Da Eun learned with a single question that Lee Ra had been married and divorced twice. She tried to hide her surprise.

“Feel free to be surprised, I’m sometimes surprised too.”

“…I asked an unnecessary question.”

“No, it’s fine. Ask away. I have many things I want to ask too.”

Da Eun envied Lee Ra who spoke as if divorce was nothing.

“Then what about the other person?”

She was curious about the other one, besides Lee Ra, her ex-ex-husband, and Yu Kwon.

Da Eun felt she shouldn’t have asked. What kind of bride-to-be doesn’t know her future husband’s close friends?

Sure enough, Lee Ra paused as she was organizing the measuring tape. Her lowered eyelids trembled slightly. For a brief moment, her expression seemed to harden.

“Everyone else drifted apart except for me and Yu Kwon. Oh, Yu Kwon must be waiting, I’ll show you to the third floor.”

Da Eun was puzzled. Lee Ra changed the subject as if she had made a mistake.

Da Eun didn’t think too deeply about it and followed Lee Ra. She could always ask Yu Kwon later anyway.

Lee Ra pointed to a hall at the end of the third floor.

“You can go inside.”

“Ah, okay.”

Da Eun opened the door and went in.

“Hello.”

As Lawyer Ji Seung Hyeok stood up to greet her, everyone who had been typing on laptops also stood up to greet her.

“Oh, hello.”

They were familiar faces. In corporate terms, it was the owner risk team. Since Myeong Il Group’s owner risk team didn’t work for Yu Kwon, he had personally selected elites from various fields to form this team.

Lawyers, police, journalists, and former military personnel worked solely for Yu Kwon.

Jung Woo was also a member of that team.

They worked from home without a fixed office. Meetings were usually held via video conference, but occasionally they were summoned in person. Today was one of those days.

Yu Kwon sat at the center of them. Da Eun sighed when she saw the board set up behind him, who sat like a king. It had not only Da Eun’s photo but also photos of her family and acquaintances, along with brief information.

The detailed information must be written in the mountain of documents piled on the table. Da Eun, who immediately grasped the meaning of those photos and information, let out a short sigh.

It was Yu Kwon and Da Eun’s marriage project.

It was the marriage of a third-generation chaebol that attracted public attention. Moreover, it was a contract marriage that must never be discovered. Special caution was needed. She understood it rationally, but her heart felt differently.

“I’ll help you with the contract-related matters, so don’t worry.”

Seung Hyeok said with a smile.

They had exchanged greetings while running errands for Yu Kwon before. Dressed in a suit, he had a tall stature and slim figure that could be mistaken for a model.

“Yes, I’ll be in your care.”

Da Eun smiled, erasing her troubled expression.

“Hello, Secretary Song. As you may already know well, this is information on the Myeong Il family members. And this is analysis based on that information. We’ve also prepared scenarios in advance reflecting the impact on your marriage and psychological states, so it would be good to review them.”

Min Woo, a former profiler, handed Da Eun a small USB drive.

“…Thank you for your hard work.”

“Please dispose of it immediately after reviewing.”

Min Woo yawned lazily. His pretty face looked excessively tired.

This certainly wasn’t child’s play. I’m really going to marry Cha Yu Kwon.

Only now did the fact that she was marrying Yu Kwon sink in.

“Ah, um… And congratulations on your marriage.”

“It’s a contract.”

As Min Woo awkwardly offered congratulations, Seung Hyeok chided him.

“Still, marriage is marriage.”

“I’m telling you it’s work.”

Da Eun made an awkward expression watching the two bicker as if it were an everyday occurrence.

“Come here, Song Da Eun.”

At Yu Kwon’s low voice, Da Eun turned her head to look at him.

He had an unsatisfied expression. Da Eun reluctantly went and sat next to him.

“Oh, already jealous.”

Not missing the chance, Min Woo teased Yu Kwon.

“Han Min Woo, that’s enough.”

Seung Hyeok pretended to stop Min Woo, but he too was curious and stared intently at Da Eun and Yu Kwon. As if trying to catch the subtle atmosphere between the two.

“Aren’t we starting?”

Yu Kwon put down the documents in Da Eun’s hands on the desk and seated her in the chair.

Only then did Seung Hyeok stand in front of the board.

“I’ll briefly explain the plans going forward.”

From dating plans to public opinion manipulation, the systematically designed plan was conveyed through Seung Hyeok’s mouth.

To summarize, the story was that they met while doing in-house volunteer work, fell in love, and ended up getting married.

She listened quietly, resting her chin on her hand while twirling a pen with the other.

It was cliché, but if they said in-house volunteer work, the employees would quickly realize it was a lie.

Da Eun tilted her head and asked Seung Hyeok.

“Um, Lawyer. How about this?”

“Go ahead.”

Da Eun looked directly at Yu Kwon, who had fixed his gaze on her, and opened her mouth.

“Two people who met in college, Cha Yu Kwon fell for Song Da Eun at first sight, but went abroad to study due to family opposition and academic reasons. After 8 years of not being able to forget Song Da Eun, Cha Yu Kwon constantly courted Song Da Eun when they met again as secretary and won her heart. Wouldn’t this story be a bit more convincing?”

Yu Kwon, who had been blinking slowly, soon frowned one eyebrow.

Da Eun slowly turned her head to look at Seung Hyeok and Min Woo. The two, who had been staring blankly at her, belatedly responded.

“That’s not bad?”

Satisfied with Seung Hyeok’s reaction, Da Eun looked at Yu Kwon again.

He had an incredulous expression. Da Eun continued regardless.

“Those who aren’t happy about this marriage will thoroughly investigate me to create issues somehow.”

Seung Hyeok and Min Woo stared at Da Eun with their mouths slightly open.

“If you’ve investigated a lot about me as a subject, it would be better to use it properly. Like my unfortunate family history, or the fact that I broke off an engagement because my fiancé cheated.”

Da Eun’s cheeks burned under Yu Kwon’s gaze. The reason he had approved such a cliché and safe scenario was probably because of her.

It seemed his words about not putting her in danger weren’t empty.

Yu Kwon, who had never failed before, wouldn’t have proposed lightly.

The same was true for Da Eun. She wanted to show that she wasn’t taking this deception lightly either.

Yong Hee had already searched Yu Kwon’s house and recruited his confidants to dig up his nephew’s weaknesses. It was obvious that she had already finished investigating Da Eun. Da Eun didn’t want to become Yu Kwon’s weakness.

She thought it would be better to package and reveal her flaws nicely before Yong Hee’s forces exposed them.

“I’ll refine it.”

Seung Hyeok, who had been standing with a dumbfounded expression, answered.

“Let’s stop here and everyone go home.”

At the voice that was even lower than usual, people hurriedly cleaned up.

The interior became a bit more lively and noisy. Da Eun also organized the documents in front of her and handed them to Min Woo.

All the while, Yu Kwon kept staring at Da Eun. Holding her wrist to prevent her from leaving.

As Min Woo, the last to remain, bowed his head and left the hall, Yu Kwon pulled Da Eun’s wrist towards him. As a result, Da Eun, who had been standing, ended up sitting on Yu Kwon’s lap.

Embarrassed by the sudden change in position, she tried to stand up, but Yu Kwon gently held her shoulders and met her eyes.

“Try to understand, how anxious I must be.”

His hot breath clung stickily to her skin.

His tone and expression were clearly displeased. He didn’t seem to like that Da Eun had taken the initiative.

Yet his gaze as he looked at Da Eun was somehow impatient.

“A man who’s been in love with you for 8 years.”

Before she could reply, Yu Kwon’s lips touched Da Eun’s. It was a kiss that couldn’t possibly be affectionate, yet it felt strangely tender.

Instead of meaningless resistance, Da Eun raised her arms and embraced Yu Kwon’s neck.

Yu Kwon was a bit surprised when she pulled him close instead of pushing him away, but he didn’t stop.

Throughout the meeting, something Jung Woo had said once kept echoing in her ears.

“How about finding someone other than Song Da Eun?”

Jung Woo had never once objected to what Yu Kwon ordered. He handled even unreasonable tasks Yu Kwon gave without complaint.

When he jokingly asked if Jung Woo had grown fond of Da Eun, Jung Woo said with unwavering eyes.

“You like her, don’t you? Song Da Eun.”

Jung Woo knew Yong Hee and Yong Ju’s nature well. So even when he passed Da Eun’s information to Yong Hee on Yu Kwon’s orders, he said he felt bad about it.

Yu Kwon also knew. That his proposal was pushing Da Eun, who was already exhausted, into danger.

Is this desire to keep her by his side even like this selfishness, or is it love?

Da Eun separated her lips from Yu Kwon as if overwhelmed and exhaled roughly. He stared at her wet lips for a moment before pressing his lips to hers again.

As if answering the question he had asked himself.

Ju Ri, who had come to work, trembled with anxiety. No matter how much she scrubbed her hands, she felt like she could still smell blood. The surgery was successful, but Hyang Mi still hadn’t woken up.

It was fortunate she didn’t die, but on the other hand, it was frightening. If she woke up and revealed the truth, it would all be over.

‘No, I didn’t do anything wrong. She tried to fall and hurt herself while trying to help me.’

Ju Ri comforted herself like that. She had no concern for Hyang Mi whatsoever.

She was a person without even the minimum conscience or guilt.

“It really was Song Da Eun. I’m sure of it!”

Suddenly hearing a voice from outside, Ju Ri hid inside a bathroom stall.

“Let’s say Song Da Eun could go. But Director Cha at a food stall? No way.”

The voices belonged to Gyeong Mi and Hwa Young from the secretarial office. Belatedly, she thought it was pointless to hide. She had long since won over the two, so they could talk comfortably.

Ju Ri had contributed to Gyeong Mi and Hwa Young harassing Da Eun. The two loved gossiping about others, and they already disliked Da Eun, so when given the right bait, they inflated stories about her and made up lies.

“I’m telling you, they were definitely together. Even from far away, the atmosphere was no joke.”