* * *

It was a question, without the usual “Are you alright?” at the end.

As if my opinion really mattered that much.

I’d had sex with this man multiple times, but it had always felt like an illusion that would disappear.

A sex partner was something that could always be replaced, as was a secretary.

To be honest, regardless of how clinical the arrangement was, I should have never clung to him, not even on that night I’d been drunk.

“After all, it’s a more beneficial family than Jungha’s. It’s a great opportunity for you.”

Instead of saying I was fine, I replied with an answer that held none of my true feelings.

---

Seeing the first light of dawn, I let out a hollow laugh.

I hadn’t slept at all.

I’d spent the entire night with my phone in hand, looking up things like “resort business,” “JS Hotel,” “Hong Yookyung,” “how to win the lottery,” “dominant omega,” “omega pheromones,” and “two-story house with a yard.”

A list of search terms completely devoid of any common thread, purely driven by a stream of consciousness.

After coaxing Han Doha back to his room last night, I returned to my own.

But I couldn’t sleep and ended up staying awake the whole night.

My mind was tangled, thoughts linking one after the other without end.

“Get a grip…”

Deciding I might as well shower and get ready, I stumbled into the bathroom.

In the mirror above the sink, I saw myself, red veins visible in my eyes, looking like a ghost.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Was it a mistake to have been born, at this rate?

Since I’d learned how to give up things before learning how to take them, I had never really harbored grand ambitions.

Money was only something I was aggressively pursuing to pay off debts.

The thought of owning a house was just a small wish, something that would, hopefully, make life a bit easier.

It wasn’t greed; it was simply hope.

I hadn’t accepted the role of Han Doha’s sex partner for the money.

I hadn’t intended to get into heat cycles with him.

I’d only taken the position of his secretary because, well… though it wasn’t perfect, it was a decent job.

Everything else had been a mistake.

After washing up, I took a suppressant on an empty stomach and went downstairs.

Listening to the distant sound of waves, I looked around the living room.

It was spotless.

The only evidence of the previous night was a faint scuff mark on the floor.

I glanced around, wondering if Han Doha had cleaned up, but there was no sign of him.

However, a note was waiting for me on the table.

[Eat your meal. They say if you leave food uneaten, you’ll be sent to hell to finish it all, so let’s avoid that.]

The note had a premise that I was headed to hell.

Folding it neatly, I slipped it into my pocket and headed to the dining room.

The same neat meal, just as I’d seen all week, was laid out on the square table.

Only this time, it was warm, as if freshly made.

“I didn’t hear him moving around…”

A wave of guilt washed over me.

Objectively, being cared for this much warranted a thank-you, regardless of personality, gender, or temperament.

Honestly, it’s hard for anyone to go this far for someone else.

I climbed back upstairs, knocking on Han Doha’s door, waiting for him to answer.

But despite knocking several times, there was no response.

Opening the door, I saw the room looking cleaner than I remembered.

“Han Doha? Sir? Are you here?”

As I poked my head into the room, a sense of unease settled over me.

There was no trace of anyone having stayed there.

The sheets on the bed were perfectly smooth, without a single crease, as if no one had slept there.

Opening the wardrobe hastily, I held my breath as I saw it empty.

I distinctly recalled there being a few clothes he had purchased locally.

My heart pounded.

“Contact… I need to contact him…”

Searching my pockets for my phone, I suddenly remembered I’d left it in my own room.

I spun around and ran.

As I reached the room I’d been staying in, a small note was stuck to the door.

I blinked as I read it.

[Return home as planned. I left early to take care of some things. Think of this as my apology for stealing your vacation time, and consider it a reward. There won’t be a next time.]

Why was he suddenly calling me by my title, Secretary Seonyul?

He had used my name this whole time; he should have at least been consistent.

Suppressing my growing anxiety, I peeled off the note with a shaky hand to reveal another underneath.

[I’ve booked you accommodation near the airport. If you need a ride, call this number: 902-XXX-XXXX.]

“You little brat…”

I barged into the room and grabbed my phone, immediately calling the Seoul office to confirm if it was true.

The response was that Han Doha was already on a plane headed home.

And, of course, on a private jet waiting in Toronto.

He had flown here on a commercial flight but had called in a private jet to return.

And as his personal secretary, I had known nothing about it.

At that moment, I truly understood that I had been excluded from all of his plans.

---

While waiting for my flight schedule at Toronto Airport, I called the office once again, gnawing at my nails anxiously.

—The CEO ordered that no one tells you anything until your vacation is over, Secretary Seonyul.

“Seriously, do you expect me to believe I, his personal secretary, am just supposed to know nothing? Just tell me already; my vacation ends tomorrow anyway.”

—Um… the CEO is in a meeting… I, uh, have to go join them too.

The day I found his note, I rushed to the airport immediately, but changing flights wasn’t as easy as I hoped.

Flights to Toronto only run every other day, and on the only available day with a connecting flight, all seats to Korea were booked.

I had no choice but to wait until the final day of my leave.

I’ve never felt so anxious and impatient in my life.

These past few days have felt like I was being drained dry.

I should have said thank you.

If not that, I should have at least apologized.

No, it would’ve been better to openly admit my anxious feelings and apologize honestly.

I deceived him.

Right in front of the one person who cares so deeply about me, I kept feeding him ridiculous lies.

It took less than a day for my thoughts to spiral that far.

My mind was so tangled that I barely had a moment to realize how irrational I’d become.

“Deputy, I haven’t asked you for anything weird, right? Why is it a problem for me to know the CEO’s schedule today—or tomorrow? I’ll have to deal with it when I get back anyway.”

—You should try adjusting to the time difference, Sir. Besides, it would be tough to take on responsibilities right when you return. The president said he’d lighten your workload for a day or two.

“That’s why…!”

I barely held back from raising my voice. It wasn’t Deputy Lee’s fault.

Silently, I screamed inwardly, trying to calm myself down, and said softly.

“Why is he suddenly being considerate now, when he’s never cared before?”

—Hey, after eight years, isn’t it time to switch to desk work? Maybe that’s why? Ah, sorry, Sir, I really have to go. See you when you get back!

The call ended abruptly, leaving me with no time to respond.

I quickly dialed Han Doha’s number, but it cut off after only two rings.

It was one of two things: he either blocked me or hung up as soon as he saw my name.

I’d been doing this for days.

My call log was now filled with nothing but ‘CEO Han Doha.’

This is no joke…! I anxiously checked the time. I was genuinely losing it.

The reason was, obviously, Han Doha.

“Fine, alright. There’s another way.”

With earbuds in, I called Jo Yeonjae, the youngest in the secretarial team, while continuing my frantic search.

Daewon Group attracts a lot of attention; I searched every keyword related to Han Doha across SNS and portal sites.

Strangely, there were very few articles.

There were some mentions on SNS, but it was mostly idle gossip, like “Spotted on the 60th floor,” offering no useful information.

Then, I heard a familiar voice through the earbuds.

—Ah, Sir! Long time no see.

“Yeonjae, it’s been a while. How have you been? I haven’t been in touch since I’m on leave. Everything going well?”

—Yes, the TF team has been very supportive. Sir, when are you coming back? Are you already back?

“I’m on my way back now. Did the president come in today?”

As soon as I asked about Han Doha, Yeonjae went silent.

I thought the call had dropped, but I could still hear the faint background noise.

Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, Yeonjae replied cautiously.

—Sir, I really like you, you know that?

“…I like you too, Yeonjae. But that aside, what’s going on….”

—No, I mean it. As a mentor, I truly respect and admire you. You’re an amazing boss. People like you don’t come along often. But, Sir… my dream is to live a long, quiet life. I’m too young to live a short, quiet life.

“What?”

—I’ll treat you to a meal when you get back! Well, gotta go now!

Has everyone gone crazy?

I held back for as long as I could before calling Yoon Sanghye.

She owed me a favor, so I figured she’d answer at least one question.

But even after boarding the plane, she never picked up, leaving me feeling increasingly anxious.

---

The moment I landed at Incheon Airport, I caught a cab straight to Reed Construction.

It took exactly an hour to get from Incheon to Reed Construction’s headquarters. Holding my suitcase like a keychain, I rushed through the lobby.

Thankfully, I only had one small suitcase.

I ignored the familiar faces who greeted me on the way.

* * *