Chapter 3
Woojin couldn’t help but wonder if the three years they had spent believing they were each other’s everything had meant anything to her.
He knew that love wasn’t something that could change in a day, but Woojin was left in the dark.
“Why are you still trembling, Shin Woojin? Don’t you have any pride left? You’ve lost your mind.”
Damn it.
Woojin gritted his teeth, alone in the office. His emotions churned like a turbulent storm, a chaotic mix of conflicting feelings.
***
The interior of the reception hall in the annex of Hotel Marlena oozed opulence. The luxurious chandelier and lavish decor deterred anyone from even considering touching anything within. The staff, including Hyein, were already inside, busy with preparations for the event.
“Marlena’s signature touch… that’s a fitting description. It’s extravagant.”
Hyein recalled an article she had read one day. The opulent reception hall was Marlena’s pride and joy. One couldn’t reserve this venue unless they were a VIP l. Despite the high bar for entry, it was always fully booked.
How wealthy must these people be to willingly spend tens of thousands of dollars just for a few hours in this space? It was something Hyein had never even dreamed of.
“The list of paintings is in the art catalog. They’re the ones Madam prefers. Make sure not to forget any.”
“Got it. I’ll take care of it.”
When the curator handed her the catalog, Hyein began cross-referencing the actual paintings with the names listed. These were ink paintings by Korea’s most renowned and celebrated artist. The lines were slightly rough, but paradoxically, they added a dignified touch to the artwork. While she inspected the paintings, thoughts of Woojin and his sharp yet strangely elegant demeanor naturally crept into her mind.
How could you greet me and ask how I’ve been so casually?
When Woojin had asked her to bring the painting to his office, she had hoped he would clarify what had happened eight years ago. She had at least expected an apology.
Of course, she had intentionally hurled a few cruel words at him when they broke up, hoping to hurt him as deeply as possible. It was nothing compared to the pain he had caused her.
“Jerk.”
She was convinced that Shin Woojin carried no guilt for ruining someone’s life and then lying nonchalantly.
Hyein shook her head to banish thoughts of Woojin. She finished checking the paintings. In the center of the venue, there was a canvas. When she stood in front of it, something struck her as odd about the arrangement of the paintings.
Something didn’t feel right.
Hyein took a step back, trying to grasp the overall composition. One step and then two steps. All the paintings gradually entered her field of vision. She continued to step back until she lost her balance.
“Huh? Oh, oh…!”
Suddenly, someone caught her by the waist.
Her very first thought was, ‘I’m still alive!’ If she had fallen and suffered a concussion, then…
Hyein saw stars. A refreshing scent tingled at her nose, but she was too shocked even to identify it.
“Thank you. Thank you so m—”
When she turned around, she came face-to-face with Woojin, who stood there expressionless. She had expected it to be one of her colleagues, but they had already left.
“Excuse me.”
She offered an apology and tried to walk away as casually as possible, but Woojin stopped her. When she moved to the left, he followed. She attempted to go to the right, and he followed her there, too. There was nowhere for her to escape. Eventually, she gave up on eluding Woojin.
“Is there something you’re dissatisfied with?”
“Do you thank the person who helped you like this, Ms. Seo? Regardless of whether I’m satisfied?”
“I clearly thanked you and excused myself.”
“And then you immediately tried to run away, or did I misunderstand something?”
Hyein was at a loss for words. She couldn’t fathom his intentions. They were almost like strangers, utterly unable to comprehend each other.
“It’s because I’m busy. Please move,” Hyein requested, but it seemed Woojin paid no heed, moving closer to her.
“Why are you doing this again?”
Woojin’s speechlessness only deepened. Instead of responding with words, he acted. Without hesitation, he drew nearer to her. Hyein, as she retreated from him, found herself backed against a wall. Worse yet, her back was dangerously close to one of the ink paintings. If she damaged the artwork, she couldn’t afford the repairs even with years of savings from her salary.
“Director…! You can’t…”
Before long, a shadow loomed over her face. Woojin tilted his head slowly, appearing as if he were about to kiss her.
“No.”
Flustered, Hyein closed her eyes tightly, silently pleading for him to stay away.
Act 2
Before Hyein could react, she felt Woojin’s upper body draw near. But even as she stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, their lips never met, and all she heard was the sound of his heavy, labored breathing. Hyein slowly opened her eyes and found Woojin tilting his head.
“What are you doing?”
“I should be asking you the same thing. Why did you close your eyes?”
Woojin deftly removed a long white thread that had somehow ended up on Hyein’s shoulder and tucked it into his pocket. It must have gotten there while she was moving the canvases.
Hyein’s face blanched as she watched him, realizing her earlier misunderstanding. Her body recalled Woojin’s habit of tilting his head just before he kissed her, and she had mistakenly assumed he was about to do that. But now, she understood that it couldn’t be his intention, given their recent breakup. Unfortunately, she realized this too late.
“I was startled because you approached me so suddenly,” she stammered.
“Ah, startled…” Woojin repeated, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.
Woojin’s flat response made Hyein’s face flush with embarrassment. “If you have no business with me, please don’t obstruct me and move aside.”
Hyein, feeling trapped, implored Woojin to step away. However, he paid her no heed. Ultimately, Woojin had her cornered against the wall next to a painting, effectively blocking all her exits.
Hyein glanced around, embarrassed, and then remembered that everyone had already left. Eventually, her resentful gaze settled on the man before her.
“You’re making me uncomfortable by doing this repeatedly,” she murmured.
Ignoring her discomfort, Woojin’s large hand moved to her collarbone as if deciding to tidy up her uniform. He even removed a loose thread from where her name tag had once been. Hyein’s long lashes quivered.
In a languid tone that seemed oblivious to the situation, Woojin said, “I recommend reading our hotel code of conduct when you have the time. The uniform represents the face of the hotel, so it should always be in impeccable condition.”
Hyein had planned to tidy herself up after finishing her duties. Just as she was about to refute him, the door to the reception hall suddenly swung open.
Before long, an elegant middle-aged woman entered. She was undoubtedly beautiful, but her demeanor exuded an icy coldness.
Both Hyein and Woojin, standing mere inches apart, heard the sound of another person’s arrival. They simultaneously turned their gaze toward the door. The woman, clad in high heels, stopped and stared at the two of them, her awareness of their presence dawning upon her.
“Woojin, you…”
The woman, utterly bewildered, slowly approached them.
“Are you really dating someone?” Her tone dripped with heavy criticism. She scrutinized Hyein from head to toe, her disapproving look sending shivers down Hyein’s spine.
“She’s approximately this height,” the woman’s hand brushed against Woojin’s shoulder as she measured Hyein’s stature.
“Pale skin, big eyes, long eyelashes… Quite pretty, isn’t she?”
Then, her manicured fingers moved to the back of Hyein’s head. In a swift and powerful motion, she released Hyein’s ponytail, causing her long hair to cascade down, widening her eyes in shock.
“Even the length of her hair matches the description perfectly. Is this really the girl?”
When the woman asked, Woojin responded with a puzzled expression. “You’ve described the same woman every time you’ve rejected the daughters of prime ministers and officials I’ve arranged for you. I’m surprised she’s actually here! I thought you were just using that as an excuse. I never thought you were describing a real person. Darling, why don’t you say something?”
“I didn’t realize the person I was describing was her,” Woojin finally replied.
The middle-aged woman grew increasingly excited at his response. Her probing gaze shifted back to Hyein before Woojin could finish his sentence.
“Young lady, I’m Woojin’s mother. Since this is our first meeting, I have a few questions. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Pardon? Uh, sure…”
Seizing the opportunity, the woman bombarded Hyein with a series of questions. Hyein, caught off guard by her enthusiasm, struggled to respond.
“What do your parents do? Where is your family from? What’s your education level? You don’t appear very young, but have you pursued a master’s degree? And since you’re wearing the hotel’s uniform, are you undergoing hotel management training here?”
Hyein remained silent.
Do you have any close relatives that I might know? Maybe a high-ranking official? I don’t judge people by their professions. Specialized skills are crucial in society, whether law or medicine; I accept them all.”
Woojin took a deep breath and shook his head. He then reached for his mother’s shoulder.
“Mother, isn’t this rather impolite for a first meeting? You’re going to tire yourself out. You should be asking me.”
“I can’t help it. After worrying about your marriage for so many years, I— Let go of me!”
Woojin firmly held his mother’s arm and pulled her towards him. She shook him off forcefully and, in that moment, raised her hand and slapped Woojin across the face.
A resounding, harsh slap echoed through the room.
Hyein, struggling to maintain her composure, carefully assessed the situation. Blood trickled from the corner of Woojin’s lips, where her nails had torn his skin. At some point, the woman’s focus shifted to the person beside her.
“Shin Woojin!”
“Ms. Seo, please leave.”
“I haven’t received a single answer. Where do you think you’re sending her? Are you ashamed of her? Just by looking at how she carries herself, I can tell. She must have nothing. Is she poor? How could you fall in love with an employee so far below your status…!”