ALDA 09

Love Doomed to Die

 Chapter -09

Eun-hee spoke calmly and evenly.

Ha. Young-hoon lowered his head and muttered a quiet curse.

At the harsh word, Eun-hee shut her eyes tightly. A few seconds later, when she lifted her eyelids again, her gaze met his—eyes as deep and dark as the night itself, fixed sharply upon her.

The cigarette between his lips burned quietly.

“You may have already heard, but during the period of your engagement, I’ll be working as the chairman’s personal secretary. So…”

Before she could finish, he cut her off again. Eun-hee’s breath trembled. She felt like a misbehaving student being scolded by her teacher.

“So, we’re going to be seeing each other often?”

“Yes… I think so.”

Young-hoon gave a cold, incredulous smile.

“Then how long are we going to keep seeing each other?”

“Probably… until the wedding.”

Though I might not live to see that day.

She barely swallowed the words. My life probably won’t last past this year, she thought.

Cha Young-hoon ran his hand—still holding the cigarette—along his firm jawline, as if lost in thought for a moment.

“Until the wedding, huh.”

Eun-hee quietly looked up at him. She wondered for a moment what the crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips meant.

“If that’s Park Mi-jung’s decision… then tell me something.”

“……”

“She’s probably curious how I reacted. What are you going to tell her?”

Eun-hee looked down at what she was still holding in her hand. From his attitude, it was clear he had no intention of accepting it. She also wasn’t sure what she should say to Mi-jung later.

Young-hoon tilted his head slightly toward her.

“Want me to tell you the answer?”

Eun-hee instinctively took a step back, one hand flying to her chest.

Fear crept up from her toes, slowly swallowing her whole. She didn’t know what he would say or do next—only that she was tense, unbearably tense.

Still, this was all she could do to defend herself.

Young-hoon extended a thick finger—and lightly brushed away her pale, slender hand.

“Ah…” Eun-hee let out a faint gasp.

His fingertip touched the sharp line of her collarbone, pressing there gently but deliberately. Heat rose beneath his touch. Eun-hee’s earlobes flushed red. The pale face she tried to keep calm twisted with helpless shame.

Please, stop…

She couldn’t hide her pained expression and dropped her head.

Young-hoon’s hand moved to her sloping shoulder, gripping it softly. His fingertips traced slow circles on her skin, making goosebumps ripple down her arms. Her eyelashes quivered.

And then, just as Eun-hee thought she couldn’t take any more, Young-hoon said something horrifying.

“If she’s not planning to strip completely, tell her to dress properly instead. I don’t care for half measures.”

The words jolted Eun-hee’s mind back into focus.

Crazy bastard.

Her teeth clenched. The image of the wounds on Mi-jung’s body flashed in her mind, making her shrink in on herself.

Mi-jung had been right—Cha Young-hoon wasn’t sane.

But then Eun-hee remembered the large sum of money Mi-jung had sent her.

Hazard pay.

She had staked her life on this job. It was, more precisely, a payment for risking her life.

“…Yes. I’ll deliver the message.”

Eun-hee answered calmly. She forced a faint smile to hide her shaken face. Young-hoon responded with a dry laugh.

“You do as you’re told, don’t you.”

His gaze didn’t leave her face, as if measuring her somehow. His narrowed eyes burned like embers.

Just then, a taxi pulled up—a saving grace.

Watching Young-hoon instruct the club manager to call it, Eun-hee felt relief flood through her. She knew she had to seduce him eventually—but not tonight.

If she let herself be treated as a one-night amusement, the plan would fall apart. For the sake of something more lasting—even if only a pretense—tonight had to end here.

Though she hadn’t managed to hand over what Mi-jung had sent her, it seemed Young-hoon already knew what it was.

She’d gotten his answer, at least—her errand was complete.

“Then, I’ll be going now. Thank you for calling the taxi, Prosecutor.”

With the taxi behind her, Eun-hee smiled politely at Young-hoon.

But before she could reach for the door handle, his hand moved first. Click. The latch lifted under his fingers, and the door opened.

Eun-hee turned back to him, bowing her head slightly.

He stood there, leaning casually against the open door, looking down at her. Their eyes met again—inevitably.

“……”

“……”

A faint night breeze drifted between them. His black hair tousled slightly, brushing across his forehead.

Was it her imagination, or did the corners of his eyes look redder than before?

The longer she looked at him, the more she felt as if he could see right through her—her lies, her pretense.

Her heart grew restless. Eun-hee ducked into the taxi and sank into the seat, wanting nothing more than to rest, to stop thinking.

But just as she turned to the window, the seat beside her dipped.

Startled, she whipped her head around. Young-hoon was sitting next to her.

Eun-hee’s face froze with disbelief. Before she could ask anything, Young-hoon spoke coolly:

“You should finish your errand, shouldn’t you, Ms. Sa Eun-hee?”

Then he asked the driver where the nearest hotel was.

Eun-hee’s body went rigid, as if someone had hit pause on a video.

She couldn’t guess what was happening anymore—or what he intended.

That was who Cha Young-hoon was. Truly unpredictable. Terrifyingly so.

Eun-hee bit her lip hard to keep from trembling. The experienced driver turned the wheel.

Ssshhh—

Water poured down hard from the shower in the hotel room.

Eun-hee paced the living room, biting her nails, too afraid to glance toward the open bedroom door.

After arriving, Young-hoon had tossed his jacket on the couch and gone straight into the shower.

The sound of running water was unbearable—but the silence after it stopped would be worse.

Eun-hee clutched her head. Her skull throbbed as if struck by a bat.

“Ah…”

It felt like tangled threads had filled her brain. The symptoms were starting again.

She couldn’t think straight. Why had he brought her here? What did he expect from her?

But she could guess. She knew what her role likely was.

This wasn’t in the plan—everything was moving too fast—but she had no choice now.

She thought of the extra payment she’d get for collecting evidence, and forced herself to stay calm.

Even so, confusion surged again.

Mi-jung had said he distrusted people, avoided intimacy. But when it came to Eun-hee, he was reckless, almost predatory.

Still, this wasn’t the time for doubts. She had to focus on what was coming next.

Eun-hee picked up the silver clutch from the coffee table and checked its contents. Everything she’d prepared was still there.

Who knew how far this brute would take things tonight?

She pulled out several small items—she’d tuck them into the bathrobe pocket after his shower.

Then—click. The bathroom door opened.

Eun-hee flinched. Footsteps. Slow, deliberate.

Young-hoon emerged, walking into the living room with large strides.

He wore nothing but a white bathrobe. Eun-hee couldn’t bring herself to look at him directly.

With her head bowed, she quietly spoke.

“I… also…”