That night, the snow fell so heavily that the streets of Seoul almost disappeared under a cold, white blanket.
It was nearly two in the morning when Dr. Miho emerged from the hospital.
After sixteen hours in the operating room, his eyes were red with exhaustion. But no one could see the weariness behind his familiar, cold exterior.
In the medical world, the name Miho was almost legendary.
He was the hospital’s most famous surgeon, and also owned a chain of private clinics that generated millions of dollars in profit annually.
Money.
Fame.
Power.
He had it all.
Except for one thing.
Love.
Miho had never believed in it.
In his opinion, love was just a romanticized form of weakness.
He had witnessed too many broken marriages, too many broken promises, and too many people sacrificing their future for emotions. Therefore, he built walls around himself that no one could cross.
Until that night.
As he walked toward his parked car, he suddenly saw a figure lying motionless near the bus stop.
Miho frowned.
The last thing he wanted after a long day was to get into trouble.
He was about to continue walking.
But then his professional instincts made him stop.
The person lying there was a young woman.
Her skin was dark.
Her hair was covered in snow.
Her thin coat was almost useless in the sub-zero temperatures.
Miho knelt down to check.
Weak pulse.
Her breathing was ragged.
Her fingertips had begun to turn purple.
If he waited a few more minutes, she could freeze to death.
He looked at the unfamiliar face for a few seconds.
Then he sighed.
“What a nuisance.”
But then, he picked her up.
That was a decision that would later change his entire life.
—
Maria woke up the next morning.
The smell of disinfectant made her realize she was in the hospital.
She tried to sit up when the door opened.
Miho walked in.
Still wearing his dark suit.
Still with an expressionless face.
“You almost died.”
That was the first thing he said.
Maria was silent.
“Exhausted, dehydrated, and suffering from severe hypothermia.”
She nodded slightly.
Then she asked softly,
“Who saved me?”
“I did.”
Maria looked at him.
For a long time.
“Thank you.”
No tears.
No self-pity.
No complaining.
That surprised Miho.
Until the finance department brought the bill into the room.
Maria looked at the number on the paper.
Her face instantly turned pale.
It was more than she had earned in months.
“I can’t afford it.”
She said truthfully.
Miho didn’t respond.
He was used to seeing people beg in this situation.
But Maria didn’t.
She took a deep breath.
Then she looked up.
“I can work to pay off the debt.”
Miho raised an eyebrow.
“Work?”
“I’ll clean, do administrative work, do anything legal.”
“For as long as you like.”
“I’ll pay it all off.”
The self-respect in her eyes made him pause.
Finally, he put the file down on the table.
“Come to my clinic tomorrow.”
Maria was stunned.
“You agree?”
“I don’t like people who owe money.”
That was the cold reply.
But for the first time, Maria’s lips curved slightly.
—
The first few days at the clinic weren’t easy.
Maria quickly realized she wasn’t welcome.
Some staff members looked at her with scrutinizing eyes.
Others were outright contemptuous.
The most unpleasant person was Hannah.
The head nurse.
Beautiful.
Professional.
And always thought she knew Miho better than anyone.
“Do you think someone like you belongs here?”
Hannah asked when she saw Maria wiping the hallway floor.
Maria just smiled.
“No one asked my opinion.”
“Maybe because no one wanted to listen.”
Giggles erupted from a few people behind her.
Maria bent down and continued her work.
No reaction.
No arguments.
No complaints.
Day after day, she worked silently.
Organizing files.
Bringing water to patients.
Cleaning equipment.
Assisting anyone who needed help.
And that didn’t escape Miho’s notice.
He began paying more attention to her than necessary.
Not because she was the prettiest.
Not because she was the most outstanding.
But because she was the only one who wasn’t trying to impress him.
—
One afternoon, Maria accidentally dropped a box of medical supplies.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
Hannah immediately stepped forward.
“I knew something would happen.”
Maria bent down to pick up the items.
“I’m sorry.”
“What good will an apology do?”
“This isn’t a charity.”
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Many employees stopped to watch.
Maria bit her lip.
But just then, a voice rang out.
“Enough.”
Everyone turned around.
Miho was standing at the end of the hallway.
His face was colder than the weather outside.
He looked at Hannah.
“We hire people to work.”
“Not to bully.”
Hannah froze.
“But Doctor—”
“If anyone is unhappy with my decision.”
Miho interrupted.
“The door is right there.”
The hallway fell silent.
No one dared to say another word.
Maria looked at him.
For the first time since arriving in Seoul, she felt someone was on her side.
—
That night, it snowed again.
Maria finished work late.
As she crossed the street, a car suddenly appeared…
