* * *
As I thought that far, I narrowed my eyes and stared at the spray placed to her left.
“That… is that an air freshener? Earlier, in the elevator, some employees were holding their noses when they looked at me. Do I smell?”
“This?”
She nonchalantly shook the spray and then sprayed it on a couple of plants by the window.
“It’s just mint leaf-infused water. And what do you mean, smell? Secretary Seonyul, you don’t smell at all. In fact, it’s precisely because you don’t smell that it’s more noticeable…”
Trailing off, she continued spraying the plants.
So, did she just spray that mint water on me?
Based on what grounds?
Instead of questioning her, I glared at her. Then, Dr. Jeong awkwardly put the spray down and sprayed herself.
“It’s great for your skin. Your skin looked a bit dry, Secretary Seonyul, so I used my secret remedy. Look at me, my skin is so smooth.”
“…I don’t think so.”
“You’ve really been deceived, Secretary Seonyul.”
She laughed heartily and handed me the spray, reminding me to use it occasionally.
Then, she pushed me out of the infirmary, telling me to get back to work.
Standing in the hallway with the spray in my hand, I bit my lips in frustration as I stared at the tightly closed door.
“Dr. Jeong, you’ll get your karma for this.”
“I can hear you!”
In response to my frustrated words, Dr. Jeong scolded me to get back to work and to stop slacking off.
Though it stung, she wasn’t wrong, so I trudged away.
The water in the spray sloshed as I held it. I wondered if it was a deodorizer, but there was no reason for that.
I thought maybe it had CEO Han’s pheromones, but it didn’t smell like anything.
Besides, deodorizers are usually scentless. So, this couldn’t be a deodorizer.
Holding the spray Dr. Jeong had given me in one hand and my tablet in the other, I quietly got on the elevator.
I gently touched my cheek reflected in the elevator mirror. It did look dry. The cause was obvious.
Swallowing my tears, I stood between quitting and the need for money.
Life is never easy.
Unexpected overtime was not something to celebrte about. Just before I was about to leave work, CEO Han had handed me a party invitation, dragging me here. It wasn’t a scheduled party, so there was a lot to prepare in a hurry.
The hastily borrowed clothes from a shop were luxurious but quite uncomfortable. Even though I was neatly dressed in a three-piece suit, I didn’t belong at such events. Not that I minded attending.
After all, these activities all came with extra pay, and turning fatigue into money was an alchemy that rivaled any creative economy.
“There’s extra pay, so stop complaining and attend the party.”
At CEO Han’s words, I quietly attended the party.
What bothered me was that he mentioned the extra pay, even though it was something I was already supposed to receive.
The party venue was lavish without needing to say a word.
Standing behind the CEO, I maintained a blank expression while scanning the surroundings. The hall was filled with invited guests.
‘Damn, there are so many people.’
The party included everyone from company chairmen and CEOs to celebrities and magazine editors.
It was evident that this party wasn’t organized overnight.
It also meant the event was deliberately kept secret from CEO Han.
I felt self-reproach for not catching on earlier, but if the chairman wanted to hide it, there was nothing I could do.
The problem was the guest list. It was full of notorious troublemakers.
From celebrities who had been jailed for drugs to TV producers caught in wild sex parties, to the chairman of a major group who only dated significantly younger women and made minor scandals.
At this point, it seemed like the country’s political and entertainment circles were filled with garbage.
Compared to them, CEO Han, who simply dated, seemed almost saintly. I wasn’t sure whether to feel grateful or not.
Shaking off idle thoughts, I noticed a woman in a red dress approaching with a wine glass.
I quickly whispered to the CEO.
“That’s singer Jeonghyeon. She recently released a new song, ‘Today with You,’ and is currently dating the CEO of an entertainment company under J Group.”
As soon as I finished, she greeted CEO Han with a bright smile.
“Hello, CEO. It’s been a while since you attended a party.”
“I’ve been busy with work.”
Here, “work” had a double meaning. It could mean construction work or a mix of personal and business affairs.
I glanced at the CEO’s formal smile and then at Jeonghyeon. She gently touched the CEO’s shoulder, smiling.
“Please attend more parties. It’s so hard to see you.”
“I didn’t realize I needed to report my attendance at such trivial parties. I’ll try to attend if I have time.”
With that brief response, the CEO moved away. He seemed quite annoyed. But he didn’t get far before the lights went out, and a spotlight lit up the center of the banquet hall.
On a slightly elevated platform stood the chairman of Daewon Group, CEO Han’s father.
“Though the preparation period was short, I’m delighted that so many people gathered for this modest charity party.”
One thing I learned from this job was that the rich always called their extravagant parties modest.
They used tens of thousands of won wine glasses and million-won chandeliers but claimed the event was modest.
The reason was simple: to show that such a party didn’t even dent their pockets.
They spent money like water but spoke humbly.
“Please enjoy the party. Fortunately, it’s Friday night. Relax, drink, and rest in your assigned rooms before heading back.”
With that brief speech, the hall brightened again. I watched the chairman descend the stairs hand in hand with his second wife while following CEO Han.
“It doesn’t seem like a simple party, CEO.”
“Anyone with eyes can see that.”
CEO Han glanced at me, then handed me a small snack, his lips curling.
Inviting so many scandalous figures also meant there were many respectable ones.
Noisy gatherings drew attention, after all.
CEO Han took a glass of white wine from a passing waiter.
He probably wouldn’t drink it, but holding something was a party rule. I adjusted my jacket sleeve while scanning the room.
The party was packed with people from politics, business, and the arts. Spotting a couple approaching, I whispered to the CEO.
“That’s director Ko Jaeyoon, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. His film, ‘Fish’s Tail,’ depicts social corruption and is praised for its stunning visuals and musical elements.”
I glanced at the petite woman standing next to director Ko and continued speaking.
“The woman standing next to him is Xiao Yuan, the artistic director of Li Cai. She’s a naturalized Chinese descent. Although she’s said not to be fluent in Korean, people who’ve met her in private say she speaks quite well. Noteworthy is that… she’s an Omega.”
As soon as CEO Han heard the word “Omega,” his face stiffened drastically. He seemed to despise them. However, when the two people approached, he plastered a typical capitalist smile on his face.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Hello, CEO! It’s been a while!”
The three of them started chatting as if they were old friends. One might wonder what there was to talk about when it was all superficial, but networking always began with such trivial matters.
I stood a few steps away to let them converse comfortably. Suddenly, a glass filled with green liquid was thrust in front of me.
“No drinking on duty.”
“Eh? Seonbi, why so strict?”
“Yes.”
Without even looking, I replied, and a grumbling sound came from beside me. The glass was taken away, and the owner of the voice appeared before me.
A woman in a flashy dress adorned with golden sequins pouted and complained. Mostly, it was complaints about me giving curt responses and grumbling about being dragged to this bothersome party.
“Long time no see, Ms. Gayun. Last time you wore black, but today it’s gold. I thought black suited you better, but today’s dress looks good on you too. The designer has a keen eye.”
“Isn’t Doha oppa so boring? Tell him to join parties more often so he can socialize.”
“Sorry, I’ve been busy lately and don’t have much free time.”
I smiled quietly and brushed off her words. Jeong Gayun. Despite her cute face, her underlying nature was extremely cruel.
* * *
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Thanks for the chapter
❤
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Thank you
Hmmm the spray is interesting
…
Thanks