MBWI 02

Chapter – 02

Something had gone wrong.

Like Ga-eun, President Joo Seok-jin also seemed to realize the situation had become tangled, his face showing clear discomfort.

With a short sigh, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Secretary Tak, wasn’t the person I was supposed to meet today Yoon Hye-jin?”

—I’m sorry, sir. Ms. Yoon Hye-jin left for Paris a little while ago.

“Suddenly?”

—I was just informed myself… I’m really sorry.

Seok-jin studied the woman who had introduced herself as Oh Ga-eun.

If what she said about being discreet was true, he would need to talk with her more to find out.

“Come here right away. As fast as possible.”

After ending the call, Seok-jin—unusually—pressed his hand to his forehead once before meeting Ga-eun’s eyes.

“Do you have a moment?”

“…Yes.”

Ga-eun sat back down across from him, watching him cautiously.

An interview to choose a wife.

She had never heard of such a thing before.

As expected, the world the chaebol lived in was full of things beyond her imagination. Having to interview someone to choose a lifelong spouse…

“Something I said earlier was a mistake. I would appreciate it if you could pretend you didn’t hear it.”

“…What do you mean?”

She knew exactly what he meant but pretended not to.

“Everything we discussed.”

“Ah… that can happen. If that’s what you’re worried about, you don’t need to be. I won’t tell anyone.”

Even if she told someone that Jushin Retail’s President Joo Seok-jin was interviewing women to become his bride, no one would believe her anyway.

This wasn’t some idol dating scandal. Who would even care about a chaebol’s marriage arrangements…

Actually, maybe someone would.

Otherwise, why would such an important man be this nervous in front of an ordinary job seeker like her?

“I don’t trust verbal promises.”

Seok-jin suddenly took out his wallet and placed a white piece of paper in front of her.

A check?

Ga-eun glanced at how many zeros might be printed on it.

But… it was completely blank.

“Write your account number.”

As he took out a fountain pen from his jacket pocket, he spoke.

It was the same expensive pen she had once considered buying as a gift for Han-kyung, only to give up because it cost even more than a suit.

“Why would I write my account number?”

“Isn’t that what you want? Compensation for keeping this confidential?”

“No, I already said I’d keep it secret. Why would I need compensation?”

Ga-eun stood up abruptly, waving her hands.

He looked like he would give her whatever money she asked for, but she didn’t want that. Money she didn’t earn through work—unless it was the lottery—was something she didn’t want to accept. The moment she took it, she felt something beyond her control might begin.

“Oh Ga-hyun…”

“It’s Oh Ga-eun. Oh Ga-eun.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Seok-jin glanced anxiously toward the lounge entrance, worried she might leave.

Why was Secretary Tak, who was normally unnecessarily quick, so late today?

“I told you, you can trust me. I won’t run my mouth anywhere.”

“I just want to make this certain. There he is.”

Following Seok-jin’s gesture, Ga-eun turned her head.

A man in horn-rimmed glasses hurried in through the entrance and approached them quickly.

“Haa… haa… sir…”

“Why are you so late?”

“I’m sorry. But who is this person?”

“I mistook this woman—no, this lady—for Ms. Yoon Hye-jin and made a mistake.”

Secretary Tak Ji-hoon, who had worked for Seok-jin for five years, was far from meticulous—almost failing as a secretary.

But he had one exceptional talent that couldn’t be gained through effort alone:

Perceptiveness.

Even now, just from the atmosphere between his boss and the woman, he immediately understood the situation.

His boss must have accidentally revealed details about the confidential “contract wife” arrangement, thinking she was Yoon Hye-jin.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Tak Ji-hoon from the Jushin Retail executive office.”

Ga-eun reluctantly shook the hand he offered.

“Please consider what just happened as something that never occurred. If you promise not to disclose it, we will provide compensation sufficient to satisfy you.”

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

She had already said she didn’t want anything, but they kept talking about payment. Now she was starting to feel scared.

If she accepted money, she felt like they might even assign someone to watch her 24 hours a day to make sure she kept the promise.

“Whether you interview for a wife or a husband, I don’t care and it has nothing to do with me. If you keep this up!”

Ga-eun pulled out her phone.

“I’ll just call Dispatch right now and tell them President Joo Seok-jin is looking for a wife!”

“Are you saying you truly won’t speak about this?”

Ga-eun pretended to press numbers.

She didn’t even know Dispatch’s phone number, but she needed to act tough to get out safely.

Otherwise, who knew what people with this kind of money might do to her?

“Ms. Oh Ga-eun. First, I sincerely apologize for my mistake. If anything I said hurt you, I truly apologize.”

Seok-jin stood and bowed politely.

Seeing his respectful attitude softened her slightly.

“…Then may I leave now?”

As she stood, she noticed the secretary still looking troubled. Suddenly she felt a bit guilty.

What if he got fired because of this?

“Do you have 100,000 won?”

“…I probably do.”

Seok-jin opened his wallet.

But all he had were large checks.

“No cash at all?”

“Secretary Tak, do you have any money?”

Tak opened his wallet.

“I only have 5,000 won…”

“Then I’ll take that.”

He handed her the 5,000 won.

“There. I’ve received compensation for keeping the secret. 5,000 won.”

“Please at least give us your account number so we can transfer more—”

“I think 5,000 won is plenty. It’s not that valuable of a secret.”

“Still…”

“I have one request too. Please don’t tell anyone you met me. If rumors start about me and your boss, it won’t end with just 5,000 won.”

She looked around nervously.

Maybe she had watched too many movies, but what if someone took pictures?

The thought made her dizzy.

Her face could end up everywhere packaged as some Cinderella story.

The person who most needed this meeting kept secret was actually her.

“If you change your mind later, please contact the number on the card.”

“Let’s all try to make sure that never happens.”

Even after leaving the hotel lounge, Ga-eun kept looking behind her to see if anyone was following.

Maybe the president would hire an assassin to protect his reputation.

If one attacked…

I’ll just stab him with my high heels.

Prepared to use her heels as weapons if necessary, she headed home.

* * *

After the absurd meeting, Ga-eun spent days searching portal sites and communities for President Joo Seok-jin’s name.

After a week with no rumors, it seemed unlikely any nonsense about her being his hidden woman would appear.

“Then I guess it’s time to return to normal life.”

She packed her wallet and ID photos and headed to the district office.

She planned to apply for a youth employment program.

In a generation overflowing with impressive qualifications, her resume felt painfully lacking.

An unknown private university.

No study abroad or competition awards because she spent her time working part-time jobs to pay tuition.

“First I’ll get a small job and build experience.”

But just before entering, she froze.

She had forgotten that her ex-boyfriend Jung Han-kyung worked here.

“I really need to move soon!”

She didn’t want him seeing how pathetic she looked as an unemployed job seeker.

Just imagining him secretly laughing made her bite her lip.

“Ugh… I feel like crying and now someone calls…”

It was her friend Da-in.

“Hey Da-in.”

—What are you doing?

“What else? Nothing.”

Da-in was her high school friend.

Unlike her, she had gone to a prestigious university and got hired by Jushin Retail before graduation.

—Actually…

She hesitated.

Ga-eun suddenly felt anxious.

“What is it?”

—I wasn’t sure if I should tell you…

“Just say it. I’m fine. Is it about your company?”

Maybe she heard something about her meeting the president?

—No. It’s about Han-kyung.

“We broke up.”

She didn’t want to hear about him.

They were strangers now.

—Really? You did well. You broke up with him, right?

“Yeah. I dumped him.”

—When?

“A while ago.”

She avoided saying it was just one month.

—Then that’s good. I’m so shocked. Our department’s junior said her boyfriend is Jung Han-kyung.

“…Really?”

So he dumped her and immediately found some successful corporate girlfriend?

She looked at Han-kyung smiling at the civil service desk.

A government job.

A successful new girlfriend.

Looks like everything is going great for you.

—You said it’s been a while, right? The junior said they’ve been dating six months…

“Six months?”

—Yeah.

“Da-in, I’ll call you later.”

Six months.

She laughed bitterly.

That meant he had been cheating while preparing for his exams.

“You bastard. I was trying to live honestly and you make me want to be immoral. You’re dead today.”

Blowing her bangs aside, Ga-eun walked into the office, eyes locked on exactly one person:

Jung Han-kyung.