Desperate for a Catch (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10
His back, stripped of his jacket, somehow seemed broader than when I first saw him.
Perhaps it was partly due to his disciplined self-care, but he must have been born with naturally broad shoulders.
His crisp, wrinkle-free shirt, long legs, and polished shoes—
all of it conveyed an elegance that unmistakably spoke of Cha Tae Kyung.
It was an oddly fitting thought, given that this was my impression of the man I’d kissed just the other day.
Though perhaps less fitting for the woman who’d so resolutely walked away from that handsome man.
Woo Yeon stepped closer to his side.
“Here, take it.”
“……”
“Thanks to you, I used it well.”
She handed him the jacket along with her thanks, and he accepted it.
Tae Kyung used the elevator’s mirrored surface as a mirror, slipping the jacket back on.
He adjusted his tie—just in case it had twisted—and smoothed his bangs once.
Then, he turned his head gracefully toward Woo Yeon.
“Your pace is faster than I expected?”
“Huh? So you deliberately…?”
“I didn’t think you’d catch up this quickly.”
“President.”
“Does the Head of Division call you often?”
Woo Yeon couldn’t answer. She didn’t want to express any negative opinion about her superior to someone else, no matter how indirectly.
He continued calmly.
“When I first walked into that room, you asked me something.”
“……”
“Why I was here again.”
“……”
“Shall I answer now?”
Woo Yeon replied firmly.
“No. Please do answer.”
He blinked. Their eyes met at that exact moment, forcing Woo Yeon to bite her lip.
I hadn’t realized the height difference was this stark—standing side by side, the contrast became painfully clear.
“The Head of Division personally called me, offered to treat me to dinner.”
“……”
“Said he’d even introduce me to a woman.”
At that, Woo Yeon—who had been silently staring only at the elevator’s floor indicator—froze.
Did he come here knowing that? After pestering me to date him, couldn’t he hold off even this long before agreeing to a blind date?
Did he enjoy the refined hobby of poking people?
Tae Kyung gave her a faint smile, meeting her suddenly icy glare.
“I’ve heard before that UBC Broadcasting’s Head of Division loves matchmaking and meddles everywhere. I’ve also been told it’s his hobby to use subordinates to build his own connections, being in such a high position. And I knew that ‘Anchor Yoon’ was you.”
Only then did Woo Yeon lift her head and ask,
“You knew all along?”
Tae Kyung nodded.
“I was curious what expression the woman who let me kiss her, then coldly rejected me saying ‘no more after this,’ would be wearing right now.”
“……”
“Now that I’ve seen your face, is the only thing left to tighten the noose again?”
“Look here, President Cha Tae Kyung.”
It was a warning: stop stirring me up. She knew it wouldn’t work—but she had to say it.
Just then, a soft chime sounded, and the elevator doors opened. Ignoring her words, Tae Kyung strode in first.
Woo Yeon followed him into the elevator.
She wanted to say, “I’m so grateful you got me out of the Head of Division’s hell—but let’s leave it at that.” Since she’d driven here herself, she’d planned to suggest they part ways right here.
She stood quietly for a moment, eyes lowered—until Tae Kyung spoke again.
“The Head of Division doesn’t seem to know that Yoon Woo Yeon is currently dating someone.”
“……”
“You’ve probably been introduced to lots of men lately, haven’t you?”
“……”
“Unless, of course, Yoon Woo Yeon lied to me.”
Her conscience pricked her, but she pretended not to notice. At this point, saying she wasn’t seeing anyone would just sound ridiculous.
Looking back, maybe Cha Tae Kyung had known from the very beginning.
From the moment he removed her hat, wrapped his arms around her waist, kissed her, and whispered those sweet words asking her to date him.
Keeping her eyes fixed on the cold elevator wall, Woo Yeon answered,
“Thank you for today. If you hadn’t stepped in just now, I might’ve really done something big this time. You stopped me.”
“Maybe I should’ve just left you alone.”
“What?”
“If I had, I could’ve watched Yoon Woo Yeon charge straight at the Head of Division. What a shame.”
“……”
“Did you drive here?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I didn’t bring my car.”
“What?”
“So it looks like Yoon Woo Yeon will have to drive me to my destination.”
What nonsense. You never bring your car. Just call Team Leader Han.
The words rose right to the tip of her tongue—but in the end, Woo Yeon snapped back,
“Why me?”
“Because you’re grateful to me.”
“……”
“And you’ll have plenty more reasons to thank me going forward.”
“What are you talking about? Why would I have more reasons to thank you?”
Tae Kyung smiled.
“Because if Yoon Woo Yeon ever needs help with anything from now on, I plan to help.”
“That won’t—”
“I hope it doesn’t happen, but I’m ready to jump in with both feet either way.”
“……”
“Then you understand? Someday, Yoon Woo Yeon might accept my proposal.”
“I’ve told you multiple times I’m seeing someone.”
“Anchors sure love telling lies.”
Caught off guard, Woo Yeon could only watch as he stepped out of the elevator first—again.
It was the moment she became certain he’d seen through her lie.
More unsettling still—he’d never been told her car number, yet he’d instantly located her vehicle among countless others in the parking lot.
Woo Yeon hurried over to where he’d already seated himself in the passenger seat of her white sedan.
She shot him a suspicious glance, then opened the door, worried about being seen by others.
Beep. The moment the car unlocked, he opened the passenger door and settled in beside her.
Woo Yeon let out a long breath and started the engine.
There was no way she could push Cha Tae Kyung out now—he’d already claimed the seat before she could even protest.
She pushed her hair back.
“How did you know my car number?”
“I didn’t think I’d ever need it, but it was in a report Team Leader Han submitted. I tend to memorize things quickly.”
“You keep investigating me behind my back.”
“Let’s correct that—it’s ‘front investigation.’ After all, I’m laying everything out bare like this.”
“President.”
“I told you before—in the world I live in, memorizing basic information about someone beforehand is part of business.”
“Even car numbers?”
“Then what should I memorize for you?”
She was speechless.
Arguing further with Cha Tae Kyung would be pointless—she wouldn’t gain anything.
Realizing she’d have to surrender or walk away herself, Woo Yeon quickly changed her expression from rigid to neutral.
“Fine. Where should I drop you off?”
“Let’s go to Brighton Wedding Tower.”
“Wedding Tower?”
“I’m the actual owner there.”
Woo Yeon’s face faltered. As far as she knew, Brighton Wedding Tower had been sold to an American long ago, when Myeong San was on the verge of collapse.
But now that he’d openly declared himself the majority shareholder, it didn’t sound like a lie.
More surprising, though, was her sudden recollection of his words right before their recent interview—he’d said his office was unavailable and asked her to meet him at a hotel instead.
Couldn’t he have just called her to the Wedding Tower then?
As if reading her thoughts, Tae Kyung fastened his seatbelt and added,
“If you want to broadcast on air that I own the Wedding Tower, go ahead.”
“……”
“Just remember—you’ll need to stay on my good side.”
“Weren’t you calling me to a hotel because you didn’t have an office?”
“That was just because I wanted to stir your heart from the very beginning until now.”
“……”
“Did it mix well?”
Woo Yeon, stunned into silence, felt her face slowly flush deeper red.
No matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t decipher this man’s true intentions. After a brief pause, she finally asked,
“But didn’t you say you’re looking for a woman?”
“……”
“The one to introduce to your mother.”
“Ah. So that’s why you refused—because you didn’t like that condition.”
“I don’t think I can be the woman you’re looking for, President.”
His dark eyes locked onto hers with burning intensity.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t act.”
“And yet you lie so well.”
“That’s… No, never mind. Let me be more honest. Your intentions are too obvious, aren’t they? Introduce me to your ailing mother and then quietly sweep me aside—that’s your plan, isn’t it?”
“With that plan, I’ve been going on mismatched blind dates twice a week. Yes, I don’t have much time.”
“……”
“I’d be happy if Yoon Woo Yeon met my mother, but I won’t insist on it—I’m already looking for someone else to fill that role. What I wanted was”
“Just one night, right?”
Tae Kyung let out a short, breathy laugh. Even then, Woo Yeon couldn’t bring herself to smile along.
It felt strangely unpleasant—like she’d been reduced to nothing more, nothing less, than the worth of a single night.
Silence filled the car again—until Tae Kyung broke it.
“Don’t say anything you’ll regret later.”
“……”
Woo Yeon stared at him, dazed, as if turned to stone.
His fingers slowly traced her jawline, gently smoothing her lower lip.
“Have you never thought about it?”
“……”
“The kiss was good—but what if we went further?”
“……”
“Waking up in each other’s arms in the morning, whispering love words… who knows what I might give you then.”
“Cut the nonsense.”
Woo Yeon coldly brushed his hand away. Just because a kiss was easy didn’t mean everything else was.
His offer was tempting, but she had no desire to taste again the poison we’d shared that night.
She wouldn’t repeat the same mistake. Keeping someone close just to stave off loneliness was enough for one lifetime.
“Nothing will change.”
“What won’t?”
“I mean even if we go further than a kiss, nothing between us will really change.”
He chuckled softly, then fixed his gaze deep into Woo Yeon’s eyes, as if imprinting himself there.
“That’s for me to decide.”
“Let me be absolutely clear—I was genuinely drawn to you, President. But that doesn’t mean I plan to keep playing your game or accept your proposal. Because”
“Because?”
“There’s nothing for me to gain.”
Even faced with Woo Yeon’s honest admission that there was nothing in it for her, Tae Kyung remained unmoved. His voice grew deeper, as if pushing the surrounding air aside.
“So that’s why you rejected my proposal seven years ago too?”
“……”
“Your expression tells me you remember me. Back then, when I asked if we’d met before, you brazenly dodged the question. How do you plan to dodge it this time?”
“There was no such—”
“You came running just to deliver my phone, yet kept looking me up and down so boldly—like someone desperate for me to say a single word to you.”
“……”
“Did you think I wouldn’t remember?”
At that final sentence, memories of that day surfaced hazily in her mind.
Woo Yeon was momentarily lost for words.
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
So she is missing him so hoping what happens next!