Tears glimmered in Nari Hana's hazel eyes as she clutched Seojin's hands and guided them firmly to rest around her waist. Her breath trembled, but her movements carried a strange boldness. In a single daring motion, she lowered herself onto his lap, her body pressing close as if she had no intention of letting him escape.
Her delicate hands cupped his face, her thumbs tracing the sharp line of his jaw, and in a whisper that quivered with both vulnerability and strength, she confessed,
"I… love you."
The words hung in the air like a forbidden spell. Seojin's expression faltered instantly. His composed mask cracked, his darkened features tightening as if a thousand storms clashed inside his chest. His ocean-blue eyes flickered—flashes of fire and conflict burning where calm should have been.
He parted his lips, his voice struggling to find shape. But before a single word could escape, Nari Hana pressed a trembling finger against them, silencing him. Her lips curved faintly, though tears still threatened to fall.
"Not tonight, Mr. Seo. Tonight, you'll listen to me," she whispered. Her voice trembled at first, then steadied with resolve. "From the first moment I saw you, my heart belonged to you. But fate… fate turned that love into pain. Into something that felt like hatred. And still—still, it never truly left me."
Before Seojin could move, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. Her voice cracked, broken yet powerful.
"You'll never understand, Seojin. You'll never know how deeply I love you. How much I ache for you. No one could love you the way I do."
For a moment, Seojin froze. His fists clenched, his breath sharp, his self-control wavering dangerously. Then, as if the dam inside him had shattered, he could resist no longer. With a fierce motion, he pulled her into his arms and pinned her down against the sofa, his lips crashing onto hers with raw intensity.
The kiss was desperate, consuming—a storm that neither of them could stop. Her tears mingled with his hunger, her trembling body arching into his as if the world outside no longer mattered.
But then—
The shrill ring of his phone sliced through the moment like a blade.
Seojin froze. His chest rose and fell sharply as he pulled back, his eyes clouded with conflict. Reluctantly, he reached for the phone. On the other end, a panicked voice crackled,
"Hello, Mr. Lang. The company's shares are falling. Please, you need to come immediately!"
Nari Hana's breath hitched as she watched him pull away. The fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by the cold, calculating sharpness of a businessman. He rose swiftly, his steps urgent, already buttoning his coat as if the intimate storm between them had never happened.
"Seojin…" Her voice broke as she scrambled up, grabbing his arm from behind. She hugged him tightly, her tears sliding down his back. "Why? Why are you leaving me again? Just like before… you're walking away."
He stopped, his body stiffening. For a brief moment, he didn't turn. Then, slowly, he glanced over his shoulder. His eyes softened when they met hers, shimmering with sorrow he rarely revealed. Gently, almost tenderly, he reached out and brushed away her tears with his thumb.
"There's a problem at the company," he said quietly, though urgency edged his tone. "I don't want to go. But I must."
Her heart thudded painfully. "What problem?" she asked, fear lacing her trembling words.
"Our shares are collapsing," Seojin replied, locking his stormy gaze with hers. "If I don't go now… everything could fall apart."
Nari Hana's breath caught. She clutched his sleeve tighter, her voice desperate.
"Then take me with you. Please, Mr. Seo… I don't want to be left behind again. Not tonight."
He closed his eyes briefly, battling his instinct to push her away. Anger flared in him at her persistence, but when he opened his eyes and saw her face—innocent, tear-streaked, stubbornly hopeful—his fury faltered.
For a long moment, silence stretched between them. Then, with a resigned sigh, he nodded once.
"Fine. Come with me."
Her lips curved into a small, triumphant smile, her eyes glistening with a childlike spark. She clapped her hands together, her voice soft and teasing. "I knew you couldn't say no."
Seojin shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips despite himself. Without another word, he grabbed his keys, and together they rushed out of the house.
The night air was cold, filled with the sharp scent of rain. Seojin opened the sleek black car door, and Nari Hana slipped inside, her heart racing with both fear and excitement. Moments later, the car roared to life, carrying them toward the storm that awaited at the company.
For the first time, she wasn't being left behind. For the first time, she was by his side.
The tires screeched against the pavement as Seojin's car pulled into the company's underground parking. His strides were long, urgent, and heavy with authority. Nari Hana followed behind him, her heart pounding against her ribs—not only from the intensity of what had just happened between them, but also from the unknown storm waiting ahead.
Inside, the atmosphere was charged with tension. Employees whispered in panic, papers shuffled, and phones rang endlessly. In the middle of the chaos stood Yui, her presence commanding as always, directing people with sharp, quick instructions. The moment her eyes landed on Seojin, relief washed over her expression—only to twist into controlled fury when she noticed Nari Hana stepping in beside him.
Yui's lips curved into a sharp smile, but her eyes glinted with fire. She leaned close to Seojin, her voice brisk yet trembling.
"Someone has leaked our project, Lang. The entire file for our latest cream research—it's already in Ling Corporation's hands. If we don't act fast, this company will suffer catastrophic losses."
Her words were like a thunderclap in the silent hallway. Seojin's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Yui's gaze flicked back to Nari Hana. The polite mask never left her face, but deep within her irises, a storm brewed.
So you've followed him here too, Nari Hana? she thought bitterly. Her nails dug into her palm as she forced a smirk. Let's see how long you last in my world.
Seojin turned sharply to his assistant.
"Lock down the building. No one leaves until I say so. Bring me all the CCTV footage from today and yesterday. If someone inside leaked this, I want them caught."
"Yes, sir." The assistant hurried off. Alarms quietly activated as the main doors sealed. A ripple of unease spread through the employees.
"Call for an urgent meeting," Seojin ordered without hesitation.
Yui bowed her head slightly, her voice obedient. "Yes, Lang." Then, in one swift turn, she walked away—but not before brushing past Nari Hana.
She leaned close, her voice a venomous whisper, her lips curved in mock sweetness.
"Enjoying this, Miss Nari Hana? You think because you wear his ring, you're the heroine of this story? Don't fool yourself. Lang's heart… belongs only to me. I am the one who will stand beside him. And you—" Yui's smile sharpened as she leaned even closer to Nari Hana's ear, "—you're about to face something very, very ugly."
Her words sliced through like ice. Nari Hana's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, tears welled in her eyes, but before despair could settle, a familiar voice called softly behind her.
"Nari Hana…"
It was Tai—one of the junior employees, carrying an armful of files. She leaned closer and whispered with sincerity, "Don't let her get to you. I've seen the way Mr. Lang looks at you. Trust me, you're not invisible to him. And Yui… she's not as untouchable as she thinks."
A faint smile trembled on Nari Hana's lips, though her chest still ached with doubt.
Minutes later, the conference room filled. All eyes turned toward Seojin as he entered, his presence cutting through the panic like steel. Yui followed, her poise calm and confident, while Nari Hana slipped in quietly, taking a seat near Tai at the edge of the long table.
The room buzzed with anxious suggestions. One employee proposed shutting down production temporarily, another suggested launching a new product altogether. But each idea was met with hesitation—time was their enemy.
Yui rose elegantly from her chair. "Mr. Lang, we don't have months, or even weeks, to craft something new. But we can salvage what's ours."
Her gaze swept the room before deliberately locking on Nari Hana.
"The stolen project was our cream research. Why not take that very formula and re-launch it? But this time—upgrade it. Rebrand, enhance, change enough to prove it's authentically ours. That way, no one can accuse us of copying, and Ling Company won't be able to profit from what they've stolen."
Seojin's sharp eyes narrowed. "You're saying we alter the stolen design, and release it as something better?"
"Exactly." Yui's voice carried certainty, her lips curling with satisfaction. "We have one week. That's all the time we need if the team works together."
For a moment, silence fell. Employees exchanged glances, murmuring agreement. But then Tai shifted in her seat, her eyes narrowing with realization. She turned toward Nari Hana and spoke aloud, her words firm.
"Wait… this idea—this isn't new. Nari Hana, this was yours, wasn't it?"
The room stilled. Dozens of eyes turned toward the young woman sitting quietly at the corner. Tai leaned forward, determined.
"I saw it. The draft on your desk. You were the one who suggested reworking the cream project if competition grew too strong. Tell them, Nari Hana. Tell Mr. Lang the truth. This isn't Yui's brilliance—it's yours."
Gasps rippled through the employees. Nari Hana's chest tightened, her trembling hands gripping the edge of the table. Seojin's piercing blue eyes were on her now, demanding, questioning, burning.
And Yui—her smirk faltered, her knuckles tightening against the chair as she hissed inwardly. No. Don't you dare take this from me, Nari Hana. Don't you dare..