Before Shan entered the elevator, Rae Yoorin and Gang Si Won were at that time a few minutes ago inside.
"Argh! This is so fucking annoying!" Rae Yoorin burst out, her frustration boiling over. "What the hell was he even doing there? And who the fuck does he think he is?!"
Gang Si Won raised a curious brow, leaning against the elevator wall. "You've lost me, babe. But seriously… why do you hate Shan so much?"
Rae Yoorin scoffed, arms crossed tight. "Didn't I tell you? I can't fucking stand that loser acting like he belongs here."
"Maybe you're just jealous that he's better at his job than you," Gang Si Won teased.
"Pfft, yeah right! I'm way more qualified than him," Rae Yoorin scoffed. Then, she turned to Gang Si Won with a sharp look. "And what about you?"
"Me?" Gang Si Won blinked in confusion.
"Really? You're his superior, for god's sake!" Rae Yoorin shot back.
Gang Si Won let out a sigh. "That has nothing to do with it."
"Yeah, well, I guess both of you are at the bottom after all. Maybe that's why Ms. Mikage is so close with the Executive Director," Rae Yoorin said with a smirk.
Gang Si Won didn't say anything, his expression unreadable.
Rae Yoorin continued, "Anyway, I think what he said makes sense."
"What do you mean?" Gang Si Won asked, his curiosity piqued.
"He said Shan might have something on Ms. Mikage," Rae Yoorin replied, her tone laced with intrigue.
"Hmm... maybe," Gang Si Won mused. "He didn't get reassigned, we saw them at the hotel together, and even Ms. Yoo Jun said she spotted them too."
"Right?!" Rae Yoorin leaned in, her voice brimming with excitement and intrigue. "What could Shan possibly have on her?"
Gang Si Won smirked slightly. "Hmm... maybe I'll try asking him—over a drink."
"Did you see Mr. Wolf and Ms. Yoorin at the entrance?" she asked.
Her colleague nodded. "Yeah, it was scary… but kind of satisfying."
Mei Yoo Jun raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
Her colleague smirked. "I mean, Rae Yoorin is always bossing people around at work. Looks like karma finally caught up with her."
"Karma?" Mei Yoo Jun echoed, her curiosity piqued.
Before they could continue, Ingrid shot them a sharp look—interested, yet clearly disturbed by their gossiping instead of working.
"Unless this conversation is part of your job description, I suggest you both get back to work," she said coldly.
"I'm sorry." They both apologized and hurried back to work—though from Ingrid's perspective, the whole scene felt almost comedic.
A moment later, Ingrid's voice carried through the office.
"Attention, everyone. There will be a staff dinner tonight. It's not mandatory, so no one is forcing you to attend," she announced.
"Oh, no..." Mei Yoo Jun groaned in disappointment.
Her colleague glanced at her. "What's wrong?"
"Actually, I was supposed to see my boyfriend tonight. He'll be upset if I cancel," Mei Yoo Jun sighed.
Her colleague gave her a knowing look. "You should probably still come, though. The boss probably wants everyone there, even if it's 'not mandatory.'"
Meanwhile, at the other corner of the office, Gang Si Won turned to Shan.
"What do you say, Mr. Wolf? This whole thing might be a bit much for you. Plus, you've been with this company for two years now—ever since you moved from Malaysia to Korea."
"Yes, Mr. Wolf. Please do come," Ingrid added. "It's a great opportunity for you to get to know everyone better."
Shan remained quiet, his eyes focused on the computer screen as he busied himself with stocks and other data, deep in thought.
Later that night…
To everyone's surprise, Shan actually showed up. He sat among his colleagues, chatting casually and sipping a few teacups of soju.
As the night went on, some of his coworkers started to warm up to him.
"You know, Shan, I always thought you were too serious, but you're actually pretty chill," one colleague admitted with a grin.
"Yeah, and I heard you're really good at handling stock analysis and you even helped with computer software problems as well. No wonder the higher-ups keep you around," another added, raising their glass.
Shan simply took another sip of his soju, offering a small but amused smile.
Inside the restaurant, Mei Yoo Jun picked up her ringing phone, her expression shifting to surprise.
"What? You're here?" she whispered, stepping aside as she listened to the voice on the other end.
Her boyfriend was outside waiting for her.
About five minutes later, Shan stepped out to get some fresh air. The night air was cool, offering a quiet contrast to the lively restaurant behind him. But just as he turned a corner, a faint, rhythmic sound caught his attention.
Moans.
His sharp senses kicked in as he followed the sound to a dimly lit alleyway beside the restaurant. Peeking around the corner, his gaze landed on a familiar figure—Mei Yoo Jun.
She was pressed against the wall, legs wrapped around a younger man—her boyfriend, from the looks of it. The guy looked like a college freshman, his grip tight on her hips as their bodies moved in sync.
Shan's brows furrowed slightly. He had walked into something private, something raw. But just as he was about to turn away, he heard them talking between their ragged breaths.
"You shouldn't have canceled our date, you dumb klutz!" the young man growled, his tone laced with frustration.
Mei Yoo Jun whimpered, her fingers clutching his shoulders. "Ah… I'm sorry… hnn… I didn't know there was a… hnn… ah… staff dinner tonight." Her voice wavered between pleasure and apology.
Shan remained silent, watching from the shadows. He wasn't sure if he found the situation amusing, pathetic, or just another piece of workplace drama unfolding before him.
"Staff dinner? Are you freaking serious? Do you have any idea how busy I am with college?!" the boyfriend snapped.
"I'm sorry… hnn," Mei Yoo Jun whimpered, continuing to apologize as he shifted positions, taking her from behind.
"You're treating me like this just because you work in some big company, huh?" he growled, frustration evident in his voice. "Just wait until I pass my fucking exam—then you better stop acting like you're better than me!"
With a rough motion, he pushed her down onto a closed rubbish bin lid, positioning her beneath him as he took control once more.
"See? Doesn't this feel good?" her boyfriend asked, his voice laced with satisfaction.
Mei Yoo Jun whimpered, her breath hitching. "But… hnn… what if someone sees us?"
"Just shut up and move your fucking hips, damn it!" he demanded.
"No… I can't… hnn… ho… hoo… ah…," she moaned, struggling to keep up.
"No one's gonna come here, so relax!" he assured her, completely unaware that Shan was watching from the shadows, witnessing everything.
Meanwhile, Ingrid had also stepped outside to get some fresh air.
"Sigh… hmm?" She noticed Shan standing nearby, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. Curious, she walked toward him.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked. "You should go back inside. Everyone's finally warming up to you. Those idiots have no idea who you really are… fucking pervert." Her tone dripped with mockery.
But to her surprise, Shan simply raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, then subtly pointed toward the alleyway.
Intrigued, Ingrid followed his gaze—and froze.
There, in the dimly lit alley, her assistant, Mei Yoo Jun, was being pounded by her boyfriend, completely lost in the moment.
Ingrid's breath hitched. For once, she was at a loss for words.
Shan smirked at her reaction and took the opportunity to tease her. His hand slid behind her, giving her ass a slow, deliberate squeeze.
"Does watching others turn you on?" Shan murmured, his voice low and teasing as his hand slid between Ingrid's legs, rubbing her clothed clit from behind.
"Hnn…," Ingrid bit her lip, feeling the slow, deliberate pressure of his touch as he continued to tease her.
Meanwhile, inside the restaurant…
Gang Si Won was too busy devouring his meal to notice anything unusual.
"So freaking good!!!" he exclaimed, eagerly stuffing another piece of sushi into his mouth.
Rae Yoorin raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Gang Si Won shrugged. "Hey, it's free food. Take it or leave it," he said before grabbing a clam and sucking the flesh out with satisfaction.
Rae Yoorin sighed, arms crossed. "Anyway, weren't you supposed to talk to Shan? Instead, you're just sitting here, eating non-stop."
Gang Si Won barely paused, already reaching for more food.
"Hey, isn't that Shan's bag?" Rae Yoorin's sharp eyes landed on the sleek black bag resting near his seat.
Gang Si Won gave it a quick glance. "Yeah, looks kinda cool. Must be brand new."
Rae Yoorin smirked, scanning the room before leaning in slightly. "Make sure no one's watching."
Gang Si Won frowned. "Rae, come on. You're not seriously—"
"Shh." She cut him off, already reaching for the bag. With swift hands, she lifted it and slung it over her shoulder. "Just keep quiet and call me when he gets back. Stall him if you can."
Before he could protest, she was gone—disappearing into the ladies' room.
Inside, she locked the stall door, heart racing. Slowly, she unzipped the bag.
"What secrets are you hiding, Shan?" she muttered to herself, pulling out his laptop.
What secret will she find and uncovers, will change everything for Shan and Ingrid.