The conference room was suffocatingly quiet, the only sound the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall. Sunghoon leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled as his cold gaze bore into you. The rest of the team had made a hasty exit moments ago, leaving just the two of you locked in an unspoken battle of wills.

“You went behind my back.” he said at last, his voice low and controlled, but brimming with tension.

“I made a decision.” you countered, standing your ground. “One that saved the company millions of won. You’re welcome, by the way.”

His jaw ticked, but his composure remained intact. “This isn’t a debate. You don’t get to bypass me, no matter how clever you think you are.”

“And you don’t get to micromanage every damn move I make,” you fired back, your frustration bubbling to the surface. “If you want a yes-man, hire someone else. But if you want results, you’re going to have to let me do my job.”

Sunghoon stood slowly, the commanding aura he exuded making the room feel smaller. His tall frame loomed over you as he stepped closer, the space between you shrinking dangerously. “You think you’re untouchable?” he asked softly, but his words were a razor blade.

“No,” you said, meeting his gaze without flinching. “I just know what I bring to the table. And maybe that bothers you because I don’t need your approval to be good at my job.”

The tension crackled between you, electric and suffocating. For a second, you swore his gaze dropped to your lips. Before you could process it, Sunghoon’s phone buzzed on the table. He didn’t look away from you as he reached for it, answering with a clipped, “Yes?”

His expression shifted, hardening into something colder, more lethal. He ended the call with a terse nod and slipped his phone into his pocket.

“We’re done here.” he said, his tone final.

“Nothing you need to worry about.” He grabbed his blazer and made for the door, pausing just long enough to glance back at you, his eyes dark with something unreadable. “Stay out of my way tonight.”