Chapter 5: The Curse of the Tiger-Nosed Man
If it were cheap, you could just peel off the label. But this one boldly bore a luxury mark, impossible to remove easily.
And once someone had seen the side of her she never wanted anyone to witness, everything from A to Z seemed to fall apart.
Every time she stood in front of him, it was like being a stripped child, constantly tense, making mistakes she didn’t even need to make.
Her pathetic side—the side she never wanted anyone to see—felt like it had become a laughingstock for Ryu Kang-hyun, that bastard.
He never seemed to make an effort, yet everything came easily to him. He obtained what he wanted without struggle, and his nonchalant attitude toward people praising him was the worst part.
The partner attorney position at K Law Firm would be the same for him: something he could seize effortlessly, without much effort.
“A prosecutor with nine years of experience, and on top of that, someone who’s been a special prosecutor. He could open his own firm or join another law firm that gives special treatment to former prosecutors. So why does it have to be this firm, the one I’m in?!”
It wasn’t fate, nor some unlucky number—it was a damn curse. The curse of the tiger-nosed man.
[Why aren’t you coming? Not coming to work today?]
Procrastinating because she didn’t want to go to the office, she realized it was well past nine.
Checking her reflection in the mirror after receiving a message from attorney Han Yeojin, she let out a sigh.
“There’s no way I can go to work looking like this. Who would it be for?”
Sena called the hotel lobby to order an ice pack and a simple breakfast.
“Well, I’m already late, might as well eat something first.”
She sent a message saying, “I’m on my way to work, but had a car accident. Nothing serious, but I’ll stop by a hospital first. Should take a couple of hours,” and then put the phone away.
Thank goodness she hadn’t bragged in response to Han Yeojin’s question about the new partner attorney. Otherwise, she would have been lying not in her hotel room, but in a crematorium fire pit saying, “Here lies my grave.”
As she sat at the table by the window and scooped a spoonful of porridge, her phone pinged.
“If you don’t have lunch plans today, let’s eat together. – Ryu Kang-hyun”
Seeing the three-character name at the end, revealing whose number it was, made her skin crawl.
“The style of the text alone screams him! Hey, do you still think I’m your fan?”
Shouldn’t he start with small talk—asking if she made it to work, if she was okay after yesterday, or if it was nice to see her again—before jumping straight to lunch?
But there was nothing else. Just that one line.
“Ugh… Did I get shot in the head? We’re not the kind of people who can just have a nice lunch together. We should be tearing each other apart, not sitting politely.”
Sena frowned and checked her scheduler. Of course, her schedule was empty. But there was no way this man could know that.
She gritted her teeth at the thought that, the moment she arrived, he would already be ruling the roost. She didn’t know how he got her number, but she had to respond. Pouting, she drafted a reluctant rejection message.
“Sorry, I can’t today. I have a meeting with a client.”
“What will you reply if he asks for dinner? You have to refuse. He may take the seat, but he will never take my trust.”
She couldn’t openly express her petty feelings, but imagining his reaction to her refusal was oddly satisfying.
Sena set her phone down beside her porridge bowl and crossed her arms. Even though he had read the message, there was still no reply.
When had anything ever gone her way?
Never.
Had she ever failed despite her efforts?
Never.
From birth, she had been determined to appear flawless, born with a silver spoon, while secretly putting in many times more effort than anyone else. She lived by the principle, “If it doesn’t work, make it work.”
She believed her life was enviable, both in the past and for the future.
The “perfect image” people saw was the product of her tireless effort.
Even if some called her vain, it didn’t harm anyone. What did it matter?
A life lived perfectly, without mistakes, was the best. So dealing with Ryu Kang-hyun, who disrupted the foundation of her life, seemed only natural.
Upon arriving at the office, she was called to the CEO’s office. Perfect timing, as she already had a storm brewing inside her. On the way to the second-floor office, she stole a glance at the partner attorney office now occupied by Ryu Kang-hyun.
Dressed to perfection, his polished appearance irritated her.
The man sat at a desk made of ebony worth millions, bathed in sunlight streaming from behind, sparkling in a way that was almost painful to witness.
From the moment he arrived, he had been endlessly fielding calls.
“That room… that desk… should have been mine. You should be sitting there.”
She glared at him, but he was too busy doing his work to notice.
“Someone would think he’s been here ten years already.”
Her envy manifested as sarcasm, but even as the new occupant of the office, he fit perfectly.
And the way he worked… tapping his lips with a pen, flipping documents, taking another call, balancing the phone between his shoulder and ear while typing something on his laptop—he was the epitome of a competent man.
Even his rolled-up shirt sleeves looked flawless.
“Do I push him out and take the seat, or resign immediately?”
No matter how she thought, there was no solution.
Ryu Kang-hyun was flawless, independent, untouchable.
Even in university mock trials, he had never lost once—whether on the prosecution or defense side.
Mock trials were meant for law students to train, yet he relentlessly crushed the opposing side, draining their morale—a ruthless man.
“He must have thrived on real criminals… why suddenly become a lawyer? I wonder what’s under his surface.”
Thinking of anyone from their cohort at Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office, Sena headed to the CEO’s office.
Upon arrival, his secretary looked at her, nodded twice, and subtly moved aside.
She barged in without knocking and slammed the door.
“Ah! You scared me!”
CEO Ki Jang-soo, standing by a golf putting mat, jumped.
Sena stood silently as he sighed and walked toward her.
“…Sit. Don’t just stand there. Breakfast?”
“Do you think it would go down, CEO?”
“Whose temper did you inherit…?”
“Beans grow where you plant them. Will they grow as red beans? Didn’t think so, and yet you gave me water?”
“Lower your voice. Secretary Kim can hear.”
“She’s gone. I asked her to leave.”
“Wha… why??”
The last shield gone, Ki Jang-soo clutched the sofa armrest, fists trembling. His pride soared higher than the 63 Building, yet his daughter was on the offensive, and his heart raced.
“Why?? You thought you could betray me and get away with it? Let me remind you—I’m your only daughter, the beloved sole heir of K Law Firm’s CEO!!”
“Hey, Ge-se-na! Did you boil train wheels for breakfast or what? Didn’t dad hear?”
“My ears are fine. Did you drink up your conscience instead? How can you do this to me? You could have given me a hint, then I wouldn’t feel so betrayed. Don’t you know your own daughter?”
“…I know. I know too well, which is why I called to calm you down.”
“Giving the illness and then the cure? You’ve had me at your mercy all this time! I didn’t want to hear about parachuting in and taking the position, either. I worked my way up from the bottom. You think I owe this to you?”
“….”
“When did I ever ask for anything for free? I worked day and night, topped our firm’s sales, trained associates well, and became a known divorce specialist in this field! So why can’t I become a partner attorney?!”
She spoke in one breath, her indignation rising. Ki Jang-soo listened quietly, pressing his temple and letting out a low sigh.
“I know better than anyone how hard you’ve worked.”
“But why?”
“The board thought, since your specialty is divorce, another attorney might be more suitable for partner in terms of business.”
“Not because I’m a woman?”
Ki Jang-soo paused at her pointed question.
“No matter how much of a majority owner the CEO is, he can’t dismiss the board’s opinion. But I can’t let them dictate this to my daughter either.”
He had no reason to explain the board’s speculative concerns about a young, unmarried daughter to her.
Ki Jang-soo gave up and spoke what he had been keeping inside.
“A partner has to handle the firm’s overall revenue, individual performance, and business development. Why make such a fuss taking on that burden? You could just live comfortably, do what you like, and meet a good man.”
“If I wanted to live comfortably with a man, why would I have worked so hard to become a lawyer? I might as well just take allowance from you!”
“Even now you’d do that? Dad thinks that would be better.”
“Dad!!!”
Her piercing cry made him cover his ears. Seeing where her gaze fell, he grabbed a bonsai on the side table, a beautifully twisted pine.
“This… no! How could I nurture this!”
Just a year ago, she had mercilessly cut down precious orchids. If left to her temperament, this delicate life would be snapped without hesitation.
“Wow—so disappointed. That’s more important than me right now?”
“Once I’m gone, the firm’s yours anyway. Can’t you just go easy?”
“Is that a joke?!”
