44. Votes and Vices

A banana.

A long, thick, pridefully curved banana.

It was already half-devoured, its mushy remnants sitting inside Ingrid's mouth as she leaned back in her office chair, basking in the mild sweetness of the tropical fruit. The walls around her were sleek glass and concrete, a commanding view of Seoul's financial district behind her like a moving painting. The room smelled faintly of orchids and ambition.

She took her time. Slowly chewing. Thoughtfully. Sensually.

With a soft gulp, she swallowed and licked her plump lips with a deliberate, almost theatrical gesture. A flick of her tongue. A glint of mischief in her half-lidded eyes. She peeled the banana a little further, revealing more of its pale flesh. A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Her legs, long and toned, clad in black thigh-hugging stockings, casually swung up onto the edge of her sleek office desk. One stiletto heel dangled precariously from her toe. Power and elegance, all rolled into one commanding form.

She stared at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting.

Shan Wolf.

Her errand boy. Her pawn. Her... temptation.

She had sent him on a delicate mission: to seduce her old high school friend, Moo Jin Soo—a woman with a scandalous weakness for theft, and an even greater weakness for attention. Moo Jin Soo was a kleptomaniac, a woman who couldn't help but take what didn't belong to her. That made her useful... and dangerous.

Jen Heo Won, the ruthless board candidate for CEO, hadn't seen the landmine beneath her. But Ingrid had. And she'd sent Shan Wolf, her beautiful bastard of a weapon, to detonate it.

Ingrid took another bite of her banana, biting into it with purpose now. She chewed, swallowed, and muttered to herself:

"Hmm... I wonder if Shan's doing well."

A brief pang fluttered in her chest. Not guilt. Not affection. But something close to envy. She hated that he was with Moo Jin Soo. Even if she ordered it. Even if it was all part of her plan.

A low chuckle escaped her lips, echoing softly through the room.

"Although I told him to do it... I feel a little jealous just thinking about it."

—

Two hours later...

The door to her office opened with a soft click.

Shan Wolf entered, disheveled, sweaty, and clearly spent. His dress shirt clung to him, partially unbuttoned. A few lipstick stains were faintly visible on his collar. His hair was wild, tousled by the evidence of two hours of passionate chaos.

Ingrid's eyes narrowed, then widened.

She tried to hide her reaction behind a teasing grin.

"Well, well, well... what did she do to you, bastard?"

Shan didn't reply immediately. Instead, he casually strolled over to her desk, grabbed the apple from the plate next to her, and bit into it with a loud, crunching snap.

"Mission accomplished, Mademoiselle," he said, his voice low and cocky, dripping with playful arrogance.

He slid a note across the desk—a signed slip from Moo Jin Soo confirming her early leave and cancellation of the board meeting with Jen Heo Won.

Shan leaned forward with a smirk. "She's hungrier than you, Ingrid."

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving behind a lingering trail of heat, scent, and provocation.

Ingrid stared after him, her expression unreadable. Her hand slowly crushed the banana peel, and she whispered under her breath:

"...Bastard."

—

Elsewhere...

Inside the pristine, gold-trimmed office of Jen Heo Won, the queen of calculated dominance, the mood was shifting from calm to explosive.

She stood facing a wall of glass that overlooked the beating heart of Seoul, her sharp nails tapping against her thigh. Behind her, her loyal assistant, Gon Jun San, approached with urgent steps.

He leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

The result was instant.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE CAN'T COME?!"

Her voice cracked like a whip across the office. Several aides outside flinched.

She turned, eyes blazing. "Moo Jin Soo bailed on the board meeting?! That bitch said what?!"

Gon Jun San swallowed hard. "She said… she's too 'wet' to attend."

The silence was heavy.

Jen's expression froze in disbelief. Then it twisted into realization, and then pure fury.

"…Ingrid," she hissed. "You bitch... you played me."

She stormed toward her desk, knocking over a gold pen holder.

Behind her, a slow, deliberate laugh filled the space.

"Hahaha… our Jenny. Looks like you've been foiled."

Jen turned to see him—Gin Chu Won. Her cousin. Early 30s. A handsome brute with a wrestler's frame, dark brown hair tied back loosely, and a goatee that gave him a permanently smug expression. His tailored suit fit him like second skin. He leaned on a golf club, watching her with the amusement of a predator enjoying a show.

"You think this is funny?" she snapped.

"A little," he replied, shrugging. "You underestimated Ingrid. She's smarter than you think."

Jen rolled her eyes and slumped into her chair, exhaling sharply.

Gin stepped closer and leaned against the edge of her desk. "So... you think you still have the board in your hand?"

"I'll manage. They'll collapse eventually," she muttered, confidence barely masking her panic.

"Oh? Are you that confident?" he asked with an arched brow, his tone playful but edged with danger.

Jen narrowed her eyes. "Just trust the process."

Gin laughed again, louder this time. "Puhahahaha! I do care for you, Jenny. Really. But let me be honest—"

He positioned the golf ball on the carpet, swung the club, and hit a perfect shot into a hidden hole near the bookshelves.

"—I'm not voting for you unless I get something in return. You know how I work. Give and take."

Jen's face turned pale.

"What do you want?" she asked, voice tight. "Just say it. I'll make it happen."

Gin Chu Won stared at her for a long beat. He already had wealth. Influence. Power. He was an Executive Director of Won Group and needed nothing… except one thing.

"Fresh meat," he said, almost as if tasting the words.

Jen's skin crawled.

Then, something caught his eye on her desk. A photo.

"Hey. Who's the pretty face?"

Jen lunged across the desk and snatched the photo from his hand. Her voice was sharp. "She's off limits."

"Oh? Now I have to know."

"She's the new face of the company. Possibly someone who can bring a little light to my father's cold dead heart. So forget it."

Gin's grin widened.

"The Chairman's new golden girl, huh?" he murmured.

He took a step closer, voice a whisper behind her ear. "She's too perfect for someone like him. Or you."

Jen tensed, her knuckles turning white.

"Don't. Even. Think about it," she warned.

Gin backed away, his grin never fading. "I'll keep your little tantrum in mind when it's time to vote."

He turned to leave, casually adjusting his sleeves.

Jen watched him go, stomach twisting.

On the desk behind her, the photo faced down—Sae Jin Mei. Unknowing. Innocent. And about to become the target of a game far larger than she imagined.

---

Chapter 44 — End.