The next morning, I decided to leave the house early to get some fresh air and jog around the neighborhood. I had spent so much time holed up inside that I never even noticed the small convenience store down the street—or the little stalls selling everything from fresh produce to socks with cartoon faces.
Oh, and one of the biggest culture shocks in Korea? Their cafés stay open past midnight. Who needs coffee at 2 AM? Apparently, everyone.
As I jogged, I finally took a moment to appreciate the scenery. The city was always bustling, but from here, my building actually looked kinda... aesthetic.
"Damn, my place looks nice from here," I muttered, nodding in self-approval.
When I got back home, Jane was already up and busy, probably plotting my next social ambush. But I had more important things on my mind.
"Jane, did my request for the selected collection get sent to the office?" I asked.
"Which ones?" she replied, still half-distracted.
"The ones I asked our staff to pull. The ones scheduled for mass production. The quality looked off in the photos, and I want to check them in person," I explained.
"I see. I'll have Hyun-Jin look into it and report back immediately." The moment I mentioned work, Jane snapped into full-on business mode.
"Great! Well then, let's head to the office, shall we?" I said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Oh, before I forget—get some gifts for Mr. Park and Mr. Nam as a thank-you for visiting us."
Jane raised an eyebrow, her expression dripping with suspicion.
I smirked. "Relax. We must give back. It's only polite." I placed a hand on my chest, feigning sincerity like a saintly philanthropist.
She narrowed her eyes. "Since when do you care about being polite?"
"Since today. I had an epiphany. A spiritual awakening, if you will." I dramatically gazed into the distance.
Jane sighed, already regretting every life choice that led her to this moment. "Fine. What am I getting them?"
"I don't know. What do guys even like? Ask In-Hyun—wait, no. He'd probably suggest something insane. Maybe Hyun-Jin? Either way, figure it out. Also, grab me some ingredients to bake cookies and cakes for them."
Jane's face twisted like I had just told her I was quitting everything to become a professional juggler. "Since when do you bake for people?"
"I don't. But imagine the absolute power I'll hold when they realize I can."
She massaged her temples like she was already developing a headache. "Right. World domination through baked goods. This is my life now."
"Exactly! Now go forth, my loyal minion, and make the necessary arrangements."
Jane rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck, but she didn't argue.
And with that, we set off—me feeling victorious, and Jane probably plotting her resignation.
______________________________________________________________________________
"Hey, Nam, look! They're going out!" Mr. Park practically smacked Nam's arm in excitement.
"Where? Where?" Nam squinted, scrambling to look.
"There! Let's follow them!" Mr. Park was already on his feet, moving way too fast for a man with no real plan.
"But—I have a lot to do—" Nam barely got the words out before Mr. Park yanked him up like a sack of rice.
"Let's take your car! Hurry!" Mr. Park declared.
Nam groaned. "Alright, alright! But I'm not your damn chauffeur."
They jumped into Nam's car, trailing behind at what they thought was a discreet distance.
"Uh, ain't you worried we'll be labeled as stalkers?" Nam raised an eyebrow.
Mr. Park smirked. "Handsome stalkers."
Nam rubbed his temples. "Great. That's not how laws work, but sure."
"Besides, aren't you curious where they're going?" Mr. Park nudged him.
"I was, but she literally told us yesterday. Following her makes us look like those obsessed lunatics in dramas."
Mr. Park grinned. "Let's just call it… a surprise visit."
Nam side-eyed him. "Right. Because all surprises involve tailing someone like criminals."
"You know, I've never seen you this dedicated before," Nam teased. "Usually, you ignore people unless they throw themselves at you."
Mr. Park scoffed. "What? That's not true! I always pay attention."
Nam smirked. "Oh yeah? Name one time."
Mr. Park opened his mouth, froze, and then blinked. "Uh… L-Like now?"
Nam burst out laughing.
As they arrived at the B's building, they spotted Jovi and Jane stepping out—surrounded by an entourage of bodyguards and staff.
Mr. Park's jaw dropped. "Look, Nam. Are you sure she's not important?"
Both of them sat there, staring through the car window like two kids who just realized they've been underestimating their classmate all along.
"Hmmm…" Nam stroked his chin dramatically. "Well, being the head tailor for B is a big deal. And since the designer wants to stay anonymous, it makes sense for her to be extra cautious."
Mr. Park narrowed his eyes. "That's not the vibe I'm getting."
Nam sighed. "And what exactly is your 'vibe' telling you?"
"That she's secretly a mafia boss."
Nam blinked. "A mafia boss? Just because she has bodyguards?"
Mr. Park crossed his arms. "And because she looks like she'd throw a shoe at someone without hesitation."
"Fair point."
Mr. Park suddenly clapped his hands. "Anyway, let's grab something before we head in. It's rude to show up empty-handed."
"Fine, but we're not going overboard," Nam warned.
They pulled into a fancy pastry shop, scanning the endless display of cakes.
Mr. Park's eyes sparkled. "Are we sure about cake?"
Nam scoffed. "Who doesn't love cake? It's a universal peace offering."
Mr. Park grinned. "Perfect! Let's get all of them!"
Nam smacked the back of his head. "We need one, you idiot."
"Hey! I'm older than you!" Mr. Park grumbled, rubbing his head.
Nam ignored him and turned to the attendant. "We'll take that one, please. Thanks."
The cashier handed over the cake, Nam paid, and they were out the door.
"Let's go," Nam said, leading the way.
Mr. Park peeked at the cake box. "Wait… what if she doesn't like cake?"
Nam exhaled through his nose. "Then we'll eat it and pretend this never happened."
Mr. Park grinned. "Best backup plan ever."
________________________________________________________________________________________
As we pulled up to the building, I was greeted by the entire board of directors—including the overseer.
I shot Jane a sharp look. What the hell did she tell them? Why were they all here?
"I'm going to have a long talk with you in the office, Jane," I muttered.
She shrugged, completely unfazed. "I had to report to Shin-Hye. She's my superior."
"Miss B," the directors and overseers greeted in unison, standing in an overly formal line.
I crossed my arms. "We don't have any important meetings today. Why are all of you here? Aren't you busy?"
"Noona! We were excited because you actually showed up for work—we couldn't miss it!" Song-Kang beamed.
"My babe— I mean, Miss B," Ahn Hyo-Seop began, oozing confidence. "I wasn't about to pass up the chance to see you—"
Silence.
Every person in the room turned to him with the collective energy of a courtroom jury ready to hand out a life sentence. If looks could kill, he'd be a cautionary tale.
The Hands, Ahn Hyo-Seop, only smirked—that same infuriatingly charming grin that had women falling at his feet. Unfortunately for him, the only thing falling now was his social standing in this room.
Sensing the incoming assassination attempt, he coughed, straightened his posture, and quickly backpedaled.
"You're still the same shameless playboy I met in college."
"It's rare to see you work!" Min-Young added, her The Eye references already in play.
"I also couldn't wait for whatever amazing thing you'll say today." Ji-Won smirked. The Mouth was clearly here just to hear me curse.
I sighed and turned to the next set of troublemakers: Jun-Ho, Ju Ji-Hoon, Min-Hyun, and Go Kyung-Pyo. The Tycoon, The Feet, The Mind, and The Magistrate—a.k.a. the four busiest people in this damn company.
"I'm here to deliver the fabrics you requested," Ju Ji-Hoon said with the perfect excuse.
I narrowed my eyes at the others.
"I just happened to pass by when they told me you were coming in." Jun-Ho's excuse was so weak it almost offended me. A math genius, yet his excuses were as lazy as a middle schooler skipping class.
"The research and development office is in this building." Min-Hyun pointed toward it.
I blinked. "That… is not a reason, but sure."
I turned to Go Kyung-Pyo. "Aren't you supposed to be at City Hall today?"
"I finished my cases early. I was about to get lunch when Jane told us you were coming." He spoke like a guilty suspect caught red-handed.
I exhaled through my nose. "I can't believe you're a judge and a prosecutor."
Then, I spotted Jae-Young and—Jae-Young. Both grinning like mischievous little foxes.
I frowned. "You two. Why are you here?"
They smiled wider, as if their mere existence was the answer.
"Aren't you supposed to be at a celebrity photoshoot today?" I asked irritably.
"We worked remotely," they said in perfect unison, oozing confidence.
I stared at them, dumbfounded. "You… remotely?"
They nodded.
I had no words.
Then I noticed Ahn In-Hyeop and Lee Soo-Hyuk, both eyeing a car in the distance. Their heads tilted at the same time, exchanging some sort of silent, secret agent look.
I squinted. What now?
"Hey! Both of you!" I called out. Their heads snapped toward me like I'd interrupted a highly classified mission.
"I thought this building was already secure. Do you really need to show up today?" I asked sarcastically.
"Nothing, Miss B," they responded in eerie synchronization.
I sighed. "Nothing? You two? That's a damn lie."
"Haaah… go back to your actual jobs," I ordered, rubbing my temples. "And do not bother me on the top floor. I don't want to see your faces today. If I do, I swear I'll get a migraine."
They all exchanged heartbroken glances, as if I had just announced I was disbanding their favorite K-pop group.
"If even one of you shows up, I will personally ghost all of you. Or worse… I'll run away to another country and change my name. You'll never see me again."
The words spilled out, pure nonsense fueled by stress. Obviously, I didn't mean it, but judging by their reactions, I might as well have signed my own exile.
Ji-Won stared at me in utter disbelief, clutching her chest like she'd just been served divorce papers. Min-Young gasped theatrically, handing over her mouth like she was witnessing the most scandalous betrayal in history. Even the ever-composed Jun-Ho looked like he was mentally calculating the exact airfare needed to hunt me down.
Min-Hyun's brain went into overdrive, his fingers flying across his tablet as he narrowed down every possible escape route I could take. If I so much as blinked in the direction of an airport, he'd probably have a detailed PowerPoint presentation ready with real-time GPS tracking.
Meanwhile, Song-Kang dropped his phone in sheer horror, his lips forming the slow-motion cry of: "Noooonaa!! NO!"—except no sound actually came out. It was like watching a silent movie, but with extra tragedy. He scrambled to pick up his phone, dialing his men at record speed. I wouldn't be surprised if he had them setting up roadblocks already.
Then there were the twins, Jae-Young and Jae-Won, who collapsed into each other's arms, sobbing like two kids who just had their lollipops stolen—no, obliterated. The way they clung to each other, rocking back and forth, you'd think I had personally canceled Christmas.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Relax, drama queens. Just don't bother me."
In-Hyeop—and even the deadliest Lee Soo-Hyuk—still looked seconds away from crying. These bastards. These ruthless, cold-blooded bastards who eat fights for breakfast and drink blood like wine with steak… were on the verge of tears.
I almost wanted to hand them a tissue. Almost.
Meanwhile, Jun-Ho, Min-Hyun, and Go Kyung-Pyo were clutching their chests like I had personally ripped their souls out and drop-kicked them into the abyss. If I listened closely, I was pretty sure I could hear the faint sound of a tragic violin score playing in the background.
At this rate, someone was about to pass me a script and tell me to officially star in a melodrama.
And then there was Ahn Hyo-Seop—on his knees, as if I had just announced my retirement from existence itself.
Meanwhile, Overseer Kim Hye-Eun and Director Park Shin-Hye were quietly chuckling, clearly entertained by the theatrics.
Without another word, I stormed off to the elevator, exhausted before the day even began.
Only Hyun-Jin, In-Hyeop, and Jane followed me inside.
And just like that, my workday officially started—with a migraine already forming.
___________________________________________________________________________________
The rhythmic hum of my sewing machine was the only sound filling the room as I stitched fabric with calculated precision. Patterns, draping, adjustments—my hands worked instinctively, but my mind was already racing with thoughts of the upcoming collection. Then, a sharp knock on the door shattered the stillness.
The door creaked open. Jane stepped in, her usual composed expression tinged with unease.
"Jovi?" she called cautiously.
"Yes, Jane?" I didn't stop working, not yet.
"The samples for the collection have arrived. Would you like us to move them here?"
I finally paused, setting my tools down. "Yes. Have them placed over there, and get someone to dress the mannequins. We need to inspect them closely."
A flurry of movement followed. Staff poured into the room like soldiers on a mission, hauling in boxes and unsealing them with urgency. Seamstresses hovered over the garments, adjusting, pinning, assessing. I barely spared them a glance as I walked toward my desk in the adjoining room, where stacks of reports waited for me.
I flipped through them with sharp eyes, scanning numbers, contracts, approvals—until something stopped me.
A single detail. One that shouldn't have been there.
It was a whisper in the storm, a single thread out of place in a perfect weave. My breath hitched. My fingers tightened around the page. My pulse, steady moments ago, thundered in my ears.
This wasn't an accident. Someone thought they could slip this past me.
"Jane." My voice was too calm. Too cold.
Jane froze at my tone. Without hesitation, she spun on her heel and disappeared. Within minutes, the directors flooded in, their personal assistants trailing behind like shadows. Some whispered, others tapped furiously on tablets, making urgent calls. They felt it too—something was very wrong.
Min-Young, The Eyes, was the first to move. She strode forward and examined the mannequin closest to her, her sharp gaze tracing every seam, every stitch. Her breath caught.
She turned to me, horror in her eyes.
"The production quality has dropped."
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my desk. "Do you have the specifics?" My voice was low, controlled—but my patience was slipping.
Jane fumbled through the files, checking reports, flipping pages. "According to Director Byeon, everything was fine in the factory. This batch was supposed to be approved—"
"Lies." My fingers drummed against the wooden surface. "There's something off here."
A heavy silence filled the room. The air grew thick, suffocating. Then, I exhaled, my decision already made.
"It's time."
The words sent a ripple through the directors. The tension shifted—electrified.
I turned my gaze to Lee Soo-Hyuk. "Do what you have to do."
Without hesitation, he nodded. Beside him, In-Hyeop and Ju Ji-Hoon exchanged knowing glances before bowing in unison. These three… even if they wiped an entire dynasty off the face of the earth, no one would ever find a trace. No stains. No evidence. No whispers of their existence.
Jane gasped. "D-Do you w-want them to do it?!?! Are you serious?!"
I didn't even blink. "Yes."
She stepped back, still in shock. "But—"
"Someone made their move first. We must act before the rot spreads." My voice was like ice.
A heavy silence stretched across the room. It was the kind of silence that preceded a storm, the calm before a battlefield erupted into chaos.
Everyone in the room had already grasped the gravity of what I was saying. There was no need for further explanation, no need for me to spell it out. They weren't fools—they had been with me long enough to recognize the shift in atmosphere, the razor-sharp edge of my words.
Without hesitation, they moved.
One by one, the directors straightened, their backs rigid with determination. There was no need for spoken orders. No need for second guesses. Each of them already knew their role, their responsibilities. Their eyes flickered with understanding, with purpose, with the quiet, calculated menace of professionals who knew that failure was not an option.
"Understood, Miss B."
Their voices echoed in unison, reverberating off the walls like a solemn vow.
Jane was the first to bow and turn away, her hurried footsteps resounding like the ticking of a countdown. The directors followed her out, their exits swift but deliberate. Assistants scurried behind them, whispering orders into their earpieces, tapping feverishly on their tablets, making calls that would set wheels into motion.
The air was thick with tension, but also with certainty.
War had been declared.
And now, the real game is beginning.
I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly as a smirk tugged at my lips. My fingers traced over the scattered documents in front of me, each page holding a piece of the puzzle, a fragment of the enemy's plan. I flipped through them with eerie patience, my heartbeat slow, steady—like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.
Then, I stopped.
Cha Industries.
My fingers hovered over the name, my gaze darkening.
A chuckle—low, dark, almost amused—escaped my lips.
"Oh?" I murmured, tilting my head slightly. "Even Mr. Cha doesn't know he has parasites gnawing at his empire?"
My nails drummed against the desk as I studied the file, my mind already weaving possibilities.
Interesting.
This wasn't just a careless mistake. This was sabotage. Deliberate. Tactical. Someone had been moving in the shadows, playing a game they thought I wouldn't notice.
But they had miscalculated.
Badly.
I tapped the page again, considering my next move. Not bad… A slow, knowing smile crept across my face. I might find a use for you.
With a final glance, I closed the file with a sharp snap, the sound cutting through the lingering tension in the empty room.
My smirk deepened as I leaned forward, my fingers steepled beneath my chin.
-End-