Chapter 5 Jealous Hearts & Hidden Wars

The black car ride home was silent.

Too silent.

Ji-woo sat with her hands folded on her lap, eyes on the passing city lights, pretending she couldn't feel the cold anger radiating from the man beside her.

Joon-hyuk's voice finally broke the silence. Low. Sharp.

"Who was he?"

Ji-woo turned to him slowly. "Does it matter?"

He stared straight ahead, jaw clenched. "It does now."

She bit back a scoff. "You said this marriage was just a contract. Why do you care who I used to know?"

His eyes snapped to hers, suddenly filled with something she hadn't seen before-fire.

"Because you looked at him like he used to be yours."

Ji-woo flinched, then looked away. "He was. Until he chose someone else. Someone richer."

Joon-hyuk's gaze didn't soften. "So this is about revenge?"

She met his eyes, defiant. "No. This is about survival."

He leaned forward, voice low. "Then don't get distracted."

Ji-woo's heart pounded. "You're jealous."

"Don't flatter yourself," he said coldly. "I don't get jealous. I get rid of problems."

Her breath caught. Not because of fear-because of the truth behind his words. Lee Joon-hyuk didn't do emotions. He did damage control.

"Don't worry," she said, her voice softer now. "He's no threat to you."

He stared at her for a long moment before looking away again. "He better not be."

Silence returned. But it wasn't the silence of before-it pulsed with tension, unspoken questions, and a heat neither of them could explain.

Back at the penthouse, Ji-woo headed for her room, heels clicking against the marble floor.

"Ji-woo."

She turned, surprised by the way he said her name. Almost hesitant.

"You looked... beautiful tonight," he said, eyes unreadable.

Ji-woo's chest tightened.

"Don't fall for me, Joon-hyuk," she whispered. "Remember the contract."

He gave a hollow laugh. "Right. No feelings. No attachments."

But as she disappeared into her room, closing the door behind her, Joon-hyuk stood there... haunted by the feeling that he'd just lied to himself.