After that day, Seo Ha hid in Hyo Jae’s apartment to avoid Seung Ae. However, Seung Ae somehow managed to find Seo Ha quickly.

Seo Ha’s heart sank. She felt sorry that the child seemed unwelcome because of her.

Her mind was filled with only the thought that she had to run away without anyone knowing to protect the child.

Seo Ha had no time to wipe away the tears welling up.

Fear and sorrow came rushing in all at once.

Seo Ha bit her lip hard and barely managed to drag her weakened body to the main road.

Then she hailed a passing taxi without thinking.

“Where would you like to go?”

“The intercity bus terminal.”

Seo Ha’s only thought was that she had to leave this city immediately.

This was Seo Ha’s situation 5 years ago.

[This is the timeline separator]

Recently, Jin Chul Wook, a congressman and Yoo Na’s father, came to see Hyun Young.

Congressman Jin Chul Wook spoke leisurely while sipping his tea.

“Bills to regulate corporations keep being proposed. If they pass, not only HY Group but also T&K, which is just spreading its wings, will be affected.”

“I suppose that would be the case.”

Hyun Young also paused while drinking her tea. The tense atmosphere between the two filled the chairman’s office.

Chul Wook thought he should take the initiative to move Hyun Young, who was standing firm like a stone Buddha.

“I and HY Group will be good partners.”

Chul Wook, as if his mouth was burning, gulped down the cooled tea in one go and got to the point.

“I know how much HY Group and T&K are striving for our economy. To save and encourage such companies, we politicians should prepare policies to support businesses. Politics and economy are in a mutually cooperative relationship.”

“I agree with your words, Congressman Jin.”

“Indeed, Chairwoman Park and I are the best partners looking in the same direction. Haha.”

Chul Wook let out a hearty laugh at Hyun Young’s words.

“Since you are working so hard, I can only trust you, Congressman.”

As Hyun Young nodded appropriately to Chul Wook’s words, he finally revealed his true colors.

Chul Wook was not one to be satisfied with such a shallow relationship. He needed a connection that would be difficult to break easily.

Chul Wook cleared his throat again.

“By the way, it’s becoming even harder to see Tae Kyung these days. How long will he keep Yoo Na waiting? Well, that’s the heart of a father with a daughter. Please understand.”

Hyun Young wore a faint, painted-on smile and said nothing. The result of her and Chul Wook’s pushing was merely entangling Tae Kyung and Yoo Na to this extent.

Marriage in this world was not simply the fruit of love.

A marriage could cause company stock prices to fluctuate and politicians’ approval ratings to go up and down.

Hyun Young didn’t particularly like Yoo Na, but she wasn’t in a position to refuse either.

She couldn’t turn her back on Chul Wook, a presidential candidate.

“How can young people listen to the words of the elderly? Tae Kyung must have plans regarding his relationship with Yoo Na.”

Hyun Young knew well that Tae Kyung was resisting and refusing to marry Yoo Na.

She brushed it off vaguely, drank the tea placed in front of her, and smiled slightly.

Congressman Jin Chul Wook watched Hyun Young’s nonchalant face and his lips twitched slightly.

[This is the timeline separator]

Yoo Na, as she had always done, looked in the mirror and reapplied her lipstick in a subdued color that wasn’t too flashy. She also gently patted her compact to touch up her makeup.

After getting out of the car, she examined her appearance and tugged at the end of her jacket to straighten it.

She entered the HY headquarters building from the underground parking lot, her heels clicking.

She took the elevator to the 23rd floor where the planning department was located.

As she strode into the office, all eyes turned to her.

Among them, a middle-aged man with thinning hair greeted Yoo Na cheerfully.

“Good morning, Deputy Jin.”

“Hello, Team Leader Park.”

“Good morning. Deputy Jin, you look even more beautiful today.”

Choi, a junior employee who had joined recently, warmly greeted Yoo Na, and she responded with a painted-on smile and a light greeting.

It’s been 6 years since Yoo Na joined the planning department of HY headquarters as a new employee. Over those 6 years, she has been promoted from employee to deputy manager. There were even rumors that she would soon become a manager.

Some people said that Yoo Na’s relationship with Tae Kyung was driving her promotions.

The already public close relationship between HY and Chul Wook lent more weight to the rumors of Tae Kyung and Yoo Na’s engagement.

Yoo Na carefully hid her cold relationship with Tae Kyung from others.

“When are you going to give us wedding invitations, Deputy Jin?”

“…”

This was the question that people like Team Leader Park, who was particularly interested in others’ affairs, asked Yoo Na every time as a greeting.

Moreover, when they tried to ask about Tae Kyung, she would blush as if embarrassed and just smile.

That was enough.

To stimulate people’s imagination.

As Yoo Na wanted, people were convinced of Yoo Na and Tae Kyung’s engagement.

Neither Tae Kyung nor Hyun Young showed any particular reaction to this. People took their silence as tacit approval, as they neither confirmed nor denied the engagement.

As soon as Yoo Na sat at her desk, she sent a text message to Hyun Young on her mobile phone.

It was a lunch appointment with Hyun Young that she had barely managed to secure after weeks of pestering. She was anxious in case the schedule had changed.

[Chairwoman. It’s Yoo Na. You haven’t forgotten about lunch today, right? I’ll come to escort you from your office.] [No need. I’ll come down to the planning department.]

Yoo Na’s thin lips curved into a smile.

She was pleased that Hyun Young would come to her directly, rather than her going to find Hyun Young.

It would surely leave a strong impression on people.

Yoo Na hummed a tune as she turned on her computer with light hand movements.

When lunchtime came, Hyun Young came down to the planning department as she had said.

As the planning department door opened and Hyun Young appeared, everyone stood up abruptly to greet her.

“Oh my. It’s lunchtime, please go ahead and eat. Shall we go, Yoo Na?”

“Yes, Chairwoman.”

Yoo Na quickly grabbed her designer bag and followed behind Hyun Young. Of those watching, half let out exclamations of admiration, while the other half showed disapproving glances.

As soon as they left the planning department, Yoo Na affectionately clung to Hyun Young.

“Have you been well? The temperature suddenly dropped, how’s your health?”

“I’ve been doing well, thanks to your concern, Yoo Na.”

At a glance, they looked like a very close mother and daughter. Yoo Na was deliberately aiming for this impression.

Hyun Young pretended not to notice Yoo Na’s intentions.

She smiled politely at Yoo Na, who was acting ingratiating towards her.

Hyun Young and Yoo Na sat facing each other at the high-end Japanese restaurant Hyun Young had reserved.

Although Yoo Na had said she would prepare everything, Hyun Young insisted and made the reservation at the Japanese restaurant.

“I’m not sure if it will suit your taste.”

“This place is known to be delicious, isn’t it? I’m so grateful. And please speak comfortably now. If you keep speaking formally, I feel a distance between us and it makes me sad, Mother.”

Yoo Na deliberately emphasized the word ‘Mother’.

She was determined to get a definite answer about her marriage to Tae Kyung today.

It’s been 6 years since she set her sights on Tae Kyung.

She could turn a blind eye to the year Tae Kyung dated Kim Seo Ha.

Who hasn’t had a relationship before marriage?

Even if he had done more than just dating, she could forgive it as long as Tae Kyung became her man.

“Still, there are eyes watching, so isn’t it better to be careful? Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

“Yes. You’re right, Mother. I was thoughtless.”

Yoo Na wore a gentle smile on her lips.

Old fox of a hag. It’s frustrating how she seems like she might give in, but doesn’t.

“Tae Kyung seems to be very busy these days. It’s hard to see his face. As someone in business, I should understand, right?”

“I’m grateful that you care so much. That Tae Kyung, he’s not a very considerate fellow.”

“The one who loves more is the weaker one. I want to progress my relationship with Tae Kyung further now. I want to give you a grandchild who looks like Tae Kyung, Mother.”

Yoo Na revealed her desires to Hyun Young more explicitly.

“I’m grateful that you’re even thinking of an old person, but you should also consider your career, Yoo Na. It would be a loss for our company too if a capable talent like you had a career break due to pregnancy and childcare. You don’t need to think about it so hastily.”

As Yoo Na listened to Hyun Young’s words, she secretly gritted her teeth.

Cunning old hag. Indeed, she’s not an easy opponent.

“Thank you for evaluating me so highly. I still have a lot of shortcomings.”

“You’re modest. Let’s eat.”

At Hyun Young’s compliment, Yoo Na’s twisted feelings immediately dissipated.

She just needed to push forward little by little according to her will.

If she had waited for 6 years, couldn’t she wait a few more years?

She consoled herself that it was one step back for two steps forward.

She vowed never to back down.

When Yoo Na returned to the office after safely finishing her meal with Hyun Young, her mobile phone rang.

[CEO Han went on a business trip to Yangpyeong today as well.]

Yoo Na’s expression immediately turned serious.

It was a text message from the youngest secretary of T&K, whom Yoo Na had bribed.

Suppressing her anxious intuition, she sent a text message to the youngest secretary.

[How often does he go to Yangpyeong these days?] [Due to a shortage of education instructors, he seems to go about twice a week. Even when it’s not a business trip, he often goes to Yangpyeong after work.]

For some time now, Tae Kyung had been going on unusually frequent business trips to Yangpyeong.

According to the secretary, Tae Kyung was going to teach classes himself due to a shortage of instructors, but a woman’s intuition said otherwise.

If the company CEO had to go out as an education instructor, was the company in serious trouble?

But judging by Kyu Won, the co-CEO of T&K, it didn’t seem like there was a big problem with the company.

There was something she didn’t know. Could it be that he had found another woman?

Yoo Na was biting her nails when she sent a text message to the secretary.

[What’s the name of the kindergarten in Yangpyeong where he went on the business trip?] [It’s Onnuri Kindergarten.]

Onnuri Kindergarten. Yoo Na grabbed her anxious heart and typed Onnuri Kindergarten into the internet search bar.

She entered the homepage and clicked on various sections before her mouse cursor stopped at the staff introduction.

Kim Seo Ha’s name was listed there.

[This is the timeline separator]

Although Tae Kyung’s coding class at Onnuri Kindergarten was in the afternoon, he had come down to Yangpyeong from the morning.

Kyu Won disapproved of such behavior from Tae Kyung, but Tae Kyung wasn’t the type to care about such things.

When Tae Kyung arrived at the kindergarten, the atmosphere was somewhat chaotic. The children were excited, and the teachers were busy taking care of them.

“CEO Han, you’ve come very early today.”

“Hello, Principal. I came down a bit early to monitor classes at other kindergartens in Yangpyeong as well, so I stopped by.”

“I see.”

Yoon Hee gave Tae Kyung a gentle smile. Tae Kyung felt grateful to Yoon Hee.

“It seems the children are going somewhere today.”

“Yes. Today is the monthly swimming experience day for the 5-year-old and 7-year-old classes.”

“Ah. I wonder if it’s okay as the weather is getting chilly?”

“It’s an indoor pool, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

Yoon Hee and Tae Kyung stood side by side, watching the children board the vans.

Two vehicles, the kindergarten van and Min Seop’s MS Sports Center vehicle, were loading the children.

Among them, Min Joon’s excited appearance caught his eye. He was every bit the little rascal.

Tae Kyung unknowingly smiled a father’s smile. Yoon Hee didn’t miss this sight.

However, when Min Seop noticeably took care of Min Joon, Tae Kyung felt his insides boiling for no reason.

“But isn’t that physical education teacher discriminating too much between the kids? He’s being exceptionally attentive to Min Joon.”

To Tae Kyung’s grumpy words, Yoon Hee responded gently.

“Does it seem that way? It’s unavoidable for Teacher Kwak to pay more attention to Min Joon.”