He clearly said it was just going to be a brief fling!

Kwak Team Leader furrowed his brows in irritation as he left the office.

As Manager Han said, he thought it would just be a sexual relationship.

After all, why would a man like our CEO seriously date someone like Jin So Yi?

This morning, he was annoyed to see her wearing a new winter season Chanel two-piece suit, but he let it slide.

He figured she’d get that much for sleeping with him, but then he happened to overhear their conversation as he passed by:

[Cha Si Heon/CEO]: Are you feeling alright?

[Jin So Yi/Assistant Manager]: Yes. Thank you so much for yesterday.

[Cha Si Heon/CEO]: If you’re grateful, give me a hug later.

His eyes nearly popped out at the glimpse of their exchange. It definitely didn’t seem like just a sexual relationship.

He had doubted it, but on his way out of the company, he saw them hugging affectionately in the alley connected to the back entrance.

Si Heon looked at So Yi tenderly, then casually lowered his head to kiss her.

Irritation surged through him uncontrollably.

Jin So Yi. How can such an unremarkable girl have such luck with men?

Kwak Team Leader’s hands clenched tightly as he watched the two of them kissing, seething with anger.

[This is the timeline separator]

On the way back to the hotel, Si Heon kept letting out empty laughs.

Has he really gone crazy? How can he be this happy? Is it possible to like someone this much in such a short time?

The entire time they were together, Si Heon didn’t let go of So Yi’s hand. He was incredibly fond of So Yi’s small, soft hand squirming in his grasp.

At this point, it was clearly more than just physical desire. As Choi Ji Wook said, could he be falling in love? All his attention was focused on Jin So Yi.

Her smile is pretty, her words are pretty. Her faint sweet scent is intoxicating and her clear voice is maddening.

She has nothing. Her family background is unremarkable and there’s no benefit to marrying her, yet he’s crazy about her.

It seems certain that he’s fallen for Jin So Yi.

Grinning slightly like someone who’s lost his mind, he enters the hotel when he gets a call from Yu Kyung.

– End things with Jin So Yi here.

Si Heon furrowed his brows at her blunt words.

– I’ll try to do something about the official apology, so quietly wrap things up and prepare to return.

“I’m not sure about that.”

– What do you mean you’re not sure? The board meeting is coming up soon. Are you planning to give your position to Tae Hyun like this?

“This doesn’t seem like a conversation we should have over the phone. I’ll come see you tomorrow morning.”

Si Heon politely ended the call. Just as he was about to start something, she tells him to end it.

Letting out a wry laugh as he loosened his tie, the desk calendar on the table caught his eye.

About two weeks remained in the contract period.

Since So Yi said she likes me too, we can just void the contract. I’ll need to find another way to return to Chahan Media…

It seems my plan didn’t work as intended at Uncle’s birthday party, since Yu Kyung quickly backed down.

Saying she’ll give me my position back in exchange for breaking up with So Yi.

I need to change my approach. A condition to replace So Yi for my return to Chahan Media. In any case, I can’t let Kang Tae Hyun take that position.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Good morning, CEO Cha Si Heon!”

The secretarial staff quickly stood up as Si Heon entered the CEO’s office on the top floor of H Telecom headquarters.

“Good morning! No need for tea.”

Stopping an employee headed to the pantry, he knocked on the CEO’s office door.

“Come in.”

“I’m here.”

Yu Kyung pushed up her glasses as she saw Si Heon enter the office early in the morning.

Her eyes moved slowly, looking displeased as he strode up to her desk.

“What are you planning? Do you really intend to marry her?”

“I’m not sure about anything else, but I’m certain I have no intention of breaking up with Jin So Yi yet.”

“You really…”

Yu Kyung closed her eyes tightly and pressed her fingertips to her temples, as if she had a headache.

“Fine. You’ll find out anyway, so I’ll just tell you.”

Yu Kyung gently massaged her temples with both hands before looking up.

“At this board meeting, I’m going to propose your appointment as executive director along with Tae Hyun’s appointment as managing director.”

Si Heon’s eyebrows curved slightly, as if he hadn’t expected Yu Kyung’s words.

“However, if you don’t break up with Jin So Yi by the board meeting, your reinstatement and the motion for your appointment as executive director will both be nullified.”

Yu Kyung clicked her tongue and furrowed her brow, wondering how things had turned out this way when she was trying to set him up with Yeon Ri Na somehow.

“As I expected, it was Mother’s idea. My demotion.”

“It’s not a demotion. Let’s call it management training.”

“The level seems too low to be called management training.”

“Weren’t you happy to date freely thanks to it?”

Yu Kyung asked sharply.

That’s true. He had been frustrated about how to find her after she disappeared in Venice.

Si Heon smirked and spoke again.

“Let’s change the conditions.”

“What?”

“Instead of breaking up with Jin So Yi. I’ll go on a blind date with Yeon Ri Na.”

Yu Kyung blinked at Si Heon’s absurd words.

“If I sit down for a meal with Ri Na, have a nice chat, but still absolutely refuse to marry her, wouldn’t it be easier for you to give up? You’d also have grounds to reject Ri Na.”

Si Heon’s expression was nonchalant, as if he planned to just go through the motions at the blind date to kill time.

After being lost in thought for a moment, Yu Kyung nodded.

“Alright, fine. If you still say no after meeting with Ri Na, I’ll give up then.”

He has no intention of breaking up with Jin So Yi but will go on a blind date. Yu Kyung didn’t know what he was thinking, but it was a welcome proposal to her.

“Then let’s do it this weekend. You’re confirming my reinstatement on the condition that I go on this blind date.”

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

Si Heon left Yu Kyung’s office with a satisfied expression.

After Si Heon left, Yu Kyung massaged her temples with her fingertips again and pressed the intercom button.

“Secretary Kim. Bring me a painkiller.”

The chronic migraine that constricts her head is about to become permanent from constantly holding back her frustration at not being able to control her own child.

Yu Kyung swallowed the painkiller Secretary Kim brought and leaned back in her chair.

In truth, she thought Si Heon would immediately back down if she just leaked the information about appointing Tae Hyun as managing director.

Since Tae Hyun had been in a subtle rivalry with Si Heon since childhood, there could be no greater provocation than this.

Whenever Si Heon showed signs of becoming lazy or careless, she always encouraged her nephew Tae Hyun.

Si Heon always got riled up by Tae Hyun’s advancement, who was just a year younger, and grew even more as a result.

She had intended to do the same this time.

She hoped that Si Heon, who seemed to have no intention of calming the situation with an official apology, would realize through this opportunity.

That to become a true leader, one needs not only a clever and brilliant mind, but also the judgment to respond wisely in any situation.

What he would lose by sparing that one apology.

Unlike until now, when he could get everything without effort, she wanted him to realize on his own through this opportunity that sometimes you have to let go of something to get what you want.

But whatever he was thinking, Si Heon showed no reaction. Even when she said she would give his position to Tae Hyun of all people.

She thought his mind might change a little when he saw Tae Hyun showing off at his uncle’s birthday party recently, but instead he got angry at Ri Na’s appearance and left.

He even kissed Jin So Yi in front of everyone as if to make a point.

[It’s alright, Mother. Young men can make mistakes sometimes in the heat of youth.]

That day, when Ri Na took her hand and suggested they go to another hallway, she truly wanted to crawl into a hole for the first time in her life.

She became determined to make Ri Na her daughter-in-law somehow.

She’s intelligent, virtuous, and has a gentle personality on top of that.

To get such a woman as a daughter-in-law, she had no choice but to give up on one thing in the end.

In the end, Yu Kyung decided to let go of her hope that Si Heon would regret and reflect on not making an official apology.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Jang Woo.”

“Yes, CEO.”

On the way back to the company, Si Heon, who had been pondering something, called out to Jang Woo.

“What do you think women like best as gifts from their lovers?”

“Gifts? Well, wouldn’t they like accessories and such?”

“Accessories?”

Jang Woo glanced at Si Heon through the side mirror and asked cautiously.

“Is it for Jin So Yi?”

“Who else would I be asking for, you?”

“You gave her a necklace last time, so how about a ring this time?”

“A ring?”

“I thought women usually like things like rings.”

Si Heon nodded, seeming to like the answer quite a bit.

“Jang Woo, go to the department store this afternoon.”

“Why the department store?”

“Buy a ring.”

“What…?”

Si Heon narrowed his brows for a moment, trying to recall So Yi’s fingers.

“About… this size? I think.”

Jang Woo shook his head as he watched Si Heon try to indicate the finger size with his thumb and index finger.

“I’ll find out the size myself. How can you buy a ring like that?”

“What?”

“It’s for Jin So Yi, right? I’ll take care of buying it.”

Jang Woo grumbled about how he could ask to buy a ring without even knowing the size.

Even Si Heon seemed to find it ridiculous that he’d asked to buy a ring without knowing the size, letting out an awkward laugh.