The next evening, Seo Seong stood in front of a mirror inside a luxurious apartment Sincho had arranged for her.
She wore a simple but elegant dress. Nothing flashy. Still, she looked effortlessly graceful.
She adjusted her hair slightly.
"This is just acting," she murmured.
A knock came on the door.
Sincho entered without waiting long.
For a moment, he paused.
She looked… different.
Not like someone pretending.
Like someone who belonged in luxury.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yes."
At the event hall, people turned to look.
"Who is she?" whispers spread.
Sincho placed his hand lightly on her waist.
"Stay close," he said.
Seo Seong nodded, playing along perfectly.
A woman approached, smiling too brightly.
"Sincho, you never mentioned her."
"She's my girlfriend," he replied calmly.
Seo Seong smiled politely.
But her eyes observed everything—the people, the reactions, the power dynamics.
She was used to this world.
More than he realized.
Later, a man accidentally bumped into her, spilling a drink.
Without thinking, Seo Seong reacted sharply, her tone suddenly authoritative.
"Be careful."
The man froze.
Sincho noticed.
That wasn't how a "simple girl" reacts.
For a second, suspicion crossed his eyes.
But Seo Seong quickly softened her expression again.
"I'm fine," she said.
Sincho said nothing.
But for the first time…
He started to wonder.