After staying in the study for a long time, Tae Wook went to the bathroom and then to the living room.

However, Gyeo Wool, who was supposed to be in the living room, was nowhere to be seen.

Just then, Mrs. Choi was seen coming out of the kitchen with a basket, heading towards the utility room.

Mrs. Choi was the wife of Mr. Hwang, who had been a villa employee for a long time.

She took care of the food and housekeeping whenever Chairman Kang or his family came down to the villa.

“Did that person go to their room?”

“I think they went outside a little while ago.”

“Outside?”

“I heard the sound of the door.”

Tae Wook turned his head towards the window.

The trees outside were shaking violently in the wind.

It must be cold with such strong wind…

“When that person comes back, could you please prepare some warm tea?”

“Yes. I’ll make it right after I put this away.”

Tae Wook watched Mrs. Choi enter the utility room and slowly walked towards the living room window.

Through the floor-to-ceiling glass window, he could see Gyeo Wool.

She was wearing a thick cardigan and an ankle-length checkered skirt, strolling in the garden.

Judging by how close she was to the villa building, she must have just gone out.

He thought that perhaps she had heard him coming out of the study and deliberately went outside to avoid him.

“There’s no use running away in the villa.”

Tae Wook stood at the living room window, staring intently at Gyeo Wool.

She walked gracefully towards the end of the garden with her slender and straight body.

Occasionally she would bend down, as if something caught her eye.

Perhaps an oddly shaped stone, or a flower that was still blooming despite the winter.

Sunlight seeped through the gaps in the dense trees.

As if illuminated by a bright light, her figure stood out prominently.

And just then, the wind blew, scattering her long, silky hair.

“She’s… really pretty.”

Tae Wook’s inner thoughts inadvertently slipped out as he followed Gyeo Wool with his gaze.

He burst into laughter.

It felt awkward to reveal his true feelings so openly. But he didn’t dislike it.

By now, Gyeo Wool had reached the end of the garden.

She seemed to have discovered the stairs leading to the beach, as she momentarily stopped.

The end of the villa was a cliff, with stairs built down to the beach below.

Tae Wook’s gaze shifted from Gyeo Wool to the sea beyond.

“The waves are high.”

Judging by the size and height of the waves rushing towards the beach, it was clear that the wind was blowing fiercely.

While the villa was protected from the wind by the surrounding trees, the seaside was a different story.

“Where does she think she’s going in those clothes?”

No matter how thick Gyeo Wool’s cardigan was, it was not enough to withstand the gusting wind.

What if she catches a cold?

Tae Wook opened the living room window. Then he raised his voice to call Gyeo Wool.

“Secretary Han!”

Hearing his voice, she turned her head towards the villa.

“Come back quickly.”

“I’ll just go down for a moment.”

As Tae Wook had expected, Gyeo Wool was planning to walk along the beach path below the stairs.

“No, Secretary Han! Come back right now.”

Tae Wook tried to dissuade Gyeo Wool again.

Eventually, she gave up on going down, looking back at the stairs with lingering regret, and returned to the villa.

“Is something wrong?”

She had a sulky expression, perhaps because her walk had been interrupted.

“I called you because I thought you were going to the beach.”

“Is it a place I’m not allowed to go?”

“It’s not that. The wind is blowing too strongly.”

“It’s not that strong.”

Gyeo Wool pouted her lips as if to say, was it just because of that silly wind that he made her come back?

Like a child…

Tae Wook smiled at her expression, then placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around.

He led her a few steps towards the living room window and pointed towards the sea visible beyond the pine forest.

“With waves that high, the wind must be incredibly strong on the beach below the villa.”

“Ah!”

Gyeo Wool finally seemed to understand why Tae Wook had called her back.

“It would be terrible if someone weak to cold caught a flu.”

At his words of concern, Gyeo Wool’s sulky expression disappeared without a trace, replaced by a look of touched gratitude.

Just then, Mrs. Choi came out of the kitchen carrying two mugs on a tray.

“It’s quince tea. Made with quinces picked from the garden in autumn and soaked in honey.”

Mrs. Choi said as she handed the steaming mugs to Tae Wook and Gyeo Wool.

Perhaps because it was a quince tea made with care, the aroma was rich and the color was beautiful.

“Thank you.”

Gyeo Wool expressed her gratitude with a bright smile, and Mrs. Choi smiled back before returning to the kitchen.

Gyeo Wool held her mug and moved closer to the living room window.

“It’s so beautiful here. The garden, the pine forest, and the sea too.”

Tae Wook took a sip of the quince tea and stood beside Gyeo Wool, looking at her.

Her gaze was fixed on the sea where sunlight was pouring down.

Her eyes were sparkling to an almost unrealistic degree.

As if she were dreaming.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Do you come here often, sir?”

“This is my fourth time. Twice with my grandfather and once with my college friends.”

“If it were me, I think I’d come a few times a month.”

Even though one might get bored, her gaze was still directed outside.

“I don’t think you’d say that after seeing the same forest and the same sea for three days straight.”

“You’re saying that because you don’t know, sir.”

Gyeo Wool paused for a moment, blew on her hot tea, and took a careful sip.

“Like the Chairman’s villa, it’s been my wish to stay for even a few days in a place like this, with a lush forest behind and the sea spread out below the hill.”

Tae Wook chuckled at Gyeo Wool’s words.

“What an odd wish. If you travel around, you’ll find that there are usually pensions or hotels in places like Secretary Han described.”

Gyeo Wool slowly shifted her gaze from the sea to Tae Wook.

“Actually… I haven’t… been on a trip since high school.”

Gyeo Wool said with a faint smile, seeming embarrassed.

“That trip to Gangneung was my first and last.”

“You haven’t been on a trip since then?”

Tae Wook asked in surprise.

“Are you sure you’re not forgetting some trips you’ve taken?”

“It’s hard for you to understand, isn’t it, sir?”

When Tae Wook frowned and raised one eyebrow, Gyeo Wool thought he didn’t believe her words.

“Until college, I couldn’t go because I didn’t have money for trips. When I started earning money, I didn’t have the time or peace of mind to go on trips.”

Gyeo Wool honestly stated the facts as they were.

But she didn’t realize that her words were making Tae Wook even more curious.

[This is the timeline separator]

The next afternoon.

Tae Wook, who was working in the study, rubbed his stiff neck and looked towards the window.

The rain that had been falling since morning had completely stopped.

Usually, it should be snowing at this time of year, but due to abnormal temperatures, it had been raining frequently.

“I should suggest going for a walk on the beach before dinner.”

Yesterday, he had prevented her from going down to the beach because of the wind, but today the wind seemed calm enough for a walk.

“I wonder what she’s doing now, should I go check?”

Tae Wook closed the file he had been reviewing.

Just a while ago, he had finished reviewing all the documents he had brought.

In fact, although he had told Gyeo Wool that he hadn’t brought any work, his suitcase was full of documents to review, except for a change of clothes.

She had questioned him about the contradiction, but seemed to understand.

−I won’t disturb you, so please work.

Saying that, she hadn’t come anywhere near the study.

Now it seemed he could spend a short but full vacation with Gyeo Wool, free from work.

Just as he stood up from his desk.

His cell phone on the desk rang.

It was Secretary Kim.

[Sir, I visited the hospital where Secretary Han was admitted.]

Before leaving Seoul, Tae Wook had asked Secretary Kim to look into the records and hospital where Gyeo Wool had been admitted three years ago.

“How did it go?”

[There was a record of her being admitted for a week at S Hospital in Songpa District.]

“The date?”

[It matches the time when you were on a business trip to Dubai, sir.]

Tae Wook furrowed his thick eyebrows at Secretary Kim’s words.

What Mrs. Lee had said was true.

When Tae Wook was on an overseas business trip, Gyeo Wool hadn’t gone on a trip with a man, but had been admitted to the hospital.

[The nurse said she remembered because it’s rare for a patient to be admitted for a week, except in cases where a patient with an underlying condition gets shingles.]

Well, even this time, although Gyeo Wool’s symptoms were severe, she was discharged after three days.

[They said she probably came to the hospital after her symptoms became serious.]

That meant that the symptoms might have started even before Tae Wook left for his business trip.

“Huh…”

He sighed heavily and put his hand on his forehead.

He was astounded and angry at himself for not noticing anything until it had gotten to that point.

“You must be busy with company work too, thank you for your effort.”

[It’s nothing. Is Secretary Han alright?]

“She’s much better.”

[That’s a relief.]

“Is there anything else?”

[There was a call from the Vice Chairman’s office.]

At Secretary Kim’s words, a flash of light appeared in Tae Wook’s eyes.

[They asked where you are now and who you’re with.]

“And?”

[As you instructed, I told them that you went on a business trip to Japan with Secretary Han for resort business.]

Contrary to what he had told Gyeo Wool, the company believed that Tae Wook had gone on a business trip to Japan.

“I see. Good work… Secretary Kim!”

Tae Wook was about to hang up when he called Secretary Kim again.

[Yes, sir.]

“There’s one more thing I need you to look into.”

[Please go ahead.]

“The third son of Heonhwa Trading, Chairman Yoon…”

Tae Wook paused and glared into space.

His glaring eyes were cold and sharp.

“Find out about a man named Yoon Ju Young.”