CHAPTER 7

*

They maintained strict security here. Yeonseo was somewhat hesitant about stepping into a place like this, but it was inevitable for Taeheon to go in, and she couldn’t just wait outside alone.

The interior of the office had a solid and elegant atmosphere with a harmonious blend of wood tones and black. Taeheon’s scent from the elevator and the air freshener in the office mixed together to create a strange sensory experience.

Surprised by the spaciousness of the area, Yeonseo opened her eyes wide, and Taeheon headed towards a desk with a view.

He grabbed some papers and checked the digital clock on the wall.

“I need to step out for a moment, so wait here.”

“Just me, here?”

“Is there a problem?”

“But…”

A cold gaze landed on Yeonseo nonchalantly.

“If you’re busy, I’ll go back first. It’s already quite late.”

She was also bothered by the macarons she hadn’t bought yet. There was always a long line and if she arrived too late, she would have to return empty-handed since they were sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Don’t leave, just wait.”

“Then please tell me the reason you called me. That way, I might understand too.”

If she had to wait for Taeheon in a place that felt like a deserted island, she wanted to know the reason behind it. However, Yeonseo’s bold wish was not fulfilled.

“I’ll tell you when I get back.”

Her cheeks flushed at being ignored. Taeheon must have read her embarrassment, but he simply turned his back and went on his way.

What’s with this person?

“Director! Hey, Director!”

Director? He’s just an asshole!

Thud. Yeonseo’s call was ignored as the office door closed. Exhausted, she detached the strands of hair clinging to her neck and tidied her appearance. She cooled down her heated neck by tying it up.

“Ha……”

Restless and unsure of what to do, Yeonseo plopped herself down on one corner of the sofa. Subconsciously, her tired legs found comfort.

She shouldn’t stay too late. After glancing at her watch, Yeonseo slowly began to take in the interior of the office.

The display shelves were generally tidy, and the long desk that could be seen at a glance was well organized. There was a sofa and a long row of seats on either side of it that could easily accommodate ten people.

The glass tabletop on the front table sparkled and shimmered, free from any flaws, much like the floors she had passed through in the corridors.

On one side of the wall, there was a partition without a door. Behind it, there seemed to be a separate space, but she didn’t have the courage to venture in that far.

Yeonseo found herself staring at a green plant near the entrance, and before she knew it, she blinked and dozed off. Her eyelids flickered at the sound of a ringing phone echoing inside the office.

An extension phone on Taeheon’s desk was ringing. While contemplating whether Taeheon’s secretary or a related staff member would answer it, the ringing abruptly stopped, bringing a moment of relief.

The phone started ringing again then the phone hung up a few times and rang again.

Was it an urgent matter?

Taeheon had mentioned that his schedule had changed and asked Yeonseo to come up to the office. Judging by his hurried departure, it seemed like an unexpected situation had occurred. The continuous ringing of the phone made Yeonseo anxious.

Suddenly, she remembered a day when she was in the ninth grade, sixteen years old. On that day, she locked herself in her room, fed up with her drunken father’s behavior.

On that day too, the phone had continuously rung like this. If she had known that it was the news of her mother being taken to the hospital after leaving for work, she wouldn’t have ignored it.

“Ah, sigh.”

Her thoughts wandered. She should just answer the phone. She could simply say that he was unavailable.

Yeonseo stood up from her seat. However, the time it took to reach Taeheon’s desk felt longer than expected when she finally decided to answer it.

Click!

• Ah! You finally answered, Secretary Shin!”

“Oh, I’m…”

• Huh? Who is this? This is the correct office number for Director Taeheon, right?

The man’s deep voice turned questioning.

Right, how should I introduce herself?

Yeonseo’s mind momentarily paused, but she regained her composure and spoke calmly.

“Hello, I am Han Yeonseo, working at the Director’s residence. Since Director Taeheon has left the office, I am taking the call on his behalf.”

• Oh, I see. But if you’re from the Director’s residence…

The man’s words trailed off, indicating his curiosity about Yeonseo’s identity.

“Well, I…”

She couldn’t say she was Mrs. Kang’s caregiver. It had only been two years since Chairman Woo passed away, so Mrs. Kang’s health status was highly confidential externally.

“I am personally assisting the Director. He called me today, and I came here in response to his request.”

• Oh, I see. By any chance, is Secretary Shin not available? It’s an urgent matter.

The man’s voice brightened again as if he had cleared his doubts.

“Well, I’m not sure about that.”

As Yeonseo shook her head, the man spoke up.

• Then please relay my message. Deliver it to the Director as soon as he returns.

A message, a message.

Yeonseo searched around for a memo but couldn’t find anything resembling a memo pad on Taeheon’s desk.

There didn’t even seem to be a pen. While hesitating since she couldn’t hold the high-end fountain pen that was neatly tucked in its case, the man continued speaking.

• This is quite a big deal, so I thought you should know about it right away. I’m calling to let you know before it reaches the ears of the Deputy CEO in charge. It’s about a defect recall case. During the quality inspection of the DO2 engine, we discovered suspicions of violations in the production process related to conrod wear due to foreign substances.

Yeonseo’s breath caught for a moment. It felt like she was receiving information that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Can I just casually relay it like this?

No matter how much I don’t doubt it…….

Indeed, how many people would dare to answer a phone call in Taeheon’s office?

As she had observed upon entering, it was a place with strict security, so it was easy for the man to talk.

“Then, who should I say called?”

• Ah, I forgot. This is Team Leader Joo Dongwon from the Quality Support TF. Please relay the message like that. I’m currently outside, and it takes time for me to arrive at the company. I can’t reach the director and it’s really urgent.

“Okay, I’ll relay the message like that.”

• Yes, thank you.

After greeting Yeonseo in a relaxed manner, the team leader hung up. During that time, Yeonseo, who still hadn’t found a memo pad, wondered what to do.

At that moment, the office door opened and Taeheon appeared, his expressionless face showing no emotion.

Standing nervously, Yeonseo backed away from his desk as Taeheon approaches.

“Is there something you need to see here?”

Yeonseo, caught off guard, hesitated for a moment before responding.

Taeheon’s dry eyes flew to Yeonseo’s. She tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear and retorted.

“A call came in.”

“What kind of call?”

He tilted his head, speaking in a tired tone.

“It was Mr. Joo, the team leader of the quality assistance TF team.”

“What’s wrong with Team Leader Joo. Did you answer the phone yourself?”

“Yes. Since it kept ringing…”

Yeonseo watched his reaction closely. She had no right to be angry since she had answered the phone without permission.

“Did you leave a memo?”

Taeheon asked as he approached the desk. He brushed past Yeonseo, his shoulder almost touching hers.

That alone made Yeonseo’s chest tighten gradually. His sharp sharp demeanor made her stiffen as if she were balancing a full water bottle over her head.

As he looked down at his desk and searched for the memo, his gaze shifted. Then, he looked at Yeonseo.

“Ms. Han Yeonseo, is it that hard to comprehend inside your head? Why do I have to ask you again?”

Yeonseo, who had been frozen in anticipation of a harsh interrogation, finally spoke.

“They mentioned it was a defect recall case. During the quality inspection of the DO2 engine, they discovered suspicions of violations in the production process related to conrod wear due to foreign substances. They said it was quite a significant matter… They contacted you before it reaches the ears of the Deputy CEO in charge.”

Yeonseo relayed almost the same information she had heard a moment ago. It seemed like Taeheon’s expression became even more menacing.

Unable to find any words beyond that, Yeonseo nervously fidgeted with her clasped fingers. She didn’t understand why she became so flustered whenever she stood in front of Taeheon.

She was known for being quite competent and rarely made mistakes in her assigned tasks. However, in front of Taeheon’s gaze, she involuntarily shrunk.

“You’re not completely clueless, as it seems.”

Well, this is the way things are, after all.

It felt embarrassing and bewildering, as if being ridiculed and dragged down when standing in front of Taeheon.

“You have this level of memory.”

“What?”

As Taeheon sat down in his chair, he let out a sigh of frustration. When Yeonseo faced him directly, he made a look as if to say ‘Look at this’.

Then, he smirked.

“You really have no fear, Miss Han Yeonseo.”

That’s because you keep belittling people, so…

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the office door from the outside.

“Come in.”

Taeheon pressed a button on his desk, giving the visitor permission to come right in as if he already knew who it was. It seemed to be the button to open the office door.

The man who entered the room had a neat appearance, wearing glasses and a well-fitted gray suit. His professionalism was evident from the lack of creases in his pants.

“Secretary Shin, why was your seat vacant?”

“I apologize, Sir. I suddenly felt unwell and went to the pharmacy for a moment.”

“If you’re going to be away, you should report to me first. Isn’t that basic?”

“I thought I shouldn’t disturb you since you had an urgent meeting with the CEO… I apologize. I didn’t think it through.”

“Ms. Han Yeonseo here received a call from Team Leader Joo.”

Yeonseo’s bangs twitched slightly.

“Oh?”

“Company secrets, do you think it’s okay for an outsider like this to hear?”

Secretary Shin’s face turned pale as he lowered his gaze.

“Uh, no.”

“Well, then let’s keep it that way. Let’s not make exceptions.”

Should I have not answered the phone?

Yeonseo, standing next to Secretary Shin, felt her face grow pale along with his.

“Secretary Shin, if you can’t handle the position, speak up now. There are plenty of people who can replace you.”

“I apologize, Sir. This won’t happen again.”

“It’s only been three days since you arrived in Korea. If there’s already confusion, it’s obvious what lies ahead. I don’t need someone who can compensate for mistakes. I need a competent secretary.”

As Taeheon’s harsh questioning intensified, Secretary Shin’s hands began to tremble anxiously.

Yeonseo bit her dry lips, not knowing what to do.

If she hadn’t answered the phone, Secretary Shin wouldn’t have been scolded to this extent. Yeonseo felt sorry for Secretary Shin, who was being scolded in front of a stranger, seemingly because of her own actions.

“I think you’ve already lost my trust.”

Yeonseo finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry, Director. It’s my fault. I…”

“Shut your mouth.”

But what came back to Yeonseo was a cold reprimand.