Chapter 54
Walking down the corridor toward the main lobby exit made Yeonho nervous, but thankfully the area was mostly clear, just as Seungjo had said.
Still, several passing staff members couldn't help but look twice—partly because he was flanked by Seungjo and Min-hyuk, and partly because Yeonho's striking presence drew eyes on its own.
Once they stepped outside into the cool evening air, Yeonho spotted Carl waiting by the curb. He made a move toward the door, only for Seungjo to step in front of him, blocking his path.
"What?" Yeonho asked, stopping short.
"You're riding with me," Seungjo said.
"No way," Yeonho countered immediately. "What if you kidnap me and lock me away in some dark room?"
"I won't."
"Ohh really...?"
Yeonho took a step closer, closing the distance between them. A mischievous spark glinted in his eyes as he looked up at Seungjo with a faint smirk.
"What's this? Are you looking for extra service? Trying to get close to me?"
Despite the provocation, Seungjo remained entirely stoic. He held Yeonho's gaze for a long, silent moment without uttering a word, then turned around and headed toward his own vehicle, where his private driver was holding the rear door open.
'Well, at least he's keeping his cool now...'
"Mistress," Carl said, opening the door for him.
Yeonho climbed into the back seat. Min-hyuk had already walked off toward his own sports car.
"Follow that car ahead of us, Carl," Yeonho instructed, pulling out his phone to check the time. It was 4:56 PM.
Carl pulled out into traffic, trailing Seungjo's car while Min-hyuk followed close behind.
The drive ended up taking nearly forty minutes due to rush-hour congestion.
Sitting idle in the back seat while drinking his boba tea was so boring that Yeonho took out his phone to call Freya, letting her know he likely wouldn't be returning home tonight.
While waiting at a red light, a sudden thought struck him: he actually had contact details for all four male leads. He got them during the previous event, right after Hana was confronted by Seungjo's ex-girlfriend.
'I almost forgot about those... I need to check the files on my laptop later.'
If he could establish contact with a few key insiders on Hana's team, gathering information would be to easy.
The birthday plot event was getting near, so it's only right for him to try and find more insiders on Hana's side .
Eventually, the car turned onto a secluded road and pulled up to a massive private property.
The design was minimalist yet undeniably regal, nestled far away from the city center in a serene location surrounded by lush greenery, with the faint silhouette of a mountain rising in the distance.
The surrounding landscape was vast and open, completely free of high-rise commercial structures.
Before Yeonho even unbuckled his seatbelt, Seungjo was already standing outside his window, waiting for him.
Yeonho stepped out of the vehicle and looked around the quiet grounds.
"This is my private villa," Seungjo stated calmly, reaching up to loosen his tie as a few house staff emerged from the front gates.
Yeonho's eyes widened slightly.
"What? We agreed to get dinner at a restaurant, not at your private estate."
"We need privacy if we're going to handle this matter properly," Seungjo replied smoothly.
"You can eat inside. My personal chefs are fully capable."
With an air of quiet authority, Seungjo turned and headed toward the main entrance. Yeonho pulled off his dark face mask and sunglasses, throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Are you serious right now, Seungjo?"
A female staff member extended her hand to take Yeonho's bag, only to freeze when she caught sight of his uncovered face. She looked visibly stunned by his ethereal, striking appearance.
Declining her offer with a slight wave, Yeonho walked past her to chase down Seungjo.
Meanwhile, Min-hyuk parked his car and walk over to join them.
"You should have mentioned this beforehand," Yeonho said, keeping pace with Seungjo.
"And besides, don't you remember that Min-hyuk and I are supposed to leave after dinner?"
Seungjo abruptly halted, causing Yeonho to almost bump right into his back.
"There are more than enough guest suites for both of you," Seungjo turned his head slightly.
"For now, you're not leaving my sight until you sign a formal contract with me."
Seungjo resumed walking toward the entrance.Yeonho hurried to keep up, his mind spinning.
"Wait, a real contract? Are we actually doing this? You're kidding, right?"
"If you're going to represent my agency, everything must be legally binding," Seungjo replied, completely serious.
Yeonho couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Was he actually about to sign a contract with one of the premier entertainment agencies in the country? It was a massive opportunity.
While he had originally intended to maneuver his way into Seungjo's agency, hearing the actual words made a surge of excitement run through him.
'I'm officially becoming a model under a company... Shit! I'll be a model!'
Yeonho screamed internally.
Still, Yeonho found it absurd that Seungjo was insisting both him and Min-hyuk spend the night here.
Clearly, Seungjo wanted to keep him under constant surveillance to make sure the won't speak.
Fine by him; he could play along.
They stepped through the front entrance.
Instead of being gaudy or over-decorated, the interior mirrored the sleek, modern architecture of the exterior—dominated by a refined palette of slate gray, white, crisp black, and rich walnut.
Yeonho took in the high ceilings and open layout, looking around, until Seungjo interrupted his thoughts.
"You'll wait here while my legal team drafts two copies."
Seungjo instructed, pointing toward the sprawling sofa in the primary living area. "Sit."
"This is practically kidnapping"
"You followed my car voluntarily, so it doesn't qualify," Seungjo countered coolly.
"Are you kidding? We agreed to eat at your restaurant, and I was just trailing your vehicle."
"That's irrelevant now. What matters is that you're remaining here."
Crossing his legs, Seungjo leaned back against the plush cushions just as Min-hyuk strolled into the living room.
Yeonho looked over at Min-hyuk, raising his voice slightly to vent. "He says we're both staying the night. I've literally been kidnapped."
Min-hyuk remained completely unbothered, taking a seat on an adjacent lounge chair.
"It's fine. This place has plenty of space. Hana has stayed here before, too. We've all crashed here at one point or another."
The moment Hana's name dropped, Yeonho's mood souring instantly. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah," Min-hyuk nodded, entirely casual.
"I'm not sleeping here," Yeonho declared, snapping upright. "I'm not staying in the exact same rooms she used. I'm leaving."
Annoyed, Yeonho turned to leave, but Seungjo's icy voice cut through the room before he could take three steps.
"You're not stepping foot outside this villa until that contract is signed," Seungjo commanded, his tone dropping several degrees.
"Don't forget the stakes of our conversation, Yeonho."
Yeonho paused, turning back to glare at Seungjo. He crossed his arms, scoffing under his breath before flicking his eyes over to Min-hyuk, then back to Seungjo again.
The idea of staying in a house where Hana had acted all sweet, innocent, and overly affectionate with these men made his skin crawl.
'Ugh... Disgusting bitch...'
Still, rationally speaking, remaining at the villa played right into his long-term agenda.
Leaving now would waste all hi efforts.
"Fine," Yeonho muttered, sinking back into the soft cushions with a heavy sigh. He turned his attention to Min-hyuk.
"Are you really comfortable sleeping here, Min-hyuk? Literally spending the night in the exact same place as your rival?"
"Not a big deal to me" Min-hyuk chuckled softly, casting a glance at Seungjo.
"Why don't you ask Seungjo? He looks like he has something to say."
Seungjo offered no response. Instead, he stood up and walked down the expansive hallway on the right wing of the villa, disappearing from view.
'Whatever... I just need to stay and signed that contract and leave.'
Yeonho slouched down into the sofa, relaxing his frame as if he owned the estate. He was genuinely drained from the day's constant drama.
Over the next ten minutes, Yeonho and Min-hyuk idly chatted about their earlier joint photoshoot while waiting for Seungjo to return.
Five minutes later, Seungjo reappeared, having changed out of his formal suit.
Yeonho had to blink twice to make sure he was seeing right.
The suit was gone. The crisp white shirt, the tie, the cold armor he wore to work — all stripped away. In their place, a soft cream knit sweater that clung just enough to show the broad line of his shoulders and the flex of his forearms, paired with loose gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips, no belt.
His hair was falling over his forehead, messy like he'd run a hand through it a hundred times. He still looked expensive — of course he did, everything he wore probably cost a month of Yeonho's rent in his previous life— but the untouchable edge was gone.
He looked human. Soft, almost. Touchable.
'Well, he is touchable soon... Hehe'
The relaxed ensemble gave him an approachable, polished look, though his posture remained just as commanding as before.
Yeonho sat up straighter, clearing his throat.
"Is dinner ready?"
Without looking directly at him, Seungjo signaled a nearby butler, handing him a handwritten slip of paper.
"Dinner will be served in fifteen minutes. Afterward, one of the staff members will show you both to your rooms. You'll rest there."
Seungjo cast a swift, calculating glance toward Yeonho. "And later tonight, we sign the contract."
The butler bowed respectfully and retired toward the kitchen wing.
True to Seungjo's word, dinner was served fifteen minutes later.
They were escorted into a grand dining room dominated by a long mahogany table laden with an array of exquisite dishes.
A full team of chefs and serving staff stood quietly along the perimeter, ready to assist.
The spread was remarkably lavish—featuring prime cuts of meat, delicate seafood, steaming soups, and fresh seasonal dishes that looked like a feast prepared for a formal celebration.
Driven by genuine hunger, Yeonho helped himself to a generous portion. He took a seat on the left side of the table, while Min-hyuk and Seungjo sat opposite him.
Despite his appetite, Yeonho ate with flawless etiquette and natural grace. Min-hyuk ate in silence, while Seungjo barely touched his plate at all.
Instead, Seungjo merely took occasional sips from his wine glass, occasionally picking at a small portion while observing Yeonho in absolute silence.
At first, the silence felt manageable, but Yeonho gradually caught on to the weight behind Seungjo's gaze. Seungjo was analyzing him, reading every gesture, calculating his motives.
'I need to keep my guard up'
Yeonho reminded himself. Crossing lines with Seungjo might be thrilling, but a single reckless step could ruin his positioning.
For now, the only thing stopping Seungjo from exposing him to Hana or his biological father was the audio recording on his phone.
And Yeonho knew for a fact Seungjo would do anything to make sure he never breathed a word of it.
'Which means tonight is the perfect opportunity to do some digging.'
Yeonho thought, a dark smile forming internally.
He planned to wait until the house went quiet, then slip out to explore Seungjo's private office.
He wanted make things more interesting, mess with Seungjo's head a little.
He knew from the novel that Seungjo was hiding dirty, off‑the‑books business, even if the original story had never gone into detail; the plot had always pushed those threads aside to focus on Hana, her dynamic with the male leads, and Yeonho's role as her discarded twin.
'Let's see what kind of dirt you're hiding in this villa, Seungjo. By the time I'm done, you won't know whether to hate me or fall completely under my thumb.'
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