"We're working this weekend and then overtime next week" Ha Eun said without turning around to look at Chang Wook.
"Um…actually it's my mother's 60th birthday this weekend. So…" Chang Wook tries to explain but Ha Eun goes straight into her office and slams the door behind her.
He took that as a no, so he sat down quietly on his desk. He then receives a call which was from his family. The conversation was light hearted but then came the bad news.
"What can I do? She's making me work...Yeah I know" Chang Wook has a saddened expression on his face. He hasn't seen his family in the 6 years he's lived in Seoul, working for the terrorist behind those doors.
"Tell mom I love her and…" Chang Wook turns his head to the side a little and sees Lee Ha Eun right behind him "And we are very serious with matters such as these. We appreciate your feedback, we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Have a great day!" he quickly hangs up and looks at Ha Eun with a smile.
"Was that your family?" she asked him.
"Yes" he answers.
"They want you to quit?"
"Every single day"
The phone rings one more time before Ha Eun can come up with something witty to say but Chang Wook is happy that he was once again saved by the phone "Miss Lee's office" he answers, he then hangs up.
"The Chairman still wants to see you" he told her.
She sighs "Dammit. I forgot. Wait a while then come and get me saying that I got an important call or something"
"A call from who?"
"I don't care, anyone. Just make sure to come" she said and left alone to the Chairman's office.
As she walked past the secretary, the secretary did her best to greet her. Ha Eun heard her, she just didn't bother to answer her so she kept on walking into the Chairman's office.
"Ha Eun!" the Chairman said with a smile on his face "Come in!" the Chairman treats Ha Eun like his own daughter since in a way, she is. He took her in when she was a teenager and showed her how business worked and decided to leave OG Group to her once he passed, he never expected her to call him father, he knew that taking care of a teenager was hard work, especially since they are rebellious at that age, and she was. So he kept her at a distance, letting her go to boarding schools and to a University far away. He never wanted her to feel uncomfortable around him but he sometimes feels that letting her be away from him just made her tolerate him rather than like him.
"Hello sir" Ha Eun said "Why did you call for me?" she asked.
"I wanted to talk to you before the board meeting but now after the spectacle on your floor, it'll be an issue that will be talked about in the meeting. I'll try my best to side with you" he told her. Ha Eun started to become a bit uneasy.
"How do you know about what happened downstairs?" she asks him.
"There are cameras everywhere darling. Come along" he said. He got up from his seat and they went upstairs to the board meeting. It was moved to an earlier time. They can't possibly want to talk about the spectacle that Seo Ah made of herself a few minutes ago.
At the board meeting, everyone had already taken their seats and where waiting on Ha Eun and the Chairman.
The meeting commenced and they all talked about what Ha Eun already knew, but she was still uneasy. Something about this felt off to her. Throughout the whole meeting she stayed quiet waiting for any type of sign, and then it happened. As the meeting ended, one of the board members mentioned something she hoped wouldn't be brought up.
"It has come to our attention the incident that happened on your floor"
Ha Eun wondered what they were going to say. Do they want her to rehire Seo Ah? Are they going to question her position as CEO once again?
"We don't want to intrude in your personal life madame, but your reputation affects the whole company" another board member said.
"Right now, everyone in the workplace is seeing you as an easy woman" one of the few female board members said. They are as blunt as always.
"Seo Ah's words were heard by everyone, and who knows how far along the company it has spread?" another female board member said.
Ha Eun wanted to slap them. Seo Ah didn't say anything about her being an easy woman. They are blowing this out of proportions.
"There are a lot of families that would like to form part of the OG Group" a male board member said. Ha Eun widened her eyes "We suggest you find one as soon as possible"
"Don't blow this out of proportions" the Chairman said, trying to defend Ha Eun, but it was to no avail.
"I'm sorry Chairman but it is unanimous"
"If she doesn't find a husband, she can say goodbye to her position"
"If I refuse, then who will be the CEO?" Ha Eun asks getting up from seat.
"Miss Seo Ah" Ha Eun was once again shocked. The woman she just fired was going to take her position of CEO just because she refused to get married at an earlier age.
"Is this the 18th century or something?! I have done everything for this company, I worked weekends, holidays and spent many nights without any sleep because I wanted to make this company great, because I had big shoes to fill. Now you're all threatening to take it away if I don't marry someone?!"
All the board members either look away or look down. None of them dared look at her in the eyes yet they dared threaten to take her position away from her.
Suddenly the doors to the conference room open. Once Ha Eun sees the person that just arrived an idea popped into her mind. A crazy, stupid idea that might just work.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but the Gu Family is calling again and they refuse to hang up the phone until they talk with the CEO, it's a very important matter" Chang Wook said.
Ha Eun looked at him up and down. He's tall, looking at him through a certain light he could look attractive, the few times she's touched him, she's felt that he has some muscle underneath that suit, and he also bathes and manages to smell good all the time.
"People might just buy it" she thought to herself.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make" Ha Eun says as she walks towards the doors where Chang Wook is. She wraps one of her arms around his and says the words Chang Wook never expected he'd hear coming from his boss's lips.
"We're getting married" Ha Eun said with a smile on her face, dreading her words as soon as she said them. She looked up at her assistant, he seemed dumbfounded, as if his brain stopped working.
"Who are getting married?" Chang Wook asked Ha Eun, confused.
"We...we are getting married. Together. You and I"
"Married?" he asked.
"Married" Ha Eun repeated.
"Married" Chang Wook said looking into the distance, at moments making eye contact with the people in front of him but not comprehending what the word meant. As if his brain had stopped working. It felt like everything around him had slowed down.
"How much does a wedding cost?" Chang Wook asked himself. His brain still hadn't caught up to the situation.
"You two are getting married?" another board member asked.
"Yeah, isn't that right, honey?" Ha Eun looked up at Chang Wook. He glanced at her then at everyone else.
"Honey" Chang Wook repeated the word she just used to address him.
"Isn't he your secretary?" another board member asked.
"Assistant" Chang Wook said.
"Yeah, it can happen. Boss's can fall in love with their secretaries" Ha Eun says. Some of the members of the board nod, while other look skeptical.
"Assistant" Chang Wook says again.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" one of them asked.
"Well, he's my secretary. We both agreed to keep it hush until the right moment"
"Assistant" Chang Wook said. Ha Eun rolled her eyes at him. Chang Wook though, was still in a daze. The woman he hated just said they were getting married.
"Well, it's great to hear that you're getting married. Now, you just have make it legal" one of the female board members said.
Ha Eun laughs and points at her ring finger that had no ring.