Chapter 257 - Surveillance
Scratch, scratch.
The sound of the fountain pen nib scraping against the paper echoed exceptionally loud in the quiet cafe.
On the table, at the very bottom of the contract's signature line, the name 'Yoo Ji-won' was now clearly inscribed.
With that, it was over.
No—it was just the beginning.
"Then let's leave it at that. You can start tomorrow."
Minseo spoke calmly as he tucked the contract away, his attitude clean and concise.
Ji-won, however, swallowed a heavy sigh.
Fuck... I'm going out of my mind, seriously.
Two hundred and fifty million won. Normally, the thought of that much money hitting her bank account would have her grinning from ear to ear.
But her body was having the exact opposite reaction.
The scent of Minseo's cologne wafted across the table. Every time that cool, strangely sweet fragrance brushed the tip of her nose, a shiver ran down her spine.
The memory of 'that night' was still burned into every corner of her brain.
It was a conditioned reflex. Like Pavlov's dog, her heart began to race uncontrollably the moment he drew near.
Calm down, Yoo Ji-won. You're a Security Guard. He's just the client.
She was struggling to keep her expression neutral while coaching herself when she heard it.
Tap, tap.
The rhythmic, sharp click of high heels.
Someone was approaching like a shadow behind Minseo's back.
Ji-won instinctively looked up and caught her breath.
"......!"
The woman looked surreal. Long, wavy brown hair fluttered elegantly. Her well-tailored khaki suit fit her perfectly, and her breasts, swelling as if they might burst through the fabric, were more than just distracting—they were almost threatening.
A model? An actress?
No, she wasn't just some flashy socialite.
Ji-won's eyes narrowed. The instincts she'd honed through countless sparring matches screamed at her.
This woman is dangerous.
She was a predator hiding her claws behind a beautiful mask.
I have to stop her.
The ink on the contract wasn't even dry yet. Ji-won stood up without hesitation and strode in front of Minseo, blocking the unknown woman's path.
"Stop right there."
Ji-won's voice turned ice-cold. The woman who had been worrying about money seconds ago was gone, replaced by a human shield.
"What's your business here?"
Her tone was firm. The woman's footsteps came to a dead stop.
Every eye in the cafe shifted toward them. Sensing the commotion, Minseo turned around with a puzzled look.
"Ji-won-ssi, what's the—? Wait."
Minseo's eyes nearly popped out of his head. His jaw dropped as he stared at the woman.
The Baekhwa Organization. She was an Executive of that massive, secretive syndicate—and effectively the eldest sister of the group.
It was Han Chae-ryeong.
"Noo... Noona?"
Minseo's voice cracked, trembling with shock and bewilderment.
Chae-ryeong's eyes widened, and then she smiled as brightly as a flower in bloom.
"Oh my. Minseo-ya."
Her voice was soft and gentle as she raised a hand elegantly. She acted like a neighborhood noona bumping into a cute younger brother, without a single trace of bloodlust.
Ji-won blinked slowly. The tension in her shoulders vanished instantly.
What? They know each other?
Looking closer, the woman did seem familiar. She looked like the one who had rushed over a few days ago when Minseo was in trouble. Things had been too hectic then for Ji-won to get a good look at her.
Quickly assessing the situation, Ji-won bowed her head.
"Ah... I'm sorry. I was out of line."
"No, it's fine. It's your first day on the job, so it's natural to be a bit overzealous. I completely understand."
Chae-ryeong nodded with a gentle smile, radiating poise and generosity.
Just as Ji-won was about to breathe a sigh of relief, everything changed.
In an instant, Chae-ryeong's expression shifted—the playful gaze of a predator that had finally cornered its prey.
"Minseo-yaaa~ do you have any idea how much Noona missed you?"
"Ugh?!"
Chae-ryeong lunged at him. It was less of a hug and more of an ambush.
Thump.
Minseo's face was swallowed whole by her massive chest. The sheer volume was overwhelming. His face was buried deep in the cleavage of her breasts, which looked ready to burst out of her khaki jacket.
"Mmph...! N... Noona...! I can't... breathe...!"
Minseo's legs flailed, but Chae-ryeong had no intention of letting go. Instead, she tightened her grip, pressing the back of his head deeper into her chest.
"We didn't even get to talk properly last time because I was so busy. Right? Noona was so upset she couldn't even sleep."
"Mmf-heub... I... was... wrong...!"
Minseo's muffled screams were lost against her soft flesh. His ears turned bright red from the lack of oxygen as Chae-ryeong's body constricted him. It was an act of violence, yet at the same time, an incredibly erotic sight.
Ji-won watched the scene with her mouth hanging open, her face burning hot.
What the hell is wrong with these people?
This went way beyond normal public displays of affection. It looked more like... predation. Minseo was as helpless as a butterfly caught in a spider's web.
Ji-won cleared her throat and snapped her head away, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. Were all the Executives of the Baekhwa Organization this... open-minded?
Wait a minute.
A question flashed through Ji-won's mind. Wasn't Kang Minseo dating that blonde woman? The one named Ji-ha who had been with him in the kitchen? They had definitely spent the night together.
Ji-won's logic was simple: Sex = Relationship. No other formula existed in her head.
Then who is this woman...?
While Ji-won's mind was spinning, Chae-ryeong finally let go of Minseo, looking satisfied.
"Gah!"
Minseo gasped for air like a drowning man reaching the surface. His hair was a mess, and vivid red lipstick marks stained his face. He looked like he'd just survived a very rough encounter.
"By the way, Noona... how did you even know I was here?" Minseo asked, desperately straightening his collar.
Chae-ryeong rested her chin on her hand and gave him a sultry smile.
"I was keeping watch, obviously."
"...Pardon?"
"I was worried about whether my Minseo was doing his job properly~."
She reached out and tapped his cheek.
"What? Then... you were watching the whole time?"
Minseo's pupils shook. Chae-ryeong smiled seductively and wrapped her arm around his waist. Minseo stiffened at the familiar touch.
"Of course. You can't do anything without me, can you? I have to look after you."
Her voice was gentle, but the possessiveness behind it was thick and suffocating. A cold sweat ran down Minseo's spine.
I'm going crazy.
He dreaded to think how this looked to Ji-won. He was supposed to be the employer—the charismatic, tragic protagonist surrounded by enemies. But the reality? He was being toyed with by one Noona after another like a human punching bag, nearly suffocating in their tits.
Image management... I need to fix my image.
Minseo glanced at Ji-won. He didn't want her to see the reality of his messy, submissive private life. At the very least, he wanted to seem like a 'man' in front of her.
"Ahem."
Minseo cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure. Pulling slightly away from Chae-ryeong, he reached out to Ji-won.
"Anyway, Ji-won-ssi. Welcome aboard. I look forward to working with you."
He tried to sound as professional as possible. Ji-won dazed for a moment before quickly shaking his hand.
"Ah, yes. I look forward to it as well."
They shook hands—the first official step as business partners. Just as the atmosphere was starting to feel normal again, Chae-ryeong wedged herself between them.
"Please take good care of our Minseo," she said, beaming at Ji-won.
"Because he's the man I love."
"......."
"......."
A heavy silence fell over the cafe. Minseo's hand froze in mid-air. Ji-won's eyes darted back and forth, completely lost.
"...That means..." Ji-won stammered.
Chae-ryeong locked her arm with Minseo's, driving the point home as her voluminous breasts crushed his forearm.
"Minseo and I are dating. Hehe."
Minseo felt his mental state shatter. The color drained from his face.
"Noo... Noona! What are you saying all of a sudden...!"
He tried to cover her mouth in horror, but Chae-ryeong dodged his hand like a snake and kept talking, looking even more excited now. Seeing Minseo flustered and helpless was so thrilling she could hardly stand it.
"Why? We've already gone all the way, haven't we?"
"...Gasp."
Ji-won let out a sharp breath.
All the way?
Did that mean they'd slept together?
She turned her gaze toward Minseo. It wasn't exactly contempt, but pure, unadulterated confusion. Her mental database was crashing.
He was just in the kitchen with that blonde woman... but he's with this one too?
Two-timing? No, three-timing? Was she now the bodyguard for a world-class philanderer?
"Mi... Minseo-ssi... aren't you dating someone else...?" Ji-won asked, her voice trembling with genuine curiosity.
But that innocent question only added fuel to the fire. Chae-ryeong's eyes curved into crescent moons.
"Oh my? Someone else?"
She whispered into Minseo's ear, her lips brushing his lobe as if she were about to bite it. Her voice was clear enough for Ji-won to hear every word.
"Who is she, Minseo-ya? Did you cheat on me?"
"No, no! Noona, please! Ji-won-ssi, don't misunderstand! She's joking!"
Minseo waved his hands desperately, but Chae-ryeong just wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling at his reaction.
"A joke? How disappointing. Especially after you've seen every inch of my body."
"Uwaaaak!"
Minseo let out a strangled cry, and Ji-won's brain completely short-circuited. Only one thought remained in her mind, floating in the void.
This man... is truly dangerous.
Of course, she meant it in a very different way than Minseo had intended. It was the moment the gates to a hellish—or perhaps heavenly—harem swung wide open.