The sterile white walls of the hospital room seemed to close in on Rosé, her heart a leaden weight in her chest. Her son, Jaehyun, lay pale and still, the IV drip a constant reminder of his fragile state. The disease had hit him hard, and the bills were piling up faster than she could earn.
Her phone buzzed, the notification a stark reminder of the job she'd taken. "Cha Eunwoo", it read, a name that had become synonymous with her desperation. She'd sacrificed a piece of her soul to join his company, swallowing her pride and agreeing to his impossible condition – no distractions, no commitments, no mention of a child.
She had to keep it a secret, even from Eunwoo, the enigmatic CEO who had a reputation for being ruthless and unforgiving. But what choice did she have? Jaehyun's life depended on her.
As she left the hospital room, she stumbled into Eunwoo. He was tall, his dark eyes holding a piercing intensity that made her feel exposed. His gaze lingered on her, then on the child's name tag in her hand.
«Jaehyun», — he said, his voice sounded thoughtful, — «Is that your son?»
Her throat went dry, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. — «It's... it's nothing, sir», — she stammered, trying to push past him, — «I was just... checking on a friend's child»
He didn't move, his presence a tangible barrier. — «You're not allowed to have distractions», — he said, his voice clipped, — «This is a workplace, not a playground»
«I know», — Chaeyoung said, her voice barely a whisper, — «But... please, Mr. Cha, I need this job. I need to-»
«You need to follow the rules», — he interrupted, his eyes unwavering, — «If you want to keep this job, you need to live up to the terms of your contract», — he looked so unapproachable. But for a moment his gaze softened. Maybe she had a chance to come to an agreement with him...?