Chapter 45

Yuna’s POV

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. My heels clicked steadily against the polished marble floor as I made my way down the quiet corridor.

Harin was already waiting outside the meeting room, her posture straight, though her eyes carried a trace of unease.

“Chairwoman,” she said quickly, bowing. “Miss Hwang has already arrived. She’s waiting inside.”

I gave her a brief glance, my expression unreadable. “So eager,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair back behind my ear.

Pushing the door open, I entered with deliberate calm. The sound of my heels filled the silence before the door clicked shut behind me.

At the far end of the table sat Hwang Sera. Her arms rested lightly on the table, her back straight, her gaze fixed on me. Usually, she wore her confidence like a smile—a subtle curve of the lips, a hint of amusement in her eyes. But today, her expression was void of that playful arrogance. Instead, her face was cold, her eyes sharp, as if every ounce of her composure had crystallized into quiet fury.

“Sera,” I said evenly, letting her name roll off my tongue with a hint of disdain. “It seems these past few days, outsiders have developed quite the habit of visiting me without conscience.”

Her gaze didn’t falter. She didn’t even flinch. No smile, no clever quip—just silence that carried its own weight.

I pulled out my chair and sat with measured grace, crossing one leg over the other. “I thought the next time I saw you would be during the meeting with the Minister Jang. Am I mistaken?”

Her voice, when it came, was calm, but every word cut cleanly. “You’re not mistaken. I had no plans to meet you before then. But… I came here today for another reason.”

Without another word, she slid a document across the polished surface of the table toward me. The sound of the paper brushing against wood seemed louder than it should have been.

I lowered my gaze, flipping the document open. My eyes scanned the content. My fingers stilled.

Before I could open my mouth, Sera’s voice cut through the air. “After what happened yesterday—after the things you said to me, Yuna—I tried not to believe it. I told myself it was just another one of your mind games.” Her lips curled faintly, but her eyes were anything but amused. “But then I saw it with my own eyes, the evidence right in front of me. And now—” she leaned back slightly, her gaze narrowing into mine, “—turns out it’s true after all, isn’t it, Yuna?”

I kept my face blank, expression calm.

She continued, her voice slow and deliberate, each word laced with weight. “You really are powerful, Yuna—I’ll give you that. Powerful enough to bend everything to your favor. You actually had the audacity to erase every trace of your marriage—registration records, hospital files, even travel documents. I went through them all myself. And yet… everything was spotless. Not a single mark. Not even the faintest hint that it ever existed.”

Sera rose from her seat, heels clicking softly against the floor as she closed the distance between us. She leaned forward slightly, her hand pressing against the document in front of me. “Until this.”

The room sank into a heavy silence, the weight of her words thick in the air. She pointed toward the signature at the bottom of the page—Harin’s name.

“Seriously, Yuna?” she went on, her tone deceptively soft, though her eyes were steady and unyielding. “You put your own assistant down as his guardian? You forced him to drop out of university? Tell me—are you trying to strip your husband of his future with your own hands?”

For the briefest moment, I felt my hand clench beneath the table, my nails biting into my palm. But my expression remained smooth, composed.

“And what,” I said finally, my voice calm, “does that have to do with you, Sera?”

Her lips curved faintly—not in amusement, but in something sharper. “Is it because you’re afraid?” she asked quietly, her eyes boring into mine. “Afraid that I might see him behind your back?”

My silence must have told her more than I intended.

Sera’s brows lifted slightly, her voice dropping lower. “…So it really is because of that, huh.” She exhaled a short laugh, though there was no humor in it. “I didn’t think you were the type, Yuna. Overly jealous. Willing to destroy your husband’s future just because of something so petty.”

I let out a soft, cold laugh of my own, my lips curving faintly. “My husband’s future,” I said, stressing each word, “is none of your concern.”

I rose slowly, deliberately, my movements controlled. The room seemed to shrink as I closed the distance between us, standing tall in front of her.

“Since you’ve already uncovered the truth,” I said softly, “let me give you one piece of advice. Stay away from my husband. Don’t be so shameless, Sera.”

For the first time, a flicker of amusement returned to her face, though it was sharpened into a smirk. “Strong words,” she murmured. “But tell me, Yuna—aren’t you afraid? That I might expose your secret to the world?”

I tilted my head slightly, returning her smirk with one of my own. “Afraid? Hardly. If I wanted, I could silence every whisper before it even left someone’s lips. And besides…” I let my voice drop lower, colder. “Don’t act so innocent, Sera. You took advantage of Haemin’s kindness, cornered him, and forced him into going out with you.”

Sera’s composure shifted—just a fraction—but I caught it.

I leaned in just enough, my eyes never leaving hers. “So tell me, Sera—if you’re so eager to ruin me, what happens when I decide to show the world that you’re nothing more than a woman who can’t keep her hands off someone else’s husband?”

The words hung in the air like venom.

Her lips pressed together, then curved into a faint, cold smile. “You’re right. If I wanted to, we’d both be dragged down. But don’t worry.” Her eyes hardened as she straightened, her composure sharp and deliberate. “I never intended to expose you in the first place.”

She stepped back, her heels clicking softly against the floor as she made her way toward the door. With one final glance over her shoulder, she said, “But remember this, Yuna—if you don’t take care of your husband properly, someday…” Her hand rested on the door handle as she paused. “…another woman might take him away from you.”

________

Haemin’s POV

When I finally opened my eyes, the room was already bright. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, hitting my face like it was mocking me for oversleeping.

I groaned, rolling slightly onto my side. My body protested the movement, a deep ache radiating through my shoulders and down my back. Every bruise from last night pulsed like a reminder etched into my skin. Even breathing felt heavier than usual.

For a long moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling. My head was foggy, caught between sleep and exhaustion, but I couldn’t stay in bed all day.

I forced myself up, dragging my body upright. My legs felt stiff, the floor cold against my feet as I stood.

In the bathroom mirror, I caught sight of my reflection and winced. A faint bruise marked the edge of my jaw, just dark enough to be noticeable. I touched it lightly with my fingers, hissing as pain shot through me. I splashed water on my face, hoping to wash away the fatigue clinging to me, but it barely helped.

By the time I left the bedroom, the apartment was quiet. Yuna wasn’t home yet. Relief loosened the knot in my chest, though only a little.

I wandered into the kitchen and began tidying, more out of habit than need. I rearranged the spice jars, straightened the chairs, wiped the already clean counters—busywork, nothing urgent, but it helped settle my thoughts.

I moved slowly, my arms heavy, yet I forced myself through it—dusting, sweeping, setting things in order that didn’t really need fixing. Each motion pulled at sore muscles, each one a sharp reminder of last night.

By the time I set the broom aside and straightened the dish towel on the counter’s edge, the sky outside had already begun to dim. I sank onto the sofa, leaning back with a quiet sigh.

The click of the front door lock jolted me upright. My heart leapt into my throat. I quickly moved toward the entryway. The door opened, and Yuna stepped inside. I didn’t know what mood she was bringing home with her.

“Welcome back,” I said softly, hoping my voice sounded steady.

Her eyes swept over me, unreadable, before she stepped closer. Her fingers reached up, brushing my hair aside with a gentleness. Then her hand moved lower, stroking my cheek, tracing the faint bruise along my jaw.

I tried to hold still, but my body betrayed me. A small wince slipped out when her fingertip pressed too close to the tender spot. I instinctively leaned back, just slightly—but it was enough.

Her hand froze.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Her gaze sharpened, and for a moment I wished I could take it back, that tiny flinch. But it was too late.

“…Did you just pull away from me?” Her voice was low, controlled, but there was steel beneath it.

“I–It’s not that,” I stammered quickly, panic rising in my chest. “I just—my cheek still—…”

“So… you can’t even let me touch you now?” She cut me off before I could finish, her tone deceptively calm. “Is that what it’s come to?”

Her eyes sharpened, colder than before.

I shook my head frantically. “No, Yuna. That’s not it. H-here, Yuna.” Panicked, I grabbed her hand and pressed it against my cheek, nuzzling it gently, hoping to calm her. “You can… touch it.” I ignored the sharp sting of pain as I held her hand there.

“I wasn’t rejecting you,” I continued, desperation lacing my voice. “I swear I wasn’t.”

For a long moment, she didn’t move. Her hand rested against my cheek where I’d placed it, but her gaze stayed locked on me, sharp as glass. The silence stretched, and I felt the weight of it pressing down on my chest.

Then, slowly, the rigidity in her eyes eased. Her fingers flexed faintly against my skin, brushing across my cheekbone, and a quiet breath slipped past her lips.

“Please, Haemin,” she said, her voice cool, almost gentle, though her eyes gleamed with something darker. “Don’t make me feel like you despise me… I couldn’t forgive you for that.”

Her hand slid from my cheek to the back of my neck, drawing me closer. Her eyes softened, though the intensity never left them, and her breath warmed against my ear.

“…I missed you, Haemin.”

Before I could answer, she leaned closer, the warmth of her presence pressing against me. Her lips met mine, soft at first, then more insistent, claiming every inch of space between us. Her grip tightened at my nape, as if daring me to even think of escaping.

The bruise along my cheek throbbed with every press of her lips, the sting sharp enough to make me flinch inside. I didn’t dare show it. If I pushed her away, it would only make things worse.

So I stayed still, letting her take from me what she wanted, my breath caught between the sweetness of her touch and the quiet throb of pain beneath it. Her scent, her warmth, the firm weight of her hold pressed in on me, leaving no room to resist—only to endure in silence until she decided to release me.