Chapter 4

“I apologize on behalf of the President for his rudeness.”

Haruka quickly shook her head with a smile at Chief Cho’s polite apology.

“It’s alright. But didn’t you say this was Vice Chairman Jin Seonghan’s private residence?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then the man just now…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say Ihan’s name.

Even though she didn’t name him, Chief Cho understood immediately.

“Oh, that was President Jin Ihan, the Vice Chairman’s younger brother. He must have come to visit his niece.”

The niece referred to Seonghan’s daughter, whom he was raising alone after his divorce.

He had married a woman from a prominent family, but after three years of personality clashes, they divorced. He had been raising his daughter alone since then.

The biological mother had relinquished custody entirely and only saw the child once or twice a year as a co-guardian. She was a free-love type who had a reputation for being just as much of a womanizer as Seonghan was with women.

Because of this, while he was known to be ruthless to outsiders, Seonghan was an extremely devoted father to his daughter.

“Then he doesn’t actually live here?”

“No. He lives in a private residence off the estate, but occasionally visits to see his niece. It’s rare, so you should focus only on the Vice Chairman’s care, Ms. Haruka. When can you start working?”

“I can start right away.”

That was a relief.

At least it seemed she wouldn’t be encountering Jin Ihan here often.

“Then let’s have you officially start this weekend. The Vice Chairman will return from his business trip in three days. Move your belongings into the staff quarters by the day after tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

Her entry into the mansion had gone exactly as planned.

Even the biggest hurdle, her reunion with Jin Ihan, had been overcome.

At least, it seemed that way.

* * *

After finishing the interview, Haruka stepped out of the annex.

The clouds that had gathered earlier had cleared, and sunlight stretched long across the neatly maintained garden.

She walked along the carefully laid stone path, mentally organizing her report to Headquarters.

Then suddenly, her steps stopped.

“…”

Her gaze landed on the trees beside the white marble fountain.

Before she realized it, her feet were carrying her toward them.

Standing before the trees, she stared blankly at the lush green leaves.

She reached out and brushed the foliage with her fingertips.

Bathed in the late spring sunlight, the flowers exuded a vibrant energy.

Clusters of pale lavender petals hung down, giving the place a lavish, dreamlike atmosphere.

Standing under the arched pergola covered in flowers made the feeling even stronger.

“…Wisteria.”

The tree that Ihan had planted without ever telling her its name was now covered with flowers and leaves.

Her conversation with him from that time flashed through her mind like an echo.

“Are you really not going to tell me what kind of tree this is?”

“Wait. Next May, beautiful flowers will bloom. When they do, there’s something I want to tell you.”

She never got to hear those words.

That winter, her family was wiped out in the massacre disguised as an accident.

The following year, she was writhing in unimaginable pain.

It was a pointless memory either way.

Unlike her, who had meant everything sincerely, Jin Ihan had only been acting.

“It was so easy, Yoo Haru.”

She hadn’t even realized she was being deceived.

Her hand, which had been gently caressing the petals, suddenly clenched and crushed them with force, as if she were her twenty-one-year-old self again.

“What are you doing?”

The sudden voice made her freeze.

Before she could turn, a rough grip seized her wrist.

Her hand, stained with purple, trembled. It all happened in an instant.

“Ugh.”

When the grip on her wrist tightened further, a groan escaped her lips.

The crushed petals fell from her palm in tatters.

“Who are you.”

The low, heavy voice was one she had never heard before.

She looked up to see a man whose face she also had never seen in person.

Wearing a navy classic suit, he radiated an unmistakable aura.

His features were similar to Ihan’s, but sharper, more defined.

She had only ever seen him in photographs. This was her first time facing him directly.

‘Jin Seonghan.’

He was the eldest son whom Chairman Jin Youngman treasured the most.

But he wasn’t supposed to return for three more days. What happened?

Either Chief Cho’s information was wrong, or his unpredictable personality had led to an early return.

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t good news for Haruka.

“I asked who you are.”

Back when she was Yoo Haru, Seonghan had always been stationed at an overseas branch.

She had never seen him in person, so her information on him was limited. But she knew he was Ihan’s half brother.

Through Ryota’s network, she’d learned that Chairman Jin Youngman was far more attached to his firstborn than to his second son from a later marriage.

The rift had deepened after Ihan started running his own business separate from Jinseong Group.

It had always been that way, and it would remain that way. Jin Seonghan was the sole heir of Jinseong.

“He’s the one with the biggest stake in your family’s massacre plan. Jin Seonghan.”

That was why he had become one of Headquarters’ main targets.

He was also the first person she had to win over and eventually eliminate.

“Chairman Jin Youngman gave the order, Jin Seonghan designed the plan, and Jin Ihan handled the behind-the-scenes work. The three of them worked together to commit that atrocity.”

Baek Jin-ha’s words echoed in her ears.

The hatred that had accumulated over the years stirred within her.

But Haruka twisted her wrist free from his grip and reined in her emotions.

She was face to face with one of the people who had ruined her life, yet she managed to smile calmly.

That was the result of years of practice.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Haruka Suzuki, the new aromatherapist assigned to the Vice Chairman.”

“Aromatherapist? I thought that was over.”

“I was hired after today’s interview.”

“Haa…”

His short sigh carried a trace of displeasure.

It was clear Jin Seonghan didn’t like the idea of an aromatherapist.

Five of them had already quit. Chief Cho’s warning hadn’t been an exaggeration.

“You’re doing this pointless nonsense again.”

His brow furrowed.

The bloodshot whites of his eyes, evidence of his insomnia, made him appear even more threatening.

“Medicine can’t fix this, and you think this crap will, fuck.”

After five failed attempts, his distrust was obvious.

Though his words were clearly meant for her to hear, Haruka didn’t even blink.

Instead, she took a small oil bottle from her bag.

It was a slightly darker blend than the one she had given Chief Cho.

“What trick are you pulling?”

“It will help you sleep better. Try it first, then decide whether to keep me. If you still have doubts about aromatherapy afterward, I’ll accept your decision without complaint.”

“What?”

“Then I’ll expect your answer tomorrow.”

She bowed and walked past him, leaving him staring at her suspiciously.

Once she stepped out from under the pergola, the spring sunlight hit her like an attack.

She squinted against the brightness.

Even after leaving the wisteria-covered space, the scent still clung to her.

The purple stains on her palm seemed to be the culprit.

She tried scraping it off with her nails, but the flower’s pigment had already soaked into her skin.

“Disgusting.”

The floral scent was sweet beyond measure, but it was equally nauseating.

Just like the heart of Yoo Haru, who had once loved someone.

* * *

Ihan stopped just before entering the guest room.

His gaze fell on the room at the end of the hallway.

It was the room he had lived in when he stayed in the annex.

The room where, after Yoo Haru’s death, he had attempted to take his own life for the first time.

He had never stepped inside again since that day.

“…”

Maybe it was because of the woman’s eyes he had just seen. Something pulled him toward that room.

Slowly, Ihan walked over.

Clack. Creeeak.

The harsh sound of metal scraping made it clear that no one had entered this room in years.

This was a sealed place, untouched since eight years ago.

The curtains, with the same pattern, the traces of withered flowers, the heavy bedding unfitting for the season, the dark red stains on the rug.

Everything was exactly as it had been that day.

The unchanged scenery filled his vision with pain.

“Everything’s the same. Except for you, Yoo Haru.”

A sliver of light entered through the gap in the curtains, illuminating the space.

The dust floating in the light shimmered like gold powder.

Her face appeared in that light for a brief moment. Her radiant smile.

“Ihan, I love you.”

She was smiling in that brilliant memory.

The wrinkled sheets, the messy desk piled with textbooks, the dusty fabric sofa.

Everything here was saturated with Yoo Haru.

Even the faint trace of her scent lingered in the air.

His breathing grew heavy, and his wrist, where he wore his watch, began to ache.

The symptoms that had been dormant for years were stirring again.

‘So I’m still not over it.’

It made sense. He had stepped into this place again.

He strode to the window and yanked the curtains wide open, as if to drive away the memories embedded in the room.

Sunlight poured in like it had been waiting for him.

He winced at the brightness, closing and then reopening his eyes.

In his strained vision, he suddenly saw a figure.

“…Haruka Suzuki.”

She was leaving the mansion after her interview.

His gaze faltered the moment she turned toward the wisteria by the fountain.

“…!”

He spun around and dashed back down the hallway.

Her silhouette, so much like Yoo Haru’s, made his body move on instinct.