ARHS 03

Episode 3

Her life was already bleak enough. There was no need to deliberately block her path—she was struggling plenty as it was.

Somin irritably lifted her head. Only after tilting it far back did her gaze meet that of a man with sharp, predatory eyes.

The corners of his lips slowly curved.

“You? The brat who played dirty.”

Unbelievably, he was a face Somin recognized. Though now retired, he had once been a world-famous soccer star—investment expert Chris Han.

She had no idea why he was standing in front of her, and she couldn’t say a word. More than that, her body froze under his gaze.

Having spent her life reading the room, Somin’s instincts screamed at her.

Dangerous.

Not in the simple sense of someone who throws punches. His movements were relaxed, like a predator before its prey—but his eyes were ruthless.

He slowly lowered his head.

A subtle, sweet woody scent drifted between them.

They were close enough to feel each other’s breath. His index finger pressed down on the thick-rimmed glasses she wore. The oversized frames that covered half her face fell away with humiliating ease.

Clack.

Unable even to pick them up from the floor, Somin bit her lip.

“If you went that far to win, you should be thrilled. Why the funeral face?”

“Who are you…? Why are you doing this to me?”

“There’s no way you don’t know me.”

Half the world’s population might not, but she did know his name and status. Still, no matter how she thought about it, they weren’t acquainted.

She couldn’t say that out loud.

“You shattered my players’ hearts.”

“Your players…?”

“Does pretending not to know erase what you did?”

“Don’t tell me…”

Somin trailed off.

If he truly was the world-famous soccer star turned investment expert Chris Han, then the rumors were true.

The engineer of the German team had once been a real soccer player. Not just any player—one recognized as the best in the Premier League. Chris Han, a man famous yet shrouded in mystery, was with Germany’s Team Shine. Even seeing him with her own eyes, it was hard to believe.

The man who had stood like an immovable mountain straightened. As Somin followed his gaze, her head tipped back further.

His large hand gripped the access AD card hanging around her neck.

Snap.

The card came off the lanyard with insulting ease.

“The name… Lee Dahee.”

His voice was so cold that Somin swallowed dryly.

“I guarantee it—your team will never receive investment. Not ever.”

Without a trace of hesitation, he slipped the card into his pocket.

“Who do you think you are?”

“Someone with enough power to make that happen.”

He pulled his cap down low. Dressed entirely in black, he put on a black mask as well.

With his face completely covered, only his eyes were visible. They were fierce to begin with—now they seemed even sharper.

He looked like a black panther.

“I’ll remember this name clearly.”

Turning sharply, he crushed her fallen glasses beneath his shoe. Watching his broad back grow distant, Somin snapped back to her senses.

The name on the card he had taken wasn’t hers.

It was Lee Dahee—the robotics team manager, and the only person Somin relied on.

She pictured Dahee smiling brightly as she packed her planner for the investment meeting. Then the rest of the team members she cared about.

They had only followed Somin’s instructions. She couldn’t let them suffer the consequences for her actions.

For Somin, this had merely been a small rebellion—something she did in secret while deceiving her parents. But for them, it was their future.

Panicked, she ran after him and grabbed his arm.

“E-Excuse me.”

Though only his eyes were visible above the mask, they alone were enough to dominate the space. He frowned slightly and looked down at the hand gripping him.

“Excuse me…”

“…”

“Please, just this once. The team members only did what I told them to. Please. I’ll kneel if I have to.”

He easily shook off her hand.

Begging predators for mercy was something she had grown used to. This was nothing.

Her knees buckled without resistance. She lowered her head and body.

She knew all too well how men like him regarded people like her—insignificant. They enjoyed watching others break and beg, then pretended to be merciful as they forgave them.

Somin pressed herself flat against the floor.

“Please. I’m begging you. I’m so sorry. Truly sorry.”

His polished shoes stood right before her face. Though he seemed ready to leave at any moment, he remained standing in heavy silence.

That alone gave her a sliver of hope.

“If we don’t get investment this time, our team will be disbanded. I don’t matter—but they’ll lose their jobs. Please.”

There was no pride left to protect. She wanted even a scrap of sympathy.

“And you? Aren’t you on that team too?”

“I… My parents have already decided where I’m going.”

A faint scoff slipped from between his teeth. Even at his ridicule, she couldn’t raise her head.

“So you’re just a princess playing around, backed by capable parents?”

She couldn’t agree—but she couldn’t deny it either. To the outside world, that’s exactly how she appeared.

Her fingers curled into fists against the floor.

“So should I at least applaud your conscience?”

“Think whatever you want. Just don’t touch my team members.”

“And how will you compensate for the damage I’ve suffered?”

“I’ll do anything you ask.”

“Anything?”

Her gaze wavered.

The only form of compensation she could imagine was money—and surely he would demand an astronomical amount.

She bit her lip.

“For a rich kid, money must be the easiest thing in the world…”

No. That’s not it.

“I’m not a gentleman who hands out the easy path.”

At least it wasn’t money.

And yet she didn’t feel relieved. The vague fear of whatever he would demand weighed heavily on her.

Thud.

A business card fell before her eyes. She couldn’t even pick it up before she lifted her head. Standing, she had already needed to look far up at him—now, kneeling on the floor, it felt like staring at the sky.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, obscuring his face. But she could still feel his piercing gaze.

“Tomorrow. 3 p.m. Basement parking, 3D-12. We’ll discuss what you can do then.”

The sound of his shoes echoed in her ears as he walked away. Somin picked up the business card.

“Chris Han…”

The name engraved in gold on a black background lingered on her tongue.

Even in his absence, his presence lingered heavily. It took her a long time to rise.

Usually crowded, the place was strangely empty today. Thankful for that, she returned to where her team was waiting.

The next day.

Her parents had left for Vietnam on a couples’ golf trip, making it easy for Somin to leave the house.

Her steps led her back to the exhibition hall from yesterday.

At basement parking spot 3D-12 stood a luxury sedan. She had arrived an hour early; she couldn’t be sure Chris was inside.

As she awkwardly looked around, a man in a black suit stepped out of the driver’s seat and opened the rear door.

“I was told to escort you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, Miss Lee Dahee.”

Not her name—but the one on the AD card Chris had taken.

“Aren’t we meeting here?”

“No.”

The man stood silently, as if nothing more needed to be said.

A flicker of fear crossed her mind. What if this was a kidnapping? What if they sold her somewhere?

She gripped the strap of her bag tightly.

—Ding.

Her phone alarm rang at the worst possible moment. She quickly pulled it out.

The message made her regret checking it.

Jung Hyun.

She didn’t even need to read it to know the contents.

Thinking of Jung Hyun resolved her hesitation instantly.

Even if this was a kidnapping, she didn’t care.

She was already living in hell. And if Jung Hyun returned, it would only get worse.

Somin climbed into the back seat.

Instead of heading somewhere shady, the car passed through massive iron gates.

Beyond them lay an expansive garden, meticulously maintained like a European castle.

“A farm? Don’t tell me… Is he going to make me raise cattle or something?”

Staring at the endless stretch of lawn, Somin wondered what task awaited her.

She had researched Chris Han for hours the previous night, but found nothing beyond what everyone already knew.

A genius investor.
A ruthless financier.
A man who collected money as a hobby.
A heavyweight of the global economy.

There were too many titles to sum him up in one phrase.

But after meeting him herself, only one seemed to fit.

A reclusive predator ruling at the top of the corporate ecosystem with insane talent.

Swallowing dryly as she gazed at the predator’s domain, Somin braced herself.