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Chapter 18
On her way to work, Yeonsu stopped by the police station.
“Hello? Detective, any news on the case?”
“Catching someone who ran off after committing a calculated scam isn’t something that happens overnight.”
The detective yawned, tired, and replied indifferently. Yeonsu felt disappointed despite knowing it was reasonable. She understood well how difficult it was to catch scammers. A hometown friend had defrauded her father and disappeared, and it had been seven years with no trace. The delay in the initial investigation made it even harder; the culprit had already left the country.
“Can’t you track the location using credit card records or something?”
She hoped desperately that the investigation would focus on the early trail. She had heard that these people had committed similar scams in other regions and were already wanted. Their phone numbers were blocked, so there was little else to check.
“The last recorded use of the card or phone was three days ago. Nothing since then.”
The detective shook his head apologetically. Three days ago was the day Yeonsu had sent the remaining payment. She lowered her head in despair, feeling on the verge of tears.
“Please, if anything comes up, contact me. I remember their faces clearly.”
She left the police station, struggling to hold back her tears, and trudged to work.
At the office, she began her usual tasks, but her gloomy mood led to repeated mistakes even on tasks she usually handled easily.
“Yeonsu, redo this Excel chart.”
Manager Jin returned her report with dissatisfaction.
“Oh, Manager, have some of this. Sweet things are the best when you’re angry.”
Gang Yeonsu quickly ran over with a canned coffee, trying to smooth things over.
“Thank you, I’ll drink it.”
Manager Jin’s face softened immediately.
“See? You don’t even remember Yeonsu making a mistake, right? Please, just overlook it this once.”
Yeonsu noticed the unusually high, cheerful tone, but it was far from friendly. Gang Yeonsu secretly harbored ill feelings toward her ever since she had been exposed faking illness in front of Executive Jinhyuk. This mistake was the perfect opportunity to undermine her.
“Of course, Manager Jin, you might be frustrated with the report, but what’s done is done. Yeonsu will be careful next time. I’ll guide her since I sit next to her.”
Seeing Yeonsu’s slumped shoulders, Gang Yeonsu smiled, but it didn’t last.
“Ah, Manager, this report isn’t mine—it’s Gang Yeonsu’s.”
Yeonsu realized the mistake and handed the correct report back to Manager Jin. Comparing the two reports, the inadequacy of Gang Yeonsu’s work became clear.
“Gang Yeonsu, look at this. Not just the chart, but everything is a mess.”
Gang Yeonsu’s lips trembled. She had thought Manager Jin was scolding Yeonsu, but it was her own work being criticized.
“Sorry, I’m new, so I’m not perfect yet.”
Tears welled up in Gang Yeonsu’s eyes. Manager Jin, still displeased, turned his gaze to Yeonsu.
“Good job. Keep it up like this.”
Yeonsu thanked him and returned to her seat.
Before Gang Yeonsu could protest further, Manager Jin handed her the incorrect report and turned away. She bit her lower lip in frustration.
Gang Yeonsu was petite and pretty, with a charm that drew attention even from strangers. Her usual tactics of looking cute and pitiful often worked—but not in this office. She blamed Yeonsu for the misunderstanding and glared at her.
“Yeonsu, you did this on purpose, right? Trying to make me get scolded? You deliberately handed in an unprepared report?”
Yeonsu knew the truth: it was her own mistake for not checking before submitting.
“I was distracted with personal matters at home yesterday. I shouldn’t have let it affect work—sorry.”
“By the way, Yeonsu, did the move go well?”
Deputy Kim suddenly interjected.
“It didn’t. It was a rental scam.”
Voicing it made Yeonsu feel even gloomier. Kim’s sympathetic expression didn’t help.
“Cheer up. We’ll catch that scammer. Want to have lunch together? My treat. You need to eat well at times like this.”
Gang Yeonsu’s eyes widened in surprise. After Jinhyuk scolded them at the ramen shop, she had been taking out her frustration on Deputy Kim. Now, Kim’s kindness irked her further.
Yeonsu’s phone rang.
“Marketing team, Yeonsu speaking.”
“Executive’s secretary. The executive is looking for you. Can you come up immediately?”
“Yes, understood.”
Her voice was calm, but her heart wasn’t. She remembered the absurd misunderstanding from last night, when Jinhyuk had gotten angry and stormed into his room. She felt the weight of her own fault.
“Executive, Yeonsu is here.”
At the executive office, the secretary announced her arrival.
“Come in.”
Jinhyuk, seated at his desk reviewing documents, gestured for her to approach.
“I sincerely apologize for yesterday. And thank you as well.”
Yeonsu bowed at a 90-degree angle. Jinhyuk handed her a document.
“Take this.”
Her eyes widened—it was an employment contract.
“What is this?”
“The proposal we discussed yesterday. Review it and sign.”
Yeonsu saw the contents mirrored exactly what Jinhyuk had proposed the night before.
“Don’t feel pressured. Think of it as a show. No real wedding, no registration. Just a staged performance to reassure the chairman—nothing more, nothing less.”
After suffering a rental scam, earning 200 million won for six months of acting seemed like a godsend. Naturally, she should accept.
Yet fear gripped her. The thought of meddling with someone’s life, even as part of a staged act, was terrifying. What if someone in Jinhyuk’s family died during the charade? She couldn’t bear it.
“I don’t think I’m suitable for this job.”
Yeonsu placed the document back on Jinhyuk’s desk.
“That’s impossible. There’s no one more suitable than you.”
“I’m sorry. You should find someone else to truly marry, not just for a performance.”
Jinhyuk’s expression showed clear displeasure.
