Cracks in the surface

Chapter 3: Cracks in the Surface

The following week moved like a whirlwind. Every day, Hae-Ri found herself arriving earlier, staying later, and pushing harder. Her dedication didn't go unnoticed. Though Joon-Ho rarely praised anyone outright, the signs were there—in the subtle nods of approval during meetings, the occasional direct assignments, and the way he began to trust her with more sensitive files.

Still, she could feel the eyes of her colleagues. Whispers traveled faster than facts in an office like this. Some assumed she was trying to get close to the CEO for reasons beyond professionalism. Others resented the attention she was receiving from the man no one dared to challenge. But Hae-Ri didn't care. Not really. She'd earned every bit of respect she was getting—and if Joon-Ho saw her potential, that was all the fuel she needed.

That Friday evening, as most of the office began to empty out for the weekend, Hae-Ri remained in her chair, eyes glued to her screen, fingers flying across the keyboard. She didn't even notice when the door to her office slowly opened.

"You should go home," Joon-Ho said, his deep voice startling her from her focus.

She blinked up at him, startled. "Oh—Mr. Lee. I didn't hear you come in."

"Because you were working too hard," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "Again."

She let out a tired laugh. "Well, deadlines don't care about the weekend."

He leaned slightly against the edge of her desk, his arms crossed as he studied her. The tension between them was different tonight—subtle, softer.

"I used to be like that," he said after a beat. "Always the last to leave, always trying to prove something to someone."

"Did it work?" she asked without thinking.

He looked at her for a long moment before answering. "I got here, didn't I?"

There was no arrogance in his tone—just quiet certainty.

"You think I'm trying to prove something?" she asked, though the answer was obvious.

"I know you are," he said simply. "To me. To yourself. Maybe to someone else I don't know about."

Hae-Ri dropped her gaze for a second, caught off-guard by how seen she felt in that moment. "Maybe."

He stood up straight again, stepping back toward the door, but he paused before opening it.

"There's a company event tomorrow night. Fundraiser. You'll come."

It wasn't a question.

"I wasn't aware I was invited," she said carefully.

"You are now."

And with that, he left.

---

The next evening, Hae-Ri stood in front of her small bedroom mirror, her reflection unfamiliar. She wore a sleek black dress, minimal jewelry, and a bold red lip she never would've dared to wear just months ago. Her hair fell in soft waves, framing her face with a touch of elegance. For a brief second, she wondered what Joon-Ho would think when he saw her like this—outside the office, out of the armor of professionalism.

The venue was a stunning glass-and-steel banquet hall, buzzing with the elite of the business world. She walked in alone, her heels clicking confidently on the marble floor. People turned to glance at her—some in recognition, others in curiosity. But she kept her head high.

She spotted him almost instantly.

Joon-Ho stood in a circle of executives, his suit crisp, his presence magnetic. He looked like he belonged in a world built from ambition and ice. And yet, when his eyes found her across the room, something flickered in them. Surprise. Approval. Maybe something more.

Excusing himself, he crossed the room toward her.

"You clean up well," he said, his tone lighter than usual.

"You're surprised?" she teased, lips curving into a small smile.

"Not surprised," he replied, "just… noticing."

They stood like that for a beat, the world continuing around them, but their focus locked on each other.

"Shall we?" he offered, gesturing toward the main hall.

She took his arm without hesitation.

And just like that, the lines between work and something else began to blur.

The night didn't go as planned.

The moment Hae-Ri stepped into the banquet hall on Joon-Ho's arm, a shift rippled through the room. Whispers sparked like wildfire, eyes tracked her every move, and the pressure mounted with every graceful step she took in heels that were slowly killing her.

But she held her head high.

Joon-Ho led her to the VIP table, a place normally reserved for the most powerful board members and investors. She was the only non-executive there—and it showed. An older woman gave her a once-over with a sharp smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. A young man in a tailored suit muttered something under his breath. But Joon-Ho said nothing. His silence was his power, and right now, he wielded it like a weapon.

"Let them talk," he said quietly, leaning toward her just before the speeches began.

"Do you enjoy putting me under a spotlight?" she asked, her voice laced with challenge.

"I enjoy watching you hold your own," he replied without missing a beat.

But the night took a sharp turn when a woman appeared on stage—young, stunning, with bold red lipstick and the confidence of someone who owned the room. Her name? Yoo-Min Seo.

Joon-Ho's ex-fiancée.

The one no one dared to mention.

Hae-Ri's fingers tightened around her wine glass as Yoo-Min's voice rang through the hall, thanking donors and stakeholders, charming the audience like a seasoned performer. She didn't acknowledge Joon-Ho—not directly. But her gaze lingered a second too long when she said, "Some partnerships, no matter how powerful, don't always last. But they always leave their mark."

Hae-Ri turned slightly toward Joon-Ho. His jaw was tight. His face unreadable.

"You didn't mention your ex would be hosting," she whispered.

"She wasn't supposed to be," he replied coldly.

And just like that, Hae-Ri realized—this night was about more than business. This was a message. Yoo-Min had planned this. Carefully. Calculatedly.

The evening dragged on, but something had shifted. Tension wrapped tightly around them, unspoken but palpable.

After the event, as they stepped out into the cool night air, Hae-Ri spoke first.

"So... am I just a pawn in whatever power game she's playing?"

Joon-Ho turned to face her. "You think I'd let anyone use you like that?"

"I don't know what to think," she admitted. "I just know I felt like a prop in that room."

His voice dropped low. "You were there because I wanted you there."

"And what does that mean?" she challenged, stepping closer, heart pounding.

He looked at her like he was about to say something—something real. But then—

"Mr. Lee," a voice called from behind them. Yoo-Min.

She approached with a smile, cool and venomous. "Didn't expect to see you with someone so... fresh-faced."

Joon-Ho didn't flinch. "Yoo-Min."

She turned her eyes to Hae-Ri. "And you are?"

Before Hae-Ri could respond, Joon-Ho answered for her.

"She's not someone you'll forget."

And just like that, Yoo-Min's smile faltered.