A Bad, Bad Act (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13

That didn’t mean the chill had completely gone away.

For several days after that incident, Yeo Eun had to battle a harsh cold.

“Do you have a cold?”

Ji Soo asked Yeo Eun when she came into work after the weekend.

The weather, too warm to really be called autumn, had been persistently hot.

Yet Yeo Eun was wearing a twin cardigan and even had a scarf wrapped around her neck.

Ji Soo reached out and pressed her hand against Yeo Eun’s forehead.

“You seem a little feverish too?”

“Do I?”

Yeo Eun answered nonchalantly, watching Ji Soo’s face crease with worry.

“Might be a cold. I’ve just been feeling cold over and over again.”

Then she poured herself some coffee and sat down.

Ji Soo followed her and continued speaking.

“By the way, are you okay?”

“…About what?”

Yeo Eun took a sip of coffee and looked up at Ji Soo with wide eyes.

“About Son Gyu Won. Apparently, he caused quite a commotion at the company?”

Ah—Son Gyu Won.

Yeo Eun nodded and took another sip of coffee.

“So Memories had no choice but to give him your number. Didn’t he call you?”

As if he wouldn’t.

“He did.”

Starting from early Saturday morning, calls came pouring in like rain.

“He kept calling you relentlessly all weekend, right?”

He phoned so obsessively it made you wonder if he’d lost his mind.

“Every time I blocked him, he’d call again from another number, and again.”

And every time he called, he’d eventually end up talking about Cha Do Ha.

[Seo Yeo Eun. What’s your relationship with Cha Do Ha?] [Do you even know Cha Do Ha? Or… have you maybe slept with that bastard?] [Be careful. That guy’s seriously scary.]

In the end, she had to block every single number he used just to avoid hearing Cha Do Ha’s name.

She could tolerate Son Gyu Won’s nonsense, but she couldn’t stand the sound of Cha Do Ha’s name scraping against her eardrums.

Just who the hell was Cha Do Ha anyway?

What was so special about that stupid kiss?

Her thoughts once again circled back to Cha Do Ha.

Inside the quiet car, Cha Do Ha’s eyes glowing darkly.

The suffocating air, her palms tingling, her throat tightening painfully.

His languid voice and hot breath.

Cha Do Ha’s overwhelming allure, blanketing her whole body until her hair stood on end.

His burning lips and that shamelessly sensual kiss.

Was Cha Do Ha really someone she could handle?

Her head felt feverishly hot, as if she’d caught a heat-induced cold.

Shaking her head to dispel the warmth, Yeo Eun hurriedly returned to reality.

“Senior, let’s wrap up the meeting quickly and wrap things up. I should go to my mom’s hospital—she’s making a huge fuss about the payment.”

She had no time to spare for fluttering feelings over a sudden, shameless kiss.

All she had was the endless burden of debt that never seemed to go away, no matter how much she paid.

* * *

“A blind date?”

Do Ha let out a derisive snort.

It was the bomb Chairman Cha dropped on him the moment he arrived at work on Monday.

And of all people, it had to be In Woo delivering the news—now that was laughable.

To make matters worse, In Woo was even trying to push the idea of the date on him.

“The ST Group, ranked eighth among conglomerates, is perfectly suitable for you. Only with that level of status can you properly introduce yourself as Cha Do Ha, Head of Hanju Group.”

“What are you even talking about?”

“I mean, you can’t possibly accept Kim Hae Ri as your marriage partner. Besides, you don’t seem to take her seriously anyway.”

Kim Hae Ri would be hurt if she heard this.

In Woo had once praised him as the gentle, kind-hearted crown prince of Hanju Group, saying how rare it was for a chaebol heir to be so good-natured.

He’d even remarked it was hard to believe Do Ha, with his cruel and icy nature, shared blood with someone like In Woo.

How would Kim Hae Ri react if she found out In Woo was treating her this way?

Knowing her temper, she’d probably throw a fit, burning everything in sight.

Do Ha chuckled softly and stood up from his seat.

“You’re right. I’m not planning to get married. And it’s true—I don’t take it seriously.”

He sauntered leisurely toward the window and leaned against the frame, looking at In Woo.

“But I also don’t believe I absolutely have to marry someone. As you know, I’m a hedonist.”

“Do Ha…”

“Forget it.”

Do Ha raised his hand to cut In Woo off and stared at him intently.

“I’m not interested in anything else. Let’s just hear what our CEO Cha In Woo is actually thinking.”

Then he asked more directly,

“Just what exactly are you thinking, acting so damn cheerful?”

Beneath that gentle face, In Woo had always been the one who coveted Hanju Group the most.

That was also precisely why In Woo had never once defied Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s wishes and had obediently followed every command.

He was terrified of falling out of favor with Chairman Cha and being excluded from the succession lineup.

That’s how important the heir position of Hanju Group was to In Woo.

Yet here he was, smiling so carefree in this situation?

Absolutely impossible.

“Acting cheerful… about what exactly?”

In Woo tapped a decorative item on the table with his finger and calmly lifted his head.

“Well, if you accept Grandfather’s wishes, my late father’s position would be restored, wouldn’t it?”

Ha—what ridiculous nonsense.

Do Ha let out a dry laugh and slowly walked toward In Woo.

In Woo, meeting his gaze directly, rose calmly from his seat.

“So you’re saying you’ve accepted this succession battle for the sake of our father?”

“Yeah.”

His smiling face showed not a single shadow.

That was Cha In Woo’s poker face—

A steadfast refusal to ever reveal what lay beneath.

Do Ha watched him intently and gave a short laugh.

“Is that so?”

Do Ha had always thought that smile of In Woo’s looked exactly like a mask.

It was the mask In Woo wore whenever he was afraid or had something to hide.

But that didn’t mean he was cowardly.

He was clever enough to pretend fear, hide behind that mask, and search for another path.

The fact that he’d come here grinning like this meant he was backed into a corner.

He wanted Do Ha to go first, buying time to find his own solution.

“So you’re saying it’s fine to lose the heir position—as long as you can be filial?”

“It’s the best option I have.”

Still hiding behind that mask, In Woo nodded.

The best option…

Whichever way Do Ha decided, it would be bad news for In Woo.

So why go through with something so clearly against his own interest under the pretense of it being “the best”?

There had to be a reason for willingly doing something that went against his own gain—even wearing a mask for it.

Do Ha’s lips curved into a gentle smile.

“You sure about this?”

Then perhaps Do Ha would play along.

It might even be entertaining to watch what unfolded behind that mask.

“Because once I decide to do something, I see it through to the end.”

He might even get one step closer to what he was truly after.

“What I’m saying, CEO Cha In Woo, is that defending your succession rights won’t be easy.”

At Do Ha’s words, a crack appeared in In Woo’s mask.

The corners of his mouth, which had been smoothly upturned, twitched almost imperceptibly.

Even the fine lines at the edges of his eyes stiffened.

Good. Now it was getting interesting.

“I got it. You can go.”

“Then…”

“Tell the Chairman I’ll go on the blind date—but on my terms.”

After sending In Woo away, Do Ha pressed the intercom button.

“Team Leader Kim Jung Joo.”

-Yes, Head.

“The stock ownership trends for the Chairman and CEO Cha In Woo’s affiliated companies that I asked you to look into last time—when will that be ready?”

-Since you wanted all nominee holdings and friendly stakes checked too, it’ll take a bit more time.

Right. It wasn’t something you could figure out overnight.

“While you’re at it, one more thing.”

-Yes, please go ahead.

“Look into who the Chairman, CEO Cha, and Vice Chairman Cha Woon have been meeting with lately.”

At Do Ha’s request, Kim Jung Joo—who had been responding promptly—suddenly fell silent.

After a brief but heavy pause, a very cautious question came through the receiver.

-…Are you getting involved in something dangerous?

“Maybe a little?”

-Understood. I’ll proceed carefully.

“And.”

Do Ha paused briefly, staring blankly at his fingertips before continuing.

“Persona Seo Yeo Eun. You have her number, right?”

-Yes… I do.

“Send it to my mobile.”

* * *

It was already Friday.

A relatively quiet and peaceful week had passed.

It almost felt like life before she’d ever met someone named Cha Do Ha.

Like well-oiled gears meshing smoothly and turning quietly.

At least on the surface.

But inside, Yeo Eun was anything but calm.

When she first saw the schedule Cha Hyun had emailed her last Monday, she’d felt relief.

Business trip to Taiwan from Tuesday through Friday.

She couldn’t have been happier to learn Cha Do Ha wasn’t in Korea.

At least this week, she wouldn’t have her mental state shattered by that absurd axing.

She wouldn’t have to feel humiliated or self-loathing.

But as Persona’s image trainer, this was nothing short of a disaster.

An absolute catastrophe, in fact.

[You are in the middle of persuading Do Ha, right?]

Yesterday afternoon, Cha Hyun summoned her to the gallery and harshly pressed her.

[How much longer are you going to keep hesitating? Do you have that much time, Yeo Eun?]

Cha Hyun had pointedly reminded her of the painful consequences awaiting her and Persona if she failed to convince Cha Do Ha.

[If I were you, I’d have followed him even on his Taiwan business trip. Isn’t your mother’s condition getting really bad?]

Cha Hyun’s face briefly softened with worry as she clicked her tongue and swallowed her coffee.

It gave Yeo Eun goosebumps—like a cat pretending concern for a mouse.

Especially since she’d just received grim news from her mother’s doctor.

Her internal organs were deteriorating so rapidly that if surgery wasn’t performed soon, she might not even have two months left.

She’d steeled herself for this, but facing reality head-on was still overwhelming.

Cha Hyun’s words cut through her like a blade, tearing into her insides.

[Oh, and by the way—CEO Yoon Ji Soo mentioned the promissory note… is coming due soon, right? You probably won’t be able to stop it this time.]

That was another shock.

A promissory note coming due?

How could Persona even have something like that?

[Hurry up and get yourself in as Do Ha’s image trainer. That’s your only way out, Yeo Eun.]

She’d already tried countless refusals and excuses, knowing none of it worked, so Yeo Eun simply stayed silent.

Watching her carefully, Cha Hyun’s tone softened slightly as she continued.

[I’m pushing so hard because I’m in a hurry too. Do Ha’s going on a blind date.]

A blind date.

So Cha Do Ha was finally going to meet the ST Group’s heiress for a blind date.

Her heart dropped with a heavy thud.