Chapter 12
When Yeonho stepped out of the taxi, the building before him looked simple at first glance.
It blended traditional Korean structure with clean modern lines, but every corner still held that quiet, refined elegance.
Unmistakably the kind of place only the wealthiest, most privileged people visited.
'Nice enough. Might as well try the food later. No use wasting the chance.'
Two attendants stood straight by the entrance, pulling the heavy doors wide open the second he approached.
Warm, rich aromas of premium, perfectly cooked dishes drifted out to meet him, thick and mouthwatering.
The scent alone made his stomach give a soft rumble, but he didn't react. He was here for a reason. Distractions were useless.
'Focus. Don't get distracted now.'
Getting a table took less than a minute.
The moment he pulled out his sleek black card, every staff member moved faster, treating him like a top priority guest. No questions, no delays.
'Rich people privileges. Perfect call giving me this card, Mr. Han.'
At first, the receptionist glanced at his name with a flicker of doubt — until they looked at his face.
Dark hair, unfamiliar features. Nothing like the famous blonde-haired Choi Yeonho everyone knew and feared.
They dropped their suspicion instantly.
A young female attendant led him deep inside, toward a quiet, secluded section at the very back.
True to its style, the restaurant had private rooms separated by light sliding doors, with low tables set directly on smooth polished floors.
His assigned room was neat and understated, balancing classic Korean charm and modern comfort perfectly. Two sets of sliding doors.
One at the entrance, and another all the way at the back wall. That one led straight to another private room.
Clearly reserved for their most important, high-profile guests.
He was leaning against the wall, eyes scanning every detail, when soft voices drifted through the thin wood. One name made a sharp, slow grin spread across his face instantly.
Choi Hana. 'Perfect. Right on time.'
"Your food will be served shortly. I'll take my leave now."
The attendant bowed politely, then slid the entrance door shut quietly behind her.
The second the latch clicked, Yeonho pulled out his phone, gaze fixed straight on that back door.
He moved across the room without a sound, stepping lightly, every motion controlled and silent.
Yeonho lowered himself to the floor slowly, making sure not even a tiny creak gave him away.
'Finally. Let's see what you're really like.'
The closer he got, the clearer the voices became. He settled at the left edge of the frame, hand reaching out to grip the wood.
With steady, precise movement, he slid the door open just a hairline crack. Just enough to see through, just enough to catch every single word.
Sitting inside was a woman with neat, soft black hair. She picked gently at her food with slender chopsticks, every movement graceful and gentle, exactly like the sweet, perfect heroine everyone adored.
She was undeniably beautiful. Dark, soft eyes, long fluttering lashes, that delicate kind of beauty people wanted to protect.
Everything about her fit the image written in that ridiculous novel… but he knew better. This soft, gentle act was just a mask. Nothing more.
Yeonho only felt bored amusement.
'Cute. But nowhere near as pretty as me, obviously.'
He didn't even feel impressed.
Even as a man, Yeonho knew he outshone her in every way.
He had that dangerous, otherworldly beauty that drew people in, made them want things they shouldn't.
While Hana, she only had a pretty face and a fake personality.
He turned his eyes next on the other person.
'There you are. The perfect heroine's loyal little guard dog.'
Sitting across from her was a man.
Hana's secretary, Park Sungho, if he remembered right. His back was turned fully toward Yeonho, so he couldn't see his face.
But his posture was stiff, attentive, almost desperate in how he watched her.
"I plan to tell father about the new business offers later."
Choi Hana's voice was soft, calm, perfectly gentle, as she moved food carefully onto her plate.
"Don't schedule anything else for me tonight. I'm busy."
Yeonho listened closely, fingers adjusting his phone silently. He opened the camera, angled it perfectly through the gap, and hit record.
'Go on. Say everything. I'm catching it all'
"What about the HR team?" she asked next, popping a piece of sushi into her mouth. "Did they find the right people yet?"
Sungho shook his head immediately.
His voice polite but sharp underneath, eager to please.
"Not yet, Ms. Hana. They're struggling to find anyone that fits all your requirements. It's proving difficult."
'Oh? Seems like your so-called perfect life isn't so smooth after all.'
Yeonho thought.
The room went quiet. Hana ate slowly, her expression still soft and sweet.
But the slight, almost unnoticeable frown between her brows visible. She wasn't happy. Not happy at all.
Sungho only watched her, tense, waiting for her next order, ready to fix anything that upset her. Just like a good little servant.
Hana took a slow sip of her wine, then set the glass down sharply against the table.
A small, sharp sound that gave away her irritation instantly, even though her face stayed soft and composed.
"Is it really that hard to get one simple task done?"
She said with clear disappointment.
"Such a letdown. Maybe I should've kept Yeonho by my side a little longer after all."
Yeonho's breath caught for half a second.
'Wait… is this really going where I think it is? She's finally going to run her mouth about the original Yeonho?'
For a split second, excitement pricked at him but he reined it in immediately, keeping perfectly still.
This was exactly what he wanted. Every word she said here, every ugly truth she let slip, was being captured on camera.
This was golden moment.
The secretary cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly in his seat, his voice careful and soft.
"But your brother would only make things difficult for you, Ms. Hana. Besides… we got word he killed himself in Russia weeks ago. He's no longer a problem."
Hana let out a short, mocking laugh, shaking her head like the very idea was ridiculous.
"Please. Yeonho wouldn't die that easily. He was pathetic, weak… but he had a pride and ego just as big as mine. That kind of person doesn't go down quietly."
She leaned forward slightly, voice dropping lower, thick with disdain and amusement.
"Poor little Yeonho. Everyone hated him, didn't they? No one even knew the truth that I framed him for every mistake, that I abused him every chance I got, right under everyone's noses."
"Careful, Ms. Hana." Sungho leaned in quickly, worried. "Someone might hear you."
"Let them." She waved a hand dismissively, completely unbothered.
"No one cares about that bastard son anyway. I hated him from the start… and even if someone did find out the truth? Nobody would ever believe it. I'm the good girl, remember? He was just the trash everyone wanted gone."
'So It's all true...'
Yeonho's grin widened until it reached his eyes, his camera still rolling steady and silent.
Every bit of suffering that poor fool Yeonho went through… It was all her fault. And she's bragging about it like it's an achievement.
He felt bad but he's far more entertained to feel pity right now.
'Oh, please… keep talking. I'm loving every second of this.'
Just as he expected, Hana didn't stop. She was too proud, too arrogant, too convinced no one would ever find out.
She kept right on spilling every ugly secret, exactly what he needed.
"I should've locked him up somewhere instead. Kept him alive, made him work for me, used him however I wanted. He was useful, after all."
Every bit of success she had, every opportunity she took, every praise she got.
It all came from things she stole, ideas she took, positions she snatched right out from under the original Yeonho.
He had been her stepping stone, her shield, her scapegoat… and now that she thought he was gone, she didn't even bother hiding it.
To her, he had been an obstacle, but also her greatest winning card. And now, with him "dead" and out of the way, she thought she could do whatever she wanted without him.
"Enough about him." She waved the topic away like it was nothing.
"Just keep doing exactly what I told you. Now… let's talk about something more important."
A bright, pleased smile spread across her face. She leaned back against the wooden chair, looking relaxed and confident again.
The perfect, gentle female lead everyone adored.
"What's Gyeongjae's schedule look like these days?"
Yeonho's eyes lit up instantly. Finally.
This was the part that wasn't written in the novel. This was where he got the upper hand.
The secretary took a sip of his own drink, set the glass down gently, and answered in his usual polite tone.
"Mr. Woo's assistant said he's completely free two days from now."
"Perfect." Hana's smile turned sharp, satisfied. "Schedule a private dinner with him then."
Her whole demeanor shifted instantly. She crossed her arms over her chest, watching as Sungho pulled out his phone and started typing quickly.
"What about this place?" He turned his screen toward her to show a venue, but she waved it away immediately with a flick of her fingers.
"Too far. I want somewhere close. Somewhere private… somewhere we can stay longer, even spend the night if we want to."
Sungho nodded slowly, thinking for a second before speaking again.
"What about Mr. Woo's own hotel? The grand one downtown?"
Hana's face lit up right away.
"Oh, right! I haven't been there in ages. That's exactly it. Book the dinner there."
'Bingo!'
Yeonho's grin turned wicked.
'Thank you so much for spelling it all out for me.'
The plan was set now. Hana rubbed her hands together lightly, a greedy, triumphant glow in her eyes as she spoke again.
"We can stay at the hotel after dinner too. Makes everything so much easier."
'Don't worry, Hana. I'll be there to ruin every bit of it. Hahaha.'
As he kept watching and listening, he noticed something odd.
The secretary's hand, resting at his side, was clenched tight into a fist. His shoulders were tense, his jaw set tight, like he was angry, or upset, or holding something back.
'What's his problem?'
Yeonho tilted his head slightly, curious.
'Wait… no way. Is he jealous? Does Park Sungho actually like her?'
It sounded ridiculous, but it made sense.
The way he watched her, the way he obeyed every word, the way he got tense when she talked about other men. It was pathetic, but real.
"I'll send all the details over to Mr. Woo's assistant right away," Sungho said, voice even but still strained.
"Good. Thank you." Hana beamed at him, completely oblivious to his feelings.
That was the end of the conversation. Hana went back to eating her food slowly, gracefully, her sweet mask perfectly back in place.
Sungho followed suit, eating quietly, his expression carefully blank. Though the tension never left his shoulders.
The room fell into soft silence again. But Yeonho had everything he needed or so he thought.