A Madman in Love-Chapter 60

The atmosphere between the two was unmistakable.

They were undoubtedly lovers.

Even if they weren’t officially a couple, it was clear that Suin had feelings for Seo Jaehee.

Ihyeon had thought it was merely Jaehee’s one-sided obsession...

“Hm.”

Suin’s smile faltered awkwardly, and she bit her lip, glancing around as if embarrassed.

Swoosh—

Without realizing it, Ihyeon stepped back and hid behind one of the fence pillars.

He didn’t watch them directly but simply waited, frozen in place.

Soon, the two passed through the entrance of the outdoor parking lot.

Suin had returned to her usual composed demeanor as Chief Secretary, walking with a poised elegance. Meanwhile, Jaehee followed close behind, his expression cool and detached.

It was as if the playful exchange Ihyeon had just witnessed was nothing but an illusion.

“...”

Emerging from behind the pillar, Ihyeon stood still, staring at their retreating figures as they made their way to the front entrance of the building.

He couldn’t look away, realizing with bitter clarity—

Even just walking side by side, they seemed perfect together.

"Suin and you are now the official office couple of Hyesung Group."

His chest tightened.

He had brushed off Ahjin’s words earlier, pretending to be above such scheming. But deep down, he’d felt a fleeting sense of hope.

Maybe he had wanted to believe it.

“How pathetic.”

As soon as they disappeared from view, his legs gave out, and he collapsed onto a bench beneath the fence.

His head dropped low, weighed down by a heavy sadness.

The realization settled in like a dull ache.

His one-sided love was just that—unrequited.

And it had ended so miserably.

He had loved her for so long...

Even if he’d never expressed it, his feelings had been genuine, not something shallow or fleeting.

“So sad...”

His eyes stung for no reason, a telltale sign of tears threatening to spill.

But no.

Feeling like a fool was bad enough; he refused to become a sniveling mess on top of it.

With sheer willpower, Ihyeon forced the moisture in his eyes to dry.

Time passed in a hollow blur.

After what felt like ages of wallowing in his heartbreak, Ihyeon took a deep, shuddering breath, rising from the bench. His ribs felt sore from the effort.

Just then—

“Oh my! Deputy Baek!”

Of all people, it was Section Chief So Moonjeong, heading toward the outdoor parking lot.

She was undoubtedly someone whose lips had been itching to gossip ever since the anonymous post about the scandal had gone viral.

She had likely been waiting for this exact moment, eager to confront one of the subjects of the rumors.

“What are the chances we’d meet here?”

Her tone was overly dramatic, as if she’d stumbled upon something monumental.

“Hello, Chief So,” Ihyeon greeted her with a blank expression, trying to mask his emotions.

“Deputy Baek, are you really dating Chief Secretary Lee Suin?”

She wasted no time, cutting straight to the question as she hurried up to him.

***

"The moment employees ask you about it, and you confirm, it’s game over."

Ahjin’s voice echoed like the whisper of a devil.

Suin’s heart was no longer his to claim—that much was obvious.

But if he admitted to the rumors...

He could make things difficult for Seo Jaehee.

If a senior executive like Jaehee got caught up in a scandal like this, it would spread uncontrollably. He’d have no choice but to step back from Suin.

“How long have you been seeing Chief Secretary Lee?”

“...No,” Ihyeon finally answered.

Despite his vengeful urges, he made a different decision.

“Chief Lee and I are just close colleagues, nothing more.”

He chose to stop things before his regret deepened any further.

“I don’t know who started this fake scandal, but...”

Because no matter what, he still cared about Suin.

And he couldn’t stand the idea of being the one to make her life more difficult.

“Really? So the photos were taken out of context?”

“Yes. Whoever took them was very clever about it, but they just captured a moment when we were discussing the Founder’s Day project.”

Chief So still looked skeptical, so Ihyeon added firmly, “And besides, I have a girlfriend.”

“What?!”

Her eyes widened in shock.

Her voice was so loud that nearby employees turned to look, drawn by her outburst.

“Deputy Baek has a girlfriend?!”

“Yes. And she’s also close with Chief Lee.”

Ihyeon sealed his lie with a decisive nod.

“I see. That makes sense... Honestly, Chief Lee didn’t seem like she had feelings for you anyway.”

Ouch.

Her words stung, as if sprinkling salt on an open wound.

Even with the ache lingering in his chest, Ihyeon forced himself to respond with an awkward grin, as if trying to make light of the situation.

"If my girlfriend finds out about this scandal, I’m in big trouble. What if the rumors spread even further?"

"Don’t worry, I’ll post in the employee group chat and clear things up for you," So Moonjeong offered eagerly.

"Really? Thank you, Chief. You’re the best."

"Cleaning up after subordinates is part of a manager’s duty."

Just as he’d hoped, Moonjeong pulled out her phone with lightning speed, her fingers flying over the keypad before she raised her head proudly.

"It’s done."

"Already?"

"See for yourself. Everyone said they thought something was odd about the photos."

Ah.

Another blow.

"Thank you, Chief. Have a safe trip home," Ihyeon said, dodging her phone and bowing politely before turning away.

The emptiness in his chest lingered, but the persistent headache from earlier seemed to have dissipated.

He decided a drink was in order.

"Good evening, Director."

The Marketing Division Head greeted Jaehee as he returned to the office with Suin in tow.

Suin stepped back politely, maintaining her professionalism, while Jaehee acknowledged the man with a slight nod.

"You’re just getting back now? It’s already past quitting time."

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"Yes, external business took longer than expected."

"You should’ve gone straight home after your fieldwork. You can’t overwork yourself, Director. But I suppose you’re still young and full of energy?"

"I’ve got plenty to spare," Jaehee replied, his tone calm.

Yes. He had plenty of energy—more than enough, apparently.

Suin said nothing, but internally, she marveled at his ability to act so composed. With acting skills like that, he should’ve pursued a career in film instead of becoming an executive.

"I’m envious. Well, I’m off to rest my old bones. Have a good weekend, Director."

"Take care," Jaehee replied smoothly.

Once the division head left, Suin and Jaehee boarded the elevator to head up to the executive floor.

With the workday ending, most employees were heading down, leaving the elevator empty. As the doors closed, the two were left alone.

Jaehee subtly shifted closer to her.

"Don’t try to get too close, Director. The security team is monitoring the CCTV," Suin warned without turning her head, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

Left with no choice, Jaehee also faced forward, though his words betrayed his true intentions.

"Lee Suin, tomorrow’s the weekend."

"Yes, I’m aware," she replied curtly.

"I shouldn’t have checked out. I told you I didn’t want to."

Suin ignored his grumbling, pretending not to hear. She had practically forced him to check out, half-coercing him.

All the way back, he had been lamenting the loss of Suite 2304, clearly nostalgic for their time there.

"The tenant in the penthouse has requested a renewal, so I suppose I’ll have to find a new place..."

"How many times do I have to tell you? No more talk about housing."

"What should we do for the next two days?"

Even as Suin shot him a cold glare, it was clear his mind was occupied with finding a place to continue their activities over the weekend.

Suin refused to engage.

How could he still be thinking about that after they’d already done it twice today?

He wasn’t a man—he was a sex machine.

"Welcome back, Director."

When they arrived on the 39th floor, Jongin greeted Jaehee cheerfully, his bright expression contrasting with Jaehee’s composed demeanor.

"Director, there are a few documents that require your approval before the end of the day."

"I’ll take care of them in my office," Jaehee replied, nodding briefly before heading to his office.

After accompanying him to the door, Jongin trotted over to Suin’s desk and whispered to her.

"Chief, are you okay? The Director seems to be in a better mood now."

"Yes, I had a good talk with him. Thanks," Suin replied with a faint smile.

Though, in truth, their “talk” had been far from conventional.

Jongin seemed completely convinced by her composed demeanor, oblivious to the truth behind her words.

"Chief, the post has been deleted, and the admin was able to trace the uploader..."

To ensure Jaehee wouldn’t overhear, Jongin handed Suin a small note instead of speaking the name aloud.

"It’s this person."

Development Division: Lee Kyunho

Suin’s focus immediately locked onto the department name written on the note.

The word "Development" felt like a thorn lodged in her mind.

"I even met with him, Chief," Jongin continued.

"You met him?"

"Yes, just before you arrived. He seemed really flustered and insisted he wasn’t responsible. He claimed that at the time of the post—1:20 PM—he was eating lunch in the cafeteria."

Of course.

The more Jongin explained, the clearer Suin’s suspicions became.

"He also said he’s never seen you and Deputy Baek together. Do you think he’s telling the truth?"

"He’s not lying. He’s a victim," Suin confirmed confidently.

"A victim?"

Though Jongin still seemed uncertain, Suin was certain of her conclusion.

"Yes. His account was stolen."