My Husband Found the Photos

I quietly nodded.
After that pheromone shower, even if brief, it wouldn’t be strange for the scent to linger.
Kang Chaehee narrowed his eyes, then reluctantly let go of my wrist.

Strangely enough, he looked a bit resentful.
Why? What exactly have we done?
I tilted my head to the side and stared at him.
His face flushed red, and he bit his lips tightly shut.

His face—handsome, pretty, and harmonious all at once—and his long eyelashes captured my gaze.
The memory of yesterday’s kiss surfaced, and my heart started pounding strangely.
No. My heart pounding?
This wasn’t why I was meeting Kang Chaehee……

“A-Are you studying your script well?”

I quickly changed the subject.

“Yes. I’m working hard.”

“What role was it again?”

I already knew since I’d read it myself, but I asked anyway.
The script was a thriller set in a city where a murder occurs, written by an author hailed as a genius both in Korea and worldwide.

“A painter. And the victim. He lives in a dark mansion and appears with a suspicious yet charming impression…… He’s even suspected of being the killer. But soon, he’s found dead with a painting knife stabbed through his neck. He actually has a backstory, but…… Director.”

“Hmm?”

Kang Chaehee spoke with an embarrassed face.
Because my fingertips had been tracing up from his abs to his chest.
Oh no. He was too close, and I’d done it without thinking……

But then Kang Chaehee took it a step further.

“……May I touch your wrist, just once, Director?”

Touching my wrist wouldn’t end there.

“Well. I’m thinking about it. Keep talking.”

Kang Chaehee had a good voice.
A higher tone than Jeon Seongwon’s, but clear, and his pronunciation was precise—easy to listen to, as befits an actor.
Not that Jeon Seongwon’s pronunciation was strange, but……

“It’s, it’s a minor role, but I think I can definitely leave an impression. But at the same time, I have to be careful not to overdo it—it’s that kind of character. I’ve come up with my own character backstory not in the script, but depending on the atmosphere on set…… it might just stay in my head.”

Hmm.
From what I knew, that painter makes a meaningful appearance and then dies soon after.
When suspected as the ‘killer,’ he’s only mentioned, so his actual screen time would be at most 10 to 15 minutes.

He could have complained about being given such a minor role, but what Kang Chaehee said was a perfect answer.
How long had he waited for this opportunity?
A used newbie.
And yet, wasn’t he saying he’d do his absolute best?

He probably wanted to leave a strong impression on set with his acting skills, yet he was cautious and humble.
That character was a kind of MacGuffin—he couldn’t be too buried, nor could he stand out too much.
He had judged that accurately.

“Don’t you want to stand out? This could be a huge opportunity.”

“……I’m fine. The Director said…… you’d make me famous, so I’ll just do my best at the tasks I’m given without being arrogant.”

As expected, a pleasing answer.

I recalled Kang Chaehee’s pheromone scent from last time.
Completely opposite to Jeon Seongwon’s—a clear, floral scent.

Ha…… Thinking about that bastard made my anger rise again.
An alpha who gives me a pheromone shower just because his feelings got hurt……

Just as I was about to speak again, my phone rang.
I didn’t have many people who’d contact me at this hour.
The moment I checked the messenger, every muscle in my face hardened.

[Vice Chairman Jeon and Jang Weilin have entered the SH Hotel Namsan branch.]

“…….”

A photo was attached to the message.
Jeon Seongwon, lightly resting his hand on Jang Weilin’s waist, escorting him.
A few of Jeon Seongwon’s attendants were visible nearby.
They seemed to be careful not to get photographed.

[Who took this?]

[Lee Seonhye, head of the security team.]

I stared at the fairly clear photo for a moment, thinking.
I’d ordered this, but seeing it captured so defenselessly made me feel a bit uneasy.

And there was also the incident before, when he’d been left without any staff because they all came down with food poisoning……
Maybe it was time to replace Jeon Seongwon’s attendant team.

I pushed the shock aside with other thoughts.
Until I could process things properly.
So, Jeon Seongwon had just gone into a hotel with Weilin.
Even escorting him quite politely.

Kang Chaehee, who had been watching my expression as I gripped my phone, began to read the room.

“Um, did something happen at the company?”

“……Company? What company?”

“Your expression suddenly turned so serious……”

The word ‘company’ made me laugh inappropriately.

“I don’t even go near our headquarters. In case someone tries to make me work.”

“Ah…….”

He must have heard the title ‘Director’ and assumed I actually worked.
Naive.

“My job is to do nothing and get paid. You know what an outside director is?”

“Ah.”

I wondered if I should have said that.
It was true, but I could see him hesitating, unsure how to respond.
The strange tension that had been building until a moment ago was nowhere to be found.

And since my expression was still troubled, Kang Chaehee’s flustered face didn’t clear either.
I sighed, took out another black card from my wallet, and held it out to him.

“Director, this is……”

“You have the meeting with the production team and the script reading soon, right? Buy some decent clothes to wear there. Don’t worry about the price…… Not too flashy with designer logos, but don’t buy cheap stuff either. Like these.”

I flicked his ear.
The imitation earrings that looked utterly real left a cold sensation on my fingertip.

“You should graduate from things like this. Don’t you think?”

“……Yes. But, Director……”

Instead of asking ‘Why?’ I looked up at him.
He stared at me quietly with a strange expression, then hesitantly asked.

“Could you…… come with me?”

“What?”

“I want to go shopping with you, Director. Is that not okay? Just once.”

Unexpected……
So he could act cute too.

Hmm, come to think of it, not a bad idea.
Now that Jeon Seongwon had pulled something like that, I needed to take some action too.
Taking my sponsored boy shopping seemed just about right.

I thought about calling a shopper to the hotel, but Kang Chaehee seemed to want to shop normally, so we decided to meet on Monday.
I was just a lady of leisure, so I had plenty of time anyway.

After we set the appointment, Kang Chaehee, in a noticeably better mood, quietly helped me dress.
He’d decided to stay overnight at the hotel as I’d told him that day, and I returned home with Han Youngjun.

As I entered the garden, the lights were on again.
I stood crookedly and stared at the living room.
Looked like his meeting with Weilin ended quickly.
I quickly went into the garage and called out to Han Youngjun, who was just about to leave.

“Yes, Director.”

“He just came back from meeting that Chinese guy, right?”

“Yes……. That’s correct.”

Han Youngjun answered with a slightly awkward face.
I narrowed my eyes, lowered my head, and smelled my own body.
Kang Chaehee had also released pheromones earlier when he smelled my wrist—faintly, I could still detect his scent.

When I frowned, Han Youngjun quietly waited for instructions.
I could just drag him into the car, have him spray pheromones, and then use deodorant again.
But……

“Never mind. Go inside.”

“Yes. Please go in carefully, Director.”

I sent Han Youngjun off, took a deep breath, and for no reason, walked a full lap around the greenhouse.
The greenhouse was filled with all kinds of out-of-season flowers, shrubs, potted plants, succulents, and a banana tree taking center stage.

That thing—Jeon Seongwon had insisted and insisted like a madman until they brought it in—but did bananas actually grow in Korea?
Absolutely not.
The caretaker had to put in all sorts of effort just to keep it from dying.

After calming my mind a bit by walking through the greenhouse, I entered the house.
Because if I went in like this and ran into Jeon Seongwon, I’d probably grab him by the hair.

I took a deep breath and opened the front door.
Jeon Seongwon was in the living room.
Even today, drinking again.
I was starting to suspect he really had developed alcoholism.
I strode toward him and spoke.

“You’re drinking again? You really, lately……”

My voice, which had started strong, gradually faded.

“You came back to the house a while ago, so where did you wander off to before coming inside?”

“…….”

So he’d seen me come into the garage too.
But my eyes were fixed on the photos spread across the table.
Jeon Seongwon, who had spoken quietly, raised his head and adjusted his glasses.

“Lee Seyeon.”

He picked up one photo and showed it to me.

On the table were photos of Kang Chaehee and me going up to the suite together from the hotel lobby, spread out everywhere.
Jeon Seongwon asked in a cold voice.

“Who is this man?”