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Chapter 72

"Come back while I'm still being nice. Don't make a fuss."

As Sang-hoon putted, the ball rolled toward the hole. It veered slightly off, and Sang-hoon's brow furrowed.

"Did you forget our agreement? We agreed not to see each other."

He placed another ball down, gripped the club, and swung it as he aimed.

"Did you think giving me a little pocket change would buy a lifetime leash?"

At Su-ah's words, Sang-hoon missed the putt entirely. He grimaced, sighed, and glared at her.

"Who was happy to take that 'little change'? Don't talk nonsense now."

He tossed the club aside and sat down on the sofa. Pulling out a cigarette, he lit it.

"What, are you going to threaten me now?"

Su-ah sat with her legs crossed, looking haughty, with no intention of backing down. She wasn't the same Su-ah who used to grovel before him. Back then, she'd had no choice but to act like she'd give him her all—but now things were different.

"Getting bold, are you? One word from me and you won't be able to set foot in Korea."

Smoke curled from the cigarette as he exhaled a thick cloud toward Su-ah's face.

"At least I don't do trashy things like you."

"Who was clinging to this trash's pants leg? 'Please, just this once,' begging and crying—and now you're acting high and mighty?"

He smirked mockingly at her, taking a long drag. The smoke settled deep in his lungs before it billowed out.

Su-ah watched him mimic her pathetic past and clenched her fists. She'd really had no other option back then. She needed money, and just then, a savior had appeared.

At first, she'd been grateful to the heavens for such a coincidence. If someone gave her what she needed, she'd have sold her soul.

'Approach this man. If you gain his favor, I'll pay you extra.'

Sang-hoon had handed her a photo and ordered her to approach him—along with a bag full of cash that saved her from being forced back to Korea.

The only inheritance she'd ever received from her parents was a decent face. She was confident in her ability to win men over. From his look, he seemed like the type who'd be surrounded by women. But no man could resist if she took the lead.

"Now you want to get back with Hae-joon?"

Sang-hoon's voice dripped with mockery, his expression more contemptible than ever. Seeing that face again made Su-ah nauseous.

When she'd first approached Hae-joon, she'd been sure it would take less than a month. But he showed no response—worse, he wouldn't even let her near. Any attempt to get close was met with sharp, defensive wariness, as if he'd been hurt badly before.

Despite being ignored day after day, she couldn't give up on the substantial reward. Her pride was trampled, but she persisted.

'What do you want, hanging around like that?'

He'd finally spoken to her. She nearly cheered at the small breakthrough. It had been so important to her.

After that, his guard remained up, but he slowly opened up to her persistence. Once he started letting her in, he grew close quickly—as if, having been so wary, he desperately craved the touch of another.

"Stop this with Hae-joon. Unless you want to be truly trash."

She knew how much Sang-hoon resented and controlled him. Why else send someone to a foreign land, pay them, and have them spy on their nephew?

She'd once seen Hae-joon crying. It was raining, and she'd gone to his place to have a drink. He was nowhere to be found. Then she heard sobbing from somewhere.

The grief in that voice was chilling. She crept toward the sound. He was curled up under a table in a corner room, stifling his sobs. His back was to her, and he didn't seem to notice her.

His shoulders shook with muffled cries, and she felt inexplicably uneasy. She'd already pieced together his relationship with Sang-hoon by then. That day, her feelings toward him began to change.

Before, she'd approached him with a purpose. Now, she pitied him—and that pity grew into deeper emotion. She couldn't bring herself to do harm to him. Without her, he'd truly have no one to lean on.

Eventually, she confessed everything—that she'd been hired by his uncle, that she'd approached him intentionally.

She still couldn't forget the look on his face that day. A mix of grief, despair, and anguish—he'd been utterly lost.

After that, she couldn't see him anymore. No matter how many times she tried, she was turned away. He'd locked himself inside.

Then one day, she heard he'd left. She'd tried to forget him. But she couldn't. That's why she'd come back to Korea—to see him.

"He's got his head turned by another woman these days. You know that, right?"

Sang-hoon shook his head with a pitying expression, finishing his cigarette. Su-ah frowned.

She knew. She knew he had feelings for someone else. No matter what she tried, he remained guarded. He was even more closed off than when she'd first met him. She sensed someone had taken a deep hold on his heart.

"I don't care about that. I'll be leaving soon anyway—we won't see each other again. If you don't want to face consequences later, try to be a decent person."

She stood up, as if she'd said all she needed to.

"Fine. Let's not see each other again. If you show up again, I'll make you disappear without a trace."

She didn't look back, even at his threat. Sang-hoon's anger flared at her audacity.

"That insolent brat!"

He nearly grabbed his golf club to throw at her, but a phone call stopped him.

"What!"

The caller must have sensed his rage. There was a pause before a cautious voice spoke.

-Jo Gun-young is missing.

"What? You incompetent bastards!"

His fury, already stoked by Su-ah, exploded at the news.

"I told you to kill him! What have you been doing? You idiots!"

-We were going to dispose of him, but he must have sensed something—he's gone. I'm sorry.

He felt a headache coming on. With Hae-joon distracted by his secretary, Hanil Group was within his grasp. But Gun-young was a loose end. He should have eliminated any risk from the start—regret washed over him.

"Bring him to me now. Alive or dead. Do it immediately."

---

It had been three days since Hae-joon left for an overseas business trip. He'd flown to Hong Kong without her even seeing his face. His recent attention and small gestures had become so familiar that his absence felt strangely hollow.

She'd expected at least one message, but there was nothing. Before, she'd never minded when he went on long trips—but this time, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

She'd find herself spacing out, lost in thoughts of him. Time was moving so slowly. A day felt like a week. At first, she blamed it on her upcoming resignation, but even after a day or two, the feeling persisted—was it because he wasn't here?

He was just away. He'd be working.

She cleaned his office, tidied up, even sat in his chair. Just to pass the time. Anyone who knew she was quitting might joke she'd given up and was slacking off.

When was he supposed to return?

Driver Choi said his schedule wouldn't wrap up until next week. That meant another three or four days. Not that his return would change anything.

"Ahhh...!"

She stretched widely and began packing up for the day. Without Hae-joon's instructions, she had more free time. She could leave work on time for once. As she turned off her computer and grabbed her bag, she heard the door open.

No one would be visiting the empty office at this hour.

"Who is it?"

She called out to the person entering. The face that appeared was completely unexpected.

"Long time no see, Cha Si-hyun."

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