Park Jimin Daring Wife || PJM ✔️ (COMPLETE)

C66

Song Kang-Ho was a weak-minded man who easily blurted everything out. Though, it did take a while with few missing body parts and a severely beaten body.

Park Jimin had everything he needed. Song Kang-Ho kidnapped Song Areum due to the public humiliation he faced. He could not keep his daughter in control and wanted to do it through different means, but after he caught word that there was a man looking for her, offering an enormous sum of money just to obtain her, Song Kang-Ho decided to kill two birds with one stone.

After endless torturing, Song Kang-Ho finally concluded that he did not know the identity of the man looking for his eldest daughter. He did not know if the man was a dangerous person, a pervert, or a sick freak, yet he did not hesitate at the idea of selling her.

Park Jimin decided he had extracted all of the information he needed from Song Kang-Ho. The next step was to ponder on what he should do with the pathetic, squabbling man in front of him.

He turned to Seung Woo, "Go search for that man."

’The moon is high, the tides pass by, the battlefield is soaked in red...’

’The snow falls as I raise a cup to the war casualties.’

Seung Woo blinked at the ring tone. He recognized this song, as his wife constantly hummed it when it was newly released. Coincidentally, it was Song Areum’s favorite song.

Park Jimin’s desolate eyes landed on Seung Woo who quickly scrambled out of the door to fulfill the order.

Park Jimin studied Song Kang-Ho’s pitiful and sorry state for a while before he wordlessly stood up and left the room without turning back. What’s done is done. The only thing left for him to do was to search for the mysterious man now.

He picked up his phone and the melody known as her voice came through.

"Park Jimin, are you coming home for dinner tonight? I...I cooked tonight." Song Areum said while adding in the soy sauce and tasting the flavors.

Park Jimin’s heart melted, "Of course." He wondered if he would frequently come home to her cooking now that they’re married. The idea of coming home to a table filled with food, surrounded by his children and his lovely wife, was a fantasy that he wanted to come true.

Growing up, he was accompanied by his grandfather but most of his dinners were spent eating alone. He lived in his grandfather’s enormous estate, where he often ate in his room. Nothing was more depressing than the clicks of the chopsticks, the servants waiting upon him in the corner of the room, and the food that was decently cooked, but bland and tasteless to him. Even with the different arrays of meat, vegetables, and seafood, turning the table into a world of colors, to him, it was all a grey mush.

"I will finish cooking within thirty minutes. Don’t come home too late, okay?" Song Areum went to prepare the vegetable stir-fry where she added in some oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and then a tiny sprinkle of sugar to balance the saltiness.

"I’m already on my way home." Park Jimin had planned to stay here till a bit later to finalize everything, but now that he knew his wife was already home, he was eager to return back to her.


- - - - -

Song Areum gulped when she saw the blackened dessert. How can one burn milk pudding to this extent?! She expected to see a flawless bowl of white, silky smooth and soft pudding, not this lump of coal.

The sound of a car pulling to the front entrance startled her. She grabbed the metal grab without the oven mittens and burned herself in the process.

CLANK!

The metal tray fell out of her hands, loudly falling onto the floor.

Park Jimin was midway taking off his coat when he heard the commotion in the public kitchen. His heart was drumming in fear when he dashed for the swinging door, only to see a woman huddled over spilt...ink? He watched as she poked it before letting out a cry of frustration before picking up the paper towel.

"Don’t touch it." Park Jimin grabbed her fingers before it touched the floor. "Leave it to the servants." He told her, whisking her out of the kitchen and into the dining hall where all of the dishes seemingly glistened. The savory aroma flooded his senses as he swallowed hard. Everything looked absolutely delicious.

"The milk pudding..." Song Areum grumbled, turning her head back to see that the maids were already working on cleaning up her mess.

"You want milk pudding? I’ll make it for you." Park Jimin let out a light laugh. "Next time, leave the desserts to me." He wondered how every part of her could be so sweet, yet she failed to bake sweets. He shook his head at the irony.

Song Areum recognized this déjà vu situation, a warm feeling spreading across her chest. "I need to learn how to bake sooner or later. What if our..."—Children wanted cookies? Her face turned bright pink at the idea. They’ve yet to make love and here she was, constantly thinking about having his children. She did not think her fear would disperse that quickly. Was it the effect of being madly in love with someone?

"If what?" He asked her as he pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and he pushed her in. He grabbed the table cloth, set it down on her lap, kissed her cheek and went to sit on the opposite side of her.

"Nothing. The food is getting cold. Hurry up and eat." She responded, ignoring his coy smile.

"If our children wanted cookies in the future, I will make it for them." He easily read her mind, his smile becoming a teasing one when her blush traveled to her ears and chest.

"Worry about yourself. They’ll enjoy my hockey pucks."

Park Jimin warmly laughed. He did not want his kids to go through the pain of eating their mother’s burnt cookies.

- - - - -


Laying in bed and entangled in each other’s arms, Song Areum could feel the rumble of Park Jimin’s chest as he spoke to her in a low voice, smooth as chocolate. "When will we hold our ceremony?"

Song Areum ran her fingers over his chest, burying her head into it. "When we get our blessings."

"We already have the ones from the most important people."

"I want to earn it myself." Song Areum knew he was referring to Elder Park and Song Yun Gak. The only reason why she got Elder Park’s blessings was because Park Jimin lied for her sake. She wanted to acquire it with the truth this time.

"Our marriage will be prosperous and harmonious even without blessings." He stubbornly said while his one hand played with the silky strands of her dark hair. He twirled some in his fingers before kissing the top of her head. If he could have it his way, he wouldn’t mind getting married at the end of the week.

"Yes, but traditions are important."

"Tradition is peer pressure from the dead."

"Don’t steal lines from books." She scoffed, rolling her eyes."Besides, there’s so much that needs to be done. I’ve yet to introduce you to my grandmother." She smiled up at him, not noticing the way his heart skipped a beat upon seeing her.

Suddenly, she found herself lying on her back, Park Jimin hovering over her. "What is it?" She whispered when she saw the way his eyes mischievously glistened in the dark.

She gasped when his lips crashed against hers in a fiery and passionate kiss. He nipped her bottom lip, tugging and sucking at it. He tasted faintly of honey and oranges, a taste that was too sweet and addicting. His soft suctioning while their lips feverishly molded against each other turned her mind into mush. One hand traveled to her waist, while the other teasingly grazed the top of her breast. Without warning, he massaged one, a gasp leaving her mouth, just as he dove his tongue into it. Their tongues met and she could not fight against his dominance, eventually succumbing to him.

Her fingers entwined themselves into his hair, angling it for a deeper kiss. She let out a quiet moan, the sound evoking a low growl from him.

Her body hummed and she could feel something warm and hot pooling in her lower body.

"Park Jimin..." She breathed out against his lips, pulling back from the kiss. His eyes were darkened and blazing with a strange emotion.

"Wai-" He didn’t listen. Instead, he kissed her again. This time harder than before. His kiss was suddenly rough then sweet and back to lustful again. It left her brain hazy and confused. She could not bring herself to resist him and together, their lips mated. She glued her body against his, arching her back, whilst her nimble and hot tongue hungrily traced his.

Park Jimin was losing himself to the little seductress in his arms. He could feel his shaft grow hard and stiff within seconds. All he could think about was her and filling her body with him.

He pulled back from the kiss to let her breath. She let out a tiny moan in complaint, the sound prompting him to kiss her again. But he resisted it and trailed his lips down her small chin to her neck, lavishing the area with suckling kisses that would leave bright red marks behind.

Song Areum could feel something hard and large poking her lower stomach and she finally realized this session would go too far if she did not stop now. The thought flew out the window when he began to pull her shirt down. Her breath hitched in anticipation, and she glanced down to see his eyes were staring at her all along, never once breaking away from her gaze. She felt her heart at her throat. Seeing the intense desire he had for her and the way his eyes seemed to burn in the dark, her body tingled. She could not look away from him. She expected his mouth to trail lower as it had done before. She wanted him to do it again. The sensation from last time was explosive and addicting, something she had never felt before.

"Let’s stop here." He whispered, after noticing both of their eyes were ignited with a dangerous flame. He could not afford to lose control here, despite the fact that his member was begging him to enter and explore the world she had down there.

Song Areum wanted to protest but when he pressed his hips against hers, the same thing poking her again, she knew they had to stop. She bobbed her head, her body shaking a bit when she realized something. ’Why...Why was it so large?’

Park Jimin laid back down onto the bed. Automatically, Song Areum nestled herself in his arm, using him as a body pillow. She slung her leg over him and wisely kept it away from his...friend. It did not take long for her to fall into a blissful sleep that was not plagued with nightmares, as long as he was holding her.

Song Areum made her way towards Muera at exactly 1 PM the next day. She was dressed for success with her white blouse, black blazer, and pencil skirt. With her charisma and her ability to easily command a crowd, she was the perfect definition of a businesswoman. Strolling into Muera without a care in the world, Song Areum scanned her private key card.

Lee Min Woo was already waiting for her upstairs. And unknowingly, so was Choi Soobin, who was engrossed with Kim Chungha in the private meeting room.

Song Areum made her way to Lee Min Woo’s office which she surprisingly found empty. Luckily, Ji Cheong Shin was present and waiting for her. "The meeting was pushed forward by thirty minutes because President Choi arrived earlier than expected."

"Should we head there now?" He asked her.

"No, we will make them wait." Song Areum said while taking a seat on the couch. "Just because they came early does not mean we will oblige their request. There could’ve been other meetings going on before their arrival."

Ji Cheong Shin hid his agreeing smile. "Yes, ma’am." He told her, sitting back down before his desk to finish printing copies of the proposal.

"Where is that idiotic Vice President of mine?" Song Areum asked while grabbing the nearest magazine.

Ji Cheong Shin already knew Lee Min Woo was screwed the minute he became Choi Soobin’s lapdog in this entire ordeal. The man could not go against his father and that very reason would soon be the reason for his downfall. "He’s...already in the meeting room."

Song Areum paused for the briefest second, then went back to flipping the magazine pages. ’Oh look, a new Birkin design came out this season.’

"He went in there without his CEO?" If Song Areum was bothered by this news, she didn’t show it on her face. She remained calm and collected whilst her eyes were engrossed in the magazine. PJN released a new line of dresses? Dang, her Jennie worked very quickly.

Ji Cheong Shin truly admired how she was able to keep her anger in check, even when the news of the meeting was announced the day before. It was unfavorable to mix personal life with work life. She was maintaining the balance very well, too well, might he add.

"Yes, to pacify them in case you arrived at exactly 2 PM."

"Hm, well, call him back and tell him his boss is here. Also, tell him to grab me a cup of coffee." Song Areum decided to assign him the job of a private assistant since he liked to bootlick so much.


"A coffee...? As your secretary, I believe I can grab one for you." Ji Cheong Shin said while pressing the button that leads to Lee Min Woo’s personal phone.

"No, leave it to the Vice President who kindly went behind my back." Song Areum’s sickeningly sweet smile sent shivers down Ji Cheong Shin’s back. He remembered seeing Song Yun Gak on a magazine cover once, and even though it was only a picture, he was deeply intimidated by the man’s gaze. It seemed this young lady took after her grandfather exceptionally well.

"Oh, and tell him if I don’t get my coffee within five minutes, he’s fired." She briskly said, her smile deepening. It was enough to freeze Ji Cheong Shin’s blood.

She wasn’t petty? He decided to never get on her bad side...

"Y-yes, ma’am..." Ji Cheong Shin trailed off while he phoned Lee Min Woo. The man did not pick up. He gulped and without waiting for Song Areum to give him the command, he scurried off to the meeting room to tell him the news in person.

Song Areum watched him disappear down the hallway. She clicked her tongue before going back to the magazine.

- - - - -

Choi Soobin was browsing through the presentation slides, checking for any errors before it started. He checked the time and saw that it was already 1:30 PM. ’Where was the CEO? What was taking him so damn long? The great Choi Soobin has arrived. They should be honored he even came this early, especially for a low-tier company like Muera. How unprofessional. Didn’t the Vice President say they would adjust the meeting time?’

Sun Hwa was impatiently tapping her foot in the corner of the room when she spoke up, "Mr. Lee, where is your CEO? This is Choi Soobin we’re talking about. Our time here is very precious."

"We arrived early so that you guys do not have to wait until 2 PM just to see our CEO. The fact that your CEO is even ten seconds late is unacceptable." She added on, glaring daggers at Lee Min Woo.

Lee Min Woo strained his pleasant smile. "I apologize, our CEO did not get the notification that you have arrived until five minutes ago..." He lied.

He was in all honesty too fearful to tell Song Areum that Choi Soobin had arrived in the office already. It was a miracle that she accepted this meeting without throwing a fight. If he told her to come earlier than planned, he was sure she would have a fit.

"Well, tell them to hurry up." Sun Hwa coldly sniped. "President Choi does not have all day here." She snarled.

Lee Min Woo nodded his head and pretended to type on his phone.


Choi Soobin raised his head and turned it to Lee Min Woo. "I’m parched. Get me a cup of coffee."

"R-right away." Lee Min Woo muttered under his breath, running out of the room to get the man his damn cup of coffee. If it wasn’t for the fact that the Chois were great friends with Lee Min Woo’s father, he would not have become an errand boy.

He came back in less than three minutes with a fresh cup of coffee in his hands. He respectfully handed it to Choi Soobin with two hands. The CEO did not drink or touch the coffee.

Choi Soobin was midway into reading the last page when he received a notification. He paused what he was doing and checked his phone, his eyes widening a bit. One billion was withdrawn from his account, by the authorized user known as Kim Chungha.

His eyes flew to his lover across the room, whose lips were still bruised after his punishing kiss. She was pitifully staring at the floor with her eyes and head down. His heart ached upon seeing her state and he decided not to question her about the enormous sum of money until tonight...when they were all alone and she could not run from him.

Lee Min Woo sat down in a chair when Ji Cheong Shin walked in, a bit out of breath. In order to not embarrass him, Ji Cheong Shin quietly said, "The President asked you to get a cup of coffee. It has to be delivered within five minutes. If not, you’re fired. Currently, three minutes have passed."

Lee Min Woo’s head snapped up. "Why can’t you get the coffee? Aren’t you the secretary? What am I? An errand boy?" He hissed back, his voice loud enough for the people in the meeting room to hear everything.

Ji Cheong Shin opened his mouth but closed it when he smelled something in the air. His eyes landed on the coffee beside Choi Soobin. He instantly recognized the cup as one of the ones from the break room. Unless someone worked here, they would not be able to know where the employee’s break room was.

Sun Hwa could not locate the break room. This was her first time coming here. Who could’ve gotten that new cup of coffee? His eyes shifted back to Lee Min Woo.

"Mr. Lee, the clock is ticking. You have one and a half minutes from now. Please don’t make this hard on yourself. The President is furious that you changed the meeting time without warning or a text." Ji Cheong Shin kept his voice respectfully low. No one was able to hear his words except for the Vice President.

Lee Min Woo scowled. "I’m not an intern. I’m the Vice President of this company. Why should I get another cup of coffee?"

Another cup? Ji Cheong Shin’s eyes narrowed. He was willing to get Choi Soobin a cup of coffee, but not their own President?!

"Very well, I will inform the President." Ji Cheong Shin straightened out his suit from having to bend down to reach Lee Min Woo’s seated body.

"Tell the President to not be so petty...I thought we were friends?" Lee Min Woo was clearly referring to Song Areum but Ji Cheong Shin misunderstood him.

"We’re merely acquaintances." Ji Cheong Shin breezily said and walked out of the room, no longer pitying Lee Min Woo. Instead, he felt a burning rage. How could this man not sense the dire situation here?

Ji Cheong Shin had heard rumors of Song Yun Gak’s infamous dog-eat-dog mentality in his company. Being one of the big five, they had so many people applying to their company, it was easy to dispose of someone if they made frequent mistakes.

He wondered if Song Areum would be like that, or perhaps harsher... He would find out very soon.

When only one pair of polished leather shoes echoed down the hallways, leisurely taking their time, she could only assume the position of Vice President would soon be empty. If Lee Min Woo was coming here, his footsteps would be frantic, as he would be rushing to keep his position.

Ji Cheong Shin came around the corner with a cup of coffee in his hands.

Song Areum hid the smile threatening to break out. At least someone from her personal team was adequate enough. She understood the underlying message behind Ji Cheong Shin’s cup of coffee. By bringing it to her personally, he was stepping up to fill in the vacant position. But she did not voice her thoughts.

Ji Cheong Shin carefully handed the coffee to her, worried that she might burn her hands. He watched as she took a sip of the coffee, her brows raising a bit. She enjoyed it.

"I’m surprised." Song Areum began. "This is the first time I requested Lee Min Woo to get me a cup of coffee and he already knows my preference." She decided to test Ji Cheong Shin. If he allowed Lee Min Woo to easily take the credit, it would mean he would not be suitable for this competitive world.

"The coffee was made by me." Ji Cheong Shin let out a breath he did not know he was holding in. Seeing as she was enjoying the coffee unlike the untouched one beside Choi Soobin, he safely assumed her anger was quelled a bit.

"And why did Lee Min Woo not make it for me?" She asked, placing down the magazine and checking the time.

Ji Cheong Shin hesitated. He did not want to sell out the man he worked for so quickly, but he would be willing to do so if it meant he could climb higher in his position.

Unlike Lee Min Woo who had an obligation to his father, Ji Cheong Shin had none. He would not be fearful of rejecting enormous companies, as they have done it multiple times in the past. For the sake of his family’s connection, Lee Min Woo easily accepted Choi Soobin’s request for a meeting. This was a crucial mistake, for it showed where one’s true loyalty lies.

"He was busy bootlicking President Choi. It seems he was exhausted after getting President Choi a cup of coffee."

Song Areum let out a small laugh, highly entertained at how quickly Ji Cheong Shin was able to sell out his Vice President. "I hope you understand what you have done."


"Yes, and I will fully embrace the consequences of this betrayal."

Song Areum tilted her head, an unreadable smile on her face. "Who said anything about the consequences of betrayal?"

Ji Cheong Shin’s lips twitched. He wisely chose not to respond.

"I do like your cup of coffee though, it’s absolutely perfect for my taste." Song Areum muttered before taking another sip of the creamy but bitter, like her heart, coffee.

"I will always go out of my way to get it for you." Ji Cheong Shin honestly said. Unlike Lee Min Woo whose position as Vice President was easily handed to him because of his connection to Song Areum, Ji Cheong Shin had worked his way up from being an intern to a secretary. He understood how to lower himself when needed.

Song Areum hid the smile behind the coffee. "Is that so..." She stood up after checking the time. It was five minutes past 2 PM.

She brushed past him. "I didn’t think a Vice President would do such demeaning things for a job."

Ji Cheong Shin blinked. It took him five seconds for him to register what she had just said. By the time he did so, she was already down the halls. He immediately chased after her, but halfway, bolted back to his desk for a copy of the proposal, and then dead-ran to her again — catching up to her in the nick of time.

"We’re late." He whispered to her when they were just a few steps away from the meeting room.

"A Queen is never late. Everyone else is simply early." She quoted, a smirk on her face. "Also, reach out to our IT admin. Shut down Lee Min Woo’s access to every single file." She paused and said, "Contact our lawyers to prepare non-disclosure agreements, the non-compete contracts , and severance package ."

She examined her nails and decided to get it painted soon. "Lock him down."


"Yes, ma’am." Ji Cheong Shin smiled as he watched her saunter off into the distance. She was not dressed for success, she was dressed to kill.

- - - - -

By the time 2:10 came around, Choi Soobin’s face was darkened with fury. The irritating CEO made him wait for forty minutes. He was already cursing her inside his head. "What an intolerable and disrespectful CEO you have here. No wonder this company is barely making profits." He snarled to Lee Min Woo.

Lee Min Woo raised a brow. Not making revenue? Hey buddy, our value is in the billions here! We’re one of the leading investment firms of our generation! "I-I’m sure there is a mix-up here. Please, don’t worry—"

"My father will hear of this disrespect." Choi Soobin snarled. "You said you texted her. Were you lying?" He seethed, stalking to Lee Min Woo.

"Who do you guys think you are?" Choi Soobin slammed his hand onto the table. "This company has no basic etiquette. You’ll never make it with such a horrible mentality, especially when the CEO leading one of the big five companies is here!" Choi Soobin had reached the brink of his patience.

"We went out of our way to come here early to show respect to Weida Law Firm." He hissed. "And this is how you and your pathetic CEO treat me?"

"I hope this company falls to ruins. You people are utter trash." He snarled, picking up the proposal and threatening to smash it across Lee Min Woo’s face.

"There are multiple investment firms located throughout the city. I can easily go to another one whose CEO would come to me the second I arrive!"

"Then, with all due respect, please, go to another one." A feminine voice rang throughout the room. It was beautiful and enchanting, like that of a siren luring pirates to their death. A sweet smile entered the room just as she did.

Sun Hwa’s clipboard fell out of her hand, her jaw dropped wide open. No. Freaking. Way.

Standing by the doorway of the room was none other than Song Areum herself. It seemed her appearance was constantly improving each time they met. She was stunning today and the healthy glow around her clearly outshone the pitiful Kim Chungha, whose confidence was stripped away by Choi Soobin’s belittling words during their arguments.

Kim Chungha used to shine like a thirty-five-carat diamond. She was innocent and pure when she collided with Choi Soobin. Like a refreshing breath of spring, she swayed into his life, with the wings of an angel and the face of a fairy from heaven.

Sun Hwa used to think Song Areum was the most pathetic heiress she had ever encountered.

When she saw how much the woman begged and grovel for her President, her impression towards her worsened. She still remembered a woman, thin and fragile, with unhealthy grey skin from all the sleepless nights. The slur of her voice, the way her body collapsed before Choi Soobin’s feet and the bloodshot eyes of an alcoholic were hard to miss. The wails of a betrayed, ill-tempered heiress were a mockery to Sun Hwa’s ears on that cold winter night when Song Areum was stripped naked before the Choi Mansion. It was night time and the wind hallowed louder than her broken heart, the paparazzi were barely able to take a picture of her. Thinning hair from lack of sleep and food, pale lips that were parched from screaming, and a brittle temperament, she was the epitome of a scorned lover.

Who was this woman before Sun Hwa? She had only seen Song Areum a handful of times ever since the wealthy heiress came back to the city, but now that she saw her up close and not in the arms of President Park, Sun Hwa was blown away.

Luscious silky hair, gleaming like freshly harvested chestnuts under the autumn sun, burning eyes of melting gold, a body meant for photoshoots with high-end magazines, and plump lips that resembled rubies harvested from the deepest mines: she was a vision to behold.

Sun Hwa did not know what overcame her when she bowed her head in respect. Song Areum had once commanded the Choi Board of Directors. Without a doubt, she could do the same even now, if not better.

Choi Soobin had forgotten the woman Song Areum used to be. He had forgotten about the tossed away trash, left out to rot. When he had seen her in the arms of Park Jimin, she looked like a simple eye-candy. Who would’ve guessed, up close and personal, she would be so...elegant? When his eyes trailed over her body, lingering upon her breast and then tiny hips, he felt a pair of eyes burning a hole through the side of his head.

His eyes snapped back to Kim Chungha and he finally remembered all of Song Areum was not worth an inch of his woman. But why was it that his heart ached with remorse and regret?

Kim Chungha ground her teeth, her delicate jaw tightened when she saw Choi Soobin’s clouded eyes. That look...it was all too familiar. She remembered seeing those leering eyes on her sleazy father who paid more attention to his whores than his wife. She hated thinking about that man, especially when he disappeared, only to come tumbling back into their lives.

Kim Chungha quietly cleared her throat. It did not get Choi Soobin’s attention. She walked up to him and possessively wrapped her arms about his biceps.

Choi Soobin regained his consciousness. His momentarily awed expression disappeared. His face was twisted into a scowl, "What is a servant doing here?"

Song Areum bit down on her bottom lip to hide the smirk threatening to break out.

"Where’s your mop and bucket?" His eyes raked over her again. "Tsk, with an outfit like that, you’re still attempting to climb into more beds?"

"Are you referring to me or Kim Chungha?" Song Areum mused.

Choi Soobin’s face darkened. He took a threatening step forward but Ji Cheong Shin beat him to it. "I apologize for the late introduction, Mr. Choi, but you’re currently speaking to the President of Muera."


Choi Soobin did not care. He decided to attack another part of her. "If you’re going to be late, at least dress better."

"Blatantly disrespectful. I let you work in my company for two years, you’ve ought to have learned something from me. I see you’re still as brain dead and foolish as you were two years ago. Not much has changed."

"You should’ve been grateful I offered you a seat in my company. This is how you repay me? By showing up late and wasting my time? I spent my precious time teaching you the proper behavior of an employee while you were at Choi Corporation."

Choi Soobin killed her with his daggered eyes. "People would die before my feet, sacrificing everything they have just to learn from me. I taught you for free, you should owe up right now and apologize for your unruly and horrendous behavior in the office."

"Is this how people from your company treat one of the big five? Let me tell you, you will not make it far with such mentality. Worthless little thing you are. No wonder you were disowned by your parents. No one would want a daughter like you."

Song Areum kept the amicable smile on her face, mocking him with her serene temperament. Did he teach her something? When?

What a joke. How delusional was this man?

She wanted to kick herself for falling hopelessly in love with a man like him. But who wouldn’t in their naive youth?

He used to be the Prince Charming of her fairytale until she realized she was the wicked witch and Kim Chungha was the actual Princess. It seemed the story unraveled pretty nicely though... One was a mere Princess struggling with a crown that was not hers, while the other was a Queen whose crown was made for her.

Her silence angered him further. "Who wants to stay at this shitty company anyways?" He snarled, tossing the cup of coffee onto the floor.

"If I recall, this meeting room is more advanced than Choi Corporation’s 1980s shabby rooms." Song Areum chuckled and took a step aside. "With all due respect, feel free to leave then. Oh, and don’t forget the take the trash out with you." Her eyes lingered on Kim Chungha before they turned to his entire private team.

Choi Soobin’s face darkened. "What did you just say?"


Song Areum’s smile grew. "Must I repeat myself again?" Without waiting for his reply, she strolled out of the room. It was needless to say who won this argument with the least amount of words. In the end, the one who kept their calm will triumph overall.

- - - - -

Choi Soobin’s eyes snapped to Lee Min Woo, who was frozen to the ground. What did he expect the Vice President to do? Drag their CEO back into the room?

When Lee Min Woo did not move, Choi Soobin pulled out his phone and called his father on the spot. The two exchanged brief words before a couple of minutes passed and Lee Min Woo received a phone call from his own father.

"Unfilial bastard! I should disown you on the spot! All these years I’ve spent raising you and this is how you decide to treat our family legacy? You useless fool! What did you do? Why are the Chois calling me, threatening to end our connections because of you? Fix this issue RIGHT NOW!"

Lee Min Woo flinched at the almighty roar of his father who hung up before he could reply. He did not need another warning to run out of the door in search of Song Areum, who was at the end of the hallway.

He ran to her and grabbed her wrist, only for her to roughly shake it off. "Don’t get angry, Areum, President Choi was merely angry that you were late for the meeting." Her back was turned to him. He did not see her stormy expression.

"Don’t be petty, okay? It’s not like you to behave this way. Come on, let’s go back to the meeting room. This proposal is really important for Muera—"

"More like Weida Law Firm." She scoffed at his horrible excuses.

"You know it’s not like that. I always have this company’s best interest at heart, which is why I ran it for two years in your absence—"

"If I had not come back earlier, you would’ve run this company to the ground." Song Areum turned around, and for the first time, Lee Min Woo realized she was not a force to be trifled with. He rarely took her anger seriously, but today, he saw the full extent of his actions. She did not see him as a friend. She saw him as a traitor.

"You think I didn’t know you were secretly plotting these meetings behind my back?"

To Lee Min Woo, her golden eyes resembled a tigress out for blood. He was completely captured in her powerful jaws, unable to move, for the tiniest action could snap his neck.

"Try me again and I will slit your throat with the knife you left in my back." She snarled. Not bothering to stay long enough to see his baffled expression, she stormed off, leaving in her wake the horrified Lee Min Woo.

His face was as white as a ghost. How much did she know? He was too terrified to ask her.

No one dared to speak of the incident that happened in Muera. None of the employees except for Lee Min Woo and Ji Cheong Shin knew what had happened in the meeting room. No one knew why Lee Min Woo never showed up at the office anymore or why his placard was shattered in half and publically discarded in the trash.

The very next day, an entire company meeting was called. From the janitor to the board of directors and executives, everyone had to show up in a grand hall in the outskirts of the town that could house hundreds of people.

"What is going on?"

"Did you see the placard? The one made out of pure crystal and embroidered with gold? I saw pieces of it..."

"I heard our real CEO is going to be introduced today. Apparently, there will be a debut banquet very soon."

"Real CEO? So you’re saying Lee Min Woo was not the actual CEO? Wasn’t he going around saying that he was...?"

"Yeah, I thought he was it too. But he was just the Vice President!"

"What? That’s insane."

"Supposedly, our actual CEO is the true mastermind behind Muera and he has been ruling from behind a curtain! "

"What do you mean he? It’s a she!"

"I heard she’s the one who managed to convince Park Enterprise of changing the numbers around on the contract!"

"Park Enterprise?! But that company never adheres to anyone!"

"I know!"

"Why do I feel like she usurped the throne or something?"

"Why was she absent for two years if she was the true CEO? How could she discard Lee Min Woo like that?"


"It’s so messed up."

"He was loyal to our company and even worked in her stead."

"I heard she’s a wealthy heiress. In those two years, she was probably running off vacationing somewhere."

"Hah, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was."

Excited murmurs and curious chatter filled the large, crowded room. It was so loud, the buzz could be heard within a one-mile radius. Then all of the talks quieted down when a woman walked onto the stage with her blinding presence that outshined the theatre lights above her. She was dressed in a white top, crisp navy blazer, and black dress pants. She rocked the stunning attire with the confidence of a businesswoman.

A screen was being slowly let down from behind her.

Song Areum stepped up to the stage and clasped her hands in front of her. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming here on such short notice." As she began speaking, she made eye contact with everyone in the room, not once missing a single person. "As many of you already know by now, the true founder and CEO of Muera is the woman standing before you at this moment."

The lights dimmed and the presentation began. Behind Song Areum were multiple pictures, documents, certificates, registration papers, everything. And one thing was repetitive in them all: her signature.

Everyone understood her message perfectly. She was the true mastermind behind Muera.

"I was not personally present at the office, but my presence was there. I assigned the previous Vice President to be in charge of Muera, for I believed he had the potential to handle a position he could not obtain with his standing at that time. Never once did I think he would take his title for granted."

"With my guidance and consultation, Muera was able to rise from the ground up, and it will continue to rise until it touches the sky, much further than the companies before us!"

"From now on, I will be at the office every day and will work alongside everyone here to achieve that dream rather than working remotely. Even in my absence, I was always watching over this company, day and night." She revealed a confident smile.

"Do not fret, for the person to be working as my right-hand will be someone you are all familiar with." She turned to her right and through the darkness, one lone man’s footsteps echoed throughout the room.

Ji Cheong Shin appeared on stage, dazzling as always, his relaxed posture easing the fear of a few people. When his full lips tugged into a confident smile that reached his eyes, the people let out a sigh of relief to see someone so familiar.

"I would like to formally introduce to you the new Vice President of Muera, Ji Cheong Shin, who worked as an intern at our company before he diligently worked hard to achieve the post he is standing on today."

Ji Cheong Shin bowed his head before standing up straight again, standing alongside Song Areum.


"Today, ladies and gentlemen, marks a new day for Muera and the start of something phenomenal."

Silence. It was deafening. It started with one clap, tiny and meek, then became more confident. Within the span of a few seconds, thundering claps, cheers, and whistles could be heard. They had not heard such confident words in a very long time. It was a skill that only the CEO could muster.

Song Areum was announced as the true mastermind behind Muera. No one dared to object when the statistics were shown, and her signature found on nearly all of the documents from two years ago.

A new era was beginning for Muera and it would all start with a woman named Song Areum.

- - - - -

The people left the banquet awestruck and in a daze. No one could stop talking about it. They got into their cars and drove back to the company. When they reached there, they suddenly realized something. Why was Lee Min Woo dismissed from his position?

It was the talk of the office until Ji Cheong Shin arrived and the people swarmed to him like a flock of bees in a dying meadow with a single flower.

"Congratulations on your position as the new Vice President!"

"Wow, I knew you would succeed one day!"

"Mr. Huo, can you tell us why Lee Min Woo was dismissed?"

"Was it because he was no longer needed anymore?"

"Did President Song feel threatened by Lee Min Woo’s position?"

So many questions and compliments were fired at him all at once. It was beginning to give him a headache. He loudly coughed and cleared his throat. "President Song did not want any of you to lose faith in a man you once trusted. She did not want to slander him and respectfully kept the reasoning private. But I am not so kind."

He could see Song Areum in the distance. She was surrounded by people, but unlike her grandfather who ignored everyone, she had a tiny smile on her face. She even waved at the janitors and made a few small talks.

His eyes flickered. Someone that would treat the janitor the same as they would treat the president, it was an intriguing thing to witness. She would, without a doubt, make a just CEO.

Their eyes met and her smile grew brighter before she went back to the employees eager to get her attention and talk to her.

Ji Cheong Shin watched her all the way, as she went into the public elevators with people trailing after her. She was certainly good at making first impressions...

"Lee Min Woo schemed behind our President’s back and made deals with a company to benefit his own family that could have put our company at risk. Such a man can not be trusted." While the information and underlying message sunk in, Ji Cheong Shin sneaked off to the private elevator to avoid any more questions for the day.

All the while, on the other side of the city, a man was drunk in a bar, drinking his sorrows and regrets away. He was surrounded by beautiful women with bountiful assets, all hugged by tight dresses. Something dangerously flashed in his eyes before he stumbled to his feet, dodging all of the grabbing hands of the women eager to drain his wallet. He disappeared into the shadows.