Chapter 16. Acquired Evidence  

“Director, I think it would be better for you to hear my decision around the time I leave work.”

“Do you mean it would be better for me, or that it would be better for you?”

Strictly speaking, it was both.

She was planning to tell Lee Hyun that she wouldn’t engage in a fake relationship.

Delaying that conversation as long as possible would be good for both her and Lee Hyun.

“Director, first of all, I’m at work now.”

Lee Hyun looked at Yerin intently as if urging her to continue.

“So, I think it’s right to talk about work right now.”

Yerin’s bold words made Lee Hyun chuckle softly.

“True. Unfortunately, it is work hours now.”

“Yes.”

Well, who could argue when someone wanted to focus solely on work during office hours?

Yerin praised her quick thinking immensely.

Little did she know that it might lead to significant repercussions.

Lee Hyun began to carefully review the schedule Yerin had presented.

It seemed he finally felt like working.

“I understand your opinion well.”

Yerin felt a surge of joy inside.

The problem was that joy didn’t last even a second.

“You’re saying we should only talk about work during office hours, and save our personal matters for after work, right? Isn’t that correct?”

“Pardon?”

Lee Hyun smiled subtly, having come to his own conclusion.

“I really chose the right secretary. Alright, then let’s start the schedule briefing.”

This time, it was Yerin who hesitated.

“Wait a moment, Director.”

Lee Hyun slowly lifted his gaze from the paper.

“Are you saying we should meet after work?”

“That’s what you suggested, wasn’t it?”

“Excuse me? When did I say that?”

“You said earlier that you only wanted to talk about work at the company.”

That statement meant…

I had said it because I felt awkward outright rejecting your proposal for a fake relationship right then and there!

She wanted to shout but held it back.

It felt like she was getting caught up in Lee Hyun’s pace again today.

Yerin took a short breath and corrected the true meaning of what she had said.

“I didn’t mean to suggest we meet separately after work.”

“I heard it that way.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“There are many meetings today.”

Lee Hyun seemed to shift the topic back to work after that.

Since she couldn’t keep bringing up different topics as a secretary, Yerin reluctantly began to explain the schedule.

“The schedule will conclude with the Product Planning Team meeting at 5 PM.”

“Secretary Han, there’s one schedule you missed.”

Missed? 

She had checked multiple times before entering.

Wondering if something had been scheduled in between, Yerin cautiously asked.

“If there’s a schedule I’m unaware of, I’d appreciate it if you could let me know. I’ll update it immediately.”

“It’s something you’re already aware of.”

‘Something I already know?’

She hadn’t intentionally left anything out, but worried that Lee Hyun might think so, Yerin felt a bead of sweat run down her back.

Secretary Choi had said that Lee Hyun extremely disliked secretaries who couldn’t do their jobs.

Yerin didn’t want to be that kind of person, so she quickly spoke up.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to skip the update.”

Lee Hyun smiled charmingly as he tapped his fingers on the desk.

“You missed a very important dinner appointment.”

Yerin tilted her head.

Lee Hyun didn’t have any dinner meetings scheduled for today.

“Director, you didn’t have any dinner appointments planned for today…”

“Well, one was just made. Earlier.”

“Pardon?”

“Why are you pretending not to know? Secretary Han, didn’t we agree to have dinner together after work?”

“……”

Yerin gripped her planner tightly.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“When… I never agreed to have dinner. I just said we could talk when we finish work.”

Lee Hyun’s brow furrowed slightly.

“So, you’re saying you’ll have that conversation with me?”

“Yes.”

“You said you didn’t want to talk about personal matters at the company, so should we discuss it at your home instead?”

“No!”

“Exactly.”

Yerin finally understood Lee Hyun’s last remark.

So, he meant that discussing it over dinner would be the best option.

“Director, I’m sorry, but I have a prior engagement tonight.”

Lee Hyun’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Oh, please understand that I’m not making excuses to avoid having dinner with you.”

She had plans to meet Nari tonight.

Nari was dying of curiosity about what had happened at the party that caused Lee Hyun to search for a woman who resembled Yerin and insisted on meeting her tonight.

“Who are you meeting?”

“A friend…”

“A guy?”

“No! It’s a female friend.”

At the mention of “female,” Lee Hyun’s expression softened even more.

“Alright. You need to socialize too. I can’t monopolize you.”

“Are you being understanding?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to thank him for allowing her to keep her dinner plans.

Still, she was grateful he didn’t demand she cancel her plans outright.

“Where are you meeting?”

“At the S Hotel restaurant…”

Without realizing it, Yerin answered Lee Hyun’s question straightforwardly, then pressed her lips together tightly.

“I see.”

‘There’s no way he would actually go there, right? He’s a busy person.’

As if to confirm that Yerin’s thoughts were unfounded, Lee Hyun straightened his back and sat up straight in his chair.

Yerin had marked the important schedule that Lee Hyun absolutely shouldn’t forget with a star and had even left a sticky note on top of it.

Lee Hyun’s gaze was fixed on that note.

“If the schedule briefing is over, you can go, Secretary Han. I think I’ve got everything I need here.”

“Yes, Director.”

After sending Yerin out, Lee Hyun couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“Your handwriting is so characteristic of you, Secretary Han.”

Lee Hyun peeled off the sticky note and brought it close to his face.

Then, he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a memo he had carefully kept.

It was the memo left behind by the woman who had disappeared that day.

“The handwriting is the same.”

Laughter kept bubbling up.

“It’s not just the handwriting.”

Even with his eyes closed, he couldn’t help but think only of Yerin these days.

When he visited Chetto Brand’s CEO Kim Nari to inquire about the woman, Yerin’s reflection appeared on the glass meeting room wall.

Yerin had been shaking her head repeatedly and crossing her arms in front of her chest in an “X” gesture.

Perhaps it was a signal to not share any important information that CEO Kim Nari of the Chetto brand might know.

Seeing that, he barely managed to suppress his laughter.

How long could Yerin hide the fact that she was that woman?

That was also an intriguing element.

He was curious as to why Yerin didn’t reveal that she was that woman.

Until now, Lee Hyun had only seen women lining up to try to get along with him.

Because of that, Yerin’s refusal to mention that day’s events until the end was enough to pique Lee Hyun’s interest.

That was why he had proposed such an absurd fake relationship.

And in fact, he couldn’t forget that night.

More precisely, he couldn’t forget the woman who disappeared—Yerin.

He wanted her close and wanted to know more about her.

To understand the inexplicable feelings she had stirred in him.?

To see her more often, he needed to create as many personal connections as possible, even if it meant using a ridiculous excuse like a fake relationship.

The more connections he could create privately, the better.

Smiling, Lee Hyun carefully stored both the memo left by the missing woman and the sticky note Yerin had given him.

“This is evidence.”

***

Even when Yerin reported that she was leaving work, Lee Hyun sent her off with a warm smile.

Though it made her anxious, it was nice to be able to escape for now.

‘I still haven’t told the Director that I won’t engage in a fake relationship.’

Thinking that Lee Hyun had roughly understood her feelings, Yerin headed to the S Hotel with a light step.

Thanks to Nari’s reservation, she was guided to a private room as soon as she entered the restaurant.

“Hey, Han Yerin!”

“Nari!”

Nari opened the door and welcomed Yerin with open arms, looking pleased to see her.

Yerin embraced her and then sat down.

“I really have a lot I want to ask.”

“Let’s eat first.”

The two ordered pasta and waited for it to arrive.

“So why is Director Cha Lee Hyun looking for a woman who resembles you?”

“Ugh.”

Just thinking about it made her head throb again.

“Nari, don’t be surprised, but listen.”

“It must be surprising. Okay, I’m mentally prepared.”

“The truth is, I…” 

Yerin spilled everything that had happened that day.

And she unintentionally shared how she had to face Lee Hyun again after her original boss received disciplinary action.

Nari’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“You’re crazy. So he’s asking you to find that woman?”

“Yeah.”

“But that woman is you.”

“Of course, I can’t say that.”

“Why not? Just say it confidently!”

“I can’t.”

Yerin explained the reasons she couldn’t do that in detail.

She added that Lee Hyun had said he would hold the woman accountable for all the damages caused by her failure to properly fulfill her duties.

“So that’s the situation?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s tough.”

Nari seemed to empathize with Yerin’s predicament as she brushed her hair back with one hand.

“But I’ve thought of a good solution.”

“What is it?”

Nari leaned closer and whispered in Yerin’s ear.

“That’s ridiculous. You’re joking, right?”

“I’m serious.”

Nari’s face showed no sign of laughter.

“How about it? If you use the method I suggested, you wouldn’t even have to worry about him finding the missing woman.”

“No way. How could I do that?”

“If you properly seduce the Director, the situation will change.”

“Are you saying to make him forget about that woman?”

“Exactly.”

Yerin shook her head resolutely with a determined expression.

“I can’t do that.”

The more entangled she became with Lee Hyun, the more the situation flowed in unexpected directions.

That was why it was best to avoid making connections with him as much as possible.

“I honestly just feel like running away.”

Yerin sighed deeply, recalling her predicament where she couldn’t move forward or backward.

Even though she hadn’t let anyone down, she felt trapped in a snare without realizing it.