Could this be the person they’re partnering with…?

Kim Sojang’s voice flowed into Yuri’s jumbled thoughts.

“I don’t need to introduce him to you, right Yuri?”

Unfortunately, her overloaded brain couldn’t process Kim Sojang’s words. She didn’t realize he was talking to her.

“Yuri?”

Only after her name was called twice did Yuri snap back to attention and turn to Kim Sojang.

“Ah, yes, sir.”

“You know architect Kwon Jeho well, don’t you?”

As Minwoo’s college senior, Kim Sojang knew that Jeho and Minwoo were cousins. So he must have known about Yuri and Jeho’s relationship as well. Of course, he probably didn’t know about the marriage talks between them 10 years ago.

“You two are about to become relatives soon, so you must know each other well, right?”

Yuri awkwardly smiled and glanced away from Jeho.

He must be as flustered as I am, right? Did he know I work here?

When their eyes met, he nodded slightly. Unlike her, he didn’t seem surprised or flustered. His expression showed no change as he looked at her.

“Architect Kwon Jeho has decided to work with Bauhaus during his stay in Korea.”

As expected, he had become a partner at Bauhaus. But why?

It was an incomprehensible move. She thought he had returned to Korea for the KG Group headquarters construction, but suddenly he’s a Bauhaus partner…

For a world-renowned architect like him, ‘small and modest’ didn’t fit – ‘world’s largest scale’ was more appropriate.

Is he burnt out? Is this his sabbatical year or something?

But she had no right to question his decision. Even as a partner, he was probably closer to an investor, just lending his name. He wouldn’t actually come to work here.

Yes, that must be it.

Feeling inexplicably uneasy, Yuri unknowingly furrowed her brow.

[This is the timeline separator]

“It may be small, but let’s take a look around anyway.”

Jeho looked around the office, guided by Kim Sojang. As Kim Sojang said, there was a big difference in standards compared to his usual work environment. But that wasn’t a consideration for him at all.

Because he had made a major decision last night.

The previous night.

After dinner, in the underground parking lot.

Click, the car door opened and Jeho got into the passenger seat.

“Okay, I’ll let him know. Talk to you later.”

Woo Gyeol, who had been on the phone, hung up and turned to the passenger seat. Jeho silently pulled out the seatbelt and buckled it. Before starting the engine, Woo Gyeol studied Jeho’s expression.

“Was the atmosphere very uncomfortable?”

Instead of answering, Jeho let out a small laugh.

His uncle glaring with burning hostility, his cousin brother boasting that everything Jeho once had was now all his, his grandfather pretending not to notice the strained relationships…

Beyond uncomfortable, it was a suffocatingly heavy atmosphere.

“Did the food even go down? Want some digestive medicine?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Jeho shook his head and closed his eyes. Right now he needed a painkiller more than digestive medicine. A faint headache was coming on. It was a familiar sensation that occurred whenever his mind was in turmoil.

But why did he feel so conflicted? Hadn’t he already prepared himself for this when he decided to return home? Getting a headache just from an awkward meal… No, that’s not it. There will be even more twisted gatherings to come…

Though he knew the cause of his headache, Jeho wanted to pretend not to know and look away.

…Chae Yuri.

She was the reason for his complicated feelings.

“Since you’re going that way anyway, I’ll give you a ride.”

“Hah.”

Recalling his own words, Jeho let out a hollow laugh. She’s not a child, she can get home on her own just fine.

Looking back, it was the same 10 years ago. Even then, there was no need to risk danger to find her necklace. Whether it was her mother’s only keepsake or not, it was none of his business. He had already made it clear to the adults that he had no intention of marrying.

But when he met Yuri, his heart wavered. He found it cute how she climbed over the wall just to see him, and his heart ached seeing her cry over losing the necklace. He wanted to know more about her.

Not long after, it became a fleeting wish when the marriage talks fell through…

And now she had appeared as Minwoo’s fiancée. Seeing Yuri sitting demurely next to Minwoo, Jeho felt a burning pain in his chest and bile rising in his throat. There was no particular reason why she bothered him so much, he just didn’t want to see her.

“I just checked the email Brandon sent.”

Jeho opened his eyes at Woo Gyeol’s words.

“…This is.”

Jeho’s expression gradually darkened as he read through the email.

“Yeah. As we suspected. The person the vice chairman met before the accident was definitely Minwoo. The accident happened about 30 minutes after parting with Minwoo at the hotel.”

Woo Gyeol said with a gloomy face.

There was a reason Jeho had decided to go to Korea, putting aside his busy schedule.

It wasn’t because of Chairman Kwon’s summons.

Why would Chairman Kwon, who had cut ties for many years, suddenly call Jeho back? Was it really for the KG Group headquarters construction? Or was he secretly planning to put Jeho in the successor position?

He couldn’t put Executive Director Kwon Woosik, the second son, in the chairman’s seat. Everyone knew about Executive Director Kwon’s incompetence as a manager, and he even lacked the character to be a leader.

Manager Kwon Woomin wasn’t much better compared to Executive Director Kwon. Chairman Kwon must have known this. Jeho, who had become a world-renowned figure, must have caught his eye.

But Jeho had no interest in the successor position. He was only interested in finding those who had put his father, Vice Chairman Kwon Jewoong, in the hospital and paying them back in full.

His father, who had stepped down from the vice chairman position, had fallen into a coma after a traffic accident after moving to the U.S. A large amount of alcohol was detected in his blood, and the U.S. police concluded it was drunk driving.

But Vice Chairman Kwon never touched alcohol at all. When it was discovered that he had been investigating the background of the Arcadia Mall project, suspicions arose that it might have been a staged accident.

The lack of any contact from the family home in Korea was also suspicious. Wondering if the news might not have even reached Chairman Kwon, Jeho requested help from Thornton, a global tycoon he had built a relationship with through architectural projects.

The report sent by Thornton’s secretary Brandon stated that from overseas construction issues to everything else, it was likely all part of someone’s scheme. His uncle and cousin Kwon Minwoo were strongly implicated as being behind it.

Just then, Jeho received a call from Chairman Kwon to return to Korea, and after much deliberation, he boarded a flight to Korea.

The email from Brandon contained a photo of Vice Chairman Kwon meeting Minwoo in the hotel lobby 30 minutes before the traffic accident.

“The Arcadia Mall was originally a project the vice chairman planned. Of course he would have been interested. But the site selection was troublesome from the start, so it seems he asked Minwoo about it.”

Woo Gyeol explained to Jeho, who was glaring at the photo.

“So when Minwoo came to the U.S. on a business trip, father went to see him directly?”

Woo Gyeol nodded grimly in response to Jeho’s question. Jeho’s eyes flashed dangerously as he examined the photo.

“You know what’s really maddening? The chairman still doesn’t know what state his eldest son is in.”

A bitter smile crept onto Jeho’s lips as he spat out the words.

At first, Jeho believed Chairman Kwon was hiding his emotions. But as the dinner conversation went on, he became certain the chairman knew nothing about the traffic accident.

The attitudes of Executive Director Kwon and Minwoo were different. They were tense throughout dinner, not knowing when a bombshell might drop from Jeho’s mouth. The reason Jeho had accepted the chairman’s dinner invitation without refusing was also to make them uncomfortable, even if just a little.

But even if Jeho had told the truth, they would have had plenty of excuses. They could simply say they didn’t know either.

Of course, Jeho’s side hadn’t reported the accident news either. But the fact that KG Group’s information team had missed the accident entirely was suspicious. It was clear someone was blocking information from reaching Chairman Kwon’s ears.

After staring at the email for a long time, Jeho seemed to have organized his thoughts and handed the phone back to Woo Gyeol.

“Let’s go.”

Jeho turned his gaze out the window, massaging the back of his neck with one hand. His neck had already grown stiff from that brief moment of tension.

He had hoped, even just a sliver of hope, that family wouldn’t be involved…

The reality he finally faced was even more cruel than he had anticipated.

“…First.”

Jeho, who had been silently staring ahead, finally spoke slowly.

“We need to shake up Minwoo.”

“In what way?”

Woo Gyeol asked. Jeho delayed his answer and turned his gaze out the window. Just as the car was leaving the underground parking lot, he caught sight of Yuri getting into a taxi on the opposite side.

“Chae Yuri.”

Jeho murmured, as if talking to himself.

The woman Minwoo loves, and who will soon marry Minwoo…

Chae Yuri was the biggest reason Minwoo was so desperate to become the group’s successor.

He could still vividly picture Minwoo’s triumphant expression as he put his arm around Yuri’s shoulders and looked up at him.

Of course he probably genuinely likes her, but he may want her even more because she was Jeho’s former fiancée. Minwoo had always been like that since childhood. He coveted everything Jeho had.

If so, how would Minwoo react if the Yuri he thought he had claimed was taken away again?

Even if it didn’t sit well with him, there was no more certain attack than that. And perhaps Yuri’s father, Assemblyman Chae, might also be connected to past events.

Killing two birds with one stone.

As if trying to escape from view as quickly as possible, the taxi carrying Yuri rapidly accelerated.

Just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it ceases to exist…

Jeho’s gaze grew cold as he watched the departing taxi.

[This is the timeline separator]

After looking around the office, Jeho left before the other employees arrived. Kim Sojang asked Yuri and Seonyoung to keep it a secret from the other employees until all the paperwork was completed.

Was it because she had unexpectedly encountered Jeho? All morning long, Yuri couldn’t focus. Having to finish the work she had put off yesterday as well, Yuri skipped lunch and concentrated on her tasks.

As the end of the workday approached, she received a call from Hyunkyung.

[You’re about to get off work, right? Let’s have dinner together.]

“I have some work left, so I think I’ll have to work overtime. Go ahead and eat dinner first. Let’s have a drink after I’m done.”

[Okay. Call me when you’re finished.]

As she turned off her computer and stood up, Yuri noticed the empty office with all the other employees gone. She must have been so focused on her work that she barely heard her coworkers’ goodbye greetings.

Just as she was about to leave the office, footsteps could be heard from the end of the hallway.

The director?

The only person who would come back to the office at this late hour was Kim Sojang. As Yuri shifted her gaze to the end of the hallway, she froze unknowingly.

“Ah…”

She had seen him enough times that she could recognize him just by his silhouette from a distance.

Why at this hour…?

Yuri narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched Jeho approaching. The dim hallway lighting cast deep shadows on his pale face.

It hadn’t even been a full day since she last saw him, but why…

Step by step, as the distance between them narrowed.

Thump thump, thump thump, her dried-up emotions began to convulse.

Yuri took a short breath and pulled on the door handle. But for some reason, the door wouldn’t close properly. As she pulled hard again, Jeho, who had already approached, overlapped his hand on top of hers.

Thud―

Was that the sound of the door closing? Or her heart dropping?

“You’re working late today?”

Instead of answering the question, Yuri silently glared at the large hand overlapping hers.