Office Romance Scandal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
The accident at the department store parking lot exit began to coincide with rush hour, delaying my departure. As my estimated arrival time kept getting pushed back, cold sweat trickled down Hae Jin’s back.
What had seemed like a smooth first assignment gradually ran into trouble the more time passed. Being late for an appointment simply didn’t suit Hae Jin’s personality.
Besides, being late for work? That was something utterly unthinkable in her dictionary.
Hae Jin started tapping the navigation screen repeatedly, trying to find a route that wasn’t jammed.
“I’ll do my best to make it on time.”
She barely made it through a yellow light, but it was still stop-and-go traffic.
“The protagonist always shows up late, anyway.”
“Excuse me?”
“You don’t have to drive in such a hurry.”
Had she looked that frantic even to Tae Hong? He might’ve meant it as a joke, but Hae Jin couldn’t take it at face value—after all, in the workplace, the same words often carried different meanings.
His suggestion not to rush sounded, instead, like an order to arrive right on time. She glanced quickly toward the passenger seat to double-check.
But not only had he reclined his seat all the way back—he’d now even leaned the backrest halfway down.
Was I really the only one in a hurry? While Hae Jin sat alone, lost in seriousness, Tae Hong casually tossed out another remark.
“Do you have any siblings?”
It was a completely unexpected question, especially in her already restless state. The car was stuck dead in traffic, so naturally her gaze turned toward the oddly timed questioner.
“No, I’m an only child.”
“You and I are kind of alike.”
Not the same—just “kind of alike.” She tried to dig into the subtle implication hidden beneath his words, but nothing specific came to mind. Without any way to grasp his intention, she felt as stifled as the gridlocked road.
“What would you think if you had a sibling?”
A sibling… Back when she was little and didn’t know any better, she’d begged her parents for one. It was just a child’s unreasonable whim—something impossible to get simply by asking.
“I guess it would depend entirely on what kind of sibling they were.”
“True.”
After that, the conversation stopped. Thankfully, traffic began to ease, and as the car picked up speed, each of them focused on their own thoughts.
“Just drop me off at the hotel and head home.”
“Excuse me?”
All she could manage was a confused “yes.” Trying to figure him out on the very first day was clearly greedy. It already felt exhausting just chasing after someone whose next move she couldn’t predict.
“I came here today as your designated driver.”
She quickly spoke up, figuring it’d be easier to say it without making eye contact.
“I’m your team leader’s assigned personal assistant, after all.”
Did he catch the subtle emphasis she’d placed on “assigned personal assistant”?
Just as he raised his seat to meet her eyes and seemed about to say something, the car ahead moved at the most inconvenient moment, cutting their brief eye contact short.
“It might run late.”
“That’s fine.”
At Hae Jin’s crisp, firm reply, Tae Hong’s brow furrowed slightly, then relaxed again. Maybe it was for the best that Hae Jin hadn’t noticed.
“Assistant Jeong Hae Jin.”
After finally passing through the worst of the traffic jam, Hae Jin had just started to calm down when Tae Hong called out to her with a hyena-like swagger in his voice. Her shoulders flinched involuntarily, and her back straightened on its own.
“Seems like you haven’t heard anything about my personal life from my father during your dealings with him?”
At that single sentence, her fingers gripping the steering wheel turned white. His words instantly dragged her back to the moment when she’d been overwhelmed with thoughts.
All she’d received from Jun Tae was a single photo and some basic personal details—she knew essentially nothing about him. Yet when she’d figured out for herself that her father had personally assigned her as his dedicated assistant, hadn’t she anticipated this exact outcome?
She’d known all along—yet hearing that thinly veiled threat escape Tae Hong’s lips chilled her to the bone.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
When in doubt, playing dumb was always the safest bet. Sometimes, pretending ignorance outright was wiser than feigning knowledge—and this was definitely one of those times.
“If you don’t know, I’ll fill you in.”
Of all things, why did it have to be a right turn? As she turned the wheel, she found herself glancing at Tae Hong without meaning to. He seized the eye contact instantly, twisting it into something else entirely.
“I never stop women from coming, and I never hold onto those leaving.”
Excuse me, but I have zero interest in your private life. Clinging firmly to her professional integrity, she straightened the wheel after completing the turn.
“If you’ve got the confidence to go along with any woman’s whims, be my guest.”
But then why keep staring at me? I never asked you to entertain me. Hae Jin clenched her jaw so tightly her molars ground together.
“If words aren’t getting through, you can just wait for me till the end.”
Was it really necessary to phrase “go home” in such a terrifying way? Hae Jin stole a sidelong glance at Tae Hong. His face, only partly visible in her field of vision, seemed to be sneering—or maybe completely expressionless.
If he was going that far, she supposed she’d better take his words seriously.
“Since you’re asking so earnestly, Team Leader, I’ll head home right away.”
Go have your reckless fun—enjoy yourself however you like. I’m heading home. Now that her uncertain departure time had finally been pinned down, her mood began lifting slightly.
By then, the car had already reached its destination. As they pulled into the hotel entrance, a parking attendant approached.
“Assistant Jeong Hae Jin, good work. Hand over the car and go home.”
With that cool remark, Tae Hong walked straight into the hotel without even glancing back. The attendant quickly stepped forward to open the driver’s door.
It was a clear signal for her to get out. But Hae Jin couldn’t move. She needed to leave—she should go straight home and recover from her exhausting first day—but her body refused to budge.
Why on earth was she disobeying her superior’s direct order?
“Aren’t you getting out?”
Only then did Hae Jin snap back to her senses.
“I’m sorry, but I think I should wait a bit longer.”
“Excuse me?”
Ignoring the confused attendant, Hae Jin apologized and closed the driver’s door again. Only after parking in a spot on the ground floor with a clear view of the lobby did she finally feel at ease.
She turned off the engine, and the cabin lights gradually dimmed. Eventually, even the interior lighting shut off, leaving her alone in the unoccupied car.
Directly ahead, the glamorous hotel lit up right on schedule, its dazzling display signaling that night was falling.
“What are you doing, skipping dinner like this?”
She couldn’t move recklessly—not when she had no idea when he’d finish. She almost laughed at herself. What was her real motive for not leaving, despite being told to go home?
No matter how she thought about it, it must be her sense of duty as a dedicated assistant. Even though generous pay was part of the deal, she still wanted to do her absolute best.
She kept rationalizing it over and over—yet the memory of his strangely soft tone when he’d asked about siblings kept resurfacing. There’d been something oddly melancholic about that moment, even in silence.
Honestly, what was with these rollercoaster emotions on the very first day?
On a sudden impulse, she wondered if there were any articles about Tae Hong. But her search returned nothing—no scandals, just a clean, spotless record.
“What’s this? I thought you were supposed to be a playboy.”
Well, given that it’s Yeon Chang Group, they could easily scrub any scandalous articles clean.
She quickly jumped to conclusions based on her imagination. Each new thought fragment that surfaced only stirred up her emotions again.
‘Not Miss Jeong Hae Jin—but Assistant Jeong Hae Jin.’
He wasn’t exactly a prince on a white horse, but hadn’t he taken her side? And what about those gentlemanly gestures while picking out clothes? Now, because of thoughts like these, she was still waiting here.
“Ugh, Hae Jin—you’re hopeless when it comes to petty sentimentality. How do you plan to survive in this harsh world?”
She muttered the complaint to herself, but staying behind was entirely her own autonomous decision.
She kept debating whether to grab dinner or not—until before she knew it, midnight had arrived.
The hotel’s surroundings had grown quiet and deserted. At that moment, Tae Hong emerged from the lobby, cutting through the stillness. Hae Jin, relieved, quickly opened the driver’s door and hurried toward the lobby.
But upon spotting a man trailing closely behind Tae Hong, she instinctively ducked out of his line of sight.
“Moon Tae Hong. What are you doing, leaving like this?”
“What of it?”
His cynical tone didn’t sound drunk at all.
“If you just walk away like this, what’s going to happen to the rest of us?”
“Figure it out yourselves.”
Hearing their voices from a distance, Hae Jin shrank further into the shadows. If he discovered her disobedience on top of this chilly atmosphere, it’d be like fanning the flames of a burning house.
“It was a mistake! Can’t you just let it go for once?”
“A mistake? Whose side are you even on?”
His low, mocking voice and glare silenced Hyun Woo, who’d been following Tae Hong, causing him to throw up his hands.
“What side? I’m just treating you all as friends, that’s all.”
“Friends.”
Tae Hong rotated his wrist and turned fully toward Hyun Woo.
“So you think you’ve got what it takes to challenge Yeon Chang Group?”
The mouth that had been chattering so freely just moments ago snapped shut instantly.
“Let’s be careful with each other from now on. At least have that much common sense.”
“Tae Hong…”
“You’d better choose your side wisely. Your father’s business needs a proper conclusion, after all.”
Hyun Woo’s face went pale. In that moment, the full weight of Moon Tae Hong’s presence—and Yeon Chang Group’s power—was palpable.
“He may be my half-brother, but he’s still Yeon Chang blood.”
“R-right. Got it. Well then…”
Tae Hong patted Hyun Woo’s shoulder a couple of times, then pulled out his phone as if to make a call.
“Pass this on to Park Seo Woo. He’s no longer welcome at our gatherings.”
As Tae Hong walked past Hyun Woo, he pressed the screen of his phone and placed the call.
At that exact moment, Hae Jin’s phone rang from within the shadows where she was hiding.
“It’s Moon Tae Hong.”
-Yes, Team Leader.
She covered her mouth with her hand and answered in the quietest whisper possible.
“Did you maybe forget to hand over your car for valet parking? Please tell me you didn’t just drive straight home after I told you to go home.”
His voice sounded exactly as it had before they parted—as if nothing had happened.
-Team Leader… About that…
She wanted to say, “I’m right behind you,” but the image of his snarling demeanor held her back. If she said she was there, would the earlier backlash now turn toward her?
Yet, without realizing it, she began walking toward him. Though some distance remained, she clearly saw drops of blood falling onto the lobby floor—blood streaming from Tae Hong’s fingers.
“T-Team Leader…”
The moment Hae Jin saw the blood, she rushed toward him. Hearing her voice from behind, Tae Hong turned around. Hae Jin immediately grabbed his arm as she reached him. Now up close, she could finally see his condition clearly.
She quickly scanned him head to toe but kept her focus fixed on his arm.
“Were you in a fight?”
Her eyes, filled with worry, were solely focused on ensuring Tae Hong was safe. She didn’t even understand why she was acting this way.
He’d seemed like an immovable wall—a man who could sever her livelihood in an instant.
Yet, in that moment, the only thought in her mind was that she needed to help someone who was hurt.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
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I like his honesty and my god there is communication.