Ariella did not sleep that night.
Jin-woo Kang's words replayed in her mind with uncomfortable clarity.
That is exactly why I wanted to meet you.
By morning, she had convinced herself the entire dinner had been a strange, flattering accident—one that would quietly disappear. Men like Jin-woo Kang didn't follow up on misunderstandings. They corrected them.
She was wrong.
At precisely 9:17 a.m., an email appeared in her inbox.
From: Kang Group Executive Office
Subject: Follow-Up Meeting — Confidential
Her heart skipped.
She stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the mouse, logic and fear battling for control. This wasn't just a misunderstanding anymore. This was a door opening far wider than she had ever imagined.
Against every instinct telling her to stop, Ariella clicked Accept.
The Kang Group headquarters was all steel, glass, and silence. Every step Ariella took echoed confidence she didn't feel, her reflection multiplying in mirrored walls as if reminding her how small she truly was here.
Jin-woo was waiting when she entered the boardroom.
This time, he didn't stand.
"Miss Moon," he said calmly. "I'm glad you came."
The table between them was long, polished, intimidating. A contract folder rested neatly in front of him.
Ariella sat, folding her hands together to keep them from trembling.
"I'll be direct," Jin-woo continued. "I want you to partner with me."
Her breath caught.
He slid the folder toward her. "A temporary arrangement. Six months."
She opened it slowly.
Consultant. Public partner. Strategic adviser.
The words blurred.
"You want me," she said carefully, "to represent you?"
"In certain spaces," he replied. "Yes."
Ariella looked up. "Why?"
His gaze didn't waver. "Because you understand something my executives don't. You see business as a narrative. And narratives move people."
She swallowed.
"And the… personal aspect?" she asked.
Jin-woo leaned back slightly. "Our industries value image. Stability. Familiarity. A partner removes questions before they are asked."
A fake relationship.
Her chest tightened.
"This is not romantic," he added, as if sensing her hesitation. "It's strategic."
Ariella almost laughed at the lie in that sentence.
"What happens," she asked softly, "if this arrangement fails?"
Jin-woo's voice lowered. "Failure is not an option."
She stared at the contract again.
This was reckless. Dangerous. A lie stacked on another lie. But beneath the fear was something else—something thrilling and terrifying.
Opportunity.
She signed.
The moment her pen left the page, Jin-woo stood and extended his hand.
"Then welcome," he said, "to Kang Group."
Their hands met.
The contact was brief, professional—but Ariella felt it all the same. The quiet spark neither of them acknowledged.
As she gathered her things, Jin-woo spoke again.
"One more thing."
She turned.
"Our first public appearance is tonight."
Tonight.
Ariella forced a steady nod. "Of course."
As she left the building, contract tucked into her bag, one truth settled deep in her chest:
She had just agreed to the most dangerous deal of her life.
And she wasn't sure if the real risk was business—
—or Jin-woo Kang.