"Alright, the two of you will work together," Ingrid said, barely concealing the smirk tugging at her lips. She knew Rae Yoorin had just walked into a trap.
Once the meeting ended, Ingrid wasted no time. She left early, heading straight to a phone repair shop. The place smelled of old circuits and faint cigarette smoke, the air thick with low murmurs of customers arguing about cracked screens. She approached the counter, placing a sleek black phone on it.
"Can you unlock this? Just a normal bypass," she asked casually.
The clerk barely glanced at it before shaking his head. "Sorry, ma'am. We don't mess with devices reported stolen or lost."
Ingrid clicked her tongue, pocketing the phone before walking out. She stood outside, eyeing the device in her hand.
After a moment of thought, she pulled out her own phone and scrolled through her contacts. Then, with a smirk, she tapped a name.
The line rang twice before a voice answered. "Hello? Mrs. Mikage? Today? But I don't have any lessons planned."
"I know," Ingrid said smoothly. "I just need a favor. I remember your portfolio from college—you were a computer science major, weren't you?"
There was a brief pause before he replied, "Ah... yeah. What do you need?"
"Come by this evening. I'll explain then."
Before he could ask anything else, Ingrid hung up.
Later at the office, Rae Yoorin approached Shan's desk, carefully balancing two cups of coffee. With an almost rehearsed smile, she set one down in front of him.
"Would you like a cup of coffee, Mr. Wolf?" she asked, her voice laced with forced cheer.
Shan barely spared her a glance, his expression cold, his eyes filled with silent disdain.
Rae Yoorin shifted uncomfortably before sighing. "Look… I'm sorry about what I did before. I shouldn't have talked about you like that." Her words carried the weight of obligation rather than sincerity.
Shan watched her for a moment, then decided to play along—at least for now.
"It's okay. I understand. It's all in the past now," he said smoothly.
Rae Yoorin exhaled in relief, her smile still artificially fixed. "Thank you. I thought you'd still be angry."
Shan lifted the cup, taking a slow sip before setting it back down. His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile.
"No worries. Thanks for the coffee… and that 500K Won you were fined for," he added casually.
Rae Yoorin's smile faltered. The reminder hit like a slap, the sting of last week's mistake—snooping through his bag—returning with full force.
Shan leaned back, watching her reaction with quiet amusement.
"Well, anyway, I'm looking forward to working with you on that presentation. I volunteered to make a good impression on Mrs. Mikage and the others as well," Rae Yoorin said, forcing a cheerful tone as she tried to steer the conversation away from her past mistakes.
Shan gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, you'll do just fine."
He stretched slightly before standing up. "Anyway, I'm heading to the toilet. Feel free to go through the slides and add any ideas, Ms. Yoorin."
With that, he walked off, his footsteps fading down the hall.
As soon as he was out of sight, Rae Yoorin moved fast. She pulled out a pen drive, plugged it into Shan's laptop, and began searching for the video. Her fingers hovered over the trackpad, heart pounding as she scrolled through the files.
"Got it," she muttered under her breath. Without hesitation, she copied the file, watching as the progress bar slowly crawled toward completion.
What she didn't know was that Shan hadn't actually gone to the toilet.
He stood just outside the door, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched through the slight gap. He had anticipated this. Planned for it.
"Go ahead, take it," he thought in amusement.
What Rae Yoorin had just copied wasn't the original—it was a trap. A file laced with a protected virus, designed to corrupt the moment she tried to open it. The real video? That was safe at his home, tucked away in his personal pen drive.
Shan turned, walking away silently.
"Let's see how you handle this one, Ms. Yoorin." Shan said in a quiet but grinning smirck.
As evening settled in, Bae Sik Gong arrived at Ingrid's apartment. He knocked a few times, but there was no response. Testing the door, he found it slightly ajar.
"She must've left it open," he reasoned, stepping inside.
The apartment was dimly lit, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun filtering through the curtains. His eyes swept the room—and then stopped.
Ingrid lay on the couch, resting in a revealing nightgown, draped loosely with a thin robe. Her curves were undeniable, the fabric doing little to hide the fullness of her figure. For a brief moment, his mind wandered, an uninvited fantasy creeping in.
Then—
"Mr. Bae?"
Her voice snapped him out of it.
Bae Sik Gong jolted, quickly averting his gaze. "Oh! Umm... I—I'm sorry. No one answered, and the door was open, so I let myself in."
Ingrid stretched slightly, rubbing her eyes before giving a small, sleepy smile. "It's okay. I must've left it open."
She sat up, her robe slipping slightly before she adjusted it. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here. I need your help with something."
Bae Sik Gong swallowed, nodding quickly, trying to push aside his lingering thoughts.
"O-of course. What do you need?"
Bae Sik Gong cleared his throat, trying to steady himself as Ingrid reached for something beside her. She pulled out a sleek black phone and held it up.
"You see, Mr. Bae, my phone has a problem. I can't seem to unlock it. I was wondering if you could help me out?" Ingrid said, shifting slightly on the couch. Her robe slipped, exposing more of her smooth skin, the soft curve of her chest teasing just above the lace of her nightgown.
Bae Sik Gong hesitated, his fingers twitching slightly. His gaze flickered downward—just for a second—but it was enough for heat to creep into his face.
"Huh? I-I can, but…" He stammered, trying to keep his focus on the phone rather than the way her nightgown clung to her.
Ingrid smirked knowingly, tilting her head as she leaned forward, causing the fabric to shift just enough to reveal more of her cleavage. "Can you do it right now?" Her voice was smooth, sultry, deliberate.
A heavy silence fell between them.
Bae Sik Gong swallowed, his throat dry. His pulse quickened as his fingers brushed against hers when he reached for the phone. The warmth of her skin sent a small jolt through him.
"Y-Yeah… I can," he finally muttered.
Ingrid smiled lazily, stretching just enough for her robe to slip further down her shoulder. She watched him, amused by the way his hands trembled slightly as he turned the phone over, pretending to focus.
"Good," she murmured, voice dripping with something between amusement and challenge. "Take your time, Mr. Bae. I'm in no rush."
Bae Sik Gong powered on his laptop, plugged in the cable, and started working on the phone. His fingers moved quickly over the keyboard, eyes narrowing as he analyzed the screen.
"Huh? This phone looks like it's remotely locked," he muttered, brows furrowing.
Behind him, Ingrid leaned in, her breath warm against his ear. "I see… will that be a problem?" she murmured, her voice thick with seduction.
Before he could answer, she pressed closer, her soft curves molding against his back. The thin fabric of her nightgown barely concealed the warmth of her body, and he felt his pulse quicken. His breath hitched as an undeniable heat stirred within him.
Bae Sik Gong clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus on the screen. "U-Um… I'm sure I can do something about that," he stammered, typing faster, desperate to distract himself from the dangerous situation he found himself in.
Minutes turned into an hour. He worked in silence, shutting out every intrusive thought, every lingering trace of her touch against him.
Finally, the screen flashed green. "There, all done. You should be able to use your phone now, Mrs. Mikage?"
Silence.
Bae Sik Gong blinked, turning around—only to find the couch empty.
Bae Sik Gong glanced at the phone, curiosity getting the better of him.
Just a quick look.
He tapped the screen and unlocked it, but as soon as he did, his brows furrowed.
"Who…?" His eyes scanned the wallpaper—a woman with brown hair. She was slender, not exactly skinny but with a well-proportioned frame. Definitely not Ingrid.
"This isn't her phone…" he muttered.
Then, as he swiped through the gallery, his breath caught. Explicit photos of Rae Yoorin filled the screen—posing, teasing, revealing more than she should.
Before he could react, the phone was snatched from his hands in a blur.
Snap.
He looked up, stunned, as Ingrid stood over him, holding the phone with an unreadable expression.
"Mrs. Mikage…?" He barely got the words out.
Ingrid remained calm, her gaze steady. "Hmm? Is something wrong?"
Bae Sik Gong swallowed hard. "That wasn't your phone, was it?"
Ingrid tilted her head slightly, her voice smooth, almost amused. "And? Why does that matter?"
"What?" he blurted, baffled by her casual response.
Then, Ingrid's lips curled into something dangerously close to a smirk. "You know…" she said, her tone light but laced with something sharp, "a pair of my underwear went missing from my bedroom not too long ago."
Bae Sik Gong's blood ran cold. A chill crawled up his spine.
"Shit." He said in his mind, wondering what to do now.
Ingrid took a slow step closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Someone just took it… without asking. I'm simply doing the same. Is that a problem, Mr. Gong?"
His mouth went dry. He tried to speak, to explain, to deny—but no words came out.
Ingrid smiled, slipping the phone into her robe's pocket.
"I didn't think so." He said.
Ingrid's expression remained cold, unreadable. She took a step closer, her voice smooth but laced with quiet dominance.
"You know… if this were a crime, the person who stole my underwear should be severely punished."
Bae Sik Gong felt a cold sweat drip down his back. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Ingrid leaned forward—just enough for her robe to slip slightly, exposing the soft swell of her cleavage.
Her lips curled slightly as she whispered in a sultry tone, "But maybe… just maybe… if he chooses to stay quiet, he might get a little reward instead."
Bae Sik Gong's breath hitched. His eyes darted to her chest, barely concealed by the loose fabric, before quickly looking away.
"A r-reward? L-Like what?" he stammered.
Ingrid let out a soft chuckle, tilting her head. "Hmm… something better than the underwear you took."
Without warning, she closed the distance between them, pressing his head gently against her full, soft breasts. The warmth, the scent of her skin—it overwhelmed him instantly.
Bae Sik Gong's entire body tensed as a deep, shuddering breath escaped him. His hands twitched at his sides, unsure whether to push away or pull closer.
"Ahh…" A moan slipped from his lips before he could stop it.
Ingrid grinned, feeling the effect she had on him. Even at 35, she knew how to bring a man to his knees with just a touch.
But just as she was about to tease him further, the sharp beep of the entrance door's security lock echoed through the apartment.
In a flash, Ingrid pulled back, adjusting her robe just as the door swung open.
Kim Yeon Mikage stepped inside, her gaze landing on her mother and her tutor.
Bae Sik Gong barely managed to compose himself, still flushed and breathing unevenly. Ingrid, on the other hand, simply smiled as if nothing had happened.
"Oh? What are you doing here? There's no lesson today." Asked Kim Yeon in question on why her tutor Bae Sik Gong was here.
Chapter 13 — End.