The next morning, the stories of the CEO's public "kidnapping" were a viral sensation, not just within Queens Group but across the nation's business and social circles. News outlets, quick to capitalize on the sensational story, ran with headlines like "Queens Group CEO 'Kidnapped' by Husband in Romantic Public Display" and "Love Conquers All: A Corporate Fairytale." The blurry pictures, taken by Beom-ja and Secretary Na, were everywhere, immortalizing the moment Hyun-woo carried Hae-in out of the boardroom, her face a mask of flustered adoration. The photo booth pictures, the ones of her laughing and his silly faces, also made their way onto social media, posted by an anonymous account and quickly going viral.
Hae-in, back at her office, was a little embarrassed but mostly delighted. The office was buzzing, but this time, it was with a positive energy. Employees who had once seen her as a cold, unapproachable figure now saw a woman who was loved, a woman who could laugh. Her reputation, once built on fear, was now built on a foundation of raw, human emotion. It was a change she hadn't anticipated, and she found herself liking it.
Her first meeting of the day, however, was a difficult one. Her mother, Kim Seon-hwa, and her brother, Hong Soo-cheol, were waiting for her in her office. Seon-hwa's face was a mix of fury and bewilderment.
"Hae-in," Seon-hwa began, her voice a low, seething whisper, "what was that display yesterday? The entire family is being ridiculed! Your brother is a laughingstock! What were you thinking?"
Hae-in, however, was no longer the docile daughter who would cower under her mother's glare. She sat down behind her desk, a calm, unwavering presence. "I was thinking," she said, her voice even and cool, "that my husband wanted to take me on a date. He was just being romantic."
"Romantic?" Seon-hwa scoffed, her voice rising in a pitch of disbelief. "He kidnapped you! In front of everyone! Are you mad?"
"I loved it," Hae-in said, a genuine smile touching her lips. "I love him."
The words hung in the air, a final, unyielding declaration. Seon-hwa was left speechless. She had never heard her daughter speak with such conviction, with such a raw, open vulnerability. She looked at Hae-in, then at her brother, who was also speechless, and for the first time, she saw a woman she didn't recognize. A woman who was not afraid of her.
Her brother, Soo-cheol, ever the one to try and find a diplomatic way out, cleared his throat. "Hae-in," he began, his voice a little shaky, "I just... I don't understand. What happened? One day you're distant, the next... he's carrying you out of a meeting like you're a damsel in distress."
Hae-in looked at her brother, a soft, affectionate smile on her face. "He was my hero, Soo-cheol. He rescued me from my own pain. From a life that was so empty, so cold. He brought me back to life."
Soo-cheol, who had been listening with a mixture of confusion and genuine curiosity, was rendered speechless. He had always seen his sister as a force of nature, but now, he saw a vulnerability he had never imagined. He saw a woman who was deeply in love, and in return, deeply loved.
Just then, the intercom buzzed. It was Secretary Na. "Director Hong," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of professional calm and barely contained amusement, "Director Baek is here to see you. He said he has a very important document for you to sign. He said it's a marriage contract."
Hae-in's smile widened. She looked at her mother and brother, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "You'll have to excuse me," she said, her voice a low, happy hum. "I have a husband waiting for me. And a marriage contract to sign."
She stood up and walked toward the door, leaving her mother and brother in a state of stunned disbelief. She opened the door, and there he was, Hyun-woo, holding a bouquet of flowers and a small, beautifully wrapped box.
He handed her the flowers, a confident, loving smile on his face. "My dear wife," he said, his voice a low, loving murmur, "I've come to ask you to marry me again. And this time, I'm going to do it right. I'm going to get down on one knee and ask you to be my wife, forever."
He got down on one knee, right there in the middle of the hallway, in front of everyone. He pulled out the box and opened it, revealing a stunning, simple ring with a single, beautiful diamond.
Hae-in's heart swelled with a love so strong it ached. This was her man. Her "meek" husband. The man who had faced her family, endured her temper, and in the end, had brought her back to life.
"Hae-in," he said, his voice raw with emotion, "I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I want to grow old with you. I want to raise a family with you. Will you marry me? Again?"
Hae-in didn't even hesitate. Tears streamed down her face, a mix of joy, relief, and a profound, overwhelming love. "Yes," she whispered, her voice filled with a happy, tearful conviction. "Yes, I will. A million times, yes."
He slipped the ring onto her finger, a perfect, beautiful fit. He stood up and pulled her into a loving, emotional embrace. They held each other for a long time, the world around them disappearing. It was just them, two people who had almost lost each other, but who had found their way back.
Their love was no longer a secret. It was a beacon, a public display of affection, a story of a second chance. And they, a CEO and her lawyer, a fierce queen and her adoring king, were ready to write their own happily ever after.