Chapter 6
Haruka stepped into the estate.
Dragging a modest suitcase—hardly enough to even call luggage—she climbed the garden steps, where Chief Secretary Jo greeted her.
“I’ve been expecting you, Ms. Haruka.”
As he led her toward the servants’ quarters, he went over various precautions.
Most of them were about how to behave and speak in front of Jin Seonghan.
Apparently, many servants quit because of his fiery temper.
Because of that, new hires didn’t even go near him during the times he was around.
“He is strict and difficult with the staff, but he is exceptionally devoted to his daughter, Miss Seowoo. His paternal affection is extraordinary. So you must also be careful with your words and actions around her.”
“Yes. I’ll be careful.”
From that brief explanation alone, it was clear how much Jin Seowoo, a five-year-old girl, was treated like a princess.
And it also made clear who her first target should be.
“Your goal is to blend in naturally. Like clothes getting wet in a light drizzle—gradually. By the time the job is done, no one should suspect you. First, you earn their trust.”
Recalling Baek Jinha’s words from earlier, Haruka kept walking.
“This will be your room.”
The place where Chief Secretary Jo stopped was the largest room among the servants’ quarters.
On one side was even a small workstation suitable for simple blending work. The ventilation was perfect.
While it wouldn’t allow for oil extraction or highly detailed formulation, testing combinations of the three notes—top, middle, and base—or simple essential oil blending would be no problem.
“If you need anything, feel free to request it from me.”
“This is more than enough. I can go to Aromapiece once a week to get supplies.”
This was actually better.
Any 부족함 could serve as a convenient excuse to visit “headquarters.”
All in all, it was a satisfying space.
“The Vice Chairman will return after 8 p.m. today. You may rest until you are called.”
“May I look around the area? I’d like to familiarize myself with the layout.”
“That’s fine. Just be careful around the main house. Even though the Chairman isn’t here, he doesn’t like people from the annex going back and forth.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Jin Yeongman seemed like the kind of man with too many skeletons in his closet—his wariness was extreme.
You could tell just by how tightly he controlled even the servants within the estate.
It would be best to avoid encountering him as much as possible.
‘Let’s start with the annex staff.’
Haruka received a call from the annex well past 11 p.m.
Carrying a tray with simple aromatherapy tools, she entered, and Chief Secretary Jo guided her to Jin Seonghan’s quarters.
“The master room on the first floor is the Vice Chairman’s bedroom. The bathroom and dressing room are connected inside. Knock three times, and only enter when instructed.”
“Yes.”
Knock, knock, knock.
After knocking three times at even intervals, a short response came from inside.
“Come in.”
Chief Secretary Jo met her eyes and gave a slight nod—telling her to go in alone.
Haruka calmly turned the doorknob.
“Haruka Suzuki.”
Though she spoke while suppressing her tension, the room’s owner was nowhere in sight.
She glanced around the spacious room, filled with gray and white tones.
At least 50 pyeong in size, it was impeccably clean—but utterly lifeless.
It unmistakably reflected its owner.
“Oh, you’re here?”
Jin Seonghan appeared from the direction of the dressing room.
He was wearing only training pants, his upper body bare.
It seemed he had just come out of the shower—water droplets traced down his well-defined muscles.
They fell from his still-damp hair.
In short, he had an impressive body. And his face was handsome as well.
An ordinary woman might fall for him at first sight.
‘They said he’s quite the womanizer?’
During his short marriage, he had been quiet, but after his divorce, his reputation for womanizing became a favorite topic of gossip.
It was said he never spent a second night with the same woman—and it had to do with his daughter, Jin Seowoo.
As if to prevent any one-night partners from aspiring to become her stepmother.
‘He enjoys himself, but hates complications.’
He treated women like disposable gum, yet was devoted to his daughter.
A beautiful piece of trash. That description fit perfectly.
He dropped onto the bed.
A faint sharp scent of alcohol suggested he had been drinking.
Suppressing the hostility rising within her, Haruka set the tray on the bedside table.
She neatly arranged her tools, calmly recalling the blending ratios.
Watching her with half-lidded eyes, Jin Seonghan spoke.
“So, where do we start? Should I lie down?”
Unlike before, he was using polite speech.
Though it carried no real respect—just sarcasm.
Haruka showed no reaction and replied calmly.
“Just make yourself comfortable.”
At her bland response, he let out a breathy chuckle and leaned back against the headboard.
Haruka carefully selected the oils.
For the top note, she chose lemon oil to help with hangovers.
For the middle note—the most important in aromatherapy—she selected juniper berry oil.
For the base, she used lavender as the carrier oil.
A safe scent known for aiding sleep and calming the nerves.
It was the same carrier oil she had given him the day before.
If it suited him yesterday, it should work just as well today.
“How was the scent of the oil?”
“The scent? What scent?”
He asked as if hearing about it for the first time.
“The aromatherapy oil I gave you…”
“Oh, that? Well… let’s just say it was fine.”
An ambiguous answer.
When she looked at him questioningly, he smirked.
“My younger brother took it, so I didn’t even get to use it.”
“…I see.”
At the mention of his younger brother, her response came a beat late.
While her hands moved mechanically, questions flooded her mind.
Why did that oil end up with Leehan?
Did he notice something?
No… that couldn’t be it.
Yesterday, he may have been shaken, but it wasn’t because of the scent.
‘And he didn’t even use the oil, yet he hired me?’
Something didn’t add up.
While she chased these questions, he lazily rubbed his chin and stared at her.
“To be honest, I think this stuff is kind of bogus. But that guy smelled the oil and insisted I hire you.”
“……”
“He’s not into this stuff either, so I guess he liked you. Or more precisely, that aromatherapy oil of yours.”
Her hand froze just as she picked up the dropper.
Jin Leehan told him to hire me?
“So you should greet him later. The reason you’re here is thanks to my brother. Oh—haven’t you seen him before?”
Her fingers trembled as she pressed the rubber tip.
When color finally returned to her pale nails, her lips barely parted.
“…I briefly saw him during the interview.”
“Ah, so you did.”
Feeling his gaze on her, Haruka quietly continued blending, maintaining a composed appearance.
A drop of pale yellow oil fell from the dropper onto the warm compress.
The subtle scent spread through the air with the warmth.
It contrasted sharply with her restless mind.
“Please lie down now.”
“I’ve never heard something so polite sound so suggestive.”
Even while making a crude joke, Jin Seonghan followed her instructions without resistance.
Whatever his whim was, he didn’t seem to mind.
She placed the warm compress infused with oil over his closed eyes.
Only after escaping his gaze did she feel like she could breathe properly.
“Please remain like this for about 15 minutes. I’ll turn on the lamp now.”
Leaving him without a response, she moved.
She slightly opened the window and prepared the lamp.
Even then, he remained silent.
But Haruka knew.
He was observing her every move.
‘He’s wary of me.’
Even with his eyes covered, she could feel his sharp senses directed at her.
Just being in the same space as Jin Seonghan was suffocating.
Maintaining composure in front of a man she had to kill was no easy task.
Hadn’t Baek Jinha warned her?
“Don’t act recklessly until they lower their guard first. Remember—earning the trust of those cunning bastards comes first.”
How could she make this man feel favorable toward her?
How could she crack that hardened distrust?
To do that…
Just as she was deep in thought, the one holding the key appeared.
“Dad…”
It was his daughter, Jin Seowoo.
