25.1

In the hotel elevator, Chaeyoon checked her appearance in the mirror one last time.

The sleeveless slate-gray dress had delicate beaded embroidery at the front, and the moderately voluminous skirt was layered with thin lace, giving it a mysterious, misty feel.

Her face, neck, and arms, which were not covered by the dress, were glowing with radiance thanks to the hours of careful massage. Her clear skin stood out, exuding a subtle yet feminine charm.

“The expensive massage really makes a difference.”

She couldn’t help but admire herself.

From the loosely upswept hairstyle that flowed naturally, to the pairing of the pearl earrings and necklace that could have looked dated, everything was harmonious.

After getting a top-notch massage, hair, and makeup, and wearing a dress by a top designer, it would be strange not to look beautiful. Chaeyoon agreed with Seonkyoung’s words that this was something any woman could rightly aspire to.

The external preparation was complete. Chaeyoon took a deep breath, straightened her back, puffed her chest, tilted her chin up proudly, and fitted her face with a suitable smile.

Perfect.

Brimming with confidence, Chaeyoon walked towards the party hall.

At the entrance of the hall where the party was being held, she showed her invitation to a staff member and stepped inside, immediately feeling the gazes of men drawn to her.

Chaeyoon looked around the hall for Seonkyoung and Seonho, but they didn’t seem to have arrived yet.

The crowd was divided between older ladies and young men and women. That’s when Chaeyoon noticed a group of women. Three of them were the daughters and granddaughters of a well-known business group chairman, faces Chaeyoon was familiar with. Among them, a pretty young woman looked out of place and uncomfortable.

It was obvious what was happening. The three powerful women were bullying that one girl.

“Aren’t you too old to still be doing this?”

Chaeyoon approached Kyungjin, who seemed to be the leader among them. Kyungjin had been her junior in middle school and had always formed cliques to harass those from weaker families.

“How did a senior like you end up here?”

Kyungjin looked at Chaeyoon with a cocky expression.

“I came because I have things to do here, isn’t that obvious?”

Chaeyoon pulled the girl out of the middle and sent her to the other side.

“Ha! But Senior Joo-eun isn’t here though?”

“Joo-eun isn’t the only one I know, remember? Forgot that I was the student council president?”

“It’s funny, without Senior Joo-eun, you’re like a kite without a string. And now that Senior Joo-eun is out, what are you relying on to be so bold like this?”

“How’s Senior Joo-eun doing? It’s good that you two are on the same level now, Senior. Hahaha.”

“You should have made better friends in the first place.”

The group around Kyungjin mocked Chaeyoon together.

“That’s why I didn’t get close with you guys. I have my own discerning eye, you know.”

With a gentle and warm smile on her face, Chaeyoon spoke softly,

“It’s really nothing special.”

However, this only seemed to further agitate Kyungjin more. It had always been this way; nothing could disturb Chaeyoon’s composure.

“If you take away your family background, I’m far better than you. Let’s be honest.”

“What do you mean, better?”

“I wish I only had brains too, but I don’t lack in beauty or figure either. It’s a pity, really. I’m not lacking in anything compared to you. Be careful, even conglomerates aren’t safe these days. One wrong move and things like admissions scandals come to light easily.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

While Kyungjin was seething with anger, someone called out to Chaeyoon.

“Isn’t it Chaeyoon?”

Mrs. Ko, dressed elegantly in a Hanbok dress, approached them from behind.

“Mrs. Ko. It’s good to see you here.”

Chaeyoon greeted the elderly lady warmly.

“Hello.”

With the appearance of Mrs. Ko, Kyungjin hesitated and then greeted her along with her group. Given their habit of ranking everyone based on their group status, they had no choice but to behave in front of Mrs. Ko.

“Ah, you all came early. Was I interrupting your conversation?”

“No, I was just exchanging greetings with the juniors.”

“Well, that’s good. Come over here.”

Mrs. Ko gently took Chaeyoon’s hand and led her away.

“Yes, ma’am.”

As she followed Mrs. Ko, Chaeyoon mouthed to Kyungjin’s group,

‘Powerless ones.’

This caused their faces to flush red.

Mrs. Ko led Chaeyoon to a gathering of wives from conglomerate families.

“You know Chaeyoon, right? She’s the daughter of Secretary Min.”

Chaeyoon warmly greeted the familiar-faced ladies, and they exchanged pleasant conversation with her.

“You studied jewelry design, didn’t you?”

Mrs. Ju, who was the mother of the vice president when Chaeyoon was the student council president of her junior high school, asked.

“Oh, what are you saying? She’s already an accomplished designer now. She hasn’t been studying long but has already received an award as a promising new designer.”

Mrs. Ko praised Chaeyoon in an elegant voice.

“That’s an exaggeration, ma’am.”

“No, it’s not. What would I be if I didn’t recognize your true talent?”

Mrs. Ko then showed off a pearl hairpin she was wearing, which was an award-winning piece designed by Chaeyoon.

“Did Chaeyoon make this?”

The ladies glanced at the pearl hairpin set.

“It suits you well, Mrs. Ko. It’s elegant and beautiful.”

While everyone nodded in agreement, Chaeyoon was still an unrecognized designer, so their interest remained modest.

“She’s also participating in the London International Jewelry Fair in August.”

While Chaeyoon was conversing with the ladies, Seonkyoung entered the hall with Seonho. Seonkyoung instantly spotted Chaeyoon next to Mrs. Ko and an unpleasant expression crossed her face.

“Why is she over there?”

“Mrs. Ko must have taken her over there.”

“I just can’t take my eyes off her.”

Seonkyoung left Seonho behind and quickly approached their group, feeling slighted as though Mrs. Ko had intercepted her introduction to Chaeyoon.

“Hello”

Seonkyoung greeted the group with a dignified attitude. The ladies warmly welcomed her, praising her beauty and calling her the best-dressed.

Seonkyoung was recognized among them as a fashion icon, and everything she wore was a subject of interest.

“Ah, what’s this?”

With sharp observation, someone recognized the grain pattern on Seonkyoung’s bold red bracelet.

Her basic black dress, deeply cut at the chest and naturally highlighting her figure, accentuated Seonkyoung’s voluptuous body along with her red ring and bracelet.

“It’s the same design as Mrs. Ko’s.”

The ladies looked at Chaeyoon with an expression asking how this came to be.

“When I was in London, I commissioned Chaeyoon for it. Oh, should I be calling you by name, or should I refer to you as ‘Designer Han’?”

Seonkyung asked Chaeyoon in an intimate manner, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her to her side.

“No need, Vice Chairwoman. Please, feel free to call me comfortably.”

“Oh, you and Chaeyoon know each other, Vice Chairwoman? I wasn’t aware.”

A smile stayed on Mrs. Ko’s face, though it slightly stiffened. It seemed she was inwardly displeased that Seonkyoung was as close to Chaeyoon as she was.

“It’s always nicer to meet someone from your own country abroad, right, Chaeyoon?”

Seonkyoung smiled at Chaeyoon.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Thanks to Chaeyoon, I fell in love with the charm of London. She guided me so well.”

“Is that so? Could I possibly ask you for guidance too? I’m thinking of going to the London Jewelry Exhibition this time.”

“Oh, might she be too busy for that? She’s not a student anymore, you know. She’ll be even busier going forward.”

Chaeyoon was bewildered by the situation, glancing back and forth at Seonkyoung and Mrs. Ko.

It felt like an analogy where two women were competing for the same man’s attention. Her instincts strongly warned her not to side with either Seonkyoung or Mrs. Ko in this tense situation.

It wasn’t just Chaeyoon’s impression; the other ladies also noticed the tight atmosphere between the two, only moving their eyes subtly.

“How long will you stay in Korea, Designer Han?”

Mrs. Ju broke the tension by asking Chaeyoon.

“About a week.”

“Is that so? I’d like to commission some jewelry too; would you mind stopping by my place?”

Following her request, a flurry of jewelry commissions from various ladies started competing for attention.

***

Phew.

Chaeyoon sighed in relief internally as she picked up a cocktail glass. 

With high-profile individuals like Mrs. Ko and the discerning Seonkyoung wearing jewelry Chaeyoon had made, all the ladies were eagerly requesting her services, leaving her hardly a moment to breathe.

After giving her contact details to their secretaries, she was finally able to catch her breath.

“You’re quite popular.”

A handsome man approached Chaeyoon with a smile.