Tae Joon raised his hands slightly, trying to look like the victim. "I didn't mean to hit her… I just lost my temper. Na-ri, you know I wouldn't—"
"Did you just try to hit me?" Na-ri snapped, her voice sharp and furious. She stepped forward, chin held high.
Minji quickly rushed to her side. "Na-ri, please… don't let him get to you," she said gently, then turned to Tae Joon. "You need to leave. Now."
The hallway was filled with people, whispering and watching, eyes wide as the drama unfolded.
Jin Woo stepped beside Minji and leaned closer to Tae Joon's ear, his voice calm but firm. "You're causing a scene. If I were you, I'd walk away and get back to your workplace. You're forgetting you're just an employee, not the boss."
Just then, Ji-a quietly entered the building. No one noticed her. Not with all the chaos happening.
Tae Joon suddenly snapped, glaring at Na-ri. "Did you cheat on me with him? Is that what this is? How are you engaged to him all of a sudden? That doesn't make sense!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Minji opened her mouth to defend her, but Na-ri raised her hand to stop her.
"And so what if I did cheat?" Na-ri said coldly. "Are you the only one allowed to cheat?"
Tae Joon froze.
"Yes," she continued, her voice trembling with fury. "I know about your affair. I know how you played me and still had the nerve to kneel before me and propose after sleeping with another woman the night before. Don't you dare project your filth onto me. Stop pretending to be innocent. You're a filthy bastard."
Tae Joon couldn't speak. His mouth opened but no words came.
Jin Woo gently reached his hand out to Na-ri. "Ignore him," he said quietly. "He's trash."
Na-ri took his hand, her fingers trembling for a second before wrapping around his.
"Security!" Minji barked into her phone. Within seconds, two guards arrived and dragged Tae Joon out of the building. The crowd slowly began to disperse, still murmuring.
Na-ri, Jin Woo, and Minji walked to the elevator. Ji-a followed quietly behind, her heels clicking against the polished floor.
Inside the elevator, Na-ri tightened her grip on Jin Woo's hand.
Ji-a glared at them, her face dark with bitterness. Jin Woo caught her expression and smirked.
He turned to Na-ri. "Did you sleep well? I missed you so much last night."
Na-ri raised a brow. "Why did you come here so early?"
"Because I couldn't wait to see you," he said sweetly, brushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
Ji-a clenched her fists.
As soon as the elevator reached her floor, Ji-a stepped out, eyes still fixed on them, her mouth drawn into a tight line as the elevator door closed.
Jin Woo continued acting sweet because of Minji's presence.
Na-ri sighed and gently pulled her hand back. "Alright, drop the act. She knows about us," she said, not unkindly.
Na-ri smiled a little and turned to Minji. "Minji, meet Jin Woo. Jin Woo, my best friend and secretary."
"It's nice to meet you," Jin Woo said warmly, offering Minji a polite bow.
Minji nodded, still eyeing him warily.
"So what are you doing here, really?" Na-ri asked.
"I came to see the chairman. He told me to come in early."
"But he's not here yet."
"I know," Jin Woo said with a small shrug. "I came early because I missed you."
As the elevator door opened at Na-ri's floor, she stepped out. Jin Woo leaned against the frame and grinned. "See you soon."
She rolled her eyes. "You're unbelievable."
Ji-a's Office
Ji-a stormed into her office, slamming the door behind her. She nearly exploded but managed to hold it in.
"Keep it together, Jung Ji-a," she said to herself.
Meanwhile, in Na-ri's office, Minji paced.
"Are you sure about this, Na-ri? About him? I mean, I know he helped you out today but..."
Na-ri smiled and placed a hand on Minji's shoulder. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. You've done enough. You can go rest now."
Minji hesitated, then quietly left.
Not long after, Chairman Kang arrived. A call went out to all board members for an emergency meeting.
Everyone gathered in the boardroom. Chairman Kang stood at the head of the table and smiled.
"First, I want to thank everyone for the success of the anniversary gala. You've all worked hard, and I appreciate it deeply."
The room filled with light applause.
"Secondly," he said, turning toward Jin Woo who sat confidently beside Na-ri, "I would like to formally introduce someone important to me. This young man is Jin Woo, the grandson-in-law to be."
Murmurs echoed across the table. Ji-a and Mi-na looked sour. Jin Ho looked uninterested, but his fingers drummed nervously against the table.
Jin Woo stood and bowed. "It's an honor to be here. I look forward to working together with all of you to bring success to the group."
Na-ri stood slowly, adjusting her blazer. "Since we're all here," she said, "I wanted to propose a potential partnership between Empire Group and Royal Group."
Everyone turned toward her.
"There's a seaside land in Songjeong. I believe it's a great location for a world-class resort. If Royal Group and Empire Group work together—one providing land and the other building—we can create something incredible."
Chairman Kang leaned in, clearly intrigued.
But Mi-na scoffed. "Interesting idea. But…" she turned to Jin Woo, "wasn't it you who's been eyeing that land for over a year now? Planning to acquire it?"
Jin Ho added, "Exactly. Are you sure this engagement isn't just a business move? For that land?"
More murmurs rose.
Na-ri didn't blink. "This idea was mine, not his," she said clearly. "Empire Group handles land. Royal Group builds resorts. It's a win-win. And if I choose to work with my fiancé to grow our businesses, I don't see the issue."
She smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, uncle. Don't worry, aunt. Jin Woo didn't get engaged to me for that land. This is entirely my proposal. But thank you for your concern."
Chairman Kang chuckled, clapping slowly. "Well said, Na-ri. I like the idea. I'll sell him the land. But let's not get too deep into business today. I simply wanted a friendly introduction."
The meeting continued, but the power dynamics in the room had clearly shifted.
Na-ri sat down beside Jin Woo, her confidence unwavering. He leaned slightly and whispered, "You were amazing just now."
She didn't look at him, but a faint smile formed on her lips.