‘Not L but P?’

Seo Yeo Eun turned to look at Cha Do Ha after seeing the penthouse button light up instead of the lobby lounge.

At that, Cha Do Ha’s smile deepened slightly.

“Why? You know the meaning of the fifth meeting, Seo Yeo Eun.”

He raised his hand and gently touched the tip of her chin.

A faint heat subtly spread through his previously unfeeling black eyes.

At that sight, she involuntarily swallowed hard.

“Of course, Seo Yeo Eun’s purpose was elsewhere.”

For a moment, a sharp light flashed in his eyes and a cold blue color lurked.

The hand lightly touching below her chin tightened as Cha Do Ha gripped her jaw more firmly.

“To take me there.”

Seo Yeo Eun’s eyes trembled delicately as she looked up at Cha Do Ha.

It seems Cha Do Ha knew why she came here from the beginning.

No, he knew that and called her here from the start.

“Try making a different effort, Seo Yeo Eun. Since you’re the one who asked to meet at night.”

A different effort.

She couldn’t help but know what kind of different effort he wanted.

After all, she responded to his call to try that too.

Even going so far as to change clothes dozens of times in front of the mirror.

But not now.

“Later.”

Without avoiding Cha Do Ha’s gaze, Seo Yeo Eun quietly answered in a trembling voice.

“You need to go to the main house in Itaewon now.”

It took some time to realize, but she finally learned the basic rules of this project.

Her sordid life and Cha Do Ha’s life like a poorly forged knife.

This is a trap made by mixing terrible threats and dramatic devices to fill each other’s needs and supplies between two lives. It’s also a play.

“Please help me.”

Her role there was probably like cheese placed in a trap or adhesive tape hidden invisibly inside fancy packaging.

It’s really a cowardly and trivial role that she wants to quit, but she has too much to lose to dare to quit.

“I’ll live if the Director goes there.”

Once she realized her situation, it became clear.

Cha Hyun’s intention of intricately entangling her, who didn’t dare to even think of possessing Cha Do Ha, with Cha Do Ha, who didn’t set his heart on frivolous things.

The hidden meaning of using any means necessary and what Cha Hyun called the beauty strategy.

And that in the end, she would have no choice but to do as Cha Hyun intended.

“Please save me. Then I’ll do what you want, Director.”

Suddenly, Cha Do Ha’s hand left her chin and dug under her ear.

“Knowing what I want.”

With a languid voice and the thrown heat, the fine hairs along her nape stood on end.

Trembling slightly at that tingling sensation, Seo Yeo Eun quietly whispered without rejecting his hand.

“Whatever it is…”

The fourth day of October.

The area around her nape where Cha Do Ha burrowed in felt cool in the somewhat chilly air.

But ridiculously, her body was becoming hotter than ever before.

“I’ll do it. So…”

She couldn’t continue.

Because Cha Do Ha’s lips approached, casting a shadow.

She felt the dryness of October on his lips.

* * *

The area around Itaewon-dong, where the chairman’s residence of Hanju Group is located, was bustling.

It was because the autumn party, which is also an annual event for the Hanju Group family, was being held very grandly.

In the first week of October, new grains arrive from Hanju family’s private farms across the country.

Then Chairman Cha Ji Seop would invariably gather the family and relatives to hold a garden party in the garden.

This time was also around the anniversary of his late wife’s passing, so perhaps he planned an even more splendid party.

The autumn party, which grew in scale year after year, was at its best this year.

Chefs from the HJ Hotel’s food service department were grilling meat under white tents, and quartet performers were playing chamber music.

Alcohol and food overflowed, and laughter could be heard everywhere, spilling over the walls.

But the face of Chairman Cha Ji Seop, the actual host of the party, was not very happy.

“Still no news from that guy?”

Chairman Cha Ji Seop, who said a word to Cha Hyun standing by his side, checked the time.

He had clearly said to bring him by 9 o’clock at the latest, but there was still no sign after 30 minutes.

He had told the guests that Do Ha would come today, but now it seemed he had spoken empty words.

Chairman Jin of ST Group had been asking since earlier if it was really true that Do Ha was coming.

“Make a call. To that Seo Yeo Eun or whoever.”

Do Ha wouldn’t answer the phone anyway.

It was his habit to turn off his phone on days when there were family events.

“The Jin family has another event today, but they’ve been waiting all this time saying they want to see Do Ha’s face once before leaving.”

“Please wait a little longer. How easy do you think it is to separate Kim Hae Ri?”

Cha Hyun, who soothed Chairman Cha Ji Seop in a calm voice, looked towards the main gate.

He was already anxious too.

According to reports received through other routes, they had left the party room an hour ago.

It was also said that Do Ha moved without much resistance, however they persuaded him.

But why isn’t he coming?

Cha Hyun, trying hard to hide his anxiety, looked at Do Ha’s half-brother, Hyun Oh, who was running around in the middle of the lawn garden.

Six years old this year.

A posthumous child born after his father’s death.

A child he wants to deny as not being Cha Kang’s child, but who looks exactly like his great-grandfather who passed away, making it impossible to deny that he’s of this family’s bloodline.

Cha Hyun’s expression hardened coldly as he looked at Hyun Oh.

Even though Cha Kang’s blood flows in Hyun Oh as well, he somehow can’t feel any affection.

It’s probably because that child’s existence is pushing Do Ha away.

As Cha Hyun was looking at the child bitterly, In Woo approached him.

“Stop hating him. Do Ha and Hyun Oh are both of the same uncle’s bloodline.”

The same? Who says.

Cha Hyun snorted and said a word to In Woo.

“You stop too. Why do you keep sticking around him? What about your fiancée?”

If someone sees, they’ll think you’re his father.

In Woo smiled brightly at her words.

“Should I really become Hyun Oh’s father? He’s so cute.”

In Woo, who looks gentle but is more cunning than anyone.

For such an In Woo to make this kind of nonsensical joke, a laugh escaped involuntarily.

“Stop it. If you say things like that, you’ll get your engagement broken off.”

“Is that so?”

In Woo, who chuckled at Cha Hyun’s words, turned his head towards the main gate.

“By the way, Do Ha is late. Did that trainer lady fail to persuade Do Ha…”

Suddenly, In Woo cut off his words.

In Woo’s expression, which had been wearing a bright smile all over his face, suddenly hardened.

His eyes narrowed and vertical lines appeared between his brows.

“Could it be… that lady?”

As Cha Hyun listened to In Woo’s words continuing slowly, she also turned her head.

The parking lot area was bustling, so it seemed Do Ha had arrived.

Do Ha, dressed in a semi-formal suit without a tie, was greeting the CEO of Hanju Bio with an excessively sleek smile.

Next, he shakes hands with the CEO of HJ Hotel.

“I told her to dress up nicely and bring him.”

Cha Hyun muttered, looking at Seo Yeo Eun standing stiffly by Do Ha’s side.

“But she brought him, so I should praise her.”

In Woo asked Cha Hyun again, who was watching Do Ha with a faint smile.

“Is that lady the one from that time?”

In Woo’s gaze had been on Seo Yeo Eun since earlier.

Seo Yeo Eun, the image trainer he saw at HJ Gallery on the day of the in-house magazine cover shoot.

She had a pretty face, but her stiff expression and attitude full of wariness reminded him of a hedgehog.

But now she felt like a completely different person from back then.

“Is it because she took off her glasses…”

“Cut off your interest, Cha In Woo.”

Cha Hyun coldly warned In Woo.

“She’s a child I attached to Do Ha.”

And also a child I cherish.

Cha Hyun, who quietly added, looked sharply at In Woo.

Then she stepped closer and whispered quietly.

“If you need a woman other than your fiancée, tell me too. I’ll get you one.”

Cha Hyun, who subtly informed him of what that woman’s use was, warned with a meaningful look.

“I’m saying it’s not her.”

Cha Hyun lightly pushed In Woo’s chest with her index finger.

Just then, Seo Yeo Eun met Cha Hyun’s gaze and quietly bowed her head.

Cha Hyun smiled brightly at her and beckoned Seo Yeo Eun with a flick of her finger.

“So don’t cause any disturbance. You just focus on playing the role of the good grandson. One troublemaker in Do Ha is more than enough.”

Understand?

Cha Hyun’s eyes were cold as she looked at In Woo.

* * *

The second kiss with Cha Do Ha was longer and deeper than the first.

But this time too, it didn’t have any deep meaning.

It was nothing more than a playboy man clearly expressing his intentions to a woman he’s sexually attracted to.

Clearly it had no other meaning.

Yet Seo Yeo Eun’s heart was burning like mad.

[Do you still intend to be loyal to Cha Hyun?]

That’s what he said after deeply penetrating and messing everything up inside her, as he pulled his lips away.

[Going when told to go, coming when told to come?]

Looking at her panting heavily from just one kiss as if it was amusing, he continued speaking.

[Are you going to tell her about kissing me too? That this is the second time?]

Seo Yeo Eun shook her head.

She couldn’t even tell about the first time, let alone the second.

[I’m not satisfied with just your lips. Will that be okay?]

His hand dug inside her disheveled knit, lewdly caressing her bare skin.

Gripping her more tightly as she held her breath, he opened his mouth again.

[Becoming my image trainer means this, will that be okay?]

Tears welled up in the corners of Seo Yeo Eun’s eyes.

She couldn’t speak because the answer to his question was too obvious.

If she asserted her pride, it would be no.

The answer her heart was uttering was yes.

And her body did not follow her pride, but followed her heart.

Cha Do Ha, who instantly perceived this, smiled wickedly and removed his hand from her body.

[Let’s have some fun today, Seo Yeo Eun.]

As the first step to having fun, Cha Do Ha willingly set foot in his family home.

But for Seo Yeo Eun, Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s mansion of Hanju Group was just heavy and frightening.

From the stares of the people she had only seen on the front pages of news and economic papers, everything felt prickly.

“Stay until it’s over. I need to collect on what you said you’d do, anything.”

Cha Do Ha whispered quietly in her ear before being dragged away by the CEO of Hanju Bio, but the heavy fear did not disappear.

It might be because of the oppressive atmosphere of the place. The existence of chaebol, which she had never thought of as scary before, now felt only frightening.

In such a place, Cha Hyun waving at her felt like a savior.

As she gently smiled and bowed her head, Cha Hyun gestured for her to come over.

Seo Yeo Eun glanced back at Cha Do Ha, who was still talking with other people, before moving towards where Cha Hyun was.

But she had to stop after just a few steps.

“We meet here, Seo Yeo Eun?”

ST Group’s second daughter, Cha Do Ha’s arranged marriage partner.

Jin Yu Hee, who could officially covet Cha Do Ha, blocked her path.