“Well, tell me now. How does someone like you, who’s not even involved in the industry, know such premium information?”
Min Hyung showed a crooked smile at her blunt question.
There was a time when she thought that smile was quite cute. Of course, now, even if he shot a more intense flowerlike smile, it wouldn’t look pretty.
“We may have broken off our engagement, but don’t you think you lack interest in me? I still have a consistent interest in Seong Won.”
Her eyes lengthened with boredom, as if to say no more unnecessary words.
“Okay, okay. Just tell me, won’t you? My father took over a construction company two years ago.”
Did Marine Transport expand its business to construction? It was news to her.
“That’s how I found out. That Pharaoh was participating in the hotel site bidding this time. If they succeed in that bid, that hotel construction… we’re going to do it.”
Seo Rin’s mouth opened soundlessly, an intangible exclamation popping out.
It was huge news that she had missed because she hadn’t been interested in Marine Transport since the breakup.
But it was strange. Min Hyung’s character may have degraded endlessly, but he was a very quickwitted and cunning person. He had even deduced the reason for her presence here in one go.
Why would he leak such premium information to her?
“I want to know the reason. Why are you leaking such information? Knowing full well that we’re also participating in that bid.”
“To have a conversation. And to apologize to you. I can’t even approach you without something like this.”
“If I win the bid, Marine will lose that construction project.”
“I know. But Pharaoh already knows you’re a bid candidate. So, it’s only fair you know too, right?”
He wasn’t wrong. But then, the men who were playing poker called for Min Hyung again.
“Sorry, I must go. Let’s meet again next time!”
He disappeared from her sight. Seo Rin slowly turned her gaze back to the window and drained the remaining wine she had been holding, then she fell into thought.
She still couldn’t find a legitimate reason for Min Hyung leaking such premium information, but she achieved her goal anyway.
Was it because she was relaxed? Or was the alcohol starting to take effect? She began to feel languid.
Thinking she should leave the room soon, Seo Rin said goodbye to her friends and picked up her handbag.
As she passed through the hallway where the bodyguards were and turned a corner, she saw the elevator. There, she opened her handbag to call a taxi.
But then, strangely enough, the world began to spin. She couldn’t move a single finger at her own will.
Why on earth…
In the end, Seo Rin couldn’t take out her phone from her bag and spilled everything. Things in front of her started to appear double.
“Why… am I…”
Even her speech was dragging. But she exerted superhuman concentration and reached for her fallen phone. Then she almost fell as her center of gravity shifted, but she avoided the crisis with a strong force.
And the owner of that force picked up her fallen items and put them back into her handbag.
“Than…k you…”
She lifted her gaze to say thanks and looked at the man.
A shadow that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
However, her already dysfunctional brain blurred the man’s figure. As her legs gave way weakly and she started to fall, the man held her up.
Then he gently held her head, which had closed her eyes as if she had fallen asleep, and muttered.
“You really should have known your limits, Baek Seo Rin…”
Park Director, who was on the phone, involuntarily closed his eyes at the distant voice of So Dam from the other end. So Dam was mumbling about what ketamine was.
“Did you hear that, Director Park? If Jo Min Hyung really intends to use that on Seo Rin, it seems like there’s no time for her now. So go ahead. I’ll take responsibility for the rest.”
“Understood.”
There was no longer enough reason left to weigh pros and cons.
However, before setting off again, he approached the man he had held onto, rummaged through his pockets to find his wallet, and took a photo of his ID card with his phone. Along with the car license plate number.
“Why are you taking a picture of my ID…”
“Why, are you afraid I’ll steal your identity? Why would I use the identity of a guy who deals drugs?”
“Then why are you taking my ID!”
Thud!
The man was roughly shoved by Director Park and flattened against the car. To the man who couldn’t move a muscle, Director Park left a chilling whisper.
“You should pray. Pray that Jo Min Hyung, the one who sold the drugs today, didn’t get a chance to use them. If the person I’m escorting was affected by that drug… you’ll have to meet me again.”
Leaving the man on the street as if discarding a rag, Director Park drove back to the hotel. On the way, he tried to call Seo Rin just in case, but as expected, she didn’t answer.
Upon arrival, he rushed up to the suite room without giving himself time to think properly. Burly men were controlling access in the corridor.
“What’s happening?”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
