Chapter 3

‘Director Ji Dokyeom?’

Just as Leeyeon was about to open her mouth to say something.

Dokyeom made a ‘shh’ sound, as if telling her to stay quiet, and quickly raised both hands to cover her ears.

“……”

The sudden appearance of the man left her even more startled.

What on earth is this situation?

As the shocked Leeyeon widened her eyes, Dokyeom removed his hands from her ears after a moment.

Then, grabbing the wrist of the dazed Leeyeon, he hurriedly led her away.

***

Even as she got into Dokyeom’s car, Leeyeon struggled to figure out what exactly was going on.

‘Why on earth am I suddenly with Director Ji Dokyeom …….’

Dokyeom was the stepson of Cha Heeyoung, the director of Jicheol Gallery, whom Leeyeon worked for.

Although Dokyeom occasionally dropped by the gallery, and she had seen his face in passing, this was the first time they had ever spoken to each other.

The car sped along until it stopped in front of the Jicheol Construction building located along the main road.

After parking the car, Dokyeom was the first to step out.

Leeyeon followed him and got out of the car as well.

“There’s something I need to say about what you saw today. So, I’d like to talk upstairs.”

Leeyeon stared up at the towering Jicheol Construction building.

Seeing her still wary, Dokyeom asked gently.

“If that’s uncomfortable, should we talk here instead, standing like this?”

At Dokyeom’s question, Leeyeon slowly turned her head to check her surroundings.

Although there weren’t many people passing by, it didn’t seem like the kind of conversation to have outside. So, reluctantly, Leeyeon moved her feet.

It wasn’t just the shock of discovering that her boyfriend Junho had cheated on her; what was even more bewildering was that Dokyeom had something urgent to say to her.

***

Dokyeom’s office was very much like his image—clean and straightforward.

The spacious office lacked any unnecessary decorations.

“Take a seat.”

As Leeyeon sat on the sofa in the center of the office, Dokyeom pulled a business card from his wallet and placed it on the table.

“Ji Dokyeom, Director of the New Business Division at Jicheol Construction.”

It was a short and clear introduction, but no further explanation was necessary.

He was a man who seemed to effortlessly dominate the atmosphere around him.

His pomade-styled hair revealed his impressive forehead, paired with bold eyebrows, sharp nose and jawline that looked as if they could cut someone, and a deep, trustworthy baritone voice that was undeniably appealing.

“Yes. I know who you are.”

Hearing Leeyeon’s words that she knew him, Dokyeom began to state his purpose.

“The man rolling around so indecently at Jicheol Gallery today—isn’t he the one you’re dating Han Leeyeon?”

“How do you know that?”

With a smile that was hard to decipher, Dokyeom leaned back deeply into his chair.

“Because I’m quite interested in you, Han Leeyeon.”

After saying something so cryptic, Dokyeom added one more thing with a blank expression.

“And if you knew who the woman rolling around with Ko Junho was, you’d be surprised too, Han Leeyeon.”

“Who was it?”

“My fiancée-to-be.”

“What?”

At those words, Leeyeon’s eyes widened noticeably.

If Dokyeom’s fiancée-to-be was who she thought, it would be none other than Bae Yerin, the rising artist whom Cha Heeyoung, the gallery director, adored so much.

How could Yerin, Dokyeom’s fiancée, have done such a thing with Junho in the office?

While Leeyeon was shocked, Dokyeom remained calm, as if this had nothing to do with him.

“Han Leeyeon, did you love that man a lot?”

It was a question that required quite a bit of thought, so she couldn’t answer hastily.

Finally, Leeyeon’s lips slowly parted.

“No.”

As if he had been waiting for that answer, Dokyeom’s lips, which had remained still until now, curved into a broad smile.

As if it was the answer he had been expecting.

They hadn’t started their relationship out of love anyway.

She had accepted Junho’s confession, thinking that perhaps her feelings might change as they spent more time together. But after hearing him insult her and her parents today, any affection she had left completely disappeared.

“Well, that’s good news.”

Dokyeom leaned his upper body forward and got straight to the point.

“Han Leeyeon, I have two proposals to make.”

At the sudden mention of a proposal, Leeyeon looked puzzled.

“First, I’d like you to work as my personal secretary.”

Hearing that, Leeyeon couldn’t hide her expression.

Although she quickly closed her slightly parted lips, Dokyeom must have already noticed her confusion.

Dokyeom was surrounded by highly skilled secretaries.

So why was he asking someone far less qualified like her to be his personal secretary?

She couldn’t understand his intentions at all.

As he waited for her response, Dokyeom spoke first.

“To be precise, I want you to report Cha Heeyoung’s daily activities to me.”

“What?”

This was something she hadn’t even considered, so it surprised her even more.

“Director Cha Heeyoung’s daily activities?”

Dokyeom answered with a single nod.

She couldn’t figure out what Dokyeom was thinking.

Leaning deeply into the sofa, Dokyeom spoke as if it wasn’t a difficult task.

“I need to know every single move Director Cha Heeyoung makes. Personally.”

“If you’re curious, why don’t you ask Director Cha Heeyoung directly…?”

“Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not know?”

His cold gaze swept over Leeyeon.

“There’s been a tip-off that Director Cha Heeyoung has been embezzling money from the gallery.”

“What?”

Han Leeyeon had no idea about this.

“Of course, I’m not asking you to gather evidence of such circumstances.”

It didn’t seem like she had the ability to do so anyway.

Dokyeom whispered softly.

“All you have to do is report when, where, who, and why Cha Heeyoung met someone. That’s it.”

“……”

“I’ll make sure you’re compensated generously.”

Leeyeon hesitated for a moment.

It wasn’t because of the money Dokyeom promised.

If, as Dokyeom said, Cha Heeyoung was embezzling corporate funds from Jicheol Gallery, then perhaps things could become easier for her.

After enduring all kinds of humiliation at Heeyoung’s side for months, Leeyeon might be able to achieve her goal more quickly.

Maybe, without having to deal with it herself, she could even bring Cha Heeyoung down into ruin.

“You won’t have much time to think about this, Han Leeyeon.”

“What do you mean?”

Dokyeom flashed a dangerously captivating smile.

“If you can’t do it, I’ll just find someone else.”

It sounded like such an easy thing for Dokyeom.

Could he possibly mean that if I don’t accept his proposal, I wouldn’t be able to keep my position as Cha Heeyoung’s personal secretary?

If that happened, all the time she had spent enduring beside Cha Heeyoung would be for nothing.

She couldn’t let herself get fired without accomplishing what she had set out to do.

Leeyeon swallowed hard and asked,

“If I refuse your proposal, are you saying you’ll replace me with someone else?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I plan to do.”

Dokyeom’s straightforward answer left Leeyeon’s lips slowly parting in disbelief.

“Why…?”

“Because I need someone in that position to do this job for me.”

Dokyeom continued speaking calmly, as if it were a simple matter.

“If you can’t do it, I’ll put my own person in your place.”

This meant that Han Leeyeon would lose her qualification as Cha Heeyoung’s personal secretary.

She became desperate.

More anxious than before.

So, Leeyeon asked first.

“When should I give you my answer by?”

“By tomorrow. One day should be enough, don’t you think?”

In truth, there was only one choice Leeyeon could make.

If Dokyeom would take care of Cha Heeyoung, it seemed like an ideal deal.

What Leeyeon wanted right now was just one thing, and that was it.

However, she couldn’t make a decision right away because she hadn’t fully grasped Dokyeom’s intentions. That was the only reason.

“What will you do if you find out about Director Cha Heeyoung’s corruption?”

At that bold question, Dokyeom smirked.

Then, as if he had said all he needed to, he stood up from his seat.

“I’ll let you know once you’ve made your decision.”

As Dokyeom rose, Leeyeon asked him,

“Director, didn’t you say you had two proposals for me?”

She wondered what the second proposal might be.

No matter what it was, she resolved not to show any surprise.

As she thought this, Dokyeom slowly opened his mouth.