CB 01

Prologue

“Executive Director, please let me go!”

It was the day she was about to leave Seoul, having just visited her late mother’s resting place one last time.

Hae-joo’s cheeks had been flushed with emotion as she gently caressed her swollen belly. But the moment she met his eyes, all colour drained from her face.

There he stood—impeccably dressed in a suit that seemed tailored by the gods, his skin smooth and pale as his notoriously cold demeanour.

“Seon Hae-joo. It’s cold. Don’t be stubborn. Get in the car.”

The terrifyingly handsome man swept Hae-joo into his arms and was placing her in the back seat of the car. Hae-joo struggled, pushing against his chest.

“We ended things a long time ago!”

“Do you really want our baby to hear that? It hasn’t even entered the world yet, and you’re already talking about the parents being apart. Isn’t that sad?”

“Executive Director!”

Hae-joo bit down on her lip hard. Her reflection in his eyes looked utterly wrecked. She’d been suffering silently, and it showed—anyone would believe she was pregnant just from her haggard appearance.

“Do as you wish, Seon Hae-joo. We can get married after the baby is born, or if you’d rather wear a wedding dress before the bump shows, that’s fine too.”

“Being pregnant doesn’t change anything.”

“How could it not? Didn’t you quit your job because of it?”

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll make sure this doesn’t cause trouble for you. So please, let me go.”

“Seon Hae-joo.”

She kept her face turned away, still pushing against his chest.

“It’s a simple equation. That child is mine. The child of Tae Seung-jo of the Taehwa Group. Do you understand what that means?”

“……”

“The moment you give birth to my child by my side, your life changes completely. You’d be a fool to throw that away.”

“Do you really think… I liked you just because you’re Tae Seung-jo, the heir of Taehwa Group?”

“Of course. That’s what most people around me cared about.”

“……”

“You can’t blame them for that. At least they’re honest.”

Anger burnt in Hae-joo’s eyes. He didn’t even try to understand her feelings.

“Secretary Kang, drive. We’re going to the residence—”

That’s when Hae-joo bit down hard on his arm. She put all her strength into it, but Seung-jo merely looked down at her silently.

“Go ahead. If you hold it in, you’re the only one who’ll get hurt. Bottling it up is the worst.”

“I really, really hate you!”

Hae-joo pushed herself free from his arms with a strength she didn’t know she had. She flung open the door and leapt out.

“Taxi! Over here!”

Without hesitation, she flagged down a cab and climbed in, leaving Seung-jo behind.

“Anywhere, just drive! Please, quickly!”

She could see him stepping out of the car behind her. Desperately, she urged the driver to go. Her lips, still tasting of his scent, trembled. The tears came fast.

“Huuh… H-huuh…”

Her heart had pounded when he said he wanted to marry her. But she didn’t want to stay by his side out of obligation. That would only turn her—and their baby—into burdens.

As the distance between them grew, Hae-joo shut her eyes tightly.

Episode 1

“Once again, Seung-jo has shown the world Taehwa’s stature!”

The car glided along a road framed by stately trees dressed in autumn colours. At seventy-six, Madam Hong Na-ae, matriarch of the Taehwa Group, was listening to a news report with a proud smile on her face.

“He may be my grandson, but he’s truly exceptional. He solves problems everyone else calls impossible like it’s nothing.”

“Yes, Director Tae Seung-jo’s drive and determination are legendary throughout the company.”

Sitting beside her, Hae-joo was carefully pinning a luxurious brooch onto the collar of the older woman’s suit.

The news had just broken the day before: a groundbreaking product, developed under Director Tae Seung-jo’s leadership, had been successfully unveiled in New York.

Taehwa Group’s future in IT and electronics looked brighter than ever. And the world’s attention turned once more to the young executive in his early thirties.

Born from a scandalous affair between a famous actress and former chairman Tae Il-hwan, Tae Seung-jo had demolished every rumour and risen proudly to the top.

Hae-joo glanced toward the in-car monitor. It was playing an interview with the world’s top ten most influential young and wealthy CEOs. Among them was Seung-jo.

Her heart fluttered.

“Seung-jo works so hard, while Sang-yoon’s still getting drunk till dawn. When will that boy even come close to Seung-jo’s level?”

“Madam, didn’t Dr. Kim say you needed to manage your blood pressure? Especially with the colder weather.”

Na-ae’s anger flared, but Hae-joo gently soothed her, her clear and calm voice softening the older woman’s mood.

“I miss Seung-jo already. He said he’d be in New York until today, didn’t he?”

Hae-joo adjusted the angle of the peony-shaped brooch and checked Madam Na-ae’s neatly pinned hair.

“You look beautiful today, Madam. Cream really suits you.”

“You’re too kind. But you, Hae-joo—you’ve grown even more lovely.”

Na-ae’s gaze swept warmly over her.

“You’re already twenty-eight. It’s about time you met someone serious. I remember you running around with pigtails, picking up fruit I tossed on the ground. Look at you now.”

A small, pale hand was gently massaging Na-ae’s legs—Hae-joo’s hands, always busy, always delicate.

“I’ll take care of your marriage too. I’ll find you a good match.”

“No need, Madam. You’ve already done so much for me. When I graduated high school and moved out of the annexe, I promised myself I wouldn’t accept any more help.”

Hae-joo had clear, honest eyes and a quiet strength. Fragile-looking on the outside, but with a firm will.

There was nothing about her that wasn’t lovely. And Na-ae, having once seen the girl’s body, remembered just how stunning it was—slender, but full in all the right places.

Clicking her tongue, Na-ae looked her over again. A glint of sharpness entered her tone.

“You’ve been around our family since you were a child, but remember—keep your distance from Seung-jo.”

“Of course, Madam.”

Hae-joo answered with a faint smile, accepting the unspoken warning with grace.

“I bought a few gifts for Seung-jo to welcome him back.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Good.”

Na-ae finally lifted her legs off Hae-joo’s lap as the car stopped in front of Taehwa Group headquarters.

Phew.

Hae-joo looked down at her sore calves and picked up the heels Na-ae had removed.

She stepped out of the car and opened the opposite door to help Na-ae with her shoes.

Just as she was slipping the second shoe onto Na-ae’s foot, a sleek black car rolled up beside theirs.

Clack.

A door opened and closed. The sharp, cool scent of cologne—like a walk through the woods at dawn—hit Hae-joo’s lungs. Her hands froze.

“You shouldn’t be using my employee like your personal assistant just because I was away.”

“Seung-jo, you brat…!”

Na-ae shouted, eyes wide.

Hae-joo, crouched down, was now trapped in the shadow of the man who had approached silently behind her.

“Madam Hong, you’re not a child. You can put on your own shoes. Are you planning to ask her to feed you next?”

“You little—! I raised you better than to speak to your grandmother like that. And Hae-joo is more than just an employee—she’s practically family. We housed her, fed her—everything!”

Ah… Hae-joo let out a long breath. That familiar scent had sent her heart into a frenzy.

She turned around.

“……!”

As expected, it was him.

Tae Seung-jo. Standing there with a black overcoat draped over one arm.

He looked immaculate in his suit—but there was something dark, almost dangerous about him, like a man who belonged in shadows, not the boardroom.

Was it the sharp angles of his face?

Even though it had only been two weeks, he seemed colder than ever. Untouchable.

“……!”

Their eyes met beneath his dark brows, and Hae-joo felt a chill run down her spine.

“Hello, Executive Director.”

She bowed quickly. She could feel his eyes trailing over her.