Chapter 1.3

“Anyway, it’s already been five years. Was it two years ago? I saw her once, but now she’s worse than she was then. Well, with a brother like that causing trouble every day and leaving her to clean up after him, how could she not be worn out?”

Cheong-o shook his head with a sympathetic expression. Baek-geon suddenly spoke without realizing it.

“So she’s still appearing on broadcasts…”

He was about to ask if she was still working in the cyber room salon, being mistreated, but he closed his mouth abruptly.

Why am I like this?

A discomfort pricked his mind. It was a story he didn’t need to care about. Just a common tale of those who had drifted to this side.

There was no need or reason to care. He wouldn’t show leniency for such reasons. Baek-geon concealed his inexplicable irritation and entered the dining room with an indifferent expression.

“Chief Gong, please join us.”

At Butler Song’s invitation, Cheong-o quickly took a seat. Sitting at the head of the table, Baek-geon grasped the cutlery without showing his displeasure, despite his still lingering bad mood.

But today, his appetite wasn’t returning. It was rare for him, given his usually large appetite due to his larger-than-average frame.

Having captured the elusive So Yoon-ryeol, he should have felt relieved and regained his appetite. But for some reason, he didn’t even feel hungry.

The large steak cooled and congealed. It was a special dish he always ate after returning from the provinces. Seeing blood usually stimulated his appetite.

Especially today, having caught So Yoon-ryeol, he should have enjoyed a grand feast. Yet, Baek-geon barely touched the food, putting down his fork and knife.

“If it doesn’t suit your taste, shall I bring something else?”

“Just bring some alcohol.”

Despite Butler Song’s concerned words, Baek-geon shook his head. As soon as the newly opened wine was placed on the table, he emptied the glass repeatedly.

Dessert was served at the end of the meal. There were cute cakes, mousses, and fruits cut into bite-sized pieces. They would melt in the mouth.

Baek-geon stared at the dessert plate and then looked up at Butler Song.

“Is she in such a state that she can’t eat these either?”

Butler Song blinked momentarily, then nodded as if he understood.

“I’m not sure about that. I did bring something light, but she barely touched it, so I thought she might eat more if left alone and left it there.”

Listening to their conversation, Cheong-o suddenly spoke up.

“If you’re worried, shall I go and take care of her a bit? Since we’re acquainted, Yoon-jae might feel a bit more comfortable. I personally liked her, so I feel sorry for her.”

Feeling Baek-geon’s dark eyes on him, Cheong-o scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to tell you something for a while. I’ll take this opportunity to say it. If you permit, I’d like to take care of Yoon-jae a bit. I’ve wanted to help for some time but never had the chance, so I hesitated.”

A woman who can move a Mastiff. Not even in heat, just wanting to give out of pure goodwill.

Baek-geon involuntarily let out a hollow laugh. It was absurd.

She was the sister of So Yoon-ryeol, who deserved to be killed immediately, and she was just a mediocre streaming broadcaster, nothing more.

Yet somehow, this woman kept lingering at the edge of his mind, bothering him.

Her face was quite decent, though.

He recalled her appearance. Was it enough to melt the frozen heart of a thug, no different from a beast?

A trembling woman was not attractive. He didn’t like her cowering without pride or dignity.

He slightly furrowed his brow. Maybe Cheong-o found her kind-hearted or charming enough to want to help.

But the face he saw earlier didn’t seem that way at all. She didn’t even seem capable of seducing a man.

Well, maybe it was expected since she couldn’t even manage properly on her streaming channel, only getting scolded and running errands.

While Baek-geon was lost in thought, Cheong-o interpreted his silence as permission and stood up. He gathered the dessert plate Baek-geon hadn’t touched and the wine bottle.

“Are you here to play?”

Baek-geon narrowed his brow in displeasure.

“Does that woman have the leisure to drink with you and chat idly about the world in this situation?”

“Oh, no, CEO.”

Cheong-o laughed awkwardly and then spoke seriously.

“There’s something I haven’t told you. The reason that drug is less addictive is because of the antidote.”

“There’s an antidote?”

At Baek-geon’s question, Cheong-o nodded.

“Well, there’s not exactly a specific antidote, but it’s simpler to detox than you might think. It’s fruit juice. It can’t completely break down the drug’s effects, but eating fruit lowers body temperature.”

Cheong-o held up the wine bottle in his hand.

“Wine also has a good effect. It’s said to work directly. It drops within thirty minutes. Conversely, if you drink whiskey, the drug’s effects worsen, and confusion intensifies.”

“It’s simpler than I thought.”

“Yes, considering how he offered up his sister earlier, it seemed like he had already given her the drug. She couldn’t speak and obediently knelt down as told. Did you see her face? She was pale, sweating profusely, which seemed suspicious.”

It was a plausible deduction. As Baek-geon remained silent, Cheong-o added.

“They say that bastard used it to skyrocket expensive liquor sales. He greased palms everywhere and overpaid the main office, so President Bae turned a blind eye.”

Baek-geon recalled the Incheon collection ledger he checked recently and nodded. Cheong-o, sensing the mood, tried to wrap things up smoothly.

“You can’t fully trust President Bae, honestly. He walks around with pride, claiming to be close to the Chairman, but he’s done all sorts of trashy things out of greed. Because of him, Incheon might be a den of addicts. Some reform might be needed.”

Baek-geon’s eyes narrowed. Even without Cheong-o’s words, he had been thinking about it for a while.

As he pondered, Cheong-o quickly gathered the dessert and wine and headed towards the stairs. It was clear he was going to the attic room Butler Song had given to the woman.

Baek-geon’s eyes sharply followed his subordinate’s back. Suddenly, he wondered if Cheong-o was also taking the drug.

He didn’t like that his subordinate seemed to know too much about the drug. He clenched his teeth unconsciously.

He hoped Cheong-o wouldn’t get high and mess around here.

He recalled Cheong-o eagerly accepting the whiskey he offered earlier. The words about whiskey enhancing the drug’s effects echoed in his ears.

The thought of Cheong-o and the woman entangled in a mess was infuriating. Even for his subordinates, he couldn’t tolerate reckless behavior.

Baek-geon unconsciously clenched his fist. For some reason, unwanted thoughts kept tangling in his mind.

He finally stood up abruptly.

*

Hot.

Yoon-jae was curled up in a corner of the attic, wiping away the sweat pouring down. Occasionally, she wiped the tears that formed at the corners of her eyes with her slender fingers.

Her whole body was burning, and old wounds throbbed. Whenever her brother gave her the drug, the spots where she had been beaten would hurt again.

What happened to my brother?

Yoon-jae bit her lips hard with her pale face.

Surely he wasn’t killed. That couldn’t happen.

She was contemplating whether to run to Baek-geon now, kneel, and plead.

‘Listen carefully, So Yoon-jae. Somehow, seduce Han Baek-geon. That’s the only way we can survive. Do you understand? You have to do well, you useless girl.’

The words her brother said, threatening her with wide-open eyes, vividly came back to her.

‘If you manage to melt Han Baek-geon with your body and get his business approval, then I’ll even give your house back.’

Yoon-jae let out a small sigh, thinking of the house she had managed to secure for herself.

It wasn’t even expensive, just a tiny studio apartment in the outskirts. She had worked hard, running around to secure a loan and make it her home.

The problem was that it was caught up in a real estate gap investment scam. On top of that, her brother conspired with the real estate agent to embezzle funds, leaving her completely stuck.

After appearing on the streaming channel, she had to quit school and began a slave-like life for five years.

She couldn’t give up anymore. Even if she fell further, she had to get her house back to rebuild her sandcastle.

Yoon-jae buried her face in her knees. Somehow, it felt like everything had gone terribly wrong from the start.

Han Baek-geon.

The look in the man’s eyes as he stared at her came to mind, making her knees weak and her mouth dry.

The man didn’t seem easy at all. His appearance was impenetrable. He was a head taller than others, with broad shoulders and a tightly knit body that stretched with every move.

Unlike his violent and savage aura, his neat and intense features and lush hair, not a single strand out of place. His cold and arrogant eyes held no premature emotion.

Even his tailored luxurious suit couldn’t conceal the man’s wild nature. The innate intimidation made her shiver.

Could I really melt that man with my body, as my brother emphasized? 

Her mind was reeling. Yoon-jae wiped her cold sweat.

Born as if in the snow in the middle of winter, his entire being exuded a cold aura, making her not dare to approach. No matter how she thought about it, her brother’s plan seemed too shallow and flimsy.

Would such a shallow trick work?