Possession: The Vice Chairman’s Love That Burns and Breaks

The winter sun set early.

Ellie tightly gripped the hem of Simon's shirt as he kissed her passionately.

This was Simon's most preferred hotel in the country. Specifically, room 505 on the 15th floor. It was clean and had a beautiful night view. He preferred it even over the suite rooms. The hotel often kept this room available for Simon, a VIP, even on days without a reservation.

Ellie, who habitually checked the room's condition, closed her eyes tightly as his hands wrapped around her waist beneath her blouse.

It was a kind of compulsion Ellie had. The more anxious she felt, the more obsessively she clung to work...

As soon as they entered the room, he wordlessly began undressing Ellie.

Knowing that Ellie had briefly stopped by the restroom at the restaurant to brush her teeth, he kissed her without hesitation and unzipped her skirt.

"W-wait, Vice President... You said you were going to the main house today..."

"Don't worry about it."

"Vice President...!"

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me by my name during sex?"

He growled in a low voice.

"Simon, do you... love me?"

Simon, who had been licking her collarbone, paused and looked up. The man's eyes that met hers were dark and intense. The dimly lit room made his eyes glimmer alluringly.

"Didn't you enjoy today?"

"I did. But..."

"I can do this much for you every time."

"..."

"It would be satisfying enough to maintain our relationship even if we got married."

You don't love me. It was a realization that hit her like a tidal wave.

Ellie felt wretched. And she despaired at herself for finding comfort in the touch of his skin even in the midst of her misery.

The past day apart from him had been intensely painful. Ironically, right now, unable to think clearly due to his gaze, she felt less pain than yesterday when she had resolved to break up.

Ellie closed her eyes again.

Her resignation came quickly.

***

Simon quietly gazed down at the peacefully sleeping Ellie. The woman's pale, bloodless face looked weary.

'Simon, do you... love me?'

Even as he was intimate with Ellie, her voice kept buzzing in his ears. To erase the image of Ellie's face, on the verge of tears, asking if he loved her, he embraced her even more ruthlessly.

Simon was well aware of Ellie Yeo's feelings. Although this was the first time Ellie had confessed her love, anyone who wasn't a fool could clearly see where her gaze was directed at every moment.

Ellie, announcing the end of their relationship, looked no different from a woman confessing her love. With a face full of desperate passion, she dared to utter words about marrying another man. It was utterly preposterous.

An easy woman who hardly knew how to hide her feelings. That's what Ellie was to Simon. Everything about her was too easy, from falling for his invitation to date to once again offering her body.

"So why make promises you can't keep and ruin the mood?"

Tsk. Clicking his tongue, Simon got up from the bed and took off his dressing gown. His toned, muscular body was clearly visible under the soft mood lighting.

Having quickly dressed and tidied himself up, he left the hotel room, leaving Ellie lying alone.

Soon after, the hotel door closed firmly with a click.

At that sound, Ellie slowly opened her eyes. Though she knew the space beside her on the bed was empty, she carefully reached out her hand. The spot where Simon had been lying just moments ago. His warmth still lingered there.

Ellie shifted her body sideways and curled up once again in the spot where Simon's warmth remained. Burying her face in the pillow, she was enveloped by Simon's distinctive scent.

Just a day after bidding farewell to Simon, she had intertwined her body with his. There was no coercion or force involved. She had willingly followed Simon into the hotel, and didn't resist his eager hands as they stripped off her clothes.

A woman without shame. A stupid woman easily manipulated. That's exactly what she was right now. Love, which others pursued for happiness, was an incredibly painful and difficult thing for Ellie.

When would she be able to break free from Simon?

Would she never be able to escape him until the day she died?

With these thoughts, Ellie closed her eyes. As always, teardrops hung from her long eyelashes.

***

After leaving the hotel, Simon headed home. He took a quick shower, changed his clothes, and immediately headed to SY Electronics headquarters.

From the morning, he checked numerous approval items before immediately diving into a long marathon meeting. It was a meeting involving key personnel from regional general business divisions, display business divisions, and component business divisions.

The laptop that SY Electronics was launching in the first half of this year differentiated itself by incorporating AI functionality that could control all IoT devices with just voice commands. Under Simon's direct supervision, it had passed through the development and testing phases without any issues, and was now approaching its release after pre-sales.

The domestic response was explosive, and there was great interest from overseas as well. This project once again proved the value of Simon, who was both the Vice President of SY Electronics and the crown prince of the SY Group.

The meeting that started in the morning only ended around lunchtime. True to his schedule-driven nature, Simon was allotted a mere 30 minutes for lunch.

"I heard Ellie is quitting because of marriage? How can this be so sudden? I didn't even know Ellie had a boyfriend. I feel hurt!"