Chapter 14

• “Good morning, Miss Kim.”
• Ivy nearly dropped the cup she’d just washed, startled by the sudden voice. She hadn’t expected any visitors this early.
• “I-I’m so sorry, Miss Kim!” Danny said quickly, clearly panicking.
• “It’s fine,” Ivy sighed, calming her heartbeat before returning to the sink. She’d just finished breakfast with Josh not long ago. He’d mentioned he might not be back for the next two or three days—something about business in Busan. She didn’t mind. She’d gotten used to being alone in this apartment anyway.
• She could still hear their conversation from an hour ago playing clearly in her head.
• “You sure you don’t want someone to stay with you?”
• Ivy laughed. “Come on, I’m not a kid.” She stacked the dirty dishes in the sink. “Go be brilliant, Mr. Miller.”
• Josh had frowned at that. “Are you really going to call me that? You’re not my staff, you know.”
• That only made Ivy laugh harder. “But I like calling you that. What’s the problem? It’s still your name.”
• “Ivy,” Josh warned with an annoyed look.
• “Okay, okay!” she’d giggled, biting back more laughter. “You better hurry up and get ready.”
• “Don’t I get something before I leave?”
• Her brows had furrowed. “I already made you breakfast, Josh. And I’m pretty sure your stomach hasn’t even finished processing half of it yet. I even learned how to use your coffee machine,” she added with a pout. “What more could you want from me? Isn’t your wallet big enough to buy anything?”
• Josh had burst out laughing. “God, my bunny really does have the emotional sensitivity of a doorknob.” He stepped up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist while she stood at the sink, his forehead gently pressing against her shoulder.
• “Is your back feeling any better?”
• “I think so,” Ivy murmured, finally letting herself relax in his arms. Honestly, she didn’t understand it either. Why did she keep letting herself fall deeper into this strange, blurry thing between them. Why didn’t she resist when Josh got close. Why it all felt so... natural.
• “I’m really going to miss you, Ivy.”
• “Yeah, yeah,” she scoffed. “You can call if you miss me that much. Aren’t you supposed to be busy?”
• “No matter how busy I am, I’ll still check in on my pet bunny, won’t I?”
• Ah, right. Ivy had forgotten—she was his “pet.” The one being “paid” in the form of getting her old house back, the one her ex-husband and his new girlfriend probably occupied now. She should know better. Everything Josh did was always on his terms, for his own reasons.
• “It’s time I head out.” Josh slowly let go, reluctant. “Answer my texts and pick up my calls, no matter what.”
• “That’s not how this works,” Ivy cut in. “I have a life too, Mr. Miller. Do I look like I’m unemployed?”
• Josh had been about to steal one last kiss, but Dylan’s timely interruption had ruined the moment. Then Josh was gone—leaving Ivy with a string of instructions.
• Apparently, one had slipped past her.
• Danny.
• “I’m still unfamiliar with your daily schedule, Miss Kim. Would you mind sharing it with me? Or, if permitted, I’ll try to figure it out myself.”
• Ivy gave him a look. “You don’t need to do that.”
• “I must insist, Miss Kim. While Mr. Josh is in Busan, I’ve been assigned to assist you. You don’t—”
• “I don’t need it.”
• “But—”
• Ivy turned away, done arguing. She wanted to be mad at Josh for springing this on her without asking, but she reminded herself—he was probably swamped. Even when Dylan had arrived earlier, the assistant had already started rattling off a string of business updates. Who knew how many meetings Josh would be drowning in once he got to Busan?
• ***
• Ivy chose to take the subway, just like she always did. She rode Line 7, heading toward the restaurant where she worked—one hand gripping the overhead strap, the other busy typing Josh Miller into the search bar on her phone.
• She scanned the search results quickly, her eyes narrowing on the words: Joshua Miller of MaC Corp.
• “CEO of Volre Group, second heir to MaC Group, head of the European expansion project,” Ivy murmured under her breath, her gaze locked on the screen. “Featured multiple times in business magazines... regarded as a highly dedicated successor.”
• She didn’t know whether to be impressed or just plain stunned. How on earth had she ended up entangled with someone like him?
• “Damn it! Why am I only now realizing how bizarre my life’s become?”
• A few passengers turned toward her voice, but Ivy ignored them. Her eyes were still glued to her screen.
• “Does he seriously need my help? This is insane. I’m not living in some fantasy drama where I’ve been transported to another world, right?” To be sure, she pinched her cheek hard and yelped in pain. “Ow! Stupid! This is real! I’m stuck with him!”
• Her face twisted through an entire performance of confusion, shock, and disbelief. People around her started whispering, pointing, but Ivy couldn’t care less. Whatever nonsense they were saying was nothing compared to the chaos spinning inside her head.
• As soon as the train pulled to her stop, she hurried out—ready or not, she had to face her reality.
• Even if she now lived under the same roof as a chaebol, Ivy still had to support herself. And how would she do that? By working.
• When she arrived at the restaurant, she was instantly greeted by an excited shout.
• “Ivy!” Luna called the moment she spotted her friend entering through the back door. But then her eyes narrowed sharply as she caught sight of the faint bruise on Ivy’s face. “What happened to your face?”
• “What’s going on?” asked Mr. Kim, stepping out from the kitchen.
• Ivy avoided their eyes. “I slipped on the subway stairs. They were wet.”
• “You fell?” Luna squinted, clearly not buying it. “That doesn’t look like a fall. Are you hiding something?”