Vol 3 Ch 15

I was leaving the hospital when the sun beat down on my forehead and nose. Shielding my eyes with my hand, I headed toward the car parked on the roadside. Then I slowed my steps, spotting something ahead.

A car, similar in color to the one I had come in, was parked in front of mine. The tinted back window slid down, and I locked eyes with the figure inside. CEO Jang’s gaze captured me. His well-shaped lips commanded me: “Get in.”

Cursing internally, I dragged my feet toward the car, each step feeling heavier than the last.

The car took us to a department store. In my shabby sweater and padded jacket, I stood awkwardly at the entrance, hesitant to step inside.

“…….” 

“…….”

CEO Jang strode confidently, his long legs wrapped in tailored black slacks. He glanced at the displays as he walked before stopping in front of a mannequin. Without hesitation, he instructed me to change into the outfit it was wearing.

I obeyed without complaint. Dressed in clothes worth over five million won, I stepped out of the fitting room. CEO Jang’s gaze swept over me from head to toe, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. The sight of him appraising me like that unnerved me.

Still wearing the outfit, we left the department store and headed to an upscale Japanese restaurant.

The staff, recognizing him immediately, escorted us to the innermost room. The table was laden with dishes, leaving little space for anything else.

Everything looked freshly prepared, glistening under the lights. In the center lay slices of salmon-pink tuna sashimi, delicately overlapped like flower petals. Its soft texture promised to melt on the tongue.

“Will you have some alcohol?”

…Alcohol? I hesitated, and CEO Jang smiled, barely hiding his satisfaction. He coaxed me with a tone too kind to be real.

“I have plans later, so I won’t drink much.”

When I nodded slightly, he called the staff to order whiskey.

A short while later, a server returned with a squat brown bottle and two slender glasses, placing them on the table with practiced precision before leaving the room.

CEO Jang poured a vibrant liquid into a glass. The golden liquid, radiant with a mesmerizing light, filled two glasses. One was placed in front of me, while the other remained in front of him.

The man downed his drink first, prompting me to follow suit. I tilted the glass and poured the liquid into my mouth. The high-alcohol content burned my throat as it went down, tears welling up in my eyes, blurring my vision. The man watched the whole scene with an amused expression. I met his gaze with tear-filled eyes.

Suddenly, CEO Jang spoke.

 “Why not sit on my lap and drink from there?”

… I wished he would shut his mouth. Lowering my gaze slowly, I bit at my lower lip, frustrated. In this position of utter powerlessness, I wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground and disappear. Stuck, unable to act one way or the other, I noticed the man laughing rudely at my predicament.

“If that’s the case, why look at me with that face?” he said.

What kind of expression did I have? Had he pulled me by the wrist, I would have had no choice but to climb onto his lap. But thankfully, he left me sitting opposite him, as though biding his time.

The meal continued in silence, with an unspoken tension lingering in the air. Then CEO Jang shattered the peculiar quiet with an odd question.

“What did you do with your time today?”

I was caught off guard by the unexpected question, stammering as I replied, “Well… I just had breakfast with the housekeeper and watched TV.”

As before, today’s centerpiece on the table was a plate of cream pasta. Looking down at it silently, I remembered the housekeeper’s words as she smiled softly: The boss said you like this a lot. Words I would have preferred not to hear.

“Did you go to the hospital?” CEO Jang asked.

 “…Yes,” I answered.

Despite asking, he seemed indifferent. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out his wallet. My eyes were involuntarily drawn to the clip inside. As always, it held a vial. Whether it was the one I had put in there, I couldn’t be sure.

He pulled out a card from his wallet, tapping its edge lightly against the table. “And your mother?”

I raised my eyes slowly, meeting the gaze of a man mimicking human emotions with his dry, wooden voice. His expressionless face was, as ever, a mask.

“They say some people, even after lying in bed for so long, are lucky enough to wake up,” he remarked.

His tone made it sound as if he had heard this from someone else. Had he asked the hospital himself? Why go to such lengths? There was no connection between us, no reason for him to care.

“…Why are you asking about my mother?”

As I began to speak, his hand, which had been tapping the table, slowed slightly.

“Why are you so curious?” I continued.

The card in his hand finally came to rest on the table. Tilting his head, he asked, “Do I need a reason to be curious?”

“…You really don’t need to concern yourself,” I replied.

His unnecessary interest and unpleasant kindness made me almost long for the times when he treated me like nothing more than a toy. The last thing I wanted was to earn sympathy from a man like him.

“This is… just a deeply personal matter…”

Trailing off, I heard his voice follow.

“Personal matter?”

The chill in his tone was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me, instantly freezing the air in the room. I sensed something had gone wrong and rushed to amend my words.

“You’re busy, so there’s no need to concern yourself unnecessarily…”

But it was too late. His voice was low and simmering as he responded.

“So that’s it. It’s a personal matter, and I should just stick to poking around your holes like always?”

Though his tone was different, the meaning was clear. I was struck silent, unable to find a response.

“What is Seo Yeowon to me, that you think you can say this or that to me?” he asked.

… What am I to him?

“You had plenty to say before, so why so quiet now?”

 “……”

“I’m asking, what are you?”

What am I? At best, a mannequin he could dress up in pretty clothes. But instinct told me that voicing such thoughts would lead to an irreversible situation, so I clamped my mouth shut.

CEO Jang tugged at the knot of his tie, his face contorted with irritation. His brow furrowed, and his cheek twitched sporadically. The man didn’t bother hiding his displeasure, forcing me to chew the inside of my cheek.

“Do you think I’ve been kind to you for no reason?”

“……”

“You said you wouldn’t run away, but all that tiny head of yours has been filled with is the thought of escape. You didn’t think I wouldn’t notice, did you?”

Each word he spoke made my lips dry up.

“They say a dog’s behavior depends on its owner. I thought you’d behave if I treated you kindly, but you’re telling me to keep doing what I was already doing. So what am I supposed to do with you?”

His voice was so low it was chilling, reverberating in my ears.

“Should I kindly throw you back into the golf course?”

He let out a short laugh through his lips. His eyes held no humor, only a cold, terrifying glare.

The room fell silent again, the atmosphere colder than before. Shadows passed behind the papered door, resembling a cluster of storm clouds.

CEO Jang’s cheek twitched again. His face seemed sunken, as if a chunk had been scooped out with a shovel. Furrowing his elegant brows, he pressed his long fingers against his temple, seemingly trying to suppress his anger. His face now was completely different from when he’d casually asked if I’d sit on his lap to drink.

Did my suggestion to mind his own business really anger him this much? What a nightmare of a man. Even the most stubborn guard dog would bow to his insanity. With these thoughts, I clicked my tongue inwardly, imagining snarling dogs giving up.

Bzzzz, bzzz.

A low, prolonged vibration broke through the tense atmosphere. I flinched, startled as if I’d been caught doing something wrong, and inhaled sharply.

CEO Jang picked up his phone, shooting me a sharp, snake-like glance filled with sneering amusement. It was bone-chilling.

“…Yeah,” he said.

A voice came from the phone, announcing his next schedule. He glanced at his watch, grabbed his jacket, and stood. I stayed seated, watching his back as he walked out without a second glance. The door opened with an irritated clatter.

“……”

“…I’m on my way now.”

His voice trailed off as he walked away. I stared blankly at the table. The salmon slices on the plate remained mostly untouched, and beside them, the card he’d left behind still lay there.

A moment later, a shadow fell across the room’s floor as the door opened again. Turning my head, I saw one of his subordinates standing there. He had come to fetch me. Like a ghost, I stood, retrieved my coat from the hanger, and slipped it on.

I paused at the door, glancing back.

“……”

“……”

I felt the remnants of his presence tugging at my ankles, but I turned away, leaving the room. Who cares? Not me.

Outside, a biting wind brushed my nose. Yet my body felt warm, wrapped in the wool coat he had bought me. It was much thinner than the puffy, worn-out jacket I’d had, but several times warmer. The taste of money left a bitter tang in my mouth.

Seated in the car’s backseat, I realized he wasn’t there. He must have taken a different car.

The vehicle sped through the dim streets, its headlights casting yellow beams ahead. For a moment, I thought we might head to the golf course, but thankfully, they dropped me off at home. Another extension of the devilish man’s unwarranted kindness.

“……”

Alone in the house, I lay on the bed, pulling the cold, lifeless sheets tightly around me. Would he return late? Would he come in, pull back the covers, and touch me? My nerves were on edge all night.

Thankfully, that night, he didn’t return. That, at least, was a blessing.