제45회 

The ring on her finger officiate their engagement. Kwon Yuri is now engaged to Kim Sungkyu. Her father and his grandparents could not be more jubilant as this also marked the certain alliance between Woollim Group and Kwon Group.

This is how it should’ve been.

Their reversed chemistry was perfectly sealed away from the public eye, buried underneath their loving gazes and warm smiles. Sungkyu and Yuri play the perfect couple.

Yejin too had to keep up to her role. Apparently, she has yet to get out of President Kim’s radar after their conversation. The business tycoon moved around but his wife had her eyes fixed on her since then. Talk about jealousy. Sorry, thirty years older is so out of my list.

Hoya too had his attention divided; one to his past and the other girl in present. He recreated Yejin as a reporter, thus the best way to chase away suspicions is to stay close. Dongwoo worked with his camera, going around taking pictures. Hoya’s method was a voice recorder and good manners.

“Hoya,” She whispers. “I don’t mean to be rude but how long do we have to do this?”

What she meant was tagging along with him while going around greeting people. Woohyun agreed to create a diversion by entertaining President Kim, his wife and President Kwon with a lengthy conversation. In the meantime, Yuri and Sungkyu are practically attached to the hips which worry Yejin more.

Yuri keeps looking at us! She’s going to recognize me sooner or later. Worry dominates her mind, when in reality the heiress’s glance directed towards the man beside Yejin. Hoya noticed that. 

Is he still giving me the silence treatment? At least he could tell me I look pretty tonight. 

I’m not asking for a compliment. It’s called manners. I’m not being narcissistic either. Or maybe I do... Anyway, I feel pretty tonight. Don’t I deserve a positive comment from a guy that I like?

Nonsense. Your target is Sungkyu, not Hoya. Remember your goal.

”Never mind.” Eventually she surrenders to his silence. They still haven’t discussed the depth of their feelings yet. He is still upset, she can tell. Anyone will be on the same page when they see a girl they confessed to kissing someone else. Not to mention another guy who came for confession and nearly kissed half an hour earlier, if he saw that too. She sighed. A heavy conviction is up ahead.

"Stop staring at him."

Her gaze tore away from Hoya, genuinely surprised by Sungkyu's knowledge of him. They just finished a conversation with Japanese representatives of future investiors. "Don't give me that look. We're still in the act, remember?" Sungkyu directed his gaze at Yuri regardless of her reaction. His fiancee was not pleased at all.

"How did you-"

He smirked. It was a victory. This engagement was unacceptable in the first place but as an heir and successor, he has no say in this matter. Thus, he came up with a new plan.

If he can't break off the engagement, Yuri will.

"Your father did not invite him for nothing. If he wants publicity, all he needs to do  is ask someone from our agency to do it, not directly go to his boss."

Lee Howon AKA Hoya. The name came up in her file. It was the same one that rescued Yejin months ago and he couldn't let it pass.

Hoya is a common denominator between Yuri and Yejin.

Thus, Sungkyu personally requested for his presence. It might not be the wisest move of all, one that highly causes a heartbreak, but it is worth the shot. Hoya is his way out.

He knew. Her father arranged the meeting with Hoya as a warning. He invited him so he could keep him in under his radar.

He did it three years ago. He can and he will do it again.

"Smile, dear. You wouldn't want the nation to see your frown in tomorrow's newspaper, would you?"

"Don't play with me. I know you went to Kangwon yesterday to beg on your girlfriend's feet, not to mention also your affair with her best friend which was here tonight for a suspicious reason."

He gritted his teeth. "Watch your words."

Yuri also has cards on her own. She spotted her with Woohyun and everyone else, including President Kim. She must've been here for Sungkyu. Having Seolhee amongst them tonight is a great risk so Yejin came instead.

But for some reason, she's with Hoya. They seemed more than being acquaintances. The way Yejin looks at Hoya is the same as the way she used to look at him back then.

Yejin is in love with Hoya.

"Between my past and your present scandals, which one do you think will the press go for? The fact that I used to have a forbidden lover or you cheating on me with not one, but two girls at the same time?"

Why is he- How dare he kisses that woman in front of me! Yejin felt grateful that she was the eye witness instead of Seolhee. If it wasn't for the dress that was hard to walk in with or the fact she was surrounded by people with power, he'd be a dead man by now. I need to find a way to talk to him, but how?

How? Think, Yejin. Think!

The man next to her gave Yejin a brilliant idea. "No," He spoke right before she opens . Whatever she had in mind, the look on her face says it all. "Please... Can you bring me closer to Sungkyu?"

"Why?"

She came with Woohyun, followed him around and now targetting Sungkyu. Women are something. They see nothing in a man but money. "Save your words. I've had enough of you. All of you." He surprises her with strong refusal as he turns away