CHAPTER 14……………………………
“Today’s the chance. I have to make a strong impression.”
Serin lifted her head and lightly sprayed perfume on her wrist one last time. A soft floral scent spread through the air.
The car soon entered the upscale residential area of Pyeongchang-dong. At the end of a quiet road, a sprawling estate came into view, set on a wide expanse of land—the Ilju family mansion.
It was a building where the classic elegance of a traditional Korean house blended exquisitely with modern sophistication.
In front of the main gate, security vehicles were lined up in formation.
“Welcome.”
A butler greeted her politely at the entrance.
“The Vice Chairman and Madam are waiting for you.”
“Thank you.”
Serin smiled and dipped her head slightly. Step by step—careful yet confident—she walked inside.
The living room was spacious and hushed.
A large ink-wash painting hung on the wall, and white lilies were arranged on a low table. Along with their faint fragrance, an air of refined stillness filled the entire house.
On the sofa sat Woo-il and Mi-sook side by side.
“Welcome, Miss Serin.”
Woo-il rose from his seat with a bright smile.
“Thank you for inviting me, Vice Chairman.”
Serin bowed neatly, then turned toward Mi-sook.
“Hello, Madam. It’s been a while.”
“Oh my, welcome.”
Mi-sook stood up and clasped Serin’s hand warmly. Her gaze traveled up and down Serin’s figure, openly mingling fondness and satisfaction.
“You were pretty even back then, but somehow you’ve become even more beautiful.”
“You flatter me.”
Serin smiled modestly. Beneath that smile lay careful calculation.
“Did you eat breakfast?”
“I just had something light. Since you said you’d prepared brunch, Vice Chairman, I didn’t want to eat too much.”
“Then let’s eat right away. You must be hungry.”
Holding Serin’s hand, Mi-sook led her toward the kitchen—gentle and affectionate, as though welcoming a daughter-in-law she had long had her eye on.
Woo-il watched the scene with a faintly amused smile, then followed after them.
“Chairman Son is doing well too, I assume?”
“Yes, thanks to you. These days he’s completely into golf, so he goes out for a round every weekend.”
“Oh? Chairman Son took up golf? We should go for a round together sometime.”
“He’d love that. He’s mentioned before that he’d like to play with you, Vice Chairman.”
At Serin’s words, Woo-il’s smile deepened.
“Then we should set something up soon. Do you play golf too, Miss Serin?”
“I’m learning. I’m still not very good, but if I want to play with my father, I think I need to improve.”
“What a devoted daughter,”
Mi-sook said admiringly.
“Most young people these days find it bothersome to spend time with their parents, but you’re really impressive.”
“Oh, not at all. My parents raised me this way—it’s only natural.”
Serin replied with a humble smile. The more she did, the warmer Mi-sook’s gaze became.
Soon, the table was filled with a variety of dishes: salmon salad, eggs Benedict, fresh fruit, and freshly baked croissants.
It was a spread worthy of a luxury hotel breakfast.
“I tried to put some thought into it, but I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste. Eat plenty.”
Smiling softly, Mi-sook placed food onto Serin’s plate. There was genuine warmth in her touch, and in her eyes, a growing fondness.
“Thank you. Your hands are so beautiful, Mother.”
Serin spoke naturally with a smile. Her gaze lingered briefly on the back of Mi-sook’s hand—smooth and well-kept, the gleaming ring speaking of refinement.
“Oh my, at my age—”
Mi-sook laughed, waving it off.
At some point, the title Madam had slipped naturally from Serin’s lips and been replaced with Mother. And the moment Mi-sook heard it, her eyes softened even more.
“There’s a good dermatology clinic in Cheongdam-dong. The director is a friend of mine—next time, you should come with me.”
“Really? Thank you so much for saying that.”
Serin dipped her head slightly and picked up her utensils with graceful ease. There was not a trace of hesitation in her tone, as if she knew exactly where this conversation was meant to go.
“Oh, by the way—my mother asked me to send her regards.”
Serin continued gently.
“She said we should all have a meal together sometime.”
“Oh my, did she? If she said that, I should give her a call. I’ve actually wanted to meet her for a long time.”
“My mother said the same thing. She really wants to meet you.”
At Serin’s words, a satisfied smile bloomed on Mi-sook’s face.
The atmosphere at the table softened further.
The conversation drifted from fashion to beauty, and then naturally to stories of the business world.
Serin knew exactly which topics interested Mi-sook. She adjusted the timing of her questions and even the pace of her nods with calculated precision.
Mi-sook still led the conversation, but Serin was the one matching its rhythm.
“You’re very smart and well-cultured, Miss Serin,”
Mi-sook said gently.
“Unlike someone.”
For a brief moment, the air froze.
Everyone at the table knew exactly who that “someone” referred to.
But no one picked up the remark.
Serin lowered her head slightly with a composed smile. Woo-il pressed his lips together to suppress a laugh, and Mi-sook lifted her coffee cup as if nothing had happened.
“I heard you’re currently the CEO of Jet Hotel,”
Mi-sook continued.
“Yes. They told me to start by learning the hotel business step by step. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m taking things one at a time.”
“That’s impressive,”
Mi-sook nodded.
“You don’t see many young female executives these days—especially ones who actually run operations themselves.”
“Well, someday I’ll have to lead the Jet Group, so in a way, it’s only natural.”
“Just like Chairman Son’s daughter,”
Mi-sook said with a smile.
“Our Geon-woo learned the business with a similar mindset at that age.”
When that name landed on the table, Serin’s gaze wavered ever so slightly. Her lips still held a smile, but her eyes paused briefly in midair.
“Mr. Geon-woo seems truly impressive,”
Serin said carefully.
“He has a great reputation in the industry—especially among the people on the ground.”
“Thank you for saying that,”
Mi-sook replied with a pleased smile.
“It would’ve been nice if Geon-woo were here today, but I guess he wanted to rest at home this weekend. I called earlier, but he said he was busy.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed Serin’s eyes, but she quickly smiled and shook her head.
“That’s okay. I came today to see you and the Vice Chairman. Mr. Geon-woo deserves to rest on weekends too.”
Mi-sook’s face softened with emotion.
“You’re so considerate, Miss Serin. How wonderful it would be if our Geon-woo could marry a wife like you.”
Serin’s cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled shyly.
“Mother, you’re embarrassing me when you say things like that.”
“I’m just joking, just joking.”
Mi-sook laughed, but the warmth in her smile lingered beyond mere humor.
Her gaze was unmistakable.
Woo-il, too, silently smiled as he looked back and forth between the two women.
The Hanseong Cultural Foundation’s sponsorship dinner was scheduled for next Friday. Hana needed to have a new dress made for the occasion.
As a member of the Ilju Group family, maintaining a perfect image at official events was less a choice than an obligation.
She had originally planned to go alone. Going to a fitting with Geon-woo felt awkward, and she doubted he’d have any interest in such things anyway.
But last night, during dinner, the topic came up out of the blue.
