The 7-Day Contract (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
Da Jung’s mouth fell slightly open as she stood at the center of the vast lobby.
Matching the massive scale of the building, its layout was incredibly complex—truly, conglomerates were in a league of their own.
“Be at the headquarters’ 9th floor by 2 p.m. Don’t be late.”
Da Jung tilted her head, puzzled, as she scrutinized the building directory map. Do Jun had only said “9th floor,” without specifying whether it was the East Wing or West Wing.
Just as she was about to hesitate a moment longer and call Do Jun to confirm—
A familiar voice rang out from behind her.
“Yoo Da Jung?”
Instinctively turning around, she found a neatly dressed man standing before her. Surprise and bewilderment flickered across Da Jung’s face simultaneously.
“Goodness! Senior Sung Woo? How long has it been?”
“Over five years, right? Wow, it’s really been ages. You haven’t changed a bit.”
Lee Sung Woo—a classmate of Do Jun’s and, like him, Da Jung’s senior by two years in their department.
“How did you end up here? Oh, right—you transferred to Myeonghan Construction, didn’t you? Do Jun mentioned it.”
“I also heard he’s working with you now.”
“Did you join for the MH Department Store project?”
“That’s how it turned out. I’ve been assigned to the project development team. Considering they plan to remodel all nationwide branches, it’s going to be quite a headache.”
Since the design tender had been issued by Myeonghan Distribution, it was only natural that construction would be handled by the group’s affiliate, Myeonghan Construction.
The MH Department Store was a new initiative, aiming to shed the outdated image of the existing Myeonghan Department Store through a full-scale rebranding.
The main store was slated for construction on riverside land already secured; once the bid was finalized, design revisions and construction would be carried out collaboratively with Myeonghan Construction.
The reason they issued a public tender despite having in-house design and construction capabilities was strongly motivated by the desire to publicly signal how large-scale and significant this project truly was.
Securing this job would significantly increase the likelihood of Hanbit participating—via consortium—in future remodeling or new construction design projects for Myeonghan Department Stores nationwide.
A look of puzzlement crossed Sung Woo’s previously cheerful face.
“I thought Do Jun was coming today?”
“He had something come up.”
“So he’s still doing well, I take it?”
“Well, our representative is exceptionally capable, after all.”
Da Jung grinned playfully—and Sung Woo responded with a faint, wry smile.
When she explained she’d been wandering around confused about the location, Sung Woo told her the briefing would be held in the small auditorium on the 9th floor of the East Wing.
Since they shared the same destination, the two headed together toward the reception desk. After presenting identification and stating their purpose, they were each issued visitor badges on lanyards.
As they waited side by side for the elevator, Sung Woo asked,
“But I heard you got married. Why didn’t you invite me? That’s kind of hurtful.”
“Married… me?”
Da Jung looked puzzled—prompting Sung Woo’s eyes to widen.
“I heard you had a child. Was I mistaken?”
“Oh… Yes. That’s right—I do have a child.”
Da Jung replied magnanimously. Surely Do Jun had already told him.
“Awhile back, my wife and I ran into Do Jun in the toy section of a department store. I’d been wondering when this guy secretly got married—until he said he was picking out a gift for *your* son.”
“Right.”
Among their alumni, Do Jun was the only one who knew Da Jung’s situation.
She simply hadn’t had the chance to attend alumni or class reunions—not because she deliberately hid it, but because life had kept her busy.
Of course, considering how gossip-prone those groups tended to be, it wasn’t exactly beneficial to have her circumstances spread around.
Just then, Sung Woo stepped into the arriving elevator and casually resumed the conversation.
“So—how old is your child?”
“He’s five.”
“Then you got married right after graduation. No wonder we haven’t seen you once all this time—you’ve been busy raising him. Honestly, watching my wife struggle with our kids often makes me feel sorry for her too.”
“How old are your kids now?”
“Our eldest is in third grade, the second will start school next year, and the youngest is still a baby.”
His wry smile carried a blend of resignation and embarrassment. The couple, once campus lovebirds, had married early due to an unexpected pregnancy—and already had three children.
“Is Sunbae’s wife doing well?”
“She’s busy scolding me all day. If I dare take a daytime nap on the weekend, she scolds me as if this were a boarding house. You’re probably in a similar boat, right? Men suffer too—that’s just how it is. Best to be understanding, if you can.”
With a sigh lamenting how men’s hardships so often went unacknowledged, Sung Woo swallowed another breath.
Da Jung fell silent for a moment. She briefly wondered if it was right to let Sung Woo continue misunderstanding the situation.
Apparently, Do Jun had only mentioned the child—omitting all reference to marriage or a husband. Though, to be fair, he wasn’t the type to chatter pointlessly about irrelevant details.
She considered clarifying that the reality differed slightly from what her senior assumed—but ultimately decided this wasn’t the appropriate setting for personal conversation, and held her tongue, resolving to address it another time.
“Bring your husband and kid to a gathering sometime. Let’s grab a meal.”
“I will.”
“Well then—good luck with your presentation. Knowing Yoo Da Jung, who’s always been outstanding since school days, I’m not worried. If things go well, we might be working together with Hanbit—I’m looking forward to it.”
Upon reaching the small auditorium, Sung Woo offered these words of encouragement before stepping inside first.
After checking the time, Da Jung took a seat in the waiting area and prepared for her turn. Representatives from competing firms looked intensely busy, making meticulous final preparations until the very last minute.
Da Jung too opened her laptop and performed one last thorough check for omissions.
The heavy door of the small auditorium swung open.
The representative who’d entered earlier emerged, his expression a mix of complicated emotions—followed by a neatly dressed woman.
After verifying the list, the woman called out toward the waiting area,
“Is the representative from Hanbit Architecture Office here?”
“Yes!”
Da Jung stood, gathered her laptop and documents, and gave her outfit one final check.
Suppressing her nerves as best she could, she entered a space reminiscent of a small theater’s stage.
Directly ahead loomed a large screen; the lighting was dim, and over twenty officials filled the front section of the packed audience seats like spectators.
She could see senior executives from Myeonghan Distribution and representatives from Myeonghan Construction skimming the proposals submitted earlier.
At the end of the row, Sung Woo caught her eye and raised a fist in silent support.
Da Jung offered a brief, respectful bow toward the group, then promptly connected her laptop to the projector.
She clipped a Bluetooth microphone to her collar and held the laser pointer lightly in her right hand.
Once fully prepared, she bowed courteously toward the front.
“Good afternoon. I am Team Leader Yoo Da Jung from Hanbit Architecture Office. I will now present Hanbit’s proposal for business participation.”
Contrary to her inner tension, her voice—echoing through the room—was clear and resonant.
Given the immense scale of the project, she’d entered with the mindset that losing was perfectly acceptable. In such an arena, she felt free to confidently showcase her design without reservation.
The visuals on her laptop appeared on the massive screen. After a brief pause, Da Jung stepped toward center stage and began:
“What does ‘high-class’ truly mean? Expensive luxury goods? A glamorous façade? Certainly, these may contribute to an impression of quality. But at Hanbit, we believe true distinction lies in how fully a structure’s intrinsic value is able to shine.”
At the end of her sentence, the screen switched to a 3D bird’s-eye view of the building, and her voice flowed on as naturally as water.
“With that firm conviction, Hanbit confidently presents a design that aligns with the high-class values MH Department Store seeks to embody. Though understated, its modern exterior will blend seamlessly into the urban landscape—yet it will by no means be ordinary. Its refined, elegant appearance will radiate brilliance within the city, shifting dynamically like the ever-changing flow of the river.”
Gentle eyes, a soft expression, an affable disposition—even an innocence so profound it could be mistaken for naivety.
Yet none of that mattered here. Her solemn gaze and confident composure powerfully attested to her professionalism in this moment.
From passionate conviction about design, her narration smoothly transitioned into detailed structural planning focused on safety and practicality.
“To satisfy the needs of a sophisticated clientele, we’ve streamlined circulation routes to enable swift service and responsiveness—designing them simply, yet with heightened precision…”
Her assured, forward-driving voice suddenly sank as though collapsing underwater.
Among the audience—eyes fixed on documents or the screen—only one man’s silhouette stood out. No—“stood out” wasn’t precise enough. He *commanded* attention.
The instant she registered his unmistakable presence, a fuse seemed to snap, and her mind went blank.
His sharply defined eyes—within them, a quietly burning gaze—sucked her in, pulling irresistibly into the depths of her own corneas.
Da Jung squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them—quickly gathering her scattered thoughts.
“…And so… we’ve designed it this way.”
She tried hard to ignore him, but once acknowledged, his presence only intensified.
Like a predator intently watching its prey, his quiet stare pierced into her—relentless and razor-sharp.
“…We look forward to what remarkable value may emerge when MH Department Store’s distinctive high-class image converges with Hanbit’s creative vision…”
Her mind blanked on the next line; her lips moved soundlessly for a moment before she managed to push out the words:
“That concludes Hanbit Architecture Office’s presentation. Thank you.”
As she bowed deeply and rose again, Da Jung’s gaze plummeted helplessly to the distant floor.
Her earlier confidence and poise had vanished—her trembling hands even fumbled and dropped the laser pointer.
Frantically, she chased after it as it rolled away, snatched it up, and hastily straightened herself.
At least no one had laughed outright.
Questions should have followed at this point—but strangely, only heavy silence hung in the air. The officials remained quiet, seemingly awaiting someone else’s evaluation first.
Then, a man raised his hand lightly—a gesture indicating he had a question.
Da Jung, barely managing to meet his gaze, saw him slowly lift his head from its previous lazy tilt. His expression was bored.
“What was your name again?”
“From Hanbit Architecture Office…”
“Not that. Your name.”
His lethargic yet sharp voice pierced her ears like an echo in a cave. Da Jung moistened her tense lips slightly before replying:
“Yoo… Da Jung. I’m Team Leader.”
“Ms. Yoo Da Jung.”
After calling her name, he fell silent—prompting the previously breathless onlookers to dart their eyes nervously around.
Tension and silence thickened the air—until, after a long pause, the man’s lips finally moved slowly:
“How old are you?”
Having dropped this non sequitur, he rested his chin lazily on his interlaced hands—eyes glinting with apparent interest.
Staring fixedly at the clear outline of those opaque pupils, Da Jung swallowed hard.
Her legs carried her mindlessly down the long corridor, wobbling as if ready to collapse at any moment.
Pale as paper, Da Jung staggered to the elevator lobby and barely managed to lean against the wall.
An uncomfortable, prickling sensation—like a thorn lodged in her throat—persisted, jabbing at her from some unnamed place.
She’d known. Ever since their encounter at the kindergarten, he’d surely recognized her already.
It felt strange. Why did she want to run away? Was it because of the unbreakable connection between them—even though he himself remained unaware of its very existence? Why?
Regaining her breath, Da Jung urgently pressed the elevator call button. She had to escape this place—*now*.
Just as she reached the lobby and was about to return her visitor badge—
“Ms. Yoo Da Jung!”
A man’s voice suddenly rang out—the echo reverberating through the lobby made her shoulders flinch.
She spun around, wide-eyed—to see an unfamiliar man waving at her and sprinting over.
“Ms. Yoo Da Jung! From Hanbit Architecture Office—are you Ms. Yoo Da Jung?”
“Yes… What is it?”
Her voice trembled uneasily.
The man, having rushed over in haste, briefly knelt to catch his breath—then quickly extended his hand to intercept the visitor badge and ID she was just about to hand over.
“Ms. Yoo Da Jung—please return upstairs. Executive Managing Director Cha Jung Hyeok wishes to see you.”
Cha Jung Hyeok…
It was a name she’d never heard before. She knew neither the man named Cha Jung Hyeok nor the title “Executive Managing Director of Myeonghan Distribution”—yet one thing was absolutely certain: *who* those words pointed to.
Cha Jung Hyeok. It was *him*.
The name of her child’s father—the man she’d just now learned of.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)