#91.

The afternoon sunlight brightly illuminated the living room. The front door opened with the sound of the password being entered.

“Jinwoo-ya!” Lee Hyunwoo’s voice echoed.

At the sound, Jinwoo dashed out of his room. “Dad!”

Lee Hyunwoo smiled brightly and hugged Jinwoo. “My son, you have no idea how much your dad missed you.”

Kim Eunju quickly wiped the water from her hands in the kitchen and came out. Lee Hyunwoo’s figure came into her view. She slowly approached and lightly kissed Lee Hyunwoo on the lips.

“You’ve worked hard,” Kim Eunju said.

Lee Hyunwoo sighed. “Helping my parents after so long is tiring.”

Kim Eunju examined Lee Hyunwoo’s face closely. “You look a little tan. Why didn’t you put on sunscreen?”

“Ah, I forgot.” Lee Hyunwoo grinned sheepishly.

Seeing him smile like that, Kim Eunju’s heart ached. Lee Han’s ordinary face overlapped with Lee Hyunwoo’s handsome face. Guilt washed over her.

“You must have had a hard time taking care of Jinwoo?” Lee Hyunwoo asked.

Kim Eunju forced a smile. “No, it wasn’t hard at all.”

“Jinwoo-ya, what did you play?” Lee Hyunwoo asked Jinwoo.

Jinwoo answered with an innocent smile. “Uncle came!”

At those words, Kim Eunju’s heart sank.

“Uncle?” Lee Hyunwoo asked with a puzzled expression.

Jinwoo said again. “Aunt came.”

Kim Eunju quickly followed up. “Ah, Sujin-ssi came and played with Jinwoo.”

“Ah, I see…” Lee Hyunwoo nodded. “I should thank her later.”

Kim Eunju breathed a sigh of relief and stroked her chest. She quickly changed the subject. “Have you had lunch?”

“No, I couldn’t eat while driving up here.”

“Then I’ll make you lunch, so eat first,” Kim Eunju said, taking Jinwoo back into her arms.

She headed to the kitchen, taking a deep breath. It felt like daily life had returned with Lee Hyunwoo’s arrival, but Kim Eunju’s heart still fluttered with a secret excitement as she recalled the time she spent with Lee Han yesterday.

Kim Eunju placed the vegetables on the cutting board and bit her lip tightly. The sound of the knife slicing through the carrot echoed. Her heart seemed to harden along with that resolute sound.

The sight of Lee Hyunwoo and Jinwoo sitting at the table, smiling, came into view. Kim Eunju unconsciously smiled. At the same time, her hand gently stroked her lower abdomen.

She looked up at the living room and then refocused on cooking. Kim Eunju’s movements were as skillful as usual, and there was a certain determination in her movements. Her eyes were clear and unwavering.

—

The evening sunset dyed Kang Jiwon’s living room red through the window. She was deeply buried in the sofa, rubbing her tired eyes from the day-long worries. A table with several coffee cups and crumpled memo papers spoke of her agony.

Kang Jiwon slowly got up and headed to the window. When she opened the curtains, the red sunset filled the room. She took a deep breath.

“I have to protect Mina-ssi.” She murmured softly. But the moment she said those words, one corner of her heart ached.

She recalled her meeting with Park Mina yesterday evening. Her bright smile, the conversations they shared while clinking glasses. For that moment, she could forget all her worries. But at the same time, Lee Han’s shadow darkened that memory.

Kang Jiwon returned to the sofa and picked up a memo. The words she had written came into view. ‘Lee Han’s proposal’, ‘Saving Mina-ssi’, ‘One month’. She crumpled the memo and threw it away.

‘Is this really the right thing to do?’

But Park Mina’s smiling face came to mind again. If it’s to protect her…

Kang Jiwon stood up as if she had made up her mind. Heading to the closet, her hand touched a black dress. She hesitated for a moment, but soon took it out and put it on.

Her appearance in front of the mirror was like someone going to a funeral. But thinking about the decision she would make today, she thought this outfit might be fitting.

“One month…” She murmured, looking at herself in the mirror. “I just have to endure for one month.”

The moment she said those words, tears welled up in her eyes. Kang Jiwon quickly wiped away the tears. There’s no time to cry. Today, she had to be strong.

The moment she opened the front door, Kang Jiwon paused for a moment. She felt like turning back. But she took a deep breath and moved her feet.

While heading to the management office, Kang Jiwon’s heart began to beat faster and faster. Sweat formed on her palms. She repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists.

Finally, she arrived in front of the management office. Kang Jiwon hesitated for a moment, standing in front of the door. Conflict was still raging in her head.

‘Is this really the right thing to do?’

But Park Mina’s smiling face came to mind. If it’s to protect her…

Kang Jiwon took one last deep breath and opened the door.

Lee Han was sitting at his desk. His eyes turned to Kang Jiwon. A smile spread across his face, but his eyes were cold.

“You’ve come, Jiwon-ssi,” Lee Han said.

Kang Jiwon slowly approached Lee Han. Her eyes were filled with determination.

“Your proposal…” Kang Jiwon’s voice trembled slightly. She paused for a moment to catch her breath and then opened her mouth again.

“I’ll accept it.”

Lee Han’s eyes sparkled. He slowly got up and approached Kang Jiwon.

“A wise choice,” he said.

Kang Jiwon instinctively took a step back. But she soon composed herself and stood in place. Tears streamed down her face, but she raised her head and looked straight at Lee Han.

“However, there’s a condition,” Kang Jiwon said. “Once this is over, you must completely let Mina-ssi go. And never approach her again.”

Lee Han seemed to think for a moment. Then he slowly nodded.

“Okay. I promise.”

At those words, the strength drained from Kang Jiwon’s shoulders. She closed her eyes. She knew that she had crossed a point of no return.

Lee Han’s hand reached towards Kang Jiwon’s face. She instinctively trembled, but didn’t move.

Lee Han’s fingers traced down Kang Jiwon’s cheek. Kang Jiwon’s whole body was covered in goosebumps at his touch.

“From now on, for one month, you are mine,” Lee Han whispered.

Kang Jiwon nodded with her eyes closed.

‘Now Mina-ssi is safe…’

At that thought, a faint smile spread across Kang Jiwon’s face.

Lee Han’s hand grabbed Kang Jiwon’s chin. The moment his fingers gently caressed her skin, a shiver ran down Kang Jiwon’s spine. She closed her eyes. She tried not to move, but her body was trembling slightly. The warmth felt from Lee Han’s hand made her uncomfortable.

Lee Han’s breath touched Kang Jiwon’s face. The subtle scent from his breath stimulated the tip of her nose. At that moment, she instinctively took a step back. Kang Jiwon’s gaze, with her eyes open, moved around confusedly. Her pupils were mixed with fear, disgust, and incomprehensible emotions.

Kang Jiwon’s lips trembled slightly. She tried to speak, but no sound came out of her throat. Instead, her hand unconsciously gripped the front of her shirt tightly.

Lee Han’s expression hardened. His eyes turned cold. “Are you not planning to keep your promise?” His voice was low and threatening. At those words, Kang Jiwon’s face turned pale. A moment of fear flashed across her eyes.

Kang Jiwon swallowed hard. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. The faces of Lee Han and Park Mina flashed alternately through her head. She clenched and unclenched her fists. As if she had made up her mind, she slowly raised her head and looked at Lee Han.

Kang Jiwon barely managed to drag her trembling body closer again. “I will keep it.” Her voice was small but firm.

Lee Han’s lips lightly touched Kang Jiwon’s. Kang Jiwon’s whole body stiffened with tension at the soft, warm sensation. His tongue carefully brushed her lips. Kang Jiwon felt a strange thrill at the soft, moist sensation. Her body began to tremble slightly.

Lee Han bit Kang Jiwon’s upper lip slightly. She gasped at the sharp stimulation. Soon after, his tongue gently licked the spot. At the moment when pain and pleasure crossed, a strange current flowed through Kang Jiwon’s whole body.

Kang Jiwon closed her eyes tightly and tried to endure Lee Han’s kiss. In her head, disgust and strange excitement swirled in a mixed vortex. Her fingertips tingled and her legs wobbled, but she desperately held on.

After a while, Lee Han took his lips away. Just as Kang Jiwon was about to let out a sigh of relief, Lee Han’s lips touched her ear. His hot breath tickled her ear.

“Come to the office at this time tomorrow,” Lee Han’s low, soft voice dug into Kang Jiwon’s ear.

At those words, goosebumps covered Kang Jiwon’s whole body. Her heart began to beat so violently that it felt like it would burst through her chest, and she was out of breath. Complex emotions mixed with fear, anticipation, and disgust swept over her. A moment of confused light flashed across Kang Jiwon’s eyes.

Kang Jiwon hurriedly stepped back as if she had been burned. Her hand unconsciously rubbed her mouth, as if trying to erase the spot where Lee Han’s lips had touched. Her eyes sharpened, and she glared at Lee Han with gritted teeth. In that gaze, there was anger and an indescribable complex emotion.

She hesitated for a moment, but Kang Jiwon soon turned around quickly as if she had made up her mind. Her steps were hurried, and she almost ran out of the management office. It could be seen that her hand was trembling slightly when she opened the door.

Lee Han watched Kang Jiwon’s figure and wore a faint smile on his lips.

The management office door slammed shut. The sound echoed briefly in the quiet office. Lee Han slowly walked to the window. His gaze turned to the outside of the window.

The red sunset was gradually giving way to darkness. It was as if Kang Jiwon’s purity was slowly collapsing.