Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 41
Woo Ji-hyang knew immediately.
That this man is Kwon Si-heon.
She had thought he was handsome when she saw him through her phone screen.
But in person, Si-heon possessed such overwhelming looks and presence that it left her speechless.
His black eyes, devoid of emotion, were languid and decadent, and the black beauty mark precisely dotted at his right eye was the perfect finishing touch to his aura.
And that high, sharp bridge of his nose looked as if it could cut if touched.
He was so tall that she had to tilt her head far back just to see his face.
A solid build and long legs weren’t enough – he was also the heir to the Hwanhee Group.
Being Chairman Kwon Soon-yeol’s most cherished eldest grandson, it wouldn’t be wrong to call him the heir.
Though she already knew who he was, she still needed to confirm.
“Um, could you be… Director Kwon Si-heon of Hwanhee Group?”
But.
Something about Si-heon’s silent, downward gaze sent chills down Ji-hyang’s spine.
She felt that rather than waiting for his greeting, she should try to lighten the mood first.
“Oh my, you came to see our Ga-eun. But what should we do? She’s out on business.”
‘Our Ga-eun.’
The familiar way she addressed her made it clear they were close.
However, Si-heon, his head throbbing from the overwhelming perfume, had no capacity to figure out the relationship between Ga-eun and this middle-aged woman.
“I’ll come back later.”
As Si-heon turned away without a trace of lingering attachment, Ji-hyang called out hurriedly.
“That bouquet! Didn’t you bring it for our daughter?”
Our daughter.
Those words stopped Si-heon in his tracks, and he turned around.
“I’m Woo Ji-hyang, the director of this gallery. Also Ga-eun’s mother.”
At the words “Ga-eun’s mother,” Si-heon’s already furrowed brow deepened further.
This woman was that woman’s mother?
They didn’t look alike at all.
Though there were mothers and daughters who didn’t resemble each other…
When looking at people bound by the name of family, there existed something completely unrelated to facial features.
People who live together inevitably develop similarities.
But the woman before him and Ga-eun had nothing in common.
Not a single thing.
‘Must be an extreme case of step-relations.’
Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to share no similarities – not in their aura, eyes, nose, mouth, not even in hair color, thickness, or any aspect of body type.
Above all else, their eyes.
Unlike those eyes gleaming with greed, that woman’s eyes were deep and clear.
Well. Perhaps it was fitting for a mother who would set her daughter up on a blind date with a middle-aged man.
“I’m Kwon Si-heon.”
Si-heon considered a downward glance of his eyes as sufficient greeting.
But Ji-hyang made an exaggerated fuss as if he had given her a deep bow.
“Oh my, goodness. How can you be so polite? They say a good body houses good thoughts – how fitting! Is that flower for our Ga-eun?”
Si-heon answered by raising an eyebrow.
“My word. Our Director is so romantic. Give it here, you must be tired from carrying it. I’ll pass it along.”
The moment Ji-hyang stepped closer.
Si-heon frowned and stepped back, while Noh Man-su positioned himself between them.
Startled by the huge man with a ponytail and sunglasses blocking her path, Ji-hyang retreated hesitantly.
“Oh… my, you must be a bodyguard. Well, our Director is such a precious person after all. Hohoho. It must be hard work.”
“Where did Ga-eun go?”
“Ah, she went to Go Yun-gu to recruit an artist… Why don’t you come inside? We have some quite nice tea I’d like to serve you.”
“I’ll make a proper visit with Ga-eun.”
Once again lowering his eyes instead of bowing, Si-heon turned around.
Noh Man-su , after watching Ji-hyang warily for a few seconds, saw her dumbfounded face and turned to follow Si-heon.
“W-what? They’re just leaving like that?”
Ji-hyang’s lips trembled.
She could clearly see who Ga-eun trusted to behave so rudely.
Kwon Si-heon, who neither gave nor received proper greetings, would frown and step back whenever she made the slightest movement.
As if avoiding something filthy.
‘Surely… that Ga-eun didn’t tell him everything about being an illegitimate child?’
That I’m not her birth mother. That I mistreated her. That there’s no need to show respect.
Ji-hyang shook her head slightly.
