Zhen's anger was now at its peak, but the moment he caught Anya in his arms, the sharp edge of his fury softened slightly. However, he was not about to let her off so easily.
Scene: Zhen's 'Private' Punishment
Zhen set Anya back on her feet but did not remove his hand from her waist. With the remote, he locked the door of his cabin. The whispering of Qiyan and Jing outside instantly fell silent.
Zhen (leaning near Anya's ear): "You ruined my coffee, spilled red ink on a multimillion contract, and now you've even knocked your boss to the floor? Anya, the list of your mistakes is getting very long."
Anya (avoiding his gaze): "Th-that was all an accident! And you're so heavy—how was I supposed to know you'd slip because of the polish?"
Zhen (with a cold smile): "An accident? Fine. Now listen to your punishment. Since you ruined my coffee, you are not moving from here until you personally make me a perfect cup. And while I drink it, you will stand right here in front of me—without touching your phone."
He picked up Anya's phone from the desk and locked it inside his drawer.
Anya (protesting): "My phone! Zhen, this is too much! Woo-seok's new episode is about to release!"
Zhen (burning with jealousy): "Right now, in this cabin, there is only you and me. No Woo-seok, no Jungkook. And since you spilled red ink on my file, you will sit down and hand-copy all fifty pages yourself. Until the work is finished, we are not going home."
Zhen sat down regally in his chair and handed Anya a pen and paper. Wearing her ridiculous maid dress, Anya had no choice but to sit on the floor and start writing.
Anya (muttering while writing): "Monster… tyrant… Hitler somewhere! I wish I had really poisoned your soup that day."
Zhen (reading the file): "I heard that, Anya. Say one more word and those fifty pages will increase."
Silence filled the cabin, broken only by the scratching sound of Anya's pen. From behind his file, Zhen kept glancing at her. He was still angry, but seeing Anya so close and within his sight gave him a strange sense of calm.
Suddenly, Anya stopped writing and began rubbing her finger. Ink had also smeared onto her face, making her look like a mischievous child.
Zhen (taking out his handkerchief): "Come here. You can't even do one thing properly."
He stepped closer and gently wiped the ink from her face. Anya's breath caught again. Zhen's eyes kept drifting toward her lips. He tried to focus on his file, but his mind was stuck on Anya's antics that had driven him crazy last night.
Just then, Zhen had to leave the cabin for an urgent meeting. The moment the door closed, Anya let out a relieved breath.
Anya (shaking her apron): "The tyrant is gone! Now the camel has come under the mountain."
She looked around and then confidently walked to Zhen's luxurious CEO chair and sat down. Propping her feet on the desk, she began waving her hand in Zhen's signature style.
Anya (talking to herself): "Huh! Zhen Yan… what do you think of yourself? You'll turn me into a servant? You'll keep my Jungkook and Woo-seok away from me? I am Mrs. Yan, not some ordinary maid of yours! Today you're punishing me—tomorrow I'll make you dance to my tune. Whatever Mrs. Yan wants is what happens!"
Spinning in the chair, she truly began to feel like the boss of the company. She picked up Zhen's glasses from the desk, put them on, and struck an attitude-filled pose.
Anya: "Mr. Qiyan! Tell Zhen he's been fired because he's too jealous!"
Anya burst into loud laughter at her own words. But she had absolutely no idea that Zhen had already returned midway through his meeting. He stood at the cabin door, arms folded, carefully watching Anya's little "Mrs. Yan show."
A deep, deadly smile appeared on Zhen's face. He was jealous, yes—but hearing Anya call herself "Mrs. Yan" and claim his chair secretly pleased him far more than he would ever admit.
Zhen (suddenly, in a heavy voice): "So… Mrs. Yan, how is my chair? Have I really been fired?"
Anya panicked. She hurriedly tried to get up from the chair, but in her haste her foot got tangled with the desk, and she began to topple backward along with the chair.
Anya: "Ah! Zhen! Y-you came back so soon?"
Zhen lunged forward, catching the chair, and came dangerously close to Anya's face. The distance between them vanished.
Zhen (staring into her eyes): "You called yourself 'Mrs. Yan.' That means you're starting to remember your identity. Then… shouldn't Mrs. Yan give her husband a proper welcome hug?"
---
Outside Zhen's cabin, the corridor was quiet, but in the office cafeteria and across the working desks, the gossip market was blazing. Because of Zhen's strict image, no one spoke openly, but venom flowed in hushed voices.
Employee 1 (smirking): "Did you see that Anya? What does she think of herself? Everyone knows the boss is married—there's a Mrs. Yan, even if no one has ever seen her. Still, this girl shamelessly keeps entering the boss's cabin."
Employee 2: "Exactly! Look at her—wearing that funny dress and pretending to be innocent. She's definitely trying to trap the boss to get a promotion. I really can't stand these 'mistress-type' girls."
Huan Jing, who was standing nearby, felt her blood boil. She could not tolerate a single word against her friend.
Huan Jing (shouting): "That's enough! Stop your nonsense. Anya is not what you think. The boss is punishing her because she made some mistakes."
Employee 1 (mocking): "Oh? So now you're defending her? Did you forget, Jing—you once said in front of everyone that Anya only pretends to be innocent! What changed suddenly?"
Huan Jing (embarrassed): "I… I was angry back then! I was misled by someone. But now I know the truth. Stop gossiping and focus on your work!"
---
Inside the cabin: Anya's Silence
Anya, who had come outside to collect some files for Zhen, had overheard everything while standing behind the wall. Her face turned pale. She knew people would talk, but words like "mistress" and "shameless" pierced her heart like arrows.
Quietly lowering her head, she entered Zhen's cabin.
Zhen was still seated in his chair, watching her, expecting her to tease him again or make some witty remark.
But Anya said nothing.
She didn't look at Zhen, nor did she make any playful comment. Silently, she picked up the ink-stained files and sat in a corner to continue her work. There was a strange silence in her eyes.
Zhen (frowning): "Anya? What happened? Why are you so quiet? Mourning another Korean actor again?"
Anya did not reply. Her silence began to bother Zhen. Something felt wrong. He stood up from his chair and slowly walked toward her.
He saw that Anya's pen had stopped in one place, forming a large blot of ink on the paper.
Zhen (softly): "Anya… look at me."
The moment Anya lifted her head, Zhen saw the unshed tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
In that instant, Zhen's stone heart melted like wax. His anger and jealousy vanished.