16th floor of Jisung General Hospital.

The direct elevator stopped and two men stepped out – one with graying hair wearing a white doctor’s coat, and another in his 40s wearing a suit.

They were Lee Chi Sung, the director of Jisung General Hospital, and the hospital’s administrative director.

The moment they took a step towards their destination.

Dozens of sharp gazes turned towards the two men.

Men in black suits were standing guard around the small conference room where the joint consultation was being held and the VIP patient’s room.

An unfamiliar sight and suffocating atmosphere of strict security.

“Haah……”

Chi Sung exhaled tensely and quickly removed his hand from the pocket of his doctor’s coat.

Thud thud.

The sound of the two men’s footsteps echoed through the space, piercing the heavily settled air.

The vigilant gazes intensified as they approached the conference room.

When the two men stood in front of the conference room.

Despite being indoors, a security guard wearing dark black sunglasses and an earpiece blocked the administrative director’s path.

“Only the hospital director may enter.”

The voice was disciplined but not forceful.

Nevertheless, the administrative director stopped in his tracks, startled, and turned to Chi Sung.

It was a confused look asking what to do.

“He’s the hospital’s administrative director.”

“It’s the Chairman’s orders.”

The security guard cut off Chi Sung’s words.

“He’s not an outsider, but hospital staff.”

Trying to emphasize his clear identity, but it had no effect.

Rather, he could only feel the gaze directed at them growing colder.

“Go back.”

Chi Sung reluctantly gave instructions to the administrative director.

As the administrative director turned to leave, the security guard opened the conference room door for Chi Sung.

As Chi Sung entered, the gazes of those already inside all turned to him at once.

Especially Dr. Song, whose eyes were sharp with rebuke, as if saying “Why are you so late?”

Dr. Song was standing in front of a screen displaying MRI images of a brain.

On one side of the long oval table sat the doctors who had performed the VIP’s surgery, and across from them sat a man leaning back slightly in his chair.

Broad shoulders and a toned, well-proportioned body wrapped in an expensive suit.

Hair neatly styled without a single strand out of place.

A sharp, high nose bridge like it was carved, wide eyes stretching outwards beneath thick eyebrows.

The man had handsome features.

Moreover, he had a sharp gaze that seemed able to penetrate the thoughts of others.

“You’re late, Director Lee.”

“I apologize. Something urgent came up suddenly……”

“Please, have a seat.”

The man’s tone was gentle.

However, the low resonating voice and gaze indicating the seat opposite had the power to subdue others.

Chi Sung sat down next to the doctors.

The man’s gaze moved from Chi Sung, to each of the doctors one by one, then fixed back on Chi Sung.

Overwhelmed by the man’s intensely domineering aura, Chi Sung swallowed hard.

The tension felt outside the conference room was nothing compared to the pressure emanating from this man.

“Director Lee, do you still think the cause lies in post-operative complications?”

“As Dr. Song must have explained, no abnormal findings were found in the MRI or other tests.”

“Are you saying that you can only explain it as complications?”

The voice was so monotone it lacked any sense of inflection.

But perhaps due to the gaze piercing like an ice pick.

Chi Sung had the illusion of being fiercely rebuked by the man.

“We are also working hard to identify the cause.”

This time Dr. Song stepped in.

Was it because his reputation was wounded? He seemed to have lost confidence and also looked somewhat aggrieved.

“You say it’s post-operative complications even though the cause hasn’t been identified? It seems you haven’t considered at all that the surgery may have gone wrong.”

The man raised his thick eyebrows at an angle.

“Calm down.”

Chi Sung wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead with his fingers, at a loss for what to do.

He was uncomfortable to the point of death, feeling that everything was his responsibility as the hospital director.

“There were no problems with the surgery. You know that Dr. Song is the top authority in brain surgery in the country.”

“And yet problems have arisen with the Chairman.”

That’s right.

Not long ago, Chairman Kang underwent surgery to remove a tumor in his brain.

The surgery was said to be successful.

However, something completely unexpected occurred.

“The Chairman chose Korea over America because you were so confident, Director.”

“I am deeply sorry.”

Chi Sung hung his head with a grim expression.

In fact, Chairman Kang had been living in the U.S. for over 2 years, so he was scheduled to have the surgery at an American hospital.

However, Chi Sung, who trusted the skills of Dr. Song, the Chairman’s attending physician, put a stop to that plan.

Despite the opposition of Chairman Kang’s son and daughter-in-law and Tae Wook, Chairman Kang decided to follow Chi Sung’s wishes.

“I will do whatever it takes to return the Chairman to normal.”

“Are you saying there’s a possibility of treatment?”

A voice of disbelief and mockery.

The man narrowed his brows, not hiding his disappointment in Chi Sung.

“Give us some time. Given the Chairman’s age, it will take quite a while for him to recover and walk. Until then, I will utilize every method at my disposal.”

Chi Sung’s pleading voice was almost servile.

“Huu……”

The man exhaled a long sigh as if frustrated.

His expression was complex as he stared into space, deep in thought.

Chi Sung and the summoned doctors held their breath, waiting for the man’s thoughts to conclude.

“Alright.”

At last, the man’s mouth opened heavily.

“But I cannot give you much time. If there are no signs of recovery at all, we will immediately take the Chairman to America.”

“Understood. Let’s do that.”

Only then did Chi Sung let out the breath he’d been holding.

The man stood up from his seat.

As he rose to his full height of over 190 cm, Chi Sung and the doctors had to crane their necks up.

He already had an intimidating presence, so he seemed even taller than his actual height.

“One more thing! There’s something you must promise.”

The man bent his upper body and placed both hands on the table.

Then he stared at Chi Sung and the doctors with sharp eyes.

“If the Chairman’s condition leaks out……”

Everyone in the small conference room except the man clenched their mouths shut simultaneously.

Some doctors even inhaled sharply with a ‘hup!’ in surprise.

“Keep in mind that you will not only lose your white coats, but also be unable to write anything in your career history. Do you understand?”

“Ah, yes, understood.”

“Understood.”

Who could not answer such a warning?

Chairman Kang, currently hospitalized in the VIP room, was the de facto owner of Jisung General Hospital.

And the man standing before them like a ruler was,

Kang Tae Wook.

Chairman Kang’s only blood-related grandson.

Coffee shop at L Hotel in Jeju.

Gyeo Wool was sitting across from Director Seok of Flore Resort.

It was their second meeting in a week.

“The center of the lobby will be decorated as a garden where you can see a flower extravaganza each season, befitting the resort name Flore……”

Gyeo Wool explained in detail while looking at the floor plan video.

“I’ve arranged vertical hanging gardens on the sides.”

She accompanied the 3D cut photos as she skipped through the video.

At their last meeting, she noticed that Director Seok was not familiar with flat floor plans.

Nearly 60 years old, Director Seok said this was his first time handling construction-related work and found it difficult.

The video floor plans and photos were a consideration for him. They were also a device to show how sincere ‘The Space’ was about this contract.

“As you can see, it’s more elaborate and artistic than the vertical garden installed at this hotel.”

Gyeo Wool deliberately set the meeting with Director Seok at L Hotel. The vertical garden here, which became famous through word of mouth, was constructed by ‘The Space’.

“It certainly seems that way.”

Seeing it in person, Director Seok’s understanding and appreciation had clearly changed.

“May I look at the photos in detail and discuss?”

“Yes, please do.”

While Director Seok closely examined the 3D cut photos, Gyeo Wool looked around the coffee shop.

Although Jeju is a tourist destination, the hotel was quiet on a weekday afternoon.

Gyeo Wool’s gaze naturally lingered on a woman sitting by the window.

Perfect makeup and styled hair, as if she’d just come from the shop. Wearing an elegant suit and waiting anxiously.

The words ‘blind date’ came to Gyeo Wool’s mind, along with the face of a certain man.

―You have an appointment at H Hotel today.

―Another blind date?

The man had frowned with an annoyed expression at Gyeo Wool’s words.

−Glasses?

−I’ve prepared them.

The one thing that man never failed to bring when going to blind dates was his glasses.

People thought he wore glasses to hide his cold impression.

But the glasses were simply a device to protect eyes that would be overworked until dawn.

Within an hour, he would end the meaningless blind date and go up to the room Gyeo Wool had reserved.

Then he would finish work he couldn’t complete at the company.

Perhaps the man she was waiting for had arrived.

The woman’s head turned towards the coffee shop entrance.

For some reason, Gyeo Wool’s gaze followed the woman’s.

No way, how could that person be here!

Gyeo Wool nearly screamed in surprise at the man standing at the entrance.

Distinct facial features as if carved, and an upright impression.

Cold, composed eyes beneath glasses.

A man perfectly dressed in a suit.

It was Kang Tae Wook, Gyeo Wool’s ex-husband and former boss.

This can’t be happening.

How could they run into each other at L Hotel’s coffee shop of all places, not even in Seoul but on Jeju Island?

‘Even after 3 years, the CEO hasn’t changed at all. Still so handsome……’

Wait!

This wasn’t the time to be lost in such thoughts.

Gyeo Wool needed to think about who she was with and why she was here.

She tried to turn her gaze away from Tae Wook.

But a problem arose.

Unlike the loud warning signals ringing in her head, her gaze stuck to Tae Wook refused to move.

In the end.

Gyeo Wool’s gaze, having missed its chance, and Tae Wook’s eyes sensing her gaze met in a direct line.

It was too late to avoid it.

His gaze grew more intense, deeply penetrating her pupils.

She couldn’t breathe.

It felt as if time and space had all stopped.

The only thing she could hear was the pounding of her heart.

That sound was speeding up.

To the point where she worried her heart might burst out of her body.

She saw Tae Wook move.

Still fixing his gaze on Gyeo Wool.

Gulp.

Dry saliva pushed down her tense throat.

The distance between Tae Wook and Gyeo Wool had narrowed to just a few steps.