BOOK 1: The Heir Series; Choi Seungcheol

14: UP

The three women immediately turned silent as they saw him coming inside the elevator. He lifelessly stood in front of them and didn't care about the look they are giving him.

What's with women?

He could still feel their burning stares as he pressed the top floor of the building.

Of all days, his private elevator picked this day to play around and malfunction. He shouldn't be dealing with all the looks the people would throw at him every time the elevator door opens. He would have been in his office already and not dealt with the crowd of people coming in and out of the elevator.

Of course, they all knew who he was.

He's Choi Seungcheol, an heir to the Choi throne. His family owned almost all the establishments there were in the country. From interior design, shopping centers, and car establishments, they even own a university, even the biggest oil and gold supplier in the country. They practically owned a whole town and until now, their name becomes known all throughout the world.

That's why it's not new for him to be recognized by every person who passed him. He would even want to know if there is someone who doesn't know anything about him.

He hated being subjected to people's judgments. That's why for years, he hides his every move from the public. He values his privacy. He took pride in his covertness and he liked to keep it that way.

He hated media, especially those journalists who write trash just to make a living. There are those people who don't care if they stepped on somebody else or ruin a name just for money and power. Those kinds of people are a lot worse than those wild animals.

Yet as everyone says, keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.

There is nothing money could not do. And with his money, he could do whatever he wants and get everything he wants. Nothing is impossible for him. He always makes sure to it that his money would not come to drain through his publicist friend. That's why not even a single paper has his name on it, except these last few days.

He almost fired Chris for being careless. They didn't check the hotel premises thoroughly that day. He always had tight security around him when he was outside the perimeter of his haven. He couldn't afford one mistake out of recklessness because it will cause great damage to him.

He should've followed his instinct that day. He should've talked inside a private room with his fiancée - away from the public's ears.

Fiancée. Who would've thought?

He pressed his lips tighter in annoyance. After that day, the people won't let him off, asking him all sorts of questions. It's not his nature to talk to people he does not know. He learned not to trust people in the past years and he isn't fond of people digging into his private life. He's not like those people that use the media to gain popularity and attention to make noise for their names.

He's none of those things.

He doesn't like the people's sympathy, either, because he's not worth their sympathy.

It was a good thing they couldn't dig anything from his past. His past would be forever locked in a black box, sinking deep under the sea. And it would stay there.

"He's really handsome in person!" Seungcheol clearly heard what the woman who just entered said. His face remained stoic. If his younger brother Seungkwan could see him now, he would be rolling on the ground lighting at him with his other two younger brothers, Soonyoung and Seokmin. They always make fun of his face, especially when he gets annoyed.

"He's super-duper hot!" said another one. It's too silent inside the elevator that even a single motion could be felt and heard.

"It's really shocking that his fiancée even chose to leave him."

His neck cord flexed trying to stuff his temper back in. He reminded himself about the CCTV pinned inside the elevator and there were people watching his every move.

"Right. If I was that woman, I would directly marry him without even thinking twice!"

"But did you hear?"

"What?" The other listeners chorused. It seems like they forgot that he was there also. Yet he can't stop himself from listening also.

"She already found a replacement!"

"What? That fast?"

"And guess who?"

"His fiancée now is?"

The lady didn't answer directly so Seungcheol eyed her. Wrong move, because they caught him also listening. He coughed and stood straight. He kept his head straight, even if curses occupied his head. Damn women and their poisonous tongues!

"Who is it? Tell us!" Another lady nudged her.

"It's Dae Han Shin!"

"You mean, the son of Jinwoon Shin? The owner of JYN Incorporation?"

"Yup! That's hi—"

PING!

The elevator door opened.

"Let's talk later." Then Seungcheol saw the woman who was the head of the talk.

"Sure. Continue it later!" The other woman even said as the elevator door closes.

When the elevator opened again, he was greeted by the smiling face of her secretary, Ayoung or as they call her Yura. It soon vanished when she saw his face.

"Good m-morning, sir." She greeted him as he stepped out of the elevator. She immediately tailed after him. He can sense the hesitation in her voice when she was informing her about his schedule.

She stopped in front of her office and raised his hand, indicating her to stop. "Sir?" She asked behind him.

"Cancel all my appointments and reschedule my important meetings." He ordered.

"Yes, sir." She answered directly and left as he entered his office, but called her again when he remembered something. "Yes, sir?" She asked as she faced him.

"Fire the personnel who were in charge of fixing my private elevator."

Yura's eyes widened at what he said. "Sir?"

"You heard me. Fire them and hire another team." That and he closed his office door right before she could say anything.

He harshly loosens the tie on his neck. It felt like it was straggling him. Yet he still can't get over the heavy feeling on his chest.

It was his careless employees' fault. He's paying them big that's why they need to do their job neatly. He wouldn't tolerate sloppy work from his own employees.

He didn't directly sit down on his executive chair. He stood near his floor-to-ceiling windows, hands inside his pockets. His eyes narrowed as he remembered the conversation he had with Taerin that morning.

She had changed.

His jaw clenched as he remembered the conversations he heard inside the elevator. Taerin was not cowering from the rude insults she was getting from the people. He expected her to be.

Four years, Seungcheol. And those four damn years had changed her.

She doesn't need him anymore. He's not the only man in this world. She was clearly slapping that to his face now that she knew how he rebuffed was of the thought of being married.

But then she showed up, tilting his world in 360 degrees, taking him in a completely different direction.

She had her way in this. She was the only one who had decided. Yes, he might have been opposed to the engagement because his father had him underhanded. And that was when he knew who his fiancée was. He hasn't decided on that matter at that time. Only his father and Taerin's Mom and Aunt did.

Now the question was, what would he do?