Chapter 17

“…What?”

“I’m genuinely worried.”

“Worried about what?”

Ayeon lifted her eyebrows slightly as she asked.

“Our company. The value of the artworks the CEO purchased keeps dropping, and anxious investors call multiple times a day making a fuss. But the CEO has practically stopped caring about the business. When he’s not at the office, he’s almost completely unreachable.”

Assistant Manager Joo spoke like she was venting.

Ayeon’s eyes trembled.

What was this about now.

“We still get our salaries regularly, so we can’t say much to the CEO, but the company isn’t in good shape. There’s been a lot of staff turnover too.”

Every word from her left Ayeon more and more unsettled.

The truth was, Jooheon had never really been interested in business from the start.

Still, she thought he had been working hard now that he’d started it.

So all those times he told Sunwoo that the company was doing well, or told her that work was fun, or that things were busy, were all lies.

Yoon Jooheon, you…

How am I supposed to think of you now.

“Given how the company is, the idea that he pulled an all-nighter in Unpo doesn’t make sense. He hasn’t been there for a while.”

Ayeon bit her lip.

She felt a wave of doubt at how little she really knew about his work.

She already knew he had lied, but hearing it confirmed so clearly left her feeling crushed again.

“Ever since that intern came in…”

Joo stopped mid-sentence and pressed her lips together.

“Intern?”

Seeing her hesitation, Ayeon asked.

“Do you mean that intern who was supposedly out on a business trip with Jooheon that time?”

Could it be that the intern and Jooheon had some kind of special relationship.

Joo reluctantly nodded.

“When you told me that back then, I let it go, but thinking about it now, maybe that was a sign.”

Ayeon kept her tone calm, but Joo stayed silent.

“She’d be closer to Jooheon professionally than I am. So why tell me this?”

Ayeon asked in confusion. Joo looked down for a long moment before finally raising her eyes.

She realized she would have to bear some responsibility for what she had let slip.

As long as she didn’t get herself in trouble, giving a hint should be fine.

“She may be called an intern, but it seemed like she already knew him well. From the start.”

“From the start?”

“Yes. From the moment she came three months ago.”

“Her name…”

“Nayul. Han Nayul.”

Ayeon narrowed her eyes.

That name wasn’t unfamiliar.

Han Nayul. Han Nayul?

A flash of memory struck her. The art lecture hall.

A student who had arrived late that day flickered through her mind like lightning.

“She’s still a student. She was just working as an intern over the summer. She and the CEO went to the same school, so apparently they’re close.”

Student. Intern. Same alma mater.

A student at Korea University.

As Joo continued, the student’s face became clearer and clearer in Ayeon’s mind.

And the bracelet sparkling on her wrist, too.

‘Is this a trendy design?’

‘Of course not. You can’t usually get this. It’s too expensive. My boyfriend has the means, so I got this as a gift. Isn’t it amazing?’

‘It’s pretty. By the way, why were you late today?’

‘My summer internship ended this morning.’

Could it be that student.

Too many things lined up for this to be coincidence.

Still, no, it couldn’t be.

There were countless students at Korea University.

Plenty of students did internships over summer break.

Even if the bracelet was a limited edition luxury piece, it wasn’t the only one in existence.

Shaking her head, Ayeon dismissed the thought as speculation.

“And if you look at the company card spending…”

Joo trailed off with a sigh.

“What is it?”

“Ah, ma’am, I can’t say any more.”

Her expression suddenly changed as she held her words back.

Ayeon was thrown off by her sudden hesitation.

“Assistant Manager Joo.”

Her face clearly showed she was conflicted.

Ayeon leaned back in her chair and watched her silently.

She could guess why.

What she was worried about.

Why she couldn’t bring herself to say everything.

Maybe she cared more about the company than Jooheon did.

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say she had a deep affection for the art itself.

That was the Joo Ayeon remembered.

She had been so happy to work at The Bridge of Art because she could be surrounded by artworks every day.

The company was also her livelihood. Getting involved in marital issues between the CEO and his wife would do her no good.

“I won’t tell Jooheon. Ever. I’m sure that’s why you felt you could tell me anything in the first place.”

Ayeon’s steady voice was directed at her.

It was meant to build trust, but maybe it wasn’t enough.

Joo hesitated nervously for a moment before finally speaking.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

She hurriedly grabbed her bag and stood up.

Ayeon, caught off guard, stood up too. She had brought a gift for their meeting but had forgotten to give it to her.

She rushed out the café door, scanning for her.

She spotted Joo not far away and quickly walked over.

“Assistant Manager Joo.”

Joo turned around at the sound of Ayeon’s voice.

“Ma’am.”

“Here. I thought of it before meeting you. Take it.”

Joo accepted the paper bag awkwardly.

A glance inside showed a cute character toy that seven-year-olds would love.

Soyul had begged her for it recently, but it had been hard to find.

She hadn’t expected this, and her eyes widened slightly.

“I wasn’t sure if Soyul would like it. I tried to pick carefully, but I don’t really know what kids like. Anyway, take it. And I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable today.”

It didn’t seem like the gift came from any hidden motive.

The care in the choice of gift showed Ayeon’s sincerity.

Seeing how genuinely apologetic she was, Joo’s lips quivered as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

Inside her, gratitude and guilt toward Ayeon mixed with something else she couldn’t quite name.

She had suspected from the moment she agreed to meet that their conversation might get difficult.

In truth, there were days at the office when she had the urge to call Ayeon herself several times.

Sometimes, looking at Jooheon reminded her of her ex-husband, and anger welled up.

That was why she had crossed a line and said something impulsively before.

And she had regretted it immediately after.

Meeting Ayeon like this and hearing her speak had scared her.

Part of her wanted to tell Ayeon everything. But was it right to step between her and Jooheon.

She also feared falling out of Jooheon’s favor.

She couldn’t risk the livelihood of herself and her seven-year-old daughter.

This job had been hard to get.

The more she thought about that, the more cautious she became, despite her former boldness.

Maybe that was why she was the only one left from the original team who had founded the company with Jooheon.

Everyone else had left in disappointment.

Life had reshaped her personality in a bitter way.

She felt upset.

At herself. At Ayeon standing before her.

How had someone this kind and good ended up with someone like Yoon Jooheon.

Then again, she herself had only realized what kind of trash her ex-husband was after they were married. So the thought almost made her laugh bitterly.

“Ma’am…”

Leaving Joo’s soft voice behind, this time Ayeon walked away first.

Then.

“Three days ago he was in Gangneung. Two days ago he was at a hotel in Seoul. The CEO was there.”

Ayeon stopped walking.

“The hotel in Seoul is the one you know. He said he was meeting investors outside the city, but I couldn’t confirm that. And as far as I know, the rest of his spending wasn’t related to work at all.”

Gangneung.

Of all places, why Gangneung.