Eunpyo, looking at Soeun’s expression on the way up in the elevator, asked.

“Chief Han, are you okay?”

“What?”

“Your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“No, no, it’s okay.”

Soeun smiled brightly, pretending to be fine. The forced smile that had been attached crumbled away like a worn-out sticker.

In front of Taejun’s office, Manager Song Mun-gyeong greeted them.

“Did everyone have a good weekend?”

“Hello, Manager.”

After exchanging greetings, Soeun, as the representative, asked Mun-gyeong.

“Is Director here?”

“Oh, but a guest came. You don’t have to greet today.”

Mun-gyeong replied with a puzzled and awkward smile.

My heart thumped.
Soeun looked at Taejun’s office entrance from a distance. No sound came from the dull metal door. She used to worry if sounds leaked out when she was inside that room, but now, with no one around and the inside so quiet, it felt like something was wrong.

No. No. Hyeonji, don’t.

It’s okay for Yang Hee-wook, but don’t mess with Kim Tae-jun.

She wanted to rush and open the entrance right away, but Soeun held back.

Not now.

Later. After finishing all the work, after sending the colleagues away.

With trembling legs, Soeun managed to go to the Future Services Team office.

Shortly after, Manager Song Munkyung opened the office door, saying she would leave first.

“Do your job well and leave.”

After seeing Munkyung off, Soeun became more impatient.

While I stay in the office, the guest in Taejun’s office might leave. I might not see the guest’s face.

Unable to endure, Soeun stood up from her seat.

“Uh, I, I need to use the restroom.”

With hurried steps, Soeun, surrounded by glances focused on her, quickly left the office and walked toward Taejun’s office.

The door was slightly ajar. It seemed that Munkyung, when leaving after greeting Taejun, hadn’t closed it properly.

Through the slightly open door, Taejun’s annoyed voice reached her ears.

“I’ve told you before. This is my workplace, but it’s also Han Soeun’s workplace.”

As Taejun’s voice mentioned her name, Soeun felt a shiver again.

Then followed by a woman’s voice.

“Worried So that Han Soeun would find out?”

Soeun knew the owner of this voice well.

A voice full of bright energy, with a lively tone. A voice that couldn’t be forgotten.

Choi Hyeonji and Kim Taejun. What were these two talking about?

“It would have been better not to come uninvited like this.”

“Then would it have been better to visit Director’s home?”

“We can meet in the middle somewhere.”

“Where in the middle should we meet? There are so many eyes watching.”

Maybe it would have been better to keep listening.

But Soeun couldn’t stand it and swung the door open.

As expected, the guest was Hyeonji.

Soeun took in both Hyeonji, sitting on the sofa she had sat in several times, and Taejun standing near the door at once.

As Taejun reached for the doorknob to close the door, his eyes widened.

“Long time no see, Miss Han Soeun.”

Looking back, Hyeonji casually greeted her.

Taejun seemed more bewildered. It must be awkward. If your feelings for me are even a bit sincere.

“Miss Soeun, this is something I…”

“No. Let me go first.”

Soeun promptly cut off Taejun’s words.

“Were you two originally acquainted?”

Her voice sounded sharply.

I don’t want to be swayed. I will make the judgment, so you just need to answer.

“Once, I entrusted some work to Lawyer Choi Hyeonji through a law firm.”

Taejun answered.
“When was that?”

“When Soeun started dating Yang Hee-wook.”

Listening to the conversation, Hyeonji responded casually. Soeun turned her head, glaring at Hyeonji with narrowed eyes, then asked Taejun another question.

“Director, do you still give work to her?”

“No, today, Lawyer Choi Hyeonji came without any prior notice for some other business. Out of the blue.”

Taejun set up a barrier, as if implying there was nothing between him and Hyeonji. It brought some relief to Soeun, but…

“Huh. Rather than saying thank you.”

Hyeonji chuckled sarcastically.

Her voice seemed different. Until a moment ago, it was much brighter, but now it sounded different, a lot more oppressive than before.

Next to Yang Hee-wook, the voice was much more insinuating.

When Soeun turned her head to look at Hyeonji again, she slowly smiled. That smile looked sinister, like a witch.

“Director, may I have a moment to talk alone with Soeun?”

Hyeonji asked Taejun. Taejun immediately replied.

“No, you may not.”

“No. I want to talk. Please leave.”

But this time, Soeun insisted. Since Hyeonji had something to say, she didn’t want to refuse.

As Soeun turned toward the entrance, Taejun blocked her way.

“… Let’s talk here. I’ll leave.”

In the end, as Hyeonji wished, the owner of the office, Kim Tae-jun, was driven out of the office.

“Are you going to eavesdrop outside the door?”

Facing Taejun’s leaving back, Hyeonji raised her eyebrow. Soeun, once again, clenched her fist at Hyeonji’s thin voice and took a position across from her.

It was hard to guess the relationship between the two. Were they close or not?

Hyeonji tilted her chin toward the entrance and, with a mocking tone, opened her mouth.

“You can’t stand it, huh? Your boyfriend.”

“How did you come here? What’s the matter?”

“Even though Kim Tae-jun Director hasn’t mentioned it yet, can I talk about it?”

Soeun dryly asked, ignoring Hyeonji’s smiling face. Hyeonji responded even more provocatively. Soeun changed the question.

“Have you broken up with Yang Hee-wook, Lawyer?”

“That’s my personal matter.”

“Even Yang Hee-wook came here like this. It was very unpleasant.”

Take good care of Yang Hee-wook; that’s what she meant.

“I hope Lawyer Choi won’t come to see the Director anymore unless it’s a straightforward matter.”

“What if it’s not straightforward?”

“With your record, I can’t help but be suspicious, Lawyer.”

“Record, you say?”

“I hope you don’t pretend not to know.”

“…”

“Ruined the relationship between lovers who even made a marriage promise.”

“What? Ruined? Me?”

As Soeun spoke rhythmically, Hyeonji burst into a hollow laugh, as if finding it absurd. The tip of her raised lip was sharp.

“Hey. So, is Han Soeun unhappy now?”

Soeun clenched her fist again.

“I’m not trying to talk about that. It’s about the Lawyer approaching the Director with impure intentions…”
“Whether there are impure intentions or not, if you’re shaken by my approach, isn’t that a problem with Director Kim Tae-jun too?”

While Soeun, who had never fought like this with anyone, hesitated, Hyeonji raised her voice first.

“Han Soeun should be grateful to me. I helped you. It’s late, but now you can cut ties with Yang Hee-wook.”

A feeling as if she were being cornered.

But, this, the more it goes on, the stranger it gets. It’s not going in the direction I thought…?

While Soeun’s mouth was blocked, and she was left dumbfounded, Hyeonji attacked again.

“Yang Hee-wook is thirty years old, do you think Han Soeun is the only victim?”

It wasn’t just Soeun whose emotions intensified. Hyeonji also had an irritated expression, as if enduring the pain of suppressing her anger.

“Do you think Han Soeun is the only one who suffered?”

Unable to fully comprehend the question, Soeun felt a chill down her spine.