Hae Yeon stood in her place and felt her mind become complicated for a moment as she watched Lee Su Rin and Han Yoon Seo walking towards her. Were those two close?

For a moment, she stared blankly, not understanding the situation. Coincidentally, the combination of people who were not favorable to her reminded her of the meeting with President Yoon the day before.

“What brings you here at this hour, unnies? What kind of combination is this? No, more importantly, it’s been a while since I’ve seen both of you!”

Do Hee, who had approached them at some point, fussed while being startled. No matter who looked at it, this was a strange meeting between the two people.

One was an office worker, and the other was busy with frequent outside activities. On top of that, Su Rin unnie, who had been out of Korea for the past few years, only had a formal relationship with Yoon Seo in the past.

There was no personal friendship between Yoon Seo and Su Rin, so why were the two here? Moreover, this was a department store, a place to enjoy personal hobbies like shopping, so Do Hee was puzzled, but she smiled brightly, conscious of Hae Yeon.

“Hello, Do Hee. It’s the first time we’ve met since I returned to Korea last time.”

“It’s been a while for me too, miss.”

Even though Do Hee had just blurted out a messy greeting, Su Rin greeted her kindly and Yoon Seo brought up a polite atmosphere. Do Hee was at a loss for words. This situation looked like people who were happy to meet by chance no matter how you looked at it.

“I ran into Yoon Seo at the department store by chance. Somehow, we ended up accompanying each other.”

“Wow, great timing!”

As Do Hee beamed, finding this unexpected meeting amazing, Su Rin folded the corners of her eyes.

“Yeah, I’m really lucky−.”

Su Rin, who had been looking at Do Hee with a voice filled with laughter, slowly shifted her gaze.

“Don’t you think?”

Tok.

“Hae Yeon?”

With the sound of her heels, Hae Yeon, who had appeared at some point, stood diagonally next to Do Hee. As she took one more step forward, Su Rin’s smile deepened.

“Indeed. Coincidence is really amazing. Lee Su Rin.”

A smile spread across Hae Yeon’s lips. Anyone who knew the truth would be able to tell that the current meeting was a created situation. However, Hae Yeon went along with Su Rin’s pretense.

“Huh, what is it? Do you two know each other?”

When Su Rin and Hae Yeon acted as if they knew each other, the surprised Do Hee widened her eyes and looked back and forth between the two.

It made sense. Su Rin had left for abroad around the time Hae Yeon’s elder brother and his wife got married. She had left without even attending their wedding and had never come back to Korea since then, so Do Hee seemed very surprised that Su Rin acted as if she knew her.

A gentle smile bloomed in Hae Yeon’s amber eyes.

“We met last time, miss. Nice to see you, Lee Su Rin. Seeing that we met by chance at the pub and now again, I guess we’re destined.”

“Nice to see you too, Hae Yeon. Destiny, that’s nice. I still remember what you said back then, so let’s have a lot of good conversations this time too.”

On the surface, it seemed like a friendly atmosphere, but Yoon Seo, who knew the truth, secretly gave them a disgusted look.

Only Do Hee, who didn’t know the whole situation and was just acting like a spoiled child, didn’t notice, and a strange air that only the three of them could sense was lingering around them.

“Hey, what is this. Don’t just talk between yourselves, include us too.”

“Haha, okay. Miss.”

“Since it’s this time, I’m sure everyone has eaten. How about we have some tea?”

The last words were from Yoon Seo. She, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly suggested an opinion as she watched the rushing department store customers. They couldn’t continue the conversation standing in the middle of the aisle, so everyone agreed with Yoon Seo’s words and moved to a different location.

The four of them entered a relatively less crowded cafe, ordered their respective drinks, and headed to an empty table. Hae Yeon and Do Hee sat next to each other, and Su Rin and Yoon Seo sat side by side with a round table between them.

“Su Rin unnie, why did you come to the department store?”

Do Hee asked Su Rin. Unable to ask Yoon Seo, with whom she was awkward, she asked Su Rin, whom she had been close to for many years, the question she had asked earlier.

Do Hee knew well that Su Rin was not free just because she came to Korea. She must be busy with the successor competition at the Mibon Group, so why was she at the department store on a weekday evening? Do Hee couldn’t help but be concerned.

“There’s someone I need to impress.”

It was an uncharacteristic thing to say for Lee Su Rin, who was an object of admiration and jealousy for everyone. Do Hee widened her eyes and leaned her upper body towards Su Rin, who was sitting across from her.

“What do you mean? Someone you need to impress? Don’t tell me you’re seeing someone, unnie? Or someone you like.”

“……”

When Su Rin only laughed silently without giving an answer, Do Hee, full of curiosity, was about to open her mouth again. The vibrating bell placed at the corner of the table shook.

“Oh? The drinks are here. I’ll go get them, so don’t move, everyone!”

Do Hee got up and left, earnestly urging them. As Do Hee disappeared, Hae Yeon turned her gaze to the opposite side. The subject reflected in Hae Yeon’s focus was Yoon Seo, who was sitting neatly and drinking coffee.

“I didn’t expect you to come, sister-in-law.”

As Hae Yeon elongated the end of her sentence and gently curved her eyes, the atmosphere changed once again in an instant.

“Whether it’s President Yoon Myung Gil’s threat or Lee Su Rin’s persuasion. Well, it could be both.”

“What are you talking about, sister-in-law? I came because of the event this week.”

Yoon Seo, being a former announcer, always used polite language to Hae Yeon, who was her subordinate, but the current answer was very innocent. Without any attempt to hide the fact that it was a lie.

What happened a few hours ago was coming to Yoon Seo’s mind.

[Is it possible to talk on the phone?]

The owner of the text message that arrived after spending a late morning with Cha Do Hoon was unexpectedly Lee Su Rin’s.

When she checked the sender, Yoon Seo felt troubled, but since she had not yet made a decision even after the one-sided conversation with President Yoon Myung Gil, she sent a positive answer.

As if she was more urgent than expected, Su Rin called during the short time it took to move to the study.

[It’s been a while, Han Yoon Seo.]

“Let’s skip the greetings, Lee Su Rin. Why did you call? We’re not close enough to talk on the phone like this, are we?”

True to her words, she was not close with Su Rin, but rather had an awkward relationship. To be exact, only Yoon Seo felt that way. Because it was obvious that if Su Rin became Cha Do Ha’s wife in the future, the position of her own husband, Do Hoon, would become even more precarious.

Because of that, Yoon Seo’s uneasiness was a one-sided emotion, and Su Rin must have known this fact.

Yoon Seo, who had entrusted her body to the deep maroon sofa, slowly appreciated what Su Rin was saying while looking at the large painting hung on one side of the study wall.

[Then that’s good for me. You must have a lot on your mind too.]

“If you say that, it means you’re going to say something beneficial to me too, right, Lee Su Rin?”

Yoon Seo deliberately countered lazily. The situation was unfavorable for Su Rin as well, and there was nothing good about showing her feelings to that snake-like woman.

With her nails neatly and cleanly trimmed without nail polish, like a noble scholar’s family member, Yoon Seo tapped the armrest repeatedly. It was an action that expressed anxiety that could not be revealed.

[If it’s what you want, it’s easy to know.]

The sound that had been ringing in the study suddenly stopped at the quiet answer.

[If I get together with Do Ha, you’ll be able to get the position you want.]

The position I want.

I came to this marriage like I was being sold and endured even the verbal abuse from my lowly husband. I even endured mistreatment from my in-laws while barely holding on in the Cha family.

It was to become a real power in the Gilmyeong Group.

Was it a reward mentality for ending up in this situation, or was it because of my overflowing ambition from the beginning?

Whatever it was, what mattered was that the more time passed, the more I yearned for it, that was the only thing that mattered.

‘Not yet.’

Yoon Seo shook her head. Even though she had heard the words she had wanted to hear the most, she was not foolish enough to immediately grab the ‘evil hand’ in front of her eyes.

“If it’s the position I want, it’s better for Min Hae Yeon to be Cha Do Ha’s wife. Besides, how can I trust and help you with your words?”

[Han Yoon Seo. I am the successor of the Mibon Group, do you think I would covet the position of the mistress of the Gilmyeong Group?]

It was a fair point. As Su Rin said, if she became Cha Do Ha’s wife, she would rather lose more. Moreover, watching from the side for the past few years, she had seen how sincere Su Rin was to Cha Do Ha.

However, it was still not enough to accept Su Rin’s sinister proposal.

“Even if you are like that, if Cha Do Ha wants it−.”

Yoon Seo’s words were cut off nicely. At the same time as her words were cut off, the end of Su Rin’s words also became shorter.

[I don’t think you don’t know what Do Ha oppa is thinking.]

“……”

With Su Rin’s assertive tone, there was a meaning of ‘if you don’t know, this offer is void’.

Yoon Seo also knew that what she was saying was absurd. Cha Do Ha, who has a bad relationship with President Yoon, is not fond of the position of the head of Gilmyeong Group. Yoon Seo, who was sensitive to greed more than anyone else, could tell.

[Besides, Han Yoon Seo, you don’t seem to have many options.]

From the beginning, this game was almost predetermined to have a winner and a loser.

“…What do you want.”

[Everything.]

At some point, they both spoke informally, but neither of them cared about such things.

To Yoon Seo’s question, which was almost an agreement, Su Rin answered in the most sweet voice among all the conversations so far. As if talking to a lover.

[I need all the information about what happened a year ago.]

“You must have searched for it?”

[Someone’s skills are so good that there’s nothing I can find out? Moreover, I need the eyes of someone close. Yes, the eyes of the person who was most pleased with that incident.]

Su Rin doesn’t know yet, but Min Hae Yeon is bound to be kicked out sooner or later. A situation has come where it can be brought forward, and if Su Rin can handle it without any trouble, it was what Yoon Seo herself wished for the most.

Yoon Seo sat up straight. She slowly revealed the ‘incident of that day’, which she had calculated and directly faced more than anyone else, to Su Rin. Su Rin, who had been listening so intently that even her breathing was inaudible, burst into anger when the story reached its climax and even laughed at how absurd it was.

Of course, Yoon Seo didn’t tell everything. Skillfully hiding a bit of the truth, when she finally finished speaking, silence flowed for a while.

How long had the silence lasted? Finally, Su Rin concluded the long call.

– I heard the story well. I have somewhere to go now, what do you think? Han Yoon Seo, do you want to come too?

Su Rin, who had leisurely switched back to polite language as if giving a complimentary gift, had returned to her original state. Yoon Seo, who had no reason to refuse, accepted the proposal.

That was how she ended up in this situation, facing Min Hae Yeon.

‘What did Su Rin say back then? To find it myself?’

Yoon Seo put her thoughts behind and naturally looked at Min Hae Yeon’s face.

“Here, unnies’ drinks have arrived!”

Do Hee, who had quickly gone to the pickup counter, kindly distributed the drinks, and the three of them adjusted their expressions as if on cue. They smiled and thanked Do Hee, and continued the interrupted conversation.

“Su Rin unnie, then did you finish shopping for the person you need to impress? If you haven’t, should I help you?”

“Thanks, but I’ve resolved it, so it’s okay, Do Hee.”

While answering Do Hee, Hae Yeon didn’t miss that Su Rin’s gaze was directed at her. Seeing those meaningful narrow eyes of Su Rin, Hae Yeon finally understood the whole situation.

The person Su Rin wanted to ‘impress’ was herself, and the words ‘it’s been resolved’ also meant that she had met her.

Even so, nothing about the current situation would change. Thinking that way, she became bored.

She had no choice but to move according to Su Rin and Han Yoon Seo’s intentions, but as the conversation turned to small talk, Hae Yeon was bored. As if she knew, Su Rin changed the subject.

“…By the way, Do Hee. Is Do Ha oppa okay now? As you know, it happened when I was away from Korea… I did meet Do Ha oppa recently, but I’m still worried.”

Speaking hesitantly, which was rare, Su Rin touched the handle of the black mug and expressed her worry as if blaming herself. Her slender hands touching the black pottery looked white in contrast to the cup.

At Su Rin’s concerned tone, Hae Yeon reflexively thought of something. It was Do Hee’s reaction at dinner, right before meeting these two. As expected, Do Hee’s hand, which had been sipping her drink, stiffened in the air.

Hae Yeon’s eyes also hardened. A small anger arose towards Su Rin, who was still pretending to have a worried face. She was annoyed by Su Rin’s act of ignoring the feelings of Do Hee, whom she had treated like a younger sister for a long time, for her own purpose.

At the same time, Hae Yeon felt guilty as she remembered her own actions at the restaurant earlier. She had done the same thing to Do Hee as Su Rin just now.

This won’t do. This must be stopped. Unable to forget Do Hee’s sobbing expression at the restaurant, Hae Yeon tried to quickly interrupt Su Rin’s words, and someone else beat her to it.

“If it’s Do Ha oppa, he’s fine. It’s already in the past. But I’d rather not bring up this story, Su Rin unnie.”

Hae Yeon’s head turned to the side without thinking. Surprisingly, the one who had just stopped her words was none other than Do Hee. Seeing Do Hee speaking clearly word by word, Hae Yeon’s mind cleared as if someone had flicked their finger.

Finally, Hae Yeon realized. Both at the restaurant and now, Do Hee’s reaction was out of concern that Hae Yeon would be scared and anxious because of the incident from a year ago.

Feeling a warm heart, Hae Yeon also blamed herself for being lacking compared to Do Hee.