

If the ST Group’s second daughter or the reporters who were there start running their mouths, his image will plummet even further, tangled up with his womanizing father.

“Don’t you know how fatal a flaw this is for a leader who’s supposed to guide an entire group?”

“Don’t worry. Image is what you make of it. That’s why we have experts.”

Cha Hyun dismissed Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s concerns with one statement.

“Seo Yeo Eun is fundamentally different from the other women Do Ha has been involved with. She’s a professional who clearly knows what her job is and acts accordingly.”

From the beginning, Cha Hyun emphasized this point.

That unlike other women who are desperate to cling to Do Ha, Seo Yeo Eun wouldn’t be like that.

That she’s someone who can capture Do Ha’s heart better than anyone, but she’s not a fool who would become miserable by giving her own heart to Do Ha.

Rather, she’s a woman who can sacrifice even her own emotions for the sake of the goal.

“Now that Do Ha has started to let such a professional get close, I don’t think there will be any problems. Soon, the dynamic we want will be created.”

At the words “the dynamic we want,” Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s expression softened a bit.

A state where he cleanly cuts ties with the women hovering around him, including Kim Hae Ri, and quietly accepts a political marriage.

If they could just get Do Ha into such a state, this level of issue was something that could be tolerated.

“Well, if it turns out that way…”

As his words trailed off, Cha Hyun quietly smiled.

Then she walked around the sofa towards the wall where the photos were displayed.

“Just one thing I’d like to ask.”

Cha Hyun tapped the face of the ST Group’s second daughter with her fingertip.

“This child, the one who’s supposed to become Do Ha’s wife. Don’t conclude that so definitively.”

A thin vertical line appeared between Cha Hyun’s brows as her lips tightened.

“I don’t like her very much.”

Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s gaze also fell on the ST Group’s second daughter.

She’s not an ugly face. According to the documents, she’s had some work done on her eyes and nose.

Since her mother was a former movie actress, she has decent basic features. Add a little help from medicine, and she’s not unbearable to look at.

She’s quite intelligent and well-educated, with a good academic background.

Her role in the company is said to be better than her older brother’s.

Perhaps that’s why she exudes a confident and intellectual aura that fits the recent trends.

This level is not a bad picture to place beside Do Ha. The dowry she would bring was also quite appealing.

But Cha Hyun has been reluctant about this marriage from the beginning.

“What is it about her that you dislike so much?”

“It’s unpleasant enough that they’re weighing options for Do Ha, but reporters? It’s not just impertinent, it’s fearless.”

“I don’t see that point as entirely bad. The girl has ambition, doesn’t she?”

While Chairman Cha Ji Seop was also displeased about bringing reporters, the passion to achieve what one wants was something to be highly regarded.

“Having ambition is…”

“To be Do Ha’s match, is that something possible with just ambition?”

Cha Hyun sneered coldly, scanning the face of the ST Group’s second daughter with a sarcastic gaze.

“Not a chance, Father. We’re talking about Do Ha, not just anyone.”

Cha Hyun has been devoted to her twin brother, Cha Kang, since childhood.

That devotion has been fully transferred to the only son her brother bore.

Do Ha is the only child Cha Hyun, who cannot bear children, has ever given her affection to.

It was somewhat pitiful.

“You’ll see. Your sister-in-law won’t like her either.”

At the mention of “sister-in-law,” Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s lips tightened firmly.

The sister-in-law Cha Hyun refers to is Mi Hee, Do Ha’s mother and Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s second daughter-in-law.

Knowing full well how uncomfortable that existence makes Chairman Cha Ji Seop feel, she deliberately brought it up.

It’s a threat not to treat Do Ha carelessly, if only because of the guilt towards Mi Hee.

As Cha Hyun smiled brightly, Chairman Cha Ji Seop cleared his throat and turned his head.

“It’s business. Your sister-in-law has no say in this matter.”

Looking at the chairman who couldn’t hide his discomfort, Cha Hyun spoke as if admonishing him.

“It’s about her son, why can’t she have a say? You should let go of such thoughts too, Chairman.”

“Enough.”

Not wanting to listen to Cha Hyun’s nagging any longer, Chairman Cha Ji Seop turned his gaze to the photos and changed the subject.

“Tell that precious trainer girl of yours to bring Do Ha to next Wednesday’s event. Let’s see her ability.”

“It seems her ability was already shown by getting him to come to the matchmaking meeting, doesn’t it?”

“Is that the girl’s ability? It’s that Do Ha boy who used the trainer.”

Of course, he knows that’s not all there is to it.

If they had sent someone else, even a hundred people, something like this wouldn’t have happened.

If he had brought Kim Hae Ri, it would have made the matchmaking scene very noisy.

The ST side probably wouldn’t have been able to let it go quietly either.

So this is indeed the merit of that Seo Yeo Eun girl.

It seems the ST second daughter has also quietly accepted this situation.

The problem is how long Do Ha will endure.

“True ability is making Do Ha show up at family events.”

Chairman Cha Ji Seop quietly pressured Cha Hyun while taking in the image of the beautiful woman in the photo.

“Tell her if she disappoints, there won’t be a next chance. And that she’ll have nowhere left to stand in that industry either.”

* * *

I don’t know how many times it’s been already.

As if Cha Do Ha has taken up residence in my eardrum, his last words echo in my ears moment by moment.

Until the elevator doors open.

So even though four days have passed, I still feel that sticky air that trapped me in our private space brushing against my skin.

It’s strange to feel a vague sense of guilt for recalling Cha Do Ha moment by moment like this.

The contract condition to seduce Cha Do Ha, to subtly fall for his seduction, but never to give my heart – walking a tightrope on that condition.

My heart performing this precarious balancing act feels pitiful.

I’ve told myself dozens of times that this isn’t right, and tried to immerse myself in other work to shake off these thoughts, but it’s been useless.

Even with just a little free time, no, even without any free time, Cha Do Ha mercilessly invades my daily life.

Goosebumps rise all over my body as I relive the sensation of his hot lips slowly consuming mine and his long, smooth fingers intertwining with my own.

It’s the same even now.

Even now as I’m here to support another trainer’s work, my mind is completely filled with Cha Do Ha.

“Hey, are you waiting for a call or something?”