I sighed as I lay curled up in bed. I had no idea what I should do after witnessing all that. And the fact that Nari and I lived in the same apartment made me feel even worse.

What was I going to do once she came back? Once I cleared my head about everything, I realized that perhaps I really was impulsive. If I had reacted back then in front of everyone and in a place like that, it'd look bad on me regardless of who's wrong or right.

I needed to devise a plan. As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold.

The sound of the front door opening echoed in the apartment, and I immediately covered my face with my blanket.

Speak of the devil.

It was already ten, and what on earth was she doing with Juwon to arrive now? Actually, I would rather not know. She slowly opened my door.

"Juri? Are you asleep?"

I didn't reply.

With a sigh, she closed the door. Rage overwhelmed me. The fact that she had the audacity to call herself my best friend when she was going behind my back and seeing my boyfriend.

How dare she look me in the eye without a single remorse?

When morning came, Nari knocked on my door once again. Before she could open, I immediately got up and swung the door open. I held her gaze as her eyes widened in shock.

I hadn’t slept a wink last night.

"Umm...looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of bed," she chuckled.

I collected my thoughts and forced a smile. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Would you like breakfast--"

"Actually, I'm heading out." I interrupted, and she tilted her head. "Why? Where are you going?"

Deep breaths, Juri. Don't let her ruin what's actually going well in your life. I told her about the remaining things I needed to buy, and she beamed in excitement.

“Can I come?”

My gaze fell to her smile. Her smile never reached her eyes. All these years, I had thought that was just how she was as a person and accepted her. However, at that moment, it made my blood boil.

I folded my arms with a forced smile, "How was it yesterday with your friends?"

She raised her brows, taken aback by my dismissive tone.

"Oh... Uhh. It was good. What about you? Did you get the clothes you wanted? I couldn't talk to you last night because you were sleeping..."

"Oh, the clothes, yes, I did." I dismissed again, "You know, I've been meaning to ask, who were the friends you went out with? Do I know them?"

She stepped back and averted her gaze, "Probably not. They're from work."

"You mean my previous workplace? I'm sure I know them."

Her eyes widened as she nervously averted her gaze again.

Acting oblivious, I masked a defeated sigh. "I tried calling Juwons yesterday, but he didn't answer. I'm sure he was busy. Did you talk to him recently, since you two are like siblings?" I asked.

I noticed a slight twitch on her face.

She forced a smile and shrugged, "I haven’t spoken to him. He is a busy man."

I almost rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to freshen up. And by the way, you don't need to make breakfast for me anymore. I'll be at work early from now on anyway." I said and walked away, ignoring her as she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

She called out for me, and I stopped to look at her.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

I physically flinched at her expression. I had never seen that look on her face. Like a chameleon, her face switched into a weak smile as she walked towards me.

She placed her hand on my shoulder and pouted, "You seem to be in an awful mood today. If I'm the reason, then I'm incredibly sorry. Please, tell me if I did something to hurt you."

My jaw dropped. Wow, she deserved an Oscar.

I removed her hand from my shoulder, "Nari, you didn't do anything wrong." I lied, "I got a new job, so I'm just telling you about changes that'll happen. I hope you understand." I continued, and she nodded sadly.

"That's a relief, for a moment I thought I did something wrong. You're acting like a totally different person. I guess it must be because you're nervous about your new job," she said, and I gave her a weak smile.

"Maybe."

She smiled softly and took my hand, "I know. You always get nervous with change. If you need anything, please let me know. I'm always here for you.”

I almost physically recoiled at how innocent she acted.

I ended up spending the whole day away from her.

Soon, Monday arrived, and after a thirty-minute commute, I finally made it to the building.

As I stepped inside, I almost gasped as I looked around. It was a beautiful luxury brand boutique with a dark, modern space with matte black walls and cool white lights guiding the area. Sleek displays showcased tailored suits, dresses, and polished shoes like pieces in a minimalist gallery. A soft hint of agarwood lingered in the air.

It gave the store a quiet, elegant presence.

I was extremely excited when I applied for the position, so I thoroughly researched it. It was owned by a prestigious family and had a hundred branches in South Korea and over a thousand more internationally. The family is worth billions.

It must be nice to be them.

"Ms. Kim?" a woman called out to me, and I bowed as she walked towards me. She was Mrs. Min, the head manager, who would supervise me. I knew her because she was the one who interviewed me during the second round of interviews.

"I'm glad you're here. You must be nervous since it's your first day, but I assure you, it's going to be nothing new. Just a little different than before," she said with a warm smile, and I nodded. She was a middle-aged woman with short hair and almond eyes. She was kind and cheerful.

"This way, she said as she showed me around the place. There was an upper floor, which had most of the limited edition pieces. And surprisingly, my office was also on that floor. At least I would have a good view of the city.

After examining my office, we left, and my eyes landed on the door on the opposite side of the floor.

Mrs. Min noticed my curiosity, "That's not my office, it's Mr. Lee's office. He's the eldest grandson of Chairman Lee and rumored to be the heir of Elyvion. He spends more time here than in the headquarters, so you'll see him more often."

My eyes widened in shock. The heir works here?! I'll be working with a chaebol?!

That was not on my bingo card for this year.

Her smile widened, "Don't be alarmed. It won't feel like he's here sometimes," she continued.

I narrowed my gaze, "Why does he come here?" I inquired, and she shrugged.

"I don't know, I never asked after all these years. I don't think anyone dared to. However, rumors have it that he's fighting with his step-siblings for the successor position. I think sometimes he leaves the headquarters because of the toxic environment," she explained.

I nodded.

"This way, there's still a lot to show you," she gestured for me to follow her.

After a few hours of training, we finally finished and headed downstairs, where she introduced me to the staff.

"These are the people you will be working with and managing," she said, and the staff and I bowed at each other.

The youngest one smiled warmly at me, "I'm Shin Erin. Nice to meet you," she said, and I smiled. She was quite cute.

Suddenly, the entrance sliding door opened, and everyone turned their heads past me since my back was facing the entrance. Everyone immediately bowed, and I gulped. It must be Mr. Lee.

I took in a deep breath and quickly turned around and bowed.

"Good morning, Mr. Lee, I said and slowly lifted my head.

As soon as our eyes met, I gasped and covered my mouth.

Sharp eyes that framed his piercing gaze paired with an equally sharp jawline. Heart-shaped lips that drew the eye effortlessly. And then finally, a mole under his right eye.

"Sunjae?!" I blurted out, completely shocked.