I woke up to the sound of someone banging my door like they were about to break in. My brain was still buffering between sleep and consciousness when I heard the familiar screeching voice.
"JOVY! JOVYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
"WHAT?!?!?!?" I groaned, rolling over, hoping if I ignored them long enough, they would go away.
"THE F*CK YOU WANT, I'M RESTING!" I shouted, snuggling back into my blanket like a burrito. Ah, sweet, sweet sleep—
The door slammed open with enough force to make the walls shake.
"JOVY! TODAY'S OUR MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS!"
"IS IT?!?!?! SH*T!!" I jumped out of bed so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. "WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME EARLIER?!" I accused, scrambling to find something—anything—to wear.
"I DID! But you threw your pillow at me and mumbled something about setting fire to capitalism!" Jane crossed her arms, watching me struggle with the basic concept of getting dressed.
Ah. That did sound like me.
I sprinted to the shower, screaming internally, while Jane flung outfit options on my bed like a tornado had passed through my closet. Of course, she insisted I wear something ridiculously elegant. Something that screamed 'powerful CEO' but also said 'yes, I do indeed have my life together'—which was an utter lie.
"At least let me wear sneakers," I whined as she shoved a pair of heels at me.
"No," she deadpanned.
"At least lower heels—"
"Jovy, stop talking."
"What about my comfy flats—"
"Jovy."
I grumbled but obeyed. Fine. Fashion over comfort, I guess. After all, I was supposed to be the embodiment of style. I could suffer. Briefly.
With my hair and makeup done at record speed, we rushed down to the parking lot. Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk barely had time to acknowledge us before I shoved myself into the car, scanning the reports Jane handed me.
"Uh huh… okay… not bad… we're doing good…" I mumbled, scrolling through the numbers while inhaling coffee like my life depended on it. Because, at this rate, it did.
"As you can see, the brand's value skyrocketed by 40% after the last campaign," Jane added, tapping the tablet. "Once the announcement drops, it'll go up to 60%. Department stores are already preparing for the next stock."
I nodded, exhaling slowly. "As expected. This is just the beginning. Gather everyone; nothing can go wrong with this project."
"Understood," Jane said, already pulling out her phone and barking orders like a general assembling troops for war.
Our driver pulled up in front of the office building, the polished black exterior gleaming under the morning sun. Before I could even step out, Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk were already waiting by the entrance, looking like a pair of bodyguards ready to throw hands at the slightest inconvenience. Honestly, I sometimes wonder if they train in underground fight clubs in their free time.
"Great," I said, straightening my coat.
Just as I was about to head inside, a figure approached me—dressed in street-style clothing, his hood slightly covering his face. If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought he was here to rob me.
"I work for Song-Kang," he said in a low voice, eyes darting around.
Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk immediately tensed, their gazes sharp, like guard dogs sniffing out trouble.
I barely batted an eye. "Good." I turned slightly toward Hyun-Jin, who was already waiting for instructions.
"What is it, Ms. B?" he asked, his voice serious, always ready for whatever storm I was about to unleash.
"He's Ears, personnel. Have him investigate the Cha Group and all their affiliated partners. Especially a woman named Kim Se-Ra."
They didn't ask questions. They didn't need to. They knew me well enough to understand that if I was making a move, it was for a reason.
"Dig up everything—skeletons in their closet, shady deals, unpaid parking tickets—I want it all," I said, my voice calm but firm.
"Understood, Ms. B," the staff member answered before disappearing as quickly as he had arrived.
With that handled, I marched into the building, Jane, Hyun-Jin, and In-Hyuk falling into step behind me like some kind of fashion-forward mafia leader. Employees parted like the Red Sea, heads bowing slightly in acknowledgment as we passed.
The top floor was designed for maximum secrecy—soundproof walls thick enough to smother a scandal, strict access codes that changed every few hours, and enough security to make even the most paranoid billionaire sleep soundly at night. If someone so much as breathed too close to the wrong door, alarms would go off. No leaks, no loose lips—just business.
As I stepped out of the private elevator, the air felt different. Heavier. Like anticipation had taken form and settled over the room like a weighted blanket. It was the kind of silence that preceded either a breakthrough or a bloodbath, and I wasn't in the mood for the latter.
My heels clicked against the polished marble floor, a rhythmic metronome counting down to the inevitable. The meeting hall doors swung open automatically—sensor activated, no need for unnecessary pleasantries like knocking. Inside, the massive, sleek black conference table stretched across the room, surrounded by my team, each one seated like soldiers awaiting orders from their general. Their expressions were a mix of nerves and steel determination, as if they had already braced themselves for whatever storm I was about to unleash.
I walked straight to my seat at the head of the table, my movements calculated, unrushed. They didn't dare to speak first. They knew better. The air inside was thick with tension, expectation practically humming in the silence.
"Is everyone here already?" I asked, barely glancing up as I settled into my chair.
"Yes, Ms. B," they replied in unison, their voices crisp and almost rehearsed. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they had been practicing that response for dramatic effect.
I leaned back slightly, fingers tapping against the polished surface of the table. The sound echoed—sharp, measured, deliberate.
"Good," I said, letting the single word hang in the air for a second longer than necessary, just enough to keep them on edge.
They swallowed. Shifted slightly in their seats. Not out of fear, but because they knew that whatever was about to happen next would set the tone for the rest of this project.
"Let's get started."
"Yes, Ms. B," they responded again, as synchronized as a well-trained choir.
I smirked slightly. Game on.
The head of factories stood up first, his nervous energy almost palpable. I barely had to glance at him to know that whatever he was about to say wouldn't be good news.
"Ms. B, after the announcement, our factories are working overtime to produce the collection. However—"
"However, what?" I cut in, my voice sharp enough to slice through the room's already tense atmosphere.
He hesitated. Never a good sign.
"Well… regarding manpower, we might hit a bottleneck," he admitted. "We're still producing stock for the last collection, and if demand skyrockets, we'll struggle to keep up."
Jane nodded, arms crossed, her expression neutral but her tone carrying a hint of concern. "It's not that we can't meet the numbers, but it will strain resources."
I considered this. They weren't wrong. If anything, it was a good problem to have—a sign that our brand was only growing stronger. But that didn't change the fact that a problem, no matter how flattering, was still a problem.
I turned to Director Hyung-Sik, who looked like he had something to add but was trying to calculate whether or not it was worth the risk of my reaction.
"Director Hyung-Sik, what are our options?" I prompted, making it clear that hesitating any longer wasn't an option.
He cleared his throat, shifting slightly. "We could acquire another factory to handle the new collection… or—" a brief pause, a hesitation that instantly put me on edge, "—we could partner with the Cha Group. They've already expressed interest in working with us."
The room went silent.
And not just any kind of silence—the kind where even the air seemed to pause, waiting to see if I was about to set something on fire.
My gaze snapped to Jane, Hyun-Jin, and In-Hyuk. They didn't need to speak. Their expressions screamed, bad idea, bad idea, BAD IDEA.
Hyun-Jin visibly tensed, his jaw tightening. In-Hyuk stared straight ahead like he was mentally preparing a eulogy for whoever had dared to say 'Cha Group' in my presence. Jane, always the professional, merely raised an eyebrow, but I caught the subtle way her fingers drummed against the table—a personal tell that said she was just as unimpressed as I was.
I clenched my jaw, my voice low but firm.
"No."
Silence.
Not a single breath out of place.
Director Hyung-Sik, to his credit, didn't try to push the idea further. I think he realized he had already crossed into dangerous territory and was currently calculating how to safely back out without losing too many limbs.
I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table. "The Cha Group is not an option. Find another."
"Understood, Ms. B," he said quickly, nodding like his life depended on it.
It probably did.
I stood up, palms pressing hard against the table, the cool surface grounding me just enough to keep my anger from spilling over. My gaze swept across the room, locking onto each and every person present.
"You already know what happened in the past," I said, my voice even but sharp enough to cut through the silence like a blade. "I hand-picked every single one of you because I trusted you. Because I believed you understood the stakes. Don't tell me you've forgotten."
Nobody spoke. The weight of my words hung heavy in the air, pressing down on everyone like an unseen force.
"Miss B, we didn't forget." Jane's voice was steady, unwavering. She met my gaze without flinching.
Hyun-Jin, usually the first to roll his eyes at my dramatics, sat up straighter. "We won't let it happen again," he assured me. His tone left no room for doubt.
I took a deep breath, forcing my emotions down, locking them behind the same steel walls I had built years ago. "Then don't suggest something like that again. We don't trust them until we dig up their history. Every last detail."
Director Hyung-Sik gulped. "Understood, Miss B." His hands twitched slightly, gripping the edge of the table like it was a lifeline.
I exhaled sharply before lowering myself back into my seat. The tension in the room remained thick, but the message had been received loud and clear.
"Now," I continued, shifting gears. "Moving on—does everyone have the collection designs?"
A chorus of affirmations followed. "Yes, Miss B."
I sighed, relief washing over me in slow waves. For now, at least, we were still in control.
As the meeting continued—discussions shifting toward production schedules, PR strategies, and financial projections—my mind drifted. Not out of boredom, but because something didn't sit right.
The Cha Group.
Their name kept surfacing, slipping into the conversation like an uninvited guest who somehow already knew where the silverware was kept. Too smooth. Too convenient.
I frowned slightly, my fingers tapping a slow, deliberate rhythm against the table.
A deal like this didn't just materialize out of thin air. It was calculated. Precise. And in my experience, deals that looked this good on paper had a habit of turning into a disaster in reality.
Nothing came without a cost.
I wasn't naive enough to believe this was just about business.
"Jovy?"
I blinked, snapping back as the room fell silent. All eyes were on me.
Director Hyung-Sik, ever composed, tapped his tablet and repeated, "We were discussing the possibility of working with them. The project is set to launch in two weeks—should we consider adjusting to align with the Cha Group's partnership?"
There it was again. Their name, now woven neatly into the foundation of my business, as if they had always been here.
I leaned back, inhaling slowly. "No."
The word was sharp, final.
A few board members exchanged glances. Hyung-Sik cleared his throat. "You're saying it's not possible?"
"I'm saying I don't approve of it. We will have to think about it." My tone was calm, but beneath the surface, my irritation simmered. "We don't adjust to cater to someone else's timeline. Our brand has always moved at its own pace, on its own terms. If the Cha Group wants in, they'll have to work with us—not the other way around."
Silence.
A few cautious nods. Some shifting in seats.
One of the senior executives leaned forward, adjusting his tie as if preparing for battle. "Jovy, I understand your concern, but this deal—"
"I don't recall saying I was concerned." I cut in smoothly, my gaze steady. "I'm stating a fact. If we rush this, we compromise the integrity of our designs. We gamble with our reputation. And worst of all, we risk diluting the identity of this brand—something I have built from the ground up." My voice hardened. "I will not put Miss B's name on the line for the sake of an expedited deal. And I certainly won't sell it off to the highest bidder."
More silence.
Someone cleared their throat. Papers rustled.
Hyung-Sik, ever the diplomat, nodded slowly, recalibrating. "Understood. We'll stick to the current plan unless a compelling reason arises to change it."
"Good." I exhaled, forcing a small smile. "Now, let's move on."
But even as the conversation shifted, even as the meeting resumed its rhythm, I couldn't shake the unease curling in my gut.
The Cha Group was knocking on my door.
And for the first time in a long time, I wasn't sure if I wanted to let them in.
-End-