Chapter 3 A Bold Proposition

Lee Hana was still trying to process what had just happened.

He remembered the coffee incident.

And he didn't fire me.

Her legs moved before her brain could catch up.

By the time she realized it, she was already sitting stiffly in the chair opposite Kang Jae-Hyun's massive glass desk, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

Was this a joke?

A test?

Or was she about to be escorted out by security?

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do," Hana admitted nervously, her voice barely steady.

"Neither am I," Jae-Hyun replied calmly as he stood. He shrugged out of his blazer, wincing slightly as he glanced at the dark coffee stain. "But you might as well make yourself useful."

Before she could respond, he walked to a cabinet near the wall and pulled out a neatly folded shirt.

Then-without hesitation-he began unbuttoning the ruined one.

Hana's eyes widened.

"Sir! Y-you're changing!"

She turned her head so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash.

"Relax," he said dryly. "I've had assistants faint in this office. You're not the first person to see a man without a shirt."

"That doesn't make it better!" she snapped. "A warning would help!"

A low chuckle escaped him.

Hana froze.

That was the second time.

Rumor had it the Ice King never laughed. Never smiled. Never softened.

Yet here he was-amused.

Once he'd changed, Jae-Hyun returned to his seat and studied her openly, his gaze sharp but curious.

"You said you're not the regular secretary," he said.

"No, sir. Just filling in. My friend is sick."

"And," he added coolly, "you're clearly desperate for money."

Her face flushed instantly. "Is it that obvious?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he reached into a drawer and slid a slim folder across the desk toward her.

Hana stared at it.

"What's this?"

"A contract."

Her brows knitted together. "For... what?"

Jae-Hyun leaned forward, resting his elbows against the desk. His expression was calm, calculated-like a man negotiating a merger, not about to drop a bombshell.

"I need someone to pretend to be my fiancée for one month."

The world stopped.

"...I'm sorry," Hana said slowly. "What?"

"You heard me," he replied evenly. "One month. You attend events, smile for cameras, and look at me like you're madly in love."

She blinked.

Hard.

"You'll live with me," he continued. "Wear designer clothes. Say as little as possible to the media."

Her mouth fell open. "Why?"

"My grandfather," Jae-Hyun said simply. "He's threatening to remove me as heir unless I 'settle down.' He'll be returning to Korea next month. I need a convincing relationship in place before then."

Hana stared at him like he'd completely lost his mind.

"And you picked me?" she asked weakly. "The girl who spilled coffee on you?"

"You're not intimidated by me," he said. "That's rare."

She swallowed.

"And," he added bluntly, "you need the money."

Silence fell between them.

"I-" Hana hesitated. "How much?"

"Ten million won."

Her breath hitched.

"Ten... million?"

"That's just the advance," he said. "There's a bonus if you play your part well. Room and board included. Consider it professional acting."

Her heart raced.

This was insane.

Completely insane.

Yet her gaze drifted back to the folder.

Her mother's hospital bills.

Her brother's school fees.

The landlord's warnings.

The nights she went to bed pretending hunger was normal.

She clenched her fists.

"...Can I read the contract first?" she asked quietly.

Jae-Hyun leaned back, watching her with unreadable eyes.

"Of course," he said. "This is a business deal. I don't force partners."

She slowly reached for the folder.

And with that single motion, Lee Hana stepped into a world she was never meant to touch.