Chapter 102
Sera's POV
*Click*
*The office door opened*
"Vice Chairman Hwang."
*Mina stood by the doorway with a polite bow*
I gave a small nod before walking into my office and taking my seat.
"These are the documents that require your review today."
Mina carefully placed a neatly organized stack of files in front of me.
I glanced at them briefly before nodding.
"And, Vice Chairman Hwang… there's one more thing."
"We've removed and altered every CCTV recording that could identify your movements before and after the incident. The only footage we couldn't do much about was the recording from Mr. Kim's apartment building."
I stayed silent, letting her continue.
"I have to admit, Mr. Park was extremely cautious and smart. Even though he'd never been to that apartment building before, he seemed to know the exact camera angles. He deliberately positioned himself and Mr. Kim outside their clearest fields of view, making it nearly impossible to read their lips or identify any significant movements from the footage."
A quiet chuckle escaped my lips.
"He really was careful until the very end… wasn't he? To use all of that intelligence he had… just to betray me in the end. How unfortunate."
My gaze drifted toward the window for a brief moment before returning to Mina.
"Get rid of all the recordings from his apartment. I don't want Haemin to get caught up in this."
"Understood."
Mina bowed once more.
"Then I'll excuse myself."
I gave her a small nod.
She straightened and quietly left the office.
*Click*
The room fell silent once again.
For several moments, I simply stared at the documents lying on my desk.
Then…
A small smile slowly appeared on my lips.
I stood from my chair and walked toward the glass window overlooking the sprawling skyline.
The city stretched endlessly before me.
Without realizing it…
My hand slowly rested against my chest, feeling the rapid beat beneath my palm.
*Thump*
*Thump*
*Thump*
My heart was still racing.
"He didn't push me away."
When I hugged him earlier, Haemin didn't push me away.
A small, warm flutter spread through my heart just from remembering that moment.
"Does that mean... he's finally placing his trust in me?"
The thought alone made the corners of my lips lift even further.
And tonight I'll be seeing him again.
I wonder where should I take him?
Should we have dinner somewhere quiet?
Or…
Would it be better if I simply take him to my place?
…
Would he feel uncomfortable?
I gently bit my lip.
Seriously…
When it comes to Haemin…
It's becoming harder and harder to stay calm no matter how many times I tell myself to take things slowly…
I closed my eyes for a second, letting the memory of his warmth linger in my mind.
…
That was enough for now.
I slowly turned away from the window and returned to my desk.
The stack of documents Mina had left earlier was still waiting for me.
I picked up the first file and quietly reviewed its contents.
One after another, I calmly signed the documents.
Although my eyes remained on the paperwork…
My thoughts kept drifting to him.
A faint smile unknowingly stayed on my face throughout the entire review.
*Knock, Knock*
The door opened, and Mina quietly stepped inside once again.
"Vice Chairman, you have five minutes before your meeting."
After giving the final document one last glance to make sure everything was in order, I closed the file and stood up from my chair.
"Let's go."
_____
The meeting room was already filled by the time I entered.
"Good morning, Vice Chairman."
I returned a small nod before taking my seat at the head of the long table.
"Please, begin."
One of the senior executives stood up. The presentation screen behind him immediately lit up with several charts and data.
["Vice Chairman, today's first agenda concerns the performance of our international shipping operations for the previous quarter. Overall cargo volume has increased by 8.7%, while container turnaround time has improved by—"]
The meeting started as usual.
["…Our logistics division has also completed the expansion of two overseas distribution hubs ahead of schedule, which is expected to reduce transportation costs by approximately six percent over the next two quarters…"]
Honestly…
I wasn't really listening.
["…As for the import division—"]
For some reason…
My mood was unusually good today.
["They have successfully secured several new supply contracts across Southeast Asia…"]
Nothing that I wanted more than for today to end so that I could meet him again.
[…and the first shipments are scheduled to depart early next month…"]
Then—
*Buzz*
My phone on the table vibrated softly.
I glanced at the screen.
Haemin?
My heartbeat instantly sped up.
Without thinking, I immediately picked up my phone and opened it.
A smile naturally appeared on my lips.
Then—
[I'm sorry, Sera. I don't think I'll be able to meet you tonight.]
It disappeared.
[Things became a little complicated because of the news this morning…]
What the hell is this?
[It's probably better if we keep some distance for a while until things calm down a little. I'm really sorry again.]
My eyes froze on the screen.
What… did I just read?
No.
No…
What the hell is this supposed to mean?
Keep some distance?
I'm waiting for another message from him.
…
But nothing comes.
A quiet, mocking laugh almost escaped my lips..
Is this supposed to be a joke?
What do you mean by this, Haemin?!
What the hell did you just send me?
Are you messing around with me? When you already promised to meet me tonight?!
["Regarding our new shipping agreement with our European partners, we believe it would be safer to postpone the negotiations until next quarter because—"]
"Safer?"
My voice cut straight through the room.
The executive immediately stopped speaking.
The entire conference room fell completely silent.
Every pair of eyes slowly turned toward me.
I raised my head.
"Safer? So your department spent weeks preparing this… only to stand here and recommend that we waits?"
"V-Vice Chairman… I only meant that delaying the negotiations would reduce the—"
"Reduce what? Risk?"
I interrupted him sharply.
"Do you think our competitors are sitting around waiting for us to make up our minds?"
The executive lowered his head immediately.
"I… I apologize, Vice Chairman."
"Do you think this company got to where it is today by playing it safe? If we keep postponing every decision because of minor risks, we might as well shut down the entire group. Are you telling me that after years of working here, you still don't understand what this company stands for?"
The executive's face turned noticeably pale.
"I-I'll revise the proposal immediately, Vice Chairman."
"Next time if you walk into my meeting room with another proposal like this… make sure you bring your resignation letter along with it."
My eyes sweeping across everyone seated around the table.
"And that goes for all of you. This company has no room for gutless idiots! If you don't have the guts to make real decisions, then get the hell out of my sight. Don't waste my time with your spineless crap and incompetence!"
"Vice Chairman?"
I stopped abruptly.
Mina's voice suddenly reached my ears, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at me.
Only then did I realize I'd let my emotions get the better of me.
Everyone in the room was already staring at me with visibly nervous expressions.
…
Damn it.
I had given myself away.
No one had ever seen me lose my composure like this before.
It was… because of that message.
I slowly closed my eyes.
No…
If I stayed here any longer, I might really lose it.
I slowly exhaled before opening my eyes again.
The conference room remained deathly silent.
Everyone was waiting for me to continue.
Instead…
I stood up.
The executives looked at one another in confusion.
"Please continue the meeting without me. I have an urgent matter that came up."
I picked up my phone from the table.
"Mina will represent my decisions for the remaining agenda."
She blinked in surprise.
"Vice Chairman?"
I didn't answer.
Without waiting for anyone to respond, I turned around and walked straight out of the conference room.
_____
I stormed back to my office, my blood boiling with every step. The moment I sat down at my desk, I snatched my phone and opened the message again.
I stared at the words, my fingers gripping the phone so tightly that it left marks on my palm.
Just what the hell is this?
He was just fine this morning. He never said anything about this.
I read the message again, my jaw clenching.
"So you don't want to go out with me because of the news about us, Haemin? Is that the only reason? You've got to be kidding me."
My fingers slowly slid through my hair as frustration built inside me.
"Shouldn't you be proud that people know you're going out with someone like me? Do you have any idea how many men out there would give up everything just for the chance to speak to me? And yet, you're the only one I give my full attention to."
A bitter smile slowly formed on my lips.
"This is really hurting my pride, Haemin."
I kept looking at his text.
…
There's definitely something more to it.
Did Yuna threaten him?
"That can't be it, right?"
"She wouldn't dare to lay her hand on Haemin anymore. Not if she ready to put her reputation on the line."
…
"Or maybe she did?"
I had intentionally let the rumors spread because I wanted to get inside her head. Besides, I knew she couldn't do anything anymore. But did she still dare to lay her hand on him?
"Did I underestimate how far she was willing to go because of her jealousy?"
The possibility alone made my chest burn with anger.
But still… Haemin looked just fine this morning. The thing is, Haemin won't tell me if something happened.
"This is driving me crazy."
But…
What if it wasn't Yuna?
…
"No way…"
What if… it was because of what Jun-ho told him last night?
My entire body froze.
…
Yes…
That was the only explanation that actually made sense!
But if that's the case, why did Haemin seem okay with me this morning? Was it because the doubt Jung-ho planted in his mind started to grow once he had time to think about it?
That's why he's suddenly trying to avoid me?
"…Damn you."
My jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
"Jun-ho… you bastard. What exactly did you tell him?!"
"Did you tell Haemin about my past? You bastard."
What did you say to make him suddenly avoid me?!
Fury surged through my body like wildfire.
My breathing became uneven as countless possibilities flooded my mind one after another.
"I need to know."
My chest heaved with rage. How dare he? How dare that worthless scum try to turn Haemin against me?
I stood up abruptly and found myself standing in front of the window again. My palm pressed against the cold glass as I stared at my own reflection. My breath came in short bursts as my fingers slowly curled into fists against the surface. I want to meet Haemin. I want to meet him right now and ask him!
But if I did that, wouldn't he find it strange? Wouldn't he become even more suspicious of me if I suddenly pressured him? And I don't know if I can stay calm if I see even the slightest hesitation in his eyes. I might start overthinking everything Jung-ho could have told him.
"…No."
I slowly closed my eyes.
My hands were trembling.
No.
I couldn't let my emotions control me.
"…Calm down, Sera. This isn't like you."
Just then, the door opened softly.
"Vice Chairman…"
I turned around, forcing my expression to calm down as much as I could.
"Mina… is meeting already over?"
"Yes…"
"Vice Chairman… are you okay? You didn't seem quite yourself during the meeting earlier. Is there anything troubling you?"
"No, I'm fine."
I walked back to my desk and sat down.
"Bring me the report from the meeting."
Mina hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded.
"…Understood."
After she left the room, I let out a long breath. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling as I closed my eyes, trying to settle myself completely.
I sat there in silence, trying to organize the countless thoughts that had been running through my mind.
Then—
*Knock* *Knock*
Before I could think any further, a hurried knock came from the office door.
Mina? That's fast.
"Come in."
The door opened immediately.
Mina stepped inside, there was a slightly sense of urgency on her face.
"What is it?"
"Vice Chairman, security downstairs just informed me that a representative from Nara Group has arrived. Secretary Yoo is waiting in the lobby right now."
"Harin?"
"Yes. She said she's here on Ms. Seo's behalf regarding the collaboration project."
I couldn't help but let out a low, amused chuckle.
Looks like the news about me and Haemin really got under her skin, huh?
A small smile gradually formed on my lips.
"Looks like she couldn't stay still after all. Invite her up."
"Understood."
_____
*Knock* *Knock*
The door slowly opened.
I stood up from my chair and smoothing the sleeve of my suit.
Mina stepped inside, followed closely by Harin.
A faint smile appeared on my lips.
"Well, well… if it isn't Secretary Yoo. To what do I owe the pleasure of this sudden visit?"
She gave me a polite bow.
"Good morning, Ms. Hwang. I apologize for the sudden visit. I hope I haven't interrupted your schedule."
She then straightened up and met my eyes calmly.
"As you already know, I'm here today at Chairwoman Seo's request to follow up on our collaboration."
I let out a quiet chuckle.
"You came all the way here just for that? Yuna could have simply called us if she wanted an update. There was no need for you to trouble yourself by coming in person."
Harin's expression remained unchanged.
"That leads to another reason why I'm here. Chairwoman Seo has decided to withdraw from the collaboration. I came to inform you personally because it would be inappropriate to deliver the news over the phone."
"What…?"
Mina unconsciously blurted out. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she turned toward Harin.
"You want to withdraw?!"
Harin didn't answer. She just stood there calmly.
A faint laugh escaped me.
"What are you talking about, Secretary Yoo. Stop joking around. We both know that's not what Yuna wants. Seriously… you people from Nara really do love making things dramatic, don't you?"
Harin simply looked at me without saying a word.
I just let out a sigh at her serious expression.
"Just so you know, the draft agreement is already finished. I was simply waiting for the right moment to send it over because, well... you know how things are between Yuna and me right now."
"Is that why you deliberately let the news between you and Mr. Kim spread?"
I was caught a little off guard by her question.
"Secretary Yoo, I suggest you mind your tone when speaking to our Vice Chairman. Please remember where you are standing right now—"
"It's fine, Mina. It doesn't bother me at all."
I found it amusing rather than irritating that she had the audacity to ask me that.
So that's what this is really about.
"Mina, bring the draft over."
"Understood."
I looked back at Harin.
"There are quite a lot of documents. You should've brought someone with you. It'll be troublesome carrying everything by yourself."
"Thank you for your concern. I've already arranged for the documents to be collected later. And please prepare a place for me to review them. I'd like to review everything on-site. That'll make it easier if I need clarification on anything immediately. And since the draft is ready, Chairwoman Seo would like to meet you tomorrow to discuss it further and finalize the agreement."
…
A faint laugh escaped my lips.
"My… she's quite impatient, isn't she?"
At last… the board was finally set.
I glanced toward Mina.
"Please prepare the conference room for our guest here."
"It'll be ready in a few minutes, Vice Chairman."
Mina gave a quick bow before leaving the office.
Now only Harin and I remained.
She continued looking straight at me. Dissatisfied.
I folded my arms.
"Let's cut to the chase, Harin. Mina's already left. You can talk freely now. What exactly are you here for? I know you didn't come just for this. So stop beating around the bush and say it."
Harin's expression hardened slightly. She remained silent for a moment, as though considering her response. Then she let out a quiet breath before finally speaking.
"Please resolve the issue regarding the news between you and Mr. Kim as soon as possible, Ms. Hwang. You've already gotten what you wanted from Chairwoman Seo. I think that's enough, don't you think? Don't you feel sorry for Mr. Kim? He's the one who has to deal with all these rumors right now."
"If your objective was to pressure Chairwoman… then you've already succeeded. So please… stop dragging Mr. Kim into this any further—"
"Stop right there."
I cut her off before she could finish. For some reason, the way she phrased it irritated me.
"I don't like the way you're putting it, Harin. Why are you making it sound like I was using Haemin to hurt Yuna? Yes, I let the rumors spread. I won't deny that. But don't insult my feelings by saying I used him. I allowed those rumors because I wanted people to know how important Haemin is to me."
"If Yuna can't accept it, that's her problem. Like I give a damn about how she feels. After all, she's the one who drove Haemin away in the first place."
Harin looked slightly disbelieving, as if she couldn't accept what she was hearing.
"No matter how you try to justify your intentions, it doesn't change the fact that Mr. Kim is the one bearing the burden of all this."
"And I haven't even mentioned how you interfered with their divorce by sending that lawyer to him."
I was momentarily taken aback.
So, they already knew.
Impressive.
"Yes, Chairwoman already knows you were involved. She just doesn't have concrete proof that the lawyer was working for you. And she isn't the type to act recklessly without evidence."
I couldn't help smiling again.
"And what if I was the one who sent him? What is Yuna going to do about it? Is she going to come after me? I'd love to see her try."
Harin shook her head slowly.
"Ms. Hwang… you really don't know how far Chairwoman is willing to go just to keep Mr. Kim, do you? Is it really that difficult to wait until their cooling-off period is over? If you truly care about Mr. Kim as much as you claim… then please, stop provoking her from now on."
The smile on my face was gone.
"What do you mean by that, Harin?"
"…"
A possibility I had dismissed earlier suddenly crept back into my mind.
"Did Yuna still hurt him?"
"…"
Harin stayed silent.
…
That silence alone was enough to make my heart sink.
"Answer me, Harin."
I stepped closer, until only a small distance separated us.
"I'm asking you..."
My voice dropped.
"… Is she still hurting him?"
My finger curled into a fist. There was nothing I wanted more than to wipe that calm expression off her face. But I held myself back.
Harin finally met my gaze.
"…I didn't say that. But if you truly care about Mr. Kim… then stop making his life even harder. He has already suffered enough because of the conflict between the two of you."
"How am I supposed to know you're not lying to me?"
"You're free to believe me or not. That's your choice."
Her words only fueled my suspicion. But nothing that I can do now than to ask Haemin himself. That vile woman... I swear… if she really did it again…
*Knock* *Knock*
Mina stepped inside.
"Vice Chairman. The conference room is ready."
"Alright. You may go now."
Mina nodded and quietly closed the door.
I looked at Harin for another long moment before finally speaking.
"…You may go as well."
Harin gave me a polite bow.
"Then I'll excuse myself."
She turned around and began walking toward the door.
Just before her hand reached the doorknob, she suddenly stopped.
"One more thing, Ms. Hwang."
"Regarding the death of your lawyer, I know the police said they've already arrested the suspect. But..."
She slowly turned her head just enough to look at me from the corner of her eye.
"You didn't have anything to do with it, did you?"
My composure almost faltered at her sudden question.
Did she know something?
Or was she simply trying to read my reaction?
I kept my expression calm, careful not to give away even the slightest hint of suspicion.
"If I told you I wasn't involved… would you believe me?"
Harin remained silent, as though she were carefully weighing my words.
In the end, she simply lowered her head slightly.
"I'll excuse myself first."
Without answering my question, she turned and walked out of the room.
_____
*Later that evening*
"God… this is stressing me out."
I threw my pen onto the desk in frustration and leaned back in my chair.
"I can't focus on a single thing!"
My thoughts had been a complete mess.
Everything that I have been doing since this morning, none of it stayed in my head for more than a few seconds before my thoughts drifted back to that stupid message.
…
I clicked my tongue in annoyance while checking my schedule.
…
Nothing seemed particularly urgent.
"Forget it. There's no point forcing myself to work when my head isn't even here."
I glance at the clock.
Seems like Haemin has finished work by now.
"He should be home already, right?"
Without wasting another second, I picked up my belongings and walked out of my office.
Mina immediately looked up from her desk the moment she saw me.
"Vice Chairman?"
"Cancel anything that comes up tonight."
She quickly checked the schedule on her tablet.
"Your schedule is clear for the rest of the evening, Vice Chairman. There aren't any new appointments."
"Good."
"But… there is… one more thing."
"Hm?"
"The Chairman has been trying to reach you for the past few days. He said he called you several times, but you never answered. He asked me to remind you that he wants to meet with you as soon as possible"
I closed my eyes for a brief moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Tell him I'll meet him sometime this week. I'll let him know the exact time myself later."
"Understood."
As I turned toward the elevator, my eyes briefly drifted toward the conference rooms down the corridor.
Through the glass wall, I could see Harin sitting inside with stacks of documents spread across the table.
"She's still here? I thought she had left already."
"Yes. Secretary Yoo has been reviewing the draft since earlier. She hasn't taken a break once."
"Talk about dedication."
I walked straight toward the conference room.
The door was still open.
Harin was organizing the neatly stacked documents in front of her. She looked completely absorbed in her work.
I leaned lightly against the door frame.
"I can have someone bring you a pillow and a blanket if you plan on sleeping here tonight."
She calmly finished arranging the last file before finally looking up at me.
"There's no need. I've already finished reviewing everything. Thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Hwang."
I couldn't help but let out a quiet chuckle.
"You really know how to make a conversation dull, don't you?"
I walked a little closer.
"You know… someone as capable as you is honestly being wasted over there. Why don't you come work for me instead?"
I folded my arms.
"I can offer you a better position than the one you have now. And I can pay you far more than she does."
"Thank you for the offer, Ms. Hwang. But I'm happy where I am."
"Really? Aren't you being too loyal to her? You do realize she doesn't care about you nearly as much as you care about her, don't you?"
"Whether the Chairwoman cares about me or not... that was never the reason I stayed by her side all these years. I simply wanted to repay the late Chairman for everything he had done for me by being there for his daughter."
"How admirable. It's a shame your loyalty is being wasted on the wrong family."
Just as Harin was about to respond—
*Bzzz…*
Her phone vibrated.
She glanced down at the screen.
A faint look of confusion crossed her face.
I noticed it immediately.
"Don't mind me."
I gestured casually.
"Go ahead."
Harin gave me a small nod.
"Please excuse me for a moment."
She stepped a short distance away before answering the call.
"Yes?"
…
"What?!"
Her expression changed instantly.
…
"When did this happen?"
…
"And you're only informing me now?"
…
"What were all of you doing?"
…
"Alright. I'll be there shortly."
The call ended. And all of a sudden, she began packing her belongings.
"Something happened?"
Harin looked at me. Her expression had already returned to its usual calmness, but I could still see the urgency hidden beneath it.
"My work here is already done. I'll have to excuse myself. An urgent matter has come up."
Before I could ask anything else, she gave me a polite bow, and quickly walked out of the conference room.
I quietly watched her disappearing figure.
I wonder what happened that made her rush off like that.
…
Well.
It wasn't any of my concern anyway. I had far more important things on my mind right now.
I turned around and headed toward the elevator.
The doors had just opened when—
"Vice Chairman!"
I stopped in my tracks.
Mina was running toward me from the end of the corridor.
"Vice Chairman!"
She finally stopped in front of me, slightly out of breath.
"T-There's something important… Our contact at the police…"
She paused, trying to catch her breath.
"What is it? Tell me."
"Our contact just informed us…"
She looked straight into my eyes.
"Mr. Kim has been taken to the police station for questioning."
"…What?!"