PR & CH 1
PROLOGUE
Su-mi sat at the counter of the dimly lit club, staring into the blur of neon lights and sweaty bodies moving to the deafening beat. The music rattled her chest, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts had their own rhythm, darker, slower, more unrelenting.
She felt a hollow weight pressing at her chest, and for once, she didn’t care about the stares or the laughter around her.
“Mind if I buy you a drink?”
The voice was smooth, confident, and the moment she looked up, Su-mi froze. He was impossibly handsome, the kind of face that made her forget the world for just a second. Before she could even respond, he ordered two drinks for them, a knowing grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
When the glass was set before her, she didn’t hesitate. The liquid burned down her throat, sharp and freeing, and she immediately asked for another. He clinked his glass to hers, cheering her on, his eyes bright and daring.
By the time the fourth drink was on the way, he extended a hand. “Dance with me,” he said.
Su-mi hesitated, then allowed herself to be pulled onto the floor. The music enveloped them, bodies moving as one, her tension melting in the heat of the crowd and the stranger’s presence. The next thing she knew, his lips were on hers, a bold, intimate kiss that made her heart hammer and her mind blur.
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Morning came with a harsh clarity. Su-mi’s eyes snapped open. She was lying naked beneath crisp white sheets, her body stiff with disbelief.
A warm arm slid around her waist, holding her close, and a voice—smooth, teasing, utterly infuriating—murmured in her ear,
“Good morning, Sunshine.”
Her blood ran cold. She scrambled upright, pulling the sheets around herself, heart hammering, mind spinning. Clothes and underwear were scattered across the floor like breadcrumbs from a night she didn’t fully remember. Panic propelled her; she grabbed what she could and ran.
I just hooked up with a stranger.
The stranger called after her, playful, insistent, but she didn’t look back. Only later did she realize—her wristwatch. Gone.
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Hours later, the club’s chaos replaced by the sterile quiet of the conference room, Su-mi sat upright in her chair as she lifted a glass of water to her mouth. The air smelled faintly of polished wood and faint coffee, the hum of the air conditioning a jarring contrast to the bass still pounding in her memory.
“Next candidate,” her secretary announced.
Su-mi lifted her gaze casually… until she saw him.
The stranger!
Her glass slipped through her fingers, shattering lightly against the table.
The room felt impossibly small, the air impossibly thick. He stepped forward, eyes bright and unassuming, and introduced himself.
“Good morning. I am Lee Jeong-woo.”
Every careful strategy, every wall she had built around herself, felt suddenly useless.
He had no idea who she was.
But she knew him—and not in the way she wanted.
CHAPTER 1
The morning sun glinted off the glass facade of the new JGo headquarters, casting long, sharp reflections across the plaza.
Su-mi adjusted the lapels of her beige tailored suit as she stepped forward, her heels clicking firmly on the polished stone floor. Behind her, the crisp ribbon waited to be cut—a symbol of her vision finally coming to life.
“Everything looks perfect,” her father said, his voice tinged with pride. Chairman Jang’s sharp eyes swept over the building, then softened as they landed on her.
Su-mi’s lips curled into a subtle smile. “I made sure everything is optimized for our employees, Father. Ergonomic chairs, rest spaces, spacious elevators, proper ventilation… even the cafeteria aligns with the goal.”
Her aunt, Attorney Jang Mi-ra, stood beside them, impeccably dressed and composed. She placed a hand briefly on Su-mi’s shoulder. “Well done, Su-mi.”
The crowd of employees erupted into applause as Su-mi lifted the ceremonial scissors. Cameras flashed. Reporters jostled, pens and microphones poised. With a steady hand, she cut the ribbon.
Cheers echoed across the plaza. Employees swarmed the new building, marveling at the sleek design and inviting workspaces. Su-mi watched them with satisfaction, knowing she had created something more than a structure—she had created a space that respected their comfort, their dignity, their work.
Her father clapped her on the back, a proud, open smile on his face. “You’ve made us proud, Su-mi. Truly.”
Even Aunt Mi-ra’s usually reserved expression softened. “Congratulations, my dear niece,” she said, her tone warm, almost maternal.
But the celebration didn’t last long.
A ripple of murmurs swept through the gathered reporters, and Su-mi frowned. Something was wrong. Aunt Mi-ra’s assistant hurried over, tablet in hand. With a quick swipe, she showed Aunt Mi-ra a headline flashing across the screen.
Aunt Mi-ra’s brow furrowed. “There’s trouble,” she murmured, her voice tight. “Let’s get inside and sort it out.”
Before they could step further, the reporters surged forward, relentless and hungry for a story.
“CEO Jang, is it true that your engagement has been called off?”
“Were you emotionally unavailable for your ex-fiance, CEO Lee?”
“If you’re socially awkward with your ex, how can we trust that this new building truly caters to your employees?”
“What do you think about CEO Lee Sung-woo’s new partner?”
What? Su-mi froze, each question hitting like a cold slap. Her face remained calm, but her chest tightened, a flutter of panic hidden beneath her professional composure. For a moment, all she could do was observe, her sharp mind noting their frenzy, their pens, their cameras… and how utterly unprepared they were for her silence.
Woo Ye-jin, her best friend and the CFO, stepped forward immediately, putting herself between Su-mi and the swarm of reporters. “That’s enough. Come with me,” she said, her tone firm, protective, no-nonsense. She guided Su-mi toward a nearby conference room, leaving the flashing lenses and shouting voices behind.
Once inside, the door clicked shut. The sudden quiet was sharp, almost suffocating. Her father’s gaze bore into her, eyes narrowing with unspoken fury.
“Explain,” he demanded, voice low but edged with anger.
Su-mi swallowed, steadying herself. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Words refused to form.
She could see it all clearly—the company she had built, the empire she was leading, and now… the very public storm that threatened to shake it all down to its very roots.
