A man in his early 30s yelled fiercely.

Everyone was exhausted from the high-intensity work throughout the day. The atmosphere, which had been somewhat relaxed due to minor issues but no major incidents, froze like ice in an instant. The headquarters team staff, who were just organizing their belongings, looked at the man with dumbfounded expressions.

“Is it okay to proceed like this in a company like Dali Coffee?”

When the man, whose face had turned almost red, made a loud protest again, a team leader-level employee who had come to his senses hurriedly approached.

“I apologize, sir. Could you tell me what happened?”

“Are you the person in charge here?”

Perhaps calmed down to some extent by the team leader’s calm response, the man lowered his voice tone. However, his blunt way of speaking and his rapidly rising and falling shoulders indicated that he was not yet fully appeased.

“What’s going on?”

“What are you doing in someone else’s store without any knowledge? We recorded the highest sales ever today, and what is this at the end?”

While the team leader was dealing with the man, other employees whispered among themselves.

“This controversy happens from time to time because it’s such a popular event. So don’t worry too much, Min Hae Yeon.”

Seo Yun, who had been quietly observing the situation, kindly explained to Hae Yeon, who had become dazed since the moment the man barged in, thinking that she was flustered by experiencing this for the first time.

“…… Ah, yes. Sunbae-nim.”

It was a slow response, unlike the usually quick-witted Hae Yeon. Seeing Hae Yeon like that, Seo Yun patted her shoulder, but contrary to her thoughts, Hae Yeon was at a loss for words for a different reason.

The person who was unusually calm when everyone else was surprised or frozen by the sudden disturbance.

Kim Hyun Woo, the manager. As if aware of Hae Yeon’s gaze, Manager Kim turned his head, and the two quietly looked at each other.

“…….”

“…….”

When the two exchanged glances, the incident, which was thought to be simply a troublesome customer’s issue, took a new turn. The man who made the complaint continued to argue with the staff, and in the midst of this, someone entered the store.

“Uh, excuse me…….”

It was none other than the lucky first-place winner who had won the 10 million won Foledi bag today.

Just in case, the team leader gestured with his eyes, and the employee who caught it brought her in, who had just finished the award ceremony and left. Fortunately, it was lucky that she couldn’t go far outside because it was crowded with customers going home.

Things became bizarre from that moment on. From the moment the winner, who was pushed in by the sales team staff and hesitated with a restless posture, finally opened her mouth.

“I-I’m sorry! I was just told that I would be given money……”

Only when the woman spoke while crying did the employees, realizing the seriousness of the situation, harden their expressions.

The Foledi bag event was not an ordinary prize event, but Dali Coffee’s most special event held in conjunction with its founding anniversary. That was the reason for offering high-priced luxury goods as prizes, and it was a social issue every year.

In other words, the moment this incident spread outside, controversy was inevitable, and the headquarters would also inevitably be involved in a tiresome matter.

“I knew this would happen.”

The young man who came to complain snorted. Before long, the Seongsu-dong branch began to be surrounded by people again.

“Sir, let’s talk about that separately inside-.”

If an outsider saw it, it could be said that an internal employee colluded with the winner by giving them money. For now, they had to avoid people’s eyes, so the team leader carefully tried to guide the winner inside, but the woman shouted as if she had suddenly accelerated.

“That woman. The person who gave me money!”

Before the team leader could stop her, the winner’s finger stretched out straight, pointing at someone. At the clear action, everyone’s eyes in the store turned to where her finger was pointing.

It was Hae Yeon, who had not yet taken off her Dali Coffee uniform.

“That woman told me to act while giving me money!”

Hae Yeon didn’t even blink an eye. Because the woman’s accusation was too absurd. At first glance, the situation didn’t look good.

The young man who came to complain suddenly took out his cell phone from his pocket and started taking pictures of the scene, and the first-place winner acted like a victim, constantly shedding tears.

Hae Yeon had an intuition. Who would be happy if she tried to stop this here?

Lee Su Rin.

It must have been her. Hae Yeon, who had organized her thoughts, calmly spoke to the winner while maintaining her composure.

“Ma’am. I saw you for the first time today and have never given you money.”

At Hae Yeon’s polite answer, the employees’ expressions were divided, and the man who came to complain had already been taken to the manager’s room by other employees.

The winner raised her voice as if she was absurd and unfair at Hae Yeon’s calm and dignified attitude.

“Of course you couldn’t have seen me because we only talked online! Th-that’s why I just thought it was a joke and came here today, thinking I was being fooled……”

Unable to finish her words, the winner held out her cell phone. The screen showed an SNS, and it contained a conversation about an illegal transaction with someone.

It was about participating in Dali Coffee’s Foledi bag prize event today and winning the high-priced Foledi bag, but in return, sharing the proceeds from its sale.

Coincidentally, the person who played that role today was Hae Yeon. That wasn’t all. As if thoroughly prepared for this show, the phone number of the person with whom the winner had shared confidential information yesterday was also Hae Yeon’s.

“Min Hae Yeon, what’s going on?”

A male employee asked Hae Yeon in surprise. The person who spoke with suspicion was none other than an employee from the second sales team. He was one of the people who actively stepped up when the former team leader of Team 2, Shin Kyu Sik, harassed Hae Yeon.

“Park Dong Hoon. Your question is a bit strange. Are you believing only what the customer is saying without any proper evidence?”

At Seo Yun’s cold words, the male employee’s mouth twitched. Although the incident with Team Leader Shin was resolved, people’s reactions were still half-hearted.

That was because most people didn’t know about the illegal acts committed by Team Leader Shin as Hae Yeon had him quietly write a resignation letter and leave. If he reacted emotionally in this situation, he might be blamed for the past incident as well.

“If it’s as the customer says, I would have to know the winning number to make it possible, but the Foledi bag event is conducted in secret even from the headquarters. How would I know, as a new employee in a different department?”

As Hae Yeon claimed, in order to win the Foledi bag event, the number marked on the receipt received after purchasing a beverage must match the number announced by the company.

However, this winning number was kept secret even within the sales team in charge of the event, and only team leader-level personnel knew about it, so it was far-fetched for Hae Yeon, a new employee in the management support team, to know.

“That’s true.”

“It’s definitely unlikely for Hae Yeon to know.”

Hae Yeon’s argument seemed reasonable to the employees as well, and even the colleagues who had shown ambiguous reactions leaned towards her innocence.

Of course, regardless of the facts, there were also employees who found the current situation interesting, and there were still some who found it suspicious. Just when they thought they had managed the situation to some extent.

“Uh…… about that winning number……”

An employee in the corner timidly spoke up, raising a trembling hand.

“So-someone seems to have checked it.”

According to him, there were traces of someone touching the envelope containing the document while going to report the winning number to a superior after the draw.

“Does that make sense now? A year-old employee making such a basic mistake!”

“I-I’m sorry! I was just so busy……”

“Enough! You, let’s see in the office later.”

Team Leader Yoon huffed at the absurd mistake made by the second sales team employee. The employee who made the mistake also realized how big of a mistake he had made and repeatedly bowed his head.

In this ridiculous, farcical scene, the most embarrassed person was Hae Yeon. Analyzing the words of the Team 2 employee who made the mistake, the winning number that should have been kept secret became something that anyone could easily check. Even a new employee who had just joined the company.

As expected, the gazes and whispers that had almost subsided began to focus on Hae Yeon again. Just when it was difficult to prove anything right away, another voice intervened this time.

“Hasty judgments are forbidden.”

It was Yoon Jun Woo who ran over after hearing the news.

“Team Leader Seol!”

“Team Leader Yoon, you’ve worked hard. I’ll take it from here.”

His hair was disheveled, probably from running in a hurry. Yoon, who had quickly received an explanation from an employee about what had happened so far, approached the winner.

“I heard you well. Is it correct that you are admitting to illegal acts in the process of winning the prize?”

“Y-yes……”

Yoon was tall. Even though he didn’t have a sturdy physique like Do Ha, just his tall figure approaching closely could give a sense of intimidation.

The winner flinched, looking up at Yoon, who was standing in front of them. Yoon just gave a perfunctory smile, even though the person was clearly overwhelmed.

“Then, for now, we will collect the prize that you were supposed to receive.”

“Oh, okay.”

Unlike committing a crime, the winner quietly complied, and Yoon’s next gaze turned to the young man who had reported this incident. Entering the manager’s room, Yoon first gave a light nod to the man.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. We will fully refund the amount you used to participate in this event. Once the investigation into the incident is completed, we will separately provide you with a reward.”

Of course, before that, you’ll have to hand over what you captured on camera to us. When Yoon exuded a kind but somewhat pressuring nuance, the flinching man deleted the content he had taken with his cell phone on the spot.

“Disclosing an incident that has not yet been judged can result in legal punishment.”

Not forgetting to warn until the end, Yoon sorted out the situation simply and clearly.

With that, the incident was roughly settled for now, but it wasn’t completely resolved. People’s suspicious gazes still lingered on Hae Yeon. Yoon also seemed to have noticed this and clearly instructed the employees.

“Since no truth has been revealed yet, please refrain from spreading rumors. Anyone who talks about this incident will be reported to the audit committee.”

At Yoon’s warning, the employees showed tense expressions and dispersed.

“Hae Yeon, don’t worry too much. The truth will come out.”

Seo Yun, who approached Hae Yeon’s side as people left one by one, comforted her. Receiving her consolation, Hae Yeon coolly observed the reality.

‘This is a race against time.’

Su Rin’s purpose was not simply to kick her out of Dali Coffee with this incident. The intention was to make her internal evaluation completely plummet with today’s events and spread rumors among the chaebol wives outside to make her reputation awful.

So there was only one thing Hae Yeon had to do.

‘I have to quickly resolve this issue before the rumors spread.’