Money Loving CEO's Detective Lover

Minho pulled up in front of Gayoon's house. She was very sleepy and was snoozing on her seat, her head leaning against the window.

"Jeon Gayoon," Minho poked her. She frowned and merely mumbled before going back to sleep. The woman really loved to sleep anywhere without a care.

Minho sighed and jabbed her cheek harder. "Jeon Gayoon!" he called out but Gayoon said something incoherent in her sleep and ignored his calls.

He blinked at her for a moment before taking out his phone to download a tune. Placing his phone next to her ear, he hit the play button.

Instantly a loud police siren began to echo the car, jerking Gayoon awake.

"Detective Jeon Gayoon reporting to duty!" she squeaked in fear before realizing that she was in a car.

"What…" 

She was confused. Was it all a dream? She remembered sneezing at roses and eating at a cheap restaurant and then shopping at a mall with Hwang Minho…

"Was I dreaming?" she wondered out loud. Minho shook his head in dismay.

"No!" he snapped. "It was real."

"Oh yeah," Gayoon realized. "I paid for the food so it wasn't a dream. Would have been a dream if you had paid for it."

"Next time, we'll just dine in at my mansion," Minho said, rolling his eyes. "It'll be for free."

"Next time…?"

There was going to be a next time? Something exploded in her head as millions of thoughts rushed inside her mind.

What did he mean by next time? Was he serious about dating her? Wasn't this simply a dinner for her efforts in helping Jina? What next time?

Minho could read her confusion on her face since she was an open book. Even he was not sure why he used the phrase 'next time'. What were they to each other? She did not even know that they had a kid together.

This connection between them was unconventional. He was not sure what made them cross paths again. Was it fate? Or was it all a mere coincidence?

He was not a believer of fate; he stopped believing in all that nonsense years ago. But Jeon Gayoon was a mystery to him. Years ago, she had barged into his life, unannounced, and quietly left after her work was done. And now, once again, she sped in like a wrecking ball. What if she was going to leave again?

For some reason, the latter thought was irritating him. 

Gayoon was waiting for an answer but Minho checked his watch and said, "It's late, detective. You should go home."

"But-"

Minho leaned over to open the passenger side door for her. Gayoon hesitated a little before deciding it was best not to ask and let things fall into place naturally. She got out of the car without a word.

He watched her retreating back, his eyes fixated on her as she was leaving. Was she going to leave them again?

For a brief moment, his mind flashed back to the day Jina was born...

….

Minho had left Jina home with Kim. The nanny wanted to ask him many questions but he had no time for them. Instead, he breached the contract he signed with Jeon Gayoon and rushed to see her in the hospital.

All these months, she had never met him nor did she know what he looked like. The girl asked no questions about the mysterious father of her baby and fulfilled her end of the bargain. She lived in the private villa set up for her without any questions. The girl did not ask for money nor was she demanding for any extra facilities. She behaved as if she was invisible to him. Her solemn demeanor only made Minho more curious about her.

At first he thought she was detached from her baby but after reading the letter, he realized that she was bottling away the pain in her heart. She was not quiet at all; she was in a silent agony.

He reached the maternity floor and scanned around for room number 204. Spotting it a few steps away, he ran towards it. The doctor had said that Gayoon was set to be discharged the next day and they kept her a little longer than necessary due to the difficult labor she had gone through.

Minho took a deep breath and knocked on the door. There was no response.

"Jeon Gayoon?" he called, knocking again. Silence.

"Umm...Mr. Hwang?"

He turned around to see a nurse, standing there. 

"Ms. Jeon is gone," the nurse informed him.

"Gone?" he frowned. "But she was supposed to be under observation!"

"She requested for an outpatient treatment," the nurse replied. "Her guardian came and took her away. She was transferred for treatment in another hospital."

"Where?"

"I can't reveal that, sir," the nurse said sadly. "She requested that her whereabouts be kept confidential."

Minho's face was unreadable. He stepped inside the room to find it empty. There was not a trace of her left in it. She really was gone.

….

His mind returned to the present day. Gayoon was still in view, about to ascend the steps of her home. 

"Screw the rules," he muttered.

As if in a trance, Minho got out of the car and called out, "Gayoon!"

Gayoon stopped and turned, a quizzical look forming on her face. Slowly, Minho approached her. He loosened his tie, his hair ruffled slightly by the wind. As he strutted towards her, she could not help but hold her breath.

There was something different about the way he was looking at her, captivating her with an intense gaze. She dared not to look away, seeing him come closer to her.

As if knowing what was about to happen, Gayoon also subconsciously moved towards him. His large hands cupped her face and before they knew it, their lips were connected into a light yet passionate kiss.

She felt his soft lips meshing against hers, savoring her. He was gentle yet poured an inexplicable force into their liplock, making her toes curl. She no longer knew what was happening, only enjoying the sensation of their kiss. He was not using his tongue but even the simple pecks were exhilarating.

When their lips finally parted, they looked at each other. Gayoon's cheeks were flushed rosy from his sudden outpour of passion.

"Rule eight is still left," he winked.

Huh? What? Rule 8? What?

Her mind was too dazed to care. Flashing her a devilish smirk, the money lover walked away, leaving her with her tangled up thoughts.

Rule 7: Success beyond measure