After Jung Se Hyun’s first visit, the boss’s outings became more frequent. In the past, he would only go out to drink at night, but these days he mostly went out during the day.

Today, too, the boss went out after receiving a phone call from Jung Se Hyun. Han Ga Eul made rounds to convenience stores in the morning and watched over the office in the afternoon.

She had a feeling Jung Mi O would show up today. Jung Se Hyun said he would make sure Jung Mi O never lurked around Ki Dae Un again, but Han Ga Eul didn’t believe it was possible.

Where couldn’t a two-legged beast go? Moreover, with a brain, she could even evade those watching her. If Jung Mi O knew that Jung Se Hyun had called the boss out, today would be the perfect opportunity for her to come looking for her.

Jung Mi O must have unfinished business with her. Judging by her demeanor that day, she wouldn’t simply accept that Han Ga Eul and Ki Dae Un were dating and back off. Between the formidable Ki Dae Un and the seemingly easy target Han Ga Eul, isn’t it obvious whom Jung Mi O would choose to confront?

As expected, Jung Mi O burst through the office door and appeared. Then, as if entering her own home, she walked confidently and sat on the sofa, crossing her legs.

“Let’s talk.”

Han Ga Eul closed the book she had been reading in preparation for returning to school and slowly stood up. As she rose, she picked up a book. She thought she could use it to block her face if Jung Mi O lunged at her.

“Ah, before that, make me a cup of coffee. I heard you make good sweet coffee?”

Hearing Jung Mi O’s words, Han Ga Eul almost laughed. With her chin lifted high and her lips pursed, she looked like a child throwing a tantrum.

Would she really want to drink the coffee she asked for? She probably just wanted to remind her of their hierarchical relationship.

Whatever her motivation, Han Ga Eul had no intention of making and serving coffee to Jung Mi O. It was obvious that the coffee wouldn’t go into Jung Mi O’s mouth, but her own.

That’s how it usually goes, right? Jung Mi O would splash the coffee in her face, and it would flow into her mouth. Knowing this, she had no intention of making and serving hot coffee. The same goes for iced coffee. How much would it hurt to get hit in the face with ice?

Coffee was out of the question, maybe water would do. Han Ga Eul racked her brain trying to keep coffee away from Jung Mi O.

“Do you trust me? If not, have some bottled water instead.”

“What?”

The corners of Jung Mi O’s cat-like eyes shot up.

“Could you drink coffee I made? Who knows what I might put in it. Are you sure I wouldn’t mix in laxatives or sewage? I could even spit in it. It would be hard to notice if I spat in it.”

Imagining drinking coffee mixed with such foreign substances, Mi O’s face contorted. Mi O looked at Han Ga Eul as if looking at a disgusting object and said:

“Then go buy some. There’s a cafe across the street.”

“Didn’t you think I could mix something in while buying it?”

Han Ga Eul muttered as if talking to herself. Then Mi O’s venomous voice flew at her.

“What’s with you? You’re trying to provoke me, aren’t you? You were sassy that day too. You’re acting like this because you trust Ki Dae Un, right? Stop fooling around and go buy the coffee. Ask them to seal it and bring it as is.”

“I don’t want to.”

I don’t like you speaking informally to me, I don’t like that you’ll probably throw the coffee I buy in this heat at me, and most of all, I really, really don’t like you casually ordering me to run coffee errands for you.

“What?”

“I said I don’t want to. If you want coffee, go buy it yourself. It’s like a sauna outside. I don’t want to leave this office with its blasting air conditioning.”

“What did you say? Hey, I’m a guest. I’m a guest here to see your boss.”

“Then wait quietly until the boss arrives.”

“You’re an employee here, aren’t you? You have an obligation to entertain guests.”

“That’s true. If you were really a guest, I should do that. But I clearly heard Ki Dae Un tell you never to come here again.”

Han Ga Eul looked at Jung Mi O as if feeling sorry for her. As she spoke, she really did start to feel sorry for her.

How would it feel to hear such words from the man you like? She even felt like making her a cup of coffee. Would it be bearable to get hit with it once it cooled down a bit?

“Don’t be cheeky. How long do you think you can be so arrogant? How long do you think you can stay by Ki Dae Un’s side?”

“…”

“You really don’t know anything. You’re just a substitute. A substitute for Kang Se Ra. A time-limited girlfriend who will be discarded as soon as Kang Se Ra returns to Korea.”

“Kang Se Ra…”

“Yes, Kang Se Ra. Ki Dae Un’s fiancee.”

Seeing the triumphant expression on Jung Mi O’s face, Han Ga Eul imagined what her own face must look like. She must be wearing an expression of disbelief and hurt.

But it was strange. There was no reason for her to wear such an expression. She and the boss weren’t the kind of relationship Jung Mi O believed them to be. They had only acted briefly in front of Jung Mi O.

Right, she had no reason to be hurt. Even if she heard that the boss had a fiancee, she shouldn’t be hurt.

Han Ga Eul focused her gaze on Jung Mi O’s nails. The day she first saw Jung Mi O, she had imagined being stabbed in the chest by those nails and bleeding. She thought it was just a delusion, but in the end, she was stabbed by those nails.

Still, she shouldn’t be hurt… There’s no reason to be hurt.

Han Ga Eul frantically repeated in her mind. I’m not hurt.

“So you’re saying Jung Mi O is someone who covets another person’s man. Seeing as you’re chasing after our boss while knowing he has a fiancee. That’s a thief’s mentality.”

Han Ga Eul quickly composed herself and spoke. If I was hurt, I’ll return it as much as I received.

Jung Mi O opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. Whether from shock or anger, this state of bewilderment continued for a while.

“So that’s what you came to tell me. I’ll relay it to the boss. I’ll tell him that Jung Mi O came by and kindly informed him that he has a fiancee. Probably because she felt sorry for my situation, knowing I’ll be discarded when the fiancee returns.”

“W-what? This girl is really…”

Jung Mi O looked around. She seemed to be looking for something to throw.

Han Ga Eul’s eyes fell on the tissue box on her desk. She thought Jung Mi O might grab it and throw it at her if she took a few steps.

There probably weren’t many tissues left in it, so it wouldn’t be too heavy. That would be bearable enough. Better than coffee or nails.

But Han Ga Eul didn’t get the chance to be hit by the tissue box. Jung Se Hyun burst in, out of breath. He was in such a hurry that he skipped greetings.

“Jung Mi O, are you out of your mind? Why did you come here? Get up right now.”

“Why, did I come somewhere I shouldn’t? With my own feet…”

“Didn’t you hear Ki Dae Un’s warning? When are you going to grow up? Don’t you know Ki Dae Un is out to get you? The large-scale apartment sales of Changhae Construction are just around the corner. If that goes wrong because of you, what do you think your uncle will do to you?”

“Hmph, send me to America? I’d like to see him try.”

Jung Se Hyun took a deep breath as he looked at the defiant Jung Mi O. Then he spoke in a calm voice.

“Yes, they’ll send you to America.”

Jung Se Hyun finished speaking and stared intently at Jung Mi O. Jung Mi O’s face gradually turned pale.

“I-I won’t go there. I’d rather die.”

“Oh? At least you have a choice then.”

Jung Se Hyun’s words sent a chill down Han Ga Eul’s spine. Although she didn’t fully understand the conversation between the two, she understood how cruel Jung Se Hyun’s words just now were.

It seemed people from great families could say such things so casually. He had just told his cousin that death was one of her options. And the other option was worse than death.

“Get up.”

Jung Mi O obeyed Jung Se Hyun’s words like a robot. Then she obediently headed for the door following Jung Se Hyun’s chin gesture. However, as if to show that even an obedient dog knows how to bark, Jung Mi O, who had walked to the door, spoke in a sharp voice.

“Do you think Ki Dae Un really likes you? Don’t be mistaken. You’re the daughter of Han Myeong Hun, the CEO of Myeong Tech, right? Ki Dae Un is…”

“Get out right now!”

Jung Se Hyun shouted like thunder. Unable to finish what she wanted to say, Jung Mi O glared fiercely at Han Ga Eul before going outside. After confirming that Jung Mi O had left, Jung Se Hyun spoke.

“Han Ga Eul, I have a favor…”

Before Jung Se Hyun could finish, Han Ga Eul pointed above the office door. She didn’t need to hear what Se Hyun was going to say; it was obvious. He probably wanted to keep Jung Mi O’s visit a secret. Se Hyun’s gaze followed Han Ga Eul’s fingertip.

“Ah!”

A short exclamation escaped Se Hyun’s lips. There was a CCTV camera installed above the office door. The boss had installed it after Han Ga Eul’s uncle spread false rumors about the relationship between the boss and Han Ga Eul.

The boss said it was for his own protection. Did I think I would seduce him and then threaten to report him as a sexual assailant to extort money? When she first heard about installing the camera, Han Ga Eul was very upset.

But thinking about it again, she understood. She also felt guilty.

It seemed that people in Ki Dae Un’s world had to protect themselves in such ways, that was the understanding; that he might be trying to prevent her from peeking at Ki Dae Un’s stock account, that was the guilt.

“Han Ga Eul, I’m sorry. Let me apologize on Mi O’s behalf.”

“I won’t tell the boss that Jung Mi O came by. As for the CCTV… I’ll look into how to delete the recorded video and delete it if I can.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. I haven’t forgotten how hard you worked as a lawyer for Gyeo Ul and me. But weren’t you meeting with our boss?”

“Ki Dae Un told me to go to the office quickly. He said Mi O might come since he was away from the office.”

Han Ga Eul was impressed by the boss’s thoughtfulness. Then she immediately thought, what good is thoughtfulness when he has a fiancee?

After Jung Se Hyun repeatedly expressed his gratitude and left, Han Ga Eul turned on Ki Dae Un’s computer. She was about to delete the recorded video. Remembering how Jung Mi O turned pale when told she would be sent to America, she felt it was right to delete it.

Then she remembered what Jung Mi O was trying to say. What was Jung Mi O going to say? ‘Ki Dae Un is…’ What? That he’s trying to use her? She already knew that.

Seeing that Jung Mi O knew she was the daughter of Han Myeong Hun, CEO of Myeong Tech, it seemed she had investigated Han Ga Eul before coming. Then she said the boss had a fiancee.

Right, the boss had a fiancee, someone named Kang Se Ra. And she had begged him to date her without knowing this. That’s why the boss had put up such a strong barrier.

It was ridiculous to think she had gotten much closer to the boss.

“Getting closer my ass. He didn’t even tell me he had a fiancee.”

Han Ga Eul buried her face in her hands. She felt like a person could die of embarrassment.