Prologue

 

 

 

Models’ townhouses were surrounded by models dressed in fancy dresses and decked out.

 

“This is the 50,000-square-foot townhouse completed by Jeong Construction. The design, which looks like a beautiful European village, has attracted so much attention that it was featured in the world-renowned construction magazine ‘Rubo’, and today we can officially unveil it.”   

 

The guests applauded and congratulated him. Ha-eun clapped her hands until her palms tingled. Looking at the podium, Team Leader Kim pushed Ha-eun’s arm lightly.

 

“Ms. Ha-eun, you did a great job.”

 

“Did I do anything?”

 

“Why not? Isn’t it a little difficult to please the picky general manager? And aren’t you the one who suffered from traveling to the field every day?”

 

“The whole team suffered.”

 

Ha-eun humbly replied and looked up to see the head of the organization standing on the podium, greeting her.

 

“By the way, Mr. General Manager, you’re great, you’re great, you built a world-class townhouse in a wasteland that no one has ever touched. You’re a man.”

 

“That’s great.”   

 

Seok Kang-woo. Twenty-eight years old. The third son of the Jung-Han Group, he was already the head of Jung-Han Construction at a young age.  His reputation was overwhelmingly favorable, as he had led the project to success.

 

 At this rate, he would be a shoo-in for the vacant position of CEO of JungHan Construction.  Ha-eun looked at each of the people in Jung’s group sitting at the head table until her eyes locked with Chairman Seok.

 

It was Hwa-geun who looked at her too openly. Ha-eun lowered her head in surprise. The sharp glare made her feel like she had lunch.   

 

[If you think you can fix me with a half-face, you’re wrong.] [I have no intention of becoming the chairman’s daughter-in-law. Even if I got dirt in my eyes, a girl like you, Kang-woo.

 

I can’t see them mating! Here, bring me the heat. Can you be my daughter-in-law!]   The child in my belly was miscarried in an accident.   

 

She had always suspected who was behind the accident, but it was Chairman Seok, who was a terrifying man who would destroy her if he saw any of her blood. 

 

Ha-eun was unable to protect the first angel that came to her and sent him to heaven, only to have him die at the hands of my paternal grandfather.

 

It hurt like the world was falling apart and my heart was breaking. I felt so sorry for the baby who died without ever being born, but why was fate so cruel?

 

A few months later, she became pregnant again.  Ha-eun stared at her lower belly.

 

‘This child will die too, I’m sure…….’

 

A ha-eun bit down hard enough to make her lips bleed. ‘I have to run away. To protect the baby, to get away from him…

 

[A position has opened up at the Busan Architectural Company. Ha-eun thinks highly of you and is willing to scout you on good terms. Think about it.]

 

Through Ji-soo’s introduction, the Busan Architectural Company has offered to scout her on unbeatable terms. It wouldn’t be difficult for her to raise a baby and live alone.   

 

A bitter smile crosses Ha-eun’s lips: ‘The moment to run away is now because I’ve seen him succeed with my own eyes…….’

 

After making eye contact with Kang-woo, Ha-eun smiles and gives him a thumbs-up:

 

‘This is the best; you’ve finally made it.’

 

In a red ocean where many construction companies are struggling, Jeong-han Construction, which jumped in late, has proudly made a name for itself in the eyes of the world.   

 

Others criticized and booed as they watched the excavation and construction of the house on the ruined land.

 

Everyone called it a gamble, but it paid off.  If the 50,000 square meters of townhouses were featured in Rubo, it would be recognized as a beautiful village, and tourists from all over the world would flock to it.

 

His business was just beginning. Now that he’d won the contract to build the skyscraper, he had a solid foundation.   

 

Of course, to achieve even greater success, he would have to accept a marriage of convenience.    For a businessman, marriage is one of many tools, and if you’re ambitious, you can’t help but think of it as a business.   

 

Anyway, this contractual relationship had to end here.  Ha’eun cautiously exited the hall. Unlike the noisy hall, the corridor was quiet. Ha-Eun repeatedly glanced at her watch. It was 7:50 p.m., ten minutes to the appointment.

 

He would be picking her up soon.  Ha-eun stood by the second-floor window and stared out at the hotel entrance.

 

It was then. Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist. She was surprised to find that it was Seok Kang-woo who grabbed her hand.

 

“Mr. General Manager….”

 

“The party hasn’t even started yet, why are you here?”

 

“Oh, I’m leaving work.”

 

 “No,”

 

Kang-woo said, grabbing Ha-eun’s hand and walking away. Ha-eun tried to pull away, but she didn’t have enough strength. The eyes of the guests outside the banquet hall widened.

 

Conscious of the stares, Ha-eun fidgeted and grunted.   

 

“Hey, let go of my hand. People can see you, right?”

 

“Let them see.”   

 

Kang-woo strode down the hallway, looking impatient. He led Ha-eun to an empty ballroom.

 

“What if there’s a reporter….”

 

“It’s good if there’s a story. Word will travel fast.”

 

“Mr. General Manager… What are you talking about….”

 

“That’s something I’d like to ask you, but first of all, you broke your promise to me.”

 

“Okay, since it’s come to this, I’ll say it plainly. We should stop seeing each other.” 

 

“As you wish?” Kang-woo smirked.   

 

“You’re going into the headquarters anyway, so there’s no need for us to be in this relationship anymore… ah….”

 

 “I decide what is and isn’t necessary.”   

 

Kang-woo wrapped his arms around Ha-eun. Ha-eun tried to push away his chest as he closed the distance, but he didn’t move.   

 

“General Manager….”

 

“I don’t know what my father told you, but our contract is still in effect.”

 

“But, we.”

 

The outcome was obvious, and she didn’t have to live through it to know it. Ha-eun wanted to break up but there were still some good feelings left. She didn’t want to hesitate and lose what was most precious to her.

 

 Moreover, she couldn’t bear to be in a loveless, physical relationship. There would be no love from this cold, heartless man. There was nothing to look forward to.   

 

Kang-woo gently grabbed Ha-eun’s chin and locked eyes with her. Her strong eyes glowed fiercely as if they could burn at any moment.   

 

“I can guess what’s going on in your head. Shouldn’t we start with a congratulatory kiss?”

 

“I can give you any number of kisses.” 

 

“Then do it.”  

 

 I could smell his cologne on my nostrils. The closer he got, the harder his heartbeat. She closed her eyes tightly and pressed her lips to his. The natural tangle of tongues, breath, and hot bodies was familiar from many experiences.   

 

“Mmm-“

 

Their deeply overlapping tongues darted in and out again and again. A sweet gasp escaped her mouth as he sucked hard on her lips. He slid his tongue into her mouth and licked it carefully.

 

His every move made Ha-eun’s heart skip a beat. Her whole body twitched and shivered as Kang-woo took the initiative, barely able to keep up.

 

Her waist twisted in time with his movements. Her thighs pressed together. Haeun grew increasingly disoriented. Hot breathing and painful sounds assaulted her brain. 

 

Lips pressed together, tongues darting in and out frantically. It was so urgent she couldn’t breathe.  Ha-eun intended to leave him with this kiss, but Kang-woo tightened his grip around her waist as if he could see into her mind.   

 

She’s not sure she can escape a man as possessive as he is ambitious. But if I stayed with him, I wouldn’t be able to protect the baby that was my life. If I had given him my heart to lean on, I would have discussed it with him before running away.

 

Your heart was filled with something else, a man driven only by ambition to succeed.  Ha-Eun clung to his shoulder and moved her lips to his. 

 

It was their last kiss, so she wanted to make it more memorable, to make sure she didn’t regret it, so she kissed him as much as she could and felt her body tingle with excitement.   

 

After kissing me for a while, he pulled his lips away.   

 

“If you’re done, move away.” 

 

“Would a kiss be enough for you?”

 

His leg slipped between her thighs, and with their bodies pressed together, a secret desire welled up that she wanted to hide.

 

“…I’m satisfied.” 

 

“You’re lying. I know you and I go crazy without each other.”   

 

I had made a pact with Kang-woo, and I had melted with every kiss.  But this time, she was determined to end the relationship once and for all. To do so, she pushed away from Kangwoo’s body with all her might, but it only brought her closer to him.   

 

“Or are you swayed by another guy?”

 

“What do you mean, suddenly?”

 

While thinking of someone who could be, she remembered something that happened not long ago. The person he misunderstood was Ji-soo’s brother. She and Kang-woo happened to see the same musical, and she met him in front of the theater.

 

“Misunderstanding or not, I’ll hear about it later, because right now I’m going to go crazy without this.”

 

With a pop, he unbuttoned Ha-eun’s blouse. The silk blouse opened to reveal her perky breasts. He stroked the flesh with a gentle hand. Ha-eun’s spine tensed.

 

and left me wanting something stronger.  I can’t.  To give away my feelings.  Ha-eun bit her lip in a small gesture, and Kang-woo’s long fingers groped for her lips.  

 

“Don’t bite. You’ll ruin your pretty lips.”   

 

The mere touch of his hand made her cheeks flush and her heart flutter.  He tugged gently on her wrist. It was his knee that sat across the table. His firm thighs brushed against her sensitive clit.

 

Flinching, Ha-eun felt a shiver run down her spine. A lecherous smile tugged at the corners of Kang-woo’s mouth, and he rubbed his thigh against her p*ssy as if trying to induce arousal.

 

Ha-eun felt a ragged gasp coming out of her, but she forced it down.  By now, I could feel her juices flowing from her wetness. Ha-eun pressed her lips against mine, and Kang-woo’s eyes lit up.   

 

“You can’t hold it in.”

 

The next moment, his lips were on hers, and she took him in without hesitation. Sweet breath passed between their lips.   

 

Her head tilted in the direction of the movement, and she followed the lead, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. A soft moan escaped her as tongue and tongue tangled like a snake’s web.

 

It was good to be able to think of nothing else for the moment as she pressed her body against his, so she embraced his kiss and returned it openly.   

 

When their lips parted, a long line of silver saliva connected them. His tongue traced the line and licked her lower lip. The deadly attraction was soul-crushing.   

 

“Why are you getting sweeter? I want to chew you up and swallow you whole.”

 

When his lips came back to hers, she pushed her hands against his chest.   

 

“Hold on, I have to go to the bathroom.”

 

 “What the fuck?”

 

“Give me five minutes. I’m nervous and I need to use the restroom.”

 

“…Okay, I’ll wait.”

 

Ha-eun straightened her disheveled clothes and hurried out of the hotel. Just in time to see a car coming to pick her up. When the window rolled down, she saw her brother looking at her worriedly. 

 

I hurriedly got into the car before Kang-woo could follow. I glanced in the backseat and saw a jumble of luggage from Ha-eun’s house.  

 

Today was the day she decided to leave him.

 

“I have to protect my baby… I don’t need your love.