The neon lights of Velvet Night had dimmed to a dull hum as Kang Ji-Hoon dragged himself off the VIP sofa. His head throbbed with a dull ache, the remnants of the whiskey from the night before still clouding his mind. He straightened his rumpled suit, nodded to his guards, and walked out into the crisp morning air. He didn't want to go back to the Kang estate, but he knew the walls were closing in. He had exactly six days of "freedom" left.
On the other side of the city, the Grand Seoul Convention Center was a hive of frantic energy. Today was the Apex Global Tech Summit, and the main event was the keynote speech by the "Iron Heiress" herself.
Han Seo-Yeon stood behind the curtain, her expression a mask of absolute focus. She was dressed in a charcoal-grey power suit, looking strikingly handsome and elegant.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer's voice boomed. "The CEO of Han Corporation, Han Seo-Yeon."
She walked onto the stage to a thunderous roar of applause. Behind her, a massive holographic screen flickered to life, displaying the image of a sleek, translucent device.
"Today, we redefine connectivity," Seo-Yeon began, her voice commanding and steady. "I introduce to you: The Han-Core Prism. It is not just a quantum processor; it is the heartbeat of the next generation of smart-infrastructure."
For the next forty minutes, she dominated the room. She spoke about the product with a brilliance that left even her competitors stunned. When she finished, the hall erupted. Thousands of investors and tech giants stood to clap.
As she exited the stage, she was immediately swarmed by a sea of flashbulbs and microphones. The media was a wall of noise, shouting questions about the Prism, but one reporter from Seoul Business Daily shouted louder than the rest.
"Director Han! We've heard rumors of a massive strategic collaboration between the Han Corporation and the Kang Group. Can you confirm the nature of this alliance?"
Seo-Yeon stopped. She turned slowly to face the cameras, her eyes cold and professional. She knew Ji-Hoon's father wanted the news out. She knew her father was watching.
"The collaboration is not just professional," Seo-Yeon stated, her voice projecting clearly into every live-broadcast microphone. "To ensure the long-term stability of this merger, I will be marrying the heir of the Kang Group, Mr. Kang Ji-Hoon, in exactly six days."
The silence that followed lasted only a second before the crowd exploded into chaos. Reporters were screaming, cameras were flashing frantically, but Seo-Yeon didn't say another word. She turned and walked toward her waiting car, her expression as unreadable as stone.
At the Kang Mansion, Ji-Hoon had just walked through the front door. The house was quiet, the large TV in the living room the only source of sound. His mother, Mrs. Kang, waved him over from the sofa.
"Ji-Hoon, come sit. They are broadcasting the Han Corporation's summit. That girl is truly remarkable," she said, her eyes glued to the screen.
Ji-Hoon sighed, wanting only to go to his room and sleep, but he sat down beside her. He reached for a glass of water on the coffee table, taking a long, thirsty swallow.
Instantly, the screen cut to the media scrum outside the convention center.
"I will be marrying the heir of the Kang Group, Mr. Kang Ji-Hoon, in exactly six days."
Ji-Hoon's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He choked, a spray of water erupting from his mouth and splashing onto his lap. He coughed violently, his face turning bright red as he stared at the screen. Seo-Yeon looked perfectly calm on the TV as she entered her car and drove away, leaving him to deal with the fallout.
"Six days?" Ji-Hoon wheezed, grabbing a napkin. "She just told the whole country? Without even a phone call to me?"
"She's a woman of action," his mother said, though even she looked a little stunned by the bluntness of the announcement.
At the Yoo Designer Group headquarters, the atmosphere had shifted instantly.
Yoo Ara was gathering her things to leave for the day, her hand resting on the star-shaped necklace Ji-Hoon had given her. She felt a sense of peace until she stepped out of her private office and into the main workspace.
The employees were huddled around a computer screen, their voices hushed and urgent.
"Did you hear? It's official. The Han Corporation and Kang Group... they're marrying in six days."
"I saw the live stream. Director Han looked so confident. They're calling it the 'Wedding of the Century'."
Ara froze. The air seemed to vanish from the room. She heard the words—six days—and felt a sharp, cold blade of reality pierce her heart. She knew it was coming, but hearing the world talk about it made it real in a way that hurt more than she could have imagined.
She didn't cry. She didn't let her employees see the devastation on her face. With a trembling hand, she gripped her purse, kept her head high, and walked straight past them toward the elevator.
Only when she reached the safety of her car did she let her head fall against the steering wheel. The countdown had begun, and the man she loved was now officially the property of the nation's most powerful woman.
End of Chapter 9...