Chapter 9. I Don’t Want To Marry You (1)

Translator: Lili

As the closest presence, he was also the most threatening. Sera’s attempt to improve her relationship with Lee Rowoon ended in a spectacular failure. She forced herself to gather her discouraged feelings.

‘You considered this possibility enough, didn’t you? If things went too smoothly from the start, that would be even more suspicious.’

As she calmed her unsettled heart, her long-silent phone vibrated. Sera glanced down absentmindedly, and her eyes widened.

— Are you ignoring me?

“…”

It was Cha Jaeheon.

She could even sense a suppressed anger in that short message.

“Ah… seriously.”

Sera groaned, collapsing onto her desk. In the chaos of everything, she had unintentionally ignored Cha Jaeheon’s messages. From his perspective, it was more than enough to be annoyed.

Biting her lip in frustration, Sera reluctantly sent a reply.

— I had a lot on my mind. We can meet when you have time.

She had no desire to meet Cha Jaeheon at all, but avoiding the protagonists of this drama was impossible. If that was the case, facing things head-on might be the only answer.

She suggested letting him choose the time and place that suited him best, and he immediately set a meeting for that afternoon at a residence near Gwanghwamun.

— Isn’t that too much of an enclosed space?

— …What exactly are you imagining?

At Sera’s protest, Cha Jaeheon responded in disbelief, as if offended. She was worried about a potential outbreak of physical violence, but he had no way of knowing that and refused to budge.

“I’m leaving work early today.”

“Yes, Vice President Shin Sera.”

She had caused such a mess at work that no one even tried to stop her from leaving without an explanation.

Sitting in the back seat of the chauffeured car, Sera went over the information she had on Cha Jaeheon.

Cha Jaeheon was the stereotypical heir of a conglomerate. She couldn’t remember his exact features, but he was just as stunningly handsome as Lee Rowoon. He was also described as highly competent and cold, making him an overwhelmingly superior man.

She hadn’t confirmed which of the three male leads would ultimately win Lee Seonkyung’s heart, but the odds were high that Cha Jaeheon would be the final victor. After all, his role was to support and protect her from the closest position.

For that reason, staying away from Cha Jaeheon as much as possible was the best course of action.

Marriage? That was completely out of the question.

In the original story, Shin Sera loved Cha Jaeheon. But the more he ignored her, the more her love twisted into hatred. When she realized he was drawn to Lee Seonkyung, her love and hate finally morphed into pure resentment.

If only Shin Sera hadn’t loved Cha Jaeheon, she could have avoided at least half of the misfortunes that befell her.

‘But that’s all in the past now.’

Sera had no intention of interfering with their love. In fact, she would be grateful if Cha Jaeheon fell for Lee Seonkyung as soon as possible and agreed to break off the engagement.

***

“Vice President Shin Sera, we’ve been expecting you.”

As she stepped into the luxurious lobby, a waiting staff member approached her. He bent at the waist in an overly polite bow. She didn’t recognize him, but his excessive deference suggested he had been a past victim of Shin Sera’s tyranny.

“The Director is waiting for you. Please allow me to escort you.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Summoning someone to a residence just for a conversation—was this a billionaire thing she couldn’t understand? But after thinking it through, she realized the reason.

Cha Jaeheon clearly didn’t want anyone seeing them together.

Suppressing a grumble since she felt the same, Sera followed the man. He tapped a key card against the lock, opened the door, and stepped inside to announce her arrival.

“Director, Miss Shin Sera is here.”

“Let her in.”

His low voice carried clearly through the open door. A sudden surge of tension made Sera take a deep breath before stepping in.

Standing in front of a wooden table stacked with documents, with a backdrop of towering skyscrapers, was a tall and imposing man.

“You’re here.”

Cha Jaeheon, who had been looking over the documents, raised his head.

The moment she saw his face, her suspicions were confirmed—he was undoubtedly one of the drama’s main characters.

His sharply defined yet refined features, his powerful, muscular physique, and his quiet but commanding gaze—

He was a man who exuded both beauty and an animalistic presence.

“Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.”

After the staff member disappeared, Cha Jaeheon gestured for her to take a seat with impeccable politeness. However, his expression betrayed a much less polite emotion.

The faint hostility in his gaze made Sera instinctively shrink, and she quietly sat down.

“It’s been a while.”

“…”

“Why did you suddenly bring up breaking off the engagement?”

Sera hadn’t expected him to get straight to the point, and her lips parted in surprise.

“That’s…”