Fallen

Confront

The governor's daughter looked almost bored as she scanned her surroundings, tapping a slender finger against the marble countertop.

Suit and egos, painted smiles, sharp mouths.

It was hard to find a soul in the Finance Ministry's headquarters that wasn't in a state of decomposition, eroded by an insatiable hunger for power.

"You are...?" The lady across the counter was clearly intimidated by what must be an expressionless mask on her face.

"Yoon Seri."

Her curtness resulted in an awkward pause.

"...may I know the purpose of your visit?"

"I want to see Secretary Cha."

A slight frown grew between the receptionist's brows.

"Ma'am, you cannot just barge in here and request to see the Secretary. He is a very busy man, and you'd need to make an appointment to—"

"Cha Sang Woo is my fiancé." Her voice was unwavering. "I need to see him now."

As the increasingly flustered receptionist bowed and disappeared behind a door at the back of the frontdesk, the governor's daughter drew a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Even at this point, she didn't know if this was a good idea. Maybe she should have waited for her father to return to Seoul, but what was the point really?

Seri loved her parents, and knew that the love was mutual, but to tell them that her fiance had sent men to savagely attack a man whom she had developed forbidden feelings for...that just wasn't an option.

But more importantly, this incident had made the typically complaisant and resilient nurse realize her tolerance was far more finite than she had assumed it to be.

Perhaps time will tame this burning rage within her, but for now, in the face of this transient stress, she was ready to protect Jeong Hyeok with whatever she had, as little as that might be.

She could only hope this inferno within her wouldn't reduce all of them to smoldering cinders.

It took a few minutes before the frontdesk lady re-emerged, wearing an apologetic smile on her lips.

"Miss Yoon, Mr Cha says he will see you now. Please let me show you to his office."

"Thank you."

Going up two flights of steps with the receptionist lady leading the way, the governor's daughter came to a heavy dark wood door that separated her and the man she was about to confront.

Even at this point, Seri didn't know what to say.

Her mind fought and strained against the confines of logic, reminding her again and again that she should at the very least wait for her father to return to Seoul.

Two gentle knocks on the wooden door formed the conclusion to her thoughts.

It was too late to turn back.

The receptionist knocked again, and the necessary formalities were exchanged. Before long, Seri found herself standing in the doorway, met with a handsome face that was painted with the same detached formality she saw on the other faces in the building.

"What a rare visitor," Sang Woo started, taking his glasses off to massage his nose bridge before rising from his seat. "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

Even if there was guilt-- a mere ounce of it-- she wasn't seeing any in his tone and features. He was in politics after all; masking emotions was all part and parcel of this game.