Qualifications of a Predator

She had likely done it hoping to offend Tae-rin, but even so, sending a s*x tape with her face clearly visible was foolish. The girl clearly hadn’t considered that the video could be leverage against herself as much as it was against her “beloved” Jung Se-hyun.

Tae-rin didn’t want to deal with either of them—not the girl, and certainly not the pathetic Jung Se-hyun. Clicking her tongue softly, Tae-rin stood up. Her face was etched with fatigue as she cleared her desk, ignoring the phone that was currently vibrating with a call from [The Brat].

The boy from long ago was cute. The man I met again was quite impressive. But.

That’s where it ends. Whether you’re cute or impressive, you have nothing to do with me, so that’s as far as it goes.

Today had been a grueling day for Won Tae-rin. Receiving Lee Ha-yeon’s “surprise gift” had been absurd, and after seeing the message her secretary told her she “needed to check,” she’d had to deal with Se-hyun.

The long-awaited pre-open party had been a success. Naturally, she wanted to be praised. She wanted to be recognized. She was desperate for the kindness of someone telling her she’d done a good job. So, Tae-rin picked up the phone on her desk.

“Mom.”

She forced her lips into a smile, her voice bright and full of life. Her tone was intimate.

“The party ended safely. Yes, the response was great. We need to finalize the Woo-sol exhibition soon; there are already so many inquiries. No, I’m fine. I just wanted to call before I headed home. Did you eat dinner?”

The brightness she had manufactured with all her might sounded quite convincing. While speaking with Hong Won-young, who was on her business trip, Tae-rin asked about her dinner menu, if it was tasty, if the vegetables were overcooked, and how people reacted to the traditional knotted ornaments she’d sent as gifts.

In reality, Tae-rin hadn’t eaten lunch or dinner, even though it was now past midnight.

“What is it?”

“…”

“Which one is it? I wonder which woman has managed to catch the eye of our high-and-mighty Gu Jae-hwi.”

Woo-jin, standing beside him, leaned his face close to Jae-hwi’s cheek, snickering as he tried to gauge where Jae-hwi’s gaze was fixed. Annoyed, Jae-hwi looked down to avoid the proximity. His eyes were full of discontent as he stared at the glass in his hand.

“Why do you keep holding a drink you’re not even going to touch? Give it to me.”

“Forget it.”

Jae-hwi watched the shimmering bubbles of the champagne before his eyes drifted back toward the group talking near the bar. Specifically, toward Jung Se-hyun, who was letting out a boisterous laugh in the center of the crowd.

“…”

If he weren’t holding a glass, he felt like his idle hands would fly out to grab that bastard by the throat. He wanted to bash that laughing face in until his anger subsided…

“But then he’d die.”

“…What?”

“If he dies… she’ll hate it.”

Won Tae-rin wouldn’t associate with a murderer. Therefore, Jae-hwi had to suppress his murderous intent. He had lived his life for the sole purpose of standing by her side. He couldn’t ruin everything over a piece of trash like this.

Three years ago, when rumors circulated that Won Kyung-pil was looking for a fiancé for Tae-rin, Jae-hwi thought he would go insane. He had received the news late, and as someone who had just started working at the GH Electronics European branch, there was nothing he could do—except call his grandfather, Chairman Gu Kwang-hyun.

“I’ve heard it’s not a bad idea to start a family early.” — “Ho? Shall I look for a daughter from a respectable family for you?” “Yes. But Grandfather, I don’t like women younger than me.” — “Ho-ho…”

A few days later, an email arrived with information on the daughters of families that dominated the Korean business world. But Won Tae-rin was not among them.

— “Why? Are none of them to your liking?” “No.” — “You have someone in mind, then. Tell me.” “I want Won Kyung-pil’s…” — “No.” “…” — “Nothing good comes from getting tangled up with those political types. Every time they open their mouths, you can smell the rot.”

It was the first favor he had ever asked of his grandfather. But the Chairman of GH Group, who lacked nothing in this world, viewed Won Kyung-pil—born of a prestigious political family—as little more than a swindler. Jae-hwi couldn’t say another word to the grandfather who had flatly refused and clicked his tongue.

If only I were Gu Jae-hwi. If I were truly Gu Jae-hwi…

He could have thrown a tantrum. He could have demanded to know why it wasn’t possible and insisted on having Won Tae-rin brought to him immediately, acting like the spoiled youngest son of a chaebol family.

But he knew his place, so he couldn’t. He had never felt as desperate or as resentful of himself as he did then. Not even when he was starving to death.

In his desperation, he tried to contact Tae-rin, but couldn’t reach her. Finally, on the day he heard she was getting engaged to the second son of Dasung Construction, Jae-hwi dropped everything and flew to Korea, only to be caught by his grandfather’s secretary and chased back to Germany. He hadn’t even heard her voice, let alone met her.

Sunk in despair, he had Jung Se-hyun investigated. He scrutinized the man with burning eyes, wondering just how incredible he must be for Tae-rin to choose him. But the more he looked, the more hollow he felt.

The man’s work performance wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t particularly impressive either. Furious that she’d chosen such a mediocre bastard, Jae-hwi had spent every day since then grinding his teeth.

A bastard who deserves to be chewed up and killed. How does a nobody dare to laugh by Won Tae-rin’s side? If he’s her fiancé, f*ck, he probably holds her hand. Just her hand? He probably does more.

Don’t. Won Tae-rin, don’t do anything with that guy. Don’t smile for him. Don’t even look at him.

But no matter how much he raged, nothing changed. On days when he saw photos of Tae-rin smiling next to Se-hyun, he wanted to throw everything away and run to Korea. He wanted to meet Tae-rin and scream for her to choose him over that guy. But there was one reason he couldn’t.

Lack of qualification.

“I don’t just meet anyone. They have to be better than me, at least.”

Tae-rin had said she would marry someone who would make her shine even brighter. In Jae-hwi’s opinion, Jung Se-hyun was not that person. He was a bastard who couldn’t compare to the dirt under Tae-rin’s toenails in any respect, but he did have the title of Executive Director of Dasung Construction. Jae-hwi, at the time, did not.

So he gritted his teeth and worked. He survived and endured, thinking that he just needed to build his skills and power so he could take her away. So he could win her back. And then…

“Useless piece of shit.”

“…Gu Jae-hwi, are you talking to me?”

That night, after overhearing their conversation at the gallery, it seemed their engagement was a mere formality. Once he realized the truth, he had laughed first, and then he had cursed.

How many photos of that bastard had he ripped or burned over the last three years? It was ridiculous to think of how much time he’d wasted worrying, and he gnashed his teeth at the fact that someone like Jung Se-hyun had dared to upset Won Tae-rin. Then, he’d almost wanted to applaud when he realized Se-hyun hadn’t even been able to touch her outside of official events.

Ah, wise Won Tae-rin. How can I not fall for you?

For the past few days, Jae-hwi had called Tae-rin exactly four times a day. Once on his way to work, once after lunch, once after dinner, and once before bed. He had restrained himself to those four calls, but Tae-rin hadn’t picked up.

No, he had to correct himself. She had picked up once.

— “Stop calling. Before I register you as spam.” “Ha… You’re really doing this? You have to keep your promise.” — “What promise? The one I made to a kid ten years ago? I didn’t even pinky-swear with you back then.” “Regardless, you made it, so keep it.” — “To keep every promise like that… as you know, I’m the kind of person who crosses a ‘Keep Off’ lawn without blinking an eye.” “Are you playing with me right now?” — “Are you the one playing? Gu Jae-hwi. There is nothing between us. Don’t act like there is.” “Won Tae-rin.” — “Calling someone else’s fiancée repeatedly is immoral. Live with some morals.”

That had happened today at lunch. Jae-hwi, huffing with his phone in hand after the call cut out, had answered another vibrating call immediately—but the voice wasn’t Tae-rin’s.

— “The eldest son of Dasung Construction set up a gathering before his wedding. Want to go?” “Why would I go there? I told you not to call this number.”

Jae-hwi, about to hang up on So Woo-jin—who had been desperate to build connections since leaving his law firm to open his own practice—frowned at the four syllables: “Da-sung-kun-sul.”

— “It’ll be easier for me if I bring you along. Just go.” “The eldest son of Dasung?” — “Yeah. Their stock has gone up a lot recently. The eldest is marrying his secretary for love, but I hear the second son has big ambitions. His fiancée is…” “Is the second son coming too?” — “…Probably? His brother is the host.”

So he had carved time out of his busy schedule to come, and Jung Se-hyun truly was an unbearable prick the more he saw him.

“Why didn’t your sister-in-law come?”

“She’d be your ‘big sister-in-law,’ you punk.”

“Anyway. I came to see Ms. Tae-rin, not you.”

“Tae-rin is busy these days. And why are you looking for her?”

“Why else? To see if she’s doing okay.”

“Tae-rin? Ah… you mean that?”

“Yeah. What’s up with that rumor?”

“It’s so pathetic I’m not even responding. Am I crazy? Why would I cheat on a woman as perfect as Tae-rin? Tae-rin laughed about it, too. Just a minor incident, really.”

Jung Se-hyun, acting as if he wasn’t the same man who had been whining with a trembling voice in front of Tae-rin just days ago, was truly pathetic. Jae-hwi handed his glass to Woo-jin and stood up.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, why did you even come if you were going to leave so soon?”

“Good question. I just wasted my time.”

With that sharp remark, Jae-hwi turned away. Tae-rin was far too good for a bastard like that, even if she was only his fiancée in name.

So, what else could he do? He’d have to make sure she ended up by the side of her true match.

A crooked smile spread across Jae-hwi’s lips as he gave a slight nod to the guard stationed at the door.