Chapter 1
Seo Yuna, twenty-nine years old, and standing at 177 centimetres tall (5'9"), possessed a beauty that made people instinctively straighten their posture without even realizing it.
She came from old money, one of the founding conglomerate families that shaped modern Korea. Her grandfather laid the first telephone cables after the war, and her father expanded the legacy by building highways and power lines. Over the years, their company, Nara Group, grew into a foundation of the country's modern infrastructure.
But Yuna was someone who never relied on her family name. At the age of twenty-three, she earned two degrees, one in civil engineering and one in finance. At twenty-four she took over a failing coastal highway project that no one else could salvage and completed it ahead of schedule and under budget.
When her father had a stroke three years ago, the board expected a caretaker. Instead, they got Yuna, calm as ice and twice as sharp. Within her first week, she coldly dismissed two corrupt directors, reorganized the entire upper management, and restored the company's stability before anyone even realized how completely she had seized control.
The media called her The Ice Queen, but Yuna didn't care. She didn't need to be liked. What mattered to her were results. And she always got them.
On this Monday, she walked into the meeting room at 9:00a.m sharp. Twelve men were already seated, and they all stood the moment she entered. Her commanding presence seemed to fill the entire room.
⸻
"Let's begin," she said.
The room moved like clockwork.
Agenda 1 – East Coast Highway
Mr. Do, Chief of Finance, cleared his throat. "Chairwoman, the Ministry of Land has accelerated the schedule. They want the East Coast highway launched before winter."
He paused, eyes flicking to his tablet.
"Projected cost: around nine trillion won."
"Too high," Yuna said without hesitation.
A beat of silence.
"Buy steel now, before the international rate jumps again, and lock in the volume immediately. Also, stop importing cement and switch to a local supplier. There's no need to spend extra on logistics when there's a cheaper, more efficient option."
Mr. Do hesitated. "That might delay—"
"Then work faster. Eight trillion, or it doesn't happen."
The finance team scribbled notes. No one dare to objected.
⸻
Agenda 2 – Rural Internet Complaints
Ms. Kang, Head of Public Affairs, took over.
"Chairwoman, we're receiving complaints from farming communities. Our new fiber-optic cables are being laid across rice fields and irrigation lines. Some are threatening to block the installation."
Yuna barely reacted. "What do they lose?"
Ms. Kang blinked. "Privacy and access to their land. They say it's disrupting the crops."
"Then offer them something better. Let them use the line for free. Provide internet for their pumps, tractors, and anything else that makes their work easier. Present it as modernization, not intrusion."
She glanced around.
"We want them quiet, not angry. But it doesn't hurt if they say thank you."
Ms. Kang nodded, signaling that she understood.
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Agenda 3 – Delayed Mountain Tunnel Project
Mr. Han, Head of Civil Engineering, adjusted his tie.
"Chairwoman, the tunnel construction in the Gangwon mountain area is facing resistance. The local residents filed a petition to stop night drilling. They claim the noise is unbearable and fear that the constant vibrations could cause structural damage to their homes."
Yuna tilted her head slightly. "How long is the delay?"
"Two weeks so far. If it stretches to a month, it could push the entire logistics route back to spring."
Yuna's tone sharpened. "Night work is non-negotiable. We can't afford to lose winter prep time."
Mr. Han nodded. "We're trying to negotiate."
"Don't negotiate," Yuna interrupted firmly. "Instead, offer to upgrade the nearby houses with soundproof windows. It will be at our cost. We want to reduce the noise, not the work. Make it appear as a gesture of goodwill."
He opened his mouth to respond, but she was already onto the next point.
"And have a third-party source release a counter-statement. Explain how this project will create jobs, boost the local economy, and improve infrastructure in the area. Make the benefits clear and use facts to overwhelm the complaints so people can see the bigger picture."
Another silence hung in the room, then, almost simultaneously, everyone nodded in acknowledgment of her decision.
The meeting lasted nineteen minutes. Decisions were made quickly and clearly. Everyone simply agreed with Yuna's choices. Not because they feared her or lacked the ability to voice their own opinions, but because, in the end, her decisions were always the right ones. It had always been that way.
As they gathered their things, Yuna remained seated, flipping through her own copy of the agenda.
"Next week we discuss land acquisition for the southern port. Come with better numbers."
"Yes, Chairwoman."
⸻
Yuna's office looked like a private gallery. The floor was polished stone, cool and flawless. One wall was covered in glass, stretching from floor to ceiling, offering a view of Seoul's skyline in clean, sharp angles.
She stood in front of that window now, with a phone in her hand.
The line rang, but no answer.
She tried once more.
Still nothing.
By the fifth attempt, her face hadn't changed. But her hand was tense at the wrist, her fingers holding the phone tighter than before.
Her thumb moved again, this time she opened GPS tracker she had installed long ago. It wasn't something she used often. But it was always there, just in case she needed to check where he was.
"Location not found."
Her eyes didn't blink. She stared at the screen. The tracker had been turned off.
Yuna stood still, the phone lowering just slightly.
He turned it off.
For a moment, she didn't move.
She locked the phone and set it face-down on the desk beside her. There was no outburst and no expression of anger from her.
But something in the air changed. The room, bright and silent, suddenly felt colder.
She did not ask herself why he hadn't answered.
She only wondered where he got the audacity to ignore her call.
Behind her, the office door opened with a soft click.
Yoo Harin entered.
"Chairwoman," she said gently, "today's afternoon schedule is confirmed."
Yuna did not turn around. Her gaze remained on the glass window in front of her, unmoved.
"List it."
"Yes, Chairwoman," Harin replied. "First, there's an investor update with the North Harbor consortium at 1:00 p.m.—estimated at about forty minutes. Then a strategic review with the Daeyang steel team at 2:10 p.m. They want to renegotiate next quarter's supply terms."
Yuna gave no reaction.
"Continue."
"3:30, a meeting with Minister Jung's chief aide. They've requested federal oversight on the East Coast highway budget. After that, there's a video call with Jeju's logistics office. And lastly, at five, MBN's media team wants you to approve the gala layout before it goes public. They requested twenty minutes only."
Harin paused.
Yuna didn't speak, but something in her posture changed.
"Is anything urgent?" she coldly asked.
"No, Chairwoman," Harin replied softly. "But—"
"Cancel all of it."
Harin hesitated. "All of it, Chairwoman?"
"Yes."
"Should I postpone, or…?"
Yuna finally turned around. Her expression was calm, but her tone had no warmth.
"I'm going home."
"Would you like a reason added to the internal log?"
"Personal time," she said simply. "That's all they need to know."
Harin nodded. "As you wish, Chairwoman."
Without another word, Yuna crossed the room, picked up her black wool coat from the armchair, and slipped it on smoothly.
Her heels clicked against the pale stone floor.
She reached the door, paused with one hand on the frame.
"Make sure no one calls," she said.
"I understand."
And then she left.
The door closed behind her with a soft, final click.