Later that evening, the estate doors opened. The air seemed to shift before he even stepped inside—like the house itself recognized the return of someone who carried quiet authority. Park Hyun Woo entered with unhurried elegance.
Dark suit. Calm gaze. Perfect composure.
He didn't look like a guest. He looked like an inevitability. Ji Eun was halfway down the staircase when she saw him.
Their eyes met.
Instantly.
The room around them faded into background noise. Hyun Woo's gaze moved slowly over her—measured, assessing—then returned to her eyes. "Miss Song," he greeted smoothly, voice calm as ever. Ji Eun descended the remaining steps, stopping a few feet away. "Mr. Park," she replied, her tone colder than the marble beneath them. "Enjoying your new hobby? Invading private spaces?"
Hyun Woo's lips curved faintly. "It's not an invasion if I was invited." Ji Eun's eyes flashed. "Invited by my parents. Not by me." Hyun Woo tilted his head slightly. "Your parents still speak for this family." Ji Eun stepped closer, voice low and dangerous. "Not for me." Hyun Woo's gaze didn't flinch. "You're angry." "No," Ji Eun corrected. "I'm delighted." She retorted back sarcastically.
Hyun Woo took a single step closer—closing the distance with the ease of a man who never questioned whether he had the right. "You can call it whatever you want," he said softly. "It doesn't change the outcome." Ji Eun's laugh was sharp. "Outcome?" Hyun Woo's eyes darkened just slightly. "You and I in the same house." Ji Eun's jaw tightened. "That's not an outcome. That's a mistake." Hyun Woo's voice dropped, quiet and steady. "Then fix it." Ji Eun's eyes narrowed. "I will."