"Let's make a bet, Ji Eun."
She stiffened immediately.
"I'm not interested."
"You are," he said calmly. "Because it concerns Mo Han."
That name alone was enough to make her hesitate.
"…What kind of bet?" she asked cautiously.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"Simple," he said. "You believe Mo Han will choose you over everything else."
Ji Eun's chin lifted.
"I don't believe it," she said firmly. "I know it."
Hyun Woo nodded slightly, as though acknowledging her confidence.
"Then prove me wrong."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Explain."
He leaned forward slightly now, his voice lowering, not forceful, but precise.
"The deal he secured with Next Group… it's the biggest opportunity his family has had in years," he said. "It elevates their standing, expands their influence, and secures their future."
Ji Eun didn't respond, but she was listening.
"You," he continued, "would also bring him power. Through marriage, he would gain access to the Song family's network, wealth, and protection."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"So either way, he wins," she said.
"Yes," Hyun Woo agreed.
Then his gaze sharpened just a fraction.
"But not equally."
Something about his tone made her chest tighten.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You're assuming his choice will be driven by emotion," he said. "I'm saying… it won't."
Ji Eun shook her head immediately.
"You don't know him."
"I know men like him," Hyun Woo corrected.
Her expression hardened.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," he said calmly, "when forced to choose between a woman and something that defines his success… most men don't hesitate."
Ji Eun slammed her hand lightly against the table.
"Mo Han is not 'most men.'"
Hyun Woo didn't flinch.
"Then this should be easy," he said.
Silence.
The tension between them thickened.
"What's the bet?" she asked slowly.