Chapter 4
“Just use Uncle’s money then.”
— Where the hell would I get money, you brat?! It’s hard enough feeding myself in this damn economy! Prices are insane!
“You didn’t go blow it with some shady guys in a plastic greenhouse again, did you?”
— What the—! Any money I spend is for your benefit! Just look at Gwangsik’s son who’s getting married! Sure, he’s just an intern now, but he’ll soon be a full-time employee at a major company! Isn’t that a decent enough prospect? I practically wore my mouth out talking to Gwangsik just to match you two up!
Her uncle, Manchul, responded in a cranky and accusing tone. Haejoo clenched her jaw against the throbbing headache and walked toward the bus stop.
— You could’ve been the one marrying him if you hadn’t stormed out like that! Gwangsik’s son practically drooled all over himself looking at you!
“I never wanted that setup. And I don’t want to talk about the past.”
— Who do you think you’re holding out for, acting all high and mighty? If your old uncle is busting his butt for you, you should at least appreciate it!
Manchul sneered with a mocking laugh.
— Whatever. Just send me the money. One million won. Make it more if you want to make your uncle feel good. Maybe I’ll even buy a new watch!
Shameless. Haejoo trembled, covering her forehead with her palm.
“I don’t want to talk money with you, Uncle. Don’t call me about things like this again. I’m not sending you a single won.”
— You ungrateful brat. Hey, Seonhae—!
Haejoo abruptly hung up and boarded the bus that had just arrived. Furious messages from Manchul flooded in, but she tossed her phone aside without a glance.
How is this family? It’s more like being enemies.
Trying to calm her troubled heart, Haejoo looked out at the crisp autumn scenery and gently touched her neck. It was the necklace her mother had left her—a keepsake she had almost lost because of her uncle.
It had been exactly one year since that night—the night she’d begged Seungjo to sleep with her.
After that night with Seungjo, she had fled from his residence as if running away.
It had been an animalistic night—bold and explicit, with nothing held back.
Embarrassed by the whole thing, Haejoo had gone straight to the office to avoid him. She had searched the marble floor in the lobby, the place where she had struggled with her uncle, but found nothing.
She was about to ask the lobby staff when Seungjo, in a sharp suit, walked across the lobby toward her.
“Looking for this?”
It was her mother’s necklace—what she’d been desperately searching for.
“How do you have this? It’s mine! I mean… how did you…?”
“You always wear it, Seon Haejoo. I noticed. But you weren’t wearing it last night.”
Something fluttered in Haejoo’s chest. It felt like he’d been watching her all along—even though she was just one of many employees to him. Of course, she told herself that probably wasn’t what he meant.
“I was so worried I’d lost it. Thank you, sir. Really.”
She bowed as she took the necklace from his hand. It had only been a few hours since their intense night together, and here he was again.
Thinking back on that moment, Haejoo fidgeted with the necklace. Even as she put it back on that day, she remembered how Seungjo’s eyes never left her.
It was a gaze that always made her nervous. Her heart would pound so hard it echoed in her ears—but she didn’t dislike it.
She liked being with Seungjo.
Maybe that’s why she accepted his offer, even though she knew he would never truly give her his heart.
Even if all they did was sleep together, during those moments she felt like she existed—not as someone’s niece, not as a pawn—but simply as Seon Haejoo, a 29-year-old woman.
A regular person who had a crush, who worked hard at her job.
And for a little while, she could forget she had an uncle who was constantly trying to sell her off.
“If it was something serious enough to lose a precious necklace, aren’t you going to tell me what happened?”
“…I really enjoyed last night with you, sir. That’s all I want to remember.”
Even when asked, Haejoo never told Seungjo what kind of man her uncle was.
If possible, she wanted to keep that side of her life hidden from him forever.
“Phew…”
On her way into the office, Haejoo searched her bag for her employee ID, exhaling softly. She flinched slightly at the unfamiliar object brushing her neatly trimmed nails.
“I told him I don’t need things like this…”
It was lip gloss—her favorite brand.
Last night, after Na-ae left, she had gone back to Seungjo’s residence and spent another night with him, just like usual.
He never tired—always passionately embracing her—while she was the one who always collapsed halfway through. Was it during that time? Or maybe after her shower? Whenever she opened her bag, there was always a gift from Seungjo inside.
She had tried returning the expensive gifts before, but Seungjo would just lift one cold corner of his lips disapprovingly.
“Should I just give it to Secretary Hwang instead?”
Her heart ached at the thought. She hated the idea of another woman using something Seungjo had picked out for her.
As she stepped out of the elevator, Haejoo hesitated, then applied the lip gloss. She inhaled deeply—it had the same refreshing, captivating scent that reminded her of him.
She was just stepping into the office when—
“Assistant Manager! Hurry!”
Sooah from the business support team grabbed her arm and pulled her along. Startled by the sudden commotion, Haejoo didn’t even get a chance to look around the office.
“Uh… Sooah?”
“It’s huge! I heard rumors, but I didn’t think they were true! Executive Director Tae Seungjo himself is taking charge of our department! That means he’s planning to fully support us, right? And we get eye candy every day too?”
Sooah spoke excitedly, not even letting Haejoo get a word in.
“Sooah?”
“I’m telling you, he’s our department head now!”
“What? Why would he…”
Before she could finish, they reached the meeting room.
“The Assistant Manager Seon Haejoo that Executive Director Tae mentioned just arrived!”
“Perfect timing.”
The luxurious scent lingering at her nose suddenly intensified, and Haejoo’s heart thudded in her chest.
“Good morning, Assistant Manager Seon Haejoo.”
There he was—Seungjo—casually perched on her desk with a playful smile.
“You didn’t mention any of this yesterday.”
Haejoo followed Seungjo to his executive office. No one objected—after all, Executive Director Tae Seungjo had personally asked for her to brief him on the current project plans.
Everyone on the team was puffing up with pride, thinking they’d been specially chosen by someone so powerful.
“You look surprised.”
Seungjo smiled leisurely, his lips curving attractively.
“It got more interesting when I saw you were in the department. Now I get to see your face every day—isn’t that great?”
“Don’t joke around. I know you’re not that kind of person.”
Who was Tae Seungjo?
Even his cousin, President Tae Sangyoon—the CEO of Taehwa Group—couldn’t match his ruthless capability.
Though he had an elegant, easygoing exterior, Seungjo was the most fierce and calculating businessman she knew. There was no way he’d make a decision based on emotions.
Even the Business Support team, where Haejoo belonged, had been managed by Director Park, a known Tae Sangyoon loyalist. That Seungjo now led it clearly meant something.
“I wonder what kind of man I seem like to you, Seon Haejoo.”
With one hand in the pocket of his sharp suit pants, Seungjo asked, his calm tone contrasting with his heated gaze.
“Someone with clear interests. Cold and calculating. Just like when you told me plainly that you only wanted sex.”
“Not exactly boyfriend material, huh? Just sex—no responsibility, no emotional baggage.”
“That’s fine. I’m not looking for responsibility either. I’m just being honest about what I want.”
Seungjo tilted his chin slightly and then let out a soft laugh.
