The CEO’s office turned into a chaotic mess.

While the crowd rushed out like a flood, Tae-seok remained seated on the guest chair, not moving a muscle. He leisurely observed the scene, flicking his fingers.

When everyone finally left, he chuckled coolly. At the end of that laughter, Ji-hyun-jung’s gaze met his.

It was Ji-hyun-jung who had severed the connection that could have remained a good relationship. Rather than confessing and cleanly rejecting, she had let things escalate to this point.

Tae-seok lightly brushed himself off and stood up. Without hiding his sudden gaze, he looked at Ji-hyun-jung.

“Noona.”

“……Yeah.”

“A face worth seeing. It was worth coming to watch.”

“What… what did you say?”

“It was quite entertaining.”

Even though it seemed like a light joke, his eyes didn’t suggest a joke at all. Ji-hyun-jung took a step back from Tae-seok’s cold, intimidating aura.

It felt as if she were suffocating, trapped in a vacuum.

“Even if I look around, it’s not at all to my taste. Just because there’s no woman around, does that mean I’ll fall in love with a rat? Really?”

“W-What are you saying…”

Unspoken criticisms that Tae-seok had suppressed spilled out like arrows.

“I might not have known how much I wanted to twist your neck. I even like patience for no reason.”

Tae-seok took a step forward.

“Do you know what happens when you falsely accuse someone? Noona? Ah, you probably don’t know. You must have lived like that because you didn’t know. So, I’ve prepared to let you know.”

“What are you talking about, Tae-seok?”

“I’ll return what you did. Me.”

“!”

“You’ll pay for it. How dare you touch someone.”

His “you’ll pay for it” thrown at shy Summer in bed was entirely different. Tae-seok pressed down on Ji-hyun-jung like a wild beast dominating the prairie, solely marking her existence.

Ji-hyun-jung felt as though Tae-seok were growing larger with each step he took closer.

On a moonlit night, like a werewolf. The closer he got, the more imposing his presence became.

Finally, Ji-hyun-jung’s back touched the wall. With nowhere left to escape, she clenched her fists.

Tae-seok stopped about five steps in front of her.

“Unjust tax evasion report. Shameless threat. Two years of mental agony. I’ll return it all.”

A voice as icy as a glacier followed.

“How terrifying it must have been for our Summer two years ago to be dragged here. She was just a job-seeking student with nothing.”

“That’s…!”

“Thinking about that poor girl who couldn’t even confess and left, it wouldn’t be too bad to gulp you down.”

“Misunderstanding! Tae-seok! I can explain everything…”

“Shut up.”

Tae-seok growled.

“I endured curses from you, flipped the ridiculous accusations you made, and continued to live! I still love you, but you can’t say it once! You can’t even look at me properly!”

Deep anger was infused in each word. Whenever he thought of the separation with Summer, his heart always ached.

“Tae-seok… it’s a misunderstanding. Really… I just helped her leave…”
Ji-hyun-jung mustered the courage to approach and grabbed Tae-seok’s arm. His cold gaze landed on her hand.

“Are you crazy? Get lost.”

Tae-seok shook her off.

“Don’t touch me filthy.”

Ji-hyun-jung’s expression twisted abruptly.

“I’ll send you to hell. Watch carefully who you dared to mess with.”

Eventually, Ji-hyun-jung collapsed.

“No, no…”

Incoherent murmurs continued.

Tae-seok, looking down at her like a dirty insect, spoke.

“Today is just the beginning. Watch closely what I’m willing to do for my woman. Now, sincerely face the tax investigation.”

Without mercy, Tae-seok turned around and left through the door.

Kim, the secretary, stood outside the door.

“Lost all your teeth, huh, Secretary Kim? No, should I call you a venomous snake? You didn’t notice anything while I did countless things. Ji-hyun-jung wasted her high salary on you.”

The face of the usually expressionless Secretary Kim contorted for the first time.

“How did you…”

“Two years ago, when you wiretapped my phone, you were quite skillful. Did you get dull living so comfortably? You were smart back then. Thanks to you, Summer couldn’t find a single trace.”

Secretary Kim’s face turned pale.

Words like ‘venomous snake’ and ‘wiretapping’ were top-secret. It seemed that Tae-seok knew more than expected.

Two years ago, Secretary Kim had wiretapped Seo Tae-seok’s phone, monitoring his every move. Call logs, messages, chat records, frequently used apps, and even bank statements.

The problem was that at that time, Secretary Kim was on probation. After serving a sentence for the wiretapping incident involving a member of the National Assembly, she had been released early with Ji-hyun-jung’s help, but for two years, she couldn’t afford to commit any crimes.

If that fact were revealed, she would be subject to enhanced punishment and might end up back in prison.

Her hands trembled. Going back to that filthy and impure place was worse than dying outside.

“Sorry! Tae-seok, listen! There’s a misunderstanding!”

Without listening further, Tae-seok turned away coldly.