Boss, Our Promise was Different (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
On a chilly early winter morning, as the cold wind whipped through the bare branches like a lash, a woman in high heels stomped ruthlessly over the fallen leaves rolling across the ground and strode boldly into the Daesan F&G building.
Click-clack. Click-clack.
The crisp sound of her heels echoing through the office made everyone simultaneously turn their heads in one direction.
The one making such a grand entrance under everyone’s gaze was Assistant Manager Seo Jae In from Product Planning Team 1.
“Oh, Assistant Manager Seo! You came in with quite a bit of swagger today! I was wondering who that was. Haha.”
As soon as Jae In entered the office, Section Chief Park tossed her what sounded like praise but really wasn’t.
“You always looked so worn out—did you go somewhere nice today?”
Jae In wordlessly tried to brush it off with a forced smile, but Section Chief Park, famously oblivious to social cues, kept pressing her with questions.
“Could it be… you’re going on a blind date or something?”
“…….”
“Oh? It really is, isn’t it? Oops, I’m a bit late then. I was going to set you up on a blind date myself. Remember I mentioned him? My college junior who’s doing really well at a top-tier law firm. He follows me around like a puppy these days……”
Enough already. Here we go again with the name-dropping.
Jae In snorted and finally opened her mouth.
“Section Chief, could you give me your junior’s phone number? Since I’m already in the mood, I’ll meet him today.”
The team members’ eyes all widened at once at Jae In’s icy retort—an unprecedented reaction from someone who normally stayed meekly quiet no matter what nonsense anyone spouted.
She was actually calling out Section Chief Park on his habitual bragging—it had practically become background noise by now.
“Huh? Oh, no, it’s just… he’s been extremely busy lately…”
Exactly as expected.
Section Chief Park, looking awkward, suddenly clutched his stomach and grimaced.
“Oh no, I must’ve eaten something bad this morning. My stomach hurts.”
As soon as Section Chief Park disappeared, clutching his perfectly fine stomach, the team shot Jae In looks of admiration.
“That’s practically pathological lying, isn’t it? Ugh, so satisfying. Assistant Manager, you’re the best!”
Yeon Ji, the team’s youngest member sitting beside Jae In, whispered excitedly while giving her a thumbs-up.
“Assistant Manager Seo, but seriously—who are you meeting today? It’s the first time I’ve ever seen you wear full makeup. You must be going somewhere special.”
“That’s right—I am going somewhere good.”
When Jae In nodded, Yeon Ji’s eyes sparkled brightly.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so jealous! Where exactly are you going?”
Instead of answering, Jae In just smirked, curling up one corner of her lips.
Team Leader’s office.
To hand in my resignation.
Early that morning, as always, a storm raged in the conference room of Daesan F&G, a subsidiary of Daesan Group, where Product Planning Team 1 had gathered.
“Section Chief Park, the sales data on ready-to-eat meals in the new product planning document doesn’t seem to be the latest figures—what’s going on?”
“What? Well, I mean… it should be correct.”
Section Chief Park stammered, unable to form coherent words in response to Do Hyuk’s sharp questioning.
Humiliated at being publicly rebuked by someone so much younger right in front of his subordinates, his face flushed red then pale in rapid succession.
“But it ‘should be’? Are you admitting right now that you didn’t compile this yourself?”
“Ugh! Team Leader, that’s absolutely not the case! I was tied up gathering overseas market data, so I just asked Kim Ji Hoon to look up the sales figures for me.”
Do Hyuk delivered a cold, cutting remark toward the flustered Section Chief Park.
“So you’re shifting responsibility onto an intern? Regardless, the final accountability always lies with the person who submitted it. And frankly, that outdated sales data is the only part of this proposal that’s even remotely acceptable.”
“…….”
Struck right where it hurt, Section Chief Park fell speechless and shot Ji Hoon a resentful glare, turning the intern’s face ashen.
‘Wow, if words could take physical form, that’d definitely be a cleaver.’
Jae In, seated farthest from Do Hyuk, clicked her tongue inwardly as she observed his murderous gaze.
‘With that handsome face, if he’d just speak a little more gently, he’d be wildly popular.’
But maybe he didn’t need to—his looks alone were already overwhelming enough.
And for good reason: a straight, flawless forehead; thick, sharply arched eyebrows; eyes that looked melancholic even when simply open; a nose so perfectly sculpted that plastic surgeons would rave about it; and a muscular, robust build resembling a wild stallion.
Team Leader Cha Do Hyuk possessed such exceptional looks that they made onlookers instinctively lenient toward him.
Every movement he made exuded an extraordinary aura, making people feel as if they’d stepped onto the set of a high-end fashion photoshoot.
And it wasn’t just his appearance. With an IQ of 168, an Ivy League graduate, he’d delivered outstanding results at overseas branches and, at only thirty-one, had become the youngest team leader—a uniquely accomplished figure whose reputation preceded him.
‘Geez, even God shows clear favoritism.’
“Assistant Manager Seo?”
Startled by the voice calling her, Jae In jumped and replied loudly.
“Yes!”
Yeon Ji, sitting across from her, subtly pointed toward the team leader with her eyes.
She’d been caught daydreaming—again.
“Go ahead and speak.”
“W-what about?”
“If you’ve been staring blankly at someone’s face, you must have something to say.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
A cold, piercing glare shot straight at her face, as if asking, “Are you even awake?”
A chill ran down her spine.
Based on past experience, she knew an absolutely terrifying aftermath was coming.
True to form, Do Hyuk slowly folded his arms and raised one corner of his lips.
A calm, deliberate signal that he intended to thoroughly hold her accountable—and a warning for her to mentally prepare herself.
“Assistant Manager Seo, how’s the planning for the new diet product line coming along?”
Of course. He wouldn’t just let it slide.
“Well, Section Chief Ko said she’d report on that part, but she suddenly took leave today…”
“I was asking you, Assistant Manager Seo.”
Right. He had.
Jae In offered an awkward smile.
‘Of all days, why did Section Chief Ko have to take leave today?’
Section Chief Go Shin Ae, the project lead, had gone to see off her British boyfriend from her language institute, who was leaving the country.
Caught off guard by Section Chief Ko’s absence and Do Hyuk’s abrupt questioning, Jae In hesitated for a moment but quickly regained her composure.
“So far, it’s going smoothly.”
“Skip vague terms like ‘smoothly’ and give me specific progress details.”
“Well… um… we’re currently targeting working women in their twenties and thirties who invest significant time and money in self-care, and we’re in the middle of conducting surveys.”
“When can I expect the results report?”
“I’ll have it compiled and submitted by next week.”
“What about competitor product analysis?”
“That should also wrap up by next week.”
“It’s been weeks since you started, and it’s still not done? Submit your report by tomorrow.”
“What? In just one day? I also have to support Section Chief Park—that’s impossible…”
Do Hyuk’s eyebrow twitched slightly. Jae In’s heart immediately dropped into her stomach.
“By tomorrow.”
“Yes, understood!”
Overtime confirmed again—tonight for sure.
She doubted she could finish it even if she worked through the night.
“How’s the overseas market research coming?”
“Oh, I’ll start that right after finishing the competitor analysis.”
“What about compiling the list of diet ingredients and analyzing their nutritional components?”
“That was assigned to Deputy Manager Kang…”
Na Hee, who’d been idly fiddling with her perfectly manicured nails, quickly hid both hands under her desk the moment her name was mentioned and then feigned innocence.
“Oh dear, wasn’t that something Assistant Manager Seo was supposed to handle? I’ve been personally testing various products on the market at my own expense to brainstorm ideas.”
Jae In was left utterly speechless.
‘That’s just you trying to lose weight on company time!’
Whenever tasks got assigned to Na Hee, everything ground to a halt like a clogged drain, forcing Section Chief Ko and Jae In to pick up most of the slack.
She’d given Na Hee the simplest task of all, yet now she was playing dumb.
“But I’m certain I…”
“You clearly have no idea what you’re doing.”
Before Jae In could explain, Do Hyuk cut her off, his brow furrowed deeply.
“How can you not even know your own responsibilities? Where exactly is your head at?”
“……!”
Wow. This was outrageously unfair.
Jae In resented Do Hyuk for scolding her without even hearing her out.
Meanwhile, Na Hee had already acted as if the whole matter had nothing to do with her.
‘Ugh, I really want to quit this company!’
She had absolutely no idea where to even begin unraveling this tangled mess.
Jae In, now in her fourth year at the company, had always prided herself on being competent and well-regarded.
For her, the nightmare had begun on a late summer day, just as the scorching heat started to cool.
That day, Product Planning Team 1 was expecting two new members.
Jae In had arrived early alone to prepare refreshments and was more nervous than usual.
It was because Section Chief Ko had dropped a hint about their new team leader right before leaving work yesterday.
“My colleague at the overseas branch told me the new team leader’s an extreme workaholic—and if you get on his bad side even once, you’re done for. Be careful, Jae In.”
Since the new leader was completely unknown, at least this forewarning had prepared her mentally.
‘I’ll just keep working hard like always. How bad could it really be?’
Just as she was trying to calm her anxious thoughts, the automatic doors slid open with a soft whoosh.
Jae In, who had been arranging snacks on a plate, glanced back absentmindedly—and nearly stopped breathing.
A man in a pristine suit entered, radiating such an overwhelming, otherworldly presence that it felt surreal.
It was the exact moment she understood what people meant by “halo effect.”
“Who… are you?”
The man offered a slight, amused smirk as he looked at Jae In, who seemed half-dazed.
“Is this Product Planning Team 1?”
She’d clearly heard they were getting a team leader and an intern, yet this man looked no older than twenty-seven—her own age.
“Oh! You must be intern Kim Ji Hoon. I’m Assistant Manager Seo Jae In, and I’ll be your mentor. Nice to meet you.”
Well, I guess good karma really does come back around!
Internally, Jae In cheered.
Yesterday, Section Chief Park had dumped both snack preparations and intern training on her despite her already-packed schedule, making her resentful—but this seemed like divine intervention.
The man merely watched silently as Jae In eagerly extended her hand, then asked indifferently,
“Where’s the team leader’s office?”
“Oh, it’s the room at the far right.”
As he gave a slight nod and started walking toward it, Jae In rushed to stop him.
“Aren’t you going to greet the team leader? The new team leader is also starting today, but hasn’t arrived yet. Your seat is right beside mine—why don’t you sit and wait?”
Embarrassed by her empty-handed eagerness, Jae In even pulled out a chair for him herself.
He studied her for a moment, then obediently sat down.
“You said your name is Assistant Manager Seo Jae In?”
“Yes, that’s right. Seo Jae In.”
Hypnotized, Jae In sat down in the chair beside him.
Thump-thump.
Her heart fluttered wildly the moment her name passed his lips.
“Let’s get along well from now on.”
Oh my! He wants to get along with me!
Although it was just a polite formality, his words sounded like sweet whispers in Jae In’s ears.
“Of course we will! Ji Hoon, don’t worry—just follow my lead. That’s what a mentor’s for. I’ve been here four years, so I know everything about how things work around here. I’ll personally teach you the secret to a comfortable office life without drawing unnecessary attention. If you’re grateful, you can buy me coffee sometime? Haha.”
For an instant, Do Hyuk’s lips twitched.
What exactly are you babbling about?
Jae In suddenly felt mortified—nervous in front of this handsome man, she’d rambled on embarrassingly.
Just then, a loud voice rang out behind her.
“Good morning!”
Huh?
She turned around to see a tall, youthful-looking man standing at the entrance. When their eyes met, he bowed respectfully.
“Who…?”
“I’m Kim Ji Hoon, the new intern assigned to Product Planning Team starting today! I look forward to working with you!”
“Huh?”
Wait—so this guy is Kim Ji Hoon?
Then the person sitting beside me must be… the infamous workaholic team leader—the one who ruins anyone he dislikes?
The man offered a slow, languid smile as he met Jae In’s horrified gaze.
“I’m Team Leader Cha Do Hyuk. I’m very curious about the ‘secret to a comfortable office life without drawing attention’ that Assistant Manager Seo promised to share. Let’s see how this goes.”
Divine intervention, my foot.
The gates of the afterlife just swung wide open.
And just like that, within minutes of her dazed infatuation, Jae In got permanently blacklisted by Do Hyuk.
Team Leader, please… just let me live.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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