The woman in her middle years, who had emerged from the interior of the Korean restaurant Ri Won, crossed the garden with her hand on her side.

“Oh, why is it so cold today.”

It was a sudden cold wave that hit out of nowhere in the early winter.

The woman, wearing a black lightweight padding over her white apron, closed the wooden gate made of paulownia and locked it with a latch.

It was quite frequent, about three or four times a month, to end the business in the evening in preparation for closing.

It was always on the days when an important guest, whom the owner treated with great care, had a secret meeting here.

The middle-aged woman, muttering that she should wear gloves to work from tomorrow, hurriedly bustled about, blowing warm breath into her cupped palms.

After turning off all the lanterns hung here and there by the owner, who loved old things, the surroundings quickly darkened.

“Did you turn off the signboard light too?”

“Yes.”

“And the food is ready?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Then let’s go home.”

The faces of the employees, leaving in turn, brightened up.

On the days when Chairman Tae Seok Kyu visited, everyone except for the owner and two managers left work early.

Though it was unclear what great secrets were exchanged, since closing the shop early didn’t reduce their salaries, there was nothing bad for the employees of Ri Won.

The owner, watching the staff leave, passed the corridor pushing a cart himself.

“I’ll bring in the meal.”

As Manager Cho, standing guard in front of the private room, knocked on the sliding door, it opened from the inside.

Dr. Han, who had pushed aside the sliding door, returned to his seat next to Tae Seok Kyu.

While the meal for the four sitting at the low table was being transferred, no one initiated a conversation.

In the awkward silence, the owner, having finished serving swiftly, carried the wide tray down the stepping stones.

Manager Cho, who watched her retreating figure until the end, gave a signal that the surroundings were completely empty and closed the door.

“Damn it! Is this the time for us to be doing this? Is this the time to be quietly eating?”

Goo Se Jun, who had been forcibly keeping his mouth shut, couldn’t contain his temper and raised his voice.

Due to the sound of his fist banging down on the table, Se Jun’s spoon rolled onto the floor.

Goo Se Hee, sitting with a pale face, flinched in surprise, but Tae Seok Kyu, seated opposite him, just kept chewing his abalone porridge without responding.

“Se Jun.”

Swallowing the aperitif laid out to whet the appetite, Goo Se Hee, with a trembling heart, soothed her brother while watching Chairman Tae Seok Kyu’s reactions.

It was said that one of Se Jun’s henchmen, who tried to harm Seo Yoon, was caught by Tae Kang Hyun.

It was as if the precarious tightrope they had been walking on for four years had finally been cut.

She had anticipated that a day like this might come when she chose not to kill Seo Yoon and let her live as Seo Ji An, but when it actually happened, she felt numb in her hands and feet.

Whether it was attachment, obsession, or simply possessiveness.

Kang Hyun’s pathological feelings towards Seo Yoon, which had persisted for over 20 years, were well known even to Goo Se Hee, who had played the role of his stepmother.

His extreme measures, pushing for marriage with another woman just to monopolize Seo Yoon and to compromise with Tae Seok Jung, his biggest obstacle, were well known.

“Stepmother.”

“Huh, what?”

“Be careful with your words. Seo Yoon might hear you. You didn’t say that hoping she would hear, did you?”
I can’t remember exactly what I said about Seo Yoon at that time. It must have been some dismissive remark, something about her being an orphan.

But Kang Hyun’s dark eyes, which had witnessed that scene and approached me, remained vividly in my mind.

If you don’t want to live with a sound mouth, try to keep babbling.

The gaze staring intently at me clearly held that meaning.

Since that day, I dared not approach Seo Yoon where Kang Hyun could see.

That’s why I was scared.

Fearing what Tae Kang Hyun, who would be enraged upon learning everything, might do to me and Se Jun.

In this situation, the protection of Chairman Tae Seok Kyu was desperately needed.

“We need to come up with some plan! Chairman, isn’t there a way to find out where Tae Kang Hyun is hiding? Let’s deal with it before the caught guy spills nonsense!”

Se Jun, flailing wildly, swatted away the hand of Goo Se Hee, who was trying to soothe him.

“Tsk, do you think killing them all is the solution? You caused this mess and still haven’t come to your senses.”

Tae Seok Kyu, stirring his seasoned spinach appetizingly, clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Where does he find such ignorant people to do his work? With the recent constant troubles, it seemed time to cut ties with Goo Se Jun.

“So you say handle it myself, and now this! Ah, since the caught guy doesn’t know you, Chairman, it doesn’t matter to you? Are you saying I should go down alone?”

“Goo Se Jun! Can’t you stop?”