Bound by a Ruthless Contract - Chapter 58
She eats better than expected.
Perhaps because she skipped lunch and went through a rough time.
The woman he thought would be a picky eater with a small appetite ate everything Chef Park placed before her with relish.
Though he was a bit noisy, Si-heon felt he’d made the right choice calling Park Chung-il.
Sharing a meal is one of the most effective ways to open someone’s heart.
No one was more qualified than Park Chung-il, who could adapt to any atmosphere and create food that provided a gentle, peaceful satisfaction.
She seems to like mushrooms.
Prefers fish to meat.
Citron sauce on the salad.
“……”
As these thoughts crossed Si-heon’s mind, he met Ga-eun’s eyes as she looked up after swallowing a mushroom.
Her large light brown eyes trembled slightly.
“Ah, I’ve been eating too casually…”
“Keep eating.”
Si-heon said nonchalantly.
“It’s pleasant to watch.”
Ga-eun covered her mouth with her hand, her cheeks flushing.
How could he say such things with such an expressionless face…
“Wow… This is the first time I’ve heard the Managing Director speak like this. Actually, even when I heard about the bride-to-be, it didn’t feel real, but now I can clearly see it.”
Park Chung-il smiled kindly.
“That our Managing Director is getting married.”
Ah. Only then did Ga-eun realize Si-heon had spoken that way because he was conscious of others watching, and she could finally calm down.
Placing a rare steak in front of Si-heon, Park Chung-il spoke as if deeply moved.
“I dare say I was worried. Wondering if the Managing Director would always be alone. The Chairman must be very pleased.”
Si-heon answered by not answering.
Still feeling warmth in her face and feeling awkward because of it, Ga-eun quickly swallowed her food and changed the subject.
“Chef Park…”
Ga-eun paused and took a breath.
They were about to be married—it would sound strange to call him ‘Mr. Kwon Si-heon’.
“You seem very close with Si-heon-ssi.”
A slight crack appeared in Si-heon’s expression that had never once wavered.
From just those three syllables.
Si-heon-ssi.
Something felt unsettling about hearing such familiar terms from a woman for the first time.
A strange feeling, as if something thin was scratching or tickling his insides.
Fortunately, neither Ga-eun, who kept her gaze fixed on Park Chung-il, nor Park Chung-il, who was excitedly telling his story, noticed Si-heon’s reaction.
“You see, I was a scholarship student sponsored by the Hwanhee Group.”
Scholarship student? Ga-eun’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
“Living in the countryside with my grandfather, cooking naturally made me want to become a chef. But it wasn’t easy.”
He explained how he wanted to learn systematically from the basics, but everywhere was haphazard, and even that came with verbal and physical abuse.
Then he fell into debt after being deceived by an unscrupulous owner.
“That’s when I happened to meet the Chairman’s Chief Secretary. I was immediately introduced to the foundation, received support to learn properly from the basics, and even got to study abroad. I used my first earnings to pay off my debts.”
Park Chung-il’s face shone with pride.
“Many people criticized Hwanhee Group’s scholarship program as just a ploy to erase their past. But so what if it was a ploy? The fact remains that it saved someone’s life.”
Ga-eun silently agreed with his words.
So what if it was a ploy?
As long as the outcome was good.
If it meant she could live with just her aunt, anything would be fine.
Even if it was a marriage without love, lacking even goodwill or sympathy between them, Ga-eun felt she could endure it.
Her own happiness wasn’t important. She’d given up on that long ago.
And yet…
Ga-eun thought.
For the first time, eating with someone didn’t make her feel sick to her stomach.
She had no way of knowing.
That the cold, expressionless man whose thoughts were impossible to read was thinking exactly the same thing.
