Chapter 31.1

Chapter 31.1

December 26th, 2:00 p.m.

Taehan Hotel Coffee Lounge.

After participating in the Taehan Hotel charity event on Friday, she’d spent the entire weekend in a suite with Kwon Jae-heon. Just when she thought she’d finally escaped the hotel, she was back here after only a day.

Only the location had changed from a room to a lounge, and the partner from Kwon Jae-heon to Park Jung-hoon.

‘This probably isn’t the end, is it?’

Goyo stared at Park Jung-hoon with a blank expression.

The lounge he’d chosen for their meeting was on the top floor of the hotel. It was said to be a hot spot for young people, with great views and excellent coffee. Apparently, you had to make reservations months in advance to get a cup.

Did you really have to go that far for coffee? How could you know who you’d be able to come with months in advance?

The world of gourmets was beyond Goyo’s understanding. Anyway, the reason Goyo knew all this was because…

“The barista here is very famous. He worked at the best hotel in Paris, France…”

As she’d noticed at the auction, Park Jung-hoon was a talkative person. Maybe it was because he was a journalist who delivered information.

She’d never been curious about the secret to the success of the hotel lounge’s coffee, but she couldn’t refuse Park Jung-hoon’s passionate economics lecture and was listening blankly. His explanation was so detailed and professional that she wondered if Sungjo Daily was planning to start a hotel business or a coffee franchise.

But that was about it. Goyo was drinking warm cocoa instead of the supposedly delicious coffee. She wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want coffee. Thanks to that, his coffee lecture didn’t resonate with her, and she was listening with one ear and letting it flow out the other.

“I was shocked, you know. When you said I was old-fashioned.”

He was shocked, huh. What exactly did she say back then? Her memory was hazy.

It would have been nice if you’d come to the after-party with us. I was disappointed when you left like that.”

He casually brought up what happened at the charity event. He must have seen her leave with Kwon Jae-heon, but Park Jung-hoon acted like he didn’t know anything.

Goyo didn’t know how to respond, so she just kept her mouth shut and maintained a faint smile.

“It would have been fun if you’d come, Goyo. The young people sneak off and play separately.”

He said Han Yoon-woo, the son of a chairman, was also there. If she had attended, she could have met all the other young men Lee Yi-taek had told her to meet at once, she thought.

“…Everyone was curious about you, Goyo.”

He said they drank the vintage wine that had been bought for a high price at the auction right there. She also heard that the man who won the wine after a fierce competition was a famous lawyer from a top law firm.

They were things she wasn’t really curious about, and didn’t want to know.

Goyo was curious about other things. Why did he want to meet her? What did he promise Lee Yi-taek?

“I’m doing all the talking. Is the topic not interesting?”

“I’ve never stayed until the end at those kinds of events.”

After-parties were mostly for socializing. In other words, drinking parties.

Since she was a minor until last year, Goyo couldn’t even attend. Even if Lee Yi-taek was someone who used any means necessary, he was a member of the National Assembly who made the laws. He couldn’t openly break the law.

“Don’t you like drinking parties? Or maybe you can’t drink?”

“It’s not that. I was a minor until last year.”

She hadn’t wanted to say that. She’d been called “baby” so often by Kwon Jae-heon these past few days that she didn’t want to seem childish.

“…I figured you were young, but twenty years old, huh.”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, there’s nothing wrong with it, but it makes me feel a little self-conscious.”

His expression looked very pleased, despite what he said. Men were all thieves, they said.

His words continued for quite a while after that. Thanks to him, she unintentionally learned about his activities over the past few years.

Marriage, assignment to the US, divorce, return to Korea, heir training. In short, he’d been living a hectic life. That’s why he didn’t know who Goyo was when he saw her at the auction, he said. That last part was probably what he really wanted to say.

“Did you get home okay that night?”

“…..Yes.”

“Kwon Jae-heon didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“He was good to me.”