Click-clack. The sharp sound of heels echoed prominently in the hallway. Juhee moved forward, ignoring the sidelong glances from people around her.
‘What could be the reason for this summons?’
Worry and annoyance mingled on Juhee’s face as she headed toward the CEO’s office.
She couldn’t fathom the intent behind CEO An Gyu-hak’s abrupt call. It had been a year and a half since she signed with her current agency, A&J Entertainment. Aside from the initial meeting, Juhee had rarely encountered CEO An.
Their interactions were limited to brief greetings at agency events. Most matters were handled through managers or directors, so direct meetings with the CEO were rare.
This left Juhee uncertain whether this call was a good or bad omen.
Previous encounters with CEOs at her old agency were always for unpleasant reasons: the high cost of album production, warnings of potentially the last album, etc.
The worst was the final meeting, announcing the contract termination and the group’s disbandment.
“Hello.”
Upon reaching CEO An’s office, the secretary greeted her first. Juhee, with a nonchalant nod, stated her purpose.
“I’m here to see the CEO.”
“Just a moment, please.”
The secretary informed CEO An of Juhee’s arrival. Juhee, arms crossed, tapped her fingers while glaring at the office door.
“Juhee, the CEO is ready for you.”
Following the secretary’s cue, Juhee knocked and then entered upon permission, exhaling deeply to relax her stiff expression.
“Hello, CEO.”
She greeted brightly, contrasting her earlier emotionless look, with a slight smile on her lips.
“Sit there.”
CEO An gestured indifferently. Juhee’s expression hardened as she sat on the sofa.
“Two coffees, please.”
After requesting coffee, CEO An seated himself. The secretary served the coffee to both.
“Any difficulties lately?”
CEO An grasped his cup roughly, drinking coffee as if it were traditional Korean liquor.
“No, not so far.”
“Right, you’re not too busy.”
Though smiling, there was an undercurrent in CEO An’s words. Juhee gripped her coffee cup tightly, feeling uneasy.
“Your friends are doing well lately, aren’t they?”
“My friends?”
“Yes. Lee Yuna? She’s been appearing frequently on variety shows. And Yun Se Kyung, well-established as an actress already.”
At the mention of these names, Juhee’s face tensed. Unable to relax her expression, she brought the cup to her lips.
“Yun Se Kyung is in a drama similar to yours, right? They’ve finished production, so no shooting for her. I guess she’ll focus on promotion? Such a pity. I should’ve signed her when your contract expired.”
CEO An clicked his tongue, regretful of losing her to Jin Entertainment.
Annoyed, Juhee bit the inside of her cheek. Why was he praising Yun Se Kyung in front of her?
“Lee Yuna is still without an agency, right? Juhee, you have her contact?”
“Yuna? Well, I have her number, but I’m not sure if it’s still current…”
At Juhee’s response, CEO An’s brow furrowed.
“What? You’ve been together for years and don’t keep in touch?”
“…”
“Is it you who’s not reaching out? Yun Se Kyung seems to keep in touch, even attending Yuna’s wedding.”
“No? Aren’t you in touch? It seems Yun Se Kyung is still communicating with Yuna, even attending her wedding and talking occasionally.”
Juhee clenched her teeth at CEO An’s words, tinged with criticism.
“Yuna stopped her activities in the entertainment industry after the group disbanded, so there wasn’t much to contact about. It’s not that we’re on bad terms.”
“Then, can you contact Yuna?”
“Yes. If she changed her number, I can ask another member.”
Juhee’s heated response made CEO An’s eyes gleam predatorily.
“Then talk to Yuna. Ask her if she’s interested in signing with us.”
“A contract…?”
“Yes. Tell her we’ll match or exceed any offers she gets.”
“Why should I…”
Juhee frowned, questioning why she should do such a task when she wasn’t even an employee.
Seeing her reluctance, CEO An’s voice softened.
“We’ve approached her but Yuna hasn’t made a decision yet. You were group members once. Maybe if you bring it up, Yuna might show more interest in our offer?”
Was this meeting just about Yuna’s contract?
Swallowing her rising irritation, Juhee responded curtly.
“I’ll mention it, but don’t expect too much.”
“Good, just talk to her.”
“Is that all you wanted to discuss? Can I leave then?”
Juhee put down her cup and picked up her bag. CEO An gestured for her to stay.
“Sit down. We haven’t even gotten to the main topic.”
Hesitantly, Juhee sat back down.
“This Yuna contract is important, but I called you today for a different matter.”
“Go ahead.”
“You know your popularity is far behind Yun Se Kyung and Yuna, right?”
Juhee’s cheeks twitched with anger at the blunt disparagement.
“My popularity is lacking? I was the most popular in our group at debut.”
“Don’t get upset. Just face the reality.”
“It’s because I haven’t been acting long. I’ll get there soon…”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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