At the unexpected question, Yura lost her words and just blinked her large eyes. Staring at Lee Hyun’s anxiously trembling eyes, she slowly moved her lips.

“Nothing… happened.”

“Ah…”

Only then did the strength leave Lee Hyun’s hand that was gripping her shoulder.

Lee Hyun had been conscious of his father’s violence that was unintentionally revealed and the reporters watching like predators everywhere. Moreover, Yura’s sudden visit seemed to have surprised Lee Hyun.

If it weren’t for the series of events, Lee Hyun’s appearance could have been mistaken for that of any husband worried about his beloved wife. This concern and affection needlessly made Yura’s heart feel empty.

“I’m sorry if I worried you.”

“No, it’s just that you suddenly came to the company. I thought someone might have said something unnecessary again.”

Indeed, it was a needless misunderstanding and a vain hope.

“I came right after seeing the article.”

“You should have gone home to rest, why did you come here?”

“Sorry for bothering you when you’re busy.”

“It’s okay.”

Yura sat down on the sofa as Lee Hyun led her and brought up what Ji Ho had told her.

“I heard you filed those articles.”

“Did CEO Baek say that?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I only did what I had to do.”

What he had to do… Lee Hyun’s words added to the uneasiness in Yura’s heart. She had never believed what everyone said was natural. Because it wasn’t a relationship where things could be taken for granted, unnecessary misunderstandings arose.

“I thought you believed that article was true.”

Lee Hyun jumped up and waved his hands.

“Why would I believe such an article?”

Because Lee Hyun seemed to keep avoiding her as he became sensitive, she naturally thought he believed it.

“You kept being cold.”

“I was just busy gathering evidence. I don’t believe such nonsense at all.”

If only he had said something, she wouldn’t have misunderstood needlessly. Was that all? Even when she mentioned compensation for damages, Lee Hyun accepted it as if it were a natural result. So the misunderstanding grew even more.

“When you said you’d definitely get compensation for damages, I thought you naturally believed that article and would ask for a divorce.”

The issue she had been worrying about alone all this time flowed out like a complaint. At those words, Lee Hyun furrowed his brow and spoke in an irritated voice.

“Why would compensation for damages mean divorce?”

“Then it’s not divorce?”

If not divorce, what would be the outcome with a wife involved in a scandal? Ah, is it alimony? As Yura was gauging the fundamental purpose of the compensation, Lee Hyun asked back instead.

“Did I say I’d get compensation for damages through divorce?”

At Lee Hyun’s question, Yura recalled the memory of writing the contract. She clearly remembered that if any issues with other people arose, there had to be compensation for damages, and Yura had agreed without hesitation.

However, in that memory, there were no details about the compensation. She was used to contracts, so why hadn’t she looked closely at the compensation part?

“Um, well… no.”

“What I’ll get as compensation isn’t that.”

Yura saw the corners of Lee Hyun’s eyes lift slightly.

“Then what is it? You said you’d get it properly.”

Lee Hyun had firmly said he would get it after dealing with this matter. He even emphasized the word “properly” as if stressing it.

If that compensation wasn’t divorce, what on earth did he want? Since it wasn’t divorce, it wouldn’t be alimony either. If not divorce or money, then what? No matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn’t think of anything that could be called compensation.

Lee Hyun stretched his lips into a mischievous smile. Then he leaned his upper body forward to narrow the distance with Yura and spoke as if whispering.

“Since it came up, shall we get it now?”

Getting it right now, Yura became even more confused. Frowning in disbelief, she snapped back as if making a counterargument.

“Now? No, I mean, what is it? I need to know what it is to give it to you.”

Lee Hyun’s face, still holding back a smile, looked especially annoying today. A smiling face being annoying was the same for both Baek Jin Ho and Baek Lee Hyun. Really, the Baek family seemed to choose only the most irritating actions.

As Lee Hyun slowly rose, Yura’s gaze followed his movements. His attractively curved lips uttered one word.

“You.”

“Huh?”

“The compensation I’ll get is you.”

Dumbfounded, Yura just stared at Lee Hyun without being able to answer. With a sly eye-smile, he walked towards the desk. Watching that scene quietly, Yura stammered.

“W-what do you mean…”

However, Lee Hyun didn’t answer Yura’s words and pressed the phone button to connect to the secretary’s office.

“Secretary Ahn, what’s the schedule for later?”

In response to Lee Hyun’s question, Secretary Ahn’s voice came through the speaker.

-There’s a meeting scheduled in two hours.

“Let’s push it back one more hour. Don’t let anyone into the office until then.”

-Yes, I understand.

Yura quietly stared at the scene, feeling something was not quite right. He was saying he would push back the meeting scheduled for two hours later by another hour to get his compensation.

As she mulled over the fact that this compensation was neither a legal procedure nor something material but herself, one scene flashed through Yura’s mind. The night when her memory was cut off due to drunkenness, the only thing that remained in her memory was Baek Lee Hyun’s gaze.

“Come here.”

Standing in front of the desk and reaching out his hand to her, Lee Hyun’s gaze was identical to the one in that memory. No, his eyes, burning with even more intense desire than then, were the eyes of a predator she had seen on their honeymoon.

Yura couldn’t bring herself to approach Lee Hyun and just sat still like a statue, swallowing dry saliva.

“It’s not what I’m thinking right now, is it?”

Noticing that she had no intention of moving, Lee Hyun slowly approached.

“What are you thinking? Hm?”

Seeing Lee Hyun keep asking back, Yura realized her thoughts weren’t wrong and shook her head vigorously.

“No. I wasn’t thinking anything.”

At the suddenly close distance, Lee Hyun let out a chuckle. As Yura awkwardly raised the corners of her mouth in response, he quickly bent his upper body and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in.

“Ah! Oppa. W-wait!”

Yura took a step towards an unknown place, led by Lee Hyun’s strength.

There was a door next to the long bookshelf behind the desk that wouldn’t be noticeable unless looked at closely. The momentary wonder of whether this had always been here was brief, as Lee Hyun opened the door with a natural movement, revealing a cozy space contrasting with the office.

“What… is this place?”

“A personal relaxation space.”

A bed just the right size for one person to rest, a single armchair, a turntable, and one bookshelf filled with LPs filled the space. The space fully reflecting an individual’s taste felt out of place.

Removing Lee Hyun’s hand that was sticky around her waist, Yura rifled through the LPs as if entranced. Various classic albums said to be hard to get even now were lined up, making Yura’s mouth drop open involuntarily.

“Are all of these yours?”

It was hard to believe even while looking at them. Yura belatedly understood Lee Hyun’s knowledge of classical music.

“Since when did you have this hobby?”

“Somehow it happened.”

“And you complained about information sources. Wow, this one too.”

As she kept exclaiming in admiration, Lee Hyun snatched the LP from Yura’s hand. Yura pouted like a child who had something precious taken away.

“Let me look just a little more. Okay?”

“My compensation comes first.”

“Huh?”

Yura had forgotten the reason they came here, distracted by the LPs. Feeling heat rising to her face again, she turned her head as if avoiding Lee Hyun.

“Is, is it okay to do this here?”

“It’s my personal space, so what.”

With an indifferent response as if there was nothing wrong, Lee Hyun lowered his head. Yura was bewildered by his boldness. What kind of shameless act was this in the sacred office?

“There are employees outside. Doing this at the company isn’t… Ah!”

The words Yura was chattering to persuade Lee Hyun were involuntarily swallowed as she felt a touch on her earlobe.

As his suggestive breath brushed her ear and fingers kneaded her nape, a strange heat rose. Even while thinking they shouldn’t do this here, Yura couldn’t push Lee Hyun away.

Yura judged that surely he wouldn’t intend to go all the way here. However, she soon realized it was a misjudgment.

It wasn’t just talk; Lee Hyun really seemed to intend to do it here as his hot hand dove into her neatly worn blouse, startling Yura.

“O-oppa!”

“Shh.”

Lee Hyun’s large hand gently covered Yura’s lips at her voice that came out too loudly. With a smile that couldn’t be more wicked, he whispered.

“If only you stay quiet, no one will know.”

The compensation Lee Hyun spoke of and the compensation Yura thought of had completely different meanings.

Yura felt foolish for wracking her brains over divorce and alimony. She couldn’t stand how much she hated Lee Hyun for making the atmosphere heavy and leading her to think that way.

As their lips met, the jacket that had been precariously hanging on her shoulders fell helplessly to the floor at her feet.

She clung to him helplessly at the hot breath covering her lips and the soft, curving strength. While savoring her lips, he undid all the buttons of her blouse and smiled slightly with their lips still touching.

“Take a look at what LPs you like so much.”

Yura frowned at the sudden change of flow. He had taken them away earlier saying compensation came first, and now after fully exciting her, he was telling her to look. It wasn’t giving medicine after causing illness; she was bewildered, unable to understand Lee Hyun’s thoughts at all.

Regardless of Yura’s expression, Lee Hyun grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.

Just as she was about to be impressed by the LPs spread out before her eyes, her blouse instantly slid down below her shoulders. Soon, as his lips touched her shoulder, Yura’s body trembled slightly.

Lee Hyun had no intention of showing the LPs from the beginning. He meant to take what he wanted in this way after enticing her with sweet words. Yura stuck out her tongue at his dark intentions.

“Haa, you said to look. How can I look like this.”

Lee Hyun paid no attention even to this small protest.

“You look at what you want to see, and I do what I want to do. We’re both enjoying ourselves.”

How can someone be this shameless? However, Yura could no longer argue with Lee Hyun. Not because she was speechless with disbelief, but because the tingling that flowed from her shoulder blades along her spine engulfed her whole body with a thrilling sensation.

Her vision blurred, and the veins on her slender hands gripping the bookshelf bulged. It felt like moans would burst out from her lips along with hot breaths. Yura bit her lip to hold back the sound.

Lee Hyun slowly savored Yura’s quivering skin. A terribly sweet scent pierced his lungs.

The more he craved her, the more thirst-inducing Yura was, strongly addictive. Even while busily moving to clean up after the article broke, desire always followed.

If Yura knew how much he had endured during that time considering her mood and feelings, she might run away.

He was barely holding back, but Yura came on her own and finally lit the fuse. So his patience that had been holding out finally ran out.

From the moment they entered this space, he felt the blood flowing through his whole body concentrating in one place. If Yura wanted, he could have played all the LPs here for her, but there was no such mercy in a beast whose reason had snapped.

With desire about to burst, veins popped on his forehead and only thoughts of wanting to dive in right away filled his mind.

Lee Hyun lifted Yura’s chin as she exhaled ragged breaths while he caressed her smooth back. He completely devoured even the heated breaths scattered between her parted lips. It was a somewhat rough, urgent movement like Lee Hyun’s desire.