Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Starting the next day, we began deceiving everyone around us thoroughly. I found out from her diary. Just as I had been gathering information and keeping tabs on them, she was also being watched. These were things I hadn’t realized when I was living as Lee Buyeon. She was being surveilled even inside her own home, let alone at the company.

We made sure to have lunch together at work every day, and whenever we had time, we’d go down to the first floor for café dates. The whole company knew about our romance. In the evenings, I’d go to his house, and before we knew it, Friday had arrived.

Today, too, I was at his place. I’d been coming here for a few days now, and I was starting to get used to it. During our conversation, the topic of my father-in-law came up.

“Do you know why the Chairman isn’t getting rid of me?”

“Because you’re under a contract for a set period?”

“That’s right. And on top of that, I don’t own a single share of MK stock.”

“Really? You don’t have any?”

He gave me a curious smile.

“Do you know when people become overconfident? It’s when they think they know and control everything. I’m going to use that arrogance to my advantage.”

His words gave me a slight chill.

“You seem like someone I wouldn’t want to have as an enemy.”

“Haha. You don’t have to worry, Yena. I’ll never be your enemy.”

“Can I really trust you?”

He widened his eyes and wagged his finger playfully.

“This girl doesn’t know a thing, does she? If it weren’t Namgung Yena, why would I get involved in all this complicated mess? I’m determined to win you over, Yena.”

His warm smile eased my nerves, but I couldn’t help asking.

“What if, after all this, I still don’t accept you?”

Suddenly, he leaned in close, and I flinched. His eyes, up close, were burning.

“You won’t be able to resist. Because I’m being sincere.”

His voice was husky, and I felt a strange, electric tension pass between us. It was like an almost tangible se#xual energy hung in the air.

“You’ll fall in love with me.”

His whispered words tickled my ears, but it was the warm breath accompanying them that sent shivers through my body. My heart was pounding so wildly that a kiss wouldn’t have been out of place. But instead, he chuckled casually and pulled back.

“Let’s eat first. I’m hungry.”

As he headed for the kitchen, I unconsciously pressed my hand against my chest. I could feel my heart thudding under my palm. Was I… disappointed just now? Without realizing it, my eyes were already following his movements.

Snapping back to my senses, I walked into the kitchen and stood beside him, watching.

“Meat again today?”

He had this habit of trying to feed me meat every day. Something about making sure I got enough protein.

“Today it’s chopped steak. We got some really good cuts.”

“I’ll help.”

He glanced at me and grinned mischievously.

“Do you even know how?”

“I just feel bad always letting you do everything.”

I hesitated to pick up the knife. But then again, sitting back and letting him do all the work didn’t sit right with me. As soon as I grabbed the knife, he panicked.

“You’re going to hurt yourself. Let me do it.”

I laughed and started cutting the meat. I sliced it into bite-sized pieces, then washed the cutting board and knife before moving on to the vegetables. The more I heard him gasp beside me, the more amused I felt.

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know?”

“I learned from my sister.”

“Lee Buyeon?”

“Yes. Remember that photo from the first PPT?”

“The one with the tteokbokki and japchae?”

“I made those.”

His jaw dropped, and he let out a loud, “Wow!”

“That’s impressive!”

Then, narrowing his eyes, he asked, “So why did you act like you couldn’t cook?”

“I never lied. I just didn’t say anything.”

“Wow, you’re good at being sneaky.”

“Thanks.”

I replied coolly, then pulled out a frying pan and turned on the stove. I seared the meat, added the vegetables, and seasoned it all quickly. In five minutes, the dish was done. He looked a little stunned.

“You’re faster than my mom.”

“Is she a good cook, too?”

“She tries, but she’s really busy.”

“Does she work?”

We set the table as we talked.

“Yeah, she’s a teacher. My dad’s a teacher, too.”

I paused while setting the table and looked at him. A teacher? My dad’s an educator, too. He spoke excitedly.

“Let’s eat while we chat. It smells amazing.”

We sat across from each other at the table. He said, “Thank you for the food.”

The moment he took a bite, his eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s delicious!”

His reaction made me feel great. Yes, this was exactly what I wanted—someone enjoying the food I made and complimenting it.

“Enjoy your meal.”

I took a bite, too. Of course, it tasted just as good as I expected.

“It’s simple, but it’s absolutely delicious. I think it’s even better than what the chef made.”

“No way, but thank you.”

Comparing my cooking to that of a top chef? That was flattering.

“Where do your parents work?”

“Africa.”

“What?”

“They run a school in Africa. They teach there themselves. The first thing I did with the money I earned was invest in my parents. I told you they run a foundation, right? It’s a school foundation.”

“Can I ask why a school?”

“Because education is the only way to break free from poverty. A lot of the students go on to attend prestigious universities after they graduate. We support them all the way until they finish college.”

“You support them through college, too?”

“Yes.”

“Then do they join Meat after graduating?”

“Not all of them. But many of them give back by helping others receive the same benefits they did. It’s a positive cycle.”

He continued answering my questions while eating happily. I started to understand why he had such a strong and healthy mindset.

“You’re lucky to have such wonderful parents.”

“That’s right. I truly am. What about your parents, Yena? What were they like?”

I hesitated for a moment. How should I answer this?

“I was too young to remember anything. I don’t remember my parents, either.”

He looked at me quietly.

“How old were you when they passed away?”

“I was six. I was told I had selective mutism for a while after that.”

“You don’t remember anything?”

“No.”

I’d become so good at lying now. Even I didn’t find it awkward or unnatural anymore. Sometimes, it really felt like I’d lived Yena’s life myself. Especially after reading her diary. He reached out and took my hand. When I looked up, I saw warmth in his eyes.

“Well, it’s a relief that your grandfather was there for you.”

“Yes. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have grown up as well as I did.”

“Let’s make sure we’re filial.”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the unexpected mention of filial piety.

“You said I talk like an old lady, but you sound just the same! Who even says stuff like that anymore?”

“Do I?”

“I have a question for you.”

Suddenly, he held out his arm. Confused, I stared at it. Then he said, “Bite it. You can bite me as much as you want.”

I paused, caught off guard. His sense of humor was something else, always beyond time and logic. He chuckled.

“I was just trying to make you laugh. Did you think I didn’t know that?”

“I’m starting to think maybe you didn’t.”

“No way. I’m doing this on purpose to make you smile. So, what did you want to ask?”

“Did you tell your parents specifically that it was me?”

“I told you I did. I never lie to you, Yena.”

I stared at him for a moment and then asked quietly, “Why do you like me?”

“Do you need a reason to like someone? This is what you call fate.”

A sigh welled up inside me. The one he thinks he’s “fated” to wasn’t really Miss Yena, but Lee Buyeon.

Did he like me, or did he like her?

My mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts. Still, I found myself drawn to Jang Doha more and more. I had to admit it, though I wasn’t sure if this was okay.

—

I came out after changing into workout clothes. I got into the basic position I had learned, and after practicing for a few days, holding it for 30 seconds wasn’t too hard. Once I stood up after 30 seconds, he praised me.

“You did well. See? You get the hang of it with practice.”

“Yes.”

His compliment made me feel like I could do even better.

“Alright, let’s push a bit more. How about 40 seconds?”

“One minute.”

“Sounds good. Stop if it gets too tough.”

After 30 seconds, my legs started shaking. I gritted my teeth, trying to hold on, but by 40 seconds, I was stumbling.

“Ah!”

Just as I was about to fall, he wrapped his arms around my waist and caught me. We were pressed tightly together. My heart sank. His face was so close, and his gaze was intense. As our eyes met, a shiver ran down the back of my neck, and my heart pounded wildly.

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