Chapter 213 - Season 2 - Executive Life 1
Creeeeak—
The heavy door swung open, and the women in suits bowed in perfect unison toward the figure entering the room.
"Greetings, Executive-nim."
"Good morning."
As they offered their formal greetings, the women remained bent at sharp ninety-degree angles.
Despite their polite posture, their eyes were darting back and forth, admiring—no, marveling at the man they called 'Executive.'
He was cute.
No, he was beautiful. Strikingly handsome.
Long, sweeping eyelashes, flawlessly pale skin, and large, clear eyes.
Pretty, cute, handsome—he was the living embodiment of every such word combined.
And yet, this man...
Had become someone no one dared to touch.
Because he was the personal obsession of Hayoung, the Boss of 'Baekhwa'—the most powerful mafia organization in the country.
"Really... you don't have to be so formal with me..."
He offered an awkward, bashful smile.
Kang Minseo had been living as an Executive for a month now, but he still hadn't adjusted to the rigid, reverent greetings of the subordinates.
It's only natural I can't get used to it. Just a few months ago... ugh...
Faint memories of his time at rock bottom resurfaced in his mind.
He had originally infiltrated Baekhwa as a police spy, only to be caught red-handed by Hayoung.
After his cover was blown, he was confined and reduced to a mere sex slave.
His body had been violated day after day, fucked into submission by Hayoung and the other female executives.
But then, by chance, I discovered another spy within the organization.
After a series of chaotic events, I managed to apprehend them. In recognition of that achievement, my status was restored, and I was gradually reinstated as an Executive.
Thud—
Shaking off the memories of that whirlwind period, Minseo entered his private office and closed the door.
"Man... time really flies."
It had already been a month since his return to power.
Minseo was finally settling back into his old life.
Sinking into his plush black leather chair, he allowed himself a satisfied smile, but...
That peace was short-lived.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
His happiness was shattered by the relentless barrage of notifications from the phone on his desk.
The screen flashed and the device vibrated incessantly, day in and day out.
"Ugh... here we go again..."
That was the problem.
Minseo was currently nursing a massive headache because of this.
The culprits behind the digital assault were obvious.
[Seo-young]
'Minseo, what are you doing?'
[Hayoung Noona]
'What are your plans for today?'
[Chae-ryeong Noona]
'Everything okay? What have you been up to lately??'
[Suhyeon]
'I miss you.'
[Yu-jin Noona]
'I'm horny.'
[Ji-ha]
'I love you~'
It was a non-stop stream of messages from the women who vied for his attention every waking hour.
"Huu... how am I supposed to deal with all of this?"
Minseo sighed, rubbing his temples.
At first, he had tried his best to reply to everyone.
Since he'd been kidnapped twice, he knew they were worried, and he felt an obligation to let them know he was safe.
But as his workload increased, the messages only became more frequent and demanding.
It had reached a breaking point.
Now, a month in, Minseo was completely drained.
The constant pestering had exhausted him to the point where he was considering doing something reckless.
"The constant buzzing is driving me crazy... Maybe I should just turn it off for a little while?"
He knew that if he ignored them, the messages would turn into terrifying threats...
Every time that happened, his heart would race, and he'd scramble to check his phone.
But... what if he just shut the whole thing down?
Even though he knew better, his hand was already reaching for the device, his mind spinning excuses.
"Yeah... let's just turn it off for ten minutes. I'll just say the battery died..."
Minseo carefully picked up the phone and...
Click.
The screen, which had been lighting up like a Christmas tree, finally went dark.
The moment the phone died, a wide grin spread across Minseo's face. He felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of relief at being disconnected from the world.
He hadn't realized how much he missed being "analog."
He felt the bliss of silence deep in his bones.
No messages to read, no status to update.
For the first time in a long time, Minseo felt free. Truly free.
"This is incredible. This is what 'healing' feels like, right?"
He reclined his chair all the way back—
creeeak
—and closed his eyes tight, savoring the tranquility.
"Just ten minutes... I'll turn it back on in ten minutes."
Humming to himself, he surrendered his body to the soft leather, soaking in the rest.
"Mmm... this is the life... this is it..."
Minseo's plan was perfect.
Or it would have been, if he had actually turned the phone back on ten minutes later.
The one thing he overlooked was his own exhaustion.
He'd been tired since he arrived at work that morning.
And leaning back in a plush, comfortable chair?
It was a recipe for disaster.
Predictably, sleep claimed him instantly.
What was meant to be a ten-minute nap stretched into thirty... then forty minutes.
And that was when she burst into his office.
SLAM!
"...Ma... Madam Hayoung...?"
The subordinate outside stood frozen, eyes wide with shock as the Boss kicked the door open.
"Is Minseo in his office?"
Hayoung lowered her sunglasses, her brow furrowed in a terrifying scowl as she struggled to contain her exploding rage.
"Uh... yes... Executive Kang Minseo should be working right now..."
The subordinate stammered, completely rattled by the Boss's sudden, violent arrival.
"So the bastard is inside? That's all I need to know."
Hayoung let out a heavy, dangerous sigh and marched toward Minseo's inner office with heavy, predatory steps.
Stomp! Stomp!
She was beyond furious.
The phone she had given him specifically so she could reach him had been dead for nearly an hour. The ten calls she'd made out of genuine concern had all gone straight to voicemail.
She was already on edge after two kidnapping attempts, and now he was ignoring her calls?
Kang Minseo. You've clearly lost your fucking mind.
It seemed his life as an Executive had become a little too comfortable. He had forgotten his place.
No matter how high his rank, Hayoung was the Boss. Period.
There was a hierarchy in this organization, and she was going to remind him of it.
BANG!!!
Hayoung kicked the office door so hard it nearly flew off its hinges. The sound echoed like a gunshot through the room.
"Gah—!!"
Startled by the crash, Minseo bolted upright in his chair like a coiled spring.
His groggy, sleep-deprived face met Hayoung's murderous gaze directly.
"...Uh...?"
Still half-asleep, Minseo wondered for a fleeting second if he was having a nightmare.
"Did you have a nice nap, Kang Minseo?"
Hayoung's eyes were sharp enough to draw blood. She ground her teeth, her presence radiating a cold fury that pinned him to his seat.
Minseo's confusion slowly dissolved into pure, unadulterated terror as the reality of the situation set in.
The moment he saw her face, he knew.
He wasn't going home in one piece today.
Oh, I am so fucked.
He debated for a split second whether he should just throw himself on the floor and start begging.
Hayoung broke the suffocating silence first.
"Do you want to die?"
The words were like ice water down his spine.
Despite the warmth of the room, a chilling aura seemed to swirl around her.
Minseo's eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape that didn't exist. His legs began to tremble.
"Kang Minseo."
At the sound of that cold, ruthless voice—
"Yes, Boss!"
The answer was out of his mouth before he could think. It was a conditioned reflex, a remnant of the months she had spent "training" him.
"Why is your phone off?"
Her gaze swept over his body before landing on the dark device on his desk.
Minseo's legs were shaking violently now. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Shit... shit... how do I fix this?
Seeing Hayoung this enraged after so long triggered a primal fear in him.
In his panic, he blurted out the first lie he could think of.
"T-the battery... it died..."
He regretted it the instant the words left his lips. It was a pathetic lie that wouldn't hold up for a second.
But it was too late.
Snatch!
Hayoung grabbed the phone and held down the power button.
"No... Noona...!!"
Minseo reached out to stop her, but she cut him off with a look.
"If you're lying to me... you'd better be prepared for what comes next."
Her voice was so cold it felt like his heart might stop. Her face was a mask of pure, simmering rage.
Seeing that expression, Minseo turned pale. Tears of pure terror began to well up in his eyes.
Thud.
"Huuu... haaa... I... I'm sorry... please..."
He collapsed to his knees in the most pitiful display of submission.
With his palms pressed together, he began to beg fervently. Tears streamed down his face as his voice cracked with desperation.
"I didn't... I didn't mean to... please... I really messed up... I'm so sorry..."
Hayoung watched him for a moment, her gaze icy and detached. She looked down at the sobbing man and spoke with blunt authority.
"Strip. Now, Kang Minseo."