Chapter 4.3

Baek-geon watched the woman’s retreating figure with a troubled expression.  

Coming all the way here, laughing like that.  

He knew it himself. He was unnecessarily irritated right now.  

In truth, no matter what the woman did, it would have annoyed him. Just standing still, she would have made him angry.  

He simply didn’t like the fact that she was drawing others’ attention. He hated seeing strangers talk to her. He hated seeing her faint smile in response to their words.  

Baek-geon was furious with himself for being so shaken. He hated how his gaze kept being drawn to her, as if his mood depended on her every move.  

It annoyed him to feel so weak and pathetic. He couldn’t believe he was acting so foolishly. Even as he politely greeted guests and engaged in conversations, he couldn’t calm the turmoil in his heart.  

Throughout the greetings, the small talk, and the revelry, Baek-geon’s gaze kept drifting toward the woman. She stood out so clearly in his sight.  

Many people hovered around him, desperate to catch his attention even once. Yet, the woman never once tried to enter his line of sight.  

Rather, she seemed to be trying to hide herself. Watching her retreating back was becoming increasingly exhausting.  

Perhaps because of her pretty face and slender figure, the number of men eyeing her seemed to be growing. Each time, she would hurriedly escape, looking flustered.  

Whenever someone grabbed her wrist or placed a hand on her shoulder, that tall guy from earlier would appear out of nowhere to intervene. Every time Baek-geon witnessed such scenes, the veins on his forehead bulged.  

He slowly rotated his wrist. He even considered locking her away somewhere, far from anyone’s eyes.  

Why did he keep wanting to keep her by his side, despite vowing never to look her way again? Asking Butler Song to bring her here had been a purely impulsive decision.  

Why had he done that? The inexplicable emotions swirling inside him only left him feeling more and more desolate.  

Despite his inner turmoil, the party was gradually reaching its peak. Everyone had flushed faces, clearly enjoying themselves.  

“Are you all right? You don’t look well.” 

Butler Song approached and whispered softly, as if he had noticed something. Baek-geon nodded silently.  

“Why don’t you take a short break and have some coffee?”  

At Butler Song’s considerate suggestion, a sudden desire for respite arose within him. Loosening his tie slightly, he spoke in a low voice.  

“Would it be okay for me to step away for a moment?”  

“The party is winding down anyway. The directors and the chief of staff are here, so nothing major will happen. You can rest briefly and return later to greet the guests.”  

Accepting Butler Song’s advice, Baek-geon began walking away. As if remembering something, he leaned toward Butler Song and whispered something before leaving.  

Butler Song nodded and quickly headed off. Shortly after, he entered the kitchen and placed a hand on Yoon-jae’s shoulder as she was about to leave with a tray.  

“So Yoon-jae.”  

Startled, Yoon-jae nearly dropped the tray. She had just shaken off a man who had been lingering around her, placing his hand on her shoulder, and had escaped to the kitchen.  

Initially, Hyun-kyu had helped her a little. But he had disappeared somewhere, swept away by a group of construction company employees.  

Not that she had expected much help from him anyway. She was just grateful he had helped her even briefly.  

After that, she had been constantly harassed by rough-looking men. Unlike the people Baek-geon interacted with, these men lurked in corners with lewd smiles, exchanging dirty jokes.  

They were probably members of organizations affiliated with Baek-geon’s. Their words and actions were crude and unrestrained.  

Well, the people Baek-geon dealt with weren’t much different. Their years of experience and accumulated power merely allowed them to wear a mask of sophistication.  

Han Baek-geon is no different.  

Recalling the way he had lashed out at her, Yoon-jae shivered with disgust. He might be the biological father of her child, but his nature was no different.  

The more he expressed his disgust toward her, the more her insides burned until there was nothing left. She had been catching her breath in the kitchen with a bitter heart.  

“What… what is it?”  

Yoon-jae stammered unconsciously. She couldn’t possibly have any good feelings left for Butler Song. Even now, she hated the way he looked at her with a mix of subtle pity.  

Still, she couldn’t show her emotions recklessly. She tried her best to keep her feelings hidden.  

“Could we talk for a moment?”  

Butler Song said only that before walking out first. Yoon-jae hesitated for a moment before following him.  

As they passed through the corridor, a long staircase came into view. Yoon-jae’s pupils wavered slightly. Memories of being dragged here with Yoon-ryeol and then thrown out resurfaced.  

The nightmare-like experience made it hard for her to even climb the stairs. Once they reached the second floor, Butler Song finally spoke.  

“I’d like you to bring a cup of coffee to CEO Han.”  

“…Me?”  

“Yes. I’d like you to do it, So Yoon-jae.”  

Butler Song didn’t hesitate. His instructions were clean and precise, devoid of any emotion.  

“Why should I do that?”  

“Because the CEO requested it.”  

“Me?”  

Butler Song didn’t answer her final question. Instead, he pointed further down the hallway. Beyond the wooden louvers, a large auxiliary kitchen and a marble island bar were visible.  

“There’s a coffee machine and a capsule machine there. Use whichever you’re familiar with. There are coffee cups as well.”  

He then pointed to the other side of the kitchen.  

“You know where the CEO’s bedroom is, don’t you?”  

Yoon-jae bit her lip tightly. Of course, she knew. Despite being drugged, the memories of that night were strangely vivid.  

“Then please go. I’ll inform the catering staff in advance.”  

Leaving only his instructions, Butler Song quickly departed. Left alone, Yoon-jae looked around with a hardened expression.  

Why did he call for me?  

She recalled the cold eyes and words of the man who had condemned her that night. The arrogance in his gaze and speech, as if he was utterly convinced of his righteousness, came back to her, making her body tremble.  

Calling her like this after showing such disdain felt contradictory. Yoon-jae didn’t know how to define the man’s apparent contradictions, leaving her confused and fearful.  

Regardless, failing to do what was asked would only lead to greater pressure later. Resolving herself, she moved with a calm expression.  

She headed toward the marble bar, which gleamed under the soft lighting. Taking a fancy-looking coffee cup from the cabinet next to the kitchen, she rinsed it with water and placed it under the machine.  

After hesitating for a moment, she turned on the capsule machine. The large, impressive coffee machine caught her eye, but it would be useless if she didn’t know how to operate it.  

She took a capsule from the container that looked like a decorative object. She didn’t even know what flavor it was. She simply grabbed one at random and placed it in the preheated machine.

A rich, dark coffee began to drip with a soft sound. Yoon-jae stared blankly at the sight of the coffee filling the cup with frothy bubbles.  

She filled the rest of the cup with hot water from the purifier. She wasn’t sure if this was the correct method. She simply brewed the coffee the way she used to enjoy it.  

Yoon-jae looked down at the coffee before placing the cup on a small tray. She carefully walked over and stood in front of Baek-geon’s bedroom door.  

After a brief knock, she opened the door. Beyond the heavy wooden door, the familiar room came into view. She swallowed dryly and stepped inside.  

The man stood by the window with his back turned. The sight of his back gave off a different impression compared to his front.  

The oppressive aura remained, but there was an air of loneliness about him. Yoon-jae shook her head slightly. These were things she shouldn’t meddle with.  

She set the tray down on the table and quietly spoke.  

“I brought the coffee.”  

The moment she finished speaking, he turned his back. Yoon-jae didn’t realize that Baek-geon would approach her as if to engulf her.  

What she did notice was the large hand grabbing her wrist, the faint scent of his cologne, and the suffocating pressure.  

***

Baek-geon let out a hollow laugh as he recalled the instructions he had given to Butler Song.  

‘Send So Yoon-jae to my room with coffee.’  

‘So Yoon-jae… you mean her?’  

The puzzled look in Butler Song’s eyes and the depths of his own base desires stirred a wave of self-loathing.  

Still, he didn’t want to retract the order. He silently returned to his room and stood by the window.  

Alcohol, violence, women, drugs—he lived in a world where such unethical routines were commonplace. Baek-geon himself was neither refined nor hesitant in his nature.  

He hated being indecisive like this. Whether it was a person or an object, he preferred to get rid of anything that got in his way.  

He had never questioned this approach. If something was bothersome, he buried it. If it was in his way, he removed it. Respect wasn’t even something to be considered.  

So why couldn’t he get rid of or erase that woman? His sharp gaze swept across the view outside the window. The sights of the party unfolding in the garden were vividly captured by his eyes.