TMBF-01

CHAPTER 1

“Did you say the bread at this hotel was good?”

The man who, just moments ago, had exposed the corruption of a major bank’s executive and forced him to surrender in only twenty minutes was Beom Kwon-yeol.

For such a man, the question that came from his mouth was far too ordinary and completely out of the blue.

Even at the sudden remark, Hong Se-gi, the chief secretary, answered immediately as though he were accustomed to this.

“Yes, Executive Director Beom. When I bought some for my wife last time, she liked it very much because it wasn’t overly sweet but had a deep flavor.”

Kwon-yeol slowly nodded before speaking.

“Go back first. I have somewhere to stop by.”

The meeting had ended far earlier than scheduled, leaving him with some spare time.

After sending his secretaries away, Kwon-yeol headed alone toward the bakery on the first floor.

‘Yoon Hee-jo would probably like it.’

She didn’t particularly enjoy overly sweet things, but she liked soft and mild desserts, so he thought the bread would suit her taste perfectly.

Just as he absentmindedly lifted his head while thinking of the kinds of bread Hee-jo might like.

Kwon-yeol’s eyes instantly turned cold.

“…What the hell is that?”

On the way to the bakery, Hee-jo was sitting at a table by the café window.

She wore that characteristic smooth smile of hers, the one she put on whenever she wasn’t particularly willing to be there but still had to maintain her manners.

And sitting across from her was some idiot who was shamelessly sweeping his lecherous gaze over Hee-jo’s smiling face and exposed body.

In an instant, an unpleasant sensation wrapped around Kwon-yeol’s entire body and viciously gnawed away at his reason.

It felt as though something hot had surged up from his throat all the way to the top of his head.

…Fuck this.

Kwon-yeol’s long legs moved toward them without hesitation.

—

“Ms. Yoon Hee-jo?”

Hee-jo, who had been looking out the window, turned her head at the sound of someone approaching.

“Hello. My name is Kim Shin-woo.”

“Ah… I’m Yoon Hee-jo.”

Hee-jo offered him a polite smile.

Kim Shin-woo blatantly looked over Hee-jo’s clear eyes and delicate figure, his earlobes turning red.

‘I heard she lost her family when she was young.’

But to Kim Shin-woo, the fact that she was exceptionally close to the head family of Beomho Group was far more important than that.

Rumor had it that even Chairman Beom Hoon-young, who was notoriously cold and frightening, would back down when it came to Yoon Hee-jo.

The chairman’s sons and grandchildren were no exception.

Apparently, that was why Yoon Hee-jo had even been invited to the family gathering held last month to celebrate the promotion of Chairman Beom’s eldest grandson, Beom Kwon-yeol, to Executive Director.

They said the Beomho family had shed rivers of blood as they rose from the shadows as the Beomho faction to the light as Beomho Group.

Kim Shin-woo had no idea how such a terrifying Beomho family was connected to this delicate and innocent-looking woman, but…

What mattered was that if he let Yoon Hee-jo slip through his fingers, his family would never have any intersection with Beomho Group for the rest of their lives.

‘I have to marry her.’

And if possible, he wanted to get upstairs to a hotel room with her as soon as possible.

Yoon Hee-jo was prettier than any woman he had ever been involved with, and her figure was incredible as well.

Her breasts were surprisingly full compared to her slender frame.

She had a narrow waist, wide hips, and long arms and legs.

Kim Shin-woo swallowed hard, crossed his legs, and put on a deliberately gentlemanly smile.

“My mother praises you every day, Ms. Hee-jo. She says her quality of life has improved tremendously thanks to the traditional knotting class these days.”

“It’s because Director Lee follows along so well.”

Hee-jo replied with a composed smile.

Yet she couldn’t help the hollow feeling that washed over her.

Hee-jo was in charge of a traditional knotting class held at the Beomho Cultural Foundation Art Center under Beomho Group for the owner’s family, executives’ spouses, and VIP clients.

Originally, the class had been taught by her teacher, Han Young-sook, a holder of the title of Master of Traditional Knotting, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

However, after injuring her hand, her disciple Hee-jo had taken over the class.

Still, there had been no complaints among the members, all of whom came from prestigious backgrounds.

After all, she was the only disciple of the notoriously demanding master Han Young-sook, as well as a beautiful young woman whose background was guaranteed by the head family of Beomho Group.

In particular, to people like Kim Shin-woo’s family, who had barely managed to get a foothold in the worlds of business and politics, Hee-jo was an exceptionally attractive prize.

Today’s blind date had come about because the interests of Kim Shin-woo’s family, who wanted to enter a higher social circle, aligned with those of Madam Jin Seo-ryeong, Kwon-yeol’s mother, who wanted to get Hee-jo away from her son’s side.

Hee-jo knew that very well.

She knew that the elegant and kind-hearted Madam Jin Seo-ryeong regarded her as an eyesore.

‘She must have noticed.’

The feelings she harbored for Kwon-yeol.

She had tried her best to hide them, but apparently, her emotions had leaked out whenever she let her guard down.

They said poverty, coughing, and love were impossible to hide.

‘So it really was true.’

Hee-jo wanted to add one more thing to that list.

Base lust.

The kind the man right in front of her harbored toward her.

From the moment they met until now, it was impossible not to know what the man who kept leering at her face and body with those sinister eyes was thinking.

And it wasn’t only this man.

Most of the men who looked at her had gazes like this.

They were impressed by the fact that she was connected to the head family of Beomho Group, and their eyes lit up when they heard that she had lost her entire family when she was young.

As though they had found an expensive toy they could play with however they pleased.

‘No… It isn’t exactly wrong.’

Hee-jo gave a self-deprecating smile.

Perhaps mistaking it for affection toward him, Kim Shin-woo looked over her breasts and body with an even more lecherous gaze.

‘…I hate this.’

Her head throbbed.

She wanted to get up and walk away immediately, but she couldn’t.

Eight years ago.

After her older brother died, she couldn’t betray Beomho Group, which had supported her.

More than anything, she had to reassure Madam Jin Seo-ryeong, who was constantly anxious that her eldest son might make the wrong choice.

That way, she could remain by Kwon-yeol’s side even a little longer.

That way, she could at least retain her place as the younger sister of his deceased friend.

“I’ll be there for you instead of Yoon Hee-jae.”

They had been the only two siblings in the entire world.

Her older brother, who had been her shield against their alcoholic father’s abuse.

Her older brother, who had brushed her hair in place of their mother, who had run away from their father long ago.

Her older brother, who had desperately worked to keep his young sister from being sent to an institution after their father died.

Her older brother, who would come home at dawn and leave for work again at dawn, yet always made breakfast for his little sister.

Her older brother, who would smile brightly at her as though nothing was wrong no matter how difficult things were.

On the day of Hee-jae’s funeral.

Kwon-yeol had said to the sobbing Hee-jo, “I’ll be your father, your mother, and your brother.”

Gasps had erupted from those standing behind them at that declaration.

It was far too heavy a promise for the heir of Beomho Group to make to a girl who had become little more than an orphan.

But Kwon-yeol didn’t care.

He simply cupped Hee-jo’s tear-stained cheek in his large palm.

The hand that made her meet his gaze was gentle, yet at the same time, it was a restraint she could not escape.

“I’ll become everything in the world you’ve lost.”

From then on, Kwon-yeol kept the promise he had made on the day of her brother’s funeral.

Taking care of things that required a guardian, as well as looking after Hee-jo’s schedule and anniversaries, was all Kwon-yeol’s responsibility.

Of course, unlike Hee-jae, he wasn’t the affectionate type, so he never said sweet words or offered embarrassing encouragement.

But he silently remained by her side, and even after becoming busy with his work when he officially entered the company, he always gave her a wonderful dinner and a gift he had personally chosen on her birthday.

The famously cold and distant Beom Kwon-yeol had never cared this much about anyone other than Hee-jo.

It was probably because of a request from his deceased friend, along with a small amount of guilt.

He was an extremely responsible man, after all.

She had even once thought that perhaps if she got married and became independent—or at least somewhat independent—Kwon-yeol would finally be free.

‘Maybe Kwon-yeol oppa wants me to go on blind dates too.’

Yet Hee-jo could neither give up on the unrequited love she had harbored for Kwon-yeol for so long nor confess it to him.

After holding the first-anniversary memorial service for Hee-jae.

From that day onward, Hee-jo tried to smile at all times while hiding her feelings.

So that she would appear happy.

Because wherever she went, her older brother would be watching over her from heaven.

Perhaps if she kept doing that, she might truly become happy someday.

Perhaps if she kept doing that… someday, she might even be able to laugh off these deepening feelings.