The Secretary's Crossed Line
“This morning at ten, the rebranding task force meeting. This afternoon, the marketing team’s performance report and the final inspection of the department store pop-up.”
Woo-jin listened to Yu-won’s report while studying his tablet, then spoke.
“What’s the sales target for the pop-up?”
“Three hundred million for the first week, 1.2 billion for the month.”
“That’s too low.”
“Excuse me?”
“Make it five hundred million for the first week and two billion for the month.”
Yu-won found herself speechless.
“But…”
Barely a year had passed since the brand had pivoted from a low-price roadshop to a premium line. Moment had only just begun to lift its head out of the swamp of red ink. The figures Woo-jin had just named were high—impossibly high.
Moment had once dominated the low-end roadshop market, only to see sales collapse along with the market itself and become the black sheep of the Taekyung Group. That was why Woo-jin’s transfer from executive director of the group headquarters’ strategic planning office to CEO of Moment had been an unmistakable demotion. Rumors that he had been pushed out of the succession race were everywhere.
Yet he remained utterly serene as he took a terrifyingly cold knife to the company. The purge of underperforming departments was only the beginning.
“Conservative targets only produce conservative results. Relay the adjusted numbers to marketing.”
“…Understood.”
As the rest of the report continued, Woo-jin was the same as always—as if yesterday had never happened.
Ah. So it was just something he tossed out casually.
All the tension drained out of her at once. She had spent the entire night twisting herself into knots over that single remark.
It’s not fair.
At that moment Woo-jin fixed her with a steady gaze.
“What’s unfair?”
“Pardon? Me?”
Yu-won clapped a hand over her mouth, suddenly afraid she had spoken her thoughts aloud by accident.
“Your face says it is, Secretary Shin.”
Woo-jin’s expression remained perfectly relaxed. Yu-won lowered her hand and composed her features.
“It’s nothing of the sort.”
“All right. Then you may go.”
As if the exchange had never occurred, he returned his attention to the documents. Yu-won gave a short bow and slipped out of the office.
Her earlobes were already burning. She tried a deep breath, but her heart refused to settle, as though waves were still crashing inside it.
Shin Yu-won, get a grip.
Only after shaking her head several times did she calm down enough to pull out her phone.
Her fingers froze mid-type. All she had to do was hit send, yet they refused to move.
“Boyfriend?”
The sudden voice made Yu-won jump and flip her phone face-down.
“Madam, you’ve arrived.”
“Goodness, why so startled? What’s wrong with a young person dating a little? I think it’s perfectly lovely. Is the director inside?”
Cha Yeo-gyeong—second daughter-in-law of the Taekyung Group and Woo-jin’s mother—approached with a smile.
The moment her son was demoted, Cha Yeo-gyeong had begun wearing a path to Moment’s doorstep. Woo-jin neither welcomed her visits nor seemed particularly bothered by them.
“If I don’t come like this, I never get to see his face. He’s always so busy—says he does all the company work himself.”
Yu-won could clearly hear the pride in her son woven through the complaint.
She offered the answer Cha Yeo-gyeong wanted to hear and smiled.
“The director’s abilities are exceptional, after all.”
“Exactly. And I’m not saying this just because he’s my son—isn’t our director truly outstanding?”
Cha Yeo-gyeong looked at her as if seeking agreement. Today’s visit, it seemed, was not really about Woo-jin.
“Yes, I think so as well.”
It was what Cha Yeo-gyeong wanted to hear, and it also happened to be the truth.
“Secretary Shin, may I ask one favor?”
“Of course. Please tell me.”
Cha Yeo-gyeong stepped closer to Yu-won’s desk and held out a document envelope.
“This.”
“What is it?”
Yu-won took the rather thick envelope.
“A list of matchmaking candidates for the director.”
She nearly dropped it, but managed to keep her grip while smoothing her expression.
“He won’t even listen with half an ear if I tell him myself. Does he plan to marry his work? We need to form a solid in-law connection if we want to pull his return to headquarters forward, don’t we?”
Fortunately, Cha Yeo-gyeong seemed not to have noticed Yu-won’s brief fluster. Composing her face, Yu-won looked up.
“What would you like me to do?”
“Fit appointments with the young ladies on that list into the gaps in his schedule. Just get him to show up somehow.”
Cha Yeo-gyeong smiled brightly. You can manage that, right?
Yu-won’s heart felt as though it had been raked by something sharp.
She already knew they belonged to different worlds. She already knew she was in no position to like him.
So why wouldn’t her heart behave the way it was supposed to?
She tried an indirect refusal.
“The director has been extremely busy lately, though.”
It was a petty defense. She simply did not want to arrange his matchmaking meetings with her own hands.
“I know. That’s exactly why I’m asking you specially, hmm?”
Cha Yeo-gyeong showed no intention of backing down.
“If it goes well, I’ll make sure you get a generous bonus.”
“…Yes, ma’am. Understood.”
Having extracted the answer she wanted, Cha Yeo-gyeong smiled in satisfaction.
Just then the office door opened and Woo-jin appeared.
“You’re here.”
“Just a quick stop on my way to exercise. I was afraid I’d forget my own son’s face.”
Cha Yeo-gyeong avoided his gaze and winked at Yu-won.
“I’d see you out, but I have a meeting.”
Woo-jin’s tone was gentle, yet it left no room for her to linger.
“I’ve seen your face, so that’s enough. I’ll be going—get back to work.”
Having achieved her purpose, Cha Yeo-gyeong withdrew without protest.
“Let’s go to the meeting.”
“…Yes, Director.”
Yu-won hastily stuffed the envelope into a drawer and followed him.
It felt like a coup de grâce.
She already knew where this feeling ended: a sheer cliff.
Plates of carefully arranged food were set one after another on the table. Last came an elegant porcelain wine bottle; the server finished the setting and quietly closed the door behind him.
“I hope the meal is to your taste.”
Woo-jin spoke smoothly as he lifted the bottle. Across from him, Yoon Gyeong-pil cleared his throat and raised his glass.
“Looks good enough.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Woo-jin poured with practiced ease and set the bottle down. Seated at his side, Yu-won gripped her tablet a little tighter, nerves prickling.
Yoon Gyeong-pil was the vice president of Hanseong Distribution. When they had inspected the Hanseong Department Store pop-up that afternoon, the signs of deliberate sabotage had been everywhere—placement on the second basement level, impossibly tight logistics windows, commission rates far above industry average. Hence this hastily arranged dinner.
Hanseong was a major retail group operating department stores and premium outlets nationwide. Getting Moment into every one of those locations was Woo-jin’s ultimate goal. That made the success of this pop-up critical.
“So, what’s the real business?”
Having drained his glass, Yoon Gyeong-pil picked up his chopsticks. Two thick slices of raw fish disappeared into his mouth.
“I asked you here because I wanted your advice on the pop-up matter.”
At Woo-jin’s courteous reply, Yoon Gyeong-pil lifted his chin with arrogant leisure.
“Let’s drink a little more first, then talk.”
“Of course.”
Woo-jin lifted the bottle again. Yoon Gyeong-pil pushed his hand away.
“Hey now. That’s enough. Why do you keep pouring?”
He wet his lips with his tongue and looked at Yu-won.
“I’d rather drink what this young lady pours for me.”
The lecherous gaze landed squarely on her chest. Yu-won’s face stiffened before she could stop it.
“Go on.”
Yoon Gyeong-pil jiggled his empty glass in a clear demand.
Goosebumps rose all over her skin, yet refusing would shatter the atmosphere. With yesterday’s F&L investment already ruined, losing Hanseong Distribution as well would deal Moment a heavy blow.
The briefing had been an excuse. Wasn’t this the real reason Woo-jin had brought her along?
After all, to him she was the kind of easy woman you could proposition for a one-night stand.
Having reached that self-lacerating conclusion, Yu-won began to rise from her seat—
Woo-jin’s lips, which had remained perfectly calm until now, parted.
“Sit down.”
The tone was so ordinary she almost failed to catch it.
“I said sit.”
“……!”
Yu-won staggered and dropped back into her chair. Woo-jin’s hand had seized her wrist and pulled her down.
She was not the only one startled. The sly smile vanished from Yoon Gyeong-pil’s face as his eyes widened. A moment later his rough voice filled the room.
“Director Lee, just what do you think you’re doing?”