Chapter 4.4

Through their conversation, Moonkyeong deduced several things.  

First, Seojun’s alliance with National Assembly Member Jeon Taepyeong meant that his position within Leehan Group was now stronger than Nam Leehyun’s. Second, their relationship was clearly antagonistic.  

She suddenly wondered about his relationship with Shin Jueun.  

Was the rumor true that he wasn’t Shin Jueun’s biological child?  

If so, who was Kim Seojun’s real mother? Was there anyone within Leehan Group who genuinely liked him?  

As countless thoughts intertwined in her mind, Moonkyeong realized now wasn’t the time to be pondering such things.  

It became clear that any hope of stopping this marriage by appealing to Nam Leehyun had vanished.  

Seojun was the one who ended the call first, without so much as a farewell. He sneered at Moonkyeong, who had gone silent.  

“I feel like I’ve seen that expression on your face recently. Are you mad?”  

“Do whatever you want. I’m never going through with this marriage.”  

Despite Moonkyeong’s continued defiance, Seojun remained unshaken.  

At that moment, the door suddenly burst open, accompanied by Secretary Park’s urgent voice calling for the Director.  

It was Shin Jueun again, causing trouble as she had been doing every two days since Seojun had taken Kim Seouk’s fiancé.  

Seojun scratched his forehead in frustration while Secretary Park, who had been trying to stop Shin Jueun, bowed deeply.  

Seojun gave Secretary Park a heavy nod. Since the person involved was Shin Jueun, there wasn’t much else she could do.  

Understanding the signal to leave, Secretary Park exited. Left standing stiffly in the room, Shin Jueun glared at Seojun.  

Her gaze quickly shifted to Moonkyeong, and her eyes burned with fury.  

Shin Jueun’s voice rose, shrill and venomous.  

“Are you insane? You’re here?”  

She no longer resembled the elegant woman who had once dined with them after visiting the theater. She now looked like a wicked witch, her eyes ablaze with rage.  

Without warning, she grabbed Moonkyeong by the collar.  

As someone who had always been spoiled by Kim Seokyeong’s favoritism, Shin Jueun’s temper flared even more when Seojun was involved.  

To her, Seojun, who had stolen his brother’s woman, and Moonkyeong, who had eagerly overturned the marriage arrangement, were both complicit.  

Just as Shin Jueun’s red-painted nails flew toward Moonkyeong’s cheek, Seojun grabbed her wrist.  

Shin Jueun scowled as she turned to look at him.  

“Let go.”  

“Touch her, and see what happens.”  

“What are you going to do? Complain to the Chairman? Go ahead! Do it! No matter what, the Chairman won’t lay a finger on me.”  

Seojun tightened his grip on her wrist, eliciting a scream from Shin Jueun. It was tight enough to threaten a fracture.  

“Ah!”  

Seojun met her gaze with cold, emotionless eyes.  

“The Chairman might not touch you. But I can. Should I?”  

His gaze, dry and full of malice, sent shivers down her spine.  

In the end, Shin Jueun released Moonkyeong.  

***

What a mess.  

Is this how all chaebol families are? 

Moonkyeong had seen media reports of siblings fighting over the chairman’s position at official events, but a mother-son relationship this disastrous was shocking.  

Kim Seojun and Nam Leehyun. Kim Seojun and Shin Jueun. The family affairs of Leehan Group were nothing short of a disaster.  

That was Moonkyeong’s honest thought.  

Ah, and there was Do Hyeran and me, Seo Moonkyeong, too. How could I forget?  

“Hmm.”  

Her neck stung where Shin Jueun had grabbed her. If Seojun hadn’t intervened, there might have been a scratch on her face. Perhaps it would’ve been better if he hadn’t stopped her. She could’ve used it as an excuse to cancel the marriage. 

Don’t you think so, Managing Director?  

As she rubbed the sore spot, she felt Seojun’s sharp gaze on her. His expression was tense, and he gritted his teeth as he stood.  

“Seo Moonkyeong, get up. Let’s have lunch together.”  

Lunch? After telling me to leave earlier, now he wanted lunch?  

Leaving Shin Jueun alone in the office, Seojun grabbed Moonkyeong’s hand and walked out.  

Secretary Park, who had been looking at her monitor, stood up abruptly.  

“Managing Director, are you all right?”  

“I’m going out for lunch.”  

Her gaze flicked to their joined hands before quickly darting away.  

“Oh, yes. Of course.”  

“Leave the Director alone. She’ll calm down in a few days.”  

Though she had a terrible temper and tended to scream and throw things, she also burned out quickly. That’s why Seojun tolerated her behavior.  

Unlike Nam Leehyun, who concealed her true intentions and schemed behind the scenes, Shin Jueun was overly honest and transparent.  

Of course, that didn’t mean he could endure everything. He was on the verge of exploding after she dared to lay a hand on Moonkyeong.  

The more furious he became, the colder and more cynical his demeanor grew. Seojun stood with Moonkyeong in front of the elevator.

“Seo Moonkyeong .”  

Her voice was stiff, but he seemed oblivious.  

He was clearly struggling to suppress his anger, his breathing uneven.  

His furrowed brows and the tension in his wrist indicated just how furious he was.  

“Say something. Anything.”  

“Pardon?”  

“Don’t you have anything else to say to me?”  

Even in his anger, Kim Seojun seemed perfect. His sharp yet soft features exuded an air of authority.  

Who could have angered the Managing Director this much? I know for sure it wasn’t me.

What could I say? Suggesting we call off the marriage now would be unfair.  

Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on her hand. The warmth radiating from his palm sent her heart racing.  

It was so hot and overwhelming that she felt she might melt.  

If you hold on that tightly, it hurts. If you hold on that tightly, I might misunderstand.  

Still holding her hand, Seojun didn’t let go. Moonkyeong gave him a defiant look.  

“Shall I kiss it better for you?”

Seojun’s gaze remained fixed on the elevator doors. His other hand, tucked into his suit pocket, stayed rigid the entire time.  

When he told her to “say anything,” the response he received—a suggestion to “kiss it better”—made him let out a deflated laugh.  

His previously stiff expression softened slightly, like an ironed-out wrinkle.  

“You should be careful about saying things you can’t take responsibility for.”  

“You told me to say anything. So I did.”  

“Seo Moonkyeong.”  

“Let go of my hand. You’re going to wear it out.”  

“Just one more minute.”  

“You said you don’t like me, didn’t you?”  

Then why have you been holding my hand this entire time? It’s not like you’re playing games with me, are you? 

She hid her irritation. It was embarrassing.  

“You need to get used to it.”  

“What?”  

“If we’re getting married, you’ll need to get used to this much. Don’t you think?”  

She was stunned.  

Irritation rose within her, and she tried to pull her hand away first, but then he turned his head. The sorrow in his eyes suddenly struck her heart.  

His dark, empty gaze looked damp, as if rain could fall at any moment.  

The coldness from his sharp jawline and nose had vanished, revealing a face that resembled a vulnerable boy.  

Wait, wasn’t he angry just now? What’s with that expression all of a sudden?  

The elevator chimed as it reached the 24th floor, and the doors opened.  

When Seojun pulled her hand toward him, Moonkyeong naturally stepped to his side.  

Still holding her hand, Seojun pressed the button for the first floor.  

Moonkyeong, who had been staring stiffly ahead, whispered after a moment.  

“One minute’s up.”  

As soon as she pointed this out, he released her hand.  

“Precise, aren’t you? Did you count?”  

Moonkyeong responded curtly. She hadn’t actually counted.  

“No.”  

“I did.”  

“…Managing Director.”  

She called out to him but couldn’t immediately follow up with anything. The angle of his tilted face, as if he were inviting her to comfort him, made her hesitate.  

What was that just now?  

It felt as though she had glimpsed the face hidden behind his mask.  

She simply felt pity. She couldn’t help but think that her life and his might not be so different.  

No way. That can’t be it. What a ridiculous thought. It’s laughable. There’s no way we’re alike.  

Of course not.  

As Moonkyeong brushed her long, straight hair behind her ears, the elevator stopped on the 7th floor.  

More than ten people crammed into the small, enclosed space, forcing her to step back.  

Seojun extended his arm and wrapped it around her waist.  

Pulling her gently inward, he positioned Moonkyeong behind him.  

There still weren’t many people in the company who recognized Seojun’s face.  

They knew him as the son of Kim Seokyeong, the Chairman of Leehan Group, and the Managing Director supported by the executive team. But no one had seen his face.  

He had never appeared in the media or flaunted himself at extravagant social gatherings.  

Only high-ranking executives and major shareholders within the company knew what he looked like.  

Standing behind Seojun, Moonkyeong stole glances at his back.  

Her heart raced, even though he was shielding her. She couldn’t understand why she felt so nervous.  

She stared silently at his back.  

His tall stature and broad shoulders. His perfectly tailored suit, which fit him as though it had been crafted just for him, accentuated his striking physique.  

The sensation of his firm grip on her waist lingered, tormenting her.  

She remembered his bare body.  

His broad shoulders, the elegant curve of his hip bones, his muscular thighs, and that impressive size.  

It was a body that revealed he never skipped a day of exercise.  

Even though he had humiliated her in his office earlier, she found herself recalling his n*ked form.  

I’m insane. Truly insane.  

Whether her eyes were open or closed, memories of their time together surfaced vividly, as if it had happened yesterday.  

The feel of his lips trailing down her neck, the way they moved past her back to her thighs—that scent of his.  

She could still sense it now. 

Why was I even thinking about this?  

She felt dizzy, imagining him teasing her again with that lazy gaze, saying, ‘Do you get wet just from looking at me?’

<First floor. The doors are opening.>  

The elevator’s automated voice snapped Moonkyeong back to reality.  

The crowd in front of her poured out, and she followed Seojun out of the elevator.