Na Ri sat in front of I Hyun with an interested expression.

“I heard. You want a list of people who attended the party that day?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s personal information, so it’s a bit difficult for us to give it out carelessly.”

Watching Na Ri draw the line, Ye Rin inwardly rejoiced.

‘Yes, you must keep insisting that you absolutely cannot give it out.’

I Hyun also did not back down easily.

“A woman in her mid to late 20s, with short blonde hair. Can I at least see a list of women matching the description I gave?”

“Can I ask why you’re looking for her first?”

Ye Rin swallowed hard.

I Hyun tilted his head and spoke.

“I have some unfinished business with that woman.”

“What kind of business?”

“I don’t think that’s something I need to tell Ms. Kim Na Ri.”

Hearing I Hyun’s cold voice, Na Ri took a step back.

“And I have something to collect from that woman.”

“Did you perhaps suffer financial damages?”

“You could say that.”

Hearing I Hyun’s nonchalant words, Ye Rin’s eyes widened noticeably.

Financial damages?

It was just one night together.

She had left the suite quickly without touching any of I Hyun’s belongings, yet he claimed to have suffered losses.

She almost cried out in indignation that she had done no such thing.

Na Ri glanced at Ye Rin and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Then we’ll first get consent from the attendees before handing over the list.”

Seemingly displeased with the answer, I Hyun just stared coldly at Na Ri.

“Just hand it over. If there are any issues, we’ll handle it on our end.”

“No. We cannot simply hand over personal information.”

“Ms. Kim Na Ri, do you perhaps know who that woman is?”

“Pardon?”

“It seems like you’re trying so hard to hide her because you know who she is.”

Na Ri unconsciously glanced at Ye Rin’s face behind I Hyun.

“I believe the list of charity bazaar attendees was already published in news articles.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Since everyone participated in the bazaar for show, companies were busy releasing press releases about their good deeds.

A group photo of the event attendees was prominently featured in articles, and the list of participants was also publicly disclosed through the news.

I Hyun was requesting the list to cross-check if anyone was missing from there.

Na Ri carefully asked.

“Was the woman you’re looking for not in that photo?”

“Only she was missing.”

“…”

Well, of course.

Ye Rin hadn’t attended the bazaar, so she wouldn’t have been in the group photo.

I Hyun slowly rubbed his eyebrow with his index finger, as if finding it very strange.

“Why was only that woman missing?”

Na Ri, feeling uneasy, quickly spoke.

“She must have stepped away when the group photo was taken.”

“Then I’ll assume you’ll hand over the list.”

I Hyun stood up, apparently finished with his business.

Then he spoke to Ye Rin standing behind him.

“Secretary Han, get the list and quickly make some calls.”

I Hyun left the meeting room and the door closed with a thud.

Na Ri had a face that said ‘What on earth is going on?’

“I’ll explain everything later. So you know my name, right?”

“Of course.”

The quick-witted Na Ri must have instantly realized that Ye Rin was the woman I Hyun was looking for.

She was genuinely curious about what had happened that night to make I Hyun so obsessed.

“I have to go now, can’t keep the director waiting too long.”

“Okay. Call me.”

Even after leaving the Cheto building, the uneasy feelings didn’t disappear.

If anything, the anxiety only grew.

[This is the timeline separator]

At a time when everyone else had gone home.

Only Ye Rin and I Hyun remained in the office.

Unable to concentrate at all, she hadn’t made any progress on the report summary I Hyun asked her to prepare.

“It’s my first assigned task, I should at least do this properly.”

Since she couldn’t help him find the woman he was so desperately searching for.

Ye Rin glanced at the tightly closed door of the director’s office and started to focus.

After some time had passed.

Someone tapped on Ye Rin’s desk.

She slowly raised her head to find I Hyun’s handsome face filling her view.

“Director?”

“I called but you didn’t seem to hear.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Ye Rin quickly stood up.

“Do you have any instructions for me?”

I Hyun tilted his head with his hands in his suit pockets.

“Are you eating dinner while working?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Ye Rin couldn’t quickly respond like a broken robot.

“Secretary Han, was my question too difficult?”

“No. I haven’t had dinner yet…”

“Let’s go out.”

“Pardon?”

I Hyun let out a low sigh.

“I don’t want to hear that you quit on the first day because I starved you.”

“That won’t happen.”

Whether he heard her words or not.

I Hyun left the secretary’s office on his own again.

With no other choice, Ye Rin followed behind him.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ye Rin offered to drive, but I Hyun ignored her and took the wheel himself.

It was her first time as a secretary riding in a car driven by her boss, so she felt both puzzled and uncomfortable.

She thought they would go to a nearby restaurant, but his car was getting further and further from the company.

“Director, aren’t we going to eat?”

“We are.”

After driving for quite a while, I Hyun’s car entered a very familiar place.

‘Why here…’

Ye Rin unconsciously gripped her seatbelt tightly.

I Hyun entered KK Hotel, handed the car to the valet, and headed for the lobby.

‘Of all places, why here?’

KK Hotel was the very place where Ye Rin had spent a passionate night with I Hyun.

‘He didn’t come here on purpose, right?’

There were many hotels near the company besides this one.

There were plenty of other places to eat besides here.

Unable to figure out why I Hyun had specifically come here, Ye Rin followed quickly behind him.

After pressing the elevator button, I Hyun turned around and stared intently at Ye Rin.

“Why do you think I came here, Secretary Han?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I first met that woman here.”

“…”

The two of them entered the elevator that arrived just then.

Perhaps due to the late hour, there were no other passengers in the elevator.

Being together like this naturally reminded her of that night.

The night when they stood close in the elevator, feeling each other’s body heat.

Just recalling that night brought back many associated thoughts and sensations.

It was then that she first learned such burning desire could be contained in those cold eyes.

It was also then that she discovered such tender words could come from that icy mouth.

Ding-

The elevator carrying the two of them arrived at the rooftop restaurant.

“This is…”

It was the space where she and I Hyun first met.

Although the tables had been rearranged that day for the after-party, making it look different now, the feeling of the same space made her very tense.

Seeing Ye Rin’s agitation, I Hyun had an intrigued look.

“Have you been here before?”

“No?”

She never knew lying could be this difficult.

Ye Rin pretended to be nonchalant as she exited the elevator first.

I Hyun’s intense gaze clung to her back.

As she walked into the rooftop, Ye Rin forced strength into her legs.

Then her foot caught on something and her body stumbled.

‘Ah, how unsightly it would be to fall here of all places.’

As she thought that.

She expected to feel the cold floor, but instead a warm sensation enveloped her waist.

And a very familiar scent brushed her nose.

‘No way.’

Ye Rin slowly opened her eyes.

As expected, I Hyun’s sculpted face was right in front of her.

“Director?”

I Hyun had his arm around Ye Rin’s waist, staring at her with unreadable dark eyes.

Thump thump-

Her heart started beating wildly.

Was it because of the close distance?

Or because of his familiar scent?

That night came to mind so naturally.

“What am I supposed to do when you’re this beautiful?”

“I can’t take my eyes off you.”

“Since you made me like this, you should take responsibility.”

I Hyun’s low voice whispering above her that night seemed to echo in her ears.

Ye Rin unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut.

It was just one night, but it was an unforgettable one for her too.

She took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes.

I Hyun was still looking at Ye Rin with dark eyes.

“Director, you need to let go…”

“Secretary Han, the more I think about it, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

There was that line again.

Ye Rin pushed I Hyun away with both arms and stood up straight.

“We may have passed each other at the company…”

“No. I think I’ve seen you somewhere else.”

“…”

At I Hyun’s words, her heart started racing madly.

Ye Rin lowered her head to hide her trembling eyes.

Fortunately, his tone was probing rather than certain.

‘He must think I look similar to that woman…’

So she needed to be more assertive here.

Unable to meet I Hyun’s eyes, Ye Rin spoke.

“I have a common face, so I often hear things like that.”

There was no response.

As she wondered what to say if he kept pressing the issue.

“If Secretary Han says so, it must be.”

I Hyun left first without lingering.

Haa.

Ye Rin took a deep breath and walked back into the rooftop restaurant.

Inside, she saw a completely different table arrangement from that night.

The staff guided the two of them to a corner table.

‘Of all places, it’s the same spot where I drank champagne with the director.’

It was probably coincidence, but even such small things kept putting her on edge.

As Ye Rin just stood nearby, I Hyun called her in a pleasing baritone voice.

“What are you doing? Come sit down.”

I Hyun’s lips curled up languidly.

Just like that night when he seduced Ye Rin.