“No.”

Dae Un rose abruptly, looking displeased. Ga Eul, who almost bumped into his face, quickly stepped back.

“It’s complicated enough as is. You don’t need to get involved.”

“Han Ga Eul, you said you needed to spread a rumor about dating someone new to discourage your ex-boyfriend. Since Dae Un refuses, use me instead. Let’s help each other out.”

“Stop it!”

Dae Un shouted sternly, but Ga Eul and Se Hyun ignored him. Ga Eul pushed past Dae Un and stepped forward.

“I’m fine with it. I’m in a situation where I’d even borrow a cat’s paw if I could.”

“Han Ga Eul, come to your senses.”

“My situation is similar. I need to discourage a potential arranged marriage partner. The pressure from my family to bring a lady I’m dating if I don’t want to go on blind dates is no joke.”

“Jung Se Hyun, do you think this is a game?”

Dae Un shouted indignantly, but Ga Eul and Se Hyun treated his yelling as mere interjections in their conversation.

“Han Ga Eul, let’s do our best. If you’re willing, I’m prepared to cooperate with you as much as possible. Help should be reciprocal, after all.”

Se Hyun extended his hand to Ga Eul.

“You madman, how many times have you even met Han Ga Eul?”

“Yes, counselor. Woo Jin’s mother keeps pestering me for proof that I’ve broken up with Woo Jin, and the heartless boss refuses to date me no matter what. I’ve been at my wit’s end. But now, a top-notch problem solver has appeared.”

Ga Eul emphasized the words “top-notch problem solver” while glaring at Dae Un.

Now I won’t have to cling to you anymore, hmph. A lawyer from a famous law firm would be more convincing as a boyfriend to Woo Jin and his parents than a boss who lounges on the sofa all day.

“I’ll help you as much as I can too, counselor. Let’s work together to achieve good results.”

Ga Eul grasped Se Hyun’s outstretched hand, as if to show Dae Un.

“Both of you, come to your senses. How can you say ‘we’ when you’ve just met?”

“Well then, shall we go out and make detailed plans? It seems difficult to talk here with someone barking so loudly.”

“That sounds good.”

“Where do you think you’re going? It’s work hours right now.”

Dae Un shouted, separating Ga Eul and Se Hyun’s hands that he had been holding until then.

“Jung Se Hyun, have you forgotten why you came here? What I asked you to look into?”

Dae Un pulled Ga Eul behind him and gave Se Hyun a warning look to back off.

“Right, we shouldn’t forget the purpose of coming here. There’s also something Ga Eul asked to look into.”

Se Hyun gave him a slight smile and sat down on the sofa.

“Just a moment, counselor. I’ll go get some coffee. What would you like?”

“Instant coffee is fine. I’ve heard rumors that the instant coffee you make is special.”

“Alright, please wait a moment.”

Ga Eul gave Se Hyun a warm smile and disappeared behind the partition as if flying.

“What are you up to?”

Dae Un muttered quietly, watching the scene with disdain.

“Since you can’t sort things out, I’m trying to sort them out for you. And solve my problem while I’m at it.”

Se Hyun snickered and then raised his voice to ask Ga Eul behind the partition.

“What you want to know is about the Pyeongan Group chairman’s family situation, right? Oh Kyu Baek is your maternal grandfather, correct?”

“Yes.”

Ga Eul answered from behind the partition.

A moment later, Ga Eul came out with only one cup of coffee and placed it in front of Se Hyun.

“Where’s mine?”

Dae Un asked, bewildered.

“This is for the person I’m dating. You’re not dating me, boss.”

Ga Eul, no longer needing to cling to the boss for a relationship, spoke boldly with lingering resentment.

“There have been recent rumors about Chairman Oh Kyu Baek’s poor health. Of course, the group’s official stance is that there’s nothing wrong with the chairman’s health.”

Se Hyun began to share information about the Pyeongan Group. In fact, it was all from the materials he had received from Dae Un, but Se Hyun spoke as if he had investigated it himself.

“The group’s succession plan will be an issue then.”

Dae Un interjected.

“Yes, it seems there was intense conflict within the chairman’s family because of that. Almost at the level of war, they say. Oh Kyu Baek has a second wife, you know.”

“How can there be a second wife in a monogamous country? Just call her a concubine. There’s still a legal wife alive.”

Dae Un sneered.

“She’s too powerful to be called a concubine. She’s considered a real force within the group. It seems the chairman has given her a considerable share of Pyeongan Group stocks. She also has a son with the chairman. They say the chairman dotes on this son born in his later years.”

“I see the picture now. The legal wife must be trying to prevent the concubine’s son from taking over the group.”

“Right. But that’s not going smoothly.”

Se Hyun explained the reason to Ga Eul.

“Chairman Oh Kyu Baek’s legal wife has one son and one daughter. The son, Oh Sung Jin, is the president of Pyeongan Construction. Oh Sung Jin is known to be a weak person. He’s rumored to be completely under his father’s thumb. The problem is Oh Sung Jin’s children. Oh Sung Jin also has one son and one daughter, but the son is a troublemaker, and the daughter is said to be completely controlled by her husband.”

Ga Eul’s head slowly moved up and down. Now she understood.

Why her maternal family wanted to take her and Gyeo Ul. More precisely, why her maternal grandmother wanted to take them. Se Hyun’s continued explanation supported Ga Eul’s thoughts.

“The daughter, Oh Myeong Hui, married the third son of the Jinheung Group. His name is Park Kyu Jae, and he’s rumored to be quite ambitious. Chairman Oh Kyu Baek must be wary of him. He probably thinks that if Park Kyu Jae takes over Pyeongan Group, it’s only a matter of time before Pyeongan falls into Jinheung’s hands.”

“Is that a real possibility?”

“We can’t say it’s completely impossible. Park Kyu Jae must have his eye on Pyeongan, which is why he’s working at Pyeongan instead of Jinheung, don’t you think?”

“Is there no chance for the son to become the group’s successor?”

Dae Un asked.

“I hear it’s a miracle that the son, Oh Myeong Se, isn’t in prison. He’s caused all sorts of trouble. There are rumors that Oh Sung Jin is so busy cleaning up after his son that he has no time to focus on the company.”

“Interesting. So it makes sense for Oh Kyu Baek to choose the concubine’s son as his successor.”

“Not yet. The legal wife, Lady Jang Ji Hong, is doing everything in her power to prevent that.”

“But the answer seems clear. On one side is the son favored by the chairman, on the other side is a troublemaker or a lion’s mouth. At this rate, it’s the concubine’s victory.”

“So Lady Jang Ji Hong needs a cheat key, right?”

Ga Eul suddenly interjected. Dae Un and Se Hyun looked at Ga Eul.

“And that cheat key is the children of the daughter they’ve neglected until now. Did you receive some kind of offer from them?”

Dae Un asked.

“They said they want to take Gyeo Ul and me.”

Dae Un stared intently at Ga Eul. He got the answer he wanted from Ga Eul. It was only right that things turned out this way since he had worked to make it happen.

“Judging by your questions about Pyeongan Group, it seems you’ve decided to go.”

Still, Dae Un checked once more.

“Yes.”

Ga Eul said clearly. Dae Un nodded and exchanged glances with Se Hyun.

“Then, it’s time to deal with our problem. Have you made contact with TS Tech?”

“I have, but…”

Se Hyun glanced at Ga Eul, seemingly uncomfortable discussing business in her presence.

“It’s fine. Just talk. Han Ga Eul will be leaving this neighborhood soon, so she won’t have anything to do with us anyway.”

“I guess you’re right.”

Se Hyun agreed and got to the point. Ga Eul awkwardly remained in her seat. She had missed the timing to excuse herself. She became slightly worried. If she heard this, she would have to tell Woo Jin’s father. It would be better not to listen.

“I did meet with the CEO of TS Tech, but it won’t be easy. Despite being the CEO of a new company, he was very arrogant. I guess he’s confident in their technology. They currently have the best encryption technology in the industry, so it’s understandable.”

“Push harder. Tell them we’ll meet any demands they have. We must acquire TS Tech. That encryption technology will change the landscape of the mobile phone market in the future.”

Ga Eul was listening to their conversation absentmindedly. She had lost focus since the boss said, ‘Han Ga Eul will be leaving this neighborhood soon, so she won’t have anything to do with us anyway.’

It was her decision to go to her maternal family’s home. Yet she felt empty. It felt like she had lost everything. Maybe it was because leaving the neighborhood she had lived in since birth didn’t feel real, or maybe because the boss seemed too nonchalant about her leaving. It was hard to tell.

The boss and Jung Se Hyun were deeply engrossed in their conversation as if Ga Eul wasn’t there. They used words that Ga Eul couldn’t understand. Ga Eul found herself staring at the boss without realizing it.

The boss in front of her didn’t seem like the person she knew. The person who wasted his life living off inherited wealth wasn’t there. Ga Eul wondered if she had misjudged him. Was she only seeing the boss’s true face now that she was about to leave?

“Let’s go out and eat. I haven’t had a meal yet.”

The boss suddenly stood up and spoke while Ga Eul was lost in thought. Ga Eul snapped out of her thoughts.

“Is there anywhere decent to eat in this neighborhood?”

“What are you talking about? People live here too, you know.”

“Han Ga Eul, you should come with us.”

“I’ve already eaten. Please enjoy your meal, you two.”

Ga Eul, who had been bickering with the boss about lunch menus until just before Jung Se Hyun arrived, blatantly lied. She felt she needed to send them away and organize her thoughts. She also had to report to Woo Jin’s father.

“Then, order some doganitang for yourself.”

Despite Ga Eul saying she had eaten, Dae Un placed a 50,000 won bill on the table before leaving.

“Then, please enjoy your meal.”

Ga Eul’s waist automatically bent at a 90-degree angle.

After the boss and Jung Se Hyun left the office, Ga Eul picked up her phone to report to Woo Jin’s father. However, she hesitated to dial the number.

Something felt odd. Why had the boss changed his attitude? On the day Jung Se Hyun first visited, the boss had kicked Ga Eul out of the office.

Creating an excuse for her to help with work that a part-timer could easily handle alone. But just now, he said he didn’t mind if Ga Eul heard his conversation with Jung Se Hyun. He even deliberately brought up business talk in Ga Eul’s presence.

Ga Eul was deep in thought. Did they want me to hear their conversation? It seemed that way somehow. Why did they let me hear their conversation?

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t find an answer. Suddenly, she wondered if the boss knew that she was reporting his movements to Woo Jin’s father. As soon as that thought crossed her mind, her heart sank.

Ga Eul carefully reviewed whether she had done anything to make the boss suspicious of her. It didn’t seem like it. But you never know.

She had entered this office through Woo Jin’s father’s introduction. How did the boss view Woo Jin’s father? If the boss didn’t trust Woo Jin’s father, he wouldn’t trust her either.

Was he testing her? Thinking that way made her suddenly afraid. Ga Eul stared at the seat where the boss had been sitting. There was no answer there.

Instead, there was the 50,000 won bill the boss had left behind. Ga Eul stared at that bill.

She thought it might be the boss’s answer. The boss’s intention to starve her to death rather than drown her. Ga Eul slowly picked up the bill. It didn’t feel bad.

Ga Eul decided to trust the boss whose words and actions differed. The boss who always took care of her despite speaking harshly.

So Ga Eul called Woo Jin’s father and relayed the conversation between the boss and Jung Se Hyun. Because it seemed that’s what the boss wanted.

Whether the words she was relaying were true or not wasn’t Ga Eul’s concern. Woo Jin’s father had asked her to tell him what she heard, and Ga Eul was simply relaying what she had heard.