A few days later.

Winter returned to the company after visiting a flower farm to look at trees for landscaping.

It was when she parked her car in the parking lot and got out.

She saw Eun Young coming out of the company, followed immediately by President Seo.

President Seo was the representative of Taekyung Co., which was handling most of the electrical work.

The atmosphere between the two was not good.

“Why did I delay the payment for the construction? It’s because Bang’s representative boasted about getting a big project. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, President Seo.”

President Seo raised his voice with an angry red face, while Eun Young kept her head down and fidgeted.

“I can’t delay it any longer, so figure it out.”

“Just one more month…”

“I said I can’t delay it!”

Hearing President Seo’s flat refusal, Winter carefully opened the car door and went inside.

It was for Eun Young’s sake.

She didn’t want Eun Young to know that Winter had seen her unable to even raise her head in front of President Seo, like a criminal.

Her pride must already be crumbling enough as it is.

“We shouldn’t have refused the training center construction project.”

Eun Young had been able to delay payment deadlines to the subcontractors as much as possible using that project as justification.

But rumors that the project had fallen through must have already spread.

Seeing President Seo rush over to demand payment after just a few days.

“Haah…”

A long sigh escaped involuntarily.

President Seo was likely just the beginning.

It was clear as day that subcontractors would come one after another demanding money.

After President Seo left, Eun Young could be seen looking up at the sky with slumped shoulders.

And seeing her wipe her eyes with both hands, she was undoubtedly crying.

“Because of me…”

The price Eun Young had to pay instead of protecting Winter was far too harsh.

She had to think of a way to save Eun Young and the company.

Winter took out her phone from her bag as she watched Eun Young enter the company with heavy steps.

“Hello, Manager Seok. This is Han Gyeo Wool.”

The only place she could rely on now was Flore Resort.

She had to win the vertical garden construction project somehow.

[Team Leader Han, what’s the matter?]

“Have you finished reviewing the estimate? I was wondering how far things have progressed, so I called.”

[Ah, that… I was just about to contact you.]

The moment Manager Seok’s flustered voice penetrated her ears, Winter was gripped by an ominous feeling.

[Do you remember what I said about the resort representative changing?]

“Yes.”

[He’s not just picky, he’s a knife, a knife.]

What Winter wanted to know wasn’t the representative’s personality.

It was whether or not they could sign a construction contract with Flore Resort.

“If there are any unsatisfactory parts, we can adjust them.”

[I’m so sorry. After all the effort Team Leader Han put in.]

“Those words mean…”

[The representative ordered the project to be scrapped.]

Oh no.

Her breath caught and the sky looked bright yellow.

She had been counting on this project…

“What’s the reason for deciding to scrap it?”

[I hear they concluded there’s no business potential.]

“If you look at L Hotel, don’t you know how much promotional effect it had after actually installing it?”

[That’s true.]

Winter saw a glimmer of hope in Manager Seok’s response.

“I’ll submit additional materials.”

[It won’t be of any use.]

“I’ll also attach articles from local newspapers and travel magazines about increased room reservation rates after L Hotel’s construction.”

[I understand how you feel, Team Leader Han, but.]

“You’ve also put effort into this, Manager. I believe you don’t want it to fall through like this either.”

Manager Seok was silent, as if contemplating.

“Manager…”

[Bring it by this afternoon.]

“Thank you so much, Manager.”

As soon as she hung up the phone, Winter ran into the company to prepare the materials.

.

.

.

Winter got out of the car carrying a large briefcase.

She was so nervous that the blue veins on the back of her white hand stood out as she tightly gripped the briefcase handle.

“I have to return with results no matter what.”

Winter hurried her steps towards the resort’s main building, tightening her stomach muscles.

“Team Leader Han!”

It was when Winter stopped in front of the stairs leading up to the main building.

Turning around at the voice calling her, she saw Manager Seok approaching her.

“Manager. Are you on your way back from somewhere?”

“I was just looking around the water park. You prepared the materials well, right?”

“Yes. I did my best.”

Winter said emphatically.

“Good. I’m sure you wouldn’t have done a sloppy job. Let’s go to my office and talk.”

“Alright.”

Manager Seok carefully examined the materials Winter had brought.

“You must have worked hard to organize this much in such a short time. I’ll pass it on to the representative.”

“Please do.”

“The results will take a little while. The representative has to come down from Seoul to review it.”

Winter’s expression darkened at the words that it could be delayed.

“Don’t worry too much. I called the representative.”

“Thank you. But it seems the new representative isn’t at the resort.”

She knew the previous representative, Ha Sang Jin, had resided at the resort.

“The representative is busy with other businesses besides the resort.”

“I see. He must be a person with excellent business acumen.”

Manager Seok nodded proudly at Winter’s words.

“You can say that again. You must have heard of it too. J Chemical. He’s the representative there.”

“What? W-Who did you say?”

Winter couldn’t believe her ears.

I must have heard wrong.

But Manager Seok’s next words made Winter realize she had heard correctly.

“I was surprised like you when I heard it a few days ago. It’s a well-known fact that the J Chemical representative is the grandson of Chairman Kang of the Jisung Group.”

This can’t be.

How can Tae Wook be the representative of Flore Resort?

Winter could barely breathe from the anxiety sweeping over her entire body.

[This is the timeline separator]

Whoosh!

With each wave rolling onto the shore, a cold wind blew in as well.

Winter was standing on the beach behind the villa, gazing at the dark, undulating night sea.

Her whole body was frozen and her fingers were numb from being outside for so long.

“What should I do.”

She never imagined Tae Wook would acquire Flore Resort.

It felt like being trapped in a maze.

Just when you think you’ve found a way out, you hit another dead end.

She kept thinking of Eun Young wiping away tears while looking up at the sky earlier that day.

−I absolutely don’t want to be a senior who pushes my cherished junior into danger while living in luxury.

What luxury.

Winter’s eyes gradually turned red.

“I can’t watch my senior suffer because of me anymore. I’m only thinking of the company and my senior.”

Winter steeled her resolve.

“Hoo…”

She took out her phone from her coat pocket and took a deep breath.

And before her determination wavered, she immediately called Tae Wook.

[This is the timeline separator]

Tae Wook came out of the shower and headed to the home bar, drying his dripping wet hair with a towel.

He hadn’t been able to sleep properly for days.

Today, he felt he needed to get some sleep even with the help of alcohol.

As Tae Wook filled a glass with strong liquor, his gaze fell on a half-empty wine bottle.

It was the wine they had last drunk before Winter left the apartment.

Tae Wook had kept it as it was.

The wine left in the bottle seemed to resemble his heart that couldn’t completely erase Winter.

He gave a bitter smile and took the glass to the living room.

As he sat on the sofa, his eyes fell on the mobile phone placed on the table.

“Should I call?”

Tae Wook had heard from Manager Seok that Winter had prepared additional materials.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t agonized over the decision to scrap the vertical garden construction.

The day Winter met Manager Seok at L Hotel.

The reason Tae Wook had visited there was actually to examine that vertical garden.

Unlike others he had seen before, it had a beauty and even mystique that was captivating.

“I even felt proud.”

Just knowing that Winter had overseen the construction.

However, Tae Wook was a businessman to the bone.

He judged it would be difficult to connect to the resort’s profits.

“She’ll be disappointed.”

Tae Wook had no intention of reversing his decision despite Winter’s efforts.

Yet thinking of her disheartened face weighed on his mind.

He tilted the glass.

The strong alcohol going down his throat made him frown involuntarily.

It was when he took the glass from his lips.

A vibration sound came from the mobile phone on the table.

“Who could it be at this hour?”

Tae Wook reached out curiously and picked up the phone.

It was Winter.

Did something urgent happen?

Or an accident?

Tae Wook pressed the call button without delay and urgently called Winter’s name.

“Secretary Han!”

[……]

The call had definitely connected. But there was no sound from Winter.

He called her again.

“Secretary Han?”

[I’m sorry for calling so late.]

A calm, low voice.

For a moment, Tae Wook’s wildly beating heart calmed down.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like anything bad or an accident had happened.

“It’s alright.”

[I heard from Manager Seok today. That you’re the representative of Flore Resort.]

“I see.”

Winter would have found out eventually.

But it was much sooner than expected.

[The resort construction being scrapped… was it because of me?]

“What?”

Tae Wook raised his thick eyebrows diagonally.

He didn’t know Winter would view the matter from that perspective.

[Isn’t it a decision you made because I refused your request?]

“You should know too. That I don’t do business based on personal feelings.”

[You know how difficult it will be for ‘The Space’ if that contract falls through.]

It must be an illusion that her voice sounded tearful.

He had never seen her cry except when she was on the phone with a creditor.

“It would have been resolved if you hadn’t given up the training center construction.”

Tae Wook stated the facts as they were.

He had already instructed to look for other companies for the training center construction.

Winter was silent for a long time.

Beyond her breathing, the sound of waves could be heard.

Had she been out by the sea for a long time?

If so, her whole body must be frozen stiff.

What if someone who catches colds easily gets sick?

Winter’s weak voice cut through Tae Wook’s worry.

[Please… help me.]

“What do you want me to help with?”

[Please let our company take on the resort construction.]

“I told you it was canceled because the business feasibility showed the cons outweighed the pros.”

Tae Wook rubbed his eyebrow with his finger, perhaps feeling perplexed.

He wasn’t unaware of why Winter was pleading like this.

“It’s already been decided. So…”

[I’ll do what you asked.]