A brick-colored flare skirt with a cream-colored twin knit.

Long hair softly covering the shoulders and tiny earrings on the earlobes.

Even with a brief glance, Yeo Eun’s appearance was etched in his eyes.

Today, too, as she bowed her head with a calm face, there was no lingering feeling from last night.

Perhaps that’s why he felt even more thirsty.

He entered the office and stood in front of the desk, unbuttoning his suit.

As he put down his mobile phone, two files caught his eye.

“Speech?”

One was the speech prepared by the PR department for Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony.

The other was the revised version of that speech.

Lines were highlighted with fluorescent markers, and detailed reasons for the modifications were noted.

It seemed to be Seo Yeo Eun’s work.

At that moment, there were two knocks on the door.

“Come in.”

As permission was granted, the door opened silently, and Yeo Eun entered.

Closing the door behind her, she bowed her head and greeted quietly.

“You called for me?”

Of course she came because he called.

If only she would come without being called.

“Come over here.”

As Do Ha gestured, Yeo Eun slowly approached the desk.

He observed her intently.

As he watched Yeo Eun approach silently, he felt as if a spring breeze was gently blowing.

It was quite a silly sentiment to feel on a deepening autumn day, but it seemed as if flower scent was seeping in.

Seo Yeo Eun’s appearance reminded him of a delicate wildflower blooming in a spring field.

Narrow shoulders, slender waist, thin legs.

As Do Ha carefully scanned Yeo Eun’s appearance, a slight crease formed between his brows.

It was because a dull sensation arose as he recalled how she received him with that narrow body.

It was truly an impure sensation to feel in his office early in the morning.

For a moment, irritation surged.

He was like this just remembering that moment, but there wasn’t even a hint of emotion on Yeo Eun’s face.

She just had a clear and calm face, doing her job.

Yeo Eun, who had stopped right in front of the desk, quietly met his gaze.

Looking at her with an indifferent face, Do Ha opened his mouth.

“Did you revise the speech?”

At his question, Yeo Eun nodded slightly, her cheeks flushing.

“Yes, it was a sufficiently good speech, but it seemed somewhat unsuitable for the Director…”

“Do it as is?”

He hadn’t even read the speech.

Although wearing the shell of Hanju Bio, the core was Youngdo Pharmaceuticals.

A speech mentioning Hanju’s spirit in such a place, he didn’t like it.

Passing the speech to Yeo Eun was merely an excuse for his action of visiting her house that day without any reason.

But this diligent woman read and reread that speech, creating something new.

Something that could catch two rabbits at once.

“Yes. If you give this speech, both the Chairman and the Youngdo Pharmaceutical researchers… you can satisfy everyone.”

A brilliant light entered her dark brown eyes as she clearly expressed her thoughts.

“Of course, you might not like the color of Hanju Group showing at the groundbreaking ceremony, but to win the succession battle, you need to embrace Hanju Group as well.”

Many important figures from Hanju Group were invited to that place that day.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Economy, the Minister of Science and Technology, and even local members of parliament are expected to attend.

Yeo Eun was telling him to perform in front of such people.

A masterful performance that could captivate everyone’s hearts.

“It won’t be difficult for you. I will direct the situation.”

She was said to be the industry’s best, very competent image consultant, and it seems that wasn’t wrong.

He thought she was just trying to change the visible image, but she touched the speech itself.

In that short time, she not only properly grasped the situation but also modified it almost perfectly to fit his situation.

The intention was to fundamentally shake up the situation.

And this woman had the ability to do so.

“So I should just follow without question?”

“Yes.”

At her resolute answer, Do Ha twisted his lips crookedly.

It was absolutely correct, but he felt spiteful.

Because this woman, who only sparkled her eyes at work talk, was annoying.

“Why should I?”

At his casually thrown question, Yeo Eun bit the end of her lip tightly.

The dark brown eyes that had been tense wavered confusedly, and her lips repeatedly moved, searching for an answer.

Looking at her intently, Do Ha crafted an even more crooked voice.

“I don’t care about Hanju Group, and I have no intention of inheriting that damn spirit?”

With each word added, Yeo Eun’s dark brown eyes filled with more difficulty.

Finding even that appearance not unpleasant, Do Ha continued his mischievous questioning.

“Who am I supposed to put on such an act for?”

It was amusing to throw difficult questions and wait for Yeo Eun’s answers.

He would pretend to give in and follow Yeo Eun’s wishes no matter what answer she gave, yet he was pressuring her like this, it was even childish.

To such a him, Yeo Eun gave a somewhat unexpected answer.

“For me… can’t you do it for me?”

“For Seo Yeo Eun?”

“Yes.”

He thought she would give a long lecture about the future of the group and the benefits he would gain, but it was truly an unexpected answer.

To do it for her.

“I think I can ask for this much.”

At Yeo Eun’s answer, the corners of Do Ha’s mouth curved secretly.

“Why? As payment for last night?”

“Yes.”

Looking at Yeo Eun answering without hesitation, Do Ha finally laughed out loud.

What an audacious woman.

Judging by her expression, it’s as if she had erased last night’s events from her memory, so clean.

Yet she demands everything she can from him using last night as an excuse.

In other words, the night spent with him was just business for her?

Completely withdrawing the laughter he had been letting out, Do Ha nodded.

“That’s right. The price of the night should be paid properly.”

It wasn’t a bad relationship.

“Right, Ms. Seo Yeo Eun.”

As satisfying as the night was, there should be at least one excuse to keep Yeo Eun by his side.

“I’ll do as you say.”

It means that at least it’s not a relationship to end as a one-time thing.

Smiling, Do Ha tapped the speech Yeo Eun had prepared and looked up at her again.

“Seo Yeo Eun’s food, alcohol, coffee, they were all delicious.”

At his compliment, a red flush slowly spread down to below her earlobes.

Unable to take his eyes off how seductive that was, Do Ha reached out and gently grasped Yeo Eun’s hand.

As he lightly pulled, Yeo Eun came along easily, bumping into him as she let out a soft breath.

The sweet smell of flesh once again stimulated his senses.

Pressing his body close to her, Do Ha looked down and slowly uttered what he really wanted to say.

“You were delicious too.”

Without moving away from him or avoiding his gaze, Yeo Eun looked up at him and quietly replied.

“You too, Director.”

Her dark brown eyes wavered seductively.

“You were delicious.”

At that one line, Do Ha’s lips curved languidly.

It was a satisfying answer that made him want to kiss her.

But he couldn’t.

If he kissed her, he felt like he would take this woman right here in the office early in the morning, with employees waiting outside.

“I want to have lunch together, but I have an appointment today.”

Soothing his regret, Do Ha let go of Yeo Eun and flipped through his schedule as he continued speaking.

“Shall we meet for dinner?”

As Do Ha scanned his schedule for the day, his brow furrowed slightly.

“Other than that, I’m too busy to practice acting.”

At his words, Yeo Eun quietly nodded.

“Yes. I’ll help you practice in the evening.”

“I’ll memorize the speech by then.”

“Thank you.”

As she bowed her head in gratitude, Do Ha curled one corner of his mouth coldly.

“I’m the one who should be thankful.”

She must know what it means to meet in the evening.

Seo Yeo Eun was truly an easy woman.

So easy it was disheartening, yet difficult because of that – that kind of woman.

“You can go now.”

At his brief command, Yeo Eun bowed her head once more and silently left his space.

* * *

[You were delicious too.]

Cha Do Ha’s voice echoed in her ears.

Delicious, he said.

His voice was so sensual when he said those words, it sent a shiver down her spine.

That’s why she returned the answer with the same texture.

Because she didn’t want him to discover her bad sensibilities.

Biting her lower lip tightly, Yeo Eun tried to shake off the afterimage of Cha Do Ha as she stepped onto the stone steps of the grand hanok’s main hall.

It was around 11 o’clock earlier.

She had received a message from Director Gong along with the address of this place.

It’s a high-class restaurant where you can’t even enter the parking lot without a reservation.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop, befitting the head of Hanju Group, seemed to have rented out this entire annex.

The annex, surrounded by strangely bent pine trees, was quaint and traditional.

As she climbed onto the main hall, listening to the sound of wind blowing through the pine trees, a woman dressed in a beautiful hanbok appeared silently to guide her.

Following quietly behind the woman, Yeo Eun tried to calm her pounding heart.

A private meal with Chairman Cha Ji Seop – if she hadn’t taken a calming pill, she might have fainted as soon as she got out of the taxi.

[You must not tell Director Cha Do Ha about this. The same goes for Curator Cha Hyun. This should be considered a secret meeting between the Chairman and Team Leader Seo Yeo Eun.]

That’s what Director Gong had said yesterday when setting up the dinner appointment.

Neither Cha Do Ha nor Cha Hyun should know that Yeo Eun was having a private meeting with Chairman Cha Ji Seop.

So she had worried about what to say if Cha Do Ha asked to have lunch together.

Fortunately, Cha Do Ha had a prior engagement and left first, so she was able to come here without being discovered by anyone.

“It’s here.”

The woman guiding Yeo Eun pointed to a room with luxurious black wooden lattice doors.

Then the door opened, and Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s face appeared.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop, who had arrived first and started eating, smiled when he saw Yeo Eun.

“Welcome, Team Leader Seo. This old man was hungry and started eating first, so please understand.”

“No, it’s because I’m late…”

“You must have had to wait until that boy Do Ha left. Sit down, quickly.”

Although he was smiling warmly, Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s eyes were very sharp.

A tense atmosphere flowed over the table as if he was carefully observing even Yeo Eun’s breathing, trying to gauge her thoughts.

Yeo Eun calmly dealt with Chairman Cha Ji Seop and quietly continued her meal.

She needed to find out why Chairman Cha Ji Seop had called her here secretly like this.

After quite some time.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop, who had been continuing casual conversation with a kind face, finally revealed his true intentions.

“Team Leader Seo, your mother’s surgery seems to be scheduled for mid to late November.”

Yeo Eun, who was drinking the sujeonggwa served as dessert, opened her eyes wide.

She had thought the surgery would be at the end of December at the earliest, as she was told it would be at the end of this year at the soonest.

But now it was mid to late next month.

Feeling bewildered, Yeo Eun’s hand trembled, spilling a little sujeonggwa.

Looking at that sight coldly, Chairman Cha Ji Seop smiled and continued speaking.

“Dr. Park, the surgeon, has many overseas surgery schedules in December, so he asked to schedule it a bit earlier.”

At that moment, a cold premonition settled inside her chest.

She thought there must be some grand reason for Chairman Cha Ji Seop to personally take care of Sojung’s surgery.

“Do you know what this means?”

But she hadn’t thought it would be for this reason.

“It means Do Ha’s engagement date has been set for around that time.”