Temptations

Everything had started changing right after Chairman Kim had passed away. Even though Won had formally been in charge for years, the Chairman had always been in the shadows, making sure everything went exactly as he wanted it. Eun Sang bit her lip as she fiddled with the long sleeves on her long black dress. They were having dinner in honor of the Chairman tonight and she was waiting in the opulent living room for Tan.

She looked around at the empty house. It had been three years since she had become the unofficial lady of the household. While Kim Won still lived there, he had never gotten married to his former fiancée after all. Shortly after the other woman had been given control of her father's company, she had run off to get married to her non-chaebol boyfriend. Won had never gotten re-engaged or even looked at any other woman after Jeon Hyun Joo. So Cha Eun Sang had stepped up to the task, because Tan would have never let her work and she needed to do something – anything.

Slipping on her heels, Eun Sang dismissed the day staff early. They were going out for dinner tonight, to show the public a united front on the anniversary of the Chairman's death. It was always the four of them, the Chairwoman, Won, Tan and her. However, dinners were usually accompanied by a visit to her mother and Madame Han for some normalcy.

Unfortunately, Madame Han and her mother were once again travelling abroad. Her lips quirked up as she checked her lipstick in one of the mirrors near the doorway. The two were currently on their way to the Antarctic for a cruise. Even then, the two of them no longer lived in the Jeguk compound, instead living more modestly in Seoul together. Their friendship made her heart warm.

"Ma'am, the driver is out front," the night butler, Chang Min, prompted. He held out her coat for her and gave her a small smile.

"Thank you," she smiled graciously, "we won't be back until late. You may use the free time to do what you like."

Eun Sang would never get used to having people serve her in such a manner. No matter how much she tried to get the staff to relax around her, Tan insisted it was unacceptable and demanded they treat her with more respect. Nonetheless, she remained polite to them and tried hard to learn more about her staff.

Tan had promptly forgotten her life as a poor maid's daughter as soon as they had gotten married. He fully expected her to fully integrate into his world, but it had never happened. Cha Eun Sang could never forget who she was.

The driver held the door open as she exited the house and then in two strides out stripped her and opened the back of the car door for her. Eun Sang acknowledged him with a smile, "thank you, Joon."

As the car made it's way through the town, Eun Sang sighed. When had her life come to reflect the Madame's? She was just a trophy to be kept at home as Tan was off most of the time travelling for work.

Eun Sang cursed softly to herself, "aish, when did you get so pathetic? Waiting like a puppy for a man to come home to you…"

As her sleek black car pulled up behind a familiar azure blue car, she sighed. At least this dinner would not just be her, Tan and the Chairwoman. That would have truly been difficult.

To her surprise, Won got out of his car and waited for hers to pull up. Eun Sang knew immediately what had happened and felt disappointment settle in her stomach. Dinner with just Won and the Chairwoman? It probably wasn't as frosty in Antarctica.

As soon as he opened the door for her, she knew what was coming. "I'm sorry, Tan couldn't make it tonight. He insisted on taking the Taiwan assignment."

Kim Won's deep voice was emotionless, but his look softened when she nodded in understanding. "I suppose, it is just the two of us and the Chairwoman?"

It was beyond her why they continued this farce of having dinner with the Chairwoman. While the media still saw her as the matriarch of the household, Won and Tan had long ago stripped her of all her powers and influence.

Something changed in his posture, "I believe, sister-in-law, it is just the two of us."

She took his arm as they walked into the fancy restaurant, camera's flashing behind them. "Pardon?" After a few years of living together, the two of them had become better acquainted. In particular, she had reported to him while she worked with his Secretary to host Jeguk functions as lady of the household.

Won's face was still his usual, blank stare, but he became almost smug as he said, "she has decided not to show her face this year. I believe her numerous health complications are keeping her at home."

Eun Sang waited until they were inside to shoot him a wry look, "you should not look so smug about that."

"Perhaps, this is karma?" he murmured, smirking as much as his usual stoic look would allow him.

Now that it was the two of them, seated in the private dining area alone, she let down more of her guard. "Aish, one day that is going to catch up to you too," Eun Sang shot back, a smile threatening to quirk her mouth upwards.

He shrugged. Dinner came promptly and the chef had already been informed that they were coming. Thus, there were no complications with the menu. It had been the same for every meal – the deceased Chairman Kim's favourites.

The two remained silent until dessert.

"Thank you for assuming the responsibilities of the household," Won looked at her, over the rim of his wine glass.

Eun Sang smiled, "there's no need to thank me, it's not like I do much else."

He paused a beat as his brow furrowed, "have you seen your friends lately?"

She winced internally. Eun Sang had few surviving friendships from high school, particularly with Chan Young and Bo Na. Then there was her permanently on the rocks friendship with Choi Young Do. Young Do was too busy to meet up with her and Tan never approved of their friendship. Her college friends, too, had not received any approval from Tan.

"No, but I've been busy with the household," she smiled before taking a sip of her wine.

The conversation fell into silence as they worked on polishing off the bottle of wine.

When the two of them leave, the paparazzi still linger and so does the silence. Eung Sang waited on the sidewalk for her car while Won's sat out front already.

"Get in," Won has turned towards her before he climbed into the driver's seat.

Eun Sang shook her head before stepping off the sidewalk to walk around to the passenger's side. She settled in and he sped off towards the Jeguk estate.

When they arrived at the compound, they walked silently together until Eun Sang couldn't resist. "Next time, we might as well have dinner at home."

Won blinked at her as they reached the bottom of the butterfly staircase. His face slowly melted into a fondly exasperated look and he chuckled, "like before in the cellar?"

She held his gaze silently, a challenge. He shook his head and continued up to his wing. "Tan will be back in three days."

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