10 rules of a Secretary chapter 57

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“What gratitude?”

“Just, for a few things…”

If he asked what those “few things” were, it’d be difficult to answer.

I took advantage of the elevator door opening at the right moment and gently tugged at his sleeve.

The movement was so subtle he probably didn’t even notice, but he quietly followed me out.

After leaving the QK Capital building and walking to the back of the nearby parking lot, I stopped and took a deep breath.

Thankfully, there were hardly any people around.

CEO Han had followed me silently the entire way. I felt like I should bow deeply in gratitude.

I let go of his sleeve and kept fidgeting with my hands, remembering how he had once warned me not to let anyone else touch them.

A shiver ran down my spine as I glanced at his still-intimidating expression. If I didn’t handle this right, I might actually die this time.

My hands shook, and I clasped them tightly together.

“I apologize for letting someone else touch me. There’s no excuse for it. So, CEO…”

“…….”

I revealed the cheek that Jeong Gayun’s lips had barely brushed against and squeezed my eyes shut.

I had brought him to this secluded spot so that he wouldn’t ruin his reputation as a company CEO.

I gripped my hands so hard they turned white from the lack of blood circulation, trying to suppress the trembling.

“This side…”

“…….”

“Please, don’t make it hurt too much… I mean…”

“Seonyul.”

I heard the crunch of concrete as his shoes approached.

I sensed his clothes brushing against me, and a large shadow slowly engulfed the dim area around me.

I held my breath, squeezing every bit of tension into my body.

He’s going to hit me, for sure.

The image of him smacking the rookie’s head with a flower pot, and his fists flying towards Vice CEO Han, kept flashing through my mind.

This time, I was the target.

“I can’t stand the thought of anyone else even touching what’s mine.”

“…….”

“You might think I’m treating you like an object, but whether it’s a person, an object, or an animal… if I’ve claimed it as mine, then…”

His breath clung to my trembling skin.

I stopped breathing, my entire body tensing up as if I was squeezing my lungs.

He’s going to hit me. He’s really going to hit me.

But instead of a punch, something soft pressed gently against my cheek and then quickly withdrew.

A faint sound of skin brushing against skin tapped at my eardrum.

What… what just happened?

Did Han Doha… kiss my cheek?

I opened my eyes, only to see his thumb lingering in my line of sight.

Ah, it wasn’t his lips that touched me—it was his finger.

“Even so, I suppose I have to restrain myself.”

His words, exhaled like a sigh, were followed by a slightly calmer version of the beast he had been moments earlier.

A short while ago, he looked like he was ready to tear everything apart, but now he seemed to have simmered down—though still tense enough to maybe throw a punch or two.

“If you really want to test my patience, go ahead—try being the test-maker, not the test-taker.”

He rested his forehead on my shoulder, letting out a deep sigh. I could even hear a few curse words slip out here and there.

What am I supposed to do in a situation like this?

Sure, it was my fault, but it felt like CEO Han had taken the bigger emotional hit.

After all… his long-time secretary was suddenly talking about quitting—it must’ve stung.

Although that scene had led to a huge misunderstanding. I didn’t do anything with Jeong Gayun, but that didn’t mean I had no explanation to give.

As I stared at the weight of his head on my shoulder, I thought for a moment about how one might deal with a child.

CEO Han was two years younger than me, after all.

He was too big to be called a kid, but his actions sometimes made him seem more childish than actual children.

“I’m sorry. I only went to thank Ms. Gayun. Do you remember the wedding the other day? he helped me out when I was in a difficult situation… That’s why I went to thank her.”

I paused briefly, then continued.

“I’m definitely not quitting. I’ll be with you for a hundred years, CEO.”

“…Say that again.”

“I’m definitely not quitting…?”

“After that.”

“I’ll stay with you for a hundred years. I won’t go anywhere—I’ll always be by your side.”

“You need me too, don’t you, CEO? Ah… But let me say upfront, I’ll have to decline the burial. I’m not fond of the idea of being buried alive.”

Sigh. His brief sigh seemed to seep through the thin shirt I wore.

CEO Han, who had been resting his head on my shoulder for a while, straightened up not long after.

I lifted my head and stared blankly at him, then examined the man standing before me.

Naturally, my eyes landed on the tie, which I had tugged at earlier in a bid to save my life.

Raising my hand, I lightly loosened the tie and moved with practiced ease. Then, speaking as if I were soothing a sulky child, I said,

“I’d appreciate it if you could avoid such misunderstandings from now on. Though Ms. Gayun has XX chromosomes, she’s an Alpha.”

“That’s exactly the problem.”

“…I’m a Beta. What would it even mean for me to be with someone like him who has traits?”

As I calmly told this lie, CEO Han suddenly closed his mouth. I quietly straightened his tie.

When I felt his gaze on me, I looked up, and our eyes met.

It was clear from the start that he had been watching only me.

“So, don’t worry.”

“…”

“I won’t ever cheat on you, CEO.”

Quoting his words verbatim, I made sure not to tighten the tie around his neck too much before slowly letting go.

When I took a step back, CEO Han rubbed his face tiredly, as if exhausted.

He looked at my hands, seemingly deep in thought, and let out a sigh.

“If I ever make a mistake and cause you trouble with an irreparable misunderstanding, Seonyul…”

“…”

“When that happens, slap me. Not just once, but twice.”

“And after I slap you, I get fired, right?”

“I’m telling you to slap me twice because once won’t knock any sense into me. Who’s firing who? I’m the one about to get fired here.”

I half-listened to his follow-up, nodding seriously.

A secretary who slaps their boss in the face…

That would be quite the insubordination.

If it comes to that, my life could be ruined along with it, and I might never step foot in this industry again.

CEO Han’s whims, saying whatever he pleases, were impossible to predict.

“If I coldly cast you aside after hearing such an earnest confession, I’d be no better than an animal. And I’m better than that, right? I’m a human being with intelligence.”

He spoke calmly, then reached out and took my trembling hand.

As he looked down at my palm, he sighed again.

My nails had left deep marks on the skin.

“I’ll call a car for you. Go home.”

“I’ll take the bus. You remember, right? I exchanged your car for a plant. I’m just a regular citizen of Korea, so buses and subways are more convenient than a chauffeured car. You don’t have to—”

“Or do you want to settle this right here and now?”

“Thank you.”

His voice, growling low like a beast, was filled with annoyance.

It was clear I had soothed him only to fan his anger again, so I shook my head quickly.

I kept thanking him while smiling brightly, and CEO Han pulled out his phone to call someone.

It seemed like he was calling for someone else, as his regular driver, Driver Jung, had likely already gone home.

Before long, a car with dark tinted windows pulled up in front of the parking lot entrance. Gesturing with his chin, he said,

“Go straight home.”

After hesitating for a moment, I hurried into the car, and the cool air from the air conditioner brushed the back of my neck.

Perhaps because I was nervous, it felt unusually cold.

As I pressed the spot on my cheek where CEO Han had touched earlier, I looked out the window.

By then, there was no one in sight outside.

---

“Hey…”

“Keep your mouth shut for a bit. I’m trying to figure out what to do right now.”

Fidgeting uncomfortably, I obediently relaxed at the sharp words of the intimidating man.

His grip around my waist loosened slightly, and his chin rested on my shoulder.

Outside, colorful lights flickered on the dark Han River. Being on a fairly high floor, the twinkling night view was quite something.

As soon as I got home, I received a text message with only “7 p.m.” written on it.

To be honest, I didn’t want to go, knowing how angry CEO Han was, but the follow-up message left me no choice but to get up immediately.

[If you don’t come today, you’ll have to spend three days at the hotel with me next week.]

It meant we’d be doing ‘that’ for three days straight.

That was something I couldn’t possibly endure, so like a tenant trying to cling to life, I rushed to the hotel. At least it was close to home.

As soon as I entered the hotel room, my clothes were stripped off, leaving only a blindfold to hide my face. I was barely able to put on an oversized hoodie of unknown origin.

It barely covered half my thighs, so one wrong move, and everything would be exposed.

In that state, I was awkwardly plopped down on the living room sofa, but the real problem was my position.

From behind, CEO Han had his arms wrapped around me, and his breathing sent chills down my spine.

There was something unnervingly warm pressing against my lower back, and I was stuck, unable to move or escape.

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