***

After work, she sat in her room and opened her suitcase. As she always wore a uniform at the hotel, she hadn’t bought any new clothes and didn’t have a proper outfit to go out in. She didn’t have any golf clothes either.

‘I don’t even have golf clothes… this is a problem…’

There was a knock at the door and she rushed out. A man entered carrying a large shopping bag and golfing equipment.

“What… what is this?”

“This is a delivery service. The person who ordered left a card for you.”

Soo-min, dazed, took the items and opened the card.

[Please wear this outfit when you go to the field the day after tomorrow.]

The neat handwriting resembled him.

‘…I feel uncomfortable with such an expensive gift.’

Soo-min looked at the golf equipment and clothes. It was from a high-end golf brand used by her father-in-law. A golf club alone was worth as much as a small car and she couldn’t help but be amazed.

Soo-min folded the clothes neatly and put them in the box before putting them in the shopping bag.

***

Until the next day, she couldn’t find a way to meet Yuhyeon. Although she wanted to return the gift, she didn’t know how.

‘He’ll probably call soon.’

It wasn’t clear where they would meet, but since he had mentioned after meal, it was likely that he would call. While waiting for Yuhyeon’s call, Soo-min concentrated on her work.

While she was working, lunch time came. Her shoulders hurt from the tension of her work, so she tapped them lightly with her hands.

“Manager, take a break.”

“Yes, I’ll finish this first. You go ahead and have lunch. I’ll eat in shifts.”

“Okay~”

Soo-min looked at her phone out of habit.

“Why, no messages? Are we not meeting today?”

As she kept checking her phone, she felt like it was becoming a habit. It seemed silly to be worrying all alone.

Brrr…

The vibration rang.

Please come into the room.

“There are too many people here right now.”

Not the suite, your room.

“Excuse me? My… my room?”

He has just arrived.

What was he thinking, entering my room without permission? Soo-min put down the flowers and hurried to the lift.

She didn’t know how he got in, but when she opened the door, Yuhyeon was sitting in the living room.

Under his feet was the gift box she had received from him yesterday. The cold, piercing stare made her skin crawl.

“You didn’t like the clothes?”

His tone was stiff and broken.

“I don’t like expensive gifts. I wanted to return them anyway, but I had no way of doing so.”

“The clothes were meant for you, so you must wear them.”

“Wearing clothes is my choice.”

“I think I mentioned this at the club, I don’t want you to interfere with what I wear.”

She didn’t like the way he compared people to objects. The more she got to know him, the more she realised he was rude and had no manners.

She tried to refuse again, but his expression turned fierce, so she reluctantly accepted.

Since it was part of the deal, she decided to follow his wishes.

“Fine. I’ll wear it. But I hope you’ll at least respect my privacy.”

Soo-min put away the scattered clothes. Since she was staying at the hotel temporarily, her things were not organised, which bothered her.

“I guess I am a part of your private life too. A very private part of it.”

“…!”

“Isn’t that right?”

“No. The time we spend together is yours, but the rest of my time is mine. So please don’t invade my private space like this.”

“Well, does that mean I can keep you by my side all day?”

“…!”

Yuhyeon suddenly hugged Soo-min from behind, startling her. As his fingers ran over her stomach and up her skirt, she gasped and caught her breath.

“If I keep you by my side 24 hours a day and savour you little by little.”

“……Ah….”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. When you get 10 billion, you have to pay the price.”

His raw, uninhibited breath seeped into her ear. He nipped at her earlobe.

“I have no intention of taking it for nothing. I borrowed it, so I’ll make sure I pay it back.”

“I’m more interested in your body than your money.”

“……!”

As his tongue slid down her neck, a thrilling sensation coursed through her body. It felt as if her neck was stiffening. At the same time, her heart was pounding rapidly, as if he could hear its accelerated beats.

As he moved his fingers, he could feel her getting wetter and wetter. Finally, his hand slipped under her skirt and grabbed the hem of her panties, making her skin quiver. She swallowed hard.

“Your body gets wet at the slightest touch – perfect for mine.”

Bad guy. He’s clearly teasing me.

After that intense moment, she had to take a quick shower, which made her a little late.

“Boss, are you feeling hot? Your hair is…”

She had dried her hair in a hurry, but it still seemed damp.

“Oh, just a little.”

“Yes. Just moving around makes me sweat. This summer is unbearably hot…”

A team member fanned her collar.

“Y-yeah, really…”

“Boss, they’ve set up the arch structure in the banquet hall.”

“Let’s hurry.”

Soo-min and her team members turned towards the banquet hall.

As they approached the hall, several buckets filled with flowers were piled up around the structure.

From a short distance, Soo-min observed the structure carefully. Normally, the outline takes shape as the flowers are arranged to judge the balance of the piece, but she quickly visualised the design in her mind.

“Boss, your eyes just changed.”

“I wonder what kind of masterpiece will be created today? I’m excited.”

“We don’t have time. No chit-chat.”

“Yes!”

After making sure the foam was securely attached to the structure, Soo-min picked up the flowers.

To create a grand arrangement for the banquet, she first outlined the structure with green foliage, then carefully added large flowers to add fullness and elegance. 

Although the team was supposed to work together, there was an overwhelming amount of work to be done today.

Everyone was busy, and with decorations to arrange and place all over the venue, there was little time for anything else.

“Team leader, I think we need more flowers.”

“Jeong-ah, go get them. The rest of you, start preparing the flowers for the table arrangements.”

“Got it! I’ll make them quickly and bring them over. But… will you be able to handle everything on your own?”

“I prefer to work alone.”

“If you need any help, just send me a message.”

“Alright, sure.”

As the team members left at once, a deep silence fell over the banquet hall. The only sound in the empty room was the sound of scissors cutting flowers, and no one went in or out.

***

Through Mrs Yoon, Yuhyeon gradually revealed details of his business plans. 

“Has the Jaewon Group project not started yet?” 

“Go Jinseong took the bait, but since Chairman Go is extremely meticulous and thorough, it will take a little more time. However, now that the bio-business they’ve been pursuing for decades is finally taking off, they won’t let this opportunity pass them by. 

They learned of Chairman Go’s keen interest in the biotech industry through information obtained from the Russian government. For years he had been trying to secure a contract with a Russian vaccine company, but had been forced to back out due to fierce competition from established industry leaders.

“For now, keep spreading the word that we’re looking for new investment opportunities in Korea. Be sure to mention our strong interest in the bio-industry.

‘Han Soo-min, you’ll never escape me. The only way to escape me is to die.’

As he built the cage to trap her, cutting off every possible escape route, the lingering pain from the past seemed to ease, if only a little.

Yuhyeon could have easily crushed her beneath him, but he refused to rush.

Little by little, he had to make parts of her life his own.

In the end, even if she discovered his true identity, she wouldn’t be able to fly away from the cage he had built around her.

For she will break those wings and ensure that she never flies again.

A twisted smile crept across Yuhyeon’s lips.

***

A few hours later, Soo-min placed the last of the flowers at the base and stepped back to watch her work from a distance.

Something felt wrong.

For some reason, she wasn’t satisfied.

In particular, the top of the arch looked too empty.

‘It needs more fullness… Ah, I need to add more pale purple hydrangeas…’

To keep the flowers fresh, she had to carry a bucket of water up the ladder.

All she had to do was reach out and place the flower on the foam, but there was a danger of her elbow brushing against the flowers she had already arranged.

Soo-min lifted her heels slightly, but even then her arm was still too close to the decorations.

Not wanting to ruin the carefully designed arrangement, she stretched further, rising to the tips of her toes.

‘Just a little more…’

Just then, her ankle twisted. A dizzy sensation washed over her as she lost her balance. The bucket of water slipped from her grasp, and at the same time her body tilted backwards, causing her to fall.

“Ah!!!”

Instinctively, her hands shot out in search of something to hold on to – but of all things, she grabbed onto the structure.

“Ahh!”

Thud!

Her back struck against something firm.

Before she could fully process what was happening, large hands wrapped around her waist, steadying her. A familiar scent hit her nose, enveloping her senses.

Then a deep voice rumbled close to her ear.

“You give me another reason to stay off the field.”

“……!”

The person holding her, cradling her like a princess, was Yuhyeon.

Her shoulders shifted.

Since when…?

How long had he been here?

Soo-min quickly scanned the area. Fortunately, no one else was around.

“Put me down.”

Yuhyeon obediently put Soo-min down on the floor.

Then she felt a sharp pain in her ankle. As she winced and struggled to put weight on it, Yuhyeon brought over a chair and helped her sit down.

Kneeling on the floor, he carefully examined her ankle. Soo-min’s heart pounded in her chest.

“Looks like you twisted it.”

“I-I’m fine…”

“It doesn’t seem serious enough to require a hospital visit, but you’ll need to put an ice pack on it.”

“I-I can do it myself. And… I haven’t forgotten about the field event.”

Soo-min quickly pulled her foot out of his hands. Even if she had to wear a cast on her ankle, she was determined – she would still wear the golf outfit he had bought for her and go to the field.

She looked away and a heavy, suffocating silence fell between them. Her head slowly dropped.

Even without making eye contact, she could feel Yuhyeon’s piercing gaze, as if it were boring into her.

“If you couldn’t go, I was ready to carry you in my arms and take you there.”

“…….”

Soo-min bit her lip.

“All right, I’ll go. Let’s go.”

She tried to get up from the chair, but her ankle was still throbbing with pain. As she looked at the slightly damaged structure she was clinging to, her face contorted in anguish, on the verge of tears.

“You can’t design in this condition.”

“I can call the team members.”

“This arrangement must be completed….”

“……?”

Suddenly, Yuhyeon picked up a flower.

“What are you… doing…?”

“Just look.”

Yuhyeon quickly and meticulously began to fill the empty part of the arrangement with flowers. As his hands moved, Soo-min’s eyes widened in amazement.

‘It may look easy to place flowers, but if the balance is off, the whole arrangement will look strange… But this man… this is incredible.’