Author

Hi everyone. Please not that this chapter was edited to fit the plot and character's personalities better. Hope you enjoy it :)

Sunjae

I put down her resume once she left my office. The moment the door clicked shut, Taeho folded his arms and glared at me. 

"What was that for?"

"What?"

"Why would you intimidate her on her first day? Were you planning on firing her just because of what she did on Saturday? Or perhaps because it's her first role in management?"

Ignoring him, I opened the folder on my desk. Truthfully, I had been completely taken aback when I saw her, and that familiar curiosity sparked again. I thought our first encounter would be our last, but here we were.

"Sunjae," Taeho called out, snapping my attention back to him. He narrowed his gaze, trying to read my face. "Don’t you find this whole thing suspicious, how we met outside of work and she ended up being the new manager here?"

I sighed, "What are you talking about? You know Elyvion's recruitment process is rigid and completely randomized. Nobody can manipulate it."

He placed his index finger under his chin and hummed.

“You’re right. But still. We need to be more careful.. Especially with the campaign approaching.”

I nodded and opened a folder next to me.

“Get back to work.”

He rolled his eyes but finally turned toward his desk.

Hours passed, and my eyes felt strained from staring at the monitor. My fingers slowly tapped on the desk, making a rhythmic echo in my office.

Taeho glanced at me, "Why don't we call it a day? It's already past five."

"You may leave," I said, and his brows furrowed.

He pointed a finger back and forth between himself and me, "I said we."

"I still have work to do," I said, reaching out for another folder.

He nodded in defeat, "I know you hate attending your family's dinners, but your grandfather personally insisted that you attend this one. It's been a long time since you've been there, so please attend this once. I don't want to get into any trouble with Chairman Lee."

My jaw tightened, and I paused.

He continued, "It's taking place in less than two hours. Don’t overthink it. You don’t need to say or do anything there. Just be present at least." he then bowed and left.

The thought of going there made me feel physically ill. There was a reason why I moved out of my family home over a decade ago.

A soft knock on the door snapped me back, and I glanced up.

Mrs. Min walked up to my desk, "We are now heading home," she said, and I nodded.

She sighed and spoke up again, "Ms. Kim did an excellent job during her first day. You might think she's unqualified, but just give her some time to prove herself."

I glanced up at her, "I look forward to seeing if you are right."

To phrase it better, I hoped she was right.

Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled, "Don't forget to eat dinner. I'll see you tomorrow, Sunjae," she said and left.

I wasn't sure when we started calling each other by our first names, but she always used my first name whenever there was no one around to remain professional. I've been working with Mrs. Min for almost a decade it almost felt calming to be around her.

After another hour, I found myself repeatedly clicking my pen subconsciously. The clicking sound echoed in the room as my mind started wandering again. The more my fingers trembled, the faster I clicked my pen.

Why was Grandfather so adamant that I attend this family dinner? What was he going to announce?

As I glanced at my watch, my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of someone from the sidelights. Frowning, I looked up and glanced at their silhouette. It was Ms. Kim.

Up until now, I had thought everything was a coincidence. From the moment I bumped into her back at the restaurant, to the fact that she was the new manager at the exact branch I transferred to. 

However, I do not believe in coincidences.

Was she a spy sent by Lee Seoyeon?

With a deep frown, I rose to my feet and marched to the door, swinging it open and startling her. She was too distracted by her phone to notice me approaching the door. Once we made eye contact, her eyes widened in shock.

“What are you doing?” I hissed.

She flinched, “I-I was just checking if you were done with work—”

I took a step forward as I narrowed my gaze, “So you had to eavesdrop on me to do so? Is that something you did at your previous company?”

“Excuse me?”

With a scoff, I ran my fingers through my hair, “I knew there was something suspicious about you the moment I met you. Why were you eavesdropping on me? Why are you still here at this time?”

Her back hit the wall of the hallway, and I pressed my hand on the wall next to her face, blocking her from escaping.

“Do you work for Lee Seoyeon?”

Her brows furrowed, “What?”

I leaned forward as I read her face, “Is it because of the upcoming campaign? Are you trying to sabotage me? Did Seoyeon put you up to this?”

She held up her hand as she narrowed her gaze.

“Sir, I have no idea what you are talking about. I admit it, I was eavesdropping on you, but that’s simply because I was too nervous to tell you that I needed to close up! I have no idea who Lee Seoyeon is.”

I lowered my hand as I studied her demeanor. She looked more offended than afraid. Was she telling the truth?

I sighed and stepped back.

After being recently promoted to CMO, I am the youngest person in Elyvion's history to earn such a position. Since then, everyone I knew has been trying to get my position revoked. Now, with the dinner I had to attend, this whole thing felt like a setup. Something wasn’t right.

Ms. Kim sighed and pushed back a lock of her curly hair behind her ear.

She bowed deeply, “I apologize for startling you like that. I was just trying to do my job. I promise to come forward instead of eavesdropping next time.”

My eyes glided to her phone. Then who was she texting?

Her phone buzzed, and her face darkened when she read the caller ID.

“Answer it.”

Her frown deepened into a glare, “Mr. Lee, don’t you think you’re being invasive? This is private.”

“Invasive?” I snickered, “Ms. Kim, if I remember correctly, you were the one who deliberately crashed into me and managed to get into the VIP section back at the restaurant. Not only that, but you coincidentally ended up being a manager at a local store branch I moved into simply to escape HQ. And you’re calling me invasive?”

Her jaw dropped as she stared at me in disbelief. The person behind the call hung up, and the phone buzzed again.

“Answer it. I won’t ask again.”

Clenching her jaw, she answered the phone, put it on speaker, and shoved the phone in front of my face. A man’s voice answered on the other end.

“Hey, babe. You didn't reply to my text. I just wanted to call to let you know that I’m on my way to pick you up from work today. I’m sorry for not celebrating your new job with you on Saturday, but I promise to make it up to you.”

Ms. Kim flipped the phone back to her, “I’ll call you back,” she said before hanging up.

My eyes widened as she pocketed her phone, “Are you happy now that you know that I didn’t break up with my cheating boyfriend yet?”

She held my gaze, her eyes burning with pure rage as she clenched her jaw. She looked utterly enraged.

So she wasn’t a corporate spy. It was just a messy, painful personal life that I had violently trampled over. 

A heavy, controlled sigh escaped my lips, but the laugh that usually followed my paranoia didn't come this time. I just felt incredibly hollow.

Have I truly grown to be even more anxious and paranoid?