At the Incheon International Airport arrival hall, people were pouring out, and among them was a person looking around like a meerkat. It was Namiran, a deputy from the K1 Construction Development Project Department Secretariat, who had come to meet her boss who had suddenly announced his return to Korea.
After several such observations, she finally spotted the person she had been waiting for.
“Over here, Director An Yong-gi.”
“Namiran, long time no see. Has it been a year already?”
“Yes, time flies. Where is Director Jin Sunwoo?”
“He should be out soon. He’s been delayed talking to the vice-chairman.”
“Oh, there’s Director Jin now.”
Namiran almost failed to recognize Sunwoo, who was dressed in a casual knit and cotton trousers. She quickly approached him to greet.
“Welcome back, Director Jin. Was the flight okay?”
“Yes, it was comfortable.”
Although they had been in regular contact via phone and email, meeting her boss in person after a year was still a bit daunting.
He seemed to have lost a bit more weight, and the Marseille sun had tanned his handsome face, accentuating his masculinity. Namiran almost felt a slight flutter.
‘Get a grip, he’s a married man! I need to survive long in this company!’
She quickly gathered her wits and led them to the parking lot.
“Namiran, how much time do we have before the meeting?”
“There’s plenty of time. It’s at 7 PM.”
After a brief silence, Sunwoo slowly turned his head to look at Namiran.
“Where is my wife right now?”
An unusual silence fell in the car as Sunwoo suddenly asked about Green. In the past year, he had never inquired about his wife’s well-being or what she was doing.
Director An Yong-gi, the chief secretary who could guess his thoughts from his eyes, had noticed that Sunwoo had changed significantly after hearing about the incident at Jin Young-chul’s 60th birthday party.
Sunwoo had been impassive when first hearing about Green’s verbal abuse by an uninvited guest, Han Munteak, at the party. Even Yong-gi, his friend, was almost fooled by his reaction.
But when Sunwoo stared intensely at the photos of Green taken at the party and compared them with earlier ones, and then abruptly decided to return to Korea, pushing forward all local schedules, Yong-gi realized it.
Despite his apparent indifference over the past year, Green was not an insignificant presence to Sunwoo.
“Madam is heading directly from the hair salon to Chairman Park’s house in Pyeongchang-dong.”
Hearing the secretary’s response, Sunwoo immediately took out his phone and dialed Green’s number.
“The number you have dialed is not in service…”
Sunwoo, thinking he dialed the wrong number, checked the recipient’s name again. It was definitely Han Green’s number.
“Namiran, has my wife’s phone number changed?”
“Yes, it was changed right after the wedding last year.”
Sitting in the front, Namiran, unaware of Sunwoo’s discomposure in the back seat, cheerfully answered his question.
Then, Director An Yong-gi asked on behalf of Sunwoo.
“Why wasn’t Director Jin informed when Madam’s phone number changed?”
“Ah, the vice-chairman changed it for her, so I assumed Director Jin knew. Didn’t you know?”
Of course, he didn’t know. All news about Green had been conveyed through Namiran, so he had never felt the need to contact her personally.
Realizing something was off, Namiran sent Sunwoo Green’s new number.
“I’m sending Madam’s number now… done.”
After saving Green’s new number, Sunwoo put his phone back into his pocket.
Sunwoo wanted to immediately call and ask where she was, but given the current situation with the secretaries paying attention, he didn’t particularly want to talk to her on the phone. So, he changed the subject.
“How is my father doing these days?”
“Former Congressman Jin Young-chul has been in seclusion ever since his sixtieth birthday party, except for that. The shock of losing the election seems significant.”
“It’s not easy to be a five-term congressman. Even four terms is impressive…”
At the seemingly consoling words of Director An Yong-gi, one corner of Sunwoo’s mouth twisted wryly.
“Aiming for a fifth term, human greed really knows no bounds.”
Muttering to himself audible only to Director An, Sunwoo’s thoughts drifted to another troublesome father figure.
“How about Han Munteak? Is he still contacting K1 Construction’s marketing team or the secretariat?”
“Yes, he often calls asking when Director Jin will return from abroad, pestering for your local contact. Recently, he’s been frequently meeting with small but strong company CEOs like Juno Tires and Shine Electronics.”
Hearing Namiran’s explanation, Sunwoo involuntarily furrowed his brows. Han Munteak was most dangerous when his motives were unclear.
“Goodness!”
Suddenly, Director An frowned and cautiously observed Sunwoo.
“What is it, Director An?”
“There was a news article recently about the eldest son of Juno Tires getting divorced. And Shine Electronics’ third son, my middle school classmate, divorced last year.”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
