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For the past few days, Sange had barely had time to breathe. The moment she stepped into the office, tasks piled onto her desk like an avalanche, each one marked with an urgent deadline. Meetings that weren't on her schedule popped up out of nowhere, forcing her to scramble for notes she never received. Hyun Jae was relentless—reviewing every detail, sending back reports with curt remarks, and questioning her work as if she were trying to sabotage the company.
By the time she looked up from her screen, the office would be nearly empty, yet her workload remained untouched, thanks to the endless revisions and last-minute changes. It wasn't just exhausting—it was suffocating.
The worst part? She had no idea if he was doing this on purpose or if this was just how he worked.
And today was no different.
Sange had barely taken a sip of her morning coffee when a new email notification popped up.
Subject: Urgent Revisions Needed ASAP.
She exhaled sharply. Of course.
She clicked it open, already bracing herself, but what she read made her jaw clench. The report she had spent all night perfecting? It needed to be redone. Not adjusted. Not corrected. Redone.
And the deadline? Before lunch.
She closed her eyes for a second, inhaling deeply before pushing her chair back. Her entire body ached from the late nights and stress, but this was the final straw. She grabbed the printed version of her report and stormed toward Hyun Jae's office. If he was going to make her redo an entire document, she deserved an explanation.
She knocked once and barely waited before pushing the door open.
Hyun Jae didn't even glance up from his screen. "What is it?"
Sange held up the report. "This. I spent hours on it, and now you're telling me to redo the whole thing? What was wrong with it?"
Hyun Jae finally looked at her, his expression unreadable. "It wasn't up to standard."
She clenched her teeth. "Not up to standard? I followed all the guidelines—"
"You followed the basic guidelines," he interrupted, leaning back in his chair. "But you didn't anticipate the CEO's preferences. He wants a different approach."
Sange gripped the report tighter. "Then why didn't you tell me that before?"
His gaze was steady, unfazed by her frustration. "I assumed you'd figure it out."
Her fingers curled around the pages. Assumed? Did he think she was a mind reader?
"I need the revisions before lunch," he added, already looking back at his screen. Dismissed.
Sange's nails dug into the paper. Fine. He wanted a new report? He'd get one.
---
Two hours later
Sange's fingers flew across the keyboard, typing furiously. The office was buzzing with activity, but she barely noticed. Every time she glanced at the clock, time seemed to move faster, her deadline creeping closer like a predator waiting to strike.
Her desk was a mess—sticky notes with scribbled corrections, a half-eaten granola bar she had forgotten about, and at least three empty coffee cups.
She was running on fumes.
Hiraya, who had stopped by earlier, sat on the edge of her desk, watching with wide eyes. "Girl, are you okay? You look like you're about to throw your laptop out the window."
Sange didn't stop typing. "If I do, make sure it hits a certain CEO on the way down."
Hiraya let out a dramatic gasp. "Ooh, the tension! Should I start taking bets on when you'll finally snap?"
Sange ignored her, focusing on finishing the last section. With two minutes to spare, she saved the document, emailed it, and exhaled deeply.
Done.
Or so she thought.
The moment her email was sent, a notification popped up. Another message from Hyun Jae.
Subject: Additional Revisions Required.
Sange stared at the screen. "You've got to be kidding me."
Hiraya peeked over her shoulder. "No way. He's doing this on purpose."
Sange pressed her temples, resisting the urge to scream. Was this some kind of sick test? Was he trying to break her?
She grabbed the printed version and stood. "I'm going to talk to him."
Hiraya held up her hands. "Go easy on him. He's got that rich, broody thing going for him, but lawsuits are expensive."
Sange didn't bother responding as she marched back to Hyun Jae's office.
She knocked once, then pushed the door open. "Are you serious?"
Hyun Jae glanced up, unfazed. "What now?"
Sange waved the report. "More revisions? I just finished the last ones!"
"You missed some details."
"What details?!"
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. "Read section five. The projections are based on last quarter's data. We need estimates for the upcoming fiscal year."
Sange's breath hitched. He was right. But that didn't make her any less furious.
"Why didn't you mention that in the first round of revisions?" she demanded.
Hyun Jae's lips twitched slightly. "I assumed you'd figure it out."
Sange swore she saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
"Are you doing this just to mess with me?" she accused.
He tilted his head slightly. "If I was, would you quit?"
Sange crossed her arms. "No. I'd fight back."
His gaze held hers for a second longer than necessary. "Then stop complaining and get to work."
Her fists clenched, but she turned on her heel and left.
Fine. She'd do the revisions. But she wasn't going to let him win.
Not a chance.
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