The security guards and the employee who had called them in eyed Seol-ah suspiciously, scanning her from head to toe. However, when she mentioned that she was staying in a suite, their attitude changed to a more respectful tone.

“May we ask what room you’re staying in?”

“Well, that’s…”

There was no way she could remember. After getting completely drunk the night before, she couldn’t even remember how she got to the hotel, let alone what room she was in.

“You don’t know your room number?” 

“Huh? Oh, that’s not it, I just…”

There was no way Seol-ah could admit that a man had carried her in while she was unconscious. 

“Please show us your ID or we may have to call the police.” 

The mention of the police made Seol-ah’s heart sink. Jung-jae twisted his lips into a smug grin, clearly enjoying the situation as if it were some kind of spectacle for him and Kim Seol-ran. He was completely convinced that Seol-ah had gone to extreme lengths to follow him here. 

She could see now that he was the kind of man who would lose himself in his delusions, especially after marrying someone else.

“‘It’s the presidential suite. Is there a problem?”

A deep, resonant voice sounded from behind Seol-ah, causing her to turn her head.

“!”

Startled, a shiver ran down Seol-ah’s spine as the man wrapped his arm around her waist. Her muscles tensed and froze. The reason for her reaction was simple – she recognized him.

The night before, he had sat quietly next to her while she drank wine and asked the bartender for the drinks he had reserved. The image of his side profile, illuminated by the dim lighting, was still vivid in her mind.

Beneath his thick eyebrows were strikingly elongated eyes, and every time he blinked, his long eyelashes fluttered. The most captivating feature was his perfectly sculpted nose – Seol-ah had never seen such a well-defined bridge before. As his sensual lips parted to reveal a strong jawline, she watched his Adam’s apple bob as he tilted his glass, radiating an undeniable masculine aura.

But why was she so startled by him? Why did a shiver run down her spine? Struggling to comprehend her own body’s reaction to his presence, Seol-ah tilted her head in confusion.

“Presidential suite?” 

“Yes, that’s right. Is there a problem?” 

“Then this lady is with you and your party…?” 

“Of course.” 

“I do apologize! We’ve made a terrible mistake. Please forgive our rudeness.” 

The guards’ demeanor changed dramatically, their previous suspicion now replaced by concern and respect as they realized they had misjudged the situation. The male guard bowed deeply, almost at a 90-degree angle, to apologize. Seeing this, Jung-jae’s face turned pale. It suddenly dawned on him – Seol-ah wasn’t following him. She was with a stunningly handsome man who was staying in the presidential suite.

Jung-jae knew only too well the exorbitant cost of a night in the presidential suite. He had scraped together every discount, even agreeing to promote the hotel on his social media, just to secure a cheaper, less popular room. He had bragged endlessly to his new wife, Kim Seol-ran, about what a fantastic deal he had got. Now, the realization that Seol-ah was in a suite far beyond his reach made him feel a wave of unease.

The realization that Seol-ah was now in the company of a man who could afford such luxury sent a wave of anxiety through him. How had she ended up here? And with someone so undeniably attractive? This was not at all the scenario he had imagined.

The attendants suddenly became nervous. They had received orders from the hotel management to provide exceptional service to the VVIP staying in the presidential suite, a man named Kang Hwi-gang. 

“We’ll take you to the VVIP room. This way, please.”

“Uh, I need to use the bathroom first.”

Seol-ah blurted out quickly, sensing that something was wrong. She needed an excuse and that was the only one she could think of.

The attendant, now much more respectful, bowed deeply.

“Allow me to guide you.”

“Oh yes, thank you.”

Seol-ah replied, trying to keep her voice calm.

Following the employee at a brisk pace, she reached the women’s restroom. Once inside, Seol-ah began pacing anxiously, like a puppy desperately trying to find a way out.

Seol-ah tugged at her hair, muttering to herself as she desperately tried to piece together her memories. Suddenly she froze, a small cry escaping her.

“Will you marry me when you have time?”

“Ah, I’m going crazy! This is insane!”

She cried in frustration, jumping around the toilet. Then she saw her reflection in the mirror and gasped again. Rushing to the tap, she frantically splashed water on her face, trying to erase the dark circles under her eyes, almost on the verge of tears.

After hastily fixing her appearance, Seol-ah made a decision. She had just remembered – the man who had saved her earlier was the same man she had had a one-night stand with.

Leaving the ladies’ room, Seol-ah began to execute a plan worthy of a 007 spy film. Pressing her body against the wall, she carefully surveyed her surroundings. Satisfied that no one was around, she quickly made her way to the elevator. However, as she rounded the corner, she collided head-on with a large figure.

“Oh!” 

As Seol-ah rubbed her forehead and looked up, she locked eyes with Kang Hwi-gang and a scream escaped her. Her body tensed like a debtor caught by a loan shark. 

“It wouldn’t be good for you to run away.”

“Run away? I don’t know what you’re talking about! I have to go!” 

Seol-ah tried to get around Hwi-gang, but it was impossible; he stretched out his arm and blocked her way. 

“Excuse me, could you please let me pass?” 

Seol-ah tried to push his arm aside, but his strength was unyielding. 

“Let’s eat breakfast first and then talk.” 

“I’m not hungry!”

‘Grrr, gurgle!’

Ugh, seriously. Seol-ah bit her lip, frustrated by the loud protest of her stomach, which showed no mercy to her current predicament. 

“Let’s go.” 

Hwi-gang grabbed her wrist, his grip firm. Feeling the pressure, strong enough to turn her palm white, Seol-ah abandoned any thought of escape. All right, she thought, there would be other chances.

With thoughts of escape in her head, Seol-ah was once again drawn to the buffet restaurant. As she entered, however, her eyes fell on Jung-jae sitting at the window overlooking the Han River, enjoying breakfast with the woman he had married the day before. This sight made her rethink her plan. 

Straightening her back and lowering her gaze slightly, she tried to walk with as much confidence as possible, lifting her shoulders high. Perhaps sensing her change in attitude, Hwi-gang gently tightened his grip on her wrist. 

“Shall we sit over there?” he asked, pointing to a nearby table.

“Excuse me? Oh, yes.” 

“By the way, we agreed yesterday to skip the formalities. Shall we just talk informally?” 

“We?” 

Seol-ah stuttered in surprise and when she made eye contact with Jung-jae, she narrowed her eyes slightly before looking up at Hwi-gang. 

“Right, we did.” 

Hwi-gang’s lips curled into a grin at Seol-ah’s playful performance. 

“Isn’t the view nice here?” 

“Yeah, it’s great. Let’s come here often, babe.” 

Seol-ah had deliberately chosen a table where Jung-jae and Seol-ran could see her clearly. Hwi-gang watched her with amusement as if she were putting on a show. 

“Babe?” 

“Yep, babe.” 

How cute.

When Hwi-gang let out a soft laugh, Seol-ah felt her cheeks turn bright red. It was one thing for others not to know, but the man sitting in front of her was fully aware of her performance. 

“Is that the guy sitting over there?” 

“Huh? Oh, yeah?” 

She had used the formal language almost automatically before quickly correcting herself. 

“You said everything last night when you were drunk, but you didn’t remember?” 

“!” 

Seol-ah frantically looked around for a place to hide. He had heard everything she had said. Although she couldn’t remember the details, she could only imagine what she must have looked like. It must have been quite a sight.

It was no surprise that she had poured her heart out to a man she had just met; after all, a blackout was to be expected. The fact that she couldn’t remember made the situation even more maddening. 

“You said you wanted revenge. Has that revenge already begun?” 

“I-I didn’t mean to say that!” 

“Is that all you said?” 

“!” 

Seol-ah hurriedly licked her lips and felt her mouth go dry. As she looked around in panic, Hwi-gang noticed and picked up the elegant water bottle on the table and poured some into a glass. 

Gratefully, she grabbed the glass and gulped down the water. Just then, Hwi-gang dropped a bombshell. 

“You said we should get married and I agreed.” 

“Pfft!”

Seol-ah accidentally spat out the water she had just drunk and splashed it all over Hwi-gang’s face. He frowned slightly and pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe his face as he said.

“It seems we were meant to be together. How did you know I was looking for a bride to propose to at just the right moment?” 

“W-What did you say?” 

“Keep a straight face.” 

“Ah.” 

Seol-ah was caught off guard, her mind racing as she tried to process his playful words while feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.

At Hwi-gang’s words, Seol-ah quickly glanced at Jung-jae, then forced a bright smile. Realizing that she had to change the subject, she stood up and tugged at Hwi-gang’s hand. 

“I’m hungry, let’s get something to eat, babe.” 

“Shall we?” 

Hwi-gang matched her enthusiasm, and while she appreciated it, Seol-ah was on the verge of losing her mind. She remembered saying something about getting married, but she tried to escape the memory. 

However, she had no recollection of him accepting her proposal or mentioning that he was looking for a bride. 

“Sorry, I was drunk…” 

“Kang Hwi-gang.” 

“Huh?” 

“I told you to remember my name even if you forget everything else.” 

“My name is Kang Hwi-gang. Remember it.” 

“!” 

Seol-ah’s eyes widened as she realized how much she had revealed, the memory coming back to her in a wave of embarrassment.

A sudden memory caused another tremor in Seol-ah’s pupils. She remembered how he had playfully poked her forehead with his unusually long index finger and said, “Kang Hwi-gang. Your name is as