It was barely morning in Toronto—sky still cloaked in darkness, the city in slumber—when Carrie burst into Jae-wook's room like a force of nature.
"Wake up! Wake up! I've had the best idea!" she all but shouted, shaking him by the shoulders.
Jae-wook groaned, eyes barely cracking open. "Carrie… it's six in the morning."
"I just found out something incredible!" she beamed, eyes gleaming. "My dad requested a contract with Tech-Com. Do you know what that means?"
She leaned in, her grin mischievous and electric.
He groaned louder, burying his face into the pillow. "You must be Na-eun's worst nightmare. It's not even sunrise and you're already plotting against her."
Carrie crossed her arms, pouting. "I do have a good idea this time, thank you very much."
Finally, he turned toward her fully, blinking the sleep from his eyes. After a moment's pause, he reached out, yanked her toward him, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the bed. She tumbled against him with a surprised squeak.
"Hey!" she protested, pushing lightly against his chest. "Are you out of your mind? What if someone walks in?"
Jae-wook, unfazed, gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Then they'd be lucky"
Her cheeks bloomed pink. "it'd be weird"
He murmured against her hair, voice low and soothing. "All the more reason to enjoy the secrecy while it lasts."
The sound of his heartbeat beneath her ear lulled her, despite the chaos of her thoughts.
And then— bang!—the door slammed open.
"Did you see my—OH MY GOD!! MY EYES!!" Ava shrieked, her face contorting in pure horror at the sight of Carrie and Jae-wook tangled in bed.
---
Moments later, the scene shifted dramatically.
Carrie and Jae-wook sat side by side at the dining table, a blinding lamp pointed directly at them like they were prisoners under interrogation. Ava paced across from them like a frustrated detective. Leo, looking half-alive and sipping coffee, had been roped in to mediate the "trial."
Ava's voice cut through the room like a blade. "How long has this been going on?"
Carrie squinted through the light. "Could you not blind us? This feels illegal."
"It is illegal," Ava snapped. "Illegal betrayal! How could you not tell me anything? And you, Chang Jae-wook Alexander,yes, I'm using your full name—you were supposed to be the emotionally unavailable red flag, not boyfriend material!"
Jae-wook raised a brow. "Can we not weaponize my name like that?"
"You're dating my best friend! I should've received a formal notice, a press release—something!"
Leo chuckled behind his mug. "They probably missed the deadline for Ava's 'BFF Relationship Disclosure Act.'"
"Don't take his side!" Ava barked. "You knew, didn't you?"
Leo shrugged. "I suspected."
"I knew I was the last to find out," Ava grumbled. "This is emotional treason."
Carrie laughed despite herself. "Look, it just happened. It wasn't some big plan."
"Feels like a conspiracy," Ava muttered.
Leo turned off the interrogation lamp. "Then charge them with cuddling and let me go back to bed."
"Permanent lights-out is what you'll get," Ava mumbled darkly.
---
Just when the tension seemed to ease, Carrie clapped her hands.
"Okay, okay—off-topic, but important. I have news. My dad's flying to Toronto… and he's in talks to sign with Tech-Com."
That caught everyone's attention.
Leo blinked. "Now?"
"I recognized the logo this morning. If he signs, it boosts Na-eun's numbers—it'll look like she's closing huge deals. She won't know my dad is involved."
Ava squinted. "So… you're helping her?"
"Not quite. We let her think she's winning. Get her confident. Comfortable. Then, when the time's right—we pull the rug."
Jae-wook leaned forward, impressed. "You're setting her up."
"Exactly. It's the illusion of success. And when she reaches the peak—we make her fall."
Leo nodded slowly. "Diabolical. I like it."
"But we need a real knockout blow," Jae-wook added. "Something big to destroy the illusion."
Ava leaned in, smirking. "Funny you should say that. I found something. Na-eun has a secret cabin in the woods—off-grid. Not even her guards know."
Leo's eyebrows shot up. "How did you find that out?"
Ava waved him off. "That doesn't matter right now. What matters is, it's vulnerable. No guards. No patrol. Just… silence."
Carrie gasped. "That's gotta mean there's something worth hiding in there."
"Exactly," Ava grinned. "We break in. On Christmas Eve. She hosts an all-night party every year. She'll be distracted."
Leo's eyes lit up. "Perfect."
Carrie tapped her chin. "But we'll need the security system disabled. There has to be traps."
"You still know how to hack, Carrie?" Ava asked.
"It's been a while… but yeah."
"Good. The system's tight. We'll need skill. Leo, you still got that lock-code magic?"
Leo smirked. "It's like riding a bike—if the bike screamed at you in binary."
"And me?" Ava said, puffing her chest with pride. "I'll keep Na-eun busy. Distraction is my art. Doesn't matter the gender—I own the bar scene, this is not my first time."
Carrie narrowed her eyes. "How do you know the party's at a bar?"
"She has a standing contract with Big Mouse Bar Club. Huge space. Private rooms. Prime distraction zone."
Leo let out a low whistle. "You're terrifying. And I love it."
Ava just winked. "Some things are better left unsaid. Just stick to the plan. Jae-wook… just, like, stand there and look dangerous."
"I feel like I live with criminals," Jae-wook mumbled.
"You should get used to it," Leo said, raising his mug.
Carrie stood up, breath catching. "Three days. That's all we've got."
"Ohhh boy," Leo grinned. "Things just got real."
---
Later that morning, Carrie and Jae-wook stepped into Mapleseoul's gleaming corridor, their footsteps echoing against the marble floor. Conversation faded as they walked by.
As they reached Jae-wook's office, Carrie slowed, sensing something... off.
And there she was.
Ms. Kim, radiant and smug as ever, lounged in Jae-wook's chair like it was her throne. Her designer heels rested unapologetically on his desk, and she twirled a pen between her fingers like it was a dagger.
"Oh look who's here," she chimed, her voice honey-laced mischief. "The royal couple of chaos."
Jae-wook groaned. "Hey! Just because you've come out as some secret, high-ranking operative doesn't mean I stopped being your boss."
Ms. Kim chuckled to herself, rising with deliberate grace. "Boss? Please. You're lucky I like you." She strolled over and without warning—yanked both their ears like a mother scolding naughty children.
"OW! Seriously?" Carrie whined, trying to twist away.
"I told you to keep it low-key," Ms. Kim snapped. "But nooo, you had to dive headfirst into the gossip grinder. Now the entire building thinks the CEO is hooking up with his bodyguard and—surprise!—is secretly gay!"
"We're sorry!" Carrie said with wide, innocent eyes.
Ms. Kim rolled hers. "Apologize to your PR team, sweetheart. Anyway," she sighed, brushing invisible dust off her sleeves, "have you come up with a plan? I mean, I handed you golden intel. Please don't tell me you're just sitting on it."
"I don't wish to," Jae-wook said curtly, dropping into his chair.
Ms. Kim arched a brow. "You better start wishing, because while you're sulking, she's about to team up with the big guy."
"It's Mr. Evans, actually," Carrie corrected.
"I prefer the big guy. He's intriguing," Ms. Kim said casually, her tone so flippant it almost felt flirtatious.
"Excuse me?" Carrie said sharply, a little too quickly.
Ms. Kim smirked. "Maybe I'll marry him, and that awful little prince can rot in his palace of mediocrity."
"He's fifty-four!" Carrie blurted, aghast.
Ms. Kim turned to her, deadpan. "And how old do you think I am?"
Carrie tilted her head, hesitant. "Uhh… twenty-five?"
Ms. Kim burst into laughter. "Did you hear her? Twenty-five! Sweetheart, that was me six years ago."
"No way," Carrie breathed.
"Yes way," Ms. Kim said, flipping her hair. "But thank you for the compliment."
"Okay, please, before this turns into a weird episode of Real Housewives of Mapleseoul," Jae-wook interrupted, massaging his temple. "Can we move on?"
"Sure," Ms. Kim said, all business now, suddenly flipping open a folder from her clutch. "Because if you two don't have a plan, I do. And trust me, it involves a press conference, a fake fiancé, and possibly a ferret."
Jae-wook and Carrie exchanged horrified glances.
"I was kidding about the ferret," she smirked. "Probably."
She handed them each a document and perched again on the desk, this time properly. "Now listen closely, lovebirds. We've got one shot at flipping the narrative before your enemies smell blood. Let's make sure the only thing they get... is headlines."
Carrie muttered under her breath, "Why do I get the feeling I'm about to regret all my life choices?"
Ms. Kim grinned. "Because you are. Now—shall we begin?"
"No we shall not, Ms. Kim or rather Naksu we already have a plan fully drafted out" Jae-wook said abruptly closing the file.
"And what are the probabilities of it not flopping" she questioned sternly.
"Anything higher than the probability of yours" Jae-wook replied.
Ms. Kim exchanged glances between Jae-wook and Carrie and then "fine then, let's see how you two maneuver your way through this" she said with a sinister smile, "It'd be fun to watch" she said with a final smirk.