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Chapter 8 …
Although his mother was the lady of the prestigious Roydi Group, one of South Korea’s most prominent conglomerates, she had never been considered a suitable match for her husband.
His father had originally been engaged in an arranged marriage, but he had defied his family’s opposition and insisted on marrying his mother instead.
After all, she wasn’t from a chaebol family—she was simply the daughter of an ordinary gukbap restaurant owner.
For a while after giving birth to Mugeol, they lived happily.
But that happiness didn’t last.
His father’s endless affairs left his mother lonely and miserable, and the relentless mistreatment and pressure from her in-laws eventually drove her to run away from home.
It happened around the time Mugeol had just entered middle school.
His mother, who had spent years relying on psychiatric medication, treating hospitals like a second home, and being repeatedly hospitalized, disappeared while he was studying abroad.
Leaving behind only a single apology addressed to him, she walked out of the house.
She had now been missing for nearly twenty years.
During that time, his father remarried and brought his new wife into the family home.
The children who arrived with his so-called stepmother were around Mugeol’s age.
“Say hello, Mugeol. These are your younger siblings.”
His younger brother, Kang Mutae, was two years younger than him.
His younger sister, Kang Yujeong, was another year younger than Mutae.
The fact that siblings of nearly the same age appeared in the house immediately after his mother disappeared meant only one thing—
While living with his mother, his father had been having an affair and maintaining another family outside.
Mugeol couldn’t help but understand why his mother had run away.
No…
Once she had escaped this house, all he could do was hope that she had found happiness.
“We’re currently trying to locate Madam’s older brother. He was the only person she stayed in contact with back then.”
Watching Mugeol sink into thought, Secretary Han spoke in a heavy voice.
“We have to find my mother. No matter what.”
“…Haven’t we already searched every nursing home and psychiatric hospital in the country?”
At Secretary Han’s words, Mugeol frowned irritably.
“So you’re telling me to give up?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“My mother isn’t that weak.”
“…”
“I don’t believe she’s been wandering from hospital to hospital ever since she left this place.”
As he said that, he turned his gaze toward the window.
His eyes slowly clouded over.
“Secretary Han… the reason I first ordered you to search every hospital in the country…”
“…”
“…was because I was afraid that while I was overseas, this family might have forcibly committed my mother and disguised it as her running away.”
“…Ah.”
“That’s why.”
His eyes hardened with determination once more.
“Maybe it’s actually fortunate that we didn’t find her there. Before I return to my position as Executive Director… I have to find my mother.”
Secretary Han nodded before suddenly remembering something.
“By the way… the woman you’re supposed to marry…”
“…”
“I’m talking about Jung Jiyoung.”
At the mention of Jung Jiyoung’s name, Mugeol looked quietly at Secretary Han.
“You’re keeping it a secret that you’ve joined Roydi as a new employee, right?”
“Well… whether she knows or not doesn’t matter. It’s none of my concern.”
The moment he heard the name Jung Jiyoung…
Cha Yeonwoo’s bright, innocent face immediately surfaced in his mind like the moon.
The unexpected image made the corner of Mugeol’s lips curve into a faint smile.
Secretary Han tilted his head in confusion.
“…Why do you say it’s none of your concern? She’s the woman you’re going to marry.”
“…”
“The marriage talks are already underway. Even so, wouldn’t it be better if the Vice President told her personally rather than letting her hear it from someone else?”
“No.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m not marrying Jung Jiyoung.”
“And as for me joining as a new employee… for the time being, I only want the people inside Roydi to know. Make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut.”
“…Even so, it won’t stay a secret for long.”
“I know. I just want to survive as an ordinary employee until then.”
“If you’ll forgive the question, Vice President…”
Secretary Han’s voice interrupted the quiet atmosphere.
Mugeol, whose expression had softened considerably, turned to him.
“Why… aren’t you marrying her?”
A dry chuckle escaped Mugeol’s lips.
“That’s quite a bold question.”
He replied curtly before closing his eyes.
“I mean… you smiled the moment I mentioned her.”
“What? Me?”
“…Yes.”
“I smiled?”
At once, Mugeol’s eyes flew open in surprise.
He tilted his head skeptically, his brows knitting together.
“Why would I smile?”
“You were smiling just now.”
As Mugeol unconsciously touched his lips, unable to understand, Secretary Han let out an amused laugh.
“You were smiling without even realizing it.”
“…Ah.”
“Didn’t you fall in love at first sight? That day… a week ago. You said it was your first time meeting Miss Jung Jiyoung when you visited her house.”
“…”
“You must’ve fallen head over heels. Just hearing her name made you smile like that, so why are you saying you won’t marry her?”
Still chattering playfully, Secretary Han suddenly found his tie being yanked tight.
Straightening himself in his seat, Mugeol adjusted the car seat upright.
“You’ve got the wrong person, Secretary Han.”
“…Excuse me?”
“It’s not her.”
The one I fell for…
Swallowing the rest of the sentence, Mugeol lowered the sun visor mirror.
As he straightened his tie and neatly adjusted his employee ID card, Secretary Han’s words echoed over and over in his mind.
“You must’ve fallen head over heels. Just hearing her name made you smile like that.”
The sentence kept replaying in his ears.
…I fell for Cha Yeonwoo.
Did I really get swept up in something as unreal as love at first sight?
Even as he shook his head, a smile slowly spread across his lips.
After a hectic day, it was finally time to leave work.
Even as they cleaned up their desks at quitting time, Yeonwoo and the other new employees remained stiff with nervousness.
Team Leader Youngseo looked around at them with amusement before letting out a small laugh.
“You all still look frozen, even though it’s time to go home. Come on now, relax a little before you leave. We were supposed to have a company dinner today, but I think you’d all stay this tense even there. Haha. We’ll move it to this Friday instead.”
Youngseo was the first to leave the office.
The other employees followed after saying their goodbyes.
Yeonwoo also packed her bag and put on her coat.
Chatting cheerfully with the other new hires, she took the elevator down to the lobby.
Employees poured out from every direction as work ended.
Within moments, the lobby was packed with people.
“Wow… Even with this many people, look how Mugeol stands out.”
As Yeonwoo casually crossed the lobby, she heard Seohee’s excited voice.
Following her gaze, Yeonwoo naturally spotted the back of Mugeol’s head as he walked through the entrance.
Just as Seohee had said…
Even among this huge crowd, his tall figure stood out effortlessly.
“See you tomorrow.”
Smiling brightly, Yeonwoo waved goodbye to her coworkers.
“See you tomorrow, Yeonwoo!”
Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she hurried toward the subway station.
Bzzz.
Just then, her phone vibrated inside her bag.
She quickly pulled it out and answered with a cheerful voice.
“Hello?”
“—Yeonwoo, did you get off work?”
It was her father’s voice.
Just hearing it made her whole body feel warm.
“Dad! I just got off work.”
“I wanted to call you all day, but I held myself back. I didn’t want to interrupt you while you were working. So? How was it? Was work okay?”
As though he’d been holding back his curiosity all day, Gyeongseok bombarded her with questions the moment she answered.
“How’s your boss? And your coworkers?”
Yeonwoo burst into laughter as she walked toward the crosswalk.
“I’m on my way home now. I’ll tell you everything when I get there, Dad.”
“Alright, alright. Hurry home. I was just about to start making dinner.”
“Dad, I’ll be there soon, so I’ll cook. You should rest. Didn’t you say you went out of town today with your boss?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m already making the stew. By the time you get home, the rice will be ready too.”
“Come on. I’ll be there soon, Dad.”
She ended the call with a radiant smile still on her face.
“…?”
A black sedan pulled up beside the curb where Yeonwoo was standing.
She glanced at the car out of curiosity, but it was obviously far too expensive to have anything to do with her, so she turned away.
But strangely…
The luxury sedan continued following her.
Startled, Yeonwoo stiffened and stared intently through the closed window.
At that moment—
Whirr…
The passenger-side window slowly rolled down.
A familiar face appeared.
“Get in.”
“…Ah.”
It was Mugeol.
