Chapter 14.1

“Oh, no, it’s hard to meet. I have to wash up, but if I go home, I will be late, so I will go to the hotel.”

Confused Hae-won stammered.

– Haewon is the CEO, so it doesn’t matter if you’re late. There’s no one to scold you.

“I should be an example. There should be no one to point at me.”

It was more of a resigned tone than a reproach.

Hae-won changed the call to speaker mode and prepared to go out. She thought it was because Adam didn’t say anything as the call time continuously increased.

– How’s your house? It must be closer than the hotel.

Did you pause to say this?

Haewon refused with a snap.

“It’s okay.”

– We’re going to stay together anyway.

“That’s not today. Adam, I have to go out. I’ll hang up now. Have a nice day.”

Hae-won ended the call without hearing any answer.

She was worried that Adam might wait in front of the building, but she was thankful he wasn’t. Nevertheless, Haewon drove on a different road than usual. It was because she felt like she was being chased by something.

‘And my body…’

In the car, she unwittingly held the steering wheel and put strength on her hand. Her heart tightened as she repeated the release of her fist and a faint slight fever wound around the body.

Is it because of Adam’s voice that I’ve heard since morning?

Adam kept reminding her of the Alpha.

He was a complicated man.

* * *

Haewon finished checking in and got on the elevator alone.

It was a burdensome price to go back after just taking a shower, but it was rationalized with the idea of buying time.

Above all, she didn’t want to return home with a dirty body after her heat. Yeah, it’s dirty. Haewon felt like a beast.

When she entered the neatly arranged room, she suddenly remembered Bora’s words that said, “If you don’t want to travel, sometimes go on a hotel vacation.”

‘You need to rest.’

Hae-won smiled gently as Bora’s affectionate scolding came to mind. Let’s pretend we’re on a hotel vacation. 1 hour and 40 minutes until work time.

It was an hour and 40 minutes of vacation.

“Should I take a lower-body bath after a long time?”

She slept on the office desk all night, so her whole body was crumpled. As it happened to be a room with a large bathtub, Haewon received water without much thought.

Splash!

When the steam from the bathtub touched her face, her eyelashes were moist. With the gradual rise of water, the air inside heated up in the quiet hallway.

And, Adam.

Splash.

One of the leaning arms slid into the bathtub. The internal ripples caused a spray on the calm water surface. Haewon turned off the water and ran out.

“…….”

She sat in front of the coffee table in the living room and read the newspaper while the water was being received. Of course it couldn’t have been read. The words were rich and disappeared in the head without making a complete sentence.

It was time to flip through the newspaper mechanically like that. The moment she saw an article on the cultural page, her heart sank.

[JS Atrium Museum is trying to make a new change]

Haewon folded the newspaper in half and put it down on the table. That shallow bundle of paper felt like Pandora’s box.

She knows they’ll continue to see each other if she avoids him like this. It will be only a matter of time before the interview is posted along with Adam’s picture on the main portal site as there is an article in the newspaper.

And yet she’s so shaken by a few articles about Adam. Her heart, which she thought had calmed down, began to run again.

Adam had a knack for making his opponent think twice as uncomfortable. Then why is it awkward?

Because I feel like I’m a prey?

Standing in front of that sleek and decadent gaze, she felt like a living and moving target.

The funny thing was that Adam didn’t seem to want to hunt, and he just seemed to enjoy observing this situation.

Or press the prey slowly into the corner.

Either way.

One thing was clear.

With only two encounters, Adam quickly gained the upper hand of the relationship. If Chairman Seo knew, it would have been bad.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Hae-won jumped up like a rabbit with front feet.

No way.

Haewon gulped down his saliva.

“We’re the front desk, madam.”

The ensuing voice relieved the tension. Haewon carefully opened the door.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m sorry, I should have told you at the front desk, but there was a mistake. This relaxation kit is being offered to guests as an event.”

The hotel clerk handed over the box. Inside the box were sleep masks, small earplugs, and bath salts made of natural materials.

“Thank you for bringing it yourself.”

“No worry, then have a comfortable morning.”

The staff greeted her politely and went back.

Haewon walked to the bathroom with the box, and it quickly bubbled up when she poured the bath agent into the filled water.