Cha Do Ha, who was drinking with an expressionless face, furrowed his brow at a business card.

He didn’t even snort at the news that Kim Hae Ri, officially his lover, was enjoying a secret affair with a man six years younger in the next room, but his reaction to just a business card seemed somewhat dramatic.

“What is it?”

As Kwon Yi Han approached, unable to hide his curiosity, Do Ha quickly snatched the card.

He put down his glass and rose from his seat, asking,

“Where are they?”

“Well, Actor Son Gyu Won…”

At the waiter’s answer, a blue light flashed in his dark eyes.

“Son Gyu Won?”

“Yes. Actor Son Gyu Won took that guest to Special Room 1…”

Before the waiter could finish, Do Ha left the room.

He bumped shoulders with Kim Hae Ri, who was just entering, but paid no mind as he quickly walked away.

“Elder brother!”

Hae Ri’s voice calling him echoed, but he didn’t look back.

The card was clearly Yeo Eun’s, and as he recalled Son Gyu Won berating that woman in front of the Whiskey Bar in Sinsa-dong, his thoughts flew away.

Special Room 1.

A few men who looked like actors were guarding the front.

As Do Ha approached, one of them blocked his way.

“You can’t go in here…”

At that moment, a shrill scream and the sound of something shattering came from inside the room.

Simultaneously, Do Ha grabbed the collar of the man blocking him and knocked him down.

“Move.”

Do Ha forcefully opened the door and slowly walked across the floor of Special Room 1, said to be the most luxurious party room in the Lotus Hotel.

Until he reached the door, he had rushed like a madman as if possessed, but the moment he opened it, his mind cooled.

His heart became calm, and his senses peaceful.

Only one word kept coming and going in his mind.

‘Seo Yeo Eun.’

Stepping carefully on the shattered glass scattered everywhere, Do Ha met Yeo Eun’s gaze.

Cornered by Son Gyu Won, Yeo Eun held a broken bottle in her hand.

It seemed that bottle was the cause of the commotion just now.

Disheveled hair, face red from holding back tears, brown eyes filled with venom, knit hem peeking out from her gray skirt, chest heaving with excitement.

‘She’s still pretty even in this situation.’

As Do Ha curled up one corner of his mouth, thick teardrops rolled down from Yeo Eun’s eyes.

As if that wasn’t enough, her brown eyes, brimming with tears again, trembled gently as they held Do Ha’s gaze.

By now Son Gyu Won should have gotten the hint, but he was still acting like an idiot.

“Who said you could come in? Get out. Get out and just guard the door. Today, I’m going to…”

But he couldn’t finish his sentence.

Because Do Ha had grabbed Son Gyu Won by the hair and smashed his head onto the nearby table.

A few chairs rolled to the side due to Son Gyu Won’s terrible scream and flailing.

“Who the hell are you? You crazy bastard. Let go!”

Son Gyu Won, unable to lift his head due to being pinned down by force, shouted with his eyes rolling wildly.

Do Ha brought his lips close to his ear.

“If you’re stupid, you should at least be quick-witted. You idiot with no brains and no sense.”

Son Gyu Won held his breath at the chilling murderous intent.

“Listen well.”

Only then realizing that the one who had subdued him was Do Ha, Son Gyu Won stiffened and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Didn’t I already kindly inform you who that woman belongs to? Do I need to smash your head that only serves as decoration to make you understand?”

Son Gyu Won’s shoulders trembled at the voice, cold enough to give one goosebumps.

Pressing down on him even more, Do Ha quietly opened his mouth.

“If you’ve understood even now, answer.”

“Y-yes, yes.”

As Son Gyu Won answered, almost whimpering, unable to lift his eyelids, Do Ha released his grip on his hair.

Then Do Ha’s gaze fell on Yeo Eun, who was trembling against the wall.

The hand holding the bottle was shaking like an aspen leaf.

Cha Do Ha, who had come close, grasped the bottle in her hand, but Yeo Eun couldn’t let go.

“Relax your hand. You’ll get hurt.”

Eventually, Cha Do Ha’s hand gently enveloped her pale hand and patted it.

“You’re more high-maintenance than I expected, Seo Yeo Eun.”

As Cha Do Ha slowly stroked the back of her hand, saying it was okay, the strength finally left her hand.

The bottle was then handed over to Cha Do Ha.

At that moment, feeling a throbbing pain, Yeo Eun clenched her palm.

Cha Do Ha clicked his tongue briefly.

“You’ve cut yourself.”

It seems the wound was from when she broke the bottle against the wall earlier.

Red blood covered her palm, but she hadn’t even felt the pain until now.

Cha Do Ha’s eyes twisted dryly as he lifted her hand to examine the wound.

“I was just going to leave, but.”

Though it was just a shapeless voice, it felt like a well-honed knife sharpening its blade.

Cha Do Ha, gently holding her blood-soaked hand, looked back.

“Director Kwon.”

Soon, a presence was felt.

“There’s a hidden CCTV here, right? Secure that and call Attorney Choi. File a complaint against that bastard for attempted rape and assault.”

“Are you hurt?”

A man who suddenly invaded Yeo Eun’s view looked alternately at her face and hand.

Then he furrowed his brow.

“You’re hurt? Our pretty spy?”

“Stop talking nonsense and make the call first. And get a first aid kit here…”

Just then, another voice interrupted.

“Why a first aid kit? Who’s hurt? Oh my… Did Son Gyu Won cause trouble again?”

It was a voice that no Korean citizen could fail to recognize.

Known as the 30-second queen, she had no less than seven commercials under her belt.

Those seven commercials decorated TV and radio every hour.

Kim Hae Ri, the nation’s goddess, suddenly entered the view that had been blocked by Cha Do Ha and the man called Director Kwon.

“Oh my, did you cut your hand? Did Son Gyu Won do this?”

Kim Hae Ri also looked alternately at Yeo Eun’s face and hand, then frowned.

Behind Kim Hae Ri, Son Gyu Won’s sobbing voice was heard.

“It wasn’t me this time. That woman tried to kill me by swinging the bottle…”

“You, just shut up. Did anyone ask you?”

Kim Hae Ri turned around and snapped at Son Gyu Won, then stared at Cha Do Ha, who was still holding Yeo Eun’s hand tightly.

“Elder brother.”

She called Cha Do Ha and gestured at his hand.

“How should I take this?”

Realizing what Kim Hae Ri was pointing at, Yeo Eun twisted her hand awkwardly. But Cha Do Ha didn’t easily let go.

“What’s there for you to take? Go get the first aid kit.”

At Cha Do Ha’s cold and indifferent voice, Kim Hae Ri glared sharply.

Then she finally separated Cha Do Ha’s hand from Yeo Eun.

“Come with me. I’ll treat you.”

Kim Hae Ri linked arms with Yeo Eun and carefully opened her mouth while examining her closely.

“…Seo Yeo Eun.”

Yeo Eun looked at Kim Hae Ri with surprised eyes, as she knew her name without being introduced.

Kim Hae Ri’s large eyes crinkled into half-moons.

It was also a smile that looked somewhat lewd.

“Right?”

“Noisy.”

Cha Do Ha immediately interrupted.

He pushed Kim Hae Ri’s head with his fingertips, separating her from Yeo Eun, and called Director Kwon again.

“Clean up here, including Kim Hae Ri. Be careful not to let any word get out.”

“Yes, understood, Boss.”

Cha Do Ha snorted at the crisp response and turned to Son Gyu Won.

“Deal with that bastard properly.”

“I’ll leave him half-dead.”

“And shut Kim Hae Ri’s mouth too.”

“Don’t worry about that either.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Cha Do Ha bent down to pick up Yeo Eun’s bag from the floor and took her hand again.

“Let’s get out of here, high-maintenance Seo Yeo Eun.”

Then he pulled her out of the party room.

Until then, she was dazed about what had happened.

Aside from Son Gyu Won’s atrocity, there was Cha Do Ha who suddenly appeared and subdued Son Gyu Won, the man he commanded like a limb, and even Kim Hae Ri.

Wait, Kim Hae Ri?

She only came to her senses when they reached the elevator.

“W-wait a moment, Director.”

She had no sense of reality.

Not only Kim Hae Ri, but even the man with her knew of her existence.

From what she overheard, he called her a ‘spy’, so it seemed they didn’t think well of her. Perhaps Cha Do Ha had introduced her as Cha Hyun’s spy sent to monitor him.

Moreover, Kim Hae Ri knew her name accurately.

It meant she was that much of an irritating presence, but saving her and even trying to treat her was kind, though it didn’t seem like something to do in front of Kim Hae Ri.

If things went wrong, she might need to persuade Kim Hae Ri to move Cha Do Ha, but if she antagonized her like this…

Yeo Eun twisted her wrist to free her hand from Cha Do Ha and turned her gaze towards the party room as she spoke.

“If you leave such a misunderstanding with Kim Hae Ri.”

“Kim Hae Ri doesn’t misunderstand over things like this.”

There was no particular emotion in Cha Do Ha’s voice.

No sign of worry that his lover might misunderstand, nor the typical playboy’s air of enjoyment.

Kim Hae Ri’s reaction just now was jealousy that a lover might naturally show, but Cha Do Ha was just indifferent. With the certainty that she would absolutely not misunderstand.

Maybe he trusted Kim Hae Ri that much.

Perhaps their relationship was more tightly bound than she had expected.

“Still, she seemed upset, so after calming her down for a moment…”

“You’re quite noisy, chattering away.”

A cold smile played at the corners of Cha Do Ha’s lips.

“As far as I know, Seo Yeo Eun’s job was to remove Kim Hae Ri. Am I wrong?”

Once again, there was no emotion in his voice.

No sarcasm, no mockery, not even reproach.

He simply listlessly stated the related facts.

If anything, it was Yeo Eun who felt flustered and embarrassed at having her secret exposed.

Perhaps this is what they mean by feeling one’s face burn.

She was also a little afraid of Cha Do Ha, who seemed to know about the mission message she had received from Cha Hyun, as if he had read it.

“Th-that…”

As she hesitated, unable to even find an excuse, Cha Do Ha cut her off.

“You’ve removed her, haven’t you? That’s enough.”

The elevator that had just arrived opened its doors, emitting a bright light.

“Let’s go.”

With that, Cha Do Ha took Yeo Eun into the elevator and showed her a room key from his pocket.

Then his finger pressed the P button, indicating the penthouse.