EOFD 36

chapter 36

“……Director.”

Yeon-woo’s expression collapsed. She hadn’t expected such a base comment to come from Woo Jeong-ha’s mouth.

…This was so different from the Woo Jeong-ha she knew.

The way he was looking at her now, as if he could tear her expression apart and consume it, hurt.

“I’m such a bastard that I don’t even know how to ask politely.”

Yet, for whatever reason, Jeong-ha was leaving Yeon-woo’s collapse unchecked. He even seemed to be enjoying the situation, a faint smirk playing on his face.

Did he even think she would respond?

“The answer?”

“What… exactly do you mean by that…?”

“Ah.”

Even in the middle of summer, she didn’t feel a drop of sweat in this house. Yeon-woo felt a sharp coldness, a chilling sensation that seemed to crawl over her skin.

Unable to speak, her lips trembling, she watched as Jeong-ha filled the whiskey glass he was holding to the brim with amber liquid.

As the liquid gurgled through the narrow, round opening, Jeong-ha’s voice came through.

“Se-woon Construction… for every single project, so many drinks pass back and forth. It gets unbearable.”

“…….”

Finally, the glass was filled precariously to the brim, trembling as if it could spill at any moment.

Just like Yeon-woo.

Holding it in his hand, Jeong-ha stood up. Yeon-woo lifted her head to follow the towering figure, then stopped.

Jeong-ha approached with a languid expression.

Their torsos nearly touched, and their breaths came so close they could almost reach each other’s eardrums.

“If you’re at that drinking party, things might go a bit faster, the contracts would proceed nicely. Pretty enough, a good figure, knows how to smile…”

“…….”

“Could you do that… for those old bastards?”

Suddenly, her left ear felt hot. Jeong-ha bent slightly, and his breath brushed against the nape of her neck.

“…….”

A suppressed sound nearly escaped her throat.

Biting her lips until they bled, Jeong-ha whispered in a low voice.

“Is it a bit uncomfortable to hear, then?”

“……Director.”

“If it’s uncomfortable, turn around and take five steps away. Then we probably won’t have to see each other again.”

So this was it.

Yeon-woo tried to calm her unstable breathing as her pounding heart slowly sank to a lower temperature.

Jeong-ha hated her. For whatever reason, by whatever method, he had set a trap to provoke her so that she would leave on her own.

Then there was only one thing she could say here.

“……It wasn’t uncomfortable.”

“…….”

“It’s fine, Director.”

Apparently surprised by her words, Jeong-ha’s face stiffened. The mask he had worn, pretending to be a ruthless, alcohol-addicted man, had cracked.

“……I see.”

But in the next moment, his smile returned, chilling and sharp.

“It would’ve been better if it had been uncomfortable. What a shame.”

The last words were nearly a whisper.

At that moment, a kind of warning alarm echoed in her mind, signaling that she had greatly offended Jeong-ha.

But it was too late to react. Jeong-ha poured the contents of the glass he held directly onto her blouse.

“……!!”

The sticky, strong smell of alcohol seeped along her neck and into her clothes.

Feeling the cold liquid soak her body, Yeon-woo shivered, closing and opening her eyes involuntarily.

“Since you said it wasn’t uncomfortable, shall we practice a bit?”

“……Director.”

“Want to take it off?”

The eyes that stared at her body, clinging to her skin, were brazenly inspecting her as if to flaunt her vulnerability.

Yeon-woo’s brows furrowed naturally. Her pale face reflected nothing but resentment toward Jeong-ha.

Watching her like that, Jeong-ha let out a small, amused chuckle.

“I’m curious.”

“Excuse me?”

His scarlet tongue brushed seductively against his lips.

“What did my mother promise that makes you endure all of this?”

“…….”

“In that case, you should have slapped her first.”

So he intended to torment her until the very end.

Before Yeon-woo could respond, Jeong-ha, now slightly losing interest, muttered carelessly.

“…….”

“Go ahead. I don’t think you can stay any longer in that state.”

Feeling that she really had to leave, Yeon-woo barely nodded and turned her body.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“…….”

Even so, the man’s gaze from behind pierced her entire body.

She could immediately tell that it had traveled down to her ankles.

It was sharp.

• Young Master.

The woman, whose face he didn’t know, had disrupted precious time and left. The phone rang immediately, as if someone had been watching. Jeong-ha’s indifferent gaze fell on it for a moment before picking it up.

• How was it?

“It seemed like my opinion didn’t matter at all.”

• But she is the young master’s person, so you should…

“No. We need to speak plainly, Director Won.”

His slight chuckle carried a hint of irritation. Jeong-ha swirled the remaining whiskey in his glass with one hand.

He liked the clinking sound of the ice. It was the only noise he could control himself.

“If she were really my person, I would have picked her myself. Isn’t that right?”

• ……Madam carefully selected her personnel.

“You say ‘carefully selected.’ As if she were choosing meat at a butcher shop.”

Judging by how red it was, how fresh. That’s how she would have evaluated it.

His mother could only treat people in that way.

That was why Yeon-woo irritated him even more. She came armed only with passion, unaware of the significance of the position, and arrogantly claimed she could do anything.

She would ultimately become her mother’s hand, surveilling and restraining him. Just like Director Won did.

• So you didn’t like her?

“Then maybe better meat will come up next time?”

• That’s Madam’s decision. You know that.

“Decision, my ass.”

A low curse lingered in his mouth. Director Won noticed his sour mood and tried to preempt him.

• I understand you have an out-of-town schedule starting tomorrow. Travel safely.

The voice on the phone was monotone, almost mechanical. That was the end of the call.

Jeong-ha then took a large sip of whiskey. The liquid slid down smoothly, the sound of crunching ice cheerful and lively, in stark contrast to his mood.

“…….”

The image of Yeon-woo, still shivering and soaked, lingered in his mind.

Seeing that made the lower part of his body respond heavily.

Leaning back on the sofa, he let out a deflated sigh. His senses, his mood, sank into the mire.