Across the room, Park Hyun Woo finally moved.
One step forward.
Then another.
Calm.
Composed.
As if nothing had shaken. But the entire room watched him now.
Every eye.
Every ear.
Waiting.
He reached her. Stopped just a few steps away. Took the microphone from her hand without force. Without hesitation. The boldness of it alone made people hold their breath. He looked at the crowd.
Then...
His voice carried.
Smooth.
Controlled.
Dangerous in its quiet.
"Miss Song speaks passionately," he said.
A faint ripple of tension moved through the room.
"But passion," he continued, "does not always reflect reality."
His gaze flickered to her briefly.
"Business decisions are made for many reasons," he added. "Risk management being one of them."
A subtle shift in the room.
He was already reclaiming ground.
Calmly.
Efficiently.
Ji Eun smiled. A real smile this time. Sharp.
"So you admit it?" she asked openly.
That question, caught attention again.
Hyun Woo paused.
Just briefly.
Then...
He stepped closer.
Now close enough that the tension between them was visible.
To everyone.
"I admit," he said quietly, "that I protect what belongs to me."
The words hit harder than anyone expected.
Gasps.
Whispers surged again.
That didn't sound like business.
That sounded personal.
Possessive.
Ji Eun tilted her head slightly.
"And you think I belong to you?" she asked.
Soft.
But cutting.
A pause.
The longest one yet.
Then...
Park Hyun Woo leaned in, just enough for the room to feel it.
Not hear it.
But feel it.
"You will," he said.