“Madam, we can no longer delay reporting about young lady Ha Eun to the chairman.”

Jeong Mi, who was pleasantly sipping tea in the living room, put down her teacup in annoyance at the call from the legal director.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait just a little longer?”

“Young lady’s video has now spread widely. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the secretarial office finds out.”

“That’s all because the legal team didn’t do their job properly. Director Lee, how are you managing your subordinates?”

“Of course, I scolded them as well. However… the other party is none other than young lady Yeo Reum. There’s a limit to how much we can pressure her.”

“Who are you calling ‘young lady’ now? Director Lee, can’t you use the proper terms of address?”

“I apologize.”

Although displeased, Jeong Mi said,

“You don’t have to wait long. I’ll resolve it by today.”

“Will young lady Yeo Reum take down the video?”

“If I tell her to, she has to do it no matter what. Anyway, the video will be taken down today, so don’t make any unnecessary reports to elder brother. And Director Lee, if you want to properly preserve your position, watch your behavior. Don’t you know it’s only a matter of time before our In Pyo becomes the PR representative?”

“I’m well aware of that too.”

“So get in line properly. And send Team Leader Yang over here. I’ll definitely resolve it today.”

“Understood.”

He promptly answered and hung up the phone.

“What did the director say?”

Ha Eun quickly asked when she heard her name mentioned during the call.

“What else could it be? He’s whining that your video keeps spreading and there’s a limit to delaying the report to elder brother.”

“That won’t reach aunt’s ears, right?”

“Of course, we have to make sure that doesn’t happen. If Jung Yeo Reum clearly realizes her position today, taking down the video will be a piece of cake. But is it going well?”

Jeong Mi’s gaze turned to Sophia, who was looking at her cell phone.

“A text just arrived. It says Jung Yeo Reum has been standing in the store for over 2 hours now.”

“Really?”

“Like a scarecrow, she’s getting an earful of curses from customers to the point of feeling full. But Jung Yeo Reum still doesn’t grasp the situation and is standing there stupidly.”

At those words, Jeong Mi and Ha Eun chuckled.

“Tell them to do more. Until tears fall from her eyes.”

“I already told them to do that. Since she’s our family’s disobedient maid, I told them to teach her a proper lesson.”

Putting down her cell phone, Sophia grinned.

*

When Yeo Reum didn’t budge, the manager approached with an irritated expression.

The manager picked up the pearl that had fallen on the floor and glared at Yeo Reum.

‘Wow, this is really absurd.’

Who should be angry right now?

Unlike when dealing with Yeo Reum, the manager’s expression changed as she addressed the other woman.

“Young lady, over here.”

She approached the woman elegantly seated on the sofa, bowed, and politely held out the pearl with both hands.

However, the woman didn’t even spare a glance, and instead, her secretary received it.

The manager bowed her head, as if realizing her mistake, and took a step back.

“Young lady, what should we do?”

The secretary asked the woman.

“How can we use something that fell on the floor?”

Instead, the woman removed the remaining earring and handed it to the secretary.

The secretary turned to throw it in the trash can.

“Wait a moment.”

The woman suddenly stopped the secretary and pointed at Yeo Reum.

“Give it to that person.”

“Yes.”

The secretary promptly agreed and immediately approached Yeo Reum.

She held out the broken earring.

“Take it.”

“Are you talking to me right now?”

Although Yeo Reum clearly saw it with her own eyes and heard it with her ears, she asked again to confirm because the situation was so absurd.

“Is there anyone else here besides you?”

No.

That’s why I’m even more dumbfounded.

I’m seeing this young lady for the first time, you know?

But what is this behavior?

When Yeo Reum still showed no intention of taking it and only stared, the secretary said in a tired voice,

“Our young lady is bestowing kindness upon you. So quickly say ‘thank you’ and take it.”

“Kindness?”

“I don’t think you know, but this is easily worth hundreds if you just get it repaired. You’ve hit the jackpot.”

“Jackpot?”

Seeing Yeo Reum repeatedly asking, the secretary let out a hot breath.

She looked as if she wanted to slap Yeo Reum’s face.

“If you’ve understood now, hurry up and take it.”

As the situation dragged on, she had an annoyed expression.

Yeo Reum turned her head towards the sofa.

Looking straight at the face of the woman sitting haughtily with her smooth legs crossed, she asked,

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“Sell it and buy yourself some clothes. What is that you’re wearing?”

At her response, the people standing nearby chuckled.

Indeed, compared to the woman wearing a magnificent coat, Yeo Reum in her faded padded jacket clearly did not fit in here.

“You could buy several outfits like that and still have money left over. Then you can buy delicious food and go on dates with your boyfriend if you have one.”

It was an angelic, beautiful smile.

Yeo Reum said,

“I appreciate the thought, but no thanks.”

“Don’t put on needless pride and just take it. I told you it’s easily worth hundreds if you just get it repaired.”

“No thanks.”

“Quite stubborn, aren’t you? But let me give you some advice.”

The woman looked even prettier when she smiled brightly.

She said,

“Be aware of your position. And don’t be needlessly stubborn. Such things are unnecessary for someone working as a maid.”

“Is that so?”

“You still don’t know why you’re standing there? I can tell at a glance. I’m sure everyone here knows too.”

In response to her words, the people standing beside her laughed again.

“I’m saying this out of pity for you. If you want to take root in this world from now on, don’t have your own thoughts and don’t be stubborn. That way, everything will be easier.”

Subtly switching to informal speech, she advised.

“Are you really not going to take it? My earrings are worth at least three months of your salary, you know?”

Looking down at the earrings the secretary was holding out to her, Yeo Reum said,

“Wow, they’re that expensive?”

“That’s what I’m telling you.”

“They must be really precious then. In that case, I should take them.”

She now held out both hands to the secretary.

As if the bothersome matter was finally resolved, the secretary ‘dropped’ the earrings into Yeo Reum’s palm and turned around.

“How is it? Do you like them?”

The woman asked as Yeo Reum held up the earrings in front of her eyes and examined them closely.

“They’re pretty.”

“See, I told you.”

“But they’re not my style.”

“What?”

“The design is too old-fashioned. Oh, so old-fashioned.”

At the unexpected answer, everyone in the store turned to look at Yeo Reum.

“But are these really authentic?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why is the craftsmanship lacking in detail? Being so shoddy, of course the pearl would fall out. No matter how much I look at them, I don’t think these are authentic. Did you perhaps give me fakes?”

The manager said in even greater bewilderment,

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Those are top-notch earrings among luxury brands. As if you’d even know what luxury is.”

“Is that so? But no matter how I look at them, they seem fake. I don’t want them. What if I take them thinking they’re authentic and brag, only to find out they’re fake?”

Yeo Reum approached the sofa and held out the earrings to the woman.

“Well, if they’re not to your taste, it can’t be helped.”

At the woman’s irritated gesture, the secretary standing beside her reached out to take them instead.

Yeo Reum ‘placed’ the earrings on the tip of the secretary’s outstretched palm.

The earrings bounced off and fell to the floor.

Yeo Reum, who had tried to quickly pick them up, ended up stepping on the earrings with her foot.

The intact earring decoration snapped in half.

“See, I told you these are fake!”

Yeo Reum shouted loudly.

However, at the dumbfounded gazes of the people, she pretended not to know and said,

“But well, you can still get them repaired and use them together. Right?”

She picked up the broken earrings and firmly pressed them into the secretary’s hand.

And she returned to her original spot.

“Excuse me, young lady…”

The manager looked even more perplexed as she glanced at the woman.

“If she doesn’t like them, it can’t be helped. Manager Cha, throw that away.”

The secretary also glared at Yeo Reum with irritation-filled eyes, then soon approached the trash can at the counter and threw away the earrings.

“You’re not going to get them repaired and use them? Didn’t you say they’re easily worth hundreds?”

Yeo Reum asked, pretending to be surprised.

“I don’t use things that have fallen on the floor.”

“Not because they’re fake?”

“What did you say?”

“Those are fake, right? I’m right, aren’t I? Ah, I am right. Otherwise, why would you throw away something worth hundreds?”

The woman’s pretty face was filled with irritation.

“I don’t see anything I like today.”

The woman uncrossed her legs and stood up from the sofa.

“Ah, yes. Young lady. Then please visit again anytime.”

The manager, who had been observing the situation, quickly bowed her head.

The other employees did the same.

They followed the woman out and bowed.

“Young lady, that maid is really stupid. To think she has eyes and wears them.”

Walking along the corridor of the luxury hall, the secretary spoke in a low voice while looking back at the Vriwing store.

“Which household’s maid did you say that woman is?”

“I heard she’s from Blue House.”

“She’s as stupid as Kang Ha Eun.”

“I agree.”

The two women snickered secretively as they walked down the corridor.

*

As soon as they returned to the store, the manager rummaged through the trash can and took out the earrings.

She had an expression as if she had hit the jackpot, then soon turned to Yeo Reum and said,

“You’re the one who said you didn’t want them.”

“Who said what?”

The manager approached Yeo Reum with an embarrassed look and said,

“But you really have no tact.”

“Pardon?”

“With such lack of tact and sense, how are you going to make it in this field? What, fake? Do you have a blockhead? Don’t you know how to bow your head?”

“Are you saying this because I didn’t bow my head to that woman?”

“That woman? Ha, I can’t believe this. Do you even know who she is to speak of her in that way?”

Exasperated, the manager said,

“Miss Jin Hae Rin is the heiress of the Wonil Group.”

“…Heiress of the Wonil Group?”

“That’s right. She’s the one who will be marrying our president. So do you understand how greatly you insulted her? You completely ruined the young lady’s mood.”

The manager looked displeased, as if it was Yeo Reum’s fault that the woman had left empty-handed.

The two employees beside her felt the same.

However, as if talking any further was tiresome, the manager looked at her wristwatch and said,

“I’m going to the restaurant to have lunch.”

“Alright.”

The manager left.

The employees pretended to organize the shoes, then one by one, they left for the restroom and did not return.

Of course, they emphasized to Yeo Reum that there were CCTV cameras inside the store.

No customers came.

It seemed to be the store’s least busy time.

In the empty store, Yeo Reum took out her cell phone and her hands moved busily.

Shortly after, a man carrying a large bag entered the store.

Although tilting his head in confusion, he asked Yeo Reum,

“Excuse me, did you order jjajangmyeon with extra meat?”

Yeo Reum, who had been smiling brightly, answered,

“Yes! That’s me!”

“Here’s the newspaper you requested.”

Yeo Reum received the newspaper he held out, spread it on the store floor, and sat down.

As he took out the jjajangmyeon and pickled radish from the bag, he asked with a perplexed expression,

“But is it okay for you to eat here?”

The chopstick wrapper had the name of a Chinese restaurant in the department store’s food court printed on it, and he couldn’t understand at all.

“I guess you’ve never had it delivered to Vriwing before?”

Yeo Reum asked as she tore open the plastic wrap covering the jjajangmyeon.

“Employees have eaten in the store before, but this is the first time I’ve received such an order. That’s why I was uncertain.”

“I see. Anyway, I’ll enjoy the meal.”

“Yes. Enjoy your meal.”

Although he still had an uncomprehending expression, he eventually bowed his head and left.

Yeo Reum quickly mixed the jjajangmyeon.

The savory aroma of black bean paste and oil spread throughout the entire store.

Regardless, she twirled the noodles around her chopsticks and took a big bite.