Chapter 13. The Third Male Lead (1)

Translator: Lili

Sera’s resolve to change Shin Sera’s fate in the original story and her determination to remain kind no matter the circumstances lost their light at this moment.

She tore the business card the man handed her in half, crumpled it in one hand, and threw it forcefully. The tightly balled-up scrap of paper smacked against his cheek before falling to the ground.

The moment the man’s gaze landed on her, Sera kicked the driver’s side door with all her strength.

*Bang!*

The hard heel of her shoe left a deep dent right in the middle of what had once been a spotless, gleaming door.

“Fuck, what the hell…?”

The man, who had been exuding nothing but boredom until now, widened his eyes in shock. Sera rummaged through her handbag, pulled out a business card, and curled the stiff paper between her thumb and index finger before flicking it toward his face.

“Send the bill for the door here.”

“…”

“If you want to claim compensation for psychological damages or whatever, go ahead.”

Throwing his own words back at him gave her a slight sense of satisfaction. She glared at the man, who stood there dumbfounded with his mouth slightly open, her gaze filled with contempt.

For a while, they engaged in a silent battle of wills. But then, unexpectedly, the man curled his lips upward and broke into a bright smile. Sera’s eyes wavered in alarm at his abnormal reaction.

‘Smiling… in this situation? He had to be insane.’

It was only then that Sera realized what she had done. In a world where being careful a hundred times over still wasn’t enough, she had just provoked a lunatic openly flaunting his madness. This was something she never would have even considered before—had she really started blending into Shin Sera’s character?

Whatever the case, she needed to get out of here.

Turning on her heel, Sera quickly strode away as if in retreat. Today had been an utterly disastrous day—not only had she completely ruined her first meeting with Cha Jaeheon, but she had also nearly gotten run over by a crazy bastard’s car.

“… A walk? What was I even thinking?”

Hiding behind a building, Sera let out a deep sigh and called her chauffeur. Even the warm glow of spring, which had felt pleasant just moments ago, no longer offered her any comfort.

***

“Vice President, you have a visitor.”

*Knock, knock.*

The secretary rapped cautiously on the office door, informing her of an unexpected guest. Sera lifted her head with a puzzled expression.

“Did I have any appointments today?”

“No, they came without one. But they insisted on seeing you. Should I send them away?”

The secretary looked flustered, as if worried she might get caught in the crossfire.

It had been over two weeks since Sera started working here, yet not once had she received a report or attended a meeting. The reason was simple: she was the company outcast.

At first, she had been bewildered by the way people treated her like she was invisible, so she had taken the initiative to volunteer for tasks. She wasn’t sure she could handle the work properly, but just sitting around doing nothing went against her nature.

But all her efforts had been in vain. And so, she realized…

Her title might be Vice President, but in reality, Shin Sera was nothing more than a figurehead.

This atmosphere wasn’t just because of Shin Sera’s incompetence. More than anything, it was because most of Sungwon Trading’s executives were on Lee Rowoon’s side. If even the leadership treated her this way, there was no reason for the employees to respect her. Even her own team members ignored her.

No matter how much of a disaster she was, she was still the sole heir of the company’s chairman. Such blatant disregard was incomprehensible. Yet, for some reason, Shin Sera was treated as if she carried a plague.

‘And now, she has a visitor?’

“…Let them in.”

It was overly optimistic, but for a brief moment, she wondered if this might be a secret ally. Maybe Shin Sera had an unseen supporter after all?

However, the person who walked in completely shattered her expectations.

‘Why the hell is he here?’

“Hey there.”

A familiar man grinned brightly and waved a hand in greeting. He was no ally—he was the potential hit-and-run suspect who had nearly killed her.

Unlike their first meeting, when he had looked as bored as an eighty-year-old man, today he radiated an almost childlike excitement, as if he were a flower in full bloom. And that only made him seem more dangerous.

“…How did you find this place?”

“You gave me your business card. Wasn’t that an invitation to visit?”

Only then did she recall that, in her fit of rage, she had thrown her business card at him. I should’ve just run instead of throwing anything. Sera swallowed her regret and pointed toward the office door.

“If you’re here for the car door repairs, talk to my secretary.”

“I came to see you.”

“…And who said you could speak informally? Get out.”