Chapter 1: Beginnings

"Soyeon, my darling. I will love you forever," a voice echoed.

"Mom?" Soyeon found herself standing in the garden of her childhood home, surrounded by the delicate fragrance of blooming flowers.

Her mother's smile was gentle and her touch was delicate.

"Soyeon, honey, do you love your mommy?"

"Of course, I do," she replied, sensing where this conversation is going.

"Then..." Her mother started taking a distance from her and everything in the garden suddenly turned dark, making Seyeong feel uneasy.

With a distorted smile, her mother whispered, "Then, why did you kill me?"

"Why did you kill me, huh?" Soyeon covered her ears; the screams echoed in her ears and the air turns dense.

"I—I didn't kill you," she stammered, gasping for air. "I need to wake up." she repeated those words until she woke up with a jolt. Gasping and shaking, she found herself in her dimly lit bedroom, the air heavy with the scent of her own fear.

Her body was covered with sweat, and her skin had pale. Hastily, she reached for the drawer, fumbling to find her medications.

She swallowed a pill, attempting to calm the tremors within her. With shaky hands, she wiped the sweat from her face and sighed heavily, the weight of the dream lingering in the still, unsettling atmosphere of her room.

Soyeon, gets up from her bed, knowing there's no way she can go back to sleep again. Leaving her bed, she heads to the kitchen to make herself tea to shake off the nightmare.

---

As the warm liquid eased her senses, she frowned at the ringing sound of her phone. With a heavy sigh, she muttered, "Here the day begins," and answered the call.

"Good morning, Ms. Han, are you awake yet?" the voice on the other end inquired.

"Yes, Mr. Jeong, what is it?"

"Well, you already know that the chairman's birthday is coming in 2 days."

Soyeon frowned, knowing what was coming for her. "Yes, I am aware."

Mr. Jeong's voice stiffened. "Regarding that, the chairman called me today. He wishes to have dinner with you tomorrow."

Soyeon, uninterested says, "Mr. Jeong, I think you're mistaken, the chairman probably wants to have dinner with you"

Mr Jeong confused asks, "Pardon me?"

"If Mr. Han wanted to have dinner with me, he'd call me directly, not a manager."

Before ending the call, Soyeon asserted, "Tell Goeun to pick me up at 9."

Soyeon leans against the kitchen counter, feeling uneasy about the upcoming dinner thinks aloy about it.

---

"Han Group," one of the biggest corporates in South Korea, going on for two generations, owns hotels and resorts including hotels overseas. The Chairman Han Junho, a renowned man, is the one who gets to decide who takes over the family legacy.

Inside the company, there's a debate about who's going to be the next successor. Han Jinhee, the chairman's sister, who looks after the group's overseas hotels. On the other side is her son, Mun Dongjun, who seems to have the chairman's favor. Then there's Chairman Han Junho's daughter, Han Soyeon, recognized as a prodigy of Han Group.

As Soyeon readied herself for an important meeting, a familiar knock echoed on her door. It swung open, revealing Goeun, Choi Goeun, her secretary and an old middle school senior. Goeun entered with a bright smile, "How was your slee–" Her jaw dropped at the sight of the dark circles beneath Soyeon's eyes.

"How do you think it was?" Soyeon sighed.

Goeun scratched her head, she was concerned, "Was it the same nightmare again?"

"I thought they went away," Soyeon spoke, finally fixing that one hair strand into place. "We are ready to leave," she added, signaling her readiness to head out for work.

In the car, there was a silence, a very loud silence. Goeun broke it with a sigh, "I guess Manager Jeong called you, right?"

Soyeon, without looking simply nodded. Her nightmares were already a burden but now the weight of the family dinner and the chairman's invitations frustrated her.

"Soyeon, you can't refuse this invite. It's a family dinner, and you know the chairman has been reaching out to you a lot."

Soyeon was tired; she didn't wish to listen to Goeun's lecture once again.

"Goeun," with a stern voice, she said, "We're running late."

"Shit." Goeun muttered, realizing the urgency as they sped toward the hotel office.

---

The meeting unfolded as usual, dull and navigating through budgetary discussions until an unexpected topic was brought in. "Now that we've planned out this. We should talk about the upcoming hotel anniversary."

"Oh, I forgot about that," Soyeon mused internally, she exchanged a nervous glance with Goeun standing next to her.

"President Han, what do you think the theme should be for the 19th hotel anniversary?"

Soyeon, momentarily caught off guard, fixed her posture, and took a thoughtful pause, sensing the tension in the room.

"Well, since we've been going on with the same theme of 'Golden Gala,' it's time we change that."

The room tensed; Soyeon could feel the weight of expectations on her shoulders.

"How about a fusion of Artistic Affair and Hollywood Glam?" she suggested, pulling out images related to the topic. Her ideas ignited a spark of interest in everyone present.

Satisfied with their engagement, Soyeon continued, "We can invite local musicians and display paintings by local artists in the lobby. This theme not only adds vibrancy but also supports our local artists."

Eyes in the room lit up; her idea had struck a chord. Someone spoke up, "So, what about the theme of Hollywood Glam?"

She smirked, recognizing her advantage. "We can incorporate Hollywood Glam in the lobby and make it the dress code for both guests and staff." Pausing momentarily, she added, "That's all I've come up with for now. I'd appreciate it if you could submit a report on local artists." With that, she left the room, receiving a round of applause—an unexpected but welcomed acknowledgment. Embarrassed yet proud, Soyeon relished the moment.

Pleased with the results, Soyeon left the conference hall with a slight smile playing on her lips. However, her expression turned dark as she noticed an unexpected person— Goeun— who had just exited the room. Goeun gasped and bowed deeply, "I didn't expect you to be here, Chairman."

"Neither did I," Soyeon replied, her tone turning icy as her eyes met the chairman's.

⁠✷