Eun Chae, with a tired face, headed for the terrace. Pushing aside what seemed like a blocking curtain, she found an oval terrace. Beyond the dense trees in front of the art gallery, the city’s night view completed a beautiful scenery.

To Eun Chae, the picturesque landscape provided more rest to her crowded mind than any ordinary art piece.

((())) ((())) ((()))

A person who wouldn’t bend, even if it meant breaking.

If one were to categorize Song Eun Chae, she would probably be categorized as such. Thus, she didn’t care about the trifling threeway confrontation with her equally trifling fiance’s mistress.

Ki Joo stood on the terrace, endlessly staring at somewhere in the void, watching the woman. No, he was watching the shadow reflected on the railing.

From her forehead to her nose bridge, from her lips to her jawline, the graceful lines were even clear in the shadow.

“Shall I have her thrown out?”

With a single word, not just removal but even more could be possible. This woman didn’t know the abuse of power.

“She’s the daughter of the curator.”

She cleverly rephrases the words, telling him not to create a disturbance as she was an invited guest.

“That’s information I passed on to Song Eun Chae. Do you think I wouldn’t know?”

She turned to look at him, her eyes wavering pitifully in the moonlight, and spat out a harsh word.

“Just because you’re in the same position as Kwon Ki Joo, don’t be so harsh.”

Was that important? Ki Joo looked at Eun Chae. He could pretend to be hurt to earn her sympathy or he could simply laugh it off.

But at that moment, Song Eun Chae’s lips caught his eyes. Moist as if retaining water, plump, and inducing an urge to touch and burst them.

Unconsciously, Ki Joo extended his arm, gripping Eun Chae’s chin with his thumb and index finger.

“Your lip color is too intense.”

Actually, not just her lips, but her makeup, hair, and outfit were all too much. Ki Joo dropped his gaze as if to devour her.

While Eun Chae, confused, wavered, he stared hard into her pupils, raised his thumb and without hesitation, rubbed her lips. The lipstick faded unceremoniously, staining his thumb.

As if to ask what he was doing, Eun Chae furrowed her brows.

Instead of explaining, Ki Joo examined the smeared lipstick on his thumb. As expected, it was intense. He twitched his eyebrows.

“Don’t you think it’s obvious that I know my situation without you pointing it out?”

“……”

“Why are you doing this as if trying to brainwash me when you have nothing?”

A low chuckle followed.

Eun Chae couldn’t hold back and glared, but he simply kept looking down at her.

“It’s time to go home, call the driver.”

Eun Chae commanded and flung open the curtain. As she moved quickly, she scrubbed her lips, where his hand had touched, with the back of her hand.

Ki Joo watched her getting further away through the slim gap between the curtains.

You shouldn’t have emphasized that.

I’ll do my best for your divorce now.

((())) ((())) ((()))

“Are you okay on your own, Team Leader Kwon……?”

The bodyguard that Ki Joo had called instead of the driver peeked at the side mirror with a worried face. Eun Chae did not look out the window or turn back, but was simply looking at her phone with a sour expression.

Even though he could have asked for some help.

As she continued to be indifferent, the bodyguard, unable to resist, started the car. Kwon Ki Joo had to transport the art pieces he had bought to Chairman Song Myung Hwan using the company’s cargo vehicle.

Usually, Song Myung Hwan was quite suspicious and due to the high value of the artwork, he could not entrust it to a day laborer transporter. Thus, he had to move it himself.

The security guard carefully checked the side mirror until Kwon Ki Joo was completely out of sight before entering the road.

Eun Chae finally lifted her gaze.

She looked out the window while holding a mobile phone with a dark home screen. The scene outside was desolate due to the night time.

Eun Chae looked at the bleak trees and unconsciously pinched her lips with her fingers.

Then, the mobile phone in her hand vibrated.

Without turning her head, Eun Chae checked the message that appeared in the preview.

It was an annoying message from Han Seung Yoon, telling her to come at the scheduled time for the dress fitting tomorrow.

Even before she finished reading the sentence, Eun Chae turned her gaze away quickly.

((())) ((())) ((()))

Ki Joo entered the art gallery after the event had ended. The inside, which had been glamorous when it was full of guests, had become an empty space, leaving a sense of emptiness. The curator, who was giving cleaning instructions to the janitors, ran over to him as soon as he saw him.

“Even though we can transport it to your house, it’s really amazing that you understand Chairman Song’s meticulousness. It will take about thirty minutes, would you like a cup of tea?”