“You won’t regret it after reading it.”

Was it because of his firm words?

As if she were possessed by something, Arin picked up the documents Jaehyuk offered.

The contract period is one year and may be extended depending on the circumstances. If extended, it requires Eul’s consent, and compensation must be paid accordingly.
She lives in an apartment registered under Ban Jaehyuk’s name, not in her family’s home. Ban Jaehyuk has an obligation to protect her from anyone who harasses Choe Arin. If Choe Arin suffers due to his family, Ban Jaehyuk must bear the consequences.

He must use separate rooms and not intrude on Choe Arin’s privacy. However, if Choe Arin wishes otherwise, he will comply without any conditions.

Official events are limited to once a month. If more is demanded, appropriate compensation must be paid, and Choe Arin’s consent must be obtained before scheduling anything.

Ban Jaehyuk will cover all expenses, including the cost of living, for Choe Arin during the one-year period.

After one year, Ban Jaehyuk will transfer the apartment to Choe Arin and provide the last blank check. (Ban Jaehyuk must pay whatever amount Choe Arin desires.)

Arin’s large eyes widened as she scrutinized the documents from beginning to end.

“What is this? Gye? Eul?”

“Yeah. You’re Gye, and I’m Eul. These are things I can do for you if you stay by my side. Of course, I can do more. If there’s anything you want, just say it. I’ll give you anything you want.”

As his intense gaze focused on her, Arin burst into laughter.

“Huh, are you going to buy me with money now?”

“That wasn’t my intention, but I’d appreciate it if you acknowledged how urgent it is for me.”

However, she couldn’t just get angry. The conditions he presented were absurdly tailored specifically to ‘Choe Arin.’

“What does Ban Jaehyuk want?”

Ban Jaehyuk was a born entrepreneur, a man who could give 10 for the price of 1.

‘But even if it’s for the company, can it be done like this? No, considering the value of VAN Group, I’d even bow down. Even if it’s to save face, just give me a few bucks, and the company will come in.’

Arin, gathering her shaky emotions, spoke.

“I told you. Stay by my side.”

“For one year?”

“For now, I’ll try for one year. But if it goes longer, I’ll follow your decision then.”

“…”

Arin’s gaze reached the part where ‘the last blank check’ was written.

“Are you going to give me a blank check?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know how much I’ll demand?”

“…As much as you want.”

Despite offering an unfair contract, Jaehyuk was saying he would give more.

“It seems like you have a lot of money.”

He responded to her words with a faint smile.

“Is it really because of the company?”

“…Yeah.”

After a brief hesitation, Jaehyuk spoke.

“It’s that desperate for me. You know it too. Of course, I know I’m shameless. They say even the wishes of the dead come true.”

The moment their eyes met, somehow Arin couldn’t avoid Jaehyuk’s gaze.

“It’s just a contractual relationship, Arin.”

“…”

“Don’t just think about rejecting it; think about it a little.”

If it were the past, he wouldn’t speak like this. He wouldn’t have given me a choice and wouldn’t have begged like this.
Even if he was in a position to request something from me.

‘He would have forced me to do it no matter what.’

So I couldn’t say anything.

I couldn’t say I didn’t want to, or that I wouldn’t do it.

⭐⭐⭐

“Is it really because of the company?”

In response to Arin’s question, Jaehyuk tightly clenched the fist resting under the table.

Like a common cliche, it might be possible to present a contract and engage in a contractual relationship for mutual understanding.

But the reasons were impure.

‘Is it really purely because of the company?’

Jaehyuk questioned himself.

He knew all too well what he had done to her. Now, he had no right to ask her for help. Yet, today, he came looking for her.

Choi Arin was the only love in Ban Jaehyuk’s life until death. Therefore, he couldn’t have another woman by his side, and he couldn’t imagine loving another woman.

‘I love you, I missed you, sorry for being late.’

He swallowed hundreds, no, thousands of unsaid words back into his throat.

‘The reason I want to bring you back isn’t solely because of the company.’

He smiled self-deprecatingly at his own cowardice.

“……Yeah.”

In Ban Jaehyuk’s desolate life where even Arin was absent, the company was the sole driving force that kept him alive. Since she would never be by his side again, he thought he should keep the company by his side, even if it was selfish.

‘Is that really all? Sincerely? Is it really for the sake of the company? Or is it because I want to have you by my side again? No, both? Ha.’

He suppressed the swirling dark desire within him.

‘This is all because of the company. It has to be because of the company.’

“The company is that desperate for me. You know it too. Of course, I know I’m shameless. They say even the wishes of the dead come true.”

“…”

“Don’t just think about rejecting it; think about it a little.”

As Jaehyuk shook her emotions and his own cowardice to hide his despicable self, he felt strangely uneasy. Even knowing that if he said it like this, she wouldn’t be able to refuse, he disliked using her tender heart to manipulate her.

But, even so, he wanted her by his side like this.

Pride? That was useless in front of her from the beginning.