The tension between them did not break.
It sharpened.
Seo Yeon-hwa stood with her back straight, fingers resting on the desk, gaze cool. Kang Do-yoon stood a few steps away — composed on the surface, but the quiet storm under his skin was visible in the way his jaw tightened, the way his shoulders stiffened.
She had told him to forget the night.
He refused.
She had said she didn't care.
He didn't believe her.
Silence filled the room like a pressure change.
Do-yoon finally moved first.
He took one step closer.
She didn't step back.
"You're pretending nothing happened," he said, voice low.
"I'm acknowledging reality," she replied.
"And reality is…?" he asked.
"A mistake. Triggered by an unknown substance. Easily forgotten."
Do-yoon's eyes darkened, slowly, the way a storm gathers without wind.
"You think I forget things easily?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation. "You forgot me for years."
That hit him harder than he expected.
He inhaled sharply, but said nothing.
She continued, tone calm:
"You don't like me. You don't want complications. I'm simply making life easier for both of us."
His hand curled into a fist.
"You think I'm worried about complications."
"I've known you since childhood," she said softly. "You never wanted emotional involvement."
A long, heavy silence.
Then—
"Maybe I didn't," he said under his breath. "Until now."
She blinked.
Just once.
He immediately looked away, as if he regretted letting the truth slip.
Before either of them could speak again, a knock sounded.
Her mother peeked inside.
"Yeon-hwa… Director Chae Rina is here. She said she needs to apologize."
Both Yeon-hwa and Do-yoon froze.
Chae Rina.
The girl who drugged her.
Do-yoon straightened immediately, shoulders going rigid.
"Send her in," he said sharply.
Her mother nodded and retreated.
Seconds later, Chae Rina entered — red dress, glossy lips, trembling smile. She paused when she saw Do-yoon, then gave a deep bow.
"CEO Kang… Miss Seo… g-good afternoon."
Yeon-hwa watched her calmly.
Rina's eyes flicked between them.
Then she began her rehearsed speech.
"I… I came to apologize. I didn't know last night's drink would affect Miss Seo so strongly. I swear, it was supposed to be harmless—"
Do-yoon's voice cut through her words like a knife.
"You drugged her."
Rina flinched.
"I—it wasn't— I didn't—"
"Do not lie."
His voice didn't rise.
It didn't need to.
It was the kind of quiet coldness that could break someone faster than shouting.
Rina trembled.
Her eyes darted towards Yeon-hwa, desperate.
"Miss Seo… I didn't mean to— I was jealous, okay? I admit it. You walked in looking so perfect, like you were— like you thought you were better than us—"
Yeon-hwa didn't react.
She waited.
Calm.
Still.
Unmoving.
Chae Rina swallowed.
"I—I only wanted you to lose your composure. I didn't know you'd… end up embarrassing CEO Kang too…"
Do-yoon's eyes snapped toward her, sharp enough to slice skin.
"Embarrass me?"
His voice was deadly soft.
Rina paled.
"W-well, you know… people saw you take her away—"
Yeon-hwa cut in gently.
"No one saw anything."
Rina blinked.
"I left quietly," Yeon-hwa continued. "You weren't satisfied with my reputation being ruined in the past, so you tried to ruin it again."
Rina swallowed.
"And you failed," Yeon-hwa said calmly.
Rina's hands shook violently.
"I—I'm sorry, okay? I'll never do it again—"
"Correct," Yeon-hwa said, tone gentle but cutting. "You won't."
Do-yoon stepped forward.
Rina stepped back instinctively.
"Apologies won't erase the risk you caused," he said. "You endangered an heiress. That is a criminal offense."
Rina's lips trembled.
"I—I didn't mean—"
"But you did," he said softly.
Rina's knees buckled.
Do-yoon looked at Yeon-hwa.
"What do you want me to do with her?"
The question startled Rina.
Even Yeon-hwa blinked once.
"Me?"
"You were the one targeted."
Yeon-hwa looked at Rina — this trembling, insecure girl who had tried to twist the night for entertainment.
She lifted her chin slightly.
"Fire her," she said calmly. "Blacklist her from our properties. But don't escalate further."
Rina gasped, eyes widening. "Th-thank you— thank you—"
"Not because I forgive you," Yeon-hwa said, voice cold. "But because you are not worth the time it would take to destroy you."
Rina stopped breathing.
Do-yoon stared at Yeon-hwa for a long moment.
Not shocked.
Not angry.
Something else entirely.
Admiration.
Reluctant, unwilling, undeniable admiration.
He turned to security.
"Escort her out," he ordered.
Rina burst into tears as the guards took her arms.
"I'm sorry— I'm sorry—"
The door closed behind her.
Silence returned.
But not a peaceful silence.
A tense, charged, dangerous one.
Do-yoon finally spoke.
"You handled that better than half the executives I've trained."
"Thank you."
"You didn't lose your composure once."
"I don't intend to."
"And you're just… moving on?"
She looked at him evenly.
"It's done."
His jaw tightened.
He stepped closer.
"Stop pretending everything is 'done'."
She stared back, unbothered.
He lowered his voice.
"What happened last night—"
"—was an accident."
He exhaled sharply.
"And you truly believe I'm going to just let it go?"
"You have no reason not to."
"Is that what you think of me?" he asked quietly.
"That you don't care about someone like me," she replied.
His fingers twitched.
She continued:
"You don't like me. You didn't even speak to me for years. And now that we made a mistake, you want to rewrite what we are."
"What are we?" he asked, stepping closer.
"Nothing," she said.
His pupils dilated.
She didn't break eye contact.
"Nothing," she repeated.
He exhaled through his nose, voice rough.
"You really are different now."
"I had to become different."
"And you think I didn't notice?"
Her breath hitched.
He leaned forward — not touching her, but close enough that the air between them thinned.
"You want me to forget," he murmured. "But I won't."
She swallowed.
"Why?"
His gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
Then rose back up.
"Because last night," he said softly, "was the first time you weren't looking at anyone else."
Her breath stopped.
A crack appeared — not in her, but in him.
A vulnerability, quickly buried.
She straightened her posture.
"CEO Kang," she said quietly, "I am not the woman you think—"
"I know exactly what you are," he cut in.
"And what is that?"
His voice was soft but unshakably firm.
"A woman who doesn't need saving…
but someone I want to stand beside anyway."
A sharp inhale escaped her.
He didn't step closer.
He didn't touch her.
He simply stood there — cold, distant, dangerous — a man fighting against something he had no defense for.
Her.
She looked away first.
"Don't say things you don't mean."
"I don't say things I don't mean."
Silence.
He exhaled.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow," he said.
"For what?"
"The board meeting. You're not walking into that alone."
"I can go by myself."
"Maybe," he said. "But I'm not giving you the chance."
She frowned faintly.
"Do-yoon—"
"Rest," he said quietly. "You'll need it."
He left before she could argue.
The room felt too quiet after he was gone.
Too warm.
Too heavy.
Too complicated.
The system chimed.
[Do-yoon Affection: +8]
[Danger Level: Rising]
[Aura Control Recommended]
Yeon-hwa closed her eyes.
Trouble had arrived.
In a tailored suit.
With a cold voice.
And eyes that refused to forget her.