The commercial filming was completed safely.

The fact that Hee Ran participated in the filming while not fully sober was known only to five people, including herself. Everyone else was just told that she was feeling a bit under the weather due to a cold.

The IV drip was very effective for the hangover, the cold compress greatly helped with the swelling, and the makeup artist recruited by Young In demonstrated her skills flawlessly as a top professional.

The stylist and on-site manager breathed a sigh of relief that they were able to finish the shoot without any major issues. Naturally, the conversation turned to Young In.

“I don’t know what we would have done today without Team Leader Chae.”

“I know. Just thinking about if it had been just the two of us makes my spine tingle.”

“Even if Team Leader Jo had been here, she wouldn’t have been able to handle it this smoothly.”

“I’d heard that Team Leader Chae was good at her job, but I wondered how good she really was. Now I acknowledge it. She doesn’t panic at all.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I was really shocked when I saw Hee Ran this morning, but when Team Leader Chae calmly handled everything step by step, I found myself becoming calm too. Is this the power of a leader?”

Until this morning, the two had not had good feelings towards Young In. Just as Hee Ran had started disliking Young In based solely on Hyun Shim’s words, the same was true for these two.

But now they realized how terrifying hasty prejudices could be. They even thought they’d rather be in Team 5 than in Team 2 with its emotionally volatile actor and team leader.

“Will you two stop it?”

Hee Ran, sitting on the sofa in the waiting room and listening to the two, raised her eyes irritably.

“The more I hear, the more unbearable it gets.”

She acknowledged that Chae Young In was better at her job than Jo Hyun Shim. If it had been Hyun Shim, she would have postponed the filming using illness as an excuse, rather than pushing through with alternatives like this.

But as the two praised Chae Young In endlessly, she felt rebellious. It was unpleasant and annoying.

Right after the stylist and on-site manager closed their mouths, Young In, who had gone to see off Dr. Shin who had stayed until the end of the shoot, returned to the waiting room.

Young In approached the sofa where Hee Ran was sitting.

“Hee Ran, you worked hard today. I think I need to head back to the company now.”

“Are you being sarcastic right now?”

Young In’s brow furrowed slightly at the clear confrontational tone.

“Regardless of how amateurish Baek Hee Ran acted today, I said you worked hard because filming must have been tiring.”

“Amateurish?”

“Do you think it was professional behavior?”

Hee Ran sighed deeply, looking up at the sky, and muttered to herself.

“Always with the evaluations. How annoying…”

As intended, it was heard very clearly by the three people in the waiting room.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me, why ask again?”

Hee Ran repeated what she had said with an annoyed expression.

“I said, always with the evaluations. How. An. Noy. Ing.”

The corners of Hee Ran’s mouth curled up.

“I tend to be quite direct with my words.”

“Direct?”

Young In chuckled briefly, then responded seriously.

“No, you’re just lacking manners.”

“…What did you say?”

“What? Didn’t you say we’re the same age?”

“…”

“You can speak informally and rudely all you want, but I can’t? Did you think I wouldn’t dare make a sound no matter what you said?”

Momentarily taken aback by the unexpected response, Hee Ran quickly regained her composure and stood up abruptly. Then she stood in front of Young In.

“Now you’re showing your true colors. As expected, you don’t have the attitude of a manager.”

“How should a manager be then?”

“Learn from elder sister Hyun Shim. When I tell her to crawl, she doesn’t just pretend, she really crawls. Don’t you feel anything?”

“I feel how incredibly rude you are.”

As Young In calmly retorted, the veins in Hee Ran’s neck bulged.

“Chae Young In, do you want to quit your job? Should I make it so you can’t work in this industry anymore? Is that what you want?”

“With what skills of yours?”

“…”

For a moment, Hee Ran was at a loss for words.

“This isn’t the time for you to be putting on airs. You should be worried about what will happen if I reveal your true nature to everyone.”

Young In let out a small laugh of derision and continued speaking.

“Should I post something on a high-traffic community site? Or should I do an interview? Let everyone know how incredibly rude you are?”

“Who would believe you?”

Despite trying to appear calm, Hee Ran’s eyes wavered, unable to find their focus.

“Who said anything about being anonymous? If I reveal my name and face, people will believe it, don’t you think?”

“…”

Hee Ran unconsciously swallowed hard.

“Now that you’ve made it big, do you think you’re above everyone else? Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably made a lot of enemies. What will you do if even one of those people decides to bring you down?”

“…”

“Remember, your popularity won’t last forever.”

Young In gave this sincere advice to the trembling Hee Ran and turned around.

“Ji Hoon, Min Joo. You two worked hard today. I’m sorry you had to see something unpleasant. I’ll be going first.”

Hee Ran watched Young In leave the waiting room after saying goodbye to the on-site manager and stylist, clenching her fist tightly.

If someone were to ask what she regretted most this year, she could say without hesitation that it was entrusting the manager job to Chae Young In.

Unlike her original intention, she had ended up shooting herself in the foot.

“Damn it…”

A soft curse escaped from between Hee Ran’s lips.

Hyun Shim heard in detail about what had happened between Hee Ran and Young In today through the stylist.

The story, which began with the excuse ‘I thought you should know, elder sister’, was nothing short of tattling. She could feel the stylist’s glee, but she pretended not to notice. It was because she knew how much the stylist had suffered under Hee Ran all this time.

Not long after the call ended, Hee Ran called.

“Yes, Hee Ran.”

−Elder sister, come up tomorrow immediately.

Her voice was full of venom.

“I said I’d rest until the end of this week. After saying that was okay, why are you doing this again?”

She held back from saying, “After showing clear displeasure and reluctantly agreeing.”

−No matter how I think about it, I can’t understand why you’re resting for so long. If your mother had passed away, I might understand. Aren’t you overreacting about your maternal grandmother’s passing?

“Mom is having a very hard time. I told you what my grandmother meant to my mom.”

A mother and daughter who had lost their husbands on the same day and lived for over 20 years relying on each other. Knowing that painful and sorrowful life all too well, she wanted to stay by her mother’s side for even a few more days.

−Tell her not to be so dramatic.

“…”

A look of despair spread across Hyun Shim’s face. She felt as if her entire life had been trampled.

Despite not having properly rested, whether it was annual leave or vacation, for the past few years, she now deeply regretted why she had done so.

−I’m having a hard time too. I received a summons from the prosecutor’s office yesterday.

“Ah, I see.”

Hyun Shim responded dryly.

−On top of that, today with Chae Young In…

“I know.”

−Do you know that she dared to confront me with her eyes wide open? As a mere manager…

“Hee Ran, did you forget my request?”

−Request?

“I asked you not to use phrases like ‘mere manager’ or ‘just a manager’, remember?”

−Why are you being like this when I didn’t even say it to you? I’m already frustrated to death, and now you’re going to be like this too?

“Why did you do it then? If you hadn’t stirred up unnecessary trouble…”

−Wow, this elder sister is really ridiculous. Instead of comforting me, you want to lecture me now? Do you think I’m a joke because I treat you nicely, calling you ‘elder sister, elder sister’?

“…”

Someone who would really crawl if told to crawl, not just pretend.

It wasn’t as if she didn’t know that she was such an existence to Hee Ran, but today it left an especially bitter taste in her mouth.

“Team Leader Chae says she’s on her way back to the company now. I’ll be heading down now.”

Hae Yoon reported to Sung Hyuk in detail about what had happened between Young In and Hee Ran today before leaving his office.

While the stylist was telling Hyun Shim the whole story, the on-site manager, not to be outdone, called the deputy team leader of Team 2, who promptly informed Hae Yoon.

Thanks to this, even Sung Hyuk knew about it before Young In arrived at the company.

Hae Yoon told him about today’s events not because she was itching to gossip, but out of a sense of guilt. She couldn’t stay quiet when she thought that if she hadn’t intervened, Young In wouldn’t have agreed to Hee Ran’s request.

After careful consideration, Sung Hyuk picked up his mobile phone and searched through his recent call log to dial a number from last week.

However, the other party didn’t answer. Left with no choice, he sent a message.

A moment later, Baek Hee Ran called.

−I wonder why CEO Cha Sung Hyuk would call me?

Sung Hyuk didn’t want to have a long conversation with Hee Ran, who was openly sarcastic, so he got straight to the point.

“I called because there’s something I want to tell you.”

−What is it?

“Do you remember when I said I had a woman I was going to marry?”

−Yes, why are you suddenly asking about that?

“That woman is Chae Young In.”

−Who… is that…?

“Chae Young In. The team leader of Management Team 5.”

−…

“The reason I’m telling you this, Baek Hee Ran, is a warning not to mistreat our Young In. I won’t tolerate it anymore, so don’t regret it later.”

−What are you going to do? Are you planning to actively ruin the career of your company’s star actress?

The sound of her snickering was very grating to his ears.

“I could do anything. Who do you think you are, Baek Hee Ran?”

−…

“I might not actively ruin you, but if you start to fall, I could lend a hand to speed it up.”

−…

“Remember, we can always take down one sign and put up a new one.”

After saying what he needed to say, Sung Hyuk hung up the phone. A cold, sharp chill was flowing across his face.