Chapter 1. Found You, My First Woman

“Secretary Han, have you found that woman?”  

The pleasing low-pitched voice resonated quietly in the spacious office.  

Yerin straightened her back and put on her usual business smile.  

“I’m sorry. Not yet.”  

Lee Hyun rubbed his brow slowly with his index finger, seemingly displeased with Yerin’s answer.  

It was a reaction she had expected.  

It had already been over three months since Lee Hyun instructed Yerin to find ‘that woman.’  

‘How am I supposed to find someone I can’t? Sigh.’  

Yerin sighed deeply to herself and forced a smile.  

As always, Lee Hyun stared intently at Yerin’s face.  

Whenever he looked at her so persistently, she couldn’t help but recall that night, making her tense.  

‘Surely, the Director doesn’t actually know anything, right?’  

Even though she knew he didn’t, the intensity of Lee Hyun’s gaze made her nervous for no reason.  

The saying, ‘A guilty conscience needs no accuser,’ must have been coined for moments like this.  

‘I can’t let it show. I need to act natural.’  

Unfortunately, the “woman” Lee Hyun was so desperately looking for was none other than Yerin herself.

After spending an unforgettable night together, Lee Hyun had fallen for “that woman” at first sight and had been pressuring Yerin to find her by any means necessary.

The fortunate thing was that he had entrusted Yerin with the task, allowing her to deliberately stall by not looking for “that woman.”

The unfortunate thing was that if she failed to find “that woman,” she would have to continue this absurd fake relationship with Lee Hyun indefinitely.

It was a truly difficult situation, leaving Yerin feeling helpless.  

The only person enjoying this situation was Lee Hyun.  

Yerin opened her mouth, pretending to be diligently working.  

“Director, is there perhaps a clue about that woman you haven’t shared with me yet?”  

“Ah, there is one. That night, that woman scratched my body and ran away.”

Yerin’s lips parted slightly.  

‘Did I scratch the Director that night?’  

Now that she thought about it, maybe she did.

Unable to control the dizzying pleasure she experienced for the first time, she must have dug her nails into his flawless back muscles.

Yerin clenched her fists tightly to hide her well-manicured nails.  

Unbeknownst to her, Lee Hyun’s eyes were capturing every single one of her movements.  

“Did… did it leave a scar?”  

“It did. Want to see?”  

Lee Hyun tugged his tie as if he would take off his shirt at any moment.  

“No, thank you!”  

Yerin firmly stopped Lee Hyun’s actions.

“I don’t think there’s any need for me to see it. Seeing the scar won’t help us find the woman, anyway.”  

At her words, a hint of disappointment crossed Lee Hyun’s face.  

“Well, if you say so, Secretary Han.”  

She still couldn’t forget Lee Hyun’s perfectly sculpted abs, as if carved over years of effort.  

It wasn’t just his abs that were impressive.

His firm chest muscles, broad shoulders, and even the scent she smelled when he held her — she remembered it all.  

And recalling those memories naturally made her blush.  

No matter how hard she tried to maintain her composure, it was never easy in front of Lee Hyun.  

She knew better than anyone that she would never meet a man better than Lee Hyun in her lifetime.  

That’s why she had to hide the fact that she was “that woman.”  

She wanted the person Lee Hyun met that night to remain a grand, imaginary woman in his memory.  

It was the only way to preserve the precious memory he cherished.

Taking a short breath, Yerin returned to her report.  

“Director, so, in conclusion…”  

“Why are you jumping to the conclusion already? I want to hear every detail of the process.”  

Yerin could only smile awkwardly.  

There was only one thing she could say to Lee Hyun.  

That she was looking and would continue to look diligently.  

It was a predetermined conclusion, and it wasn’t going to change.  

Gulp—

Yerin swallowed hard.  

“Secretary Han, the only thing you can’t seem to solve is this.”  

“That woman is hiding herself so well.”  

Lee Hyun smiled warmly.  

“You should have found her by any means necessary. Secretary Han, do you enjoy fake dating me this much?”  

Yerin quickly turned her head to glance at the firmly closed office door.  

Although the room was soundproof, she lowered her voice even more, worried the secretarial staff outside might hear.  

“Director, you promised not to mention our fake relationship within the company.”

“Oh, did I?”

Lee Hyun smirked playfully, lifting the corners of his lips.  

‘Oh, did I?’ Seriously.

He obviously remembered but was teasing her on purpose.

Tilting his head slightly, Lee Hyun looked at her with affectionate eyes.  

“Secretary Han, you don’t have any plans this afternoon. How about we leave work early and go on a date?”  

Did he know how hard it was to refuse such an irresistible offer with that handsome face?  

Yerin hid her true feelings and put on the business-like smile she used with clients.  

“Director, we’re still on duty, so I’d prefer if we didn’t talk about our fake relationship.”  

“Oh, I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”  

Lee Hyun lazily raised his eyebrows and scrutinized Yerin’s face.  

Noticing her slightly trembling lips, he spoke in a soft, pleasant tone.  

“Why do I keep feeling like you’re not trying to find her on purpose, Secretary Han?”  

Lee Hyun’s dark eyes landed on Yerin’s face.  

His piercing gaze made her tense up as if he could see right through her.  

“Why would I do that?”

“Exactly. Once you find her, our relationship will end. Isn’t that right?”  

“Yes.”  

Yerin was smiling, but it wasn’t a real smile.  

Because even if she brought that woman to him, the situation wouldn’t change much.  

Because that woman was her, after all.  

“Do as you please, Secretary Han.”  

For once, Lee Hyun backed off without a fight.  

And soon enough, the reason for his nonchalance was revealed.  

“I don’t mind fake dating you, Secretary Han.”  

“Director, it’s not dating, it’s pretending to date.”  

Lee Hyun stood up and walked toward Yerin with his long legs.  

The closer he got, the faster Yerin’s heart raced.  

“But Secretary Han, I realized there’s something I haven’t told you.”  

“Yes?”  

Lee Hyun pulled out something shiny from his suit pocket.  

The moment Yerin recognized what it was, she bit her lip hard.  

“Secretary Han, excuse me.”  

Lee Hyun took Yerin’s right hand and slowly lifted it.  

“Why are you trembling so much? Anyone would think I’m about to devour you.”  

Yerin’s fingertips quivered.  

Just as she tried to pull her hand away, Lee Hyun was quicker.  

“It fits perfectly. Almost unbelievably so.”  

Lee Hyun tilted his head as he examined the ring snugly fitted on Yerin’s right index finger.  

“What are the odds of this?”  

“I don’t understand what you mean.”  

Her voice trembled slightly from the tension.  

Yerin glared at the ring on her finger, which fit perfectly.  

It was undoubtedly hers.  

It was the precious ring her mother, Chansook, had given her when she joined Jiseok Electronics.  

And unfortunately, she had lost that cherished ring the night she spent with Lee Hyun.  

She never imagined he would have it.  

She thought she had dropped it at the party venue.  

Lee Hyun, seemingly amused, gently caressed Yerin’s finger as he spoke.  

“Secretary Han, I don’t know much about women’s ring sizes, but…”  

“…”  

“What are the odds of someone else’s ring fitting this perfectly?”  

A chill ran down her spine.  

She couldn’t let herself be caught by Lee Hyun’s probing questions.  

Smiling brightly, Yerin removed the ring from her finger.  

“You mentioned before that the woman you’re looking for has a similar build to mine, Director.”  

“I did.”  

“Then it’s likely her finger size is also similar to mine.”  

Yerin placed the ring back into Lee Hyun’s palm.  

It was the ring she had been searching for.  

But she couldn’t ask for it back.  

Doing so would be equivalent to admitting she was the one who spent that night with him.

Lee Hyun looked disappointed as he stepped back.  

“Oh, I see.”  

Lee Hyun carefully wrapped the ring in a cloth and put it back in his pocket.  

Yerin stared at it longingly, as if it had been taken away from her.  

Lee Hyun snapped his fingers.  

“Secretary Han, there’s something I’ve been curious about.”  

He closed the distance between them, even closer than before.  

“Director?”  

Lee Hyun placed a hand on Yerin’s waist, pulling her firmly into his embrace.  

The fragrant scent of his cologne made Yerin’s lips part slightly.  

“Secretary Han, could you take off that earring for a moment?”

“Pardon?”  

Lee Hyun pointed precisely at Yerin’s right ear.  

A large pearl earring dangled from it.  

Yerin deliberately wore flashy, oversized earrings.  

To hide the mole on her right earlobe.  

“Why do you need my earring…”  

“Excuse me for a moment.”  

Lee Hyun leaned in and removed the earring from Yerin’s ear.  

The weight of the earring disappeared, and soon after, his low-pitched voice whispered into her ear.  

“I remember quite clearly.”  

“Remember what…?”  

Lee Hyun caressed Yerin’s earlobe, his gaze intoxicating.  

The smile on his face was dangerously alluring.  

“I think I’ve found her.”  

“…”  

“The woman who’s been haunting me every night.”  

Yerin’s eyes widened in shock.  

Lee Hyun captured her startled expression in his deep gaze and leaned closer.  

The movement of his Adam’s apple felt like slow motion to Yerin.  

Finally, Lee Hyun’s lips parted in an electrifying manner.

“Han Yerin. It’s you.”