Huan Jing was in high spirits today. After all, her boyfriend Qian was sitting right beside her, and across the table sat the city's most talked-about bachelor—who was no longer a bachelor, but a married man. She glanced at Aanya, who was subtly signaling her to stay quiet by winking at her, but Jing refused to stop.
Huan Jing (her voice trembling, yet gathering courage):
"Sir… I hope you don't mind me asking. The entire city is talking about your marriage. Your wife… what is she like? It's Sunday today—didn't she come with you?"
Under the table, Aanya forcefully stomped on Zhen's foot, as if warning him—Don't you dare say anything true.
Aanya quickly grabbed Jing's hand.
"A-Jing, leave it! Sir is busy. We should go now…"
But Zhen was enjoying this far too much. He took a slow sip of his wine and smiled.
Zhen:
"Miss Jing, you asked what she's like? Well… she's a crazy K-drama fan. Her obsession is so extreme that she could do absolutely anything for Jungkook."
Aanya's eyes widened in shock. Zhen was openly mocking her now.
Zhen:
"Want to hear something funny? Two months ago, Mrs. Yan tried to climb down from the balcony using bedsheets tied together. Can you guess why?"
Everyone's eyes widened. Jing asked eagerly,
"Why, Boss? Was she on some kind of mission?"
Zhen (laughing):
"No! She believed she should've been reborn in Korea so she could become Jungkook's wife. That's why she wanted to escape this 'prison.'"
Huan Jing, Qian, and everyone else burst into loud laughter.
Huan Jing:
"Hahaha! Aanya, look—this madness is exactly like you! You say things like this all the time!"
But Aanya wasn't laughing. Her face burned with anger, her heart pounding violently. Under the table, her fists clenched tightly.
Inside her mind, Aanya hurled countless curses at Zhen:
Bastard! I never wanted to jump—I wanted to run away… from that hell of a house! And the reason wasn't Korea—it was you!
Her mind drifted back to that day.
It was Zhen's birthday. Aanya had decorated the entire house with balloons and lights. She had baked a cake for him, hoping their marriage would begin on a warm note. But the moment Zhen walked in, he exploded.
"Remove all this trash right now! I hate this kind of fake show!"
That day, he shouted at her so badly that Aanya cried all night. And that very night, she tied bedsheets together and tried to escape.
At the table, laughter echoed again, but Aanya's eyes filled with tears. She forced them back and suddenly slammed her glass onto the table.
Aanya (her voice shaking):
"Boss… sometimes people don't run because they want to go somewhere else. They run because the place they're in suffocates them. Maybe Mrs. Yan understands the pain hidden behind your laughter."
Zhen's smile vanished instantly. He realized he had unknowingly touched Aanya's deepest wound. Qian sensed the gravity of the moment and stopped laughing as well.
Zhen's bitter words and that painful memory shattered Aanya's remaining patience. Blinded by rage, without thinking, she grabbed her chopsticks and lunged toward Zhen.
Aanya (gritting her teeth):
"You… you're speaking too much!"
Zhen, always alert, instantly caught her wrist mid-air. His grip was so strong that Aanya lost her balance. The sudden jerk sent her hand crashing into a bowl of hot soup placed nearby.
Splash!
In the next second, the dark soup spilled all over Zhen's white shirt and expensive coat.
The entire restaurant froze.
Qian dropped his spoon. Huan Jing stared in shock, her mouth wide open.
Rage boiled in Zhen's eyes. He looked down at his clothes, then back at Aanya. His voice was no longer playful—it carried a chilling coldness.
Zhen (seething):
"Miss Aanya… how dare you?"
He shot up from his chair. Soup dripped from his coat as the restaurant staff and customers stared.
Huan Jing (trembling):
"A-Aanya! What have you done? That's Boss's most expensive suit! You're finished today!"
Aanya's anger melted into fear. Zhen's fists were clenched tightly. She felt he might shout at her in front of everyone—or drag her out by force.
Aanya (stammering):
"I-It wasn't my fault! You grabbed my hand and—"
Zhen (cutting her off, turning to Qian):
"Qian! Get the car ready. And you—"
(he pointed at Aanya)
"—come with me. Now."
Without hesitation, Zhen grabbed Aanya's wrist and almost dragged her out of the restaurant. Jing and Kaiya stood frozen, watching them leave. They couldn't understand how a mere employee and a boss could have such an intense confrontation.
Everyone in the restaurant stood stunned. Zhen was holding Aanya's hand so tightly that it seemed her job was surely gone.
Zhen (shouting in front of everyone):
"Miss Aanya! Because of you, my extremely expensive suit is ruined! Come with me and help clean it!"
He dragged her toward the washroom.
The moment the washroom door shut—
Aanya's hands were trembling. Her heartbeat raced wildly. Seeing Zhen's sudden fury, fear gripped her entire body.