CH214

768 Fifth Avenue, New York.

Debra, her long brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail, stood anxiously by the fountain across the street from the Plaza Hotel, a large shoulder bag slung over her shoulder.

She kept glancing at her wristwatch when she finally spotted a blonde woman in a hotel uniform, a coat draped over her shoulders, hurrying across the crosswalk.

It was her friend and source, Sara.

"Over here!"

Debra raised her hand and called out.

Sara spotted her and quickly approached.

"You got here fast."

"I was nearby, so I ran straight over."

Sara glanced around, checking for onlookers, then leaned in and spoke in a hushed, urgent tone.

"I'm on break, so I have to head back soon."

"Got it."

Debra nodded and got straight to the most important question.

"Are you sure the Eldorado Fund CEO is staying in the penthouse?"

"What, do you think I'd lie to you?"

Sara shot her a look. Worried she might take offense, Debra quickly reassured her.

"Of course not! I just wanted to double-check."

Sara, still pouting slightly, continued.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Every time he stays here, the Eldorado Fund pays for his accommodations. And more importantly, I heard the manager refer to him as the CEO with my own ears. It's definitely him."

"!"

A rush of excitement flushed through Debra's face—this was it, the big scoop.

Clutching her bag tightly, she looked ready to bolt into the hotel and straight to the penthouse.

"Is he in his room now?"

"He ordered room service for lunch, so he should be."

"Perfect."

Debra's eyes gleamed with determination. Sara, now crossing her arms, eyed her suspiciously.

"You're not seriously thinking about barging into the penthouse, are you?"

"This guy is notorious for never showing his face in media interviews. Do you think playing by the rules is going to work? I have to go all in and force my way into an interview!"

Debra clenched her fist, fired up with determination.

She had already made dozens of calls and sent countless letters to the Eldorado Fund, only to be rejected every single time.

At this point, it wasn't just about persistence—there was more at stake.

Recently, the Eldorado Fund had made waves on Wall Street by raking in massive profits through knock-in knock-out options in Japan. If she could land the CEO's first-ever interview, it would be a career-defining moment.

"Heh heh heh."

Watching Debra practically radiate battle energy, Sara shook her head firmly.

"That's not happening."

"Why not?"

Debra, who looked ready to charge in like a wild boar, turned to her with a confused expression.

"Penthouse guests use a private elevator. And even employees can't access the penthouse floor unless they're specifically authorized. So how exactly do you plan on getting up there?"

Debra hesitated for a moment, then set her jaw stubbornly.

"He's not going to stay in his room all day. I'll just have to run into him when he comes down to the lobby or the restaurant."

"Ugh, I knew you'd say that."

Sara let out a small sigh.

"I don't care if you embarrass yourself in front of everyone. But what about me?"

Debra blinked, not understanding what she meant. Sara furrowed her brows.

"If you cause a scene and the penthouse guest files a complaint, the hotel is obviously going to investigate how his stay got leaked. If they find out it was me, I'll be fired on the spot. Hell, I'd be lucky if I don't get sued."

Debra had been so caught up in the thrill of landing a scoop that she hadn't even considered that. Realizing her mistake, she looked guilty and quickly apologized.

"Sorry."

Avoiding Sara's slightly wounded gaze, Debra turned her head away.

"Then what should I do?"

Sara watched her for a moment, then pressed her fingers to her temple as if dealing with a headache.

"God, I must've been out of my mind to blurt that out while drinking."

Then she pointed a finger at Debra.

"For starters, absolutely no approaching him inside the hotel."

"What? No way! So I'm just supposed to sit around and do nothing?"

Debra protested indignantly.

"I didn't say that."

Scoffing, Sara continued.

"Whenever he stays here, if the weather's nice, he goes jogging around Central Park. Figure out a way to approach him then."

Debra's face instantly lit up.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. And tomorrow's supposed to be clear, with no snow and slightly warmer temperatures. He'll probably go for a run."

"Sara! You're the best!"

Overcome with excitement, Debra threw her arms around Sara.

"Ugh, get off me."

Sara pried her off and held out her palm.

"Enough of that. I need to get back, so hand over the money."

"Of course."

Debra pulled a pre-prepared stack of twenty-dollar bills—folded in half and secured with a rubber band—from her shoulder bag and handed it over. Sara swiftly took it and stuffed it into her coat pocket.

"Oh, and one more thing. He always has a bodyguard with him, so be careful."

"Don't worry. I'll get that interview no matter what."

Debra's voice was full of determination. Sara smirked.

"Alright, I really have to go now."

With that, she turned and hurried across the crosswalk just as the signal changed.

Left alone, Debra looked up at the towering Plaza Hotel across the street, her heart swelling with anticipation.

Unlike the day before, the morning sun shone warmly in a sky without a single cloud.

In Central Park, the iconic heart of New York, many people were out for a jog, dressed in light workout gear, moving along the long pathways.

Among them, a black-haired man was running at a steady pace—Seok-won.

A few steps behind him, his sturdy bodyguard, Baucus, followed closely, scanning the surroundings with sharp vigilance.

The Plaza Hotel, being a five-star establishment, had a well-equipped fitness center. But nothing felt as refreshing as breathing in the crisp morning air while running outdoors.

That was one of the reasons Seok-won always chose the Plaza Hotel whenever he visited New York—the convenience of having Central Park right across the street, perfect for jogging.

With earphones plugged in, he ran lightly along the park's trails, letting the music fill his ears.

Meanwhile, Debra had been up since dawn, waiting near Gapstow Bridge inside Central Park.

The arched stone bridge, which extended over Turtle Pond, was famous for its picturesque scenery—surrounded by trees with the towering Manhattan skyline in the background.

"Yaaawn."

She checked her reflection in a compact mirror, stifling yet another yawn.

Heavy makeup wouldn't suit workout gear, so she had gone for a light, natural look—just enough to add some color to her face.

By now, she should have been lounging in bed, nursing a hangover from drinking all night with her friends on Christmas Eve, ranting about her ex.

Instead, here she was.

"Ugh. It's freezing."

Shivering, she pulled her beanie lower over her head.

Bundled up in a puffer jacket, gloves, and a thick hat, Debra muttered groggily, her breath visible in the cold air.

"It's already past nine. Why isn't he here yet?"

She had arrived at 7 AM—terrified of missing him—so, naturally, impatience was setting in.

"What if he took a different route?"

Just as she was grumbling to herself, she heard footsteps approaching.

Debra craned her neck, eyes widening in anticipation—only to see a short-haired woman jogging toward her, wearing a tight-fitting outfit with a jacket tied around her waist.

Her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Then, as the woman passed by, Debra's gaze unconsciously dropped to her well-endowed chest.

"..."

A pang of envy hit.

Debra was often told she was pretty enough to be a model, with a great figure—but her one insecurity had always been her less-than-impressive bust.

She watched as the woman disappeared over the bridge, then muttered bitterly,

"It's freezing. Who the hell wears a tank top in this weather?"

Right as she was indulging in her petty jealousy, another set of footsteps approached.

Turning her head absentmindedly, Debra's eyes lit up the moment she saw him.

A tall, strikingly handsome young Asian man, jogging alongside a muscular Black man—it had to be him.

"Excuse me! Wait a second!"

Faking a stretching motion, Debra swung her arms around, perfectly timing it to step right in front of Seok-won's path.

He halted abruptly, startled, and immediately, Bocus rushed forward, blocking him with his massive frame.

"Who the hell are you?"

His booming voice made her flinch for a split second. But quickly regaining her composure, Debra pulled out her ID from her pocket.

"I'm a journalist from CNBC. Could I have a moment for an interview?"

"A journalist?"

Seok-won frowned, his expression turning cold.

"Does being a journalist give you the right to act this rudely?"

"I sincerely apologize for that," Debra admitted. "But I've sent countless interview requests, and you've rejected every single one. This was my only option."

Seok-won let out a slow breath, steadying his slightly heavy breathing from the run, his face showing clear disbelief.

No one had ever been this persistent—so much so that they would ambush him like this just because he refused an interview.

For the first time, he took a proper look at the woman standing in front of him.

A delicate jawline, large brown eyes, and a nearly bare face—yet she was strikingly beautiful.

She didn't seem particularly concerned about her appearance, but with just a bit of effort, she could easily outshine most professional models.

However, what stood out to Seok-won more than her looks was her tenacity.

She had no guarantee of even seeing him, yet she had braved the cold, waiting for hours just for this chance.

That kind of determination was rare.

Seok-won's gaze flickered to her trembling fingertips, which had gone slightly red from the cold. Then, maintaining his usual unreadable expression, he spoke.

"Declining an interview request means exactly that—I don't want to do it. I'll let this go today, but if you try this again, I'll formally file a complaint with your company."

Despite his icy demeanor, Debra refused to back down.

"You know how much interest there is in the Eldorado Fund on Wall Street, right? If necessary, I can submit a questionnaire in advance and get your approval beforehand. Please, just one interview."

Just as Seok-won was about to dismiss her and continue his run, his phone rang.

He paused, pulling it out of his pocket.

"Hello?"

A familiar voice came through the receiver.

[Are you busy right now?]

Hearing Kinsley, Seok-won's expression softened slightly.

"Not really. I was just out for a morning run."

[Always so disciplined,] Kinsley chuckled briefly before her tone turned apologetic.

[I hate to do this, but I'm afraid I'll have to cancel our plans today.]

Seok-won's brows furrowed slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

[The shoot is taking longer than expected, so I don't think I'll be able to make it back to New York today.]

Seok-won had been looking forward to seeing Kinsley after a long time, but as expected of a famous model, her schedule was packed.

"That's a shame, but work comes first. Let's catch up another time."

[I'm really sorry.]

Even as they spoke, Seok-won could hear her manager shouting in the background, telling her she had to be on standby in five minutes.

"It's fine. Just call me later."

With that, he ended the call.

Of course, it was a bit disappointing, but he and Kinsley weren't dating—just good friends—so he didn't take it too hard.

Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Seok-won was about to resume his run when he paused. Then, after a brief moment of consideration, he turned to look at Debra.

She was trying in vain to inch closer, but Baucus, standing tall like a human wall, blocked her every move. She could do nothing but hop anxiously behind him.

Recalling that his afternoon had suddenly opened up, a whim took hold of him, and he spoke without much thought.

"Come to my hotel in an hour."

"What? What did you just say?"

Debra's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I said, let's do the interview. But I get to review the edited version first, and if anything seems problematic, it won't be aired."

For a moment, Debra thought she had misheard him. Then, snapping back to reality, she nodded frantically.

"Yes, yes! Of course!"

Without another word, Seok-won resumed his run, crossing the bridge.

"Lady reporter, today's your lucky day. You should buy a lottery ticket."

Baucus threw in a comment before quickly following after him.

Left alone, Debra stood dumbfounded for a few seconds before punching the air in triumph.

"Yes! I did it! I actually did it!"

Hearing her victorious cheer behind him, Seok-won let out a small chuckle. He put his earphones back in and kept running.