"And I protect what's mine better than anyone else ever will."
Ji Eun froze.
The weight of those words pressed down on her, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing it.
"You're assuming I'll lose," she said sharply.
"I'm certain," he replied.
Meanwhile… inside Mo Han's office
The atmosphere had turned suffocating.
Mo Han stood rigidly behind his desk, his expression dark as he stared at the man seated casually opposite him.
Park Hyun Woo's representative.
No...
Not just a representative.
An extension of his will.
The man slid a document across the desk.
"The terms have been revised," he said politely.
Mo Han didn't touch it.
"I already signed the agreement," he said tightly. "There shouldn't be any revisions."
The man smiled faintly.
"There are… conditions now."
Mo Han's eyes hardened.
"What conditions?"
The man leaned back slightly, his gaze calm.
"Our CEO would like to confirm your priorities."
Silence.
Mo Han felt irritation rise.
"My priorities are none of your concern," he said coldly.
"On the contrary," the man replied. "They are exactly our concern."
He tapped lightly on the document.
"If this deal proceeds, your company gains access to markets you've been trying to enter for the past four years."
Mo Han said nothing.
"Your family's standing rises."
Still silence.
"You become one of the top players… not just in China, but across Asia."
Mo Han's jaw tightened.
He knew all of this.
He fought for this.
Bled for this.
"So?" he said sharply.
The man's expression remained unchanged.
"So," he continued, "our CEO would like to ensure that nothing… compromises that trajectory."
Mo Han narrowed his eyes.
"Speak clearly."
A brief pause.
Then...
"Miss Song Ji Eun."
The name lingered in the room like a loaded weapon.
Mo Han's expression darkened instantly.
"What about her?"
The man studied him carefully.
"Our CEO believes that emotional distractions… can interfere with important decisions."
Mo Han let out a short, humorless laugh.
"You're telling me to stay away from her?"
"I'm saying," the man replied smoothly, "that you will soon face a choice."
Mo Han went still.
"A choice?" he repeated.
"Yes."
The man leaned forward slightly.
"Between pursuing a future that secures everything you've worked for…"
His gaze sharpened.
"…and chasing something uncertain."
The implication was clear.
Crystal clear.