CHAPTER 45……………………………………..
It was obvious that Yeran, who was determined to interfere with me one way or another, had decided to help Min-hyung.
By opposing the Hanhwa Group—into which Seoyoung had married as a daughter-in-law—Yeran had effectively handed the Hwayoung Group to Min-hyung as his weapon.
Haah. A sigh escaped me on its own.
“If it comes to that, the balance of power at the general meeting could change. We’ll have to find the internal leaker even faster.”
Seoyoung frowned deeply.
She couldn’t shake the premonition that the internal leak was connected to Jung Min-hyung.
That was why finding that connection would be the surest way to solidify her current position.
If that happens, no matter how much of a Shinwha Group grandson Jung Min-hyung is, he’ll be kicked out of the hotel.
Seoyoung bit her lip hard and clenched her fist. Seeing that, Jin-ho’s brow also tightened.
“I’ll speed things up.”
After Jin-ho left the office, Seoyoung slumped heavily into her chair, as if all her strength had drained away.
She’d thought she could breathe easier thanks to the Hanhwa Group, but Oh Yeran had stepped in and dragged Hwayoung into their fight as well.
The battle had grown larger than she’d expected, and Seoyoung’s frown deepened.
She’d achieved a similar level of success—now she needed another decisive blow.
A truly powerful blow, stronger than Min-hyung’s, one no one could ignore.
She felt ashamed of herself for having spent the entire day thinking only about Hyukjin.
At such a crucial moment, she’d been thinking about a man of all things.
Seoyoung turned her computer back on.
She needed to think more about what she could still do before the shareholders’ meeting.
There probably wasn’t much she could accomplish in the remaining two weeks.
But Jung Min-hyung isn’t in such a good position either.
That, at least, was some consolation.
Saturday morning.
“What is this?”
On her way into the kitchen to get coffee, Seoyoung stopped when she saw Mrs. Kim standing in front of the refrigerator, taking things out and organizing them.
No way… it can’t be.
Hoping her guess was wrong, she looked at Mrs. Kim—but the words that came from Mrs. Kim’s brightly smiling face made her jump.
“The madam specifically ordered this, saying you should strengthen your body before getting pregnant.”
“My mother-in-law did?”
“Yes. She was planning to come herself, but something suddenly came up and she had to go out. She said you should come to the main house for dinner instead.”
Watching Mrs. Kim arrange the herbal medicine, Seoyoung muttered that she had something to do and left the kitchen.
During the few days Hyukjin was away on a business trip, Seoyoung had taken over the entire bed and slept very comfortably.
But while her body was at ease, her mind was not.
What had happened between them kept resurfacing.
The sweet kiss, the bare skin her hands had touched, even his solid, muscular body.
Every time she thought of that day, the emotions from it came rushing back intact, making her heart drop.
She’d shaken her head countless times at night, trying to dispel the memories that surfaced.
Sitting on the sofa in the study, Seoyoung set her coffee cup on the table and leaned her head back, staring up at the white ceiling.
As if the ceiling were a screen, the night she’d spent with him played out before her eyes.
Haah. Here I go again.
“When did this dirty little demon crawl into me?”
She muttered softly and closed her eyes.
To win the fight against Jung Min-hyung—now joined by Oh Yeran—she needed more focus than ever, but maybe because she’d seen the herbal ingredients said to be good for pregnancy, Hyukjin came to mind yet again.
They weren’t even dating, but the push-and-pull of their relationship was both frustrating and strangely exhilarating.
The problem wasn’t him—it was her own heart, already wavering.
Hyukjin had only done it to fool the elders; wasn’t she the one foolishly attaching meaning to it?
She knew about his relationship with Min-woo, so why did she keep being conscious of him?
Seoyoung felt even more confused by her own feelings.
No matter how Hyukjin acted, all she had to do was respond calmly and indifferently.
The problem is, that’s not easy.
Letting out a sigh, Seoyoung suddenly realized she still hadn’t heard anything from Hyukjin.
He’d said he’d be back around the weekend, but there’d been no word from him for days.
Just then, the study door flew open.
“Is there coffee for me too?”
It was Hyukjin.
The dark circles beneath his eyes told her exactly how he’d spent the past few days.
“Here. This one’s untouched.”
“Thanks. I’ll drink it.”
Hyukjin strode over and took the mug without hesitation.
Sinking deeply into the sofa, he took a few sips of coffee before finally speaking.
“Nothing unusual happened while I was gone?”
The eyes that had burned as if to devour her the night before last now looked over Seoyoung gently.
“Catching the internal leaker hasn’t been easy. It seems Oh Yeran made a move—Vice President Jung Min-hyung signed an agreement to hold the entire Hwayoung Group workshop at the Carlos Hotel.”
“Oh dear.”
Watching Seoyoung droop, Hyukjin slowly rubbed his chin.
There isn’t much time to proceed with the Jeju land matter…
But there wasn’t enough time to wait for the right moment either—the Carlos Hotel shareholders’ meeting was just around the corner. To achieve his goal, it would be best to move as quickly as possible.
As Seoyoung quietly watched Hyukjin’s tired, pensive face, she spoke.
“Was the Anseong apartment site handled properly?”
After receiving Hyukjin’s text about the business trip, Seoyoung had seen news articles about a fire at the Anseong apartment site managed by Hanhwa Construction.
Once she understood why he’d left so abruptly, she checked the news every day, hoping things had been resolved well.
“There were no casualties, thankfully. I’ve instructed all construction sites to tighten their management, so everyone should be more careful for the time being.”
“That’s such a relief. Oh, and your mother sent some herbal medicine this morning.”
Hyukjin’s hand froze mid-tilt of the mug.
“Herbal medicine? All of a sudden, why…?”
Tilting his head with one eyebrow raised, Hyukjin seemed to realize something and let out a short laugh.
Setting the mug down on the table, his eyes gleamed with interest.
“Is it related to pregnancy?”
“Yes. She was going to come herself, but something came up and she had to go out. She said we should eat dinner together tonight, so I think she’ll talk to us then.”
“Hm. Sounds like Mrs. Kim reported things thoroughly.”
At his words, Seoyoung’s eyes widened, and the night when he’d suggested going further flashed through her mind.
So it really had been Mrs. Kim’s footsteps they’d heard then.
“Ah… I see. Then what are you going to do now?”
Aware that her face was heating up, she asked as casually as she could.
“What else? We’re trying, but it’s not happening. That’s the strategy we’ll go with.”
Hyukjin shrugged as if it were obvious. Then he took another sip of coffee and closed his eyes.
“I’m pretty tired. I haven’t been sleeping well.”
He’d stayed up all night too—the lights refusing to go out easily.
Minimizing casualties had been the top priority.
After extinguishing the fire, he’d been busy controlling the aftermath and issuing instructions. Meetings about the extent of the losses and how to respond had kept him from even eating properly.
“Go lie down in the bedroom and get some rest. I’ll think about what to do next and read for a bit.”
“Alright. I need a clear head if I’m going to help too, so I’ll take my leave.”
Hyukjin set the mug down and left the study.
Seoyoung, who’d been worried about how she’d spend the night with him again, opened her laptop, thinking it was almost a relief that he was exhausted.
After finishing dinner together at the main house, Seoyoung returned home after a rather uncomfortable time.
“Work is important, but at this rate you’ll ruin your health, so I prepared a dose of herbal medicine. Don’t feel too pressured—just make sure you take it on time.”
Her mother-in-law hadn’t mentioned pregnancy even once, but Seoyoung, who understood the elders’ intentions all too well, fell into deep contemplation again.
She had no intention of having a child.
If anything, she was filled with thoughts that ending her marriage to him early might be better for both of them.
The worries she’d had all morning about sleeping with Hyukjin were completely pushed aside by the talk of pregnancy.
“Are you worried?”
Hyukjin’s warm hand rested on Seoyoung’s shoulder.
When she turned her head and looked up at him, his expression was remarkably gentle.
