Chapter 97
The noise from outside disappeared almost instantly the moment we stepped into the building.
I let out a slow, heavy sigh. My chest rising and falling as if I had been holding my breath the entire time without realizing it.
For a second, I really thought it was over.
But I was wrong.
The atmosphere inside the lobby wasn't normal at all.
If anything, it felt even worse.
It started with a few people glancing in my direction, but gradually, more heads turned and more eyes followed me as I walked further in. Their stares were obvious, even though they tried to hide them.
"…That's him."
"…Isn't that the Chairwoman's assistant?"
"The one who was in the news with Ms. Hwang, right?"
"…To be working right beside the Chairwoman and still have a connection with the Daehan heiress at the same time…"
"…He's really something else."
"Or maybe he's not as innocent as he looks."
"…Wait, doesn't that mean the higher-ups should be careful around him?"
Each word felt like it landed heavier than the last. I kept my expression steady, forcing myself to look forward as if I didn't hear anything.
Beside me, Harin looked calm, completely unaffected by the tension around us.
But just as we were about to pass the center of the lobby—
"Secretary Yoo."
We both stopped.
I turned slightly—
And my stomach dropped.
A group of men were walking toward us.
At the front—
Director Baek.
Behind him, several board members followed closely. Their expressions serious and assessing as they approached.
The shift in the atmosphere was immediate.
The faint murmurs around the lobby faded into silence, replaced by a quiet tension that spread quickly as people began to pay even more attention to what was about to happen.
This is… not looking good.
Harin stepped forward just enough to meet them properly.
"Director," she greeted with a slight nod, her tone polite but distant, maintaining a clear boundary.
Director Baek stopped a few steps away from us. His gaze lingered on her briefly before slowly shifting toward me, his eyes carrying a cold, measured look. I held his gaze, keeping my expression steady despite the quiet nerves creeping in.
"…Assistant Kim, you've caused quite a scene this morning, don't you think?"
Before I could respond, another director stepped forward, his expression more openly displeased.
"Do you have any idea, what kind of situation you've put this company in?"
I looked at him, pausing briefly as I tried to gather my thoughts.
For a moment, my mind went blank.
My chest felt tense.
"…I—"
"Alright, stop right there"
Harin's voice cut in as she stepped forward, placing herself just a little ahead of me.
"I would prefer that you refrain from addressing him in this manner, Director."
"He is under my supervision. If there are any questions or concerns, you may direct them to me instead."
Her eyes settled briefly on each of them.
"And that applies to all of you."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Director Baek's expression remained controlled, but the slight tightening of his jaw didn't go unnoticed.
A few of the other directors exchanged looks, clearly caught off guard by her response.
One of them stepped forward, frowning slightly.
"Secretary Yoo, how could you speak to us like that?"
He gestured subtly in my direction.
"And isn't Assistant Kim also part of this company? We have every right to question him directly regarding a matter that affects the company."
"There is nothing inappropriate about the way I am speaking. And perhaps I should remind you—"
Her gaze shifted briefly toward me before returning to them.
"—that you are addressing the Chairwoman's assistant right now. And I would advise you to be mindful of that."
The warning in her tone was clear.
The directors fell silent again, this time for a little longer.
Then, Director Baek let out a quiet sigh.
"Let's not waste time arguing over tone, shall we? We are simply trying to understand the situation."
His gaze returned to Harin.
"…Why were we not informed that Assistant Kim has a connection with the heir of a rival group before he was hired? And not only that, he was placed directly beside the Chairwoman. Don't you think we have a valid reason to be concerned?"
"I'm not—"
I started, but immediately stopped when Harin's hand pressed slightly firmer against my chest.
A quiet warning for me to stay silent.
"Mr. Kim's personal life is not something that falls under the company's authority to monitor or disclose. And the dinner that took place yesterday was a personal matter. It has no connection to any company-related affairs."
She paused briefly.
"And for your information, Ms. Hwang knew Mr. Kim long before he joined this company."
That made a few of them shift slightly, their expressions tightening with quiet calculation.
"I am assuring all of you, that there is no conflict of interest, and there has been no breach of company policy. Any assumption beyond that is both inappropriate and unfounded."
One of the directors frowned, dissatisfied.
"Secretary Yoo, we are not making baseless assumptions here. We are trying to understand a situation that has already begun affecting the company's image."
"And I am already clarifying that situation. There is nothing more to understand beyond what has been explained."
Director Baek's gaze hardened slightly, his patience thinning just enough to be noticeable.
"…Then perhaps, you can explain why such a situation exists in the first place."
Harin didn't falter.
"It happened because two people who already knew each other met for personal reasons. Anything beyond that is just interpretation."
"Interpretation?" another director repeated, letting out a quiet scoff. "The media is already running with this story. You know very well that some investors will start asking questions after this, and other groups will start forming their own conclusions."
Harin's gaze shifted toward him.
"And whose responsibility is that? The company's… or the media's?"
"The company cannot be held accountable for narratives created outside of its control. If speculation becomes an issue, then it is the speculation that should be addressed, not an employee who has done nothing wrong."
A brief flicker of tension crossed their faces.
But they didn't step back.
"Regardless," one of them continued, "until this situation is properly settled, it would be best if Assistant Kim refrains from being involved in sensitive matters within the company."
My breath caught slightly at that.
"…Meaning?" Harin asked, her voice turning colder, quieter in a way that made it more dangerous.
"It means," another director added, stepping forward, "he should step back from his current responsibilities. Temporarily. For the sake of this Group."
I should have felt happy hearing that. If they wanted me out, it meant I could buy time until the cooling-off period ended. But being pushed out like this…
"That won't be necessary."
Harin's response came immediately.
"He will continue his duties as assigned."
"And on what basis are you making that decision?" one of them pressed.
Harin met his gaze directly.
"On the basis that there is no valid reason to remove him. No policy has been violated, and no misconduct has occurred. Therefore, there is no justification for such a measure."
Then one of the directors let out a quiet breath, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"You're defending him quite strongly, don't you think?" he said, his tone laced with suspicion. "This isn't like you. If I remember correctly, you're usually stricter than any of us when it comes to internal conduct."
"Think whatever you want. I am simply doing my job."
"You—"
The tension thickened immediately, the air in the lobby feeling heavier with each passing second.
Around us, the staff who had been watching from a distance grew even more still, their attention fully locked onto the confrontation unfolding in front of them. No one dared to move too much, but the shift in their expressions was obvious.
A few of them exchanged glances.
"…She's really standing up to them."
"…That's Secretary Yoo for you…"
"To face the board like that…"
Everyone understood exactly who she was standing against.
And yet, she didn't even waver.
"…Is there something else you're trying to hide from us, Secretary Yoo? For you to act like this, there must be a reason."
Harin's eyes sharpened instantly.
"That is an inappropriate accusation, Director."
"And yet," Director Baek added, "this entire situation is inappropriate. If this continues to escalate, the board may have no choice but to reconsider his position in this company entirely—"
"And under whose authority are you making that decision?"
The voice cut through everything.
Cold and absolute.
Every single person in the lobby froze.
The tension that had been building so intensely just moments ago, stopped.
Slowly—
Almost instinctively—
Everyone turned.
And Yuna was already there.
Standing a short distance away, her presence alone enough to silence the entire lobby.
"Chairwoman!"
Everyone bowed at once, but she didn't bother to acknowledge them and simply walked toward us.
Her heels clicked softly against the floor, her gaze steady… and dangerously calm.
The atmosphere didn't just feel heavy anymore.
It's suffocating.
Even the directors who had been pressing just moments ago now stood still, their expressions tightening almost instinctively as she approached.
By the time she stopped in front of us—
The entire lobby felt like it was holding its breath.
Her eyes moved briefly, first toward Harin, then, to me.
Before returning to the directors.
"Director Baek," she said evenly, her voice quiet but carrying complete authority.
"I don't recall granting the board the authority to make personnel decisions regarding my assistant."
"So, I'll ask again. Under whose authority… were you speaking?"
Director Baek went silent.
And Yuna shift her gaze toward others.
One by one, the directors who had been speaking just moments ago lowered their eyes, unable to hold her stare for more than a second. The confidence they had begun to regain earlier faded just as quickly, replaced with a quiet restraint.
The balance had already shifted.
"…Chairwoman," Director Baek finally spoke, "we are not overstepping. We are acting out of concern for the company."
"The situation involving Assistant Kim has already reached the public. The media is creating narratives, and it will inevitably affect investor confidence. As members of the board, we have a responsibility to address potential risks before they escalate."
Another director stepped in.
"Our concern is not personal. But the connection between him and the Daehan heiress, especially when she represents a competing group will creates room for misunderstanding."
The others nodded slightly, finding their footing again now that they were speaking.
"That is why we suggested a temporary step back," one of them continued. "Not as a punishment, but as a precaution."
Yuna didn't interrupt and just let them finish.
And when they were done, she didn't respond immediately.
That, somehow, made it worse.
Because the longer she stayed silent, the heavier the tension became.
Her gaze remained on them.
Then—
She took one slow step forward.
"Are you done?"
Director Baek and the others straightened almost instinctively under her gaze.
"…Yes, Chairwoman."
She let the silence stretch for a brief moment, just long enough to make them aware of it.
"Let me make one thing very clear."
"Assistant Kim's position," she continued, her gaze flicking briefly toward me before returning to them, "was decided by me. He works directly under me. He answers to me. And any decision regarding his role, his responsibilities, or his removal, also comes from me."
No one spoke.
No one dared to interrupt.
"So whatever assumptions you have about him, I suggest you to think really carefully. Because if there were ever any issue related to him, I would handle it myself."
"And I don't appreciate others getting involved in matters that don't concern them."
"…Chairwoman, our concern was never personal. We were only suggesting a temporary adjustment to avoid unnecessary attention and to protect the company's image—"
"Company image?"
Yuna took another step closer.
"Explain to me—"
Her gaze moved slowly across all of them.
"—how publicly confronting my assistant improves that image?"
No one answered.
"And let me make something else very clear."
"If any of you think you have the right to decide when he should step back, you are seriously overestimating your position in this matter."
"And if I hear another suggestion about removing him from his position—"
*Another step forward*
"I will consider that a direct challenge to my authority. And that, will become a problem."
A brief silence followed.
"I have restructured this entire company before, and I wouldn't mind doing it again."
That—
Wasn't just a warning.
It was a threat.
No one spoke after that.
Even Director Baek remained silent for a moment before finally lowering his gaze slightly.
"…Understood, Chairwoman."
The others followed, one by one.
Reluctantly.
Yuna held their gaze for a moment longer, as if making sure the message had fully settled, before finally looking away to the rest of the lobby.
Her gaze swept across the space slowly.
Every employee who met her eyes immediately stiffened.
"And to all of you."
Her voice carried clearly across the lobby.
"If you have enough time to stand here and listen, then I assume your work is already done."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"Or do I need to start reviewing each department's performance personally?"
That was enough.
Almost immediately, everyone began to move quickly, not wanting to get caught up in it.
The tension remained.
Yuna didn't say anything else and simply turned without another glance, followed by Harin and me.
Behind us, the directors remained where they stood—
silent and still.
Their expressions were tight, clearly dissatisfied,
but not one of them dared to say a word.
_____
*The elevator door slids open*
We stepped into the elevator together. I silently moved to the back, standing behind Harin and Yuna.
The moment the doors closed, the atmosphere became unbearably heavy and suffocating.
"Chairwoman… wasn't that… a bit too much?" Harin asked carefully. "Threatening the board like that… it may escalate things unnecessarily."
Instead of answering, Yuna turned around. Her sharp gaze landed directly on me. She stepped forward without a word, closing the distance between us.
Okay… now what?
I had no choice but to back up, until my back hit the cold metal wall. She then stopped just in front of me, looking down in silence, her presence overwhelming.
"Are you satisfied now, Haemin?" she asked, her voice low, with barely contained fury. "Is this what you want? All those warnings I gave you, were they nothing but jokes to you? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've created for me? Because of your carelessness, I had to clean up the mess you made."
I was completely speechless, not expecting her sudden outburst. Usually, she would keep it private if she wanted to act like this in front of me. The fact that she was doing it now caught me completely off guard.
Feeling deeply ashamed after being scolded, I glanced at Harin, hoping she would ignore us. The moment our eyes met, I saw nothing but worry and panic on her face.
Yuna leaned in closer, so close that her presence felt suffocating.
"You think you can just do whatever you want just because we're in the middle of our divorce?"
A heavy wave of guilt hit me. I knew I was in the wrong, but shouldn't I be angrier than her right now, after what she did to me yesterday? Why did she act like I was the only one to blame? I wanted to throw that question at her, but Harin was here. She didn't need to know about any of that. So I chose to stay silent and averted my gaze, unable to look Yuna in the eyes anymore.
She wasn't going to allow that.
Her fingers gripped my chin lightly, forcing me to look up at her again.
"Why aren't you answering? Feeling guilty now? Where did all that bravery from yesterday go? When you tried to embarrass me in public? You seemed to have so much to say yesterday. Why are you suddenly so quiet now?"
"Chairwoman, that's enough—"
"Be quiet, Harin."
She moved even closer until our bodies were almost touching. I could feel her warm breath against my skin. My heart pounded hard.
"So you've got nothing to say, Haemin?"
Yuna… she… she's doing this on purpose, right? She just wants an excuse to start something with me, isn't she?
I knew that if I talked back even a little, she would only become more aggressive.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" she pressed, her voice dropping into a cold whisper. "Are you angry? Or are you scared of me? Is that it? Now that no one's watching, you've suddenly become afraid? Do you want to report me? Go ahead. But I'm not even doing anything to you right now, am I?"
I remained completely silent, refusing to rise to her provocation. Even though resentment was raging inside me, I forced myself to swallow every bitter word. Arguing with her right now would only make things worse.
Harin couldn't hold back any longer. She reached out and gently pulled Yuna's arm, trying to create some distance.
"Chairwoman, please… that's enough."
Yuna finally stepped back slightly, raising her finger as she pointed at me.
"You'd better watch your attitude with me from now on, Haemin. Because there's no one left you can rely on anymore other than me."
A cruel, humorless smile appeared on her lips.
"Your lawyer is dead, isn't he? So tell me… who's going to speak on your behalf now?"
Just then, the elevator doors slid open.
"Make sure you remember that."
Without looking back, Yuna stepped out of the elevator, acting like nothing had happened at all.
[Good morning, Chairwoman!]
I didn't say anything until the very end, only able to stare at her while quietly holding back my frustration.
[Chairwoman!]
The moment Yuna moved ahead, Harin quickly came to me. Her eyes were filled with worry as she stepped closer.
"Haemin, go to my office and wait for me there, alright?"
I could only nod weakly.
She hesitated for a brief second, her eyes scanning my face with clear concern, before she turned and hurried after Yuna. Even then, she still glanced back at me over her shoulder one last time.
I forced my legs to move and stepped out of the elevator.
Keeping my head slightly lowered, I walked as steadily as I could toward Harin's office. I could hear the staff whispering, already knowing what that was all about, but I ignored it anyway.
.
Once inside her office, I closed the door behind me. The sudden quiet felt like a small relief. I leaned against the wall for a moment, trying to calm my racing heart. I didn't even realise my hands were trembling slightly, maybe from the pressure Yuna had put on me.
Or maybe from the resentment I was holding back. I wasn't sure which.
"…Well… as long as she doesn't lay a hand on me, I just have to endure it… only three weeks left."
After a few deep breaths, I walked over to the chair and sat down heavily, attempting to calm my nerves.
Not long after, the door opened again.
Harin entered quickly, closing the door behind her before going straight to me.
"Haemin… are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice full of concern.
I tried to force a small smile.
"I'm okay," I replied, though my voice sounded weak.
Harin stood in front of me, staring at me with a pained look. Her brows were furrowed, and her lips pressed into a tight line.
"Chairwoman… she has really gone too far this time."
"It's okay, Harin," I quickly spoke up, not wanting her to do anything rash. "Just let it go, alright?"
Harin didn't respond, only looking at me.
Her expression didn't soften.
If anything—
The frustration in her eyes deepened.
She remained standing, clearly deep in thought. Then, all of a sudden, she walked to her desk and yanked open one of the drawers, pulling out a folded document. She clutched it tightly in her hands as she walked past me.
My stomach twisted with worry.
"Harin… where are you going?" I asked, starting to stand up.
She turned to me, her face looked serious.
"Just stay here," she said, leaving no room for argument. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be back soon."
Before I could say anything else, Harin left the office, the door slamming shut behind her.
Now alone in the room, my worry for her grew even stronger. I sat there staring at the closed door.
What was she planning to do?
_____
Harin's POV
She really crossed the line this time.
To think she even dared to corner him like that while I was there… it was too much. And what did she mean by Haemin trying to embarrass her? I'm pretty sure she wasn't talking about the news. What exactly happened yesterday? The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt.
It seemed like, instead of worrying about Sera, I should be more worried about Yuna herself.
I had hoped that during this divorce period, Yuna would finally change. I thought she would reflect on her actions and try to win Haemin back.
But no, she had only become worse.
That's it.
I can't let Haemin suffer like this anymore.
I took a deep breath as I reached the doors of her office. I knocked twice before pushing them open.
Yuna was already seated behind her desk, calmly reviewing some documents. She didn't even look up when I entered.
"What is it?" she asked, her eyes still on the papers in front of her.
I walked straight to her desk—
And placed the document on the table, sliding it toward her.
Yuna paused.
Only then did she look up.
Her gaze shifted to the papers, then back to me.
"…What is this?"
I met her eyes.
"Haemin's resignation letter."
A brief silence.
Yuna's expression didn't change.
"…And?"
Her tone was cold. Detached.
"Please sign it."
There was another pause—
Before Yuna let out a faint, quiet laugh and shook her head lightly, almost as if she found the situation absurd.
But when she looked back at me—
Her expression had turned ice-cold.
The shift made me waver slightly, but I held my ground.
"Harin, if you don't have anything important to say, you may leave."
"With all due respect, Chairwoman," I said carefully, forcing my voice to remain even, "this is important."
I pushed the document closer to her.
"Please sign it."
Yuna leaned back slightly, her eyes still on me, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
"And why would I?"
I held her gaze.
"Allow me to be direct, Chairwoman. You've crossed the line."
Her gaze didn't shift.
"What you said to him earlier, it was too much. With that being said, you've broken your promise. If this continues, Haemin has every right to take legal action. In fact, he already has enough grounds to do so now. But he won't do it, because he chose to endure… for your sake."
That drew a small flick of her eyes.
"If you keep pressuring him like this, he will eventually have no choice but to fight back. Before it reaches that point, it's better to just let him go."
Silence filled the room again.
Yuna rested her head against her hand, quietly observing me.
Then—
"And what would you do," she asked calmly, "if I refuse to sign it, Harin?"
I lowered my gaze, already expecting this kind of answer.
"…Understood. If that's your decision, then I have no choice but to take this matter into my own hands."
A small pause.
"I'm truly sorry, Chairwoman. But I can't stand by and watch you do this to him anymore. If you choose to remove me from my position after this, I will accept it without complaint."
Without waiting for her response, I reached forward, took the document back, and bowed politely.
Then I turned, ready to leave—
"Before you do that."
Her voice stopped me.
My steps halted.
Slowly, I turned back.
Yuna leaned back fully into her chair now, her posture relaxed, as if she didn't care at all about what was about to happen.
Her gaze rested on me.
"Can I ask you something, Harin?"
I frowned slightly, caught off guard by the sudden shift.
"Yes?"
She went silent for a moment.
"Actually… I've been wondering about this for quite a long time now."
An uneasy feeling settled in me.
"I'm curious…"
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes still locked onto mine.
"…how did Haemin look when he was little?"
My body froze.
Completely.