THE BITCH CEO (Im Nayeon)

18

NO ONE'S POV (Part 1)

The music reverberated through the grand halls of the Im mansion, its lively beats setting a celebratory mood.

Guests were gathered in droves to mark the birthday of Im Yeri, the youngest heir of the Im family.

Being an actress and the youngest scion of one of the most influential families in the country, it was no surprise that the crowd was filled with celebrities, all buzzing with excitement.

Among the crowd were Nayeon's friends, who had already begun to let loose, dancing and drinking without restraint.

The party had only been going for a few hours, but the alcohol was flowing freely, and most of Nayeon's group had already crossed the line into tipsiness.

They didn't seem to care, though, laughing and enjoying the night to the fullest.

The CEO, however, was content to remain seated, watching the chaos unfold with a knowing smile.

Her boyfriend, Sehun, sat next to her, his arm resting casually over her shoulder, his fingers grazing her smooth, delicate skin as he watched the partygoers.

Her eyes wandered back to Sana and Momo, who were in the middle of trying to coax Mina, normally the most introverted of the group, away from her seat and onto the dance floor.

Mina resisted at first, her awkward shyness evident, but eventually, she was pulled to her feet, and the three of them swayed to the beat together.

The sight made the CEO laugh, the sound bright and carefree.

Sehun, leaning in closer, raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to dance, babe?" He asked, his voice low, teasing.

His hand moved to her shoulder again, fingers tracing a light, affectionate pattern over her skin.

The CEO simply shook her head, the smile still playing on her lips and her gaze still fixed on her friends, enjoying the scene unfolding before her.

"My Tzuyu! You're here!" Sana suddenly shouted, her hands gesturing excitedly towards the entrance of the ballroom.

The moment Nayeon heard her friend's voice, her heart skipped a beat.

She instinctively turned her head, following Sana's gesture.

She froze.

The DeBourbon family was entering, looking as elegant as ever.

Hans, in her regal and exceptional attractiveness, walked alongside her sisters, while Yeri warmly welcomed them and ushered them towards their designated table, the sight of them so surreal.

All eyes in the ballroom turned towards them, drawn especially to her royal highness, who stood with an effortless grace.

She wore a sky-blue americana suit, sharp and tailored to perfection, with a crisp white shirt underneath.

Her brown retro high-top leather shoes added a touch of casual elegance to the otherwise refined look.

But it wasn't just her outfit that captured everyone's attention.

It was the way she carried herself, the confidence in her posture, and the quiet allure she exuded.

Her beauty was magnetic, an almost otherworldly combination of poise and raw, untouchable attractiveness that made it impossible to look away.

She had blown everyone's mind without even trying.

While Nayeon's heartbeat skyrocketed.

She hadn't seen Hans in weeks, not since the day she left in her office.

After that day, Hans hadn't called. Not a single text.

Nayeon had tried to reach out, but there was nothing.

The silence between them had only grown louder with each passing day.

But despite everything, Nayeon missed her.

She had stalked Hans on social media accounts, well, her sisters' accounts, to be precise.

Hans didn't have any social media accounts herself.

At first, Nayeon thought they were settled in Paris for good, but her mom had informed her a week ago to tell her they were just on a short vacation, visiting their grandparents.

Still, she hadn't known when Hans would return to Korea. And even if she had, Nayeon didn't know how to reach her.

Her sister had invited the DeBourbons to this celebration, but Yeri had told her that Hans only confirmed the last minute.

It was still uncertain whether they would show up or not. But here they were.

"Is that the princess, babe?" Sehun asked, his voice cutting through Nayeon's spiraling thoughts.

She nodded without looking away from the person she hadn't been able to forget for weeks.

"Yes. It is." She answered.

Sehun leaned in slightly, his eyes following Hans' every move.

"I remember her. She was the one at your office when I came by a few months ago."

Nayeon didn't respond, her thoughts still tangled in memories of Hans.

She grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, her hand trembling just a little, and took a long sip.

Her eyes stayed fixed on Hans as the DeBourbon family settled at their table, but the sight was almost unbearable.

Hans was smiling brightly, genuinely at her friends.

'You never smiled at me like that.' Nayeon thought, a pang of hurt running through her chest.

'You never even called.' She added.

The anger, the pain, and the longing all mixed together in a messy cocktail of emotions.

Nayeon drained the glass in one swift motion, desperately trying to numb the ache inside her.

"Babe, stop drinking so much. You'll get drunk," Sehun said, his hand reaching for the glass.

Nayeon yanked it away from him, her eyes flashing with irritation.

"Don't ever do that again," she snapped, her voice low but sharp.

Sehun frowned, but Nayeon didn't care. What she hated most was when someone tried to control her, when they thought they knew what was best for her.

In that moment, Sehun's concern felt like an intrusion, just like everything else did.

Her outburst didn't go unnoticed.

The chatter around the ballroom paused for a second, and her friends, including Hans, looked in her direction.

Nayeon's stomach twisted at the way Hans' gaze lingered on her, a flicker of recognition in her eyes.

The attention was unbearable.

Without a word, Nayeon stood up, her movements quick and stiff.

She didn't look back at Sehun or her friends as she walked briskly towards her parents' table.

She sat down, the space around her suddenly feeling colder, quieter.

She couldn't be near them not when Hans was there.

"Are you okay?" Nayeon's mom asked, her voice filled with concern.

Nayeon nodded, though it was more out of habit than truth.