MIS 2

They had clearly been intimate just this morning. But it seemed insufficient to satisfy two weeks of pent-up desire.

“You didn’t ask why I returned to Korea yesterday.”

“I was in a hurry.”

Actually, Seo-hee had hoped that Tae-jun would ask. Why did she go back there in the first place?

“I couldn’t relieve myself without you.”

In the end, it was because of her body. His words, accompanied by a husky breath, made Seo-hee’s heart ache.

“… There are plenty of women there, too.”

“There are. But I need to be with you to feel good the next day.”

He was a man who needed everything to be perfect in order to be satisfied. He was extremely careful not to have a single blemish in his life.

The same was true of his relationships with women. The reason he slept with Seo-hee was obvious.

Because their relationship was tied to money.

He probably thought she wouldn’t dare gossip about his sex life since she had borrowed money from him.

“I don’t like doing it during work hours.”

She boldly defied him, but he ignored her and unbuttoned her shirt. He undid a few buttons and then, as if frustrated, reached out to rip the shirt open. Seo-hee grabbed his hand and stopped him.

It was a plea for him to stop.

Tae-jun twisted his lips, a smirk playing on them as he grabbed her wrist.

“What are we going to do about this?”

Tae-jun gestured down with his eyes and Seo-hee’s eyes followed. She saw his manhood rise imposingly. Seo-hee’s lips trembled when she saw his hardened member next to her thigh.

Sometimes it was exciting to know that she could arouse this indifferent man.

But not now.

Outside the door were colleagues she saw every day, and his fiancée would be arriving soon.

“You can still say no after all this?”

Tae-jun’s touch slid under her collarbone. 

Seo-hee’s body stiffened as his long fingers dug into her soft flesh. As if pleased with her reaction, Tae-jun took a bite of her tender skin and rolled it around with his tongue.

The skillful movements of his tongue sent a wave of heat through every cell in her body. A soft moan escaped her lips as excitement surged through her. She had to make sure that no moans escaped from the office. Seo-hee bit her lip hard to stifle any sound. 

Tae-jun looked up at her and nipped at her with his sharp teeth.

“Hah, I told you to moan.”

Shame washed over her. Seo-hee squeezed her eyes shut. She had enough strength to push Tae-jun away.

It was almost laughable that even now she couldn’t resist letting him touch her.

Tae-jun must be pushing her like this because he knew that.

Suddenly Seo-hee’s heart skipped a beat. Tae-jun’s movements also stopped abruptly.

A cheerful voice could be heard from the hallway.

It was Cha Ye-rin.

“Is Oppa busy?”

“Secretary Han is giving a work report.”

Yoon-jung’s voice could be heard from outside.

“That’s perfect. I actually wanted to ask Seo-hee-ssi something. I’ll go inside.”

Seo-hee’s face paled.

She quickly tried to button her shirt, but Tae-jun grabbed her wrist and kissed her.

Even in that short moment, he kissed her with an intensity that made it seem like he was going to pour everything into her. He devoured her lipstick greedily, leaving no trace, and played with her tongue.

“Managing Director Kang. Cha Ye-rin-ssi is here.”

Knock, knock.

Confused by the lack of response from inside, Yoon-jung knocked again.

“Managing Director Kang.”

She knocked again. Seo-hee hated this precarious situation. She felt like a toy being played with at his whim. Only after tears welled up in Seo-hee’s eyes did he break the kiss.

Gasping, Seo-hee let out the breath she had been holding in as she sobbed. It was a rough, selfish kiss that didn’t even give her a moment to breathe.

“Tell her to wait.”

“No, I can’t. If it’s Cha Ye-rin-ssi, she’ll come without waiting.”

“Then go and wait somewhere else today.”

It meant booking a hotel.

“Oppa, can I come in?”

Tae-jun frowned at Seo-hee’s tears as if they were a nuisance. 

“What are you doing? Get dressed.”

Seo-hee’s hands shook as she buttoned her shirt.

In contrast, Tae-jun’s suit was immaculately neat.

Why did this make her heart ache so much?

She could feel it clearly: in this twisted relationship, she was the only one being crushed. 

When the door opened, Seo-hee quickly pulled her skirt down to her thighs.

Cha Ye-rin entered. Her cute bob hair bounced with the click-clack of her heels.

“Were you busy? Busy enough not to hear me talking outside?”

Ye-rin sat down on the sofa with a bright smile.

“It’s been a while, Secretary Han.”

Seo-hee bowed deeply. Her head almost touched the floor, like a thief whose feet had gone numb. 

If she knew that she had just committed a dirty deed with the man she was about to get engaged to, what would happen to that elegant smile?

She would think it was dirty. She would find it disgusting.

Seo-hee bit the inside of her cheek.

“What is it?”

“So mean. You said you’d give me a birthday gift. I came all the way to the company because you said you were busy, and you’re going to be cold to me?”

Ye-rin pouted at Tae-jun’s stiff attitude.

“Oppa, do you even want to get engaged to me? Our engagement is like a story from another world for you, isn’t it?” 

“Who said anything about an engagement?”

Seo-hee, standing awkwardly between them, turned to the door.

“Seo-hee-ssi. Can I get some coffee?”

Ye-rin scanned Seo-hee’s lipstick-smudged lips with kind but somehow cold eyes.

“Yes, I understand.”

As Seo-hee was about to leave the room, a firm voice echoed through the room.

“Go have your coffee outside.”

“But I want to drink the coffee that Seo-hee-ssi makes. She’s good at making coffee, you know.”

“Did you come all this way just to get a cup of coffee?”

Ye-rin’s smile wavered slightly at his irritated tone.

“I’ll make the coffee.”

The cold atmosphere felt like her fault.

Seo-hee replied politely and fled the manager’s office as if running away. Her conscience must have pricked her. Her heart pounded as if it had been cut by a knife.

* * *

The main entrance of the skyscraper hotel was temporarily closed to ordinary guests.

Soon after, the family of the Jeya Group Chairman, who had just gotten out of a luxury sedan, entered through the entrance.

“Welcome.”

The hotel staff bowed politely.

“We will do our utmost to ensure that the Jeya Group family has a special time today.”

It was a monthly family dinner presided over by Chairman Kang.

Countless power struggles had made the family members worse than strangers. But they all attended without fail, hoping to inherit at least a small portion of Chairman Kang’s fortune while he was still alive.

“Who on earth are they?” 

“Oh! I think I saw them on the news.”

The common guests, who had been pushed to the side due to the blockage of the main entrance, whispered among themselves.

The murmurs grew louder, and tension filled the faces of the hotel staff.

The members of the Jeya Group considered themselves aristocrats. The uncomfortable glances made the chairman’s family frown. Cold sweat trickled down the foreheads of the staff members leading them.

“Th-this way, please.”

All noise was blocked as they entered the private corridor.

“Everyone, have a seat.”

Chairman Kang, sitting at the head of the table in the dining room, had a broad smile on his face.

“Chairman, you look even healthier than at the last dinner.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. I am relieved to see you in good health. The Chairman’s longevity is directly related to our country’s economic growth.”

“How long are you going to leave the economy in the hands of this old man?”

“Considering the economy of the Republic of Korea, it is only natural that the chairman…”

“Did you ruin last quarter’s performance because you were thinking about our country’s economy?”

His son-in-law, Choi In-gu, the president of Jeya Securities, stiffened at the pointed joke.

It was meant to be flattering, but Chairman Kang looked at his son-in-law with displeasure.

“Haha, you’re so funny, Chairman.”

As President Choi let out an awkward laugh, the room fell silent. Amidst the silence, Tae-jun calmly sipped his aperitif.

“Managing Director Kang, do you also think that I should stay with the company for the sake of our country’s economy?”

“Wouldn’t that be difficult at your age?”

“This boy doesn’t even know how to flatter. Tsk.“

Chairman Kang clucked his tongue. Nevertheless, his eyes were full of affection as he looked at Tae-jun.

“Well, words are unnecessary. Just show me the results, like Managing Director Kang.”

His children, who had only come to make an appearance, were constantly looking for an opportunity to join the conversation.

From the beginning, the position of head of the Jeya Group was meant for Tae-jun, the eldest grandson.

There was no reason not to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially with Jeya Construction’s stock price reaching new highs.

“Did you see the news this morning? Tae-jun secured the Vietnam project in just one month, the same project Vice President Park spent months on because he was suspicious of Tae-jun. He’s my grandson, but he’s very capable.”

Embarrassed laughter rippled through his children.

Among them, Eun-hye couldn’t bring herself to laugh, even though she had to.

Chairman Kang’s daughter-in-law and Tae-jun’s stepmother.

Although she was in her mid-50s, she was still as beautiful as a rose. In her 20s, when her beauty was even more radiant, she met Tae-jun’s father in a high-class bar for the top 10% of men. Since then she has lived as his mistress.

She even became the eldest daughter-in-law of the Jeya Group after Tae-jun’s biological mother died.

Her past as a bar girl had long been buried. Eun-hye had clawed her way up from the bottom.

“Father, you seem in good spirits seeing the family after so long.”

“Of course. Just looking at my children makes me full.”

“Shall I give you even better news?”

“What is it?”

“It’s about Yoon-woo.”

Tae-jun’s movements, which had been indifferent during the whole dinner, suddenly stopped.

His right hand, holding a knife, subtly tightened its grip.

In a clear and deliberate voice, Eun-hye, who didn’t miss it, continued.

“Father, Yoon-woo is coming back to Korea.”