It was the woman he had run into earlier in the lobby.

Jae-yi’s brows furrowed.

The door to the executive office was open, but it seemed their conversation was not yet over.

Who was that woman?

It would be better if he could see the executive director’s face. But with his back turned, Jae-yi couldn’t see his face clearly.

Who on earth could it be…?

Could it be, Yoon Su Ah?

Jae-yi’s lips parted slightly.

As Jae-yi stared motionlessly at the executive office, Secretary Kim blocked her path.

“Thank you for even buying coffee for us, Ms. Han.”

Do Yoon took the carrier from Jae-yi’s hand and placed it on the desk. Even so, all of Jae-yi’s attention was focused on the executive office.

Surely, the executive director must know I’ve arrived.

What could they be talking about?

Geon Hak’s face contorted fiercely.

He had a cold expression he had never shown Su Ah before.

When Yoon Su Ah suddenly opened the door, he thought it was strange. Knowing Jae-yi had arrived, she deliberately opened the door.

As if annoyed by the current situation, Geon Hak grabbed his tie and loosened it.

“What are you doing now?”

“What do you mean?”

Geon Hak seemed to have nothing more to say, as if bothered by Jae-yi standing outside the door, and moved. However, he didn’t get far before stopping again.

“I was curious who the woman was that Cha Geon Hak abandoned me for… It’s Han Jae-yi.”

Geon Hak’s eyes wavered.

“Aren’t you curious how I know Han Jae-yi?”

“What?”

“How can you love a child like that, of all people?”

“What nonsense are you spouting now?”

Su Ah spoke in a small voice.

“The child we conspired to kick out of our house.”

“…What?”

Geon Hak looked at Su Ah as if he had no idea what nonsense she was saying. Su Ah had an understanding look.

“Right. Of course you wouldn’t remember since you lost your memory in that accident. You nearly died after falling into our pool, and I saved you then.”

As if his mind was in a jumble, Geon Hak closed his mouth and looked at Yoon Su Ah.

“Let me put it simply. The kid who almost killed you in the pool is Han Jae-yi.”

“…”

“What a coincidence. Did you tell Han Jae-yi? That you were the young master back then? Because of that incident, Han Jae-yi was kicked out of our house. It was no joke. Han Jae-yi’s family even faced a lawsuit and had to give up their entire wealth in a settlement.”

Geon Hak furrowed his brows.

“I don’t remember. And what does that have to do with anything now?”

“It matters. Of course it does.”

Unlike earlier, seeing Geon Hak’s changed expression, Su Ah slowly raised one corner of her lips.

“She even fed you drinks spiked with sleeping pills and pushed you into the pool.”

“…”

“We’re both no saints either. We tormented her terribly. A child who was only twelve years old.”

“Yoon Su Ah.”

“Since we’ve met like this, I should greet her. Say it’s nice to see her again after so long. Ah, and I should ask about what happened when we were young too. Though I’m not sure if she remembers.”

As she turned around with a bright smile, Cha Geon Hak’s eyes darkened.

‘…I’m just a misfortune to my mother. She hates me, saying her life couldn’t bloom properly because of me. She always said she would have been happier if I didn’t exist.’

Han Jae-yi’s words suddenly flashed through his mind.

‘My mother did all sorts of work to raise me alone. She worked in restaurants, as a live-in helper, working so hard like that… But she said everything was ruined because of me for some reason. That she lost all her wealth because of me. That’s when my mother started to change.’

There was nothing good about Han Jae-yi finding out.

The moment Su Ah left the executive office and approached Jae-yi, Geon Hak grabbed Su Ah’s wrist.

Jae-yi’s eyes wavered.

Before her eyes, Geon Hak was grasping Yoon Su Ah’s wrist.

Geon Hak and Jae-yi’s gazes collided in midair.

Geon Hak was so angry at Su Ah’s actions that led to this situation, he tightly grasped her wrist. Even though it must have hurt, Su Ah smiled brightly.

“Geon Hak, why do you have more to say to me? What, are you sad I’m leaving so soon?”

As if dumbfounded by Yoon Su Ah’s actions, Geon Hak looked down at her with a cold gaze.

“…Don’t do anything unnecessary.”

He couldn’t say anything more since Jae-yi was there.

Yoon Su Ah’s sudden words left him with a mess to sort out.

He didn’t want Jae-yi to hear the pointless story and get hurt, nor did he want any misunderstandings to arise.

“Okay. Next time I won’t come barging in like this and will call first. No need to get so angry. Especially with so many people watching.”

Su Ah smiled prettily, narrowing her eyes.

With western features and wavy brown hair reaching her chest, she was truly beautiful even to another woman’s eyes. Thinking that this was the woman Cha Geon Hak had loved until now, Jae-yi bit the inside of her mouth, her heart aching.

I guess I shouldn’t have come…

“I’ll… be going first.”

Jae-yi hurriedly bowed her head and left the executive office. Watching Jae-yi’s retreating back, Geon Hak let out a heavy sigh.

Roughly releasing Su Ah’s wrist from his grasp, he turned to Do Yoon.

“Secretary Kim.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Please escort Ms. Yoon Su Ah to the parking lot for me.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As Geon Hak, having said his piece, entered the executive office, the corners of Su Ah’s mouth slowly rose.

Yes. You must be quite flustered too.

I hope you two continue to pile up misunderstandings like this and break up.

So that you, Geon Hak, will return to my side again.

All tragedies begin with small misunderstandings. Both then, and now.

* * *

Jae-yi, who had excitedly gone to the executive office, returned with a dark expression.

Su Bin looked at Jae-yi with a curious face.

“Jae-yi, did something happen?”

“…No.”

Jae-yi shook her head.

Jae-yi’s mind was filled with thoughts of that woman Yoon Su Ah and Cha Geon Hak. Right in front of her, Geon Hak had grabbed Yoon Su Ah’s wrist.

It’s… probably nothing.

If their relationship was good, he wouldn’t have had such a serious expression.

Yes, it’s nothing.

“So did you ask him, Jae-yi? What did the executive director say?”

“…What? Pardon?”

As Jae-yi asked back instead, Su Bin looked at her with a startled face.

“What, Jae-yi, you went to the director’s office to ask him the reason, didn’t you?”

She had completely forgotten. She was so shocked that she had utterly forgotten the reason she went to the executive office.

“What on earth did you see to make a face like that? What, did you see something bad? You went to the director’s office all excited, but why do you look so shocked as soon as you came back?”

Su Bin tilted her head at Jae-yi’s unfocused expression after returning from the executive office.

* * *

How she had lasted until quitting time in that state of mind, who knows.

As soon as the clock struck 6, Jae-yi’s phone on the desk rang. Checking the caller ID, it was a call from the executive director.

They had planned to leave work together today.

Jae-yi just blankly stared at the ringing phone. Su Bin, who had finished preparing to leave, turned her head at the vibrating sound.

Su Bin looked at Jae-yi’s phone on the desk.

“Jae-yi, aren’t you going to get that? It’s a call from the director.”

“…What?”

“The director is calling. I asked if you’re not going to answer. Oh, it hung up.”

Jae-yi looked at the phone that had stopped vibrating. Then Jae-yi’s phone started ringing again.

Jae-yi, who had always immediately answered Cha Geon Hak’s calls, sat there blankly without answering.

“What’s wrong, Jae-yi? Did something happen?”

Jae-yi shook her head. And as the phone kept ringing, she turned it off, startling Su Bin.

“Manager.”

“Yes, Jae-yi.”

“If you have time today, would you like to have dinner with me?”

“I’m free, but why all of a sudden?”

“Yes. I just wanted to have a meal together.”

“What, did you and the director have a fight?”

Jae-yi shook her head at her question.

She simply didn’t want to answer his call right now. That was the only reason.

“It’s not that, I just…”

“Alright, let’s go.”

* * *

Cha Geon Hak, who was calling Jae-yi, raised his thick eyebrows.

For the first time, Han Jae-yi was not answering his call. All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind.

“Secretary Kim.”

At Geon Hak’s call, Do Yoon who was outside entered.

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re certain you properly escorted Yoon Su Ah out, correct?”

“Yes. I confirmed her leaving the parking lot.”

It seemed Yoon Su Ah wasn’t up to any other tricks. Then why wasn’t she answering the phone?

No matter how many times he called, Jae-yi didn’t pick up, so Geon Hak spoke while putting on the jacket hanging on the coat hanger.

“I’ll be leaving early today, so let the others know, Secretary Kim.”

“Yes, sir.”

Geon Hak quickened his pace.

The first place he headed was Marketing Team 1 where Jae-yi was. As Cha Geon Hak suddenly entered, Jin Seop, who had not left work yet, jumped up from his seat.

“Director.”

“Where did Han Jae-yi go?”

“You mean Manager Han? Ah, she just left a moment ag-”

Before Jin Seop could finish speaking, Geon Hak hurried out.

Geon Hak tried calling, but her phone was still turned off. It was the first time Han Jae-yi hadn’t answered his call.

She had always answered brightly whenever he called before.

Deep in his heart, unfamiliar emotions began to stir.

As fear arose that she might leave his side, Geon Hak picked up the phone in his hand again.

However, there was no one he could ask about her whereabouts.

She had no close friends or family.

If she disappeared…

If Han Jae-yi left his side like this, it felt as though he may never find her again, and Geon Hak rubbed his forehead.

“Where on earth did you go, Han Jae-yi?”

* * *

“Come in, Jae-yi.”

“If I had known, I should have bought some fruit on the way, Manager.”

“Fruit? No need. Sorry if it’s dirty since I haven’t cleaned the house, but please understand. Actually, you’re the first person from the company I’ve invited to my home.”

When dinner was over, Jae-yi looked reluctant to go home. Seeing Jae-yi’s expression, Su Bin readily invited her to her house.

It was Jae-yi’s first time visiting someone else’s home, so she felt nervous and excited.

Jae-yi sat on the sofa and slowly looked around Su Bin’s house. The interior was neat and tidy, and despite living alone, there were 2 rooms. She seemed to keep plants as a hobby, as her veranda had a variety of plants.

“What do you want to drink, Jae-yi? Juice, beer, coffee? I have it all, just say the word.”

Jae-yi smiled and said:

“I’ll have juice then.”

“Alright, got it. Give me a moment.”

Quick-handed Su Bin brought out the refreshments. On the wooden tray were macarons, coffee, and the juice Jae-yi would drink.

“Thank you, Manager. For even inviting me to your home like this.”

“No need to thank me. I’m really happy to have someone over after so long. Come by often.”

“Okay.”

Jae-yi nodded.

“But Jae-yi… Are you really not going to call the director? Even Manager Im texted me. He said the director is looking for you.”

“…”

“So for now, I told him I don’t know where you are either.”

“…Thank you.”

“What on earth happened that you’re avoiding the director’s calls, Jae-yi?”