I was so confused that I gave a disgusted look to Hyun-Jin. What would he do there? Is that Mr. Cha insane?
"So what?" I stuffed the fishcakes in my mouth, trying to ignore the growing tension.
Hyun-Jin sighed, clearly not impressed by my attitude.
Just as I was about to say something else, my phone rang. I grabbed it, only to see Jane's name flashing on the screen. Before I could answer, Hyun-Jin took it from my hand and pressed the speakerphone button.
"MS. B! Mr. Cha is here! HE'S HERE AT THE OFFICE!" Jane's voice shouted through the phone, her panic evident. I swallowed the fishcakes in my mouth, immediately feeling the heat rise in my chest.
"SO WHAT??!?!?!!? TELL HIM I WON'T BE MEETING HIM!" I snapped, my frustration spilling out. I grabbed my bottled water, hoping it would cool me down, but the irritation was still bubbling.
"I ALREADY MADE ALL THE EXCUSES, HE INSISTED, HE'S HERE WAITING FOR YOU. I TOLD YOU NOT TO IGNORE THE EMAIL! THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING!" She was practically out of breath, but I wasn't ready to back down.
"You have to get here, I already sent your team to the house, they're waiting for you to get ready. JUST GO—" Jane's voice was cut off before she could finish, her panic increasing by the second.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay composed. "Just tell him he's wasting his time. I'm not showing up no matter what he says. I'm done with this," I replied, my tone sharp and bratty, but there was an edge of exhaustion in my voice too.
But just as I was about to hang up, a deep, calm voice interrupted me.
"Wasting whose time? Tired?" The man's voice was smooth, confident, almost as if he was expecting me to say those very words. My heart skipped a beat.
I stared at my phone, Jane's name still glowing on the screen. This wasn't right. My mind raced. Who the hell is this?
"Who's this? Why do you have Jane's phone?" I demanded, trying to mask my confusion with irritation. My grip on the phone tightened, a cold feeling settling in the pit of my stomach.
"This is Cha-eun," the voice answered, cool and unfazed. "I properly scheduled a meeting with you." The calmness in his tone was maddening, as if he had all the time in the world, and I was just a piece in his game.
I blinked in disbelief. "I never accepted that, just to let you know," I shot back, trying to keep control of the conversation. The last thing I needed was to be manipulated into meeting someone I didn't want to see.
There was a brief silence, then his voice came through again, the same smooth tone, but now with a touch of finality.
"Miss B, we'll discuss everything when you get here. I don't take 'no' for an answer."
It felt like a challenge. The audacity. His words were calculated, meant to unsettle me, to make me feel cornered. And it was working.
I could feel my pulse quickening, the frustration building inside me. Who the hell did he think he was?
"Jo— I mean MS. B! If you don't come here, he'll bother us every day!" Jane's frantic voice rang through the phone, a hint of panic in her tone I'd never heard before.
"If you want to enjoy your slacking, come here fast!" She hung up without giving me a chance to respond. I stood there for a moment, staring at my phone in disbelief. This wasn't the Jane I knew. Something was off. She was... panicking.
I didn't get why Mr. Cha's presence was affecting her this much. Why should I go? It wasn't like their company had never caused trouble for me before. There were always whispers about using my company for their own purposes. It was a game of power, and I wasn't interested in playing.
I exhaled sharply and put my phone down. This wasn't just about me anymore. Something was different, and now, whether I liked it or not, I had to face whatever this was.
"Ms. Jovy, let's go to the car," Hyun-Jin's voice broke through my thoughts. I looked up to see him standing by the door, ready to escort me. There was a calm determination in his eyes, the kind that made me feel like I wasn't alone in this.
I nodded, pushed the thoughts away, and followed him. When we got into the car, I settled into the seat, the tension still building in my chest. Hyun-Jin drove silently, the hum of the engine doing little to ease my growing unease. What was I walking into?
By the time we arrived at my condo, I was already bracing myself for whatever chaos was about to unfold. The moment I stepped out of the car, In-hyuk was already waiting for me, his face unreadable as always.
"Ms. Jovy, welcome back," he greeted me with his usual cool demeanor, but I could tell something was off in his eyes too. It was like he knew I had been roped into something I didn't want to be part of.
Without waiting for any response, he and the rest of the team escorted me up to my room. They moved quickly, efficiently. The urgency in their movements only added to the tension building inside me.
I usually did everything myself—my hair, makeup, outfits—but tonight, they took control, as if something was about to happen that required me to look a certain way. For a second, I almost felt like I had no say in this.
The team worked fast, dressing me up, styling my hair, and applying makeup with precision. It felt like they were preparing me for battle, though I had no idea what I was walking into.
"Can you take this to the office for me?" I asked Hyun-Jin, who had just finished unloading the books from the car. I handed him the paper bag with one of the books inside.
"Did you go shopping, Ms. B?" In-Hyuk asked, glancing at the books Hyun-Jin was carrying.
"A Chaebol decided to cover the cost of all the books I wanted, so I'm just making sure he gets his money's worth," I said with an evil laugh.
"By the way, In-Hyuk, could you grab me an iced coffee? A Spanish Latte, please," I added.
"I heard the new coffee shop across the street is really popular. Thank you!" I smiled.
"Got it!" he said, flashing a quick grin before heading out without hesitation.
The team finished up quickly, and I made my way to the parking lot where Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk were waiting.
"Miss B," they both greeted me, bowing slightly. Hyun-Jin opened the door for me.
I slid into the car, and In-Hyuk took his place in the back seat next to me, while Hyun-Jin got behind the wheel.
"Here's your Spanish latte, Ms. B," Hyun-Jin said, handing me the iced coffee.
I smiled and took it from him. "Thank you so much," I replied, my voice more sincere than I had intended.
"Miss B, we need your approval on the quality of the designs. Can you take a look?"
I took the tablet from him, my eyes scanning the array of designs laid out before me—dresses, shirts, suits, pants, skirts—each one showcasing hours of work. But none of it felt right.
I paused, my fingers brushing over the screen, studying the finer details. "The stitches are too far apart. It needs more precision here, and these seams... they're sloppy," I muttered, frustration creeping in as I scrolled. Every piece seemed to fall short in some way.
"Has Min Young seen these already?" I glanced at the In-Hyuk with a sharp edge to my tone.
The hesitation in his eyes was answer enough. "Not yet. She didn't think they were ready for your approval."
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Send me all the prototypes. I want to see every piece. And inform The Eyes—I want this handled immediately," I ordered, my voice firm, authoritative.
By the time we reached the building, I could feel the weight of what was to come. As we approached the elevator, the usual greetings from the staff fell on deaf ears. But then, I saw her—Jane, standing at the front of the elevator, flanked by all the board members. The way they waited, silent and still, told me everything: this was no ordinary meeting.
"Miss B," they greeted, bowing in unison. All the directors were present.
I turned to Jane with a raised eyebrow. "I thought I was only supposed to greet him?"
"Supposedly, it was just the two of you, but they insisted on meeting him," Jane replied coolly.
I scanned the group, my eyes narrowing. "Listen closely," I said, my voice sharp and commanding. "None of you will speak unless spoken to. You're here to observe. To understand. Understood?"
"Understood, Miss B," they all replied in unison, the air thick with forced compliance.
"Where's the Overseer?" I asked, my tone sharp.
"She's currently attending Mr. Cha at the moment," Shin-Hye replied, her voice steady.
The elevator doors slid open, and we stepped out, heading toward the 20th floor. I'd intentionally placed the meeting room directly in front of my office—both for convenience and, frankly, so I didn't have to walk too far. This floor housed only three key rooms: my office, my personal workshop/studio connected to it, and the large meeting room. There was also a lounge area with the front desk, but only the most important people had access to this floor—typically reserved for board meetings. It was isolated, just the way I preferred it. A quiet space where I could work in solitude, without interruption.
We reached the 20th floor and moved toward the meeting room. Inside, a group of well-dressed men in suits and ties stood waiting. They looked the part—gentlemen, perhaps—but I saw through it. All I saw were money-hungry foxes.
We exchanged polite bows, and I shook hands with the attractive man at the front.
"Let's sit down," I announced, my voice firm, and everyone took their seats.
The directors were practically itching to get this over with. I could already sense their eagerness to make a spectacle out of this—humiliate him if they got the chance. One thing I knew about these people: they hated being used for someone else's gain.
"Mr. Cha," Jane finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Thank you for coming all the way to our office. We apologize if we couldn't prepare anything for your visit." Her tone was carefully controlled, but I could tell she wasn't thrilled to be here either. The tension between us all was palpable.
"No worries, you don't need to bother. We were the ones who barged in without notice," he replied with a smile that could light up the whole room. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear I saw horns instead of a halo.
"I'm impressed. Our office is pretty isolated. Only a few people know how to find it. How'd you manage?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Everyone has their price," he said with a confident grin. "Luckily, those prices aren't too steep. I can afford to get people's mouths unzipped." He continued to tease me, not backing down.
"Impressive, Mr. Cha," I replied, my tone laced with sarcasm. "Money really can buy anything, even people." I glanced over at his men, but they didn't even look my way—silent as stone.
"Mr. Cha, shall we get to the topic?" Jane interrupted, sensing the tension and trying to shift the mood. I scanned the room. Everyone looked pale, sweating, and lifeless. Honestly, I didn't think I had even pushed the conversation that far; it was just casual talk.
"A-Ah, yes, we have a proposal that could benefit both our companies," he stammered, clearly rattled.
I quickly grabbed the book the handsome guy at the store had given me—the one where he had called me stupid.
"Business for Idiots," I whispered to myself, flipping through the pages. I often got bored with the formalities of meetings, which is why Jane usually handled most of them. Otherwise, I'd be asleep within ten minutes from all the endless talking.
"Ah... Miss B? Are you listening?" Mr. Cha's voice had an edge of panic, his face showing a mix of confusion and fear.
"Uh...? Yeah, I'm listening," I smiled awkwardly, trying to smooth over the moment. "You can continue."
"So I was saying, I want to buy a percentage of your assets and do a partnership. We would also like to collaborate this with our malls." he explained. I closed and slammed the book down where it echoed through the room. This is a topic where I couldn't pass by listening.
I closed the book with a deliberate snap, the sound echoing through the room. As I glanced around, I saw the directors' reactions—some faces lit with amusement, others with disbelief, and a few who looked like they'd just seen a ghost.
"Why?" I asked, my gaze sharp and unwavering. I knew my resting bitch face was infamous; I'd heard it enough to know it was working perfectly now.
"So, you see, both parties could benefit from this partnership," he began, trying to maintain his composure. "I personally estimate that about 35% of the total revenue will come our way. Both companies will share a 40% increase in sales. If you factor in manufacturing, production, and distribution, we're looking at a 70-75% increase. This could really skyrocket our value in the market." His confidence was almost palpable.
I smirked, then smiled at him, letting the amusement play across my face. "Hmm," I mused, letting the silence stretch for a moment before I burst into laughter.
"Miss B—" Jane started, but I quickly cut her off.
"Earlier at the bookstore," I said between chuckles, "someone recommended this book and called me stupid in the most creative way possible." I let out another laugh, the sound echoing through the tense room.
He looked pale, almost unnervingly so. I couldn't help but continue, pressing him further.
"Mr. Cha, thank you for the estimation. I appreciate how you did all the work for us," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "But how would it be different if we had every single distributor, store, and mall carrying our collection? How do you think that would benefit me—or my company?" I fixed him with a cold stare, then casually turned my attention elsewhere, letting the silence stretch between us.
"Now, I may not be the most experienced when it comes to running a company," I began, letting the words linger, "but I know exactly who I've chosen to trust." My gaze shifted momentarily to the Directors, who sat quietly, their attention on me. "I've learned that lesson the hard way, and I'm sure you'll get your turn."
I stood up slowly, making sure every move I made commanded the room's full attention. The Directors were watching, their silent support like an unspoken weight at my back. This wasn't just about Mr. Cha—it was about me showing my team who was in control.
I walked toward Mr. Cha, stepping into his personal space with deliberate confidence. "Mr. Cha," I said, my voice firm but calm, "the difference between you and me is that I know my people. I know them." I stopped just in front of him, my eyes locking with his. "I handpicked every single one of them, from the very bottom to the top."
I let the words hang in the air. The Directors, I knew, would understand. "Every. Single. One."
I turned my gaze back to the group, letting the weight of my connection with my team settle in. "I don't just trust them, Mr. Cha. I connect with them. And that's something you'll never have with your people."
The room was heavy with silence, but the Directors? They were amused, clearly entertained by the shift in dynamics. They were soaking it in, each of them recognizing the unspoken power in my words. They didn't need to speak—it was all in the subtle smirks, the glances exchanged.
Mr. Cha, on the other hand, was left with little room to maneuver. The confidence that had once filled the room with his presence now seemed diminished, like a balloon losing air. It was clear he hadn't expected this kind of response.
I leaned towards him, my voice low and deliberate. "The eyes of your people... they're just hungry for money. Tell me, how could I ever trust you and your company when you're surrounded by hungry hyenas?" My gaze flicked over to his men, each one hanging on his every word.
"Aren't we the same? Hungry for money?" he smirked, his words sharp. It was clear—the true nature of a person always emerges when they're cornered. And right now, that was exactly what he was.
"The same?" I threw my head back and laughed. The sound echoed through the vast, quiet meeting room, filling the space with an almost eerie intensity. "HA! Hahahaha!" The room felt smaller with the force of my laughter, and I could feel his discomfort grow with each passing second.
"I'll never compromise the quality of my clothes just to make money and rip off people for their hard-earned cash. That," I said, locking eyes with him, "is the difference."
I smiled sweetly, the tension thick in the air, and turned my gaze to his men. "I'm sure you're not like that, Mr. Cha, right?" I teased, enjoying the subtle game I was playing.
"Miss B, please... calm down," Jane's voice cracked, her face ashen, her usual composure gone. I could tell she was rattled by my outburst.
The Directors were expecting this, they always want me to be like this. Hence why they decided to stick with me now from the very beginning. To protect the brand, we have to build a fortress. We already built an empire. Their faces, behind those they are worried how I reacted.
I straightened my posture, my smile never faltering. "Let's call it a day," I said coolly, turning my attention back to Mr. Cha. "Shin-Hye, you handle everything from here."
With that, I walked out of the room, the directors following close behind—except for Shin-Hye. Jane, In-Hyuk, and Hyun-Jin trailed me as well.
"Noona! Noona! You were a completely different person in there!" he said, jogging to catch up.
Ji-Won laughed. "Where was the real B hiding?" she teased.
"She never left," Ju Ji-Hoon chimed in, a grin spreading across his face.
"I'm so blessed to witness this," Min-Young quipped sarcastically. "A front-row seat to the show!"
As expected, Ju-Ho, Min-Hyun, Kyung-Pyo, and In-Hyeop stayed quiet, the brainy group keeping to themselves. But I could feel their smiles as they watched the scene unfold.
"The last time she went off like that was when we were fighting," Jae-Young and Jae-Won said in perfect unison.
"Should we dispose of him, Ms. B.?" Lee Soo-Hyuk's voice sliced through the chatter. The abruptness caught me off guard.
"Haysh, this meathead," I muttered. "We don't need to cause a scene."
Everyone burst into laughter, leaving Lee Soo-Hyuk confused. His assistant, Yoon Park, quickly jumped in. "Keep your thoughts to yourself," he said, before turning to me.
It always gets rowdy when these guys are around.
We reached the front of the building where the car was waiting. The Overseer and the directors bowed, offering their farewells as they saw me off.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cha's POV:
"Ah... Miss B? Are you listening?" I glanced at the book she pulled out. Business for Idiots?
Why is she reading that here?
What's she doing with that? Did she know I gave her that book? Is she mocking me?
I pressed on, continuing to explain the advantages of these collaborations. The numbers are 100% accurate, and I'm confident this will benefit both of our companies.
She closed the book with a sharp snap and slammed it down on the table. I couldn't help but stare at her.
She might be insane.
"Earlier, at the bookstore, someone recommended this book and basically called me stupid in the most polite way possible," she said.
Earlier? At the bookstore?
SHT, SHE'S THAT WOMAN? OH FCK, I MESSED THIS UP SO BAD.
Was she mad because I gave her that book? Does she know who I am?
WHAT AM I GONNA DO?! WAIT—
Did she not recognize me? Or maybe she does, but is pretending?
"Mr. Cha, I handpicked everyone from the ground up in this company. EVERY... SINGLE... ONE..." She stared at me, her eyes piercing.
She walked toward me with undeniable confidence, then stood so close I could feel the tension. Without a second thought, she leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"The eyes of your people are just hungry for money. In what way should I ever trust you and your company if you're surrounded by hungry hyenas?" she whispered.
She's mocking me. Does she think I'm desperate for this deal?
I refused to let my pride take a hit. This was all within my calculations—nothing was out of my control.
"Aren't we the same? Hungry for money?" I replied, my voice steady and confident.
"The same? HA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" She laughed, her voice laced with madness.
A lunatic, a possessed witch. "I'll never sell out my integrity for money, to rip people off. That's the difference."
She smiled at me—wait, did she? Was it a grin, or was she eyeing something behind me? Something more... calculating?
What the hell is she implying? I glanced around at my men.
"I'm sure you're not like that, Mr. Cha, right?"
Is she really trying to tease me?
This bitch knows exactly how to get under my skin.
"Miss B, please, calm down," her assistant intervened.
"Let's wrap this up for today, Shin-Hye. You handle the rest."
Wait, where is she going?
She's completely insane!
Did she seriously just storm out like that??!?!
I fell into deep thought, wondering what this all meant for my company. I glanced at my associates, one by one—maybe they knew something I didn't.
Her assistant noticed my stare and quickly approached me, almost running.
"Mr. Cha, I'm so sorry. She's... quite sensitive when it comes to that topic. I'll arrange another one-on-one meeting with her. My apologies," she said, bowing low.
"O-Oh, no worries," I muttered, still trying to process everything. "Let's go."
As I walked out of the building, my mind kept racing. "Ms. B, you've got a lot of secrets yet to be uncovered... What is it that you're hiding?"
-End-