If Yoon Ina’s questioning of Na Young was out of knowledge of her past, Tae Hyuk wouldn’t forgive her even in death.
Knowing Na Young had been troubled by Lee Joo Ah, Seung Hee deliberately went to her with news.
“Lee Joo Ah is having an arranged meeting with the son of Hanil Group’s president. Seems she wasn’t sincerely into Professor Tae Hyuk after all.”
Expecting Na Young to be relieved, Seung Hee was puzzled when she just silently sipped her coffee.
“Still worried?”
“It’s not that, it’s too contrived.”
“Huh? What is?”
“Lee Cheol Gwon, the president, is currently hospitalized for cancer surgery. The department store stocks are more likely to fall than rise with this news. And in such a situation, an arranged meeting with such a significant figure is set up?”
Hanil Group was much larger compared to L Department Store.
So, Lee Joo Ah had no choice but to opt for the arranged meeting with the Hanil Group president’s son.
It was an opportunity that wouldn’t come again.
“Come to think of it, that makes sense.”
Seung Hee agreed with Na Young’s observation, sipping her fruit juice through a straw.
“But this is good for you, right?”
Na Young nodded. She thought Lee Joo Ah wouldn’t be brazen enough to keep showing interest in Professor Tae Hyuk after seeing another man.
“Hey! Can you give me Director Cha Hyun’s phone number?”
Surprised by Seung Hee’s sudden request for the director’s contact, Na Young furrowed her brows and looked at her.
“Why?”
Seung Hee, with a frustrated expression, vented her grievances about everyone refusing to give her the number – from her brother, who only scolded her, to Professor Tae Hyuk, who made evasive remarks, to the film company, who treated her like an irrelevant person.
“I’m determined to find out now.”
Na Young, holding Seung Hee’s hand, earnestly advised, “It’s better for you not to know Director Cha Hyun’s number.”
Seung Hee’s frustration grew when even Na Young refused to share the number.
“Why are you doing this too! What do you think I’ll do with his number?”
“Because you’re my friend.”
“Then tell me! I want to have a celebrity’s number too.”
Originally, Seung Hee wanted the number to help Na Young, but her motivation had shifted.
After a late shift, Na Young took out her phone as she walked through the hospital’s 1st-floor lobby. There was no message from Professor Tae Hyuk. She had expected him to contact her first to explain about Lee Joo Ah, but there was silence. Was he avoiding the topic because he thought she wouldn’t like it? Or did he think it unnecessary?
Sighing at her overthinking nature, Na Young dialed Tae Hyuk’s number. There was no need to wait for him to call; she could initiate the contact. But she hesitated, unsure of what to say. She didn’t want to bring up Lee Joo Ah first, and it was too late to ask if he had dinner.
Maybe ask about Mrs. Hwang’s condition?
“What are you doing?”
Startled by a voice from behind, Na Young dropped her phone. The already cracked screen shattered upon hitting the marble floor.
Both Na Young, who dropped the phone, and Tae Hyuk, the cause of the mishap, were speechless at the disaster.
Bending to pick up the phone, Tae Hyuk frowned at its condition. “I waited only to cause a mess.”
Na Young reached out for her phone. “Just give it to me.”
Although it broke because of him, she wasn’t mad, especially since he said he was waiting for her.
Instead of the phone, Tae Hyuk grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. “Let’s go. I’ll buy you a new phone.”
Still in the hospital, Na Young looked around in embarrassment.
“Are you scared?”
When he turned to ask, Na Young’s eyes widened as if caught doing something wrong.
“Should I let go?”
Na Young, observing his reaction, shook her head.
Seeing her response, Tae Hyuk chuckled.
“You used to be conscious of others, now you’re watching me.”
Realizing his implication that she always worries about what others think, Na Young gave him a side glance.
Tae Hyuk made a call on his phone.
“I need a new phone right now.”
With just those words and ending the call abruptly, Na Young became curious.
“Who did you call?”
Tae Hyuk only said she’d find out when they got there, without revealing more.
It was late enough for phone stores to be closed, but the store Tae Hyuk led her to was brightly lit.
“Welcome!”
As they entered, two burly men greeted them loudly, startling Na Young, who instinctively hid behind Tae Hyuk.
Pointing to a chubby man, Tae Hyuk introduced him to her.
“That’s Hong Sik.”
Surprised to meet him unexpectedly, Na Young’s face showed her astonishment.
Approaching them, Hong Sik looked at Na Young curiously.
“Wow! The little kid from back then has become such a fine lady.”
Na Young was also amazed. He was a teddy bear then, but now a person.
“Do you sell phones?”
At her question, Hong Sik pointed to the other man, saying he was the store owner.
Tae Hyuk boasted.
“Almost anything you need, Hong Sik can get it.”
When needing advice, it’s Cha Hyun; for goods, it’s Hong Sik.
“When do you need me?”
Her question was so adorable that Tae Hyuk couldn’t help but envelop her head in his arms.
Hong Sik clapped excitedly on the side, leaving Na Young overwhelmed.
Suddenly, she found herself missing Director Cha Hyun.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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