No sooner had the secretary’s words ended than Chairman Kwon appeared.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“Not at all, Chairman.”

Butler Jang bowed deeply, pressing her hands to her sides. As her hand brushed Ha Eun’s, Ha Eun also bowed.

Who is it? Ha Eun racked her brain while keeping her head lowered.

The face seemed familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place it. Who was it? Where had she seen him before?

Ah, that’s right. TV! Could it be Chairman Kwon Gi Hoon?

She had become familiar with the chairman’s face from countless economic articles and magazines she’d pored over while searching for Kwon Tae Ha. Not to mention the news, of course.

While Ha Eun thought the benefactor resembled GK Chairman Kwon, she couldn’t readily accept it in her mind.

It was too implausible an opponent.

She had imagined the benefactor to be at most the president of a small or medium-sized company, or perhaps the director of a welfare foundation. If not that, then a local dignitary.

But Chairman Kwon Gi Hoon? Then the marriage partner must be, surely not.

Her bent waist sprang up like a spring. And she scrutinized his subordinates standing firmly behind Chairman Kwon. Sure enough, Kwon Tae Ha slowly emerged from behind Chairman Kwon.

It wasn’t a dream. Unless she was to marry one of the secretaries standing like shadows behind Chairman Kwon, it must surely be Kwon Tae Ha.

“Your name was Yoo Ha Eun, wasn’t it?”

The voice sounded distant, as if submerged in water. Ha Eun, who had lost her senses, barely came to her senses as Butler Jang squeezed her hand tightly.

Butler Jang mouthed the word ‘name’.

“Yes, yes. I’m Yoo Ha Eun, Chairman.”

“You seem quite surprised.”

For the first time, a satisfied smile flitted across Butler Jang’s face.

“Please sit down, Chairman. You must be tired from coming. Was the traffic not too bad?”

“It was fine.”

Butler Jang indicated the seat of honor and pulled out a chair for Chairman Kwon, but he shook his head and declined.

“Today’s meeting is to introduce the children, so let’s sit facing each other. Butler Jang, don’t act like a butler today. ……Tae Ha.”

As Chairman Kwon turned his head and called the name, Tae Ha stepped forward.

Tall stature, straight lips, neat forehead. Intelligent, sensitive eyes. A gaze without fear.

“I’m Kwon Tae Ha.”

It really is Kwon Tae Ha. The person she had always admired since seeing him once at a party.

Would he believe that she had read every article about him without fail, whether his face appeared or not, and as a result, had come to know a fair bit about economics?

If she bought not one but two copies of magazines featuring his face, keeping one always by her bedside, and carefully tearing out the photos from the other to stick on her wall, would he believe that too?

If she told him she bookmarked internet articles featuring Kwon Tae Ha and looked them up whenever she thought of him, would that seem too foolish?

If she marries him, they’ll share a bed.

Being embraced by that broad chest every day, pressing their lips together, and then.

Suddenly, somewhere below her lower abdomen grew hot and swelled up. Her toes lost strength, making it difficult to even stand.

Ha Eun’s legs wobbled as she felt her heart might burst.

“Ho ho, she really seems surprised.”

Butler Jang quickly supported Ha Eun and seated her.

“I apologize, Chairman. Our child seems unable to believe it.”

“Well, how is it? It’s your first time seeing him today, are you pleased with your benefactor?”

A benevolent smile had already appeared on Chairman Kwon’s face. Given what he had heard from Jung Woo, and seeing Ha Eun’s surprise which seemed quite innocent, this wasn’t bad at all.

“Uh… I’m so surprised right now. I don’t know what to say. It just feels like a dream.”

Hearing the clearly excited voice, Butler Jang reached under the table and tugged at Ha Eun’s coat, worried she might make a mistake. But Ha Eun didn’t even notice.

“I like your honesty, good.”

“Thank you, Chairman.”

Butler Jang answered on her behalf.

“You should know all about your sponsorship process, and now that you know who your betrothed is, the only thing left is for the two of you to get to know each other. Isn’t that right, Butler Jang.”

“That’s correct, Chairman. It’s too generous, I’m not sure if we should accept it like this, but……”

Butler Jang trailed off and glanced at Tae Ha.

His expression maintained a faint smile throughout, but he wasn’t really smiling. It was just politeness.

Having observed him for a long time, she could tell that much.

“As long as Young Master Tae Ha is alright with it, we are ready anytime.”

Tae Ha still maintained his polite smile.

Honestly, he was a bit surprised.

Rejecting all those good positions in politics and business, and the position finally offered is Butler Jang’s daughter.

Why on earth? Did Butler Jang have some kind of leverage over him?

At least if it were a strategic marriage, it should benefit the company in some way, but this…

It wasn’t quite the level he had in mind.

Anyway, he wasn’t interested in women, obviously had no one he loved, and had never dreamed of a love that sparked at first meeting.

The company had always been his priority. So he thought he could live well with anyone, maintaining courtesy and duty. If that marriage benefited the company.

But this marriage wasn’t the type he had in mind.

However, since his father was pushing for this marriage and would never do anything to harm Tae Ha, he wouldn’t object.

This marriage, there was nothing wrong with it.

While it might not benefit the company, marriage wasn’t really his concern anyway. As long as it wasn’t a scam, it was fine.

Song Eun Seo.

Tae Ha shook off the name that suddenly came to mind.

“Well then, Butler Jang, how about we leave and let the kids stay alone? If you feel bad about just leaving, shall we have a cup of tea before going?”

“No need, Chairman. We can have tea at home. You’re going back to the company, aren’t you?”

“No. I made a restaurant reservation to have a meal with you. Butler Jang, you like soy sauce marinated crab, don’t you?”

* * *

Only the young man and woman remained in the room. With everyone gone, the space became very quiet.

Quite tense, Ha Eun couldn’t easily raise her head.

“It’s not like my face will wear out, why do you keep looking at the floor?”

Ha Eun finally raised her gaze from the floor where she had been staring. Tae Ha was looking at her calmly with an indifferent gaze.

Indifferent. It definitely wasn’t the ecstatic eyes of a man smitten with a woman, but at least he was trying to make eye contact, so it wasn’t a red light.

If pressed, she wanted to believe it was leaning towards a green light.

What should she do? What should she do to make it a perfect green light, how could she win that person’s heart?

She was desperate.

So desperate that her brain froze, Ha Eun fiddled with the belt of her innocent coat.

Suddenly, Butler Jang’s words came to mind.

Ha Eun collected herself and placed her hand on the ribbon knot of her coat. As she pulled the knot and unwound the belt that had been around her waist, she spoke a plausible reason.

“It seems a bit hot. Is it okay if I take this off?”

As Ha Eun took off her coat, her voluptuous figure was revealed. Tae Ha, who had been following her theatrical hand movements with his eyes, swallowed a laugh.

“Did you know, today?”

“What do you mean?”

“About this meeting.”

“Honestly, I knew there was a marriage partner, but I didn’t know it was Kwon Tae Ha. Really. What about you?”

Ha Eun widened her eyes and put on a flushed expression.

“I knew there was a marriage partner, but I didn’t know we were meeting today.”

“Then what kind of meeting did you think……”

“A meal with my father to discuss business. But the other party has changed.”

Tae Ha smiled, raising an eyebrow. Whether it was a polite smile or not was indistinguishable, but the fact that he smiled was important to Ha Eun.

“You seem to have a good relationship with your father. I only have my mother, so I’ve dreamed of things like that. Being loved by my in-laws, loved by my husband, preparing breakfast and seeing my husband off in the morning, going to the hospital together with my husband when I get pregnant.”

The voice that turned high-pitched at every ‘and’ grated on Tae Ha’s ears. Still, he didn’t lose his manners.

“Is that your dream?”

“Yes, it’s a bit modest, isn’t it? Maybe because there are only two in my family, I like bustling holidays and birthdays. Plus, I’m in a position where I could be disowned at any time. You know that, right? That I’m an adopted daughter.”

“Is that a problem?”

The man was perfect.

“There were people who were reluctant because I’m adopted.”

Ha Eun’s eyes quickly became moist.

Until now, none of her friends knew she was adopted, and she didn’t particularly reveal it because she disliked being pitied unnecessarily. However, if she could evoke even a little sympathy, this level of lie wasn’t difficult.

“Not everyone is the same.”

“I grew up alone, and I didn’t live with my mom for long, so I’m a bit weak when it comes to love. But Kwon Tae Ha seems like a kind person, so I was a bit moved.”

It was clearly a compliment, but unlike before, Tae Ha’s lips drew a straight line. With just a change in his lips, the atmosphere he exuded became as chilly as winter.

“Let’s cut the build-up and get to the conclusion.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s our first meeting, but I think it’s better to be clear.”

By now, Ha Eun’s shoulders involuntarily stiffened at the man’s blue-tinged coldness.

“I don’t want to give you false hopes. If you’re hoping for love, reconsider this marriage.”

It wasn’t a euphemism. The ‘reconsider’ contained an uncompromising firmness.

“There are things I can give, and things I can’t. If you want what I can’t give, go elsewhere.”

Butler Jang’s words that he wouldn’t be an easy opponent just because he had good manners were thoroughly understood.

“Let’s end it here for today. It seems my father has arranged this because I couldn’t make time.”

“But still……”

“I dislike wasting time on undecided appointments. If you want, you can stay and have dinner. I’ll place the order for you.”

‘Dislike.’

Ha Eun looked straight at Tae Ha for the first time. She needed to come to her senses. If she stayed like this, she would lose what she wanted. The problem now was that it wasn’t Butler Jang who wanted it, but herself.

“I won’t expect your heart. But can’t I still hold onto the ‘someday’ hope? Do you not like me?”

It was a rather bold question, but Tae Ha’s answer wasn’t difficult.

“Does it matter whether I like you or not? We’re not marrying for love or romance anyway.”

“Still, since we’ll be living together, don’t we need a process of adjusting to each other? Shouldn’t we at least meet, share hobbies, and get to know what each other likes?”

“Do I have to adjust?”

Ha Eun asked, trying hard to hide her trembling lips. Whether he knew this or not, Tae Ha continued in an indifferent tone.

Looking at the watch on his wrist, as if thoroughly annoyed.

“I’ll maintain courtesy and duty. Let’s just do that much.”

Driving in a firm wedge.

Gathering her wits again, Ha Eun asked. If Tae Ha left like this, who knew how long it would take until their second meeting.

“Um, Kwon Tae Ha, if we leave without having dinner, won’t the Chairman ask why we came back just like that?”

Tae Ha put on his suit jacket that he had taken off and replied with a gentle smile.

“Surely, are you afraid of that?”