However, once she took offense, it was her style to relentlessly pursue the matter and crush it under her feet.

Had she hoped for a dramatic reunion? She chose the El Stella Hotel restaurant for their somewhat dangerous and clandestine meeting, spurred on by the slim hope that she might run into Tae Seo Jun.

With a widebrimmed hat firmly on her head, and a hoodie pulled over it, Jeong Hwa passed a cake box to the man in front of her.

“This…”
“I was getting antsy because the date had passed.”
The man with the languid tone extracted only the envelope from inside the box and began to count the money inside. The smile on his lips remained, indicating that the amount was satisfactory.

Glancing over her sunglasses, Jeong Hwa whispered across the table.

“Has there been any unusual activity lately?”
“Whose do you mean?”
“Mr. Chu, really? There must be a reason I’ve been consistently giving you more money every month.”
“Oh, that?”
He blew on his little finger, which had been digging into his ear, and tipped his head forward slightly.

“Tae Seo Jun frequently changes his cars and is very observant, making it difficult to follow him. As for Eom So Yeon, didn’t I tell you three months ago? She’s either on the set or at her company. There’s nothing to tail. Moreover, what value would the mundane struggles of an unknown actress have to me? So, I decided to let go. Don’t you remember?”
The man, who was an entertainment reporter, had no patience. He knew how to threaten with others’ pasts that he had discovered by chance, but he did not write a single article himself. It was pathetic that he called himself a reporter while only copying and pasting.

“I have no memory of it because Mr. Chu never told me.”
“I’m sure I did.”
“Ah, I see now. You tricked me to keep getting more money! Anyway, give back that envelope.”
“Why should I…”
“I just need to give you the original agreed amount.”
“Ha, how petty for such a great actress to do this!”
“Stop yapping and give it back!”
Just then, Jeong Hwa, who had lost her patience, was wrestling with the reporter to snatch the envelope from his hand.

A commotion broke out as the two women emerged from the restaurant room.

“What are you doing? Just go in.”
“Ugh, I don’t want to.”
“If you were as obedient as your sister, it would be better! Who did you take after to behave like this!”
“If you feel that way, just consider you have no daughter like dad. I despise blind dates.”
“Listen to your mother’s words! Don’t regret losing such a precious suitor!”
“Mom, stop it. Stop calling me with obvious lies.”
“You, if you continue like this, I’ll remove you from the family registry! Be prepared!”
“Whatever, do as you please.”
Do Soon harshly shook off Ji’s hand as if she would never see her again.

Just as she began to strut her way across the restaurant hall, she stumbled over someone’s foot protruding from a table.

“Oops!”
Do Soon, who barely maintained her balance, stared at the two people sitting close in front of her.

“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
The surprise in the eyes of the three who accidentally met each other was an indication that they knew each other well.

Persistently wearing a hat and sunglasses indoors even at this late hour is a basic habit of celebrities. Upon closer inspection, it was her. Even though they didn’t meet often, every time they forgot about each other, they faced off on the filming set. It was that woman who was just uncomfortable to look at.

“You, Jeong Hwa?”
And the man, he was the one who secretly snuck into So Yeon’s room when she was injured and lurked around her ever since. He was caught by me a few times but still kept suspiciously showing up until three months ago. Wasn’t that reporter bastard?

But what on earth were the two of them doing here, alone….?

The selfproclaimed observant Do Soon could easily tell who they were and what their relationship was.

It was undeniable, seeing them dining intimately in a hotel restaurant and tightly holding each other’s hands, regardless of who was watching.

“Oh ho, you two are dating!”
“!”
“!”

While Jo In Ha was nowhere near Tae Seo Jun in comparison, it was a known fact that his popularity was due to method acting. However, there were not a few directors who boycotted him due to his high nose and sanguine attitude.

Seo Jun also felt an unpleasant feeling from Jo In Ha.

His attitude at the company cafeteria a while ago, and his dark and sticky gaze towards Eom So Yeon as if she were his own woman.

And last night.

He had let the man escape through the emergency exit. He could clearly tell who it was just from the back view of his tall figure.

But why did Jo In Ha run away like he didn’t want to get caught?

What was the reason he was hovering around Eom So Yeon?

He was really an annoying guy.

Yet Eom So Yeon was busy scolding him, saying there must have been something else going on when he said Jo In Ha was lurking. He didn’t know what was more annoying. He wondered if the obsession triggered at that time had called her.