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Chapter 24
“What do you mean?”
Baek Seong-tae gave a bitter smile. He was only helping Kang Da-som because it was useful for his own plans.
“If you ever need anything else, just tell me.”
“Yeah. Just wait a bit. Soon, Lee Soo-ha and Yoon Ji-hwan will get married.”
Once they were married, it would be Da-som’s turn next. Then she could officially act as the fiancée of the Cheonmyeong family and have some power in UL Electric.
Da-som knew exactly what Baek Seong-tae wanted.
“Thank you.”
Before getting home, Da-som tore off a page from her notepad, wrote something on it, and gave it to Baek Seong-tae.
“This is next week’s schedule.”
Baek Seong-tae, who worked for Kang Young-jun, now acted like Da-som’s personal assistant. She knew Young-jun didn’t assign him out of kindness.
He was there to watch her before the engagement became official.
In her past life, she had been naive. She bowed her head and thanked Baek Seong-tae sincerely.
‘Maybe he didn’t mean any harm…’
But knowing someone’s goal and pretending with them was very different from being totally unaware and used.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Also, here. Help Secretary Seo if she needs anything.”
She handed him a card.
“This card…”
“It’s not mine. It’s money my brother can never trace. So you can use it freely.”
At a film investor meeting, Da-som had gotten this card with money that wouldn’t cause any problems with Kang Jong-woo.
“Thank you.”
Baek Seong-tae didn’t ask where the card came from. That was something Da-som liked about him. Probably Kang Young-jun appreciated that, too.
“I should be the one thanking you.”
They arrived home. Baek Seong-tae got out first and opened the back door for her.
When Lee Soo-ha became a full member of the Aria Club, Kang Da-som was also appointed as a full member. Jung Ha-na threw a small party in the lounge to celebrate.
“Oh my, congratulations!”
“I’ll definitely attend your wedding!”
“Thank you.”
“Cheonmyeong is so lucky. The future daughters-in-law all get along so well.”
“I think we’re just lucky.”
People at the reception were all busy praising Soo-ha. But almost no one came to talk to Da-som, who also became a member.
“My little sister is way too nice.”
Jung Ha-na stood in the back, sipping a non-alcoholic cocktail. She smirked while covering her mouth with the glass.
It was actually Da-som’s idea to make Soo-ha the star of the party. Ha-na had warned that Da-som might be ignored.
‘Let her enjoy her last moment in the spotlight. She’ll find out later who the real star is. And why would I be ignored? I’ve got you, unnie.’
Hearing Da-som say that had made Jung Ha-na laugh to herself.
She says what she wants so clearly. It’s weird — I can’t even hate her.
Still, maybe because she felt something, Ha-na stayed close to Da-som during the whole event. A few sharp guests even came to Da-som instead of Soo-ha.
Da-som made a mental note of who approached her. The clueless ones didn’t matter.
They can act like bats or get left behind. That’s their problem. The real ones are with me.
“Oh, unnie. You use social media, right?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Follow me!”
“Didn’t you say you didn’t do SNS?”
“I just started. I don’t have many followers yet.”
Da-som took out her phone and showed her SNS account. Until recently, she wasn’t allowed to make one.
Seo Mi-young had said Da-som shouldn’t show her face online. She called Da-som a disgrace to the family because she was born out of wedlock.
But it probably wasn’t Mi-young’s idea. Most likely, it was her youngest daughter Kang Ji-hye’s idea.
Ironically, Ji-hye herself always posted selfies online, and once caused a scandal by bragging about luxury gifts on her birthday. The PR team had to clean up the mess.
Now that Soo-ha was getting married, Da-som convinced Kang Young-jun to let her manage her public image.
No matter how powerful Seo Mi-young was, she couldn’t beat Young-jun.
Da-som followed Jung Ha-na, and some of the other girls nearby came over to show their SNS accounts too.
“Wow, your profile is empty. You should upload more photos.”
“I just made it… and I don’t really know what to post yet.”
“It’s easy! Just take pretty pictures and upload them. Only the good ones, of course. Hey, want to take one now?”
“Really? Can I post it too?”
“Of course. You’re pretty. If you post a photo with me, followers will come fast.”
“Okay!”
Ha-na opened her camera and pulled Da-som close.
She cleverly made Soo-ha blurry in the background and tagged the event name.
“This came out great. Let’s upload it!”
Da-som and Ha-na uploaded the photo at almost the same time.
“Let’s take pictures more often.”
“I’d love that. It was boring when you didn’t use SNS. Oh, and I’ll recommend some good people to follow later.”
“Thank you. I really don’t know how I’d live without you, unnie.”
After posting the photo, a few articles showed up online, and some forum posts began to talk about them.
It didn’t become major news, but people who knew things started whispering:
“Kang Da-som is close to Jung Ha-na.”
“She might be Yoon Seong-hoon’s fiancée.”
Slowly, Da-som was becoming part of Jung Ha-na’s world.
Da-som sat at the Cheonmyeong Department Store lounge and sent a message to Ha-na.
[Unnie, can I see you for 10 minutes?]
[Where are you?]
[I’m at our department store lounge. I can come to you.]
[LOL no way, I’m walking into the lounge now too ㅋㅋ Wait there, I’ll come!]
Just moments later, Ha-na appeared, waving her hand.
“I didn’t know you were here. I was planning to come see you.”
“How do you even know where I’d be at this time?”
“Well, it’s not like you’d suddenly be in Busan.”
“True. I actually come here every Sunday morning.”
“Every Sunday morning? Why?”
“Oh, you didn’t know? Every Sunday morning, Black Label members get to see new items first. You know I love trends.”
“I didn’t know. Then maybe I should come every Sunday morning too.”
“I’d love that. Want to go shopping now? You said 10 minutes, but do you have anything after this?”
Da-som looked at her phone and smiled.
“Not anymore.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“It wasn’t that urgent anyway.”
“Okay then, come with me. I saw your SNS. You kind of buy random things.”
Ha-na led her to a private room she had already booked. Since her parents ran an entertainment company, she grew up around celebrities. She had a good eye.
When Da-som wore the clothes and jewelry Ha-na picked, she looked like a totally different person.
“Oh my gosh. You look like a fashion model!”
