TMYRA Chapter 6

Seo Mun-hwon

 

She didn’t want to take the call, but having witnessed the employees getting scolded harshly, she had no choice but to accept the phone handed to her.

 

– Soo-ah.

 

“……”

 

Even though Soo-ah didn’t respond, he knew she had answered and began saying what he wanted to say.

 

– Don’t meet other men while I’m away, and don’t wander around dangerous places.

 

“I don’t need a bodyguard. That man is a gangster. I don’t need someone like that following me…….”

 

– Moon Soo-ah.

 

He cut her off mid-sentence.

 

His voice, filled with madness, grew quieter and quieter.

 

– I don’t like my flower being touched by anyone else. When it is at its most beautiful, I will pluck it myself. That time is not far off.

 

She hated being referred to as a flower.

 

“I’m not a flower.”

 

– No. Your thoughts don’t matter. What matters is my feelings.

 

“I don’t want to be watched by anyone!”

 

Soo-ah protested, but Ihan paid no heed to her words.

 

– CEO Seo Mun-hwon of Kangju is someone I trust. If I give him an order, he will follow it even if it means putting a knife to his throat. He’s the only one who wouldn’t have any interest in my flower.

 

Perhaps because he was about to leave for the U.S., his voice softened with lingering affection.

 

– I have to board my flight now. I’ll miss you.

 

As always, Ihan didn’t care at all about Soo-ah’s thoughts or opinions. He simply imposed his emotions on her and wanted to keep her under his watch.

 

Even though he was married and had a wife.

 

“I don’t want this. I said no!”

 

Soo-ah refused, but the call had already ended.

 

“I’ll take my leave now.”

 

After the employee left the room, leaving her alone, Soo-ah slumped in exhaustion.

 

Everyone in this house—both the employees and even Bo-kyung—were on Ihan’s side.

 

They were all people who lived off Min Ihan’s money, people who wanted to curry favor with him to receive even a little more.

 

No one here was on Soo-ah’s side.

 

***

 

She met that man in the afternoon, when a torrential downpour had begun. Thunder and lightning cracked through the sky, and dark clouds loomed overhead.

 

It became so dim that she couldn’t tell if it was day or evening. As the second lightning bolt flashed, the doorbell rang, and they appeared.

 

“The bodyguards have arrived.”

 

At the employee’s words, Bo-kyung entered first. She wore heavy makeup and a tight-fitting red silk dress.

 

Her nails were painted a deep red, and her neck and ears were adorned with expensive jewelry.

 

“Don’t try anything sneaky. Just stay home. You know if you disappear, I will lose my livelihood, right?”

 

“I need to work. My graduation exhibition is coming up soon.”

 

She used it as an excuse to leave the house, but Bo-kyung ignored her words.

 

“Work? What work? Once Ihan divorces and marries you, all of this wealth will become yours. You’ll be able to spend money freely, so why bother with something like that?”

 

“Mom. I have never thought of brother Ihan as a man. He’s my stepbrother. He’s already married. I will never like him.”

 

Bo-kyung burst into loud laughter.

 

“Honestly, it’s because you act like this that Ihan is so obsessed. Keep rejecting him forever. That way, he’ll always be at your beck and call. I never thought he’d go as far as to separate from his wife. No matter how much he likes you, there are social standards, so I figured he’d just keep you as a mistress or a sex partner at best. But this is an unexpected jackpot.”

 

Bo-kyung’s crude words left Soo-ah speechless.

 

“Ihan is really a good kid. If he hadn’t assigned gangsters to watch you, I’d have to do it myself. Don’t even think about meeting other men. In your life, there is only Ihan. Keep that in mind.”

 

As Bo-kyung rambled on excitedly, they finally appeared.

 

The men, appearing to be in their twenties and thirties, had rugged appearances, were tall, and had massive builds.

 

Dressed in black suits, they all wore grim expressions and had their brows furrowed in unison. There were more than just one or two intimidating-looking men standing in a row.

 

She tried to reassure herself that everything would be fine, but anxiety left her mouth dry.

 

“Oh my, you arrived right on time. You even look exactly like gangsters. Soo-ah, if you try to run, you won’t even stand a chance. I will leave her in your care.”

 

Bo-kyung hummed a tune as she disappeared, leaving Soo-ah alone.

 

Flash. A bolt of lightning struck, followed by a tremendous roar of thunder that shook the world. Soo-ah, nervous, merely blinked as one of the men approached her.

 

A man with deep scars around his eyes and mouth looked like the leader of a gang.

 

“The CEO has just arrived out front.”

 

Contrary to her expectations, he wasn’t the leader. If these men were this rough, then what kind of man was the CEO? The one who controlled and ordered these men—just how ruthless and terrifying could he be?

 

Soo-ah felt a wave of fear at the thought of the man who was about to appear.

 

Thunder rumbled once again, followed by the door swinging open as the man appeared.  

 

He was entirely different from what Soo-ah had expected.  

 

She had imagined a rough and intimidating man, someone who led massive men as an executive of the organization.  

 

She had assumed he would be a middle-aged man with a large, burly frame.  

 

But the man who stepped inside was nothing like that.  

 

His tall frame was lean yet solid.  

 

The suit he wore fit him flawlessly, like a model, and even from a distance, his well-proportioned physique and chiseled features stood out.  

 

His smooth skin contrasted with his thick eyebrows. His eyes were sharp, his jawline defined.  

 

Though his gaze was piercing, his deep-set eyes held a sense of mystery that sparked curiosity about him.  

 

His red lips carried a sensual allure, stirring an odd kind of imagination, while his delicate facial features lent him a boyish charm.  

 

More striking than any actor or celebrity, he possessed an overwhelming charisma that commanded attention.  

 

The moment he appeared, it felt as if nothing else existed in the world but him.  

 

“I’m a little late.”  

 

He spoke, looking at Soo-ah.  

 

Contrary to his refined appearance, his deep, resonant voice was pleasant to the ears, making it all the more captivating.  

 

“Moon Soo-ah, correct?”  

 

For a brief moment, his gaze flashed sharply.  

 

It was like white waves surging in a stormy sea.  

 

His ocean-like eyes were so vast and deep that drowning in them seemed inevitable.  

 

Soo-ah braced herself against the pull and answered,  

 

“Yes. I’m Moon Soo-ah.”  

 

He smiled. His eyes curved slightly as the smile spread across his face. The corners of his lips lifted just a fraction, adding a touch of decadence to his already provocative lips.  

 

It was a smile she had never seen before. A dangerously seductive expression that seemed to tighten around her heart. She found herself unable to look away, and it felt as if her chest was swelling.  

 

But this man was the leader of the gang Ihan had hired. Someone Soo-ah was supposed to despise and keep her distance from.  

 

She lifted her chin high and sharpened her gaze.  

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Seo Mun-hwon, CEO of Kangju Corporation.”  

 

He retrieved a business card from inside his jacket and extended it toward her. The black card bore his name and title embossed in gold. She refused to let herself appear weak in front of him.  

 

Soo-ah neither responded to his greeting nor accepted the card.  

 

“You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”  

 

He gently grasped Soo-ah’s wrist. His long, firm fingers pressed the card into her palm.  

 

“You’ll be needing to contact me frequently from now on, so take the card.”  

 

The man was both forceful and refined. His grip was as unyielding as stone, yet his hands and fingers were unexpectedly beautiful.  

 

There wasn’t a single scar on them—nothing like what one would expect from a gang member’s hands.  

 

“Starting today, my men will accompany you whenever you move. They will take turns standing guard outside your house 24/7.”  

 

That meant he intended to keep her under constant surveillance. It was an offer she had no intention of accepting. Soo-ah met his gaze head-on and said—  

 

“I have a private life too. I have to go to school and discuss my graduation exhibition with my friends.”