Chapter 42. A Moment of Peaceful Coexistence (2)

Translator: Lili

In the end, helping Rowoon that night turned out to be an excellent decision. Sera’s strategy of pretending not to care while subtly showing concern was even more effective than expected.

Rowoon, who had been avoiding her outright, now treated her with mild tolerance. He no longer went out of his way to keep his distance, nor did he snap at her with sharp hostility.

For someone who prided himself on being unshakable, he had been shockingly easy to manipulate.

‘So he is simpler than I thought.’

Then again, Sera herself had once been fooled in the same way.

Back when Rowoon first saved her, she had foolishly allowed herself to hope—to believe, for just a second, that maybe she wouldn’t always be despised. That illusion had been shattered almost immediately, replaced by mockery and threats.

Still, when a person was in a vulnerable state, even the smallest gesture of kindness could feel monumental.

And Rowoon had his own baggage—his childhood had been filled with neglect and dysfunction.

Having grown up as an orphan, Sera knew all too well how vulnerable she was to kindness and warmth. With that in mind, Rowoon’s softened attitude made perfect sense.

‘Make sure you don’t collapse again. Next time, I might just poison your porridge.’

Sera intentionally fueled Rowoon’s misunderstandings.

She maintained a curt attitude whenever they crossed paths, yet she wove in subtle traces of warmth, steadily breaking down his defenses.

‘Take care of yourself.’

‘Yeah. Thanks for worrying about me.’

‘…’

‘Wait—were you actually worried about me?’

Each time she saw a change in Rowoon’s attitude, Sera felt a thrilling sense of satisfaction.

Was this what it felt like to tame a wary, sharp-tempered cat? Whatever it was, she had no intention of stopping this act until she was sure that Rowoon would no longer dare to treat her poorly.

“Madam Song, do I have to go?”

“What do you think people will say if you don’t?”

“Rowoon isn’t going, either.”

“That’s because he’s away on a business trip!”

Madam Song’s sharp retort made Sera cover her ears.

The Haewon Gallery, funded by Sungwon’s allied Daerim Group, was set to open soon. A VIP reception was scheduled for that Friday.

Sera was sick and tired of all these endless parties and gatherings. She had turned down most invitations, citing her busy schedule, but this time, she had no choice. Madam Song wasn’t giving her an inch.

“My dear, you’re doing so well these days. You need to seize the moment! Go, introduce yourself to the chairmen, build connections—it’s a golden opportunity!”

Despite Madam Song’s efforts to persuade her, Sera remained unimpressed.

“Are they the ones paying my salary? I don’t need connections.”

“Enough nonsense. If Cha Jaeheon isn’t too busy, bring him along. The rumors about you two are stressing me out!”

“People really have nothing better to do, huh?”

Sera scoffed, but the idea of attending with Cha Jaeheon wasn’t entirely bad.

If she wanted to minimize the inevitable gossip once their engagement ended, it would be wise to start presenting themselves as equals now.

“Fine, I’ll go.”

“You’ve made the right decision, my beautiful daughter!”

Madam Song clapped her hands like an excited child.

Sera watched her in silence, still unable to understand how someone as composed and mature as Chief Baek had been drawn to a woman who was his complete opposite.

Then again, that was how all ridiculous melodramas worked.

As always, when faced with something incomprehensible, Sera relied on this simple truth to brush it aside.

– Are you talking about the gallery party?

Jaeheon’s response was as cold as expected. His tone made it clear he thought she was talking nonsense, but Sera remained unfazed.

“Yes, this Friday. You will be attending with me.”

– And why would I do that?

She had anticipated that question, too, and couldn’t even be bothered to get annoyed.

“If I go alone, I’ll just get ignored. And let’s be honest—you are partly responsible for how my reputation ended up like this.”

– …

“If this sounds like I’m asking for a favor, you’re mistaken. I’m holding you accountable for the damage to my reputation. This is simply another aspect of our partnership, so cooperate.”

Sera’s demand was shamelessly assertive.

If Jaeheon continued to refuse, she was prepared to go to his office and demand his compliance. No matter what, she wasn’t going alone.

Although her standing within Sungwon was improving, she was still considered an outsider to the rest of the business world.

Cha Jaeheon, however, was a valuable trophy—proof that her position had changed.

“You only need to smile beside me for an hour or two. It’s not like I want to spend more time with you, either.”

– You’re remarkably blatant about using me.

“It’s not using you. I’m simply asking you to fulfill your duties as a partner. So, are you going to refuse?”

Jaeheon fell silent but it didn’t last long. And when Sera saw the answer written in his silence, a satisfied smile curled on her lips.