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Chapter 01
“Read it again. The personal details of the woman who inherited the villa.”
At Mu-hyeon’s request, a crisp voice flowed from the speaker connected to his phone.
“Song Chaeyoon, twenty-six years old. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Song Jaesuk, who worked as the villa’s housekeeper until last year. Since before Mrs. Song’s passing, she has been running a small study room for the children in the village.”
“Any other family?”
“According to the records, she has a mother, but they have been out of contact for a long time.”
“Alright. Good work.”
As soon as the call ended, Yangpyeong County Office came into view. It meant he was almost at his destination.
Mu-hyeon tilted his tired neck slightly to the left, then once more to the other side.
Such small movements couldn’t possibly erase his fatigue, but they were enough to steady his mind after the long drive. His gaze sharpened as he stared straight ahead.
About ten minutes past Yangpyeong Station, following the Namhan River, lay a small village called Dowon-ri.
With a population of fewer than 150 people, that tiny village happened to be the hometown of the late Seo Daeseong, honorary chairman of Seongil Group.
Thirty years ago, Chairman Seo had built a three-story villa on a low hillside overlooking the Namhan River, visiting whenever he needed rest. He often said it was his one true sanctuary.
And yet, absurdly, just before his death, he amended his will and left that “true sanctuary” to some woman. A woman who was barely twenty-six years old.
When the will was revealed and an unfamiliar woman’s name surfaced, the first thing Mu-hyeon felt was betrayal.
Grandfather… how could you?
After his grandmother passed away early, his grandfather had shown no interest in women—not even considering remarriage. Or so Mu-hyeon had believed.
Who would have imagined that such a man had been hiding a woman young enough to be his granddaughter at the Yangpyeong villa?
No matter how many times he read the will with his own eyes, he couldn’t believe it.
What shocked him even more was his family’s reaction.
When he asked who the woman was, everyone averted their gaze as if they’d agreed beforehand.
Unable to press the elders, he clung to his cousin instead. Under Mu-hyeon’s relentless questioning, his cousin finally answered reluctantly.
“You remember Mrs. Song, the villa’s housekeeper, right? She’s her granddaughter.”
“Mrs. Song’s granddaughter? Why would Grandpa leave the villa to her granddaughter?”
“I don’t know either.”
After learning the woman’s identity, Mu-hyeon felt nothing but anger.
Mrs. Song, in his memories, had been warm and kind.
How could her granddaughter commit something so shameless…?
“Whether it was the old man’s senility, or whether he was fooled by some sly woman’s sweet talk—guess I’ll find out when I meet her.”
Muttering coldly, Mu-hyeon entered the road leading into Dowon-ri.
Even past seven o’clock, the sky was still bright, and he could see people scattered across the rice fields, working.
It had been two years since he last visited the villa.
From childhood until he left for the New York branch two years ago, he had come countless times. He could find the way with his eyes closed.
Passing the fields and driving further up the mountain road, the villa soon came into view. The three-story brick mansion looked older and gloomier than he remembered.
The only obvious change was that the ivy once covering one side of the building was gone.
Or maybe the real issue wasn’t the ivy at all—but the fact that the owner had changed.
Because Song Chaeyoon had done such a poor job maintaining the place, even its exterior looked different.
And it had only been two years.
Frowning, Mu-hyeon parked in the front yard. As he crossed the garden, he noticed—unexpectedly—that the lawn was lush and evenly grown.
Striding forward, he stopped in front of the entrance and then realized something he had forgotten.
There was no doorbell.
Since Chairman Seo had used the villa as a retreat—or even a hideout—no family members ever came without his permission or invitation.
And when a man of Seongil Group’s stature visited, his secretaries always contacted the caretaker in advance to prepare everything. A doorbell was unnecessary.
Mu-hyeon stared at the front door with displeasure—more specifically, at the large padlock fastened conspicuously to it.
Judging by the lock, the homeowner was out.
He briefly considered checking the back door, but even if it were open, he couldn’t just enter an empty house. If the woman reported him, it would become an unnecessary headache.
“Damn it.”
Canceling his last appointment and leaving on impulse—he hadn’t expected it to end like this.
His brow furrowed as he glared at the lock.
Should he call Junha again and ask for Song Chaeyoon’s number?
Just as he reluctantly pulled out his phone, a young girl’s high, thin voice rang out behind him.
“I told you it’s not like that! I just really wanted to stay with you, teacher!”
Another voice answered her, but it was so low and laced with laughter that he couldn’t make out the words.
So she really was with her students.
Turning toward the sound, he soon spotted two figures climbing the hill.
Mu-hyeon’s gaze lingered briefly on the child, then shifted to the woman holding her hand.
Chestnut-brown hair falling to her shoulders. Pale skin. Narrow shoulders. A slim waist and legs.
From a distance, she looked no different from the countless employees he passed every day at the company.
“Teacher! There’s someone in front of the villa!”
The child spotted him first. At her words, the woman looked up.
She froze, as if startled—or wary of a stranger.
Mu-hyeon fixed his gaze on her and began walking closer.
The nearer he got, the more her expression stiffened.
Just moments ago, she’d been smiling down at the child. Now she faced him with a pale face.
The moment she saw the silhouette standing in front of the villa, her heart instinctively dropped.
Recognizing the tall man with broad shoulders came next.
As Chaeyoon unconsciously stopped walking, the man strode toward her with long legs.
With every step Mu-hyeon took closer, her chest thudded violently—filled with longing, joy, and anticipation.
Like dry sand greedily absorbing moisture, she hurriedly etched his image into her eyes.
Just like three years ago—an impeccable suit fit, neatly slicked-back hair, a clean yet striking face, eyes that seemed to see nothing else but her alone…
Cold eyes.
Ah.
Her heart sank once more, and a familiar ache surged deep into her chest.
So… he didn’t remember me.
She couldn’t afford to lose her composure in front of a Mu-hyeon who still didn’t recognize her.
As she bit down hard on her lower lip, Mu-hyeon stopped a couple of steps away.
“Ms. Song Chaeyoon?”
The chill in his voice matched his gaze. Her chest tightened, and she clenched her empty hand.
“…How did you get here?”
Before answering, Mu-hyeon pulled out a business card. But before he could hand it over, the child holding Chaeyoon’s hand spoke first.
“Mister, did you come from Seoul?”
“Yes.”
“I knew it. You’re really handsome.”
The tense atmosphere shattered at the child’s comment. Before Chaeyoon could scold her, the girl continued.
“My mom says everyone in Seoul is stylish and cool. But mister, why are you looking for our teacher? She doesn’t know anyone in Seoul.”
“Even if you don’t know someone, you can still have business with them.”
The child tilted her head.
“But how can you have business with someone you don’t know? Oh! Mister, did you come on a matchmaking date with our teacher?”
