Daring Chapter 15

Woojin didn’t even greet his father whom he was seeing for the first time in ten years.

 

“Why is that manager here?”

 

“She’s the only one assigned to me.”

 

“Meal support should be handled by a butler. Do you know what kind of occasion this is?”

 

Seong-il stopped speaking and glared at Yuna. Because her head was bowed, she could endure it — had she looked straight at him, Yuna might have run out of the room. His stare was laced with hostility.

 

“Just let it be. I’ll make sure she keeps her mouth shut. If she talks… I’ll kill her, whatever.”

 

Oddly, Yuna found Seong-il’s gaze more terrifying than Woojin’s chilling words.

 

“Don’t even think about doing anything strange with the maid in my house.”

 

“Come on. Once is enough for that kind of precedent—why would I?”

 

Woojin glanced over at Junghoon, who was sitting indifferently. At that moment, Yuna didn’t know why Woojin looked at Junghoon, but she understood the meaning of his words exactly.

 

She interpreted it as him having no intention of getting deeply involved with a maid. At the same time, she became curious—what was that one precedent he was referring to?

 

“Cut it out.”

 

Feeling Woojin’s gaze, Junghoon spoke sternly. Listening from the side, it sounded like the eldest son scolding his younger brother, who’d lost his sense in a chaebol family. Surprisingly, Woojin simply shrugged and looked at Yuna.

 

“Sorry. Let’s eat.”

 

Yuna realized that his gaze was now instructing her to assist with the meal. It sounded like he wanted to get it over with and go back quickly. With no reason to refuse, Yuna began assisting with the meal service just as she had been taught. From that point on, the butlers busily moved about, setting the food in front of their respective family members.

 

Yuna also quickly picked up on the flow and brought out the dishes in order, assisting Woojin at his side.

 

“Take enough rest, then return to the company.”

 

Seong-il opened his mouth, breaking the heavy silence.

 

“How about the Analysis Team? Start as General Manager.”

 

Junghoon spoke gently, as if coaxing his younger brother who didn’t want to work.

 

“Good idea.”

 

At Seong-il’s praise, Junghoon continued, looking pleased.

 

“Father asked me to find something suitable for you, so I came up with that—it wasn’t originally my idea.”

 

“You’ve done your duty as the older brother. Go ahead with that.”

 

While cutting a large piece of meat and bringing it to his mouth, Seong-il spoke to Woojin. Woojin didn’t touch the meat; instead, he sipped his wine and only picked at the vegetables on his salad.

 

“I’ll think about it after I get sick of playing around. Oh, and I hate departments like the Analysis Team—too static. And General Manager? Come on, at least give me Executive Director. Don’t you think, Father?”

 

Woojin spoke freely, seemingly unafraid of both Junghoon and Seong-il.

 

“Your brother started as General Manager too.”

 

“Oh, come on. That’s because he lost the executive vote, so he had to settle for three months as General Manager before moving up. And he went straight to Vice President. Now he’s Vice Chairman. Vote me into the board too—but later, not now.”

 

“Han Woojin! S-sorry, Father.”

 

Junghoon couldn’t stand it any longer and burst out, then bowed his head to Seong-il.

 

Yuna felt her insides churn from nervousness every time Woojin opened his mouth. As she assisted him from the side, her mouth went completely dry. Her hands, neatly placed above her belly button, were trembling.

 

Yet Woojin himself was unbelievably calm, as if none of it fazed him.

 

In her eyes, Woojin seemed to be intentionally provoking Seong-il and Junghoon. And one more thing struck her as odd—despite both her husband and father-in-law being so furious they couldn’t even eat, Haeju wore a calm expression as she dined and had her wine poured.

 

It was as if she were thankful to Woojin for irritating the two men. Yuna quickly lowered her gaze. It was so chilling it felt disturbing.

 

‘My family is a mess, but this one’s a disaster too.’

 

“Don’t think I’ll tolerate that arrogant attitude forever.”

 

Seong-il spoke threateningly. Woojin put down his fork and knife with a loud clatter. The sound was so sharp that even the butlers, seasoned in assisting high-ranking people, turned pale.

 

Yuna didn’t even need to be mentioned. She was so tense, it felt like the fork in Seong-il’s hand might fly at her any second. She couldn’t even breathe properly.

 

Only Woojin, the person in question, nonchalantly drank the remaining half-glass of water. Then he stood up.

 

“I’ll eat at the annex from now on. Manager Seo can cook decently. It’s fine.”

 

He glanced at Yuna, signaling her to follow, and walked to the door. Yuna hurried ahead of him, grabbed the handle, and pushed it open. Just then, Seong-il’s stern voice rang out.

 

“Is it just the meals that are fine? Nothing else? Don’t even think about fooling around with the maid.”

 

Yuna instantly understood the implication and turned pale. Having spent the whole day wondering if he was functioning properly as a man, Seong-il’s words pierced straight into her heart.

 

‘So… he’s normal enough to fool around with a woman?’

 

That’s why Seong-il was trying to control things, Yuna thought.

 

“Come on. Even a cripple couldn’t mess around even if he wanted to. That’s an insult to Manager Seo, Father.”

 

Woojin looked back at Seong-il with a grin, then left the room. As if wanting to get out of that house even one second faster, his steps quickened, and Yuna had to practically run to keep up.

 

***

 

Yuna, upon arriving at the annex, wondered how she should treat Woojin. She was unsure whether to pretend not to know and go into her room, or to stay by his side.

 

But she immediately realized her worries were unnecessary. He had taken his car keys and left the house. It was such an unexpected move that she didn’t even have time to ask where he was going.

 

Although there was a clause stating that, even if the owner didn’t say anything, the person serving him must know his whereabouts, Yuna had no way of knowing.

 

“A young master who stormed out after getting scolded by his father. But why does it look to me like he was trying to provoke them?”

 

Yuna recalled Woojin deliberately agitating Seong-il and Junghoon. Like someone who couldn’t bear the idea of things getting better, he was expressing his discomfort with his family using his whole body.

 

“I don’t know. I’m just too tired today.”

 

Yuna felt like the fitted shirt-blouse was constricting her chest. It felt suffocating. She changed into her casual clothes.

 

“He’ll probably come back by dawn. Whatever.”

 

But Yuna’s assumption was wrong. Woojin did not return that night. It was the following evening, a full day after he left, that the main house called her.