Chapter 98
Haemin's POV
[I'm sorry, Sera. I don't think I'll be able to meet you tonight. Things became a little complicated because of the news this morning. It's probably better if we keep some distance for a while until things calm down a little. I'm really sorry again.]
I stared at the message for a few seconds before sending it.
The moment it was delivered, the read receipt appeared almost instantly. As if she had been waiting for it.
I unconsciously sat up straighter, a nervous tension settling in while I waited for her to respond.
But—
Nothing came.
A few more minutes passed.
Still nothing.
I stared at the screen again.
No reply.
A strange uneasiness settled in me.
…Is she upset?
Or maybe angry?
Honestly, I wouldn't blame her if she was.
Whatever her reaction might be—
This was for the better.
I let out a heavy sigh and locked my phone, slipping it back into my pocket.
The room became quiet again.
My eyes drifted toward the wall clock. Almost twenty minutes had passed. Harin still hadn't returned.
The uneasiness in my chest slowly grew stronger.
She looked furious when she left the room earlier.
Surely she wouldn't confront Yuna because of me… right?
But the more I thought about it—
The more likely it felt.
"…Screw it."
I couldn't just wait anymore.
Without wasting any time, I stood up and left, heading toward Yuna's office.
As I walked through the hallway, all eyes were on me again. Especially from the female staff.
The whispers started almost instantly the moment they noticed me walking past.
I immediately looked away.
Seriously…
My ears already felt hot from embarrassment alone.
Keeping my head down, I ignored all the staring and walked faster toward Yuna's office, trying not to think about any of it.
Right now, I was more worried about Harin.
Once I finally reached Yuna's office door, I knocked quickly before pushing it open.
The moment I stepped inside, my footsteps halted.
Both of them were standing close to each other, the atmosphere thick with tension.
Yuna and Harin turned toward me at the same time.
Harin's face was noticeably pale, like something had shaken her badly.
Am I too late?
Clearly, something had already happened here.
"…Haemin? What are you doing here?"
Harin looked visibly taken aback when she saw me, her tone turning sharp as if she couldn't believe I hadn't listened when she told me to stay inside her office.
I quickly forced myself to move forward casually despite the tension.
"I…" I hesitated briefly, trying to think of something."There's something I still don't understand regarding… the assignments from this morning."
A faint smirk appeared on Yuna's lips when she heard that.
"Really?"
Then she turned her gaze toward Harin.
"You gave him an assignments, Harin?"
Harin's face instantly turned awkward. There was even a faint trace of embarrassment on her face as she glanced briefly at me, probably realizing how terrible I was at lying.
Yuna turned back toward me again.
"In case you forgot, Haemin. Everything regarding your work comes directly from me. So, if you're going to make something up, at least try to make it convincing."
I immediately looked away.
Damn it. I got caught way too easily.
This is so embarrassing.
The room went awkwardly silent.
Yuna simply smirked again before calmly turning away and walking back toward her chair. She sat down leisurely, crossing her legs.
Then her gaze shifted toward Harin.
"You may leave now."
Harin stayed still for a brief second before lowering her head politely.
"…Understood."
As she walked toward the door, her eyes briefly shifted to mine.
A subtle signal for me to follow her.
From the look in her eyes, it was clear that she didn't like me being here.
But before I could move—
"Only Harin is leaving, not you Haemin."
My body tensed instantly after hearing that.
A familiar anxiety slowly crept back up again.
What was it this time?
I looked at Harin, hoping she would say something to Yuna.
But—
She only glanced at me, her eyes filled with concern, yet she stayed silent.
In the end, she lowered her gaze and quietly walked out of the office, the door closing behind her with a soft click.
I could only stared toward the closed door for a moment longer and wondering what exactly happened to her? The way she looked at me just now…
Did they have an argument because of me?
I really didn't like this.
"What are you staring at?"
Yuna's sharp voice suddenly cut through the silence, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I almost forgot that it was just me and her now.
I immediately looked away from the door.
Her gaze was already on me.
"Come closer."
I hesitated for a brief second before quietly walking closer toward her desk, stopping a short distance away. My eyes remained lowered the entire time, avoiding her gaze completely.
Honestly, I just wanted this conversation to end as quickly as possible so I could leave.
Yuna stayed silent for a moment.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of her chair, the soft sound filling the quiet room.
Then—
"Where did you go last night?"
Huh?
Again?
Was she for real?
Is she planning to ask me this every single day now?
A small frustration slowly rose inside me.
After what she had done to me yesterday—
She still had the audacity to interrogate me like this?
Did she never really care about how I felt?
I quietly looked away.
"If it's not related to work," I said carefully, keeping my voice low, "then I'd prefer not to answer."
Then the tapping came to a stop, followed by Yuna's long, heavy sigh.
"You see, Haemin…" she said, her voice low and strained, "Tell me, how am I supposed not to lose my temper when you respond to me like this? Didn't I ask you nicely?"
"Do you want to see me snap again?" she asked, her tone dangerously calm. "Answer me. Where did you go yesterday?"
I clenched my jaw. The memory of what she did to me yesterday flashed through my mind, making my stomach twist with resentment.
"I stayed at home," I replied simply.
Yuna stared at me for a long second, then let out a cold, humorless laugh.
"You stayed at home? The last time you said that, it turned out you went to have dinner with Sera behind my back."
I could only stare at her, almost gaping in disbelief.
"I'm not lying. It's up to you whether you want to believe me or not."
I saw her jaw tighten slightly.
"You don't think I'm just going to buy into that, do you? Where did you go yesterday, Haemin?"
"I told you the truth! I just stayed at home. I didn't go anywhere."
*BAM*
Her palm slammed hard on the desk, the loud sound making me flinch. Her eyes burned with sudden fury as she stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.
But just as quickly, she closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"I'm giving you one last chance, Haemin. Tell me the truth. Where did you go yesterday?"
"I already told you the truth!"
"Where do you think I would go after what you did to me yesterday? I stayed at home the entire night. I didn't go anywhere. I didn't do anything like what you're imagining in your head right now. I spent the whole night thinking about what you did to me and resenting you for it. Is that what you wanted to hear? Does that make you feel better?"
The realization made me stop.
I quickly shut my mouth, thinking I might have crossed the line with how openly I spoke.
Silence filled the room again.
Luckily, Yuna didn't snap, nor did she shout. She simply listened without saying a word. The sharp anger in her eyes had already faded, and the tension in her face eased, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her chest.
The silence stretched on. Neither of us spoke after that.
Since she didn't seem like she was going to say anything, I lowered my gaze and quietly spoke.
"…If that's all, then I'll excuse myself."
I turned toward the door.
"Wait."
Her voice stopped me again.
What more does she want now?
I turned back reluctantly, unable to completely hide the frustration on my face anymore. At this point, I was too tired to even pretend properly.
Yuna saw it.
For a moment, she simply looked at me before shaking her head lightly, like she couldn't believe I was acting this way toward her.
Then she slowly walked toward me.
Her heels echoed softly as she approached. Reaching the edge of her desk, she leaned against it casually, crossing her arms as she calmly studied me.
I instinctively stepped back.
Yuna clicked her tongue in irritation and immediately reached out—
"Please keep your distance." I said quickly, taking another step back.
"Stop being rude toward your wife."
But Yuna didn't care. She grabbed my wrist firmly and pulled me closer toward her without giving me room to resist.
Seriously, why was she so strong? This is so unfair. No matter how much I struggled, her grip never loosened.
Seeing me like this, she just let out a quiet sigh.
"Look, I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday… and for scolding you so harshly today."
For a second, I stayed silent, caught off guard hearing those words come from her.
"But you have to understand me too, Haemin. I was upset because you left me hanging just like that yesterday. Isn't it right for me to be angry with you?"
I stared at her in complete disbelief.
"Please let go of my hand." I said firmly, trying to pull away at the same time.
Yuna loosened her grip enough for me to free myself.
I immediately stepped back again, creating distance between us.
"So that's what you're upset about? There's not even a shred of guilt for what you did to me yesterday? All you care about is how you felt when I walked away from you?"
Yuna didn't answer. Instead, she suddenly took my hand again, more firmly this time, and lifted it close to her face.
"If you're that angry about it, then slap me back, now."
"What are you talking abo—"
She pressed my palm lightly against her soft cheek.
"Go on, slap me back. Vent your anger."
The way she said it, like she was making fun of me, it only deepened my disappointment toward her.
I tried harder to pull my hand down from her face.
"Let… go, Yuna. You're hurting my wrist."
A faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.
"So now you're finally saying my name. I'll let go once you stop struggling."
With my hand still pressed against her cheek, the position felt incredibly awkward. I could only stare at her with obvious dissatisfaction written all over my face. Arguing with her felt pointless at this stage.
Maybe she found some kind of amusement in seeing me like this because, after a brief moment, her grip on my wrist wasn't as tight anymore. But she still didn't release me.
Instead, she closed her eyes and slowly inhaled the scent of my palm, as if savoring it.
The intimate gesture only made me feel even more conflicted inside.
"Haemin…"
Her voice came out soft now.
"Aren't you tired?"
As she spoke, Yuna gently nuzzled her cheek against my palm, rubbing it slowly and affectionately, her warm skin brushing softly against my hand.
The conflicted feeling inside my chest only became heavier.
"Didn't I already lower my ego and apologize to you?" she whispered, her breath brushing against my fingers. "Wasn't that what you wanted to hear from me?"
She slowly opened her eyes again after that, looking directly at me while still holding my hand against her face.
"So stop all of this already. How many times do I have to make you understand that you can't escape me?"
I stayed completely silent while looking at her.
Honestly, I didn't even know how to respond anymore.
Yuna's expression softened slightly when I didn't resist this time. But there was something almost sad in her eyes now as she continued gently caressing my hand against her cheek.
"I actually feel sorry for you, Haemin. At this point, you're exhausting yourself doing something pointless. You're fighting a losing battle. No one is going to speak up for you anymore. And those evidences you have against me, how exactly are you planning to use them? Do you really think they'll listen to you?"
She slowly brought my wrist to her lips and kissed it, a soft, lingering press of her lips. Then she looked at me again.
"Call off the divorce, Haemin, and come back to me. Stop making this harder for both of us. You still love me, don't you?"
This was how I always ended up forgiving her whenever she hurt me. Every single time, she would soften up and act like she regretted it, but once her temper came back, all of that remorse disappeared.
I couldn't keep letting myself get pulled around by her emotions anymore.
"Are you genuinely done talking this time? Can I go now?"
Yuna simply smirked while looking at my reaction before she slowly lifted her other hand and gently brushed my hair.
"Stubborn, aren't you?"
I quietly reached up and lowered her hand away from me while keeping my eyes on her.
I thought she was going to be rough with me again, but instead she only shook her head lightly before stepping back and releasing me completely.
And the moment I was fully free from her—
I didn't waste another second.
I immediately turned around and walked toward the door without looking back again.
But just before I could leave—
"If I ever find out you do something like yesterday again…"
I stopped in my tracks.
"You'd be as good as dead, Haemin."
Yuna, you…
My jaw tightened slightly at her words.
For a brief moment, I almost turned around and snapped back at her.
She had really crossed the line this time by threatening me like that.
However, in the end—
I held myself back and simply reached toward the door instead.
I just wanted to get out of here.
Just as I was about to grab the door handle—
*BAM*
My entire body froze.
A hand suddenly slammed hard against the door right beside my face, stopping me from opening it.
The loud impact echoed sharply, leaving my ears ringing.
My breath caught instantly.
Yuna was already behind me.
When did she get so close?
My body stiffened immediately the moment I felt the warmth of her body pressing close behind mine.
A chill slowly crawled down my spine.
I didn't even dare to turn around.
Then—
I felt her breath brush softly against the side of my neck.
My fingers slowly tightened.
Yuna leaned in even closer, close enough that I could feel her presence surrounding me completely.
"Do you understand?"
Her voice came out cold and low right beside my ear.
My throat tightened immediately.
"U-Understood."
"Good. Don't waste the last chance I'm giving you."
I quietly nodded after that.
Only then did Yuna slowly remove her hand from the door.
I immediately opened the door and walked out.
The moment the door closed behind me, I finally let out a quiet breath.
Last chance she's giving me?
Wasn't I supposed to be the one saying that to her instead? What made her think I was the one receiving mercy here?
Honestly—
This was so stressful.
I felt like screaming right now.
How was I supposed to endure this for a few more weeks if Yuna kept acting like this every single day?
Just thinking about it already made me feel exhausted.
And it wasn't only her.
*Whisper* *Whisper* *Whisper*
The stares follow as usual once I stepped back into the hallway.
I quietly lowered my gaze.
Seriously…
How am I supposed to handle all of this?
I let out another sigh before making my way toward Harin's office, worried about her.
But when I finally reached her office and pushed the door open, the room was empty.
Hm?
Did she go somewhere?
I pulled out my phone and tried calling her.
No answer.
Where did she go? Did Yuna send her somewhere for work?
I left the office again and headed toward the elevator before going down to the main lobby.
*Whisper* *Whisper*
These people… are they seriously not done yet?
I walked straight toward the front entrance, trying to check if Harin's car was still in the parking area.
But it wasn't there.
I stared at the empty space for a few seconds.
She really left, huh.
I hope she won't be out for too long. I really don't want to be stuck with Yuna all day again. Just thinking about it is already giving me a headache.
Urghh.
Just when I was about to turn around and head back upstairs—
"Assistant Kim!"
I stopped immediately.
One of the security staff was hurrying toward me quickly from across the lobby.
The man looked slightly out of breath by the time he reached me.
"Yes?"
The security guard quickly straightened himself.
"Luckily I found you, sir. I've been trying to contact Secretary Yoo, but she hasn't been answering her phone."
"What happened?"
"It's a last-minute notice, sir. None of us had time to prepare properly or inform the Chairwoman because—"
The words suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
"Because?" I prompted.
But his eyes had shifted past me toward the front entrance and a strange tension immediately appeared on his face.
Instinctively, I turned around as well.
At that exact moment, several black sedans slowly entered through the front driveway outside the lobby.
The atmosphere inside shifted almost instantly.
One by one, people began turning toward the entrance.
And then—
The entire lobby seemed to freeze.
No one spoke. No one moved.
Even the security guard standing beside me looked nervous.
Seeing the expression on his face made me uneasy as well.
Who exactly arrived?
Then—
One of the car doors slowly opened.
And a woman stepped out.
The moment I saw her figure—
My breath stopped.
For a brief second, I almost lost my footing.
The entire lobby had already fallen completely silent.
The woman stood elegantly outside the entrance, dressed in a luxurious dress while several people surrounded her respectfully from behind.
Even from this distance alone—
Her presence felt overwhelming.
Everyone nearby immediately bowed politely the moment she entered the building, followed closely by several others behind her.
But I could barely focus on them.
Because that woman…
A cold feeling slowly ran through my body.
There's no way…
She was walking directly toward the lobby entrance.
And toward me.
My body stiffened.
The closer she got—
The heavier the pressure became.
Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor.
Each step seemed to echo throughout the silent.
Then—
She finally stopped right in front of me.
My heart skipped.
Her eyes landed directly on mine.
I immediately lowered my head and bowed politely almost on instinct.
"Good morning, Madam."
No way…
This is the first time I'm meeting her…
The woman in front of me…
If people referred to Yuna as the face of a new generation of conglomerate leaders, then the woman standing in front of me right now…
She belonged to the generation that built those empires in the first place.
Someone who had stood beside the late Chairman since the very beginning, helping lay the foundation for everything that exists today, before eventually stepping away from the spotlight after his passing and allowing her daughter to take over.
The one standing in front of me right now…
It's Han Sun-young.
Yuna's mother.
_____
Yuna's Redemption Arc Begins