“No need to know that. You have a 23-year-old daughter this year, and your officially registered wife is alive and well. Why are you going on blind dates?”

Hearing the cold words flowing from Yi Hyun’s mouth, Ha Jun’s lips parted slightly.

Not a widower… but a married man with a wife?

Chul Man’s small, slanted eyes widened as much as they could.

“No! H-how do you know that?? No. No! Who are you? Why are you meddling in other people’s business!”

“Don’t you think I’m meddling because you’re not a stranger?”

“What does that…? You! Did Hye Ok send you? To spy on me?”

Suddenly thinking this man must have been sent by his wife, Chul Man’s tone softened a bit.

Yi Hyun looked down at the ugly old man before him with arrogant, intimidating eyes.

“Even if adultery is no longer a crime, is it okay to openly seek a mistress through fraudulent blind dates? Hm? And you want a woman only three or four years older than your own daughter?”

People in the restaurant turned to look at the shocking words coming from Yi Hyun’s already attention-grabbing appearance.

Chul Man’s face turned bright red.

“No, that’s not it! T-that woman’s mother said it was okay! It’s true, I tell you!”

Yi Hyun’s face visibly hardened at Chul Man’s urgent excuses. His cold gaze sank even deeper.

“How much.”

“What?”

“How much did you agree to pay? To that woman’s mother.”

Under the natural pressure exuded by the angry Yi Hyun, Chul Man’s mouth answered on its own.

“If I like her after meeting once, 100 million won a year…”

Huh… A deflating sound escaped Ha Jun’s lips. Even for someone used to hiding her emotions, this was truly shocking.

“Say you don’t like her and cut off contact. Then your wife and daughter won’t hear about it.”

“Ah, okay. Okay!”

Chul Man hurriedly left the restaurant, covering his face with his hands as if afraid someone might recognize him.

Ha Jun, who had been blankly watching this scene, drained the remaining wine in her glass and slowly rose from her seat.

With that expressionless face of hers.

The clacking sound of stiletto heels echoed steadily. Though her attire was messy, her gait was impeccably proper.

Ha Jun, who came straight out of the hotel, passed by the taxis waiting for customers in front and walked up the hill.

Even though it was quite a distance to the main road since the hotel was on a mountain, Ha Jun paid no heed and began walking down the narrow sidewalk under the thick trees.

“Are you leaving without even saying thank you?”

Ha Jun’s steps came to an abrupt halt at the sound of the man’s voice behind her. Without even turning her head, her mouth opened.

“Thank you.”

A dry voice. Yi Hyun smirked at the seemingly ungrateful thanks.

Thinking she was a consistently inhuman woman, Yi Hyun moved to follow Ha Jun.

“I don’t know your circumstances, but 100 million won just flew away. Is it okay if you’re going to your mother or pimp who sent you here?”

“It’s not okay.”

“Want me to help?”

“With what?”

“I’ll lend you 100 million.”

Only then did Ha Jun stop walking and look at the man.

A sculptured face that made “handsome” seem inadequate, tall stature, broad chest. And last night…

When her thoughts reached that point, her face suddenly felt hot and something burning rose in her throat, but as always, Ha Jun erased her expression and spoke in a flat voice.

“No thanks.”

“Why?”

“What makes you trust me enough to lend me money?”

“That’s right, why am I doing this? I’m curious too. Well, I’m also a bit curious about you as a woman.”

“Don’t be curious.”

“Why?”

“Just because.”

Because I can’t show you the mud pit I’m carrying.

Swallowing her inner thoughts as usual, her steps quickened. Yi Hyun, chasing after her, also increased his speed.

“You won’t change your mind?”

“No.”

“If you do change your mind, contact me.”

Yi Hyun held out his business card. But Ha Jun shook her head. If she knew his contact information, she felt she might really want to reach out suddenly on some unbearably difficult day.

“I’ll just keep it as a one-night memory.”

Ha Jun raised her hand towards an empty taxi coming down from the hotel. As the car stopped with a screech, Ha Jun quickly got into the taxi.

Watching the back of the disappearing taxi, Yi Hyun’s cold eyes held a bit of anger and frustration towards the nameless woman.

As soon as Ha Jun returned home and opened the front door, Jae Suk’s hand flew at her.

The hand that grabbed her hair by the roots swung in a large arc, throwing Ha Jun onto the living room floor.

“What exactly are you capable of? What were you doing there for Chairman Kim to talk about calling it off and whatnot!”

Ha Jun’s eyes wavered aimlessly at Jae Suk’s shout.

“He’s married. Not a widower.”

Ha Jun slowly got up.

As she straightened her back and looked Jae Suk directly in the eye, the older woman visibly flinched. But only for a moment, Jae Suk soon crossed her arms defiantly and glared at Ha Jun.

“So what! It’s fine if it’s called off!”

“Did you… really know?”

“Wh-what did I know?”

“That the man was married. Did you agree to take money knowing that?”

“Hey! Don’t frame an innocent person! How dare you look me in the eye believing the words of such a con man!”

Jae Suk shouted angrily and stormed into the main bedroom.

“I see…”

Jae Suk wasn’t one to just grab her hair once and go in. She left in such a hurry because there was something she was hiding.

Not an older widower, but a married man’s mistress… This really crossed the line.

Ha Jun slowly went up to her room and took out a small bag. Her belongings in this house were just a few clothes, shoes, two bags, and a work laptop.

As she packed with trembling hands, Ha Jun soon slumped down on the floor. For the first time in her life, she had gathered courage, but she had nowhere to go.

Jae Suk had her salary account and cards, so Ha Jun didn’t have much money on hand. At this moment, Ha Jun regretted her own stupidity for never even thinking of keeping some money in her back pocket.

She pushed the bag into a corner and curled up on the bare floor.

“I should have taken that business card earlier…”

When she closed her eyes, the smiling face of the handsome man began to float on her retina like a fantasy. His gentle touch softly caressed Ha Jun’s small body.

Ha Jun desperately clung to the memory of the man.

Hoping this pain would be overlaid with even a slightly good memory.

The next day, when Ha Jun went to work as if nothing had happened, what flew in front of her was a transfer order.

And it was a move from Sungjin Distribution where she was currently working to Sungjin Group headquarters, no less.

After staring intently at the unbelievable combination of letters for a long time, Ha Jun looked up at her superior, Manager Kim Kyung Ran.

“Manager, is this really a transfer for me? To headquarters? There was no intranet notice, so where did this paper come from…”

“Yeah. That’s how it turned out.”

Manager Kim Kyung Ran also didn’t want this. She too found the current situation awkward and regrettable.

“Why so suddenly? You didn’t say anything until last Friday. No, is it even possible to be moved like this in the first place?”

“Sigh… Lee Ha Jun, let’s talk for a moment.”

Manager Kim Kyung Ran, who brought her into the break room, said “Just a minute” and went to the coffee machine to brew coffee.

A moment later, she put a cup of coffee in front of Ha Jun, sat down across from her, and sighed deeply again.

“I’m sorry. You see, the CEO found out that Team Leader Choi was chasing after you…”

“Why is that a reason for transfer?”

“How much must Team Leader Choi have hit on you? He only behaves in front of the CEO, but almost all the employees knew about it.

Somehow that got to Team Leader Choi’s fiancée’s ears. She said that since you completely shut him out like a stone Buddha and didn’t reciprocate at all, she won’t call off the engagement since it’s a strategic marriage anyway, but you can’t be in the same building.

The CEO seems to have received the call at the Jaein Group party venue on Friday. I got a call that evening while lying down after taking medicine…”

So that’s why he looked at her like that and just left her at the party venue that day…

Ha Jun was at her wits’ end with disbelief.

“So… I really have to leave this company?”

“Yeah, but it’s headquarters, so your salary will go up and the treatment will be better.”

“I’m shocked.”

“Me too. The CEO was yelling to fire you right away… Fortunately, my friend in the secretarial office at group headquarters had mentioned needing to hire an experienced person recently, so I asked if I could send you.

They were surprised about sending you right away, but they were in urgent need of a capable person, so they said okay. You’re so sharp and good at everything, so you’ll be fine at headquarters.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

“Sigh, being powerless is a sin. We all agreed to tell Team Leader Choi that you’re resigning, so he thinks that. That’s why the CEO deliberately didn’t post a notice using his authority. Sigh… drink your coffee slowly and calm down a bit before coming back.”

Manager Kim looked at Ha Jun with pitying eyes and got up to leave the break room.

Manager Kim was the one who took the best care of and understood Ha Jun, who was not smooth in interpersonal relationships.

Ha Jun didn’t speak unless it was about work, regardless of gender, and never joined private gatherings after work. Always alone since childhood, she didn’t know how to interact with people.

Ha Jun had stood out for her appearance since joining the company. But she coldly put up walls every time male employees approached her, so they all gave up after trying once or twice. And she got a nickname.

Beautiful Isolated Island.