Since I suggested fake dating or contract dating, Ye Rin’s heart must be troubled.

I couldn’t bear to see her father figure popping up and shaking Ye Rin.

I didn’t intentionally eavesdrop on their conversation.

When I stepped outside because Ye Rin, who had gone to meet Pyeong Hun, hadn’t returned for a long time, I happened to hear Pyeong Hun’s voice talking about business ideas.

“A woman who is already troubled.”

I was willing to pay an enormous amount as a business investment if Pyeong Hun promised not to interfere with Ye Rin, no matter how much he wanted.

I Hyun had more than enough money anyway.

Throughout the drive, thoughts of Ye Rin completely filled I Hyun’s mind.

“Even after being rejected.”

Again, thinking of her.

People who knew I Hyun well would really be shocked.

He, who had never shown the slightest interest in women, was now so anxious about Ye Rin.

It was ridiculous how just thinking of Ye Rin’s face made him smile uncontrollably.

This was truly a severe case.

Right on cue, Ye Rin’s name flashed on the Bluetooth screen connected to the car.

I Hyun cleared his throat and pressed the call button.

“Yes, Secretary Han.”

−Director, are you alright?

“Me? Or Secretary Han’s father?”

−Surely you’re not still together?

“I just dropped your father off a little while ago.”

−You didn’t have to go through the trouble… Thank you and I’m sorry.

Ye Rin’s voice gently filled the car.

It was more pleasant to hear than any music.

“Secretary Han seems to have a lot to apologize for today.”

−…

“I didn’t mean to burden you. I’m not very good with women like this.”

−I absolutely didn’t reject you because I dislike you, Director.

“I’d like to believe that.”

−Are you heading home?

“I’m almost there.”

−By the way, you didn’t say anything strange to my father, did you?

This seemed to be the reason Ye Rin had called me at such a late hour.

“What if I did?”

−Pardon?

“Secretary Han, do you distrust me that much?”

−No, it’s not that I don’t trust you, Director. I’m just worried my father might have asked some strange questions.

“I didn’t make up anything that didn’t happen.”

−…

“Although you just rejected me a little while ago, I thought it would be better to pretend to be your boyfriend rather than saying we broke up after just one day.”

−You did well.

As Ye Rin’s voice filled the previously silent car, strangely, I Hyun’s lips curled up in response.

−Why did you give my father a ride?

“It didn’t seem polite to leave an elder standing outside for so long, so I offered him a ride.”

There was actually another reason.

If I had left first, it was clear as day that Pyeong Hun would call Ye Rin out again and bother her.

I didn’t want to share such trivial thoughts.

“I also thought Secretary Han might be tired from worrying all day because of my proposal.”

−I appreciate your consideration.

Meanwhile.

I Hyun had almost arrived at the villa where he lived.

As he parked the car, I Hyun spoke in a gentle voice.

“Secretary Han, you know there’s a breakfast meeting tomorrow, right?”

−Yes, I’ll visit your home at the scheduled time, Director.

“Alright. Sleep well.”

I Hyun ended the call and got out of the car.

The thought that Ye Rin would enter his space in a few hours made him feel strangely excited.

Arriving at Na Ri’s house, Secretary Choi got out of the car first.

Na Ri also got out of the passenger seat and walked towards the pub near the house.

Secretary Choi spoke first to break the awkward atmosphere.

“Originally, I would have had to go wake up the Director early tomorrow morning. But since Secretary Han is coming, I’ve been freed from that task.”

“You seem really happy about it?”

“Yes, it’s nice. That job is more difficult than you might think.”

At those words, Na Ri worried about Ye Rin inwardly.

However, since she was someone who overcame any difficult task with positive thinking, Na Ri concluded that Ye Rin would manage well.

The two arrived at the pub, ordered some simple dry snacks and two glasses of draft beer, and sat facing each other.

“While serving the Director, I was forced into abstinence. Now I can enjoy a life with evenings too.”

“Secretaries seem really amazing. Even when I tell my secretary to leave early, she always stays at her desk until the end.”

“Oh my, of course. What if something happens while I’m gone.”

Secretary Choi shook his head as if the thought alone was dizzying.

Na Ri took a sip of the refreshing draft beer and began to ask about I Hyun.

She planned to gather information about I Hyun to pass on to Ye Rin.

“You said you’ve known Director Cha I Hyun since childhood, right?”

“Yes. I received a lot of help from Chairman Cha. I did.”

Na Ri listened intently to the story of how he was able to safely complete university thanks to that help.

“I’ve hardly spent any time apart from the Director. That’s why this current situation is even more surprising and amazing to me.”

“By this situation, do you mean Director Cha I Hyun desperately searching for that woman?”

“Yes.”

The I Hyun that Secretary Choi had observed up close until now was someone who wouldn’t even blink an eye no matter how charming a woman approached to seduce him.

“He thought things like dating, love, and marriage were unnecessary actions.”

Secretary Choi kept shaking his head in amazement even as he spoke.

“For someone to change Director Cha I Hyun like this in an instant, how beautiful must she be…”

Na Ri felt inexplicably nervous and downed her beer in one gulp.

“CEO, aren’t you overdoing it?”

“No, this much is fine.”

“Aren’t you curious about that woman too, CEO?”

Unable to say that she already knew who that woman was, Na Ri could only smile awkwardly.

“Yes, I’m very curious too.”

“I really hope Secretary Han finds that woman.”

Secretary Choi expressed his determination to save his boss who had fallen in love.

“If that woman hides really well, won’t Han Ye Rin be helpless too?”

Na Ri carefully spoke up, wanting to take Ye Rin’s side even in this small way, but Secretary Choi looked sad as if he himself had been rejected.

“Sigh. If that happens, the atmosphere in the Director’s secretarial office will be really bad.”

“Is that so?”

It was truly a frustrating reality where they could neither do this nor that.

Early morning.

Ye Rin stood in front of I Hyun’s house, bathed in the bluish dawn light.

Ding dong−

She rang the doorbell but there was no answer.

“Haa.”

Last night, Secretary Choi had earnestly insisted over the phone that she must go wake I Hyun up in person.

Saying that he doesn’t answer phone calls in the morning and sleeps so soundly you could carry him away and he wouldn’t know.

Today there was an early breakfast meeting with the Jiseok Group family.

Secretary Choi had stressed that they absolutely must not be late to this gathering of everyone.

Ye Rin rang the doorbell once more, took a deep breath, and searched through her messages for the passcode that Secretary Choi had given her in advance.

She entered the door lock passcode and carefully opened the door to the penthouse.

As she entered the foyer, she saw I Hyun’s well-organized dress shoes.

Ye Rin neatly placed her high heels next to them and took a step into his home.

“Director?”

She called out his name as she passed through the spacious living room, but again there was no answer.

Several works by artists whose names she didn’t know hung in the hallway. Though she didn’t know much about art, they were surely masterpieces easily worth over 100 million won each.

Recalling what Secretary Choi had told her last night, Ye Rin headed towards the room at the very end of the villa.

She could see the bed through the slightly open door. With no response, Ye Rin called out once more from outside the bedroom.

“Director Cha I Hyun.”

She thought calling his name might wake him, but there was still no movement.

“You’re not up yet, are you?”

She desperately hoped he would be awake, but there was no such miracle.

“I’m coming in.”

It was a polite statement out of courtesy, though he was surely sleeping too soundly to hear.

Ye Rin opened the bedroom door and quickly squeezed her eyes shut.

She had seen a expanse of apricot-colored skin on the bed.

‘Surely he’s not sleeping completely naked.’

Ye Rin slowly raised her eyelids.

Unfortunately, I Hyun wasn’t wearing anything on his upper body.

The only fortunate thing was that I Hyun was lying with his back turned, and the blanket was precariously covering his waist.

“Phew.”

Ye Rin approached closer to the bed.

Seeing the broad back covered in muscles reminded her of the time she had been held in those arms.

‘You’re not the only one who remembers that night, Director.’

She could only swallow those words that she couldn’t speak aloud.

She too hadn’t forgotten a single moment of that pleasurable time spent with I Hyun.

Ye Rin glanced at I Hyun’s deeply sleeping face.

His sharp nose bridge caught her eye.

It truly was a perfect face without a single flaw.

After staring at his slightly parted lips, Ye Rin quickly came to her senses. She reminded herself of the purpose for coming here.

Checking the clock, she saw that she had to finish all preparations and leave within 30 minutes.

Ye Rin reached for the blanket, grasping it with her index finger and thumb, and pulled it up to cover I Hyun’s exposed body completely.

Phew.

As the fully revealed muscles were covered, Ye Rin’s heart also returned to its normal rhythm.

“Director, you need to wake up.”

Despite speaking in a louder voice, I Hyun showed no movement at all.

“If the Director doesn’t wake up, you can directly shake his body or poke him with something.”

This was the tip that Secretary Choi had given, but.

Feeling that she absolutely could not grab those firm arms with her own hands, Ye Rin quickly scanned the room.

A tumbler filled with water, documents he had been reading, a tablet PC, and books.

Everything seemed too hard and likely to hurt I Hyun no matter what she poked him with.

As Ye Rin shifted her gaze to the floor, something caught her eye.

“Right, this would be best.”