Ransomed Fiancée (Michaeng) ✔️

Summary (Part 22)

Chapter 28:

The preparations for GroundUp's official first shoe line collection release had been flawless. Mina's company, Velore hosted a grand pre-launch event. It was a celebration to mark GroundUp's journey to the production and pre-sale stage. The event served as a platform to introduce the brand to the public, impress the press, and attract potential customers and partners.

Chandeliers cast a warm glow over the elegantly decorated venue where sleek, minimalist displays showcased GroundUp's collection. The soft hum of classical music blended with the lively murmur of attendees created a sophisticated atmosphere.

Mina stood at the edge of the room, surveying the scene with her usual composed authority. Clad in a tailored off-shoulder red dress, she looked every bit the confident investor with a glass of champagne in her hand. Her earlier speech had been a success and Chaeyoung's presentation had left the audience at least intrigued about the brand's vision.

As the crowd buzzed with energy, Mina turned to her assistant, Aeri. "I'll be leaving shortly. Oversee the rest of the event and make sure everything runs smoothly," she instructed. She had to attend a collaboration meeting. Before leaving, her gaze went to Chaeyoung who was deep in conversation with a group of guests near the main display. Mina hesitated for the briefest moment then turned on her heel and exited the venue.

The event was perfect. Customers admired the products, journalists snapped photos, and Chaeyoung's team stayed around the displays, answering questions and mingling with the crowd.

But the perfection didn't last.

Chaeyoung was discussing the craftsmanship of one of the shoes when she heard a sharp, raised voice. Her stomach twisted as she recognized it immediately—Yuqi.

Chaeyoung turned toward the commotion and saw Yuqi standing toe-to-toe with a middle-aged man in an expensive suit. His face was twisted with arrogance as he jabbed a finger in Yuqi's direction. A crowd began to gather, their murmurs escalating.

"Yuqi!" Chaeyoung called, weaving through the throng to reach her employee. "Calm down."

But before she could intervene, Yuqi's fist flew. The punch landed with a sickening thud and the man stumbled back, crashing to the ground. Gasps rippled through the room as phones shot up, capturing the sight. Blood dripped from the man's nose as he clutched his face, groaning in pain.

"Yuqi!" Chaeyoung yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. "What are you doing?"

"He deserved it," Yuqi muttered, though her voice wavered. The initial rush of anger began to fade and replaced by the realization of what she had done.

Aeri appeared along with the security. The murmurs turned into full-blown chatter as the crowd swelled. Everyone clamoring to see what had happened. Someone called for an ambulance while others whispered into their phones or continued recording.

Chaeyoung turned to Aeri, desperation in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'll take full responsibility."

But the damage was already done.

By the time Chaeyoung returned to her office, the incident was trending online. Videos of the punch flooded social media, accompanied by inflammatory captions: "Ex-convicts at it again!" and "GroundUp employee proves critics right!"

The comments were merciless.

Chaeyoung buried her face in her hands as the fallout bore down on her. Her phone buzzed incessantly with calls and messages: customers demanding refunds with reporters hounding her for a statement.