“It’s exactly as I said. A contract. Is there anyone else besides Han Secretary who can pretend to be a couple in front of Grandfather?”

“Are you saying you’ll act as a couple with that woman to protect the company from Grandfather? Even going so far as to make a contract?”

“Is there any other way?”

“Why wouldn’t there be another way? You could just marry a different woman!”

Ki Bum spoke, displeased with Tae Wook’s decision.

“You seem to have forgotten when Grandfather’s memory stopped.”

“Even so…”

This time, Ki Bum appeared to have no rebuttal.

Instead, unable to let go of his suspicion, he asked:

“Can I believe that it’s just a contract?”

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you, Vice Chairman.”

Tae Wook deliberately made no effort to make Ki Bum believe him.

Rather, he thought such an attitude was the way to avoid Ki Bum’s suspicion.

And his prediction proved correct.

“How long do you plan to keep her by your side?”

“At most, it would be a few months, wouldn’t it? Once Grandfather’s memory returns, it would be impossible for her to stay here anyway.”

“That’s true, but…”

Ki Bum couldn’t refute Tae Wook’s words.

Even before the divorce, Chairman Kang had cherished Gyeo Wool like his own granddaughter.

But the divorce completely changed Chairman Kang’s feelings towards Gyeo Wool.

If Chairman Kang were to fully recover, he would surely prevent Gyeo Wool from even coming near Tae Wook.

“Be careful not to let that child be noticed by others.”

“Others? Besides Father and Aunt, are there other people Han Secretary should be concerned about?”

Tae Wook said mockingly.

Ki Bum realized why his son was speaking this way.

“It was a decision made thinking you wouldn’t live together long and would divorce soon.”

“And you didn’t hope for that to happen?”

“You should know it’s thanks to me that your marriage and divorce haven’t been made public.”

Tae Wook and Gyeo Wool’s wedding was held secretly with only family members present, due to Ki Bum’s insistence.

On Tae Wook’s side, there were only Chairman Kang, Ki Bum, and his aunt’s family.

In fact, there were more fake friends and a fake mother for Gyeo Wool, hired from an agency.

“Still, be careful, very careful. Don’t forget that the eyes and ears of the employees are focused on you.”

“I’ll do so.”

Tae Wook nodded with an expressionless face.

“Since it’s a contract, I won’t make an issue of it anymore. But when Grandfather’s memory returns, make sure to send her away quickly!”

Ki Bum emphasized to Tae Wook, still displeased.

“And hurry up with your remarriage too. So we can proceed immediately when Grandfather’s memory returns.”

Ki Bum brought up the marriage topic again.

Tae Wook’s expression involuntarily frowned.

“If it’s about marriage, I don’t want to hear a single word.”

Tae Wook doesn’t think Ki Bum has forgotten the warning he gave in the conference room.

Wasn’t it anger at those words that brought him here?

Ki Bum clearly thinks the advantage has shifted to him after hearing about the contract with Gyeo Wool.

“There’s no one who could be a stronger backing for you than Assemblyman Choi.”

Tae Wook turned on his computer and opened the documents on his desk, as if he couldn’t hear anything.

“If she knows you have someone to marry, she won’t harbor other thoughts either.”

“Please leave now. I need to work.”

Ki Bum glared fiercely at Tae Wook, who was kicking him out, for a long while.

However, Tae Wook, completely unbothered, turned his gaze to the monitor and began working.

Ki Bum finally rose from the sofa, making a ‘Nngh’ sound as he tried to contain his anger.

“Don’t think I’ll give up on your marriage. Even if the sky falls, I intend to become in-laws with Assemblyman Choi.”

Ki Bum left the office, leaving behind words that he wouldn’t bend his will.

“Just how firm a promise did you receive to be acting like this?”

Tae Wook murmured, taking his eyes off the monitor and staring at the office door Ki Bum had closed behind him.

Ki Bum had been trying to marry Tae Wook off to a woman he liked.

But had he ever been this persistent about realizing Tae Wook’s marriage before?

Ki Bum seemed like a man who had staked his life on his son’s marriage.

It was clear that Assemblyman Choi’s side had promised a definite entry into politics on the condition of marriage.

“Hoo…”

Tae Wook exhaled the anger tightly packed in his chest.

Then he got up from his desk and left the office.

Tae Wook’s gaze fell on Gyeo Wool’s empty desk in the inner part of the adjoining office.

“Where did she go?”

He rubbed his chin with his palm, his expression hardening with worry.

At that moment, Kim Secretary returned after seeing Ki Bum off.

Noticing that Tae Wook was looking for Gyeo Wool, Kim Secretary silently pointed to the pantry.

Tae Wook walked to the pantry with heavy steps.

Through the slightly open door, he could see Gyeo Wool’s back.

She sat with her shoulders hunched, tense as if trying to protect herself from exposure to danger.

As he stopped at the door, Gyeo Wool startled and flinched.

She seemed to have been startled thinking the person coming to the pantry might be Ki Bum.

“Are you alright?”

Hearing Tae Wook’s voice, Gyeo Wool quickly turned her head back.

Her eyes scanned past Tae Wook’s shoulders.

“Father has left.”

Perhaps his words reassured her.

“Haah…”

Gyeo Wool pressed her hand to her chest, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly.

How much must she have been holding her breath…

Already, her lips were completely dry, and the hand on her chest could be seen trembling.

Tae Wook felt a sharp pain in the area of his heart.

She had been fine for a few days.

Seeing Gyeo Wool struggling again made his heart ache.

“He’s the type to speak his mind freely.”

Tae Wook was talking about Ki Bum.

“It was something that had to happen eventually.”

“I know. I was just surprised to encounter the Vice Chairman without any preparation. I’m fine now.”

Gyeo Wool still didn’t raise her head.

Though not quite a smile, her effort to make her voice sound bright was clearly conveyed to Tae Wook.

“It was my mistake.”

“Pardon?”

At this unexpected remark, Gyeo Wool finally raised her head and looked at Tae Wook.

“When you said you were going out to get coffee, I shouldn’t have stopped you.”

He realized after hearing Gyeo Wool say she encountered Ki Bum without preparation.

If he had let her leave then, there wouldn’t have been such a sudden exposure of Gyeo Wool to Ki Bum.

And above all, he should have hurriedly told Ki Bum about the contract with Gyeo Wool.

“I feel bad for not being able to keep my promise.”

At Tae Wook’s words, Gyeo Wool bit her lip deeply.

−I’ll protect Han Secretary.

She recalled his words promising to protect her from Ki Bum.

Although he couldn’t keep the promise, the fact that he still held the promise in his heart made her feel grateful.

“You couldn’t have anticipated this either. And really, I’m fine.”

Contrary to her words, her pale face showed no signs of returning to its original color.

Only the trembling of her hands had subsided a little.

“I told him that the reason Han Secretary is in Seoul is because of Grandfather. That I asked for it.”

“You must have also said that I’ll leave when the Chairman’s memory returns.”

“That’s right. Since I mentioned the contract, of course.”

Gyeo Wool nodded weakly at Tae Wook’s words.

What he told Ki Bum was the plain truth.

Yet strangely, her heart felt heavy.

The reality that their relationship couldn’t go beyond the contract.

The fact that eventually, she would have to leave him and return to her place.

It made her sad.

“Now that he’s swept through once, he probably won’t say things like ‘go’ or ‘stay’ to Han Secretary.”

“Yes. I suppose so.”

There was no strength in Gyeo Wool’s voice.

Tae Wook noticed that Gyeo Wool’s expression had become even darker than before.

“Shouldn’t you go to the hospital? You look unwell.”

“No, I’m not sick.”

“If you’re struggling, you can go home even now. There’s no need to push yourself unnecessarily.”

“I’m really fine.”

Gyeo Wool didn’t want to go home now.

It seemed less difficult to have work in her hands.

“I’ll finish up and then go home.”

“Such stubbornness…”

Tae Wook creased his brow, creating vertical lines.

He was learning that breaking her stubbornness was never an easy task.

“Come to think of it, you didn’t listen to me.”

“Pardon?”

“I told you to at least drink some warm water.”

Tae Wook frowned, seeing that the table where Gyeo Wool was sitting was completely empty.

He took an empty mug, went to the water purifier, mixed some cold water with hot water, and returned to Gyeo Wool.

“Drink.”

Tae Wook thrust the mug towards Gyeo Wool.

Surprised by the mug suddenly appearing before her, she raised her head to look at Tae Wook.

“Should I make tea instead of water?”

“Ah, no.”

Gyeo Wool quickly accepted the mug.

“Thank you.”

Gyeo Wool said, cupping the mug with both hands.

The warm sensation transmitted to her palms, which had been as cold as ice.

For a moment, tears welled up.

It was a moment when a pure glass of water, without a single tea leaf, became the greatest comfort in the world.

The Tae Wook now felt like a different person from when they first reunited.

Don’t be too kind to me.

It might make me expect things.

I can’t want to stay when parting is already predetermined…

Gyeo Wool quickly lowered her head and brought the mug to her lips, not wanting to show her eyes filling with tears.

I don’t want to show my tears.

Yet they keep trying to fall at every moment.

“Mom! Mom! Let’s play with Si Hoo.”

Si Hoo tugged at Gyeo Wool’s pants as she was wiping down a table at the noodle shop, whining.

“Si Hoo, just let me finish this.”

Gyeo Wool, who had come down to Jeju Island late last night, wanted to help Myung Sook, who had many tourist customers on the weekend.

However, Si Hoo, who was sticking to her like glue, was more of a hindrance than help.

Unable to watch any longer, Myung Sook came out of the kitchen and called Si Hoo.

“Si Hoo. Ask Mom to buy you ice cream.”

“It’s cold, why ice cream?”

Gyeo Wool realized that Myung Sook was trying to send her and Si Hoo out.

“You and Si Hoo going out is helping me.”

Myung Sook put a hat on Si Hoo, who was about to run out excitedly.

“Our puppy. Go play with Mom for a long time and come back.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Si Hoo scurried over to Gyeo Wool and grabbed her hand.

“Mom, let’s go eat ice cream.”

Gyeo Wool reluctantly took Si Hoo’s hand and left the noodle shop.

She had worried it might be cold, but the wind blowing from the beach was warm.

It was perfect weather for a walk.

As the mother and son were walking vigorously towards the ice cream shop, swinging their arms back and forth, it happened.

A car approaching from the opposite direction stopped, and the driver’s window slowly rolled down.

“Si Hoo!”

At the voice calling Si Hoo, Gyeo Wool and Si Hoo stopped in their tracks.