“Secretary Han, have you found that woman?”

A pleasant baritone voice echoed quietly throughout the spacious office.

Ye Rin stood with her back straight, wearing her usual business smile.

“I apologize. Not yet.”

Displeased with Ye Rin’s answer, I Hyun slowly rubbed his eyebrow with his index finger.

Such a reaction was understandable.

It had already been over three months since I Hyun instructed Ye Rin to find ‘that woman’.

‘How can I find someone who can’t be found? Sigh.’

Ye Rin let out a deep inner sigh while forcing a smile.

Today too, I Hyun stared intently at Ye Rin’s face.

When he looks at her so persistently like that, she can’t help but feel tense as that night comes to mind.

‘Surely the director doesn’t actually know something and is acting this way?’

Even knowing it wasn’t true, looking at I Hyun’s strangely intense gaze made her heart clench for no reason.

The saying about a thief being wary must have been made for times like this.

‘I can’t show it. I have to act calm.’

Unfortunately, ‘that woman’ I Hyun was so desperately searching for was Ye Rin herself.

Saying he fell for ‘that woman’ at first sight during an unforgettable night, I Hyun pressured Ye Rin to find her by any means necessary.

Fortunately, since he entrusted her with the task instead of someone else, she could deliberately avoid searching and buy time.

The unfortunate part was that if ‘that woman’ wasn’t found, she would have to continue this ridiculous fake relationship with I Hyun indefinitely.

It was truly an impossible situation that left Ye Rin at a loss.

The only one enjoying this situation was I Hyun.

Ye Rin spoke up, trying to appear as if she was working hard.

“Director, is there perhaps any clue about that woman you haven’t told me?”

“Ah, there is one. That night, that woman scratched my body and ran away.”

Ye Rin’s lips parted slightly.

‘Did I scratch the director’s body that night?’

Come to think of it, she may have.

Unable to control the thrilling sensation she felt for the first time, she must have dug her nails into those impressive back muscles.

Ye Rin clenched her fists, trying to hide her long, well-manicured nails.

Completely unaware that I Hyun’s eyes were capturing her every move.

“I… suppose you were left with scratches then?”

“That’s right. Want to see?”

I Hyun tugged at his tie as if ready to take off his shirt and show her right away.

“No!”

Ye Rin firmly stopped I Hyun’s actions.

“I don’t think I need to see them. It’s not like seeing the scratches will help me find the woman.”

A hint of disappointment flashed across I Hyun’s face at her words.

“Well, if Secretary Han says so.”

She still can’t forget I Hyun’s perfect abs, as if carved over years of effort.

It wasn’t just his abs that were impressive.

His firm chest muscles and broad shoulders.

She remembers everything, even the scent when embraced in those arms.

And when those memories surface, her face naturally flushes.

No matter how hard she tries to maintain composure, it’s not easy when standing before I Hyun.

She knows better than anyone that she will never meet a man more outstanding than I Hyun in her life.

That’s why she had to hide even more that she was ‘that woman’.

She wanted to leave the person I Hyun met that night as an amazing woman in his imagination.

That was the only way to not ruin the precious memory I Hyun held.

Taking a short breath, Ye Rin returned to the starting point and began her report.

“Director, so to conclude…”

“Why the conclusion already? I want to hear every detail of the process.”

Ye Rin could only awkwardly smile again.

There was only one thing she could say to I Hyun.

That she was searching, and would continue to search diligently.

It was a predetermined conclusion, and that conclusion would not change.

Gulp-

Ye Rin swallowed hard.

“This is the only thing the capable Secretary Han can’t solve.”

“That woman is hiding herself so thoroughly.”

I Hyun smiled gently with a warm expression.

“You should have found her by any means necessary. Does Secretary Han enjoy being in this relationship with me so much?”

Ye Rin quickly turned to glance once more at the tightly closed office door.

Although it was a soundproof room, she lowered her voice even more, worried the secretarial staff outside might have heard.

“Director, didn’t we agree not to mention our fake relationship in the office?”

“Ah, did we?”

I Hyun smiled slyly, lifting the corners of his mouth.

Ah, did we, he says.

He clearly knew and was just teasing her now.

I Hyun tilted his head and put on an affectionate gaze.

“Secretary Han, you don’t have any afternoon schedules. How about leaving work now and going on a date?”

Does I Hyun know that it’s most difficult when he makes irresistible proposals with that handsome face?

Ye Rin carefully hid her true feelings and put on the smile she shows to business associates.

“Director, we’re still at work, so I’d prefer if we didn’t discuss our fake relationship as much as possible.”

“Oh my. I’ll be careful.”

I Hyun languidly raised his eyebrows as he carefully scanned Ye Rin’s face.

Watching her slightly stiff, faintly trembling lips, I Hyun spoke in a pleasantly low voice.

“Why do I keep feeling like Secretary Han is deliberately not searching?”

I Hyun’s dark eyes met Ye Rin’s face.

She tensed automatically at his cool gaze that seemed to pierce through to her innermost thoughts.

“How could I do such a thing?”

“That’s right. If you find that woman quickly, our relationship can end too. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes.”

Ye Rin was smiling, but it wasn’t a real smile.

Because even if she brought that woman, the situation didn’t seem like it would change much.

Since that woman was herself.

“Do as you please, Secretary Han.”

Surprisingly, I Hyun backed down easily.

And soon, the reason he spoke so calmly was revealed.

“I don’t mind being in a relationship with Secretary Han.”

“Director, it’s not a relationship, we’re pretending to be in one.”

I Hyun stood up and approached Ye Rin using his long legs.

The closer he came, the faster Ye Rin’s heart beat.

“But Secretary Han, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

“Yes?”

I Hyun took out something shiny from his suit jacket pocket.

And the moment she recognized what it was.

Ye Rin bit her lip nervously.

“Excuse me, Secretary Han.”

I Hyun took Ye Rin’s right hand and slowly raised it.

“Why are you trembling so much? Someone might think I’m trying to eat you.”

Ye Rin’s fingertips were quivering.

Just as she tried to pull her hand away from his grasp, I Hyun was a bit faster.

“It fits perfectly. Almost miraculously so.”

I Hyun tilted his head as he stared in wonder at the ring that fit perfectly on Ye Rin’s right index finger.

“What are the odds of this happening?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Her voice trembled slightly from nervousness.

Ye Rin glared resentfully at the ring that fit perfectly on her index finger.

It was definitely hers.

It was a gift from Ye Rin’s mother, Chan Sook, when she joined Jiseok Electronics.

And regrettably, she lost that precious ring on that night she spent with I Hyun.

She never dreamed I Hyun would have it.

She thought she had dropped it at the party venue.

I Hyun slowly caressed Ye Rin’s finger as he spoke.

“Secretary Han, I’m not very familiar with women’s ring sizes, so I’m wondering.”

“…”

“What are the odds of someone else’s ring fitting so perfectly?”

A chill ran down her spine.

She absolutely must not fall for I Hyun’s probing questions.

Ye Rin smiled brightly as she first removed the ring fitted on her index finger.

“You mentioned before, Director, that the woman you’re looking for seemed to have a similar build to mine.”

“That’s right.”

“Then the probability of her finger size being similar to mine would be very high, I believe.”

Ye Rin placed the ring she had removed from her index finger back onto I Hyun’s palm.

It was the ring she had been searching for so desperately.

But she couldn’t ask for it back.

Doing so would be admitting that she was the one who spent that intimate night with I Hyun.

I Hyun stepped back with a disappointed look.

“I see. That’s too bad.”

I Hyun carefully wrapped the ring in cloth and put it back in his jacket pocket.

Ye Rin stared blankly, as if the ring had been snatched away before her eyes.

I Hyun snapped his fingers with a click.

“Secretary Han, there’s something I’ve been curious about.”

And he came even closer than before, closing the distance between them.

“Director?”

I Hyun placed one hand on Ye Rin’s waist to prevent her from escaping and pulled her strongly into his embrace.

For a moment, Ye Rin’s lips parted slightly at the fragrant body scent that overwhelmed her senses.

“Secretary Han. Would you take off that earring for a moment?”

“Pardon?”

I Hyun pointed precisely to Ye Rin’s right ear.

A large pearl earring was dangling there.

Ye Rin deliberately wore large, flashy earrings.

To hide the mole on her right earlobe.

“Why my earring…”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

I Hyun bent down and removed the earring that was securely fastened to Ye Rin’s ear.

As the heavy weight disappeared from her right ear, I Hyun’s low voice was heard close to her ear.

“I remember quite clearly, you know.”

“Remember what…?”

I Hyun fingered Ye Rin’s earlobe while giving her an intoxicating look.

His slight smile was truly fatal.

“I think I’ve found her.”

“…”

“The woman who’s been tormenting me every night.”

Ye Rin’s eyes widened noticeably.

I Hyun bent down, capturing the shocked Ye Rin in his dark eyes.

The sight of his Adam’s apple moving up and down seemed to burn into Ye Rin’s eyes in slow motion.

Eventually, I Hyun’s lips parted enticingly.

“Han Ye Rin. It’s you, isn’t it?”