“Da-hye…….”

Moments earlier, Ji-hoon had been clenching his fists with excitement. Now, however, he looked completely crushed.

As if he could not quite believe what had just happened, he slowly turned to stare at Da-hye in shock.

Meanwhile, Jinhee and Hyejung’s faces twisted with barely concealed bitterness and resentment.

“Then I’ll see you that day.”

Seo-hoo nodded politely in farewell, then calmly turned away and returned to his seat, acting as though nothing significant had happened.

Meanwhile, Jinhee and Hyejung could not take their eyes off him. They watched his retreating figure and lingered on the memory before leaning close to whisper to each other. Eventually, their sharp gazes cut mercilessly towards Da-hye.

“Da-hye, can I speak with you for a moment?”

At that moment, Ji-hoon spoke to her.

A faint irritation lingered unmistakably in his voice.

***

—”A daughter from an artistic family isn’t bad either. Why? Did you find someone suitable?”

Tilting his head slightly, Seo-hoo recalled the face of Kyung Da-hye, who had been staring straight at him earlier.

“Whether she’s suitable or not… I think I’ll need to learn a little more first.”

The corners of his lips curved upwards ever so slightly.

Kyung Da-hye’s first impression was of the color white.

Among the myriad colors around her, she stood out, looking strangely like a blank sheet of pure white, untouched by anything else.

In a crowd of people dressed in dazzling, extravagant gowns, Seo-hoo had noticed Da-hye in her white dress first.

The soft white fabric, adorned with delicate frills that were subtle enough not to feel excessive, drew his gaze back to her.

Her light makeup.

The elegant way her hair had been pinned up.

Beneath it, the graceful line of her neck flowed beautifully into view.

Even without any extravagant jewelry or anything overly flashy, Da-hye alone seemed to shine brilliantly.

“I think I may have found someone… interesting.”

—”Stop talking about “interesting” and look into it seriously. You heard what the Chairman said, didn’t you? If you don’t bring home a suitable bride candidate within this month, you can forget about getting shares in the main company.”

At those words, Seo-hoo let out a quiet laugh.

“Mother, are you still afraid of the Chairman? He’s just a tiger without teeth now.”

Just then, a Bugatti Chiron came to a smooth stop in front of him.

It was Seo-hoo’s favorite car, the only one imported into the country.

When his secretary opened the rear door for him, Seo-hoo leisurely stepped into the back seat.

— “Even without its teeth, a tiger is still a tiger. Don’t rush into choosing just anyone. Make sure you examine everything carefully before making your decision. This marriage is supposed to put an end to the scandals, so it’s important that you choose the right woman. You know that, don’t you?”

Strange rumors had begun to circulate about Seo-hoo at some point.

Stories claimed that his womanizing had spiraled completely out of control — that he had got countless women pregnant, and worse still, that he would date any woman indiscriminately, regardless of whether she was an actress, idol or flight attendant.

Of course, women already flocked to him endlessly without him having to lift a finger.

But Seo-hoo himself had never shown even the slightest interest in those kinds of affairs.

At first, he dismissed the rumors as the usual nonsense that followed chaebol heirs wherever they went.

However, last month, he was photographed with a woman by accident while attending a business meeting in Paris.

Because of that single photograph, the rumors suddenly transformed into ‘facts’ in the eyes of the public.

Consequently, his grandfather and the chairman of UJ Group, Kyungtae, began pressuring Seo-hoo relentlessly to marry a suitable woman, build a family and present the image of a stable, respectable life to the public.

To make matters worse, Seo-hoo had spent years openly declaring that he was the only grandchild firmly against marriage, insisting at every opportunity that he would never marry. This nearly drove Kyungtae insane.

Determined to settle the matter once and for all, he finally gave Seo-hoo an ultimatum.

“If you don’t bring home a future bride within this month, I won’t give you any shares in the main company.”

Seo-hoo’s goal had been to surpass all his cousins and secure the position of Vice President at the UJ headquarters by the end of the year.

However, this plan has now hit a wall.

“Understood. I’ll look into it myself.”

—”And if you can’t, I will. I’ll schedule blind dates for you nonstop all week, so keep that in mind.”

The call ended there.

Seo-hoo let out a quiet sigh and pressed a hand against his forehead.

If marriage was truly necessary, though, he was willing to go through with it.

He had no intention, though, of staying married forever.

His plan was simple: choose a suitable woman, remain husband and wife for only as long as it took to achieve his objective, and then divorce her the moment it was over.

So what Seo-hoo needed was not the perfect wife.

He needed a business partner. Someone who would quietly cooperate with his plans without causing trouble or asking for more.

At that moment, Secretary Choi, seated in the front passenger seat, cautiously glanced at Seo-hoo in the rear-view mirror before carefully speaking up.

“So then… are you considering Professor Kyung’s daughter as a marriage candidate?”

Even at the question, Seo-hoo remained silent.

He simply stared out the window with an unreadable expression while recalling Da-hye’s clear, delicate face.

“I’ll handle it myself. Please keep it secret until then.”

The woman who had said that with a pitiful face that looked moments away from breaking into tears.

At that instant, something flickered faintly in his eyes.

“I don’t know about anything else.”

“…?”

“But at the very least, I think a proper give-and-take arrangement would be possible.”

As he said those words, a soft curve slowly formed at the corners of Seo-hoo’s lips.

***

“If something like this happened, shouldn’t you naturally attend together with me, considering we’re practically engaged?”

For the past ten minutes, Ji-hoon had continued criticizing Da-hye with obvious irritation.

But Da-hye never once looked at him.

She merely stared at the floor, lost in thought.

‘All three of them completely cowered in front of Vice President Han Seo-hoo. He must be someone incredibly important to them.’

Then Ji-hoon let out a sigh and grabbed hold of her shoulder.

“Are you even listening to me, Da-hye?”

Only then did Da-hye finally raise her head at the feeling of his touch.

With a tired expression, she pushed his hand away.

“Yes, I’m listening. But I’m exhausted, so… can I leave first?”

As though she did not care to hear his response at all, she turned around immediately after speaking.

Ji-hoon hurriedly stepped in front of her to block her path.

“What’s wrong with you today? Did I do something wrong or something?”

At his question, Da-hye slowly shook her head and answered without enthusiasm.

“Nothing like that.”

“Then why are you acting this way? This isn’t like you at all, Da-hye.”

The words not like you sharply stirred the emotions she had been desperately suppressing.

“Not like me?”

A faint mockery lingered in her voice as she repeated the words back.

“Isn’t it true? Since earlier, you haven’t really been listening to anything I say or paying attention to me.”

“……”

“You’re giving half-hearted answers, you won’t even look at me, and I’m the only one talking here. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder what exactly we’re even doing.”

Letting out his frustrations all at once, Ji-hoon carefully observed Da-hye’s expression.

But the one who truly wanted to ask what are we even doing here was Da-hye.

She wanted to ask him if being herself meant smiling foolishly without knowing anything while everyone deceived her behind her back.

Struggling to steady her emotions, she bit down hard on her lip.

“If it came across that way, then I’m sorry.”

She wanted to punch his shameless face and tell him to disappear from her life forever right then and there.

The words ‘Let’s break up’ rose to the tip of her tongue.

But not today.

She could say goodbye tomorrow if she wanted to.

Today, she needed time to come to terms with the horrifying truth that had just destroyed her world.

“Sorry? Why does that sound sarcastic?”

Meanwhile, seeing a version of Da-hye that was completely unlike her usual self made Ji-hoon feel uneasy.

Now that she held an invitation from Han Seo-hoo himself, his obsession with her deepened further.

“I’m not being sarcastic. Besides, if anyone’s acting different from usual today, it’s you too. Isn’t it?”

“…What did you say?”

“Why do you keep nitpicking every little thing today? I already told you I’m tired.”

Simply standing here face-to-face with Kang Ji-hoon and forcing herself to continue this conversation felt unbearable.

“Haa……”

Ji-hoon finally let out a deep sigh and placed a hand on his waist.

It looked as though he still had more to say, yet he forcibly swallowed the words back down.

Quietly watching him, Da-hye finally took a step forward.

“Then I’ll leave first.”

She could not remain inside the exhibition hall any longer.

“I’ll drive you home.”

But Ji-hoon stubbornly followed after her.

“You’ve been drinking too, Ji-hoon. I’ll just call a driver, so it’s fine.”

“……But seriously.”

Glancing at Da-hye cautiously, Ji-hoon slowly spoke again.

“You’re really going there alone?”

In the end, that was what Kang Ji-hoon truly cared about.

Attending Han Seo-hoo’s birthday party together.

At that moment, a mocking smile slowly spread across Da-hye’s lips as she stood with her back turned to him.

“Of course?”

Her expression hardening calmly, she turned to look at Ji-hoon.

Caught off guard by her steady gaze, he faltered briefly before quickly putting on his usual gentle expression again.

“We should go together. Everyone already knows you’re my girlfriend. Wouldn’t it seem strange for you to attend another man’s birthday party alone without me?”

She almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

‘And kissing your girlfriend’s stepsister behind her back isn’t strange?’

That was what she truly wanted to ask him.

But refusing to let herself be shaken by the violent emotions storming inside her chest, Da-hye forced herself to remain composed.

“I’m still uncomfortable around him too.”

“…What?”

“I’m saying Vice President Han Seo-hoo and I aren’t close.”

“Then why did he give you that invitation……?”

“Probably as thanks for accepting the invitation in the first place. A gesture in return.”

“But still. Even if it’s meant as gratitude, giving that kind of invitation……”

Unable to believe it, Ji-hoon trailed off.

“It would feel even more awkward to go to a place like that with a man I’m not even engaged to yet.”

At Da-hye’s firm response, Ji-hoon momentarily lost his words.

“I’m sorry. I understand that you want to go, Ji-hoon. Maybe next time.”

“……”

“I’ll contact you once I get home.”

Da-hye turned away, looking exhausted.

This time, Ji-hoon could not stop her.

The moment she turned her back on him, her forced smile vanished completely.

A bitter sigh escaped her lips, which had only moments before been forced into a smile.

**

The next morning, Da-hye left her officetel as soon as she woke up.

Having failed to sleep at all during the night, her whole body ached as though she had been beaten.

However, she could not bear to lie in bed any longer, so she forced herself to get up.

For some reason, she suddenly felt the need to visit the family home, which she had not returned to in a long time.

With a heavy heart, Da-hye fastened her seatbelt and started the engine.

Then, almost absentmindedly, her gaze drifted towards the passenger seat.

There, on the seat, was the invitation that Han Seo-hoo had given her the night before.

The moment she saw it, his strikingly handsome face appeared vividly in her mind, as though conjured by magic.

Along with it came the memory of how the once-quiet exhibition hall had erupted into instant chaos the moment the invitation had appeared.

“You’re far more extraordinary than I thought…… aren’t you?”

At first glance, he resembled a quiet lake, bearing the calmness of a gentle breeze.

But beneath that calm surface, he was more like a vast ocean, hiding violent storms in its depths.

Da-hye drew in a slow breath and tightened her grip on the invitation that Seo-hoo had given her.

For some reason, it felt as though she had just taken a powerful weapon into her own hands.