Comment by bibliophage on The Foul - Chapter 61

2/2 The ML Taeha was kidnapped by Hawon's father when he was younger, left to his mercy and whims by his ruthless parents, who preferred risking his death than to let off that their son was a weakness enemies could exploit. The experience was a transformative and traumatic one, but he doesn't seem to be holding any animosity towards Hawon for it, and seems far more interested in using it to provoke Hawon into new, interesting reactions like he's a pet project. Hawon falls for it because unfortunately, unlike every single other man in this story (except maybe the worker that protected the childhood dog), he has a soul, and can't help but feel pity and misplaced self-blame. Taeha's motives are unclear. He could be after more power, or he could just be looking to maintain the status quo by preventing the blackmail from impacting the company he wants to inherit. Judging from his actions and personality so far, he doesn't seem like someone who would help Hawon for altruistic reasons, and every single time Hawon says he only sees their relationship as transactional (strictly business-like), he doesn't seem especially bothered emotionally (yet. maybe later he'll fall for real while trying to pretend, as the popular trope goes). Judging from the things he says and does in response though, maybe he wants Hawon to think he's starting to fall for him.  Since Hawon's goal is to secure his own interests by seducing Taeha and getting his "heart", maybe the goal was to pretend to go along as a sort of revenge.

He has said multiple times that Hawon inherited his father's looks, devilish wiles, and seductive ways. I feel like making the son of his kidnapper fall for him would be the sort of power-trip fantasy he'd be into. 

Just my guesses. Hopefully this was a bit helpful.