Private Secretary - Chapter 58

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Private Secretary Episode 58

Ryu Hwa-pyeong, who personally came out to see her off to the hotel entrance, hailed a taxi for her and even paid the fare directly.

“No. You don’t need to do that.”

“You must have been very flustered because of us on camping day. Please think of this as repaying my apology from that time.”

“You already bought me dinner earlier.”

“Just think of it as my sincerity. Please get home safely.”

“…Thank you.”

“Yes. Please go in.”

Ryu Hwa-pyeong smiled kindly and stepped back.

Lee Seol, who bowed politely, watched until he was far away before settling comfortably into her seat.

“But then who on earth sent that text message?”

Lee Seol tried calling once more, but this time only a mechanical voice saying the call couldn’t be connected came through.

“This is really bothering me…”

It wasn’t like she had fallen for a scam, so reporting it to the police seemed excessive.

Although it was concerning, since there was no clear solution, the matter she had just let slide grew beyond control the very next day.

* * *

“Oh my, what’s this? Isn’t this person the Department Head’s friend? The one who came here last time.”

It was while she was manning the desk with Yang Secretary, who was unusually doing office work.

Lee Seol’s eyes trembled as she checked the internet article Yang Secretary showed her.

「Moare Group eldest daughter Kim Se-na’s side announces sudden breakup with Hwaeng Group Director Ryu Hwa-pyeong… Reason cited as Mr. Ryu’s affair」

Shocked by just the short headline alone, Lee Seol hastily grabbed the mouse to check the full article.

The article content wasn’t much different from the title.

It stated that according to Kim Se-na’s associates, the reason the two people who were scheduled to marry in October broke up was none other than Ryu Hwa-pyeong’s affair.

“An affair?”

Ryu Hwa-pyeong? That couldn’t be possible.

Lee Seol was scrolling through the article when she froze upon seeing the photo attached at the bottom.

There was a picture of her coming out after dining with Ryu Hwa-pyeong at the Praren Hotel lounge last night.

Fortunately, Lee Seol’s face was pixelated, but the person involved could clearly recognize herself.

“How is this… What…”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Lee Seol? Is there some problem?”

While Yang Secretary was puzzled and curious, not understanding what was happening, there was suddenly a presence.

Tae-san, who had arrived at work, was walking in through the glass door.

“Han Lee Seol. Come in.”

Whether Yang Secretary stood up abruptly to greet him or not, his tone was only cold.

He must have seen the article.

Lee Seol, who found this situation simply unfair, immediately followed behind him to explain.

Tae-san sat on the edge of his desk while somewhat irritably loosening his tie.

“Department Head.”

“Just tell me if it’s true or not.”

“It’s not. I mean, it’s true that I met with Mr. Ryu Hwa-pyeong. But it’s absolutely not an affair. How could that be possible?”

Lee Seol continued speaking urgently.

“In the first place, the last time I was together with him was during that camping trip… You know well that I submitted my resignation because I didn’t want to get involved in complicated matters.”

Perhaps because his shirt was uncomfortably constricting his neck, Tae-san undid one button that had been fastened all the way up.

Lee Seol, standing at an appropriate distance, unknowingly clenched her trembling hands into tight fists.

As something she had never even imagined became reality, her heart pounded and heat rose from her body.

But Tae-san only quietly looked at Lee Seol without saying anything.

Feeling anxious that he didn’t seem to believe her words, Lee Seol took out her phone from her pocket.

Messages from acquaintances who had heard the news asking “Is this really you?” were already starting to flood in.

Ignoring them all, Lee Seol opened the unidentified text message she had received last night and showed it to Tae-san.

“I received this text yesterday. I tried calling too, but it wouldn’t connect. I thought it might be about Kim Se-na’s issue, so I went there thinking I’d rather be fooled than sorry. …I wondered if someone had noticed the situation between Kim Se-na and you, Department Head.”

Tae-san looked carefully at the number she showed him, then picked up his own phone. He searched for that number, but no results came up.

“But as soon as I arrived, I ran into Mr. Ryu Hwa-pyeong in the lobby. Only after talking did I realize he wasn’t the one who had called me out.”

“If Ryu Hwa-pyeong didn’t send it, then who did.”

“I still don’t know that. Mr. Ryu Hwa-pyeong said he didn’t recognize the number either. Since we met like that, he suggested having tea, so we went to the lounge, and that’s the end of it. Nothing else happened at all.”

Lee Seol, whose body was trembling more and more, put strength in her legs to try to pull herself together.

“It seems like someone deliberately did this to trap Mr. Ryu Hwa-pyeong and me. Mr. Ryu Hwa-pyeong said he had a meeting at the Praren Hotel until late afternoon yesterday… Maybe someone who knows both his schedule and my number…”

Tae-san quietly looked at Lee Seol’s trembling hands.

Then, before she finished speaking, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace.

“I understand. I understand what you’re saying, so calm down.”

“It’s really not true. How could I have that kind of relationship with him? To someone who’s about to get married…”

Perhaps because relief washed over her as his warmth reached her, she unknowingly choked up.

Tae-san slowly patted Lee Seol’s back to calm her down.

“It’s fine if it’s not true.”

“Department Head.”

“I thought it wouldn’t be true, but I just confirmed it in case there was something I didn’t know about.”

“It’s really not true. Really…”

Tae-san hugged Lee Seol with more strength. Then Lee Seol’s body, which had been trembling like an aspen tree, quickly regained stability.

When her breathing became calm, Tae-san released her from his embrace and gently wiped her tear-stained cheeks.

“Stop and calm down. I’ll solve this matter somehow, so you… go to my house for now. There’s something I need you to check at home.”

“…What?”

“It’s urgent, so I’ll arrange a driver for you. Call me when you arrive home.”

“What kind of…”

“Since you came to work, you need to work. I gave you an order, so move quickly, Han Lee Seol.”

The content of his words was businesslike, but his tone was not at all.

Tae-san once again soothingly wiped away the teardrop hanging from the tip of her eyelashes.

“What are you doing. Not going?”

“…I understand. I’ll call you when I arrive.”

“Mm.”

While Tae-san called for a driver, Lee Seol tried to return to reality by taking deep breaths.

As he said, since she had come to work, she needed to work.

She couldn’t keep being hung up on personal problems.

“He’ll arrive on the first floor in 5 minutes, so pack your bag and go down.”

“Yes.”

Lee Seol politely greeted Tae-san and went outside.

As soon as that door closed, Tae-san, whose face had hardened coldly, picked up the intercom receiver.

[Yes, Department Head.]

“Call the External Cooperation Team Manager and Legal Team Manager.”

[Yes, understood.]

After giving instructions to Yang Secretary who was outside, Tae-san immediately called Hwa-pyeong.

Perhaps because it was an emergency situation there too, the call connection wasn’t easy. Just as he was about to try again later, Hwa-pyeong’s voice came through.

[Oh, Kang Tae-san. I was just about to contact you, how is Lee Seol doing?]

“Do you know who pulled this stunt?”

[I know.]

Hwa-pyeong answered calmly. Even though it was a situation to be angry about, he was only composed.

Seeing this, Tae-san was certain his prediction was correct.

The only person who could benefit from pulling such a stunt.

“Kim Se-na?”

[Who else would it be.]

“…Are you sure? Did Kim Se-na confess?”

[As if she would. I had Kim Se-na’s secretary secure the car’s black box footage. She went directly to a private investigation agency. When I checked, it turned out the agency was also the one who sent the text to Lee Seol pretending to be me.]

Rather than shock and anger at my longtime friend pulling such an absurd stunt, I felt more disappointment.

I was reaching the point of having fundamental doubts about Kim Se-na as a human being.

To think I had liked someone like this for so long without knowing what kind of person she was. It felt like my entire past and memories were being completely denied.

[When I presented that evidence, she threw a fit. She went on about illegal collection and whatnot, but when I asked if what Kim Se-na did to you and Lee Seol was legal, she had nothing to say and just stayed quiet. In the end, she admitted everything.]

“Why did she pull such a stunt?”

[She wanted to break off our engagement, but if she called off the wedding now, she couldn’t bear the criticism that would come flying from both families. So she was trying to shift the blame for the broken engagement onto me.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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