The next day, a palpable tension hung in the air at Queens Group. The buzz from the previous day's scandalous kiss had reached a fever pitch, and everyone was on high alert, waiting for the next dramatic turn. Hyun-woo, however, was a picture of calm. He had a plan, and the thrill of his impending revenge made him feel more alive than he had in years. He wore a simple, impeccably tailored suit, a confident smile on his face that only Hae-in's closest confidantes knew meant he was up to no good.
He walked past the offices, a silent message passing between him and Secretary Na, who nodded, her face a mixture of anticipation and professional terror. In the lobby, he saw Beom-ja, who was pretending to look at her phone, a large, delighted grin on her face. The pieces were in place. The stage was set.
Hae-in, meanwhile, was in the middle of a meeting, her face a mask of serene professionalism. The meeting had been going well, but a familiar sense of restlessness was building up inside her. She felt like something was about to happen. A little voice in her head, the one that had been her guide for the last few days, told her to be on guard.
The door to the boardroom burst open, a loud, attention-grabbing sound that made everyone jump. Hyun-woo stood in the doorway, his confident, mischievous smile a clear sign that he was about to do something completely and utterly insane.
He walked straight toward the conference table, his eyes fixed on Hae-in. The other executives in the room, their faces a mixture of confusion and disbelief, were silent as they watched the scene unfold.
"Hae-in," he said, his voice a calm, even sound that was completely at odds with the situation.
Hae-in, her eyes narrowed with a mix of suspicion and intrigue, met his gaze. "Hyun-woo," she said, her voice a low warning. "This is a closed-door meeting. You're interrupting a very important discussion."
He just smiled, a wide, breathtaking grin that lit up his face. "I know," he said, his voice dropping to a low, intimate murmur that was meant for her and her alone. "But I have a more important discussion to have with you."
With a sudden, swift motion that took her completely by surprise, he scooped her up. He didn't ask for permission. He didn't hesitate. He just lifted her, a princess carry that was both romantic and utterly ridiculous in the middle of a boardroom meeting. Hae-in gasped, her hands flying to his shoulders, her face a mask of shock and mortification. The other executives stared, their mouths hanging open in silent disbelief.
He held her close, her body a light, familiar weight in his arms. He looked at the shocked faces around the table, then looked at his wife, a triumphant smirk on his face.
"What do you think you're doing, Baek Hyun-woo?" she hissed, her voice a panicked whisper that was a stark contrast to her furious expression. "Put me down! Right now!"
He just laughed, a deep, satisfied sound. He looked at her, his eyes shining with a playful, mischievous triumph. "This," he said, his voice a low, husky whisper, "is revenge."
He turned and, with her still in his arms, began to walk out of the boardroom. He didn't look back. He didn't apologize. He just walked out of the room and into the wide, open hallway, where his audience was waiting.
The news of the "kidnapping" had already spread. Employees, lawyers, and executives lined the hallway, their phones out, their faces a mixture of shock and giddy anticipation. They watched as the usually quiet, polite Director Baek carried his CEO through the hallway.
As they walked past the office of the legal department, a flash went off. Secretary Na, standing discreetly in the doorway, had taken a picture. A triumphant, conspiratorial grin was on her face. Down the hall, Beom-ja, pretending to be on her phone, took a picture as well, her eyes wide with a delighted, proud awe.
Hae-in, still in his arms, was now a mix of furious indignation and a secret, thrilling joy. She was being kidnapped, in the middle of her office, in front of all her employees. It was so brazen, so utterly ridiculous, that a small, helpless laugh escaped her lips.
Hyun-woo, hearing her laughter, knew he had won. He held her tighter, his voice a low, triumphant whisper. "I'm kidnapping you, my dear wife," he said. "And I'm taking you on a date."
Hae-in looked up at him, her eyes burning with a fiery, possessive love that was now mixed with a thrilling sense of adventure. "You lunatic," she said, but her voice was filled with a loving affection. "You're going to get us both fired."
He just laughed, a joyous, carefree sound. "I don't care," he said, his voice a lighthearted, happy hum. "I'm the only one who can do this to you. I'm the only one you'll ever let get away with this."
She couldn't argue with that. She nestled her head against his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck. She was the most powerful woman in the country, the CEO of an empire, and she was being kidnapped by her husband. And she had never, not for a single second in her life, been happier. The revenge had been a success. He had won. And in doing so, he had proven, once again, that their love was a force of nature.