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chapter 38
“Contact info for the previous secretary, huh.”
Jeongha, with a cold expression, ruffled his own hair with one hand.
Jeong Jisoo… That wretched guy couldn’t even do his job properly and now this betrayal…
He gritted his teeth in irritation as he spoke to Yeonwoo, who was struggling through her first day without knowing anything.
“Let’s go somewhere else.”
“…I’ll check quickly.”
At that, Yeonwoo hurried toward the check-in counter. She tried not to run, but her face was streaked with impatience.
Today was her first official day on the job.
First impressions tend to last longer than expected, and she didn’t want Jeongha to remember her like this.
Yet somehow, it felt like she had already screwed up the first step.
“Sorry, but the information you gave me previously was sent to the predecessor, so I didn’t receive any of it. Is there another option? Perhaps another hotel nearby…”
“…Ah, I see.”
The staff seemed flustered by Yeonwoo’s rapid-fire words.
“Sorry, but the notice was sent out two months ago, so we can’t prepare a room for you separately. And there aren’t any other hotels nearby.”
“….”
“Really nothing? Maybe a resort…?”
“Sorry, ma’am.”
Watching the employee calmly stick to the manual, Yeonwoo couldn’t hide her dismay.
Yedunshi was practically a remote, undeveloped area. There was no way another hotel would exist here.
Meanwhile, the driver, who had been carrying the luggage without knowing what was happening, seemed to understand the situation and finally spoke.
“…There aren’t really any motels nearby, Director. But there is one place you could go.”
Jeongha, watching the situation unfold like stone, raised an eyebrow.
“Where?”
“Madam has a villa nearby. It’s not far from Gojung-eup town either.”
“…Your mother’s villa?”
Jeongha asked in a flat, skeptical tone. He looked as if he couldn’t comprehend that his mother could have a villa in such a rural area.
“I heard it’s her family home. I’ve accompanied her there once, so I know. There should still be a caretaker. It might be better than a motel, don’t you think?”
“….”
Jeongha fell silent for a moment, contemplating. Sending a woman like Seo Yeonwoo here was suspicious enough, but now a villa with a caretaker under his mother’s supervision?
He couldn’t shake the thought that he was walking straight into his mother’s watchful eye.
But this project would run long. Even a month of stay was required, and hopping from motel to motel wasn’t an option.
His decision was quick.
“…Let’s go there for now.”
“Then I’ll get the exact address from Director Won and have the car ready.”
The driver went out with the luggage, and Yeonwoo, quietly listening to their conversation, went pale.
“Madam’s family home…”
There couldn’t possibly be another family home of the madam in Gojung-eup. Then that must mean…
“….”
Jeongha noticed Yeonwoo exhaling shakily and gave her a strange look, but she didn’t move. Her dry lips twitched slightly.
“Not going?”
“…Ah, yes.”
Jeongha called her in a flat tone, but Yeonwoo, with unfocused eyes, trudged after him.
Jeongha’s head turned halfway, his eyes darting back several times, but Yeonwoo didn’t notice any of it.
Just going to the madam’s family home was already overwhelming her mind.
After leaving the hotel, ten minutes later, the sight before Yeonwoo was terrifying. Nothing felt warm or welcoming.
She felt as if every hair on her arms was standing on end, her spine damp with cold sweat, and at the same time, a sudden chill brushed over her as if a fan had been turned on.
A blue gate.
A blue gate, paint chipped in places, stood before them.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Jeongha examined the gate as if seeing it for the first time, his eyes full of vigilance.
Yeonwoo couldn’t even breathe, watching him intently.
“Master doesn’t know the accident occurred in Gojung-eup. He believes it was due to drunk driving and is silent about everything else. So Seo Yeonwoo doesn’t really have anything to worry about.”
Director Won had said that. But Yeonwoo had lived too long under guilt to fully trust and relax.
Her eyes darted constantly, checking Jeongha surreptitiously. Fortunately—or unfortunately—he didn’t seem to remember this place at all.
“…This is your mother’s family home? I’ve never seen it before.”
“The last time I came here was about three years ago.”
“What was the reason for coming?”
“To check on remodeling since the house was aging.”
“…I see. If I didn’t know the circumstances, I’d have suspected even a man was hidden here.”
Jeongha’s tone was mocking, as if he couldn’t imagine the madam growing up in such a rural place.
The driver, unsure how to respond, gave a faint smile.
Seemingly satisfied it wasn’t a motel, Jeongha stepped past the blue gate. The spacious yard seemed maintained; even in summer, the grass was neatly trimmed. The driver placed the luggage in the yard.
Watching from behind, Yeonwoo hesitated before cautiously stepping forward.
“There should be a caretaker. I’ll call them.”
While the driver went inside to find the caretaker, Yeonwoo bit her lips tightly, noticing Jeongha’s curious gaze on her.
Her chest felt tight and heavy, barely able to breathe, though she wasn’t foolish enough to show it.
“…The house… is nice.”
Yeonwoo tried her best to hide her pale face. While glancing around casually, her senses remained alert to Jeongha like antennae.
Her rapid breathing was audible to herself. When she met his persistent gaze, she didn’t shy away and looked back at him.
“Glad you like it.”
“….”
Even after making eye contact, Yeonwoo couldn’t shake the feeling that Jeongha noticed everything.
Yet, daring not to avert her eyes, she saw Jeongha’s eyebrows and one corner of his mouth twitch before he turned away.
Silence fell.
Occasional bird chirps broke the stillness. It was an extraordinarily quiet neighborhood. Then the main building’s door opened, and someone came out.
“Hello! You’re here early, Master!”
A bright-faced woman, someone new, greeted them. Not Mr. Yang, not his wife—someone else entirely.
The caretaker had changed.
