Considering that Chief Park, who used to play rough in the past, was saying such things, his sincerity was greatly lacking. As if he was embarrassed by his own words, Chief Park corrected himself a moment later.

“In fact, I don’t have confidence in performing acupuncture. I’ve only ever broken fingers, never practiced acupuncture. Do you really want to entrust your fingers to someone like me? What are you trusting?”

Yes, this excuse seemed a bit more credible.

Seo Rin subconsciously clenched her fingers resting on the desk.

“Did something happen this morning that upset the Executive Director?”

She momentarily recalled her morning call with Ms. Park, but Seo Rin shook her head.

“Really? Think carefully. There must have been something that irritated the Executive Director. Something deeply personal.”

“Why do you think it was something personal?”

“I’m well aware of the workrelated issues, and there was nothing today that could have upset him to this extent. These days, even President Baek has been quiet, and the board members are avoiding stepping on the Executive Director’s shadow, only moving around the dark corners of the company. So, what could have upset him? That’s why I dared to guess it was a personal matter.”

“……”

“Did you, by any chance, have a fight with Madam?”

Knowing each other too well was also a problem. There was no way to avoid Chief Park’s sharpness.

“It has nothing to do with that.”

“You’re not denying that you didn’t have a fight. And, it does matter. The Executive Director is much more sensitive than he thinks. Occasionally, when stressed, he suffers from headaches and indigestion like this.”

“……”

“You’re taking a digestive aid and painkillers for a mental issue, so they’re not effective. You know, right? The real remedy is different.”

Chief Park pinpointing the fact that she had been trying hard to deny brought a wave of reality, and it annoyed her.

“I don’t know what you argued about, but make up. After all, she is a person with a powerful stake within the company. You may not be able to get along well, but you should at least avoid fighting.”

“Are you worried about my livelihood?”

“No. I’m worried about my own livelihood.”

Chief Park, who was usually very reliable for not being able to lie, was really too annoying at times like this.

And listening to all these reasonable words felt as if her already twisted intestines were now doing a breakdance.

“Get out. I don’t want to see your face.”

As she watched him bow and leave, Seo Rin gritted her teeth. She remembered how she had been praising Chief Park’s competence to Tae Joon just a while ago, like a parrot.

How much they had bragged about each other’s secretaries.

“Next time, I must absolutely not take his side.”

She drank a warm glass of water to calm her churning insides, making a resolve.

And then she closed her eyes for a moment, lost in thought.

If you don’t want to do this marriage, what should I do?

I wish… you didn’t have to make such a businesslike marriage.

Ms. Park’s voice echoed in her throbbing head. It was an unexpected reaction, and Seo Rin responded too sharply.

I don’t think you, who married on certain conditions, should be advising me.

She should not have said that. In the end, the words she spat out in anger remained as an afterimage in her heart, gnawing at herself.

It was always like this. Whenever there was an argument with Ms. Park, she regretted it, despite knowing she was right.

Why……

Despite pushing you away, why have you delved so deeply into my life and stuck in my throat like a thorn that I want to swallow but can’t?

If I knew it would be like this, I should have kept more distance.

The warmth of a person that she missed, the distance she could no longer expand, had now turned into poison.

Then there was a knock on the door, and Chief Park came in again.

“It’s the best digestive aid.”

Looking at the medicine pouch he handed over, Seo Rin nodded her head. Only Chief Park seems to care about me, she thought.

After Chief Park left, she swallowed the medicine in the lukewarm water, hoping her churning stomach would quickly settle, when her cell phone vibrated. The caller was none other than Ms. Park.

“Yes.”

[Are you still at the office?]

“Yes.”

[You’re there late.]

“What’s the matter?”

What could it be this time?

Did she call again to make her intentions clear?

[Well, that’s……]

“I’m about to leave work. If you have something to say, say it quickly.”

Her words came out coldly. Even to her own ears, her voice was so frigid it felt as if icicles could drop from it.

She could sense Ms. Park’s hesitation on the other end of the line.

“If you have nothing to say, I’ll hang up.”

[Well, about that marriage.]

Seo Rin’s eyes widened instantly. The Ms. Park she knew wasn’t the kind of person to change her opinion lightly depending on her mood.

Even so, there must be a good reason for her to change her words.

She could easily guess that reason.

“Did you meet him?”

[Yeah. He’s a good person……]

A hollow laugh escaped at that statement.

Kang Tae Joon, what kind of magic did you work this time?

“I got it. And today… make sure to have a proper meal.”

Seo Rin hung up after ensuring that Ms. Park had a meal.

But interestingly enough, as soon as she hung up, the dark clouds that had filled her mind cleared, and she felt clearer. Even the nausea seemed to be subsiding.

It seemed like she could finally live a bit.

“The medicine… works well.”

She mumbled, looking at the medicine bag that Chief Park had brought.

But she knew.

The real panacea was Ms. Park herself.

At that moment, President Baek, on his way home, was staring out the window, lost in thought.

The shock from the temporary shareholders’ meeting did not easily fade. Looking back, it was a truly ridiculous mistake.

He had been too complacent. And he had greatly underestimated Seo Rin.

The price was severe. He could not grasp his longcherished wish right before his eyes.

But from the company’s perspective, they couldn’t leave the position of the top executive vacant for a long time. Someone had to sit in that position, and that someone had to be President Baek himself.

Yes. He couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. It’s time to move!

Since he had lost 8% of his shares to Seo Rin, he had to secure more shares than that by the time the next regular shareholders’ meeting took place.

The idea was to bring the hidden shareholders, who had the right to vote but had not exercised it all along, to his side.

Eventually, President Baek made a call to a number he hadn’t looked at for a while out of discomfort.

The dial tone dropped. And the person who answered the call welcomed him more warmly than he thought.

[Hello, President Baek!]

“Ah, yes. How are you?”

[Yes, I am. Please speak freely.]

“Haha. I’m thankful that you’re welcoming me warmly. Is your father healthy?”

[Yes. He is very well. Actually, I was going to call you first.]

“To me?”

President Baek was surprised by the unexpected words. He had not at all anticipated that the other party would welcome his call so warmly.

[Ah, yes. There’s something I wanted to ask.]

“What is it? If it’s something I know, I can certainly answer.”

Thinking that things were going rather well, he readily nodded. Then the voice over the phone carefully threw a question.

[Did Seo Rin… get a boyfriend?]

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