A DEAL OF SIN

“Are you coming to the party tonight, Sarang?” he asked. The way he said my name again sent another flutter through my stomach and I mentally scolded myself for feeling this way.I hesitated for a moment, my mind and my heart fighting a battle inside. I desperately wanted to say no, but a part of me didn’t want to disappoint him. I fidgeted with the cover of my book, my fingers fiddling nervously with the pages.When I didn’t reply, he chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. He leaned in slightly, invading my personal space. His voice lowered to a murmur, just enough for me to hear him.“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said and pushed off from the desk and stood tall, his eyes sparkling with an unreadable expression. Before I could utter a word, he turned on his heel and returned to his friends, leaving me in confusion.I sat there, still clutching my book tightly, my mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. Had I really agreed to go to the party? And why did my hear

As I turned to leave, Zayren’s fingers wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the unexpected contact. My body tensed, and my heartrate quickened. I forced myself to look at him, my eyes meeting his intense gaze. He stood up from his chair, his dark eyes locking onto mine. The sudden movement made me gasp quietly. His tall, lean figure loomed over me, making me feel small and vulnerable. With his hand still wrapped around my wrist, he tugged gently, silently asking me to follow him. I felt completely trapped, my wrist burning with the touch of his slender fingers. I knew I should resist, should pull away and go back to my work, but something in his gaze held me captive. With my racing heart, I allowed him to pull me to the secluded corner of the restaurant. He pushed me against the wall, his body pressing against mine. I could feel his warmth, his breath, and his presence surrounding me. Panic and a strange thrill coursed thr

“Since you’re new here, I thought you deserved something special to mark the occasion.” I swallowed hard, trying to make sense of his gesture. Why was he being so nice to me when he had been so intimidating just moments ago? And why did he seem so focused on me? “Since when do you give welcome gifts?” His friend asked. He seemed annoyed by Minjae’s meddling, as he turned toward him and shot him a look that told him to keep quiet. Then, he directed his attention back to me, his eyes studying my face intently. He reached for my hair, gently removing the pins that held it in place. My hair cascaded down around my shoulders, the action bringing a flush of embarrassment to my cheeks. Without warning, he removed my glasses. I felt exposed without my glasses as his gaze roamed over my face. His eyes seemed to take in every detail, as if mapping out my features. I was about to protest when he spoke. “Much better,” he murmured, a tinge of satisfaction in his voice. “You lo

But he ignored my protest and continued his search, his hands roaming over my thighs and hips. I winced at his touch, the feeling of his fingers against my thighs making my heart pound. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the sensation. Suddenly, he pulled his hand back, and I gasped for breath. My eyes fluttered open to see him holding up my phone, a victorious smile on his face. “Looks like you do have a phone after all,” he remarked, his voice mocking. My cheeks blushed with shame and frustration as he held up my phone, caught me in my lie. “Now, I believe you have a boyfriend to call?” My heart sank at his insistence, knowing that there was no escaping this situation. I reached out and took the phone, my fingers trembling slightly. I tried to think of a plan, any way out of this, but my mind was blank. My thoughts were a chaotic mess, but there was one thing I knew for sure: no matter who I called, Zayren would want to know who my ’boyfriend’ is. Without an

Sarang’s POV “But...there is something else, something you should know.” My heart started pounding faster, and I swallowed hard. “What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.“Well…” Sunwoo hesitated for a moment, as if debating whether he should tell me or not. Finally, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.“I overheard Zayren talking to Minjae yesterday and even today in the morning,” he said.“–and they were talking about you.” A wave of dread washed over me. “What were they saying?” I asked, even though I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer. Sunwoo looked troubled, clearly frustrated that he didn't have all the information. “I just know they were talking about you,” he said.“–and they were being very secretive about it. They wouldn't tell me anything, but...I have a bad feeling, Sarang.”My heart raced at Sunwoo's words, and I couldn't help but worry about Jaewoo's safety. Zayren had been furious the previous night, and if he was angry enough