Unable to fully bear his gaze, Se Hee closed her eyes.

For a moment, after calming her emotions, she opened her eyes wide with force.

“I believe the CEO’s coming to Korea was due to a thorough plan based on cold business calculations as a shrewd entrepreneur. So there is nothing for me to be curious about.”

Se Hee deliberately spoke calmly and clearly in English.

Every word Se Hee uttered pierced Kyle’s heart like a sharp dagger.

In that moment, an intense pain swept over him.

He had endured Se Hee’s cynical attitude during the interview, thinking it was because she was surprised by his sudden appearance.

But now?

It was an unexpected agony.

Kyle let out a heavy sigh he had been holding in.

He had been arrogant.

Truly naive.

He thought his sincerity would be conveyed just by coming to Korea himself.

He thought everything that had caused misunderstandings would naturally be cleared up.

While he had been making thorough preparations to fully embrace Se Hee, taking a little extra time, in the meantime, Se Hee had closed her eyes, ears, and even her heart.

Kyle was belatedly realizing that Se Hee’s wounds were much deeper than he had thought.

“…If you’re thinking of using me again for your new business venture, I’ll tell you that I won’t fall for it so easily this time. So please, step aside. Before I start shouting.”

Se Hee exhaled a cold chill as if in warning.

Seeing her like this, Kyle sensed that it would take quite some time to convey his true feelings to Se Hee.

It might take even longer than the time he had delayed, or perhaps even more.

So his reason told him he should let Se Hee go for now.

It warned that if he pulled her any closer, the taut emotional string barely holding together might snap completely.

Barely containing his emotions, Kyle stepped back.

Because it was none other than Lee Se Hee.

“…I’ll wait. But this is the last time I can wait for you.”

Kyle said in a low, subdued voice.

But soon his brow furrowed.

In the end, he couldn’t help but reveal his impatient heart once again.

To say it was the last time, as if threatening her.

It ended up sounding like he was blackmailing Se Hee not to make him wait.

Letting out a low sigh, Kyle turned his back first.

In that moment, Se Hee was flustered.

No, a feeling of disappointment suddenly welled up.

After coldly telling him to step aside, was she perhaps hoping he would hold on to her more strongly?

Se Hee self-deprecatingly laughed at her own ridiculous thoughts.

Se Hee quickly walked past him and left that place.

* * *

The next morning.

Kyle had already departed early for the venue due to the inauguration ceremony to be held today.

Se Hee let out a sigh of relief as she arrived at work to find the CEO’s office empty.

She wondered why, out of all the possible places, her desk had been placed here.

At 10 AM, the inauguration ceremony for the new CEO began.

The executives and department heads all attended the event in person, while other employees watched the CEO giving his inaugural address through the company broadcast.

As soon as Kyle, the CEO of Evans Korea, stepped onto the podium, everyone’s attention was instantly captivated.

They all stared in awe at his handsome appearance, worthy of being called a god of beauty, rather than the rough bulldozer-like looks rumored about.

And with the overwhelming charisma naturally exuded during his inaugural speech, not only those present but even the employees watching were completely subdued.

Se Hee, quietly watching the monitor, realized once again.

Kyle was someone who exuded an intimidating presence just by his very existence.

A person living in a completely different world from her own.

To have held such a person in her heart.

It was certainly greedy.

As if having made some decision, Se Hee firmly pressed her lips together and immediately headed to the HR department.

Se Hee approached the HR employee who had guided her to the CEO’s interview room yesterday.

“Hello.”

“Hello. You’re Manager Lee Se Hee, right?”

He recognized Se Hee right away.

“Yes. I have a question about the TF team contract.”

Noticing Se Hee’s expression darken, the employee stood up from his seat.

“Shall we go to the conference room?”

“Yes.”

The two entered an empty conference room and sat down.

“Which part of the contract did you want to discuss?”

The HR employee asked calmly.

“The part about contract termination.”

His eyes widened in surprise at Se Hee’s words.

“Did something suddenly happen?”

“Yes. I’m planning to resign.”

Se Hee said briefly.

“I see. May I ask the reason for your resignation?”

The HR employee carefully asked, as if unable to understand.

“It’s for personal reasons.”

Se Hee said firmly, as if telling him not to ask any further.

“Ah, I see. However, as I explained yesterday, in case of contract termination due to personal reasons, you must compensate exactly ten times the amount that was deposited.”

The HR employee said seriously.

“But the TF team’s project or work hasn’t even started yet, and there was also a lack of accurate information provided by the company. I hope you can take this into consideration.”

Se Hee said, as if feeling wronged.

“What do you mean by lack of information provided by the company?”

The HR employee pointedly asked.

“Well, about the CEO changing. It suddenly changed without any notice, didn’t it?”

“Ah… Manager, as stated in the email, it was clearly indicated that the interim CEO could be changed at any time for a new CEO to be appointed.”

The HR employee’s words were entirely reasonable.

But Se Hee, grasping at straws, explained again.

“I applied because I was told that Mr. Dave Ilian would serve as CEO for the 3 years the TF team would be operating. If that hadn’t been the case, I wouldn’t have applied.”

Se Hee strongly stated her opinion.

“Excuse me, but did something happen during the interview?”

The HR employee asked meaningfully.

“What?”

“I mean, was there any physical contact… or anything problematic?”

He added more specifically.

“What? What are you saying? The CEO is not that kind of person.”

Se Hee suddenly shouted.

Are you crazy?

How can you say such things about Kyle?

“How can you speak about the CEO like that? He’s absolutely not that kind of person. I’m trying to resign purely for personal reasons.”

Se Hee, now agitated, ended up defending Kyle instead.

The flustered HR employee stared at Se Hee blankly with a dumbfounded expression.

“…Yes. Yes. I understand for now.”

The employee said, showing his palms as if telling her to calm down.

Oh no.

What have I done?

Due to a momentary emotional outburst, she had done something foolish.

Se Hee’s face turned red.

“I understand. Thank you for your time.”

Before the HR employee could finish speaking, Se Hee hastily said goodbye and left the conference room.

What an embarrassment.

Her head throbbed painfully.

As Se Hee was returning to the TF team with heavy steps, someone roughly grabbed her wrist.

“Wh-what?”

Se Hee cried out in surprise.

The one holding her hand was none other than Hyo Jun.

“Lee Se Hee, let’s talk for a moment.”

Hyo Jun forcibly dragged Se Hee to the emergency stairwell.

“What are you doing? Let go. Don’t you know it’s work hours right now?”

Se Hee said irritably.

“It’s work hours, but where are you wandering around?”

Roughly pulling Se Hee’s hand, Hyo Jun pushed her against the wall.

“I was on my way back. Move aside.”

“Who the hell is that guy?”

Hyo Jun asked, breathing heavily.

“What are you talking about?”

“That guy you met in Yangyang. He seemed incredible? The vice president of Sihan Group? Is he your sponsor or something? Are you dating that guy?”

Hyo Jun raised his voice.

“S-sponsor? Ha. Really. Is that all you can think of? Please just go. Please. And whether I date someone or not, what business is it of yours, Manager Cha?”

Se Hee retorted, gritting her teeth.

“Se Hee. I’m having such a hard time lately. I didn’t make it into the TF team, I’m going crazy right now.”

Hyo Jun let out a deep sigh.

As Whalens was pushed out of the SY Hotel acquisition, Vice President Yoon, Yoon Ye Ri’s father who had connections there, was mercilessly fired as soon as the Evans Group took over management control.

So Se Hee had guessed that Hyo Jun’s circumstances would be different from before.

But it was unexpected that Hyo Jun had been dropped from the TF team.

Since Hyo Jun was known for his work abilities.

However, Hyo Jun’s situation was not important to Se Hee right now.

“If only I hadn’t been connected to Ye Ri, I wouldn’t have been dropped from the TF team.”

Cowardly, Hyo Jun was blaming Yoon Ye Ri for it.

“Are you trying to complain to me about your situation here right now?”

Se Hee did not want to see Hyo Jun like this.

The weight she had to bear currently was already overflowing.

“Se Hee.”

Hyo Jun called Se Hee calmly.

“You still like me, don’t you?”

Hyo Jun said in a serious tone.

“…Are you crazy?”

Se Hee was exasperated.

“Actually, Ye Ri and I haven’t even registered our marriage yet.”

Se Hee was disgusted by Hyo Jun’s intention in telling her this.

“You know.”

Hyo Jun called Se Hee with a pitiful look.

“Stop! If you’re going to say such nonsense. Stop talking.”

Se Hee shouted with an incredulous expression.

“Se Hee. I love you. I think I was just confused for a while.”

Seeing Hyo Jun’s face speaking with a pitiful expression, Se Hee could no longer hold back.

“Cha Hyo Jun! Are you crazy? Are you in your right mind right now?”

“Se Hee. I still…”

In that moment, Se Hee’s trembling hand cut through the air and struck Hyo Jun’s cheek.

“Stop! Stop it. You… you’re really trash. Nuclear waste level trash.”

A tearing sound echoed through the stairwell.

Surprised, Hyo Jun clutched his cheek with a dazed expression.

“You were confused? How, how can you be so shameless? Now you say you were confused? Is that how you end everything, just as you please?”

Se Hee shouted, sobbing.

“Please, I’m begging you. Stop now. I really hate this.”

Se Hee shouted at Hyo Jun with eyes full of contempt and left the emergency exit.

“S-Se Hee. Okay. I understand you’re acting like this. But I’m really sincere. I love you. From the beginning, my heart was for you.”

Clutching his reddening and swelling cheek, Hyo Jun shouted towards where Se Hee had disappeared.

After a while, Hyo Jun slowly returned to the business department, cradling his stinging cheek.

However, as soon as he entered the department, Manager Yang came running.

“Ch-Cha Manager.”

Manager Yang called Hyo Jun, sounding out of breath.

The CEO’s direct secretary came looking for Hyo Jun and said to go to the CEO’s office immediately.

Hyo Jun put on his suit jacket and tidied up his appearance.

The CEO called for him directly?

No matter how much Hyo Jun thought about it, he couldn’t think of a reason why he was being summoned.

Perhaps the TF team?

Since it’s under the CEO’s direct control, maybe he wants to personally tell him that his omission this time was a mistake?

Yeah. That’s it. There’s no way I, Cha Hyo Jun, could have fallen behind in ability.

It must have been a mistake by those idiots in HR.

For a moment, Hyo Jun’s expression brightened as he engaged in wishful thinking.

“Manager Cha Hyo Jun.”

The CEO’s secretary called out to Hyo Jun as he approached, as if she had been waiting.

“He’s waiting. Would you come this way?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Hyo Jun followed the secretary’s guidance towards the CEO’s office.

It was not the CEO’s office within the TF team, but the executive office where meetings with external clients take place.

Thinking he was being called to a special place for an important conversation, Hyo Jun smoothed down his jacket one more time with a smug expression before entering the office.

Then he stepped inside.

An overwhelmingly chilly aura pressed down on Hyo Jun’s entire body.

“H-hello, CEO. I’m Manager Cha Hyo Jun. It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

Though startled by Kyle’s strong presence, Hyo Jun deliberately bowed deeply with an exaggeratedly loud voice.

“Manager Cha Hyo Jun?”

Kyle’s cold voice resonated softly.

His blue eyes, directed at Hyo Jun, sank icily cold.

“I wanted to meet you.”