As Da Hae, who lamented her powerless state, let out a long dry sigh and left the banquet hall to get some air, several gazes that had been watching her returned to the table.

The topic of conversation naturally shifted.

“Kim Chang Sik got rejected last week too, right? After making such a fuss. Wonder if he knows how embarrassing it was, he hasn’t shown his face since.”

The second son of M Resort. Kim Chang Sik.

A typical parachute hire living off his parents. An icon of wine and women.

Appearance, personality, ability – not a single redeeming quality. He ranked far below on Chairwoman Bae Jung Soon’s list, but it was a golden opportunity his father had worked hard to arrange.

The result was a complete failure.

No one believed his claim that he simply didn’t request a follow-up date. The unsubstantiated rumor that he’d behaved crudely and been harshly rejected seemed more plausible.

“Ah, Director Kang probably doesn’t know since you just returned to Korea recently? She’s the granddaughter of Chairwoman Bae of the Young Son Group.”

The eldest son of W Textiles casually remarked to Director Kang, who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Da Hae.

I see… The man muttered softly, slowly nodding his head as additional explanation followed.

“It’s been going on since around this time last year. They say she’s been going on arranged dates mechanically, but not a single person has succeeded in getting a follow-up date.”

Chairwoman Bae Jung Soon’s long-cherished wish is to marry off her only granddaughter, but even the bulldozer-like Chairwoman Bae is struggling against Kye Da Hae’s stubbornness, the cheerful voice explained, directed at Director Kang seated at the head of the table.

There wasn’t really a head seat, but those gathered around him naturally formed that formation.

“That’s why she got the nickname. The Rejector Doll.”

“The Rejector Doll?”

A puzzled voice questioned.

“Rejecting over and over with a smile. Fairly rejecting everyone, the Rejector Doll.”

The man laughed dryly at the one-dimensional nickname referencing a nutcracker doll.

As his breath-like laughter subsided, the corners of his mouth curved strangely.

“Why are you all pretending not to know? I hear there are a few people here who’ve been rejected too.”

The second daughter of S Trading chimed in with a snort.

She smirked, saying frankly that looks like Kye Da Hae’s were a dime a dozen, wondering why everyone was competing over her, but she’d smile sweetly whenever she made eye contact with Director Kang.

“If it were Director Kang, that might be different.”

“Hey, isn’t that obvious? If Kye Da Hae rejects Kang Jae Kyung, then her preferences must be different. It would be a serious problem.”

Led by the eldest son of W Textiles, champagne glasses clinked as cheerful laughter spread.

CEO of Samyung Entertainment. Kang Jae Kyung.

The man who had raised an underperforming company to industry leader in just 4 years, rewriting the history of Korean RPGs and breaking his own records daily.

He boldly downsized the business areas that had been spread across corporate groupware and ERP development, focusing all efforts on game software development.

His keen insight in reading the market hit the mark.

Just 5 years ago, no one would have predicted he’d achieve such remarkable results.

Among the affiliates of the former Samyung Group, Samyung Entertainment had been running deficits for years, a so-called “chicken ribs” existence.

Not worth eating, but a waste to throw away.

Gossip swirled that the succession battle had turned brutal and the eldest son was being discarded, but Kang Jae Kyung silenced the rumors spectacularly, returning as a successful 34-year-old CEO.

“Shall we have another drink among ourselves? What do you think, Director Kang?”

It was nearing the end of the tediously peaceful banquet.

“Eek! Oh my!”

“Hey, hey. Look over there.”

Large and small screams erupted sporadically, out of place in the venue.

The attention of those gathered at the table naturally turned in that direction.

That’s when Jae Kyung’s hand, which had been twirling a wine glass with an indifferent expression, stopped.

“Oh my goodness…! Da Hae!”

More precisely, because of that name mixed in with the screams.

“No way… That’s Kim Chang Sik, right?”

As the screams subsided, the hall suddenly fell silent as if doused with cold water.

In front of the eagle statue meticulously set with fine wines and finger foods.

Kim Chang Sik, second son of M Resort, who had guzzled wine.

Kye Da Hae, granddaughter of the Young Son Group, completely doused in wine from his outburst.

The second daughter of S Trading, who had been about to take a photo wondering what was going on, had her phone snatched away by a hand that suddenly approached, stopping her action.

“What…! Hey…”

A long shadow cast over her head. It was Kang Jae Kyung.

Meeting his smile, the woman shyly lowered her irritably raised eyes.

She even nodded her head firmly, indicating she wouldn’t take photos.

“So the event was starting now.”

“Look how tough Kye Da Hae is. She’s not moving an inch… Whoa… Is she scared? Huh? Director Kang?”

A broad figure turned its back, parting the crowd that had gathered for a proper view.

There was no hesitation in the footsteps that firmly pressed the floor, steadily closing the distance.

It happened in an instant.

Da Hae, a chilling voice murmured the name.

Before she could register who it was, something cold assaulted her vision.

The white evening gown, ruined by the dark red liquid, slowly soaked through, making the color even more vivid.

As the scent of aged grapes pushed into her nostrils, she knew it was wine.

The purple wine flowing along the ridge of her transparent cheek briefly pooled at the tip of her chin before slowly falling.

Droplets shattered as they hit the toe of her pumps, scattering across her feet and the floor.

Da Hae stood motionless, letting it drip and fall.

She made no effort to wipe it away deliberately, nor did she get angry or hurry to do anything.

She simply stared straight at the man of similar eye level in heels.

The staggering drunk man was Kim Chang Sik, second son of M Resort, who had been Da Hae’s blind date.

“You think you’re so great? Huh? A mere girl like you…”

The slurred voice chewing out the words came closer, then moved away.

Though it was quite a threatening gesture, her crimson lips pressed in a straight line didn’t even let out a faint scream.

Her clear eyes without double eyelids and expressionless gaze showed no sign of fear.

At that, Kim Chang Sik’s venting turned in a different direction.

“What are you looking at?! Do you know who I am?!”

“Kim Chang Sik! Oh my goodness…! You bastard! Hurry up and apologize!”

“Dad… Dad!”

How plaintive the voice calling for Dad was, despite being old enough to be aging. His face looked utterly upset that his father wasn’t taking his side.

Da Hae’s lips, which had been silent, finally parted as a sigh-like breath escaped.

At the blind date, he’d called for his mom like that, and here he was desperately calling for his dad.

The complexion of Kim Chang Sik’s father, the chairman of M Resort, turned as yellow as rice grains in sikhye.

His anxiously rolling eyes couldn’t bring themselves to meet Chairwoman Bae Jung Soon’s in the diagonal direction.

After all, meeting the eyes of a three-headed Medusa might turn him to stone.

The guards who had been hesitating, unable to act rashly, sprang into action at the urgent gesture of Kim Chang Sik’s father.

Perhaps because he was a VIP, the guards’ use of force was lax.

Kim Chang Sik, enraged, viciously yanked his restrained arms free.

In an instant, his hand sliced through the air, snatching up the wine glass he had been eyeing all along.

Crash!

“Ahhh!”

“Kim Chang Sik! Chang Sik, you bastard!”

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas~

The carol played cheerfully, unrelated to the situation.

Over that melody, his father’s urgent voice and screams layered like a chorus.

“Damn it! Why are you all going crazy at me!”

Kim Chang Sik’s clouded eyes glared at Da Hae, clutching the sharply broken glass that had become a weapon.

Though she sensed the danger, her two legs, wet with red, wouldn’t listen as if rooted to the ground.

Watching the twitching, eerily rising corners of his mouth draw closer, Da Hae’s eyes squeezed shut.

Then slowly opened.

Nothing had happened except for the soft steps backward as she was pushed by the body that had suddenly inserted itself.

Even the decibels of screeching like a magpie had lowered.

As her breath, which she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, suddenly released, the heavy scent of skin that came with the reflexively inhaled breath was swallowed deep into her lungs.

She craned her neck forward to assess the situation, but to no avail.

Because the black wall-like thing blocking the space between her and Kim Chang Sik completely obstructed her view, all she could see was a broad back in a suit.

“K-Kang Jae Kyung…!”

Red blood flowed from the man’s hand gripping Kim Chang Sik’s wrist.

The sticky liquid trailing down his forearm stained his shirt cuff, creating a vivid path.

Though all she could see was his back, she could guess from the exaggerated screams erupting. That he had been injured because of her.

As she pondered how to repay the debt, a small doubt arose. It couldn’t be, but for some reason the uncommon name sounded familiar.

It didn’t take long for that doubt to be resolved.

The man who turned his head over his shoulder peered at the wine-stained woman’s face as if checking if she was alright.

Despite the confrontational situation, his gaze lowered gently was relaxed, and his firm lips curved charmingly.

“The Rejector Doll?”

The low bass voice murmured just barely audible behind her back.

In that moment, Da Hae’s pupils trembled finely.