CHAPTER 64……………………………………………

“It’s not cohabitation, right? There are ears that hear and eyes that see. If even a rumor gets out, will you take responsibility for it, young lady?”

The words were spoken politely, without anger, yet the corners of her mouth lifted in a smile that somehow sent a chill down the spine.

It was on a completely different level from when she faced Byulna.

She seemed like a child whining over what she couldn’t have, yet Hwaran exuded an aura that made her untouchable.

Haroo, sensing the pressure in her refined tone, found it hard to answer.

“You must already know there are plenty of rumors about Lee Han. But they were all baseless, just idle talk. Still, you can’t use those rumors as evidence, can you?”

“It was only for a short time due to circumstances. I intended to leave soon.”

“Do you think leaving the house solves everything? You’re underestimating the problem.”

Haroo barely managed to speak in defense, but Hwaran was relentless.

“I saw Lee Han working as a contract employee at the company. A secret office romance between a contract employee and the CEO? Doesn’t that sound completely impossible? Don’t you think so?”

Haroo felt glued to her spot, unable to speak a word.

As he could offer no rebuttal, Hwaran continued:

“I never imagined I’d end up playing the wicked mother-in-law role that shows up in dramas. If it had been something I could overlook, I wouldn’t have gone this far. But this clearly crosses the line, doesn’t it?”

Her gentle tone made her words even scarier.

“If you can’t take responsibility and can’t handle it, then step aside. That’s the only thing you, Dan Haroo, can do for Lee Han.”

Haroo felt suffocated. Even when Byulna had told him to step back multiple times, it hadn’t felt this difficult.

He thought he could endure a little longer; after all, it was only a few more months.

But what could he say to her now?

All the bold rebuttals he had made to Byulna seemed meaningless; he couldn’t utter a single word.

Every statement she made was flawless, leaving him speechless.

“Do you expect something in return for breaking up? Like a money envelope, just like in a drama?”

Haroo couldn’t respond, and Hwaran added a mocking comment.

After a moment, Haroo cautiously spoke:

“If… if I don’t listen to you, and I don’t want to break up, then what happens?”

He asked it without realizing.

The words came from deep within his heart.

They were dictated by his desire not to part from her.

“I hope to end this amicably. If you don’t listen, I won’t hesitate to do anything. And you wouldn’t want to experience that firsthand, would you?”

“….”

“You don’t want to lose even what little you already have, do you?”

It was a polite threat. That’s what made it so frightening.

Just as he accepted that the only answer was to step back, the door suddenly burst open.

Both their gazes shifted to the man who strode in.

“What are you doing?”

The familiar voice sounded strange, almost cold and sharp. It was a tone Haroo had never heard before.

Lee Han looked at Hwaran with eyes full of anger.

“You must be busy with work, yet how did you manage to come all the way here?”

Hwaran smiled as she asked, but Lee Han warned her:

“Don’t cross the line. Stop pretending to be my mother.”

“Pretending? Son, what are you…”

“I’ve let you call me son every time, but honestly, isn’t it awkward? Especially when this is a business relationship.”

A bitter note laced his words.

Just watching the two of them sent a chill down Haroo’s spine.

Finally, Hwaran’s usually calm face showed real emotion.

“Taehan!”

Her shout was full of anger.

“Do you think I came here just on my own accord? Don’t you understand I’m here to deliver my father’s and vice president’s message?”

“Then go ahead and deliver it. If you intend to interfere with whom I date, I’ll quit the business. Who do you think will lose more in that case?”

“Do you think that position is so easy? That it can be overturned like a child’s game?”

“You should know I didn’t take this position because I wanted to. So there’s no reason for me to cling to it desperately.”

Hwaran could no longer speak, her mouth only opening slightly.

As Haroo stared at the unfamiliar Lee Han, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

“Let’s go.”

“Wait, Lee Han…”

Hwaran glanced nervously, but Lee Han was relentless.

He led Haroo and swiftly exited the room.

“Lee Han.”

Holding Haroo’s hand, he moved without a word.

Haroo was pulled directly into the elevator.

She had never seen him this angry before. He seemed almost unfamiliar.

Haroo looked at his hand, veins prominent from gripping hers, and finally spoke.

“Taehan.”

Haroo frowned slightly as she looked at her hand, and only then did he release her.

“Sorry for making you hear unpleasant words in such an awkward situation.”

“It’s okay. Really.”

Haroo muttered quietly.

Facing his sharp expression, she felt unnecessarily cautious.

“You should’ve called. I would have told you not to come here.”

“I tried calling, but it didn’t connect.”

Lee Han realized too late that his phone was under repair and sighed.

“Byulna entered the house. I met her on her way back from shopping, and she… insisted.”

Lee Han frowned, suddenly realizing.

Byulna must have gossiped to Hwaran, who then learned about their cohabitation.

Even the reason she summoned Haroo could be inferred from that one word.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Even though this hotel belongs to the Mythra group, I didn’t want to risk having no ally here.”

A brief silence followed, heavy and tense.

Haroo recalled the conversation she had overheard between Lee Han and Hwaran earlier.

“Stop pretending to be my mother.”
“This is a business relationship.”

Their relationship seemed different from a typical mother-son bond.

Lee Han seemed uneasy, as if he had revealed something he didn’t want discovered.

Haroo felt afraid the closer she got to him.

Now, only about two months remained in their contractual relationship.

The next day.

Perhaps because Haroo had confronted Byulna and Hwaran one after the other yesterday, Lee Han, feeling a vague unease, took Haroo to work with him.

Haroo protested, but could not resist his firm will.

Once Haroo got out of the car and hurried away, Lee Han went to his office.

Not long after sitting at his desk, there was a knock.

The door opened, revealing Seungjae.

“This is Midas’ CEO office? Why do you keep coming here?”

“I had business here today, so I stopped by.”

Seungjae ignored the remark and stepped inside, placing one of the coffees in his hands on the desk.

He casually settled into the nearby single sofa.

“I’m curious about Secretary Bae Da-in. Why did the daughter get a job here?”

“She had other business. Secretary Bae was only temporary. Her contract ends in a few days.”

“What? Really?”

Seungjae’s surprised face turned disappointed.

“Then what excuse will I use to see her now?”

Lee Han chuckled at Seungjae’s unguarded honesty.

“By the way, I found something quite interesting yesterday.”

He casually picked up a document from the desk.

“You were dating, which isn’t like you, and it turns out it was all a staged contract?”

Lee Han’s eyes flickered at the file.

Seungjae smiled knowingly.

“What’s that interesting contract?”

He asked about the romantic contract Lee Han had discovered on his phone yesterday.