CHAPTER 41………………
Ki-hoon couldn’t hide his satisfied expression. Leaning back against the sofa, he let out a soft laugh like a sigh and spoke in a low voice.
“Hana.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“Lately… you’ve been really… useful.”
At his words, Hana’s eyes wavered for a moment.
Useful.
That word pressed heavily on her chest. For Hana, who had spent her childhood trying to avoid her father’s scolding and earn his approval, it was the highest praise she could receive.
“…Thank you.”
Ki-hoon crossed his arms and nodded slowly.
“Looks like you finally managed to sway Jung Gun-woo properly.”
“It’s not like that…”
“Not like it? Don’t make me laugh.”
Ki-hoon cut her off.
“See? He falls in line exactly as I told you to.”
He tapped the table with his fingers and gave a sharp, almost sardonic smile.
“Men are all the same. If you know how to handle them, they’ll do anything you want and still be grateful.”
Hana bit her lip. A chill ran through her chest.
“Chairman, this matter was purely professional…”
“Professional?”
Ki-hoon leaned forward, interrupting her.
“Hana, all of this was only possible because you were next to Jung Gun-woo. If you hadn’t been there, do you think we could have reached an agreement on these terms?”
“…That’s…”
“You couldn’t.”
Ki-hoon cut her off decisively. His voice carried unwavering certainty.
“So keep it up. Cater to Gun-woo’s whims, give him whatever he wants.”
Hana lowered her head, unable to speak. Her fingers clasped together so tightly they turned white.
“As long as you hold that position, our Suga Foods will continue to grow.”
Ki-hoon’s expression remained pleased.
“If we succeed in Southeast Asia this time, next we can target the European market too.”
He paused for a moment and looked directly at Hana. The smile had vanished from his face, leaving a strange coldness.
“So… don’t even think about divorce. That would destroy your standing in an instant. Understand?”
Ki-hoon’s voice was low, cold, and firm. Hana nodded slowly.
“…Yes.”
At that moment, the silence in the chairman’s office stretched unusually long, and even the weight of the air felt heavy.
After a moment, Ki-hoon placed the documents he had been holding onto the table.
“Good. Then let’s finish the final review by this Friday and proceed with the contract.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Alright. Good work. You may leave.”
He waved his hand lightly, signaling that there was nothing more to say. Hana quietly stood and bowed her head.
As soon as she stepped out and closed the door, Hana let out a deep, heavy sigh. The corridor was silent, as if the suffocating stillness of the chairman’s office had followed her out.
Her lips trembled slightly, and her steps along the corridor grew slower and slower.
“Lately… you’ve been really… useful.”
“Looks like you finally managed to sway Jung Gun-woo properly.”
Ki-hoon’s words wouldn’t leave her mind. They echoed in her ears, sharp and painful, like someone pressing down on a wound.
Hana knew how hard Gun-woo had worked for her. She knew today’s conditions had not come easily.
Gun-woo had believed in Hana’s abilities, and because of that trust, he had acted. But to Ki-hoon, the entire process seemed nothing more than the result of skillfully manipulating Jung Gun-woo.
Her effort, persuasion, and trust—everything was evaluated solely within the framework of utility.
To Ki-hoon, Hana wasn’t a company employee. She was merely a tool to keep by Gun-woo’s side.
Walking toward the end of the corridor, Hana suddenly realized clearly the position she occupied.
What kept her in this role wasn’t her ability or achievements—it was Jung Gun-woo.
Without him, she would instantly become useless and be discarded.
The thought sent a chill down her spine.
The clarity of that realization was so stark, it almost made her laugh. Her lips curved faintly, unsure whether it was a smile or a sigh.
Hana kept her head down and continued walking. The path back to the executive office felt unusually long.
Then, as she stepped out of the elevator—
“Executive Seo!”
Someone called her. Hana looked up and saw Chae-yeon approaching, holding a file as usual, her expression cool and composed.
Hana looked at her weakly, and Chae-yeon came closer, scanning her over.
“You got the Southeast Asia distribution deal, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Everyone’s talking about it. They said you pulled off a huge win.”
Chae-yeon’s lips curled into a small smile.
“Congratulations. That’s a really big deal.”
“…Thank you.”
Hana tried to smile, but her lips stiffened and wouldn’t curve fully. Chae-yeon simply watched her quietly.
“But why do you look like that?”
“Huh?”
“If it’s such a big win, shouldn’t you be happy? I bet Chairman Seo must’ve been thrilled too.”
Hana couldn’t reply immediately. She had been happy—yes, Ki-hoon had been pleased—but…
“Uh, just…”
Hana trailed off.
“Just?”
“Just… tired.”
Chae-yeon narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Hana’s expression. Something was off. This wasn’t the face of someone celebrating a big achievement. If anything, she looked more exhausted.
“Coming from the chairman’s office?”
“Yeah.”
Chae-yeon studied her face carefully. The corners of her eyes twitched slightly, her lips were pale, and her hands fidgeted with the documents.
“What did he say?”
“…He praised me.”
“Praised you?”
“Yeah. Said I did well.”
Chae-yeon sensed something in Hana’s increasingly quiet voice.
“Then that’s good, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“Then why do you look like you’re dying?”
“No, really, I’m fine. Just… a bit exhausted from the meetings and reports.”
Hana forced a smile, but Chae-yeon immediately saw through it. She didn’t comment, only nodded as if to say, “I understand.”
“Go get some rest. You really don’t look well.”
“Okay. You take care too.”
Hana gave a small bow and turned away. Chae-yeon watched her for a moment, then walked in the opposite direction.
The corridor was quiet. Only their footsteps echoed, fading in opposite directions.
Misook sat on the living room sofa, staring at her phone. Gun-woo’s name was on the screen.
Scrolling through the call log, there were only outgoing calls—she had never received a single one.
Why… why won’t he answer?
Misook clenched her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white.
After hesitating for a moment, she pressed the call button again.
Beep—beep—beep—
The tone rang long, then went straight to voicemail again.
“Damn it…”
Misook muttered, throwing her phone onto the sofa. It bounced softly off the cushion before settling.
It had been three days. Three days without Gun-woo answering.
Three days, but to Misook it felt endless. Had they ever gone this long without contact?
When had they grown so distant?
She could barely remember the last time they had properly spoken.
The memory of that day at the department store—the cold look and tone—wouldn’t leave her mind.
She had thought countless times about going to his house, but that would only increase the distance between them.
So Misook remained stuck to the sofa, clutching her phone.
At that moment, the front door clicked open.
“Is the lady at home?”
Woo-il’s low voice called out.
“She’s inside.”
The maid’s reply came from the far end of the corridor.
