Chapter 8

Do-geon aimed an icy stare straight at Gye-ryong.

“At this rate, maybe you’d come to your senses if I sued you for workplace s*xual harassment.”

“…….”

“Want me to?”

At that, Gye-ryong laughed boisterously, as if he found the idea immensely amusing.

Having neatly finished a total of five plates of steak, Do-geon wiped his mouth with a white linen napkin and tossed it onto the table.

When Do-geon rose from his seat, all the men serving him stood up with him.

He gestured as if telling him to finish his meal and turned his gaze to Gye-ryong.

“And if our boys get any dumber, are you going to take responsibility?”

Do-geon signaled to Gyeongjin to come to his side with a glance. Gyeongjin immediately headed toward him like a dog going to its owner.

“They’re already not that bright.”

“……Sir.”

“Gyeongjin, file for workers’ comp.”

Do-geon glanced at Gye-ryong and continued,

“The Director needs to lose some money before he comes to his senses.”

Just then, Hira came back into the room.

“Oh my, you’re leaving already? Stay and have some tea!”

“I’ll be busy for a while. I blocked you, so don’t call.”

“What did I even do? How can you block your own mother?”

“Thank you for the meal.”

Do-geon left the room just like that. He could hear Hira calling out, “The blind date, the blind date!” but he never once looked back.

* * *

Do-geon got into the spacious sedan.

“Baby.”

At the term that suddenly came out, Taek looked at him once more.

“What, do you want me to call you that too?”

“No, Sir.”

“Then what.”

“She is currently at Professor Seo’s house.”

Do-geon rested his head against the headrest and closed his eyes. He roughly loosened the tie tightened all the way to the base of his neck.

He thought of the woman, face bright red, bristling as she told him not to call her baby.

Thinking of Lee-jae, bristling even though she could never win, Do-geon let out a short laugh. He could feel Taek’s strange gaze on him.

Without opening his eyes, Do-geon spoke.

“What now?”

“How long do you plan to keep her marked?”

“Who knows.”

Do-geon rubbed a hand over his tired eyes.

Just then, Taek received a report from the surveillance detail.

“They say Seo Lee-jae just left Professor Seo’s house.”

Do-geon looked down at his wristwatch. It was close to midnight.

“At this hour, where is Baby wandering around? Does she not know it’s dangerous?”

Taek recited the next report that came in.

“But… they say she’s crying.”

***

One hour earlier.

Smack!

Lee-jae’s face snapped to the side.

Then once more, smack! rang out, and Professor Seo struck Lee-jae across the face again and again.

Blood seeped from the cheek scratched by the gold ring on Professor Seo’s hand.

“Who are you trying to deceive! Have you lost your mind?”

Professor Seo shouted at the top of his lungs.

Perhaps because there was a family gathering, happy laughter from the family could be heard downstairs.

“You dared steal Hyo-won’s blind date and go in her place? How could you fool me so completely!”

Lee-jae covered her burning cheek with her hand.

The spot where she had been hit throbbed painfully. Tears welled in her eyes, but she did not show it.

“Do you even know what kind of meeting that was? It was a matchmaking meeting with the heir of Mujung Group. Do you think he’s a man someone like you could even exchange a word with in your lifetime?”

After learning the whole truth, Professor Seo had called Lee-jae into the study and slapped her several times. It had already been going on for hours.

Apparently Hyo-won had claimed, tearfully wronged, that Lee-jae had deceived her and sneaked out behind her back.

“Mujung is the golden rope that will fulfill my political ambitions! And trash like you dared reach for it?”

“Hyo-won told me to go out in her place first.”

“How dare you bring up my daughter! You filthy little parasite.”

Unable to suppress his rage, Professor Seo pressed a hand to the back of his neck. His blood pressure was rising.

That wretched girl had dared covet Beom Do-geon.

Beom Do-geon was the most exceptional groom currently on the marriage market.

At some point, the power of the criminal organization had transformed into a corporate empire, and with immense capital, it had swallowed up South Korea. In only ten years.

That it was all Beom Do-geon’s doing was a fact known to everyone in political and business circles. Though he still carried the title of heir, Beom Do-geon wielded even more real power than Chairman Beom, who lay in a hospital room.

Professor Seo was not particularly fond of his origins as the head of an organization, but the single fact that he was the heir to Mujung Group was enough to stir his greed. Enough to hand over the daughter he treasured without hesitation.

He had begged and maneuvered to arrange that blind date so Hyo-won could marry him, and now this filthy parasite had dared set her sights on him?

“Your marriage has been decided.”

“What? Without even going on a blind date?”

“I had a very productive talk with their side. Apparently he’s been your fan for a long time.”

“……Uncle.”

“They say every day matters, so they wanted to set the wedding date first. I’ve already reserved the wedding hall. The wedding is next month, so prepare yourself. For now, enjoy a date or two under the pretense of a blind date.”

Lee-jae’s eyes wavered.

She was confused as to whether she had understood him properly.

It was strange enough that a marriage partner had suddenly been decided for her, but to say the wedding would be next month….

“What do you mean by that? Who is this man I’m supposed to marry? Can you suddenly set a wedding date without even asking what I want?”

“The only thing you had going for you was that halfway decent body of yours, and now your leg is crippled! You be sold off at full price before you get even a day older! After we raised a girl with no mother or father, shouldn’t you at least repay that much of your worth?”

Professor Seo strode toward Lee-jae.

Lee-jae hated the sound of his footsteps so much. Because after that, she was always beaten until bruises spread all over her body.

“What about Grandma? She is receiving proper treatment, is she?”

Until now, she had done everything Professor Seo told her to do. He had said that if she went on blind dates and got married, he would tell her where the hospital her grandmother was in.

She had no choice but to bargain with Professor Seo using her own marriage as collateral.

At twenty, Lee-jae had neither money nor power. Simply doing what Professor Seo told her to do was the best she could manage.

“Don’t you think your grandmother wants you to marry too? If you want to save your grandmother, then obey me.”

Lee-jae narrowed her eyes slightly, as though trying to read Professor Seo’s true intentions.

Something was strange. No matter how desperate Professor Seo was to sell her off, there was clearly some other scheme behind making her marry in such a rush.

“Here, this is the business card of the man who will become your husband. At tomorrow’s blind date, don’t confuse his name or title. Memorize them properly before you go.”

Professor Seo tossed Go Honggyun’s business card onto the floor with a flick.

“He says he’s looking for a chaste woman with no experience with men, so conduct yourself properly.”