Part 22

“Let me take you home, noona!”

In-ryul said in a cheerful voice as he got behind the wheel. When she didn’t reply and just stared out the window, In-ryul gave her a puzzled look and checked her in the rearview mirror.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah… No, it’s nothing.”

Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t remember what they had talked about during the meal. Since he reached out to her, everything had become a jumble in her mind.

“Have you eaten?”

She suddenly wondered if In-ryul, who was waiting for her, had eaten. She asked, and he nodded vigorously, slightly embarrassed.

“Yes, yes, of course.”

“Looks like you haven’t. Still, you should eat and work. Don’t skip meals from now on, okay?”

At her poignant remark, In-ryul awkwardly smiled. Seowoo picked up her cell phone and dialed a familiar number with determination.

“…”

The regular dial tone began to ring in her ears.

Please, please pick up.

Her face was filled with anxiousness. Seung-min had gotten on his nerves that this situation had unfolded.

[Answer the phone…]

“Ha.”

But even though the dial tone had been ringing for a while, she couldn’t hear the other person’s voice. 

Seowoo sighed deeply, squeezing her eyes shut. Since it was because of him that this had happened, she had no choice but to step in and resolve it herself.

She dialed Seung-min’s number with a frustrated expression.

• Yeah. Did the meeting go well?

His voice sounded lower than usual. It seemed like he still hadn’t resolved the matter.

No, he probably couldn’t resolve it.

Although the company wasn’t that big, there was no other way in the situation, especially considering the circumstances excluding actors under the MS agency. 

“It’s over. I’m on my way home now.”

• You’ve worked hard.

“Where are you? Are you still at the office?”

Seowoo listened carefully to the call, biting her lower lip.

• No. I’m still outside.

“Mr. Moon.”

• Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.

After all…….

Seowoo furrowed her brows and closed her eyes tightly.

“It won’t be easy.”

• Still, I have to do what I can. The kids are working hard, and I can’t just stand by and watch.

Even so… 

Seowoo opened her eyes and gripped her phone a little tighter.

• Go home. I’ll call you. Bye.

“CEO…… Oppa!”

Seung-min finally hung up the phone.

“Haah. Seriously.”

Seowoo sighed as she looked at the disconnected call. Still, he’s someone who had worked on this ground for over ten years, so if he’d asked around, he might have heard something.

He might find out soon enough that Kwon Jiwook was behind it all.

Feeling as though once again many people were suffering because of her, Seowoo felt as if a stone was weighing heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

“In-ryul.”

“Yes, Noona!”

Sensing the uneasy atmosphere, In-ryul responded promptly with a cheerful tone.

“Never mind… Just take me home.”

“Yes. We’ll arrive in 15 minutes!”

“Thanks.”

Seowoo’s anxious gaze turned towards the window.

***

[Pick up the phone, please.]

[I need to talk to you.]

[Please pick up the phone.]

[I’ll be there.]

She sent messages to him without haste. 

Unlike him, who knew her changed number and had even tracked down her new address, Seowoo knew nothing about Jiwook. Since he didn’t answer the phone and she didn’t know his address, all she could do was wait.

About 30 minutes passed after sending the texts.

Something crossed Seowoo’s mind at last.

Eventually, after much contemplation, Seowoo grabbed her car keys and headed straight out of her house. 

She hesitated for a moment, thinking there might be reporters following her, but she had no choice.

“How are you…?”

Arriving at the K Group headquarters, Seowoo headed straight to the reception desk. She took off her sunglasses and stared at the employee. The employee recognized her and became visibly flustered. She didn’t know what to do so she could get to meet him.

Showing her face was the surest way to do it.

There were articles about her in the midst of her comeback, and there was no way anyone at K Group didn’t know Yoon Seowoo, Kwon Jiwook’s ex-wife.

“Could you please tell the Executive Director that I’d like to see him?”

“Just a moment, please wait.”

The employee responded and immediately made a call somewhere. Seowoo could feel the fleeting glances around her. She put her sunglasses back on and tightly gripped the handle of her bag.

Shortly after, Cheol-hoon, Jiwook’s personal assistant, rushed down and politely greeted her, bowing at the waist.

“Madam, what brings you here?”

“I wanted to see him.”

“Please come this way.”

Cheol-hoon escorted her up. Seowoo walked slowly.

It had been a long time since she was at the K Group headquarters in Gangnam. Even when they were still a married couple, it was a rare occasion for her to come here.

Memories of herself during that time, when she was constantly in distress, came flooding back, sending a shiver down her spine.

Seowoo tried to focus on other thoughts and controlled her breathing. She didn’t want to hyperventilate, which could lead to an embarrassing situation.

The executive elevator swiftly ascended to the floor where his office was.

“Good afternoon.”

As they passed the secretary’s office, the secretary who recognized her stood up and greeted her politely. Seowoo returned the gesture lightly and followed Cheol-hoon.

“Please wait here for a moment.”

Cheol-hoon opened the office door and stood aside.

“Where is the Executive Director?”

“He’s in an external meeting.”

“I guess you didn’t go with him.”

“He had some special instructions, so I came into the office for a while.”

Cheol-hoon had been Jiwook’s personal assistant since they were married.

She knew him well.

He was Kwon Jiwook’s right-hand man. Seowoo, observing Cheol-hoon quietly, carefully sat on the sofa.

“Have you contacted him yet?”

“No, I’ll report to him shortly.”

“Okay, thank you.”

After bowing his head, Cheol-hoon left the office.

“Hah.”

Seowoo sighed deeply and closed her eyes slightly. His office was filled with the familiar scent of Kwon Jiwook. The intense woody fragrance tickled her nose.

It was like being in his arms.

She never thought she’d come here again. 

Her heart felt heavy. Seowoo sorted through her complicated thoughts in that place.

Knock, knock.

How much time had passed?

Another knock on the door made Seowoo’s head turn toward the door.

If it were Jiwook, he wouldn’t knock when entering his own office.

Maybe it wasn’t him.

“Yes?”

With permission granted, Cheol-hoon cautiously opened the door and revealed himself. A perplexed expression adorned his face.

“The Executive Director asked you to come here.”

Just as she was about to ask where Cheol-hoon placed a small piece of paper on the table in front of her.

Seowoo’s gaze shifted towards it. The paper had an address written on it.

“Where is this……?”

“This is the Executive Director’s house. He asked me to deliver this to you as well.”

Cheol-hoon placed another black key card beside the paper.

“Is the external meeting over?”

“Not yet…”

“Then I’ll wait here.”

“The Executive Director insists on bringing you here…”

“Could you please contact me again if he’s done?”

She had no desire to go all the way to his house. Seowoo clenched her fists and stared at Cheol-hoon. Contrary to her expectation of contacting Jiwook again, Cheol-hoon simply nodded politely.

It was a sign of refusal.

“Mr. Nam.”

“I’m sorry.”

What power does a mere secretary have?

Seowoo picked up the paper and key card, seeing no point in persisting since Cheol-hoon would only end up getting scolded by Jiwook again.

“I’ll escort you.”

“No, I’ll go by myself. I’ve brought my car anyway.”

Seowoo bid farewell to Cheol-hoon and left the office.

Her heart began to beat irregularly with a feeling of unease.