CHAPTER 47…………………………………….
“I suppose I should. Maybe because of the herbal tea, I’m starting to feel sleepy too.”
She went to the desk, closed her laptop, and left the study together with Mrs. Kim, who had been waiting by the door.
“Sleep well, Madam.”
“Yes. You too, Mrs. Kim.”
After exchanging good-night greetings, Seoyoung returned to the bedroom and carefully opened the door, trying not to make a sound.
Hyukjin was already fast asleep.
She climbed onto the bed as quietly as possible and slid herself under the covers.
She looked at him for a moment, as he was facing her, and just as she turned over the other way, a large hand wrapped around her waist.
Did I wake him because of me?
Startled, Seoyoung turned her head. His sleep-heavy eyes were gazing at her softly.
“Are you done with your work?”
“Yes. I’m sorry—I think I woke you.”
“No. I’m a light sleeper to begin with. And it felt a bit empty when you were gone.”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
Not knowing how to take his words, Seoyoung gave an awkward smile and turned her head away again.
“Are you not keeping your promise today?”
“Huh?”
Only then did she remember the promise to sleep tightly holding each other.
The image of him together with Minwoo in the small office room flashed through her mind, and her heart still felt unsettled.
But not wanting to show it, Seoyoung slowly turned back toward him.
Hyukjin, who had his eyes closed as if asleep, briefly opened them when she came closer, then closed them again.
When Seoyoung placed her hand on his waist, he pulled her tightly against him in return.
Her eyes widened slightly. They were so close that their lower bodies almost touched.
Unlike her, tense and rigid, Hyukjin soon seemed to fall asleep, not moving at all.
He must really be tired.
Seeing his sleeping face up close for the first time felt unfamiliar—and surprisingly handsome.
When he was working, his face was rather cold, but the way he acted playfully only toward her now looked utterly defenseless.
Admiring his defined eyebrows and long lashes, her gaze drifted down along the straight bridge of his nose.
The lips she had kissed so many times looked a little dry today.
Without realizing it, her hand rose.
Her finger lightly brushed across his lips, barely touching them.
When his breath brushed against her fingertip, she sucked in a sharp breath.
Holding her breath, she looked down at him in that position.
He was more sensitive than she’d expected.
She watched for a moment, wondering if he’d woken up, but he only continued breathing evenly.
Whew. I thought I’d woken him.
Even as she soothed her startled heart, Seoyoung found it hard to look away from him.
On impulse, she gently rested her fingertip on his lips. Perhaps ticklish, he smacked them softly.
Seoyoung hurriedly pulled her hand back and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.
Was it because she hadn’t felt another person’s warmth for so many years?
The warmth she felt now was unexpectedly comforting and pleasant. And so she did something she normally never would.
The soft sensation that had touched her fingertips made her heart pound for no reason.
She was lying beside him just like always—so why was her heart racing like this?
She wasn’t a teenage girl anymore. What was she even doing?
Thinking back, it was surprising how she had been able to sleep so naturally despite being pressed this close to Hyukjin.
Cracking her eyes open slightly, Seoyoung confirmed that he hadn’t woken and let out a deep breath. Then she relaxed the hand resting on his waist.
I’ve lost my mind, Hyun Seoyoung.
It felt ridiculous that her heart was already tilting this way when she hadn’t even been married that long.
If she felt like this already, how lonely would it be when they divorced?
She bit her lip, annoyed at herself for thinking such things.
Even imagining it made her feel hollow—and that bitterness stung.
Why am I suddenly like this?
Between the in-laws who treated her so well and a husband who turned out better than expected, her emotions kept wavering.
It was clearly different from her past, when she’d handled everything alone, like a silkworm spinning its cocoon.
Maybe that was why—surrounded by people who cared about her and paid her attention—she had grown weak without realizing it.
The unexpected shift in her emotions left Seoyoung deep in thought.
Not wanting to think anymore, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but her mind was too tangled for sleep to come easily.
Only after tossing and turning several times did drowsiness finally wash over her. She let out a small yawn and soon fell asleep.
A little while later.
Hearing her steady breathing, Hyukjin slowly opened his eyes.
Unlike before, there was no trace of sleep in them now.
Knowing that once she fell asleep she rarely woke up, Hyukjin lifted his hand and gently tucked the hair that had fallen over her face behind her ear.
Seoyoung looked fascinating every time he saw her asleep.
So different from the upright, composed first impression still vivid in his memory, her bare face—innocent and bright—continued to surprise him.
Was she always this cute?
As he slowly stroked her face, her lips curving upward as if she were dreaming, a smile gradually bloomed on his own.
Just as Seoyoung had done earlier, he too carefully brushed her lips.
She gave no reaction, apparently sunk into deep sleep.
Someone could carry her off and she wouldn’t even know.
Pursing his lips, Hyukjin let out a soft chuckle, then his eyes turned serious.
Even if she pretended otherwise, he knew she, too, was starting to care about him little by little.
Would the day come when she wanted to make this marriage real?
Suppressing the emotions he’d recently become aware of, Hyukjin let out a quiet sigh.
He wanted to press his lips to those small lips and hold her as much as he pleased.
Feeling his body still reacting to her, he pulled Seoyoung even closer.
She murmured softly and hugged his waist more tightly.
As she pressed closer, Hyukjin muttered a quiet curse and closed his eyes.
Will I be able to sleep tonight?
Contrary to his worry, Hyukjin soon fell asleep as well.
Perhaps because he hadn’t slept properly for days, tonight sleep came easily—even with her in his arms.
Or maybe it was thanks to the warm body heat nestled against him.
Introducing a new event called “Early Bird,” Seoyoung packed familiar content with a variety of options designed to entice couples.
The event, differentiated from those of other hotels, drew a stronger response than expected, and with referral promotions tied in, reservations filled up even faster through SNS marketing.
However, catching the spy was still proving difficult.
This event had been announced deliberately on the same day, without any internal meetings.
That prevented leaks of confidential information—but it also left no room to lure the spy.
With the shareholders’ meeting just around the corner, setting a trap to catch the spy would be a major gamble.
After discussing it with Manager Oh, Seoyoung decided to postpone catching the spy until after the meeting. Listening to his report, she broke into a broad smile, her lips curving upward.
“I was worried it might not work since I came up with the event on my own, but I’m relieved.”
Seeing Seoyoung smile for the first time in a while, Jinho smiled too.
“That’s a relief. At this rate, they won’t be able to oppose your appointment as president at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting.”
“But we can’t relax yet. We don’t know what Vice President Jung Min-hyung’s side might do next. It seems the Hwahyoung Group is backing them as well, so something unexpected could still happen at the last minute.”
“There’s something I need to report regarding that, Director.”
The smile vanished from Jinho’s lips, and his brow tightened.
Sensing that something serious was coming from his expression, Seoyoung immediately let her own smile fade.
“Go ahead.”
Bracing herself, she swallowed dryly.
“It appears that our youngest secretary, Lee Joo-hee, is quite suspicious.”
Seoyoung’s eyes wavered slightly at the name she’d hoped not to hear.
“Have you secured any evidence?”
“Not yet. But we discovered that Ms. Lee’s father has recently been burdened with a large gambling debt—and that the debt was paid off not long ago.”
At Jinho’s report, a crease formed between Seoyoung’s brows.
Clasping her hands together, she took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
“But we still haven’t confirmed that Ms. Lee leaked information from our side, correct?”
“Yes. If she deliberately took the information, it won’t be easy to find evidence. We’re thoroughly investigating the people around everyone who attended the meetings, so it should come to light eventually. The problem is…”
“The timing.”
Seoyoung frowned and let out a sigh.
