Chapter 10 …
“Did the Chairman call for you?”
Hyena spoke to Juyeong without getting out of the elevator. She was dressed to the nines, as if she had a lunch appointment with Choi Kwon-yong.
“That’s none of your concern, so mind your own business. I need to get on, so get off the elevator.”
Juyeong tilted her chin slightly. It was her way of saying she didn’t want to waste time, so Hyena should move.
But Hyena didn’t get off the elevator. Instead, she pressed the B1 button and placed her hand on the door-open button.
“I forgot something. Let’s go down together while we’re at it.”
“Ha…”
She told her to get off, and instead of complying, Hyena did the exact opposite. Letting out a deep sigh, Juyeong stepped into the elevator.
Bang—the elevator doors closed. As if she had been waiting for this moment, Hyena continued.
“It’s funny. You suddenly getting a dating scandal—of all people, with the eldest son of the Seongun Group.”
“…….”
“What? Was he on the list of marriage candidates the Chairman picked for you?”
Juyeong showed no reaction whatsoever to Hyena’s probing question.
But Hyena knew Juyeong well enough that she didn’t need an answer. She already knew it. She had only asked to provoke her.
“Ah. So that’s it. You’re planning to marry that man to keep the Oido villa from being taken away, huh?”
Hyena’s lips curled upward, stretching almost to her ears.
“Wow~ You always acted so high and mighty, but Choi Juyeong, you’re nothing special after all. In the end, you too—selling your body just so you don’t lose the Oido villa.”
Hyena raised her index finger and poked Juyeong’s shoulder repeatedly.
“You should’ve treated me better. If you’d just bowed your head and wagged your tail, I would’ve let you keep that Oido villa—!”
That was when it happened.
Hyena’s eyes flew open. Juyeong had grabbed the hand that was poking her shoulder.
“L-let go of me!”
Hyena tried to pull free from Juyeong’s grip, but Juyeong’s hold was so strong that all she could do was flail.
“Why would I bother? Even without sucking up to you, the Oido villa will be mine soon enough.”
“Ha! After protecting it by selling your body?”
“They say you only see what you are yourself—do you really think I’m the same as you?”
“…….”
“If I marry the eldest son of the Seongun Group, my position within the CS Group will only become more solid. You know exactly what that means.”
“……?!”
Hyena’s pupils began to tremble.
Having lived as a kept woman in the Hannam-dong mansion, seeing and learning plenty along the way, Hyena immediately understood what Juyeong was implying.
Juyeong suddenly yanked Hyena’s fingers, pulling her closer.
“When I become the Chairwoman,” she said, “the first thing I’ll do is rip you out of the group—starting with your outdated self.”
Then she leaned closer and whispered into Hyena’s ear.
“I’ll make sure you can never again find the things you eat, use, wear, or sleep on—leaving you completely penniless.”
What will you do now?
You’re in serious trouble.
Her stomach churned.
It was always like this after meeting her father—or Go Hyena. It felt as though someone had poured hydrochloric acid into her gut, burning her from the inside.
So Juyeong skipped lunch and threw herself into work. With the dating scandal drawing public attention to CS Department Store, there was more than enough work to keep her busy.
Even so, she still had to wrap up her deal with Bae Seonghun. After adjusting her schedule, Juyeong headed to the Seongun Hotel.
As soon as she entered the lounge, a staff member who recognized her approached.
“Ms. Choi Juyeong?”
“Yes.”
“We’ve been expecting you. I’ll guide you right away.”
The staff member led her to a private room deeper inside the lounge.
Though it was called a room, the walls were made entirely of glass, giving it an open feel. Of course, if privacy was needed, the blinds could be lowered.
“I’ll take it from here.”
After spotting Seonghun already inside, Juyeong spoke to the staff member.
“Please bring an iced Americano and a glass of water to the room.”
“Yes, understood.”
The staff member bowed politely with both hands folded in front, and Juyeong responded with a slight smile before stepping inside.
When the glass door opened, Seonghun looked up.
“You’re actually on time today?”
Was he mocking her?
Even if he was, there was nothing she could do. Despite offering 1% of the shares, Bae Seonghun still held the upper hand.
Still, Juyeong didn’t bow or act submissively. There was a reason she had offered that 1%.
Besides, Bae Seonghun was the type of man who responded to provocation with provocation—or with complete indifference.
Lightly brushing off his remark, Juyeong took a seat across from him.
“You look busy.”
“Not really.”
Seonghun shrugged.
Just then—
Knock, knock. A staff member tapped on the glass door and said, “Excuse me,” before entering.
They placed the iced Americano and the glass of water in front of Juyeong, then quickly left.
“Isn’t it a bit late for coffee?”
“I still have work to do. I’m not going to sleep right away.”
Juyeong took out a packet of stomach medicine from her handbag—something she had grabbed when getting out of the car—tore it open, and popped the pill into her mouth.
As she swallowed it with water, her eyes met Seonghun’s.
“What?”
“I was just wondering what you were eating the moment you arrived.”
Seonghun suddenly stood up and lowered the blinds.
In an instant, the room was completely cut off from the outside.
“Vitamins?”
“Something like that. More importantly—this.”
Juyeong took out an envelope from her bag and placed it in front of him.
“It’s a contract.”
After Seonghun had left the night before, having shown a positive attitude toward marriage, Juyeong stayed up late drafting the contract.
She was dizzy from alcohol and exhausted, but given the importance of the matter, she wanted to handle it quickly.
She also didn’t want to waste time lying awake, unable to sleep.
“You can think of it as a prenuptial agreement.”
“…….”
“It’s just a draft, so read it. If there’s anything you want to revise or add, let me know. I’ll fully consider your wishes, Mr. Bae Seonghun.”
As Juyeong spoke, Seonghun pulled the documents from the envelope and flipped through them page by page.
At first glance, it seemed like he was skimming, but his pitch-black eyes carefully absorbed every word.
“It’s clean. No vague wording that could be interpreted multiple ways. I’d believe you if you said a senior lawyer wrote this.”
“I didn’t write it in the middle of the night just to get your praise. Just tell me if there’s anything you want to add or revise.”
Seonghun stared at her indifferently for a moment, then inhaled and leaned back against the sofa.
“There’s a blank where it says how we’ll break up.”
“That’s something we can discuss today—”
“Let’s decide that when it’s time to separate. No need to waste time on it when we’re both busy.”
“No. How we separate is just as important as the marriage itself. To avoid problems later, we should decide now—”
“Decide what, exactly, right now?”
His previously indifferent eyes suddenly changed.
Those eyes.
The same savage eyes that had felt as though they would tear her heart out the first time she saw them.
“Ms. Choi Juyeong, you seem to be under a misunderstanding. You do realize that if this marriage ends up becoming grounds for divorce, the cost could outweigh the benefit of that 1% of shares, right?”
Bae Seonghun was talking about alimony.
“Don’t worry about alimony. Even if we divorce, I don’t plan on filing a lawsuit.”
In this world, it wasn’t uncommon for people to lose half their assets to alimony. Knowing that well, Juyeong had made sure to include a clause regarding alimony lawsuits.
“It’s written in the contract. Didn’t you see it?”
“I did.”
Seonghun straightened up, then leaned forward this time.
Though a round table sat between them, perhaps because of the light reflecting off his eyes, his deep black gaze felt as though it was narrowing the distance between them to its absolute limit.
Unconsciously, Juyeong clenched her fist beneath the table, though she showed no outward sign of tension.
She couldn’t afford to let her guard down for even a moment in front of this man.
The instant she did, she would become prey.
“But are you really in a position to make that kind of decision?”
The words Seonghun tossed out casually were a warning—one meant to remind Juyeong of her limits.
You don’t have that kind of authority.
Don’t overinflate yourself beyond what I’m willing to tolerate.
“So,” he continued, “let’s leave the divorce terms for later.”
When Juyeong couldn’t immediately argue back, Seonghun took the lead. His dark pupils had settled calmly again, as if nothing had happened.
“The condition I’m setting in exchange for agreeing to this marriage is simple.”
He raised his index finger, forming the shape of the number one.
“Once a week, let’s go on a date.”
“…….”
“To show the world—and to make this marriage more believable.”
Ten dates in total.
After those ten dates, they would get married.
