Episode 16
Dawn.
The sound of rain tapping on the window was fading away.
Jae-hyun slowly opened his eyes. Normally, he would’ve gotten up right away, but today felt different.
The sensations from last night still lingered vividly throughout his body.
“Jae-hyun…”
The sound of Philly calling his name overlapped with the rain, blending with her breathless sighs, the warmth they had shared in the tight space of the car.
In all the years he’d spent as the heir of Seowon Group, he had never once lost control like he did yesterday. Many people had tried to capture his interest, but none had shaken his rationality.
“Jae-hyun… please, stop…”
Her voice echoed in his ears. Jae-hyun clenched his jaw.
He entered the bathroom and turned on the shower. A stream of hot water poured down.
The water that flowed over his firm muscles felt hotter than usual. But even hotter than that was the passion that had yet to cool down.
“This is becoming a distraction.”
His hand froze as he brushed back his wet hair.
Visible on his shoulders and chest were the marks left by Seo-eun—remnants of the night, when she couldn’t hold back her pleasure.
It wasn’t just physical traces that had changed. The emotions he had tried to suppress until yesterday were now vivid. Things he hadn’t seen—or hadn’t wanted to see—were beginning to surface.
“This isn’t right.”
The more he tried to ignore it, the clearer the memory of last night became. Despite his doubts about her sincerity, he had let everything go and fallen for her.
Jae-hyun pressed his forehead against the wall, gripping it with one hand.
The way he was being swayed by emotions felt foreign. And he knew, precisely because it was unfamiliar, that he needed to be cautious.
Yet every time he saw her, logic and instinct clashed. His desire for her kept growing beyond control.
At first, he thought it was just lust. Maybe a momentary confusion due to her memory loss.
He turned the shower to cold in an attempt to douse his turmoil, but the heat inside him refused to fade.
Still, his rational mind kept signaling something else—it wasn’t just lust.
Jae-hyun let out a low sigh in the bathroom. His hands, drying the water off his body, were rougher than usual.
Even while tying his necktie in front of the mirror, his expression was more serious than normal.
He glanced at the door after checking the time.
“She’s probably still asleep.”
He wasn’t trying to avoid her. But still, his steps quickened—almost as if he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back if he saw her.
Later that day, at Seowon Development’s headquarters—
Everything looked the same on the surface, but internally, he was different. The black letters on the report blurred before his eyes.
“Now that the CEO is present, let’s proceed with the discussion on overseas market expansion.”
The meeting began, and the first report was presented.
“The estimated initial investment for entering the new market is approximately 300 billion won. Through cooperation with local partners—”
As he listened, Jae-hyun’s gaze momentarily lost focus. The cold water he had used to wash away last night’s memory hadn’t worked—because that memory returned, clearer than ever.
He could still smell her scent from the car.
He loosened his tie unconsciously, as if the tightly knotted fabric represented the suffocating feelings inside him.
“…And in terms of local regulations, our response strategy is…”
The executive continued his report, but Jae-hyun’s ears were filled with another sound—the sound of rain and Seo-eun’s sensual voice hidden within it.
As if she was still whispering to him now. Blood rushed down his body without warning. It felt like the temperature in the meeting room suddenly rose.
“Personally, I believe the Vietnamese market is the most suitable. What are your thoughts, CEO?”
Jae-hyun was still staring at the report, but didn’t respond.
The executives exchanged uneasy glances. His lack of response left everyone visibly flustered.
“CEO? Is there something unclear in the report?”
It felt like a crack had formed in the world that had always been perfect for him.
Can someone truly feel both suspicion and desire toward the same person? It was an emotion he couldn’t understand, couldn’t control—one he had never felt before.
He had always lived according to plans. Emotions had always been under rational control. But when it came to her, all his plans and control felt meaningless.
His grip tightened around the document until it crumpled. Setting the crushed report aside, Jae-hyun spoke in a low, somber voice.
“Let’s take a short break.”
Leaving the puzzled executives behind, Jae-hyun stood up.
Outside the window, the Seoul sky was bathed in gray light.
At the same time—
Seo-eun woke up later than usual and slowly got out of bed. Her whole body ached—perhaps the aftermath of last night.
She threw on a robe and went downstairs. A meal had been neatly prepared by the housekeeper. Warm soup and side dishes were laid out carefully.
But Seo-eun’s eyes were fixed on the empty seat.
Last night’s memories rushed back.
The warmth they had shared in the narrow car, the purity lost in the rain, the tension in their gazes as they locked eyes.
Their quiet return home. The heavy silence between them.
Jae-hyun had stopped silently in front of her room.
“Get some rest.”
His cold parting words left her feeling empty.
She wanted to stop him. She wanted to say something—anything. But the hand she reached out with froze in the air.
In the end, she could only watch him walk away.
“Ma’am? You should eat something.”
The worried voice of the housekeeper snapped Seo-eun back to reality. She quickly shook her head.
“Ah, yes.”
“The CEO left early this morning. He seemed busy.”
The mention of his early departure made Seo-eun’s chest ache.
‘Is he trying to avoid me?’
Her hand trembled slightly as she lifted the spoon. The warm soup slid down her throat, but she couldn’t taste anything.
After finishing her meal, she returned to her room and stood in front of the mirror.
She began adjusting her appearance, then her hand froze.
There it was—a mark on her neck, clear and red against her pale skin.
Jae-hyun’s intense gaze from the car, filled with desire—the moment his lips trailed down her neck…
She found herself gently tracing the mark with her fingers. Her heart began to race wildly.
But only for a moment. Her expression soon filled with conflicting emotions.
“This is all for Jae-woo.”
She tried to convince herself, but her feelings toward Jae-hyun were growing more and more confused.
She had planned to seduce him from the beginning. But the emotions now rising within her had never been part of the plan.
Her gaze moved to the phone on the desk. She hesitated, then picked it up.
She dialed Jae-woo’s number, then hung up—repeating the process.
She wanted to hear his voice, yet she was afraid.
Finally, the call connected, and Jae-woo answered.
“Noona!”
“Ah… Jae-woo. How are you feeling today?”
—“I feel great! I’ve been in a good mood since morning. And now that you called, I’m even happier.”
His cheerful voice warmed Seo-eun’s heart. But at the same time, guilt grew within her.
If Jae-woo ever found out what she had done for his treatment last night…
“Noona? Are you okay?”
“Huh?”
At his question, Seo-eun took a deep breath and pulled herself together.
“Yes, I’m fine. Did you eat well?”
—“Yes! I finished everything. Even lunch was great. I feel like I’m almost fully recovered, Noona.”
His hopeful voice stabbed at her heart. She tried to console herself that everything she did was for his treatment—but the comfort rang hollow.
“Yeah, Jae-woo… you will recover. For sure.”
As the sky outside darkened, Seo-eun found herself checking the clock again and again.
He would usually be back by now.
Only the ticking of the clock filled the quiet house.
Realizing she was waiting for him made her heart even more conflicted.
She shouldn’t have these feelings. Everything needed to go according to plan.
She sat on the sofa, lost in thought.
Then—
The front door opened.
Startled, Seo-eun turned her head.
