ENHYEOK POV
I review the board documents again even though I already know every number inside them.
The glass walls reflect the city back at me, turning Seoul into a grid of light and leverage. Tomorrow's meeting will not be about discussion, it will be about control.
The older directors will pretend to question the acquisition, but they already approved it in private calls last week.
They only perform resistance when an audience is present. I allow them that illusion because it keeps them predictable.
My eyes shift toward the glass wall without intention. Ms Seo sits outside, posture straight, monitor light tracing the line of her cheek.
She types steadily, cross-checking the Strategy files I demanded.
She adjusts quickly. That much is obvious.
There is no hesitation in her movements now. No visible emotion on her face. If she is unsettled, she hides it better than most executives I have dealt with.
I let out a quiet scoff and return to my screen. Efficiency is expected, not impressive. She is doing the bare minimum of what the position requires.
My phone vibrates against the desk, breaking the rhythm of silence. I glance at the caller ID before answering. "Talk."
"Sir," Mr Lim says evenly, "the Seoryeon Group heir has landed. He arrived twenty minutes ago without media coverage."
I lean back slightly in my chair, processing the timing.
So he chooses to enter quietly instead of announcing himself. That already tells me enough.
"Monitor his movements," I say. "I want a full report on who he meets and where he goes before midnight."
"Yes, sir. Understood."
The call ends, and I rest the phone on the desk without breaking expression. Seoryeon has always liked noise, but noise without foundation collapses fast.
They call it rivalry, but rivalry requires equal footing.
They are not on equal footing.
A notification appears on my laptop. Strategy Division Acquisition Files – Sent by Ms Seo. I open the folder immediately.
The formatting is correct. Attachments complete. Summary page structured clearly with risk points marked where they should be.
She anticipated the objections that will surface tomorrow. That means she either understands the board dynamics or she studies quickly.
It is nearly eight when Mr Lim enters after a single knock. The building has grown quieter, most departments already cleared out for the night. The executive floor lights dim slightly under the automated system.
"The car is ready, sir," he informs me.
I close the laptop and stand without delay. The chair slides back smoothly, and the office returns to silence as I step out. My shoes move across the floor without echo.
I stop when I reach her desk.
Her monitor is still on, files arranged neatly beside the keyboard. One hand rests near the mouse, fingers slightly curled.
Her head tilts faintly to the side.
Eyes closed.
Sleeping.
I feel irritation rise immediately, sharp and clean. First day in this position and she loses awareness of her surroundings. This floor is not a place where people relax.
Carelessness spreads fast if it is tolerated once.
"Mr Lim," I say, voice low but edged. "Tell Ms Seo to go home."
Mr Lim nods once. "Yes, sir."
I turn away without waiting to see her reaction. The elevator doors open as I approach, metal reflecting the controlled expression on my face.
First day as my secretary, and she is already asleep at her desk. If she cannot endure a single extended evening, she will not last long in this building.
Reckless.
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SEO JIAH'S POV
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"Ms. Seo."
I flinch so hard my shoulder nearly hits the monitor, eyes snapping open to the sight of a suited man standing stiffly beside my desk.
For a second my mind is blank, stuck between dream and fluorescent light, until his expression registers—polite, distant, professional.
"The Executive Director asked you to go home," he says evenly.
My spine straightens at once, heat flooding my face as I glance toward the glass office. The lights are off, blinds half drawn, the space empty.
He is already gone.
A curse nearly slips out before I swallow it down, fingers curling against the edge of my desk.
How could I fall asleep on my first day as a secretary, on the executive floor of all places, like some overworked intern who cannot handle basic pressure?
I stand abruptly and bow to the man. "Thank you for informing me."
He inclines his head once and walks away without another word, leaving me alone with the humiliation humming in my ears.
I gather my bag too quickly, almost dropping my phone, and head for the elevator with steps that feel heavier than they should.
The ride down is silent except for the faint mechanical hum, my reflection in the steel doors looking pale and thoroughly defeated.
I press my lips together and tell myself to breathe before the doors slide open into the lobby.
The subway ride home feels longer than usual, the carriage packed with tired office workers leaning against poles and each other.
I stand wedged between a student with headphones and a man scrolling through stock charts, trying not to replay the image of his dark office over and over again.
By the time I step out onto my street, my legs ache and my head feels stuffed with cotton. The apartment building comes into view just as a familiar voice cuts through the night air.
"Hey, Seo Jiah!"
I close my eyes briefly before looking up at the balcony. Han Bora is leaning over the railing like a gossip columnist spotting scandal, her hair messy and her grin far too energetic for this hour.
"Why do you sound like you're announcing a crime?" I mutter as I enter the building.
Inside the apartment, Bora is already waiting by the door while Haerin stands behind her, arms folded and expression softer but equally curious.
The moment I step in, Bora grabs my shoulders dramatically.
"What's with this long face? Wasn't today your first day as secretary to your new CEO? How did it go? Is he handsome? Hot? Is he the tall, cold type or the glasses-and-suit type?"
I drop my bag and flop onto the couch face-first, groaning into the cushion. Haerin sits beside me immediately, brushing my hair away from my face with quiet concern.
"What happened, Jiah?"
I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling, the office lights still flickering behind my eyelids. "Do you know what my boss's name is?"
Bora waves a dismissive hand. "Names are irrelevant. I need visual details. Is he hot or not?"
I press my lips together, then exhale slowly. "He's hot. Handsome. Annoyingly beautiful."
My throat feels dry saying it out loud, and the words come out rougher than I expect. Bora gasps like I just confirmed national treasure status.
"Wow, so you have to work with a hottie every day? That's workplace motivation right there."
"I have to work with my ex."
The room goes silent so abruptly it feels staged. Bora's mouth remains open mid-grin while Haerin's eyes widen in disbelief.
"What?" they say at the same time.
I sit up and hug a pillow to my chest. "Yu Enhyeok. Heir of the Daeyeon Group. Now my boss."
They freeze again, processing, then both lurch forward at once.
"Yu Enhyeok?" Bora shrieks. "Our Yu Enhyeok? The one who used to skip cram school to buy you tteokbokki?"
"He's a Daeyeon Group heir?" Haerin adds, stunned. "Since when? How did that happen? Wasn't he just—normal?"
I nod stiffly. "Apparently he was never normal."
Bora collapses onto the armchair like she's been shot. "So let me get this straight. The quiet, ridiculously good-looking guy from high school is now a chaebol heir and your direct boss?"
"And he acts like he doesn't know me," I say, forcing the words out evenly. "Like I'm just another employee."
Bora lets out a short laugh that has no sympathy in it. "Of course he does. Why would he act soft around the girl who dumped him ten years ago?"
Something tight coils low in my chest, sharp and unwelcome. Haerin immediately elbows Bora in the side.
"Shut up," Haerin hisses.
"I'm just saying the truth," Bora protests, hands raised. "We all know her breakup was stupid, and Enhyeok loved her more than anything."
"Shut up, you idiot," I snap, throwing the pillow at her. "I don't want to hear a historical analysis of my bad decisions."
Bora catches the pillow and grins shamelessly. "See? Still sensitive."
Haerin stands and heads to the fridge. "We're drinking. Immediately."
A few minutes later, three cans of beer crack open in unison, the sharp sound oddly satisfying. Bora raises hers toward me like a toast.
"You're his secretary. That's all. You type, you schedule, you collect your salary. No tragic backstory, no dramatic music."
"Exactly," I say, taking a long sip. "I'm his secretary. There's no point regretting the past."
Bora squints at me over the rim of her can. "You say that like you're auditioning for emotional stability."
Haerin laughs softly, and for the first time that night, the weight in my chest eases just a little.
We start talking over each other, Bora exaggerating possible office scandals while Haerin tries to keep the conversation grounded.
My phone vibrates on the table.
The screen lights up with a single name.
Jeonhwa.
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ENHYEOK POV
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The city is already awake when the car moves through morning traffic, sunlight sliding across the tinted windows in clean streaks.
I sit in the back seat reviewing today's schedule on the tablet, the board meeting highlighted in bold at nine sharp.
Mr. Lim drives without unnecessary conversation, the engine steady beneath the quiet hum of Seoul's rush hour.
The headquarters building appears ahead, glass façade reflecting the pale sky like a polished blade.
"I have the report on the Seoryeon heir's movements yesterday," Mr. Lim says, eyes still on the road. "Locations, duration of visits, and the list of individuals he met."
I lower the tablet slightly. "Who did he meet first?"
There is a brief pause before Mr. Lim answers.
"Ms. Seo Jiah."
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AUTHOR NOTE 🫠
I woke up to your reviews and collections today and I can't even explain how happy that made me 🤍
Seeing you genuinely loving and supporting Jiah and Enhyeok already means more to me than you know.
It's still the beginning of their story, and the fact that you're here, reading, commenting, and adding it to your library makes me so motivated to give you something even better.
I really hope you continue enjoying their journey with me. There's so much more coming.
Thank you for being here. Truly 🤍