WC-09

CHAPTER 9

In front of Suite 2703 at Myeongheon Hotel, Seola arrived ten minutes earlier than the appointed time, yet she still grew anxious, wondering if she might somehow be the last one to arrive.

The greedy expression on Eunae’s face from before Seola left home overlapped vividly in her mind.

“This time, it’s real.”

“Don’t make any mistakes and do well.”

“If you miss this opportunity, it’s over.”

Eunae had repeated the same words dozens of times.

Seola fidgeted with the key card she had received from the front desk.

Perhaps because of her nervousness, her hands had already gone cold.

She still could not believe she was actually here.

Contrary to Seola’s expectation that there would be at least a few people, there was no one near the entrance.

When she held the card against the reader beside the door, a short beep sounded, followed by the click of the lock releasing.

Is no one here yet?

The inside was quiet, and there was indeed no one there.

The suite was much quieter than she had expected.

There was no sign of anyone having been there, and only a faint fragrance and cool air filled the space.

The room was luxurious beyond anything Seola had ever seen.

A spacious living room spread out before her, so large that it was difficult to believe it was merely a hotel room, while a balcony could be seen beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I’m supposed to receive my training in a place like this……?

It still did not feel real.

Seola had no idea what standards Kang Ijun used to evaluate people.

But one thing was certain.

This unfamiliar space was the starting point of the new life that was about to begin.

Seola looked around for no particular reason before picking up a bottle of water.

Her throat was parched from nervousness.

She filled a glass with water and immediately brought it to her lips.

As the cold water slid down her throat, her body, which had been tense only moments ago, seemed to relax for just a brief moment.

Click.

It was just as she set down the empty glass.

Sssrrk—

The entrance door to the suite opened, and the sound of high heels echoed inside.

The woman’s gaze, which had been surveying the room, stopped on Seola.

The smile that had been lingering around her lips disappeared instantly.

“……Yoo Seola?”

Seola also stared at her in surprise.

“Baek Chaeyeon……?”

A brief silence followed.

Chaeyeon twisted up the corner of her mouth as though the situation were absurd.

“What a small world.”

She looked Seola up and down and sneered.

“I thought I’d never see you again after high school.”

Back in high school, Baek Chaeyeon had been famous enough that there was hardly anyone at school who did not know her.

She was the only daughter of a chaebol family, always surrounded by friends with her glamorous appearance, and even the teachers were careful about how they treated her.

Seola, on the other hand, had earned people’s sympathy after it became known that she had lost her parents and been adopted.

So she had always tried to keep a low profile.

But Chaeyeon had been particularly displeased with Seola.

The reason was simple.

Whether Seola studied or participated in volunteer work, the teachers’ praise always went to her.

From then on, Chaeyeon’s arrows of criticism began to point toward Seola.

She deliberately mocked Seola in front of others and spread the word among their classmates not to associate with her.

“She’s adopted.”

“Doesn’t something about her feel kind of unsettling?”

“If you pretend to be close to her, people will start gossiping about you too.”

Every time Chaeyeon threw out a remark, the other students gradually distanced themselves from Seola.

There were many days when Seola ate alone in the cafeteria, and when groups were formed during physical education class, she was often left standing alone until the very end.

Seola endured it silently.

She had learned far too early that nothing would change even if she fought back for no reason.

And now she had met Baek Chaeyeon again.

Chaeyeon took a step closer and spoke in a low voice.

“What are you doing here?”

At that moment, the door opened and Seokhun entered.

“You’re both here.”

Seokhun glanced down at the file in his hand and continued.

“First of all, welcome to the Myeongheon Group wife-candidate evaluation orientation.”

“What?”

Chaeyeon’s expression twisted instantly.

She stared at Seola as though she could not believe it, then immediately turned her gaze toward Seokhun.

“Wait.”

There was anger in her quiet voice.

“Are you saying that I’m not the only wife candidate?”

Chaeyeon’s face stiffened.

Despite her sharp reaction, Seokhun answered without the slightest change in expression.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

After answering briefly, he looked at the two women in turn.

“Baek Chaeyeon and Yoo Seola.”

His calm voice continued.

“Starting today, both of you are officially wife candidates for Myeongheon Group Representative Kang Ijun.”

Chaeyeon turned toward Seola.

Her expression said that she could not believe it.

No, it was closer to saying that she did not want to believe it.

“So—!”

Chaeyeon’s voice rose.

“Yoo Seola is a wife candidate too?”

Chaeyeon looked back and forth between Seola and Seokhun.

Her face openly revealed her bewilderment and blatant rejection.

Seola could do nothing but stand there beneath that gaze.

“That makes no sense.”

“Where is Ijun oppa?”

Her voice was filled with unmistakable displeasure.

She stared coldly at Seokhun.

“I need to see him right now.”

She did not even seem interested in suppressing her anger.

Her voice directed at Seokhun grew louder.

“I was told I was the only wife candidate.”

“That’s exactly what I was told!”

Despite Chaeyeon’s fierce reaction, Seokhun did not waver in the slightest.

The representative has an important meeting scheduled today.

“And—”

Seokhun raised his gaze and looked at the two women one after another.

Chaeyeon’s face was flushed, while Seola stood there silently.

“The representative personally instructed me to tell you that he will be spending this evening with Yoo Seola.”

“What, what did you say?!”

Chaeyeon was speechless for a moment.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Seokhun in disbelief, and her expression gradually twisted.

“That makes no sense.”

Chaeyeon pointed at Seola as though she could not believe what she was hearing.

“It’s the first day we’ve become wife candidates, and oppa is having dinner with Yoo Seola instead of me?”

“Why?”

Her gaze toward Seola was filled with undisguised displeasure.

Seola had no choice but to endure the unmistakable hostility directed at her.

In truth, she was the one who could not keep up with the situation after hearing all these things for the first time.

She stood there in confusion, unable to say anything, simply clenching both hands tightly.

“This absolutely makes no sense!”

Chaeyeon placed one hand on her thigh and tried to catch her breath.

But she did not seem able to calm down, and her eyes became even sharper.

Her gaze immediately locked onto Seokhun.

“Something is seriously wrong here!”

“Let me speak to Ijun oppa right now!”

Regardless of how much Chaeyeon raised her voice, Seokhun remained completely unmoved.

“Ms. Baek Chaeyeon.”

He continued in an utterly unshaken voice.

“The representative said that anyone who is dissatisfied with the current situation or does not wish to remain a wife candidate may withdraw at any time.”

Chaeyeon’s expression gradually hardened.

The force with which she had been pressing him only moments ago seemed to collapse in an instant.

The slight trembling at the corner of her lips revealed her agitation.

Seola lightly bit her lip.

Even though the words had been directed at Chaeyeon, they somehow weighed heavily on her heart.

She clearly felt that she herself was no exception to those words.

“Haa.”

Chaeyeon seemed to have lost her words and stood frozen for a moment.

Then she slowly turned toward Seola.

Her gaze had grown cold.

An even sharper sense of displeasure, now intensified, poured over Seola.

“How ridiculous.”