Corporate Villian

Vol. 2

Chapter 41

At the same time, at the Saint Lu Shangri-La Hotel’s Western restaurant.

“No, it’s okay now.”

A space where the night view of Seoul, centered around Namsan Tower, unfolds like a painting.

In contrast to her husband who was enjoying a light wine, Juyeon-hee was drinking water from a goblet, continuing her conversation with her mother-in-law.

-What do you mean it’s okay? My heart is still fluttering. Six weeks… Ah, to think you had to hear such harsh words from grandfather in your condition. I’m sorry, my dear. I’m so sorry.

“Really, I’m fine, Mother. I even got scolded by my father while I was at my parents’ house. It seems I was too rash. I didn’t think it through. I’m sorry for worrying you. I’ll be more careful not to let it happen again.”

-Do you think it was really your idea? You think I don’t know? He’s my son, born from my own pain, how could I not know your husband? Since when were you the one to start a conversation with grandfather at the dinner table?

The temperature of her mother-in-law’s treatment of her had risen a notch with the news of her pregnancy.

Apart from that, Juyeon-hee was quite moved by her mother-in-law, who, despite having brought up divorce and staying at her parents’ for a few days, frequently called to take care of her wounded heart.

Taking her side, not her son’s, her mother-in-law had sent her money to her account, telling her to heal her hurt heart at her parents’ house now that the in-laws knew everything, rather than urging her to come home quickly.

And she had directly apologized to her own mother on behalf of grandfather for what had happened.

The reason Juyeon-hee had to reluctantly return home.

It was because of her mother-in-law.

Just as her father had said, her mother-in-law was no ordinary woman.

She was not someone who would just watch quietly as the heir of Daeyoung left her son’s hands.

-Anyway, you did well. You’ve been through a lot. And congratulations, Yeon-hee. You’ve done something great.

The words she wanted to hear from her husband.

The words she would have liked to receive prostrate bows for were coming out of her mother-in-law’s mouth as if they were the most natural thing.

Perhaps that’s why.

Her husband, who was only watching her as she talked on the phone, somehow made Juyeon-hee feel a poignant sadness.

Her husband, who had let her face such an insult from grandfather and hadn’t said a single word of apology.

She thought she could hate him to death, that all her affection had run out, but today, for no reason at all, she just felt a poignant sadness for this man, for his life.

Who was it that said Kang Moon-jung of Daeyoung is Cinderella?

Cinderella lost her parents at a young age, and was mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters…

Ju Yeon-hee thought to herself.

No, that’s absolutely not it.

At least within the walls of the Pyeongchang-dong family home, it was Kang Moon-jung, not her husband or mother-in-law, who held the power.

The Kang Moon-jung that Ju Yeon-hee knew was never one to be oppressed by a stepmother and half-brother.

Why didn’t the world see that it was her mother-in-law and husband who were wary of Kang Moon-jung?

Her husband, despite being in a favorable position in the succession structure, had never once gained the upper hand over Kang Moon-jung in Pyeongchang-dong.

How much he must have wanted to defeat his half-sister with his own strength.

How much so, that even after suffering such an insult from his grandfather, he couldn’t express any resentment on his behalf.

After enduring such a grave insult from her grandfather, Ju Yeon-hee spent some time back at her parental home.

Through this ordeal, she began to heed her father’s advice, to come to her senses.

No matter how advantageous the succession competition seemed for her husband’s side, it wasn’t over until it was truly over.

She resolved not to let her guard down until the succession was confirmed on her husband’s side, as one would still watch over a fire that had died down.

“Grandfather, you should also speak to your father-in-law. Come to the main house tomorrow morning.”

“Mother.”

“Yes?”

“Could you perhaps convey it first on my behalf?”

“What?”

“That I’m pregnant. Not that I expect much celebration.”

“What are you talking about? What kind of thing is that to say?”

“If grandfather asks for us, then I’ll go.”

“Is it uncomfortable for you to meet grandfather?”

Ju Yeon-hee swallowed her response.

Uncomfortable?

It was a slightly different concept.

Rather, it was Ju Yeon-hee who wanted to bestow that feeling of discomfort upon her grandfather.

Yoon Tae-sik.

On one side, a daughter-in-law, and on the other, a son-in-law.

I’ve come to understand the difference in temperature between how grandfather regards me and Yoon Tae-sik.

It’s become clear how foolish it is to try to win grandfather’s favor.

And to protest against grandfather, an absolute figure, is out of the question.

“From now on, unless grandfather seeks me out, I’ll try to avoid going to the family home as much as possible.”

That was the advice from my father.

“Don’t go to your in-laws’ house unless they seek you out. If they call, then go; if not, wait until they do.”

After all, the general trend is hard to change.

He advised me not to make the same dumb mistake of trying to turn the unchangeable trend in my favor.

-Yeon-hee.

“Since that day, everything has become cautious. Mother said she would speak to grandfather and father first, and if they seek us out, then I’ll go with him comfortably.”

-…

“Is that okay with you, mother?”

I exaggerate the wounds I’ve received, as if that incident has traumatized me, to make my mother-in-law uncomfortable.

Then, somehow, that feeling will be conveyed to my father-in-law, to grandfather.

I don’t expect an apology from Kang Ki-young, a titan of the times.

But at the very least, I hope that incident will bring some discomfort to me.

And with the discomfort I’ve created, I believe my mother-in-law will somehow be able to create a situation that can help my husband at a critical moment.

-Alright. Do that. Above all, what’s most important right now is your peace of mind. Can I visit your gallery in a few days when I have time?

“Of course. Why ask me such a thing? Just come.”

-I’ll treat you to something delicious. We can do some shopping too.

After the call with her mother-in-law, Joo Yeon-hee began to eat as if nothing had happened.

She sliced a piece of meat, slightly bloody, to bite-size, and looked up at her husband as she was about to eat it.

“I’ve been thinking while I was at my parents’ house.”

“What thoughts?”

Kang Young-jin asked, his lips touching the wine glass.

“Miss, Mr. Yoon, the executive. And how, as soon as those two got married, they started sprinting and pouring out performance like a bang!”

Yeon-hee put down her fork, just as her husband set down his wine glass, both seemingly forgetting about the meat.

“Leaving out the prelude, they got married and then started pouring out performance. As if they got married just for this performance pouring.”

“…?”

“Women can tell. Whether there’s something there or not. I’ve never felt such an atmosphere between Miss and Mr. Yoon during our time in Pyeongchang-dong.”

“Out of the blue, what are you talking about?”

“It’s not sudden on my part, but rather their marriage. As an executive assistant, I’ve spent the most time with them, so I can imagine some feelings might develop between a man and a woman. But then, it should show. There are things you just can’t hide, no matter how hard you try. Yet, there was absolutely nothing of the sort between those two. They got married without a single hint of that.”

Only then did Kang Young-jin start to narrow his eyes.

“The lady from Pyeongchang-dong, always more observant than even your grandfather. Do you think I haven’t noticed? Until the marriage talks started, there was no sign of any connection between those two.”

“…”

“So, you think there’s something now? From what you’ve seen, does it seem like there is? To me, their relationship looks nothing more than, and nothing less than, business partners.”

“Did Munjeong buy the marriage with money because of the succession issue?”

“Once you married me, and even the great-aunt supported you in the succession issue, couldn’t the lady have done even more?”

“Why on earth would she leave all the other good matches and choose Yoon Seobang…?”

“If my current suspicion is correct, looking at the outcome, the lady made the best choice. But the problem is, unlike other options, this choice couldn’t be insured.”

“A choice that couldn’t be insured?”

“From your perspective, it’s a choice you should be very thankful for that the lady made. If it turns out to be true, anyone who reveals it…”

A smile was spreading across Juyeonhee’s face.

“It’s all over then.”

“…”

“Two months after the marriage talks, they held the wedding. Even before the wedding, they publicly proved their relationship at the baseball stadium, making a scene. Usually, such proof is for the anxious ones. Right? Even before I married you and entered Pyeongchang-dong, I knew more about the lady named ‘Miss’ than you did. Someone who hates noise more than anyone. Someone who feels burdened when the spotlight is on them. Would such a person choose to make a noisy marriage announcement using the media…? That’s what I thought while staying at my family home for a while.”

Juyeonhee rinsed her mouth with the water in her goblet before speaking.

“As for the succession, suddenly you’ve become anxious. I think there are only three things you need to worry about from now on.”

“What?”

“Exposing the fake marriage between Miss and Executive Yoon. If my current suspicion turns out to be true, that alone would be the end. But since we can’t know for sure, we need insurance. Shouldn’t you pay more attention to the great-aunt? No matter what anyone says, she’s the one wielding the most influence outside Daeyoung, dealing with the power players of Daeyoung. Including President Kim of Planning, who supports you, and other affiliate company presidents. After all, it’s all thanks to the great-aunt’s connections that these relationships have deepened. Isn’t that right?”

“…That’s true. What’s the third?”

Juyeonhee briefly dropped her gaze to her abdomen and said,

“Are you hoping that the child in my belly is a son?”

***

After stopping by the house in Daejeon to pick up my mother, Munjeong and I visited the park cemetery where my father rests.

“Huh? When did this happen?”

Next to the characters ＜Son Yuntaesik＞ on the back of the gravestone, new characters ＜Daughter-in-law Kang Munjeong＞ had been added.

As if it was no big deal, my mother pulled out the artificial flowers that were already there and inserted new ones she bought from the park cemetery’s office, saying,

“While you were having your wedding and honeymoon, I bragged about marrying off our Taesik to a lovely partner and applied for it while visiting your father. When I came alone during Chuseok, I checked, and it was done well.”

It seems as if the season of autumn has completely disappeared from Korea.

It was slightly cold.

At this spot, unsure of what to do, Moon-jung hesitated until her mother handed her a few wet wipes, suggesting she clean her father-in-law’s gravestone.

Moon-jung paused again behind the gravestone, her own name etched clearly on it.

“Mom already paid her respects last month, so today it’s just you two. It’s cold. I’ll wait in the car below, so take your time greeting your father, then come down.”

Reluctant to leave until the very end, her mother plucked weeds from the well-tended mound above her father’s grave and headed down first.

“I won’t bow. I’ll just stand and greet him.”

“We’re not a family that holds ancestral rites. I know that much.”

“That was for my father, not you.”

“Sigh…”

“Greetings, Father. I’m your son’s…”

I had no way of knowing how she was introducing herself to my father in her heart.

But I wanted to be honest with my father.

I confessed to him inwardly.

I never thought I’d bring someone to where my father rests, but somehow it ended up this way.

Somehow, I wanted to introduce her to you.

But actually, it feels more right to say I wanted to show her to you.

I don’t know why I started thinking this way, but it just seemed like the right thing to do.

I confessed all the honest words I couldn’t say to my mother, only to my father, and finished my greeting.

“I didn’t understand at first.”

“What?”

“Why go to such lengths… That was the dominant thought.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“You. Even if you weren’t the successor, you could live a carefree life without worries, doing whatever you want, not bothering with what you dislike. Maybe that’s a more blessed life. I couldn’t understand why you’d propose a contract marriage to someone like me, why you’d sell marriage itself, all for the sake of succession.”

“…”

“But after learning more about your mother, and after raising a glass to her at your uncle’s place… I couldn’t help but bring you here.”

The wind was too chilly to stay any longer.

“From now on, I’ll stop such pointless thoughts and just run forward like mad. I wanted to make that promise to my father with you by my side, that’s why I asked you to come.”

“…”

“It’s cold. Let’s go down. I think that’s enough for a greeting.”

Chapter 42

After dinner with soju as a side at mom’s house, I stepped out for a walk.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“I came out because it’s cold. Trying to sober up.”

“How much did you drink? Just splitting two bottles of soju between three people.”

“Look, Mr. Yoon Tae-sik. It seems like I’ve become too predictable for you, but I’m not the kind of woman who does one-shot with soju whenever side dishes and braised short ribs are served.”

“You ate the most, though. I didn’t even get a glimpse of the braised short ribs, coming to mom’s house after so long.”

The weather was completely wintery.

Even the wind.

“Really going to walk more?”

“Why? Are you very cold? It’s not that bad, is it?”

“It’s not me who’s cold, I’m worried you might be.”

“Then at least hold my hand.”

So, I reached out my hand.

Ms. Moon Jung looked at my outstretched hand as if to say, “What’s the matter?” then hesitantly, she took it and slipped it into the pocket of my overcoat.

We resumed walking as if nothing had happened, each performing our nonchalant act.

The hand that was quickly taken.

And her request, almost jokingly, to hold hands before that.

I know.

Ms. Moon Jung is mustering as much courage as I am in our relationship.

It was not long after I had transferred from the corporate office to the group secretariat.

There was a gathering of conglomerate heirs at the Kensington Hotel in Gangnam.

Back when most people didn’t know I was the personal assistant to Kang Moon Jung.

I was killing time in the underground parking lot, having stepped out of the car to stretch my neck and leg muscles, when I overheard a conversation about her.

“No, Moon Jung unnie will never change her spot. There’s no second round for her. It always ends right here.”

It was the current Director Joo Yeon-hee.

Despite arriving 30 minutes past the scheduled time, she got out of her car, casually placed her bag on the hood, and took her time making a call. It was quite a sight.

“Do you know what her nickname is? Cinderella, Cinderella. But not in that sense; they call her Cinderella because she always tidies up and goes home at 9 o’clock sharp.”

I was still more familiar with Kang Moon-jung from Mulsan than Kang Moon-jung in private settings, so I couldn’t understand what that meant.

The Kang Moon-jung from Mulsan, as far as I knew, would always stay until the end of any work dinners, regardless of what time they finished.

“So, isn’t it obvious why the guys are crazy about her in this gathering? Can you imagine how haughty she must look? No, it’s not an act, that’s just how she is. The rumor that she’s never been with a man, that’s not just a rumor.”

I don’t usually eavesdrop on other people’s conversations, but strangely, I couldn’t turn my attention away from that direction.

“Hyekyung went to middle and high school with her, and she was in the same university department as Gwanghyeon’s brother. They say she’s not human. A complete cyborg, an emotionless cyborg. So if you want to get close to her, you should do it now, at this gathering. Me? I’ve just arrived. In the parking lot. I’ll be right up. Got it. See you later.”

Of course, Director Joo Yeon-hee wouldn’t know that I overheard her talking about someone named Kang Moon-jung because of a parking lot pillar.

But that day’s assignment was my first external task for Kang Moon-jung, and it was also an opportunity for me to learn about a different side of her through Director Joo Yeon-hee, which is why I still remember it.

When you’re assigned to VIP service, the first thing you receive is the VIP’s reference.

But naturally, the only thing in Kang Moon-jung’s VIP reference that I received was her educational background.

After all, I was her first attendant.

And as I continued to serve as her attendant for three months, six months, a year, three years… I wasn’t sure about the cyborg part, but it was clear she was a Cinderella.

She, who doesn’t schedule any external activities except for gatherings of chaebol children and university alumni meetings.

Even at those two gatherings, she would leave promptly at 9 PM.

Such strict self-discipline and control made it likely that Director Joo Yeon-hee’s words about her never having been with a man were true.

“Do you still feel uncomfortable around me?”

After walking for a while, Ms. Moon-jung asked nonchalantly.

To that question, I replied:

“I’ve never felt uncomfortable around you.”

“Lies.”

“Why would I lie to you about something like this? You’ve been a challenging presence for me, but never an uncomfortable one.”

“It’s all the same.”

“How can it be the same? It’s not about being uncomfortable when we’re together, but about being cautious, having to think and ponder several times. It’s different.”

“So after all that cautious thinking, the place you said we had to sleep at was your mother’s house?”

She smiled as if my plan was adorable.

“So we’re sleeping in your room tonight, right?”

“Are you sure that’s okay? If you think it’ll be uncomfortable, just say so. I can sleep in the living room using the small bed as an excuse to my mom.”

“Uncomfortable? Who? Me? No, not at all. Why would I miss this great opportunity?”

Pretending to be strong, I let out a light laugh and held her hand, which was tucked into my pocket, a little tighter.

Mom had already prepared the living room, leaving only a night light on.

“Why are you coming home so late? It’s cold outside. You said you’d go for a short walk, and it’s been two hours. What have you been doing?”

“I just walked a bit…”

“Where to?”

“Just around this apartment complex.”

“You walked around here for two hours?”

Would a son really want to walk so foolishly?

It’s just that this girl, who’s become accustomed to acting tough, was scared and preparing herself mentally, and that took time.

“Go take a shower and sleep. Munjeong, you wash up here, and Taesik, you use the bathroom in mom’s room.”

“Yes, mother. Please go rest. We’ll wash up and go to bed too.”

“Alright, you’ve worked hard today. It’s cold out and you’ve walked a lot. Hurry and go to sleep.”

In the absence of mom, Munjeong handed me my pajamas and underwear, stacked together, with a playful look on her face.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and come back after you shower.”

***

It was after I finished showering in the bathroom attached to mom’s room.

Mom, who was watching TV with the volume turned down, only turned her head towards me while lying in bed and said,

“Tell Munjeong there’s no need to wake up early tomorrow to help with breakfast.”

“Got it.”

“We’ll just have a simple bean sprout soup with whatever side dishes we have. It’s better to sleep in a bit longer in a strange bed than to wake up unnecessarily early and be of no help. Tell her that sleeping in will ease mom’s mind a bit.”

“Yup.”

It was when I turned off even the hallway light that mom had left on and entered the room.

Munjeong was lying completely against the wall, having made space for me to climb up, waiting like a frightened rabbit.

“You’re not going to sleep right away, are you?”

“Maybe… I was thinking of looking at my phone a bit before sleeping?”

“Then let’s turn off the lights when we go to sleep.”

With the light switch right next to the door, I got her consent and climbed into bed with her.

As she aimlessly fiddled with her phone, pretending to watch some uninteresting YouTube videos, I said to her,

“This house, being an old apartment, doesn’t have good soundproofing.”

“So what?”

“The bed isn’t that great either. Look, it makes a creaking noise even with a little movement.”

“…”

“Don’t be nervous.”

“What are you talking about? Who said I’m nervous?”

I turned my body towards her and lay down

It was as if I was doing a secret whisper, hiding in my arms and saying to her:

“I thought that if I gave you the underwear and pajamas I picked out myself, my heart would also be transmitted to you.”

“···”

“I thought that if I surprised you by sneaking up on you every time you came home from the convenience store in front of the house, you would be shocked and delighted, but instead, you just seemed okay···”

Was it good?

“I thought that if I changed my title to ‘Mr. Yoon’ from ‘Mr. Tae-sik’ at the Yoon Corporation, you would notice, but it didn’t work out that way.”

You already knew that, too.

“So, what was I thinking?”

“What was I thinking, then?”

“I thought that maybe I should just tear up the contract, or maybe the terms I inserted would keep getting in the way of your plans, so I thought about that too.”

“This is it? I’m holding you like a doll, and I’m feeling too soft and comfortable.”

“I am too. You smell like an old man, and it’s like being hugged by Mom after 20 years, so it’s weird.”

Chapter 43

Kang Soon-im.

A 30-year-old woman who has been named one of the most influential women in Asia for four consecutive years by Forbes, the American economic magazine.

The daughter of Kang Ki-young, the former president of Daeyoung Group, and the wife of Yu Seong-hwa, the son of Yu Seong Chemical, who became the CEO.

From that time on, Kang Soon-im’s strong leadership began to emerge.

She changed the name of Yu Seong Chemical to Yu Seong Cosmos and focused only on lifestyle chemistry, achieving the greatest victory in the company’s history.

The name of the president is not well-known, but the name of the vice president is as familiar to Koreans as the company itself.

As a sister company of Daeyoung Group, it began to gain recognition worldwide and eventually became one of the world’s top three cosmetics companies, led by Yu Seong Cosmos Vice President Kang Young-jin, who is known for his K-beauty wave around the world.

“Grandma.”

The red-gold rimmed glasses with a slight reddish hue are Kang Soon-im’s trademark.

Her bold makeup and hairstyles always match her role as a businesswoman at Cosmos.

In front of her, a strong aura that is hard to approach for anyone who is not as bold as her, wearing a battle uniform-like outfit.

But even her, who wore an iron mask to the world, naturally let it slip away in front of her nephew.

“Why did you come so early?”

She rose from her desk with a bright smile at her beloved nephew’s visit and quickly headed for the sofa.

Though known as a steely female executive, to him, she was endlessly kind and warm.

When Kang Young-jin married Ju Yeon-hee, making the VR Group their in-laws, his grandfather had asked what he wanted for a wedding gift.

Kang Young-jin requested the vice president position at Daeyoung Chemical, which, though different in main business, was related to Yuseong Cosmo in some way, largely due to the powerful influence of his aunt within the family.

“It’s not that early. I intended to come sooner, but the hospital took up too much time.”

While Vice Chairman Kang Soon-im took her seat, the secretary who had ushered Kang Young-jin inside stood motionless by the door.

After signaling for two glasses of water to be brought in, Kang Soon-im asked,

“Hospital? Why the hospital? Are you not feeling well?”

“No, it’s not that…”

A pleasant smile was spreading across Kang Young-jin’s face.

“Director Ju, she’s pregnant.”

At that, Kang Soon-im almost jumped off the sofa, lightly hitting her nephew’s forearm several times.

“Oh my! What are you saying? What did you just say? How wonderful! Oh, this is great. Well done. Oh my, my Young-jin, you’re going to be a father now?”

“Hehe.”

“Then why didn’t you bring Yeon-hee with you today?”

“Should I have?”

“You really should have…”

“I was out of my mind. We got the initial check-up at a different hospital. It took longer than expected to transfer all the medical records to Daeyoung’s affiliated hospital and sort everything out.”

“Why did you get the initial check-up somewhere else?”

“There was a… bit of an incident. Hehe…”

“What happened?”

Kang Young-jin cautiously began to recount the day his grandfather sternly reprimanded his wife Ju Yeon-hee in the underground collection space of the family’s Pyeongchang-dong residence.

He skillfully mixed the nuances that it was Ju Yeon-hee who had been thoughtless, and that it was only natural for his grandfather to have sternly spoken to her.

“It was my thoughtless act in the middle. Director Ju said so.”

“What did she say?”

“That it doesn’t seem right to continue managing her family’s business affairs even after getting married.”

“That’s not necessarily wrong of Yeon-hee.”

“Yes, that’s all I thought too. It wasn’t another major affiliate, just planning work she wanted to learn, so I thought it wouldn’t be too much. And at that moment, I thought of you, Aunt.”

“Me?”

“Yes. That person may not be as capable as your aunt, but they’re not without talent. They’re as ambitious as your aunt when it comes to work, but you can’t just let them continue their family business even after marriage. I thought maybe grandfather or father would create a suitable position in planning, so I suggested they talk about it. But looking back, I think I was short-sighted.”

Kang Soon-im nodded as if she fully understood the positions of both her niece and her father.

“Your grandfather, the formidable Chairman Kang Ki-young. Everyone knows he’s ruthless, but at times like this, he really is. To compare people to art pieces, of all things… Sigh. So, did your in-laws not express any disappointment to you?”

“You know as well as I do, Auntie, about my father-in-law. He’s clear about separating personal and professional matters. He firmly drew the line, saying it was a thoughtless act by the chief director, but he still seemed to convey a sense of disappointment.”

“Of course, they would. Why else would they be investing so much money into expanding Songam Gallery’s land? It’s a business with a significant stake from Daeyoung, and above all, there’s a promise that Songam will lead the restoration project with your grandfather’s collection later on…”

“Hehe, well, there was a bit of an incident.”

“So, everything’s fine now?”

“Yes, they’ve asked me to come over for a meal at the main house tomorrow morning.”

For a little over an hour.

The niece who had spent time talking about business, family matters, and trivial world affairs left.

In the place where the niece had departed, an exhibition invitation card, which the aunt regularly received, was placed on the sofa table.

And Kang Soon-im’s expression had returned to its usual sternness, as if her bright smile had never existed.

Staring at the invitation card brought by her niece for a long while, Kang Soon-im called someone on the internal phone.

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

“Executive Gong, do you know people at Daeyoung Corporation?”

“Yes.”

“Suddenly, I’m curious about our niece’s son-in-law.”

Kang Soon-im thought to herself.

It seems Yeong-jin is feeling rushed about the succession.

Otherwise, why would he make such an uncharacteristic mistake?

That impatience.

It’s probably because of the recognition her son-in-law has been receiving everywhere lately…

“Can you gather information based on ability, not character? We need to judge based on what’s said outside the family to be objective, right?”

“Yes, I understand what you mean.”

***

In the operations office of Daeyoung Distribution’s headquarters.

In front of Executive Kang Moon-jung, FP’s Im Hyeong-jun chose his words carefully.

“There’s no risk in the numbers on our side.”

Daeyoung’s side is offering perfect conditions.

So perfect that it necessitates doubt.

Yet, for the Marco Machine case, Executive Director Yoon Tae-sik of Mulsan personally conducted the presentation.

And it was clear that this presentation was not for the decision-makers within Mulsan, but for Lim Hyung-jun himself, who oversees the business operations of Goldline and Black Bean.

“Is there such a thing as a risk-free business?”

“Yes, that’s why I see that aspect as the greatest risk.”

Lim Hyung-jun is not one for lengthy speeches.

He believes that most answers in business don’t come from his own head, but from the mouth of the other party.

And Executive Director Kang Moon-jung had great trust in such a man as Lim Hyung-jun.

“Could you explain it a bit more simply?”

Lim Hyung-jun briefly sorted out the necessary words in his mind.

Soon, a sharp and concise statement regarding the business at hand leapt from his lips.

“I’m concerned that this might not be a business viable for the long haul.”

“Not viable in the long term?”

“Mulsan has priced the capsule machine at 259,000 won for the domestic market, and the single-unit semi-automatic machine for home use at 482,000 won.”

“Go on.”

Sitting cross-legged, Executive Director Kang Moon-jung meticulously read through the Marco coffee machine business proposal that Lim Hyung-jun had brought from Mulsan after completing the risk analysis with his team.

“Our internal investigation suggests that the capsule machine is somewhat reasonably priced. Of course, ‘reasonable’ from the seller’s perspective, not the consumer’s. More precisely, it’s reasonable from Mulsan’s perspective, considering they’re willing to consign the goods at that price.”

Kang Moon-jung nodded silently in response.

She had long been aware that Mulsan had created an unrealistic market price.

“But the problem lies with the single-unit semi-automatic machine. 482,000 won. It’s an impossible price. A semi-automatic machine from a high-end brand like Marco below 700,000 won? Especially since Marco belongs to the higher price range even within the high-end bracket.”

“Yes.”

“The reason we see this as a risk is twofold.”

“Yes.”

“Firstly, even after scouring every overseas direct purchase site to compare prices for the same model, such a price is unattainable, which poses a risk of future issues.”

“Indeed.”

“Of course, since Mulsan holds the domestic license, there shouldn’t be any problems from other companies, at least not within Korea. However, we should check what stance Marco’s headquarters, CMG, takes on this pricing.”

After laying the business proposal neatly on the table, Kang Moon-jung nodded her head.

“From CMG’s perspective, the Korean market isn’t significant enough to warrant such a substantial commercial privilege.”

“Yes.”

“And the second risk we’ve internally considered is whether Mulsan can sustainably supply these machines at that price point in a stable manner.”

Not a single doubt was excessive.

That’s why Executive Kang Moon-jung could only nod in agreement, unable to do anything else.

“Offering to send goods without any profit margin, I have serious doubts about whether such a business model can generate any operational profit for Mulsan.”

“…”

“Dumping a flash bomb of supply and then suddenly stopping it because the margins don’t add up, the brand image of Goldline and Blackbean, as well as the trust of the franchisees towards the headquarters, could be jeopardized.”

“It’s an event that must never happen.”

“We need to meticulously check the details for that part. If the business from Mulsan’s side is prepared for the two risks we’re seeing…”

Im Hyung-jun licked his lips with the tip of his tongue and swallowed once.

“I believe Goldline and Blackbean could enter the overseas market right away.”

The Im Hyung-jun that Kang Moon-jung knows doesn’t make promises lightly.

He only makes promises he can keep.

As such, he doesn’t express confidence easily unless he’s certain about the content.

From the mouth of such a man, the words came out that even the yet-to-be-launched brand Blackbean could enter the overseas market right away.

Kang Moon-jung knew that at times like this, he needed to be even more calm and judge the situation rationally.

“The Marco Machine collaboration was introduced by me to the director, or was it recommended? Anyway, it was at the request of Director Yoon Tae-sik that I bridged with Mulsan.”

“Yes.”

“I told you before when I first brought it up to the director, but this is something the director needs to judge objectively, whether to try it or not.”

Im Hyung-jun could tell that the words coming from Executive Kang Moon-jung’s mouth were not just lip service for saving face.

“The Spanish sherry wine that Mulsan started handling. I guaranteed the entire volume. Of course, I won’t push all of it our way, but even so, we can handle that kind of item, that kind of volume.”

“Yes.”

“And…”

A shy smile appeared on Executive Kang Moon-jung’s face.

“Can I speak frankly?”

“Yes.”

“It’s also my husband’s first business venture, so I wanted to support it as much as I could. But not with Marco. It’s not just about receiving and selling in the distribution market.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Forget that it’s a project pushed by Director Yoon Tae-sik, and just look at the business itself. Objectively, see if it’s necessary for our distribution, for FP, if it’s a helpful business. That’s all you need to consider.”

“I’m doing just that.”

“If you still decide that proceeding with it will be beneficial for us…”

“…Yes.”

“If it goes well, it’s a win for the director and the FP division, and if not, it’s on me. So don’t feel too pressured and proceed comfortably. I trust you, Director. So, take a broad view of the risks and be as conservative as possible in assessing the chances of success, and approach those two risks you mentioned earlier.”

Those words from a moment ago.

Im Hyung-jun knew all too well that Executive Kang Moon-jung’s statement was an indirect expression of his immense confidence in Director Yoon Tae-sik’s abilities.

And Im Hyung-jun himself was all too familiar with the man named Yoon Tae-sik, hence his anticipation.

“Did you say the meeting with Director Yoon Tae-sik is at 2 PM?”

“Yes.”

“Please scrutinize everything thoroughly and come like that. These days, I’ve been avoiding my husband at home because of that Marco issue.”

At that, Im Hyung-jun’s cheeks slightly lifted.

“It seems even at home, the tenacity typical of Mulsan men shows.”

“Even if I’ve handed over full authority to you, Director, the moment I open my eyes, it’s all about Northern Italy this and that… Ugh, I’m tired of hearing it. Please, if you’re going to do it, do it, and if not, wrap it up cleanly so I don’t have to hear about it at home anymore.”

“Understood. I’ll go and then after a reevaluation of the details with the risk team, I’ll come back to you with only the results.”

Chapter 44

“We have to be cautious, and I hope you understand that.”

“Now that I hear it, I can see how you might have misunderstood.”

Deputy Manager Im Hyung-jun came by.

The confidence he had in the business itself seemed sufficient.

However, it was apparent that he was doubtful about how consistently and stably we could provide the ETC sales coffee machines under the same conditions.

Perhaps he misunderstood that I, as a person, was pushing this business to race for performance allocations.

“But I’m not the division head who has to fill a performance allocation within the contract period, am I?”

“That’s why I’m becoming more curious about this plan.”

He’s certainly a person of high rank.

Cross the stone bridge after tapping it?

That’s the way to do it.

“No matter how we calculate the margin and Mulsan’s operating profit, well, it’s certainly an attractive proposition for us, but from Mulsan’s perspective, it seems like a business with too low a cost-performance ratio for the investment.”

Such a stubborn person.

Anyway, even though I’m the husband of Kang Moon-jung from his perspective, if it seems like it won’t be a big problem, he could just proceed with it, but he digs in until the end.

There’s a reason why such a rigid person could climb up to an executive position within a conservative organization like a conglomerate.

“Section Chief.”

“Yes.”

“Our Daeyoung Corporation is divided into two main parts.”

I didn’t want to persuade this person, who values principles and logic above all, with just logic and numbers for the project.

I don’t mind being tired.

But if I do it that way, I can’t expect explosive power in the project.

The greatest strength of Section Chief Im Hyung-jun.

His caution and meticulousness.

However, I see that as his only weakness depending on the situation, as almost all the projects he handles are safe but lack the explosive power to shoot through the ceiling and soar into the sky.

He needs everything in a project to align perfectly with cause and effect.

To be more precise, he’s someone who compulsively fears making mistakes.

That’s just too different from how we, the people of Daeyoung Corporation, conduct business.

“The Construction Division and the Trading Division. The Construction Division has a defined business model. Depending on how big a project we win, we can predict the sales volume. After all, that’s what winning a bid entails. But our Trading Division, there’s no ceiling.”

“Are you saying there’s no ceiling for this project?”

“For China, we’ve been setting the margin up to 48 percent, but for Korea, we’ve only been setting it at 40 percent. I tried to persuade them to take a 50 percent margin.”

I found this situation, persuading the stubborn Section Chief Im Hyung-jun, slightly enjoyable.

If he could just be convinced, I was sure that this project would be half successful from the start.

“And they said fine, but in return, match the minimum order quantity that the Chinese license company is providing, and then they’ll give us 50 percent.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the bold provocation from CMG, who dared to put our Daeyoung Corporation on the same level as a trading company in the outskirts of Tianjin, China.

“So I learned through our project manager that we should increase the minimum order quantity that the Chinese company is providing by 30 percent and include three conditions.”

“What conditions did you propose?”

“First, a 5 percent credit note based on the order volume.”

“That level of order volume is understandable.”

“Second, there are four domestic models that are about to be discontinued due to lack of capacity, but it would be a shame to discontinue them. I asked for those.”

“Could it be…?”

“Yes, the capsule machine and the single-unit semi-automatic I showed you in the presentation images. Anyway, Marco releases a new model every year with the same functions. So naturally, the less popular models get discontinued.”

“So, the models that we’re going to handle consignment sales for, are they exclusive contracts with Daeyoung Corporation?”

“How else could we match that price if not exclusive?”

Section Chief Im Hyung-jun’s face was beginning to show complete confidence.

“And lastly, the third condition. For the Gold Line and Black Bean, if any licensing issues arise overseas, CMG headquarters will take responsibility and cover it. I asked to include that clause in the contract.”

Upon this, Deputy Director Lim Hyung-jun opened his eyes wide and looked at me.

“The capsule machines come to us at 149 euros each. Semi-automatic ones are 255 euros. If we can just do Goldline and Black Bean Corporation, we start with 500 sales outlets nationwide, not to mention additional store rental fees, and no labor costs. How can this be a poor value for money business from our standpoint?”

But there was something bigger left.

“Think about the acceleration of Goldline’s overseas market strategy. The ceiling that the deputy director has never been able to break through cleanly, it breaks through with that one shot.”

“…”

“A business that can break through the ceiling and fly in the sky, isn’t it premature to discuss value for money just looking at the domestic market? I’m not just running my own performance race right now. Our Mulsan is currently investing in the potential of Goldline and Black Bean.”

Daeyoung is a place where businesses worth hundreds of billions, even trillions of won, are abundant.

Among those astronomical amounts, the investment-heavy businesses, the one that will shine the brightest.

That would be a business like an awl that can break through the ceiling with minimal capital, no matter what anyone says.

The giant of Daeyoung, Kang Ki-young, and the current chairman, Kang Man-ho, what I have to prove to them is not numbers but the ability to see potential.

And all the expectations now focused on me, who has become the queen maker known as Kang Mun-jung, are also curiosity about whether I have the ability to create such an awl-like business or not.

The Marco coffee machine is just the awl I’ve chosen right now.

I’ve just attached a solid handle to that awl and handed it over to Chief Director Lim Hyung-jun.

***

The next day, Mr. Mun-jung and I were called to Pyeongchang-dong and went for breakfast.

“Did Mr. Yoon come?”

“Yes.”

“When did you come? You must have come early?”

“We just arrived too.”

It was a call from last night, so I only found out upon arrival that Vice President Kang Young-jin and Director Joo Yeon-hee would also join us for breakfast this morning.

It was an astonishing seating arrangement.

The grandfather sat at the head of the table, and to his sides, in order, were my father-in-law and Mr. Mun-jung, and then me.

And on the opposite side, in order, sat Mrs. Gu Young-sook, Vice President Kang Young-jin, and Director Joo Yeon-hee.

“She’s pregnant.”

It must have been less than a minute after the meal started.

Grandfather brought up the pregnancy out of the blue, and judging by the expressions of the people on the opposite side, the protagonist was clearly Director Joo Yeon-hee.

Involuntarily, my eyes turned towards Mr. Mun-jung, and he too seemed to be hearing it for the first time, his eyes wide open looking at Director Joo Yeon-hee.

“Yes.”

An indescribable atmosphere began to flow over the table.

Of course, it was a bit embarrassing, but after all, it was a matter deserving of congratulations on the surface.

Yet, not a single person broached the subject of congratulations.

But then, unexpectedly, Moon-Jung showed a surprising reaction.

“How long has it been?”

She was asking Director Joo Yeon-Hee.

“Just 7 weeks.”

“Oh… congratulations. That’s great. When did you find out?”

“It’s been a while. Last week.”

“But why only now decide to congratulate… What happened in the meantime?”

Her sincerity was palpable.

It wasn’t just a perfunctory congratulation, but the most genuine expression of joy that Kang Moon-Jung, a woman known for her stoicism, could muster.

I found her reaction alien, but even more awkward was everyone’s discomfort at Moon-Jung’s question about what had transpired since then, as they continued their meal.

“Brother.”

It was truly exceptional for the woman named Kang Moon-Jung to address Vice President Kang Young-Jin with such a term.

Usually, they would skip the pleasantries and dive straight into the matter at hand.

“…Yes.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Ha ha.”

Only then, with Moon-Jung’s initiative, was I able to add my spoonful of congratulations.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“Congratulations, brother.”

“Thanks. But instead of just us receiving congratulations, shouldn’t Yun Seobang make it so that we can return the favor soon? Ha ha.”

At that, I first checked Moon-Jung’s expression, then nodded with a light smile as my response.

At that moment.

“What kind of response is that, you?”

Grandfather stared at me intently as he spoke.

“When your elder asks you something, you don’t just nod your head. You need to give a clear answer, whether you understand or not.”

For a moment, I worried I had made a mistake that displeased him, but then I saw that although his eyes were stern, his lips were smiling.

So, I quickly put on an embarrassed smile and replied.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Are you aware, Moon-jung?”

“What is it?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? You know too, don’t you?”

“Ah, if he says he knows, then that’s that. Why ask me such a thing in this setting? Grandfather, really.”

It was only then that I realized Grandfather was making one of his jokes, tailored to his own taste.

“Yeon-hee.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

I naturally expected a congratulatory remark from Grandfather.

But what’s this?

Instead of congratulations, he starts talking about the gallery out of the blue?

“You’ve heard from your father, haven’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“Do what you’re good at, not just what you want to try. If it’s that, your grandfather and I will trust and support you as much as needed.”

“Yes.”

“Keep the gallery name as it is, following your great-grandfather’s honorific, Songam Art Gallery. Listening to what the in-laws say, they’ve been considering it yours anyway, and to show our sincerity, we’ll pull in 51 percent of the shares for you, so from now on, you’ll be the CEO, not just the director. Try managing it well.”

“Thank you.”

“Being at home doesn’t make for prenatal education. Keep active until it becomes too hard to move on your own. That’s how you’ll have a resilient child. But always be careful.”

“Yes, I will do that.”

Ah, so this is how the Songam Gallery becomes entirely the responsibility of Director Yeon-hee…

It’s quite simple.

And straightforward.

I was thinking this to myself when…

“Moon-jung.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“How long have you been in the distribution business?”

“Three years…”

Seeing the look on his face, as if he couldn’t quite remember, I just opened my mouth slightly and answered for Mr. Moon-jung.

“Three years and eight months.”

“That’s a long time. To be in one place for three years and eight months.”

Madam Gu Young-sook, Vice President Kang Young-jin, and Director Joo Yeon-hee.

It was the moment when all three held their breath.

“Next month, at the board meeting, you’ll be promoted to President of Distribution.”

As those words fell, Director Joo Yeon-hee’s shoulders simultaneously quivered.

The grandfather continued, “For those below, for those who work with us, there’s nothing more uncomfortable than someone who needs to rise not doing so, staying in their place. Those who should rise must do so quickly to avoid confusion in the organizational structure. That’s the destiny of the owning family, and their responsibility too.”

“…”

“It’s been 3 years and 8 months. That’s enough to prove yourself. Take the position of President. The current President of Distribution, Mr. Jeong, will soon be moved up to the group’s headquarters. Yeong-jin.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“Does it bother you that your younger brother becomes President first?”

Not at all.

In the current succession competition, who becomes President of a subsidiary first is meaningless.

Electronics, or the group’s headquarters.

That’s the crux of the matter, who enters there first. Promotions related to other subsidiaries are just for show.

In fact, Vice President Kang Yeong-jin must be sighing with relief inside.

“No. He’s fully capable, and he’s raised the performance figures so significantly, it’s only natural.”

“Natural? What’s natural?”

It was the father-in-law.

The father-in-law, who usually yields speaking to the grandfather at breakfast, looked sternly at Ms. Moon Jeong and Vice President Kang Yeong-jin before opening his mouth.

“The opportunities you were born with, clenched in your hands, are unfair from the perspective of most people, not natural.”

The grandfather chuckled through his nose, his mouth firmly closed, stepping back to let his son’s child-rearing take the stage.

“The moment you start to feel that unfairness as natural for your own benefit, soon you’ll find yourself surrounded only by people for whom unfairness is natural, rather than what’s right.”

“…”

“Such people, unable to prove their worth, will only cling to you, seeking unfair benefits. And the moment you feel surrounded only by such people, it’s already too late. There’s nothing more dangerous than that.”

It was perfect timing.

Had the father-in-law not spoken first, the grandfather would have raised his voice.

Director Joo Yeon-hee, pregnant, had no choice but to step forward.

“…Yes, I understand.”

Looking at Vice President Kang Yeong-jin, who bowed his head and pursed his lips, the grandfather said,

“Don’t be too upset about your younger brother taking the President’s seat first. When you were offered the position of Planning President, you chose that because you were interested in the chemical field.”

“Yes.”

“Alright, let’s all have a meal.”

***

After sending off his children and their spouses to work, Chairman Kang Man-ho entered the study following his father.

Chairman Kang Ki-young, already standing up from his wheelchair, was by the window.

Holding two walnuts in his hand and clasping them behind his back, rubbing them together in his palm, Chairman Kang Ki-young asked his son, Chairman Kang Man-ho.

“I’ll have someone prepare for the distribution board meeting within this week.”

“It’s about Moon-jung.”

“Yes.”

“Keep talking to your son whenever you find the time.”

Chairman Kang Man-ho swallowed his response.

“Moon-jung doesn’t have someone nagging him to have kids like Young-jin does.”

“How long have they been married now? Let’s just wait and see a little longer.”

“Ah, this man. If there was any news, it should have come out within four months.”

“Father. Regarding the succession issue, we should consider…”

“You’re being frustrating. I’m not talking about the succession of Daeyoung as Kang Ki-young. I’m speaking as a grandfather worried about his granddaughter.”

***

Chairman Kang Ki-young’s gaze was fixed on his granddaughter and her husband, who were now crossing the garden towards the garage.

Letting the executive assistant walk ahead, the couple walked side by side, maintaining a certain distance.

Moon-jung playfully poked Tae-sik’s side.

Responding nonchalantly, Tae-sik reached out his hand, and Moon-jung, taking it, lightly stepped forward.

Watching the couple from the study, Chairman Kang Ki-young remarked,

“Her looks, taste, stubbornness, even the way she judges people… How could she resemble her foolish mother so closely?”

“…”

“I’m worried she might be just like her in having trouble conceiving. That’s why I’m concerned.”

Chapter 45

It had been a week since the temporary shareholders’ meeting, where Kang Moon-jung was named as the summoner, was notified about the matter of her appointment as president of Daeyoung Distribution.

Before long, the season had fully transitioned into winter.

A figure from the group’s headquarters visited the vice president’s office at Daeyoung Chemicals.

In his hand was an envelope containing secret documents that had leaked from the group’s audit office.

“Is this it?”

“Yes.”

The headquarters had initiated a personal audit against Executive Director Kang Moon-jung as part of the necessary procedures for the president’s inauguration.

During the process, a suspicious transfer record of 5 billion won was discovered, which necessitated an explanation from the involved party.

The recipient of the 5 billion won was none other than her husband, Yoon Tae-sik, the head of the European division at Mulsan.

However, Vice President Kang Young-jin’s reaction to the confidential document was unexpected.

“Ah…”

Thud.

As if losing interest the moment he saw the document, Kang Young-jin casually dropped the papers onto the table with a thud and said,

“If it was just about this, you could’ve told me over the phone. Then we could’ve had lunch together after such a long time, why ask me to come here?”

“Were you aware of this?”

“How could I be? Do you think Executive Director Kang would discuss such matters with me?”

The effort to secretly inform Vice President Kang Young-jin of the matter seemed futile now.

The figure from headquarters had thought this information would be a useful weapon for the current Vice President Kang Young-jin, but his reaction was lukewarm at best.

“5 billion?”

“Vice President. It’s not about the amount…”

“Why wouldn’t the amount matter?”

Kang Young-jin’s lips began to curl into a smirk.

“Do you have so much money that this seems like a small amount to you?”

“That’s not what I mean…”

“From what I see, the only issue within this content is the 5 billion. Just that amount. 5 billion isn’t the name of someone’s pet dog.”

With a look that seemed to read the other’s mind, Kang Young-jin let out a light laugh and continued,

“The audacity to transfer 5 billion in cash directly from one’s own account to a personal account. I don’t even have that much cash on hand right now. What I do have are stocks, affiliate shares, real estate… things with no promise of when they’ll be used. It’s because he’s Executive Director Kang that he can flex like this.”

The figure from headquarters, still unaware of why Vice President Kang Young-jin had suddenly lost interest in the matter, was caught off guard.

Vice President Kang Young-jin, still in a competitive stance for succession against Executive Director Kang Moon-jung, displayed his political savvy as he spoke.

“Director. Do you know how much my annual salary is here at the chemical division? 270 million won. I’m the one without a separate performance bonus. Probably the lowest among the executive directors above the level of managing director across all of Daeyoung’s affiliates, right? I’m receiving far less than the basic vice president salary at the affiliate companies.”

Young-jin Kang hastily stuffed the documents he had just flung onto the table back into the envelope and pushed it across to the figure from the group’s headquarters.

He continued speaking.

“Executive Kang, I started my life at Daeyoung after being educated and coerced in Pyeongchang-dong. They taught us to fear the public eye. It didn’t matter if my own body was scarred, but I was never to tarnish the name of Daeyoung. And yet, you, Executive Kang, are doing exactly what you shouldn’t? And so blatantly?”

After tapping the envelope he had pushed forward with the tip of his finger, Young-jin Kang said,

“If this 5 billion won was problematic, do you think Executive Kang would have used his personal account? Would that meticulous Executive Yoon have received money into his personal account?”

“Then this money is…”

“I don’t know. It must have been given and received because it was worth it. It’s money I don’t need to know about. But what surprises me more than the fact that such a large sum of money was exchanged between Executive Kang and Executive Yoon is how loosely our director has been keeping tabs on Executive Kang, reporting in such a sporadic manner. I’m truly grateful for the thoughtfulness towards me…”

With a frustrated click of his tongue, Young-jin Kang straightened up.

“If you’re going to do it anyway, could you perhaps do it with a bit more sincerity from now on? Like, the specific details of what the 5 billion won was used for, things like that.”

In an instant, Young-jin Kang’s gaze sharpened.

“What can I do with just the details of 5 billion won changing hands? They could easily align their stories and be done with it. Would that be a problem for those two? Even if I don’t do anything, I’ll naturally come to know about it in Pyeongchang-dong. Are you asking me to be the scum who digs up dirt on his brother-in-law? Should I take this to the newspapers? Would I tarnish the name of our Daeyoung with my own hands?”

“…”

“Even if there’s a problem with the 5 billion won, shouldn’t I be in a position to try and cover it up together? Even from the perspective of Pyeongchang-dong.”

And then, as if he had never glared sharply, he began to smile.

Young-jin Kang knew well how to handle people who were desperate to show their loyalty.

It was about throwing them both the disappointment of the present and the anticipation of the future.

Then they become the beings who will strive on their own.

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’ll pass on content that only the privileged or interested would care about in the future. Since you’re here, let’s go have a meal together. Last time I saw, the director seemed to like Chinese cuisine, so let’s order a few dishes and you can tell me about the latest happenings at the group’s headquarters.”

5 billion won?

And six months ago.

So, just before the marriage announcement, that large sum of money went from Moon Jung to Yoon’s side?

Should I consider my wife’s suspicion to be correct?

A light laugh escaped Young-jin Kang’s lips once again.

***

The Gold Line franchises across the nation began to stir.

Marco Machine.

What the brand headquarters had been pressing as a hard sell was suddenly being recognized by the franchise owners as the best marketing they had ever seen or heard of.

“Why are you telling me to change the machine?”

-The content mentioned is not a mandatory requirement for replacement. We contacted you to ask you to check the official document regarding this matter.

Most franchise owners initially showed overt resistance.

“Headquarters always talk like that. There’s no need to bother. It’s not mandatory. But if you don’t do it, the system is rigged so that the non-compliant stores suffer. They only create promotions based on such systems. Isn’t this too much? I’ve just started my business a little over a year ago. And now you’re telling me to replace a coffee machine that’s as good as new? We need to survive too.”

We will take back the machine currently in use as a second-hand product.

Furthermore, we will provide the top-grade premium three-group machine, which costs over 30 million won each, at half price, and the difference can be paid in installments for up to 36 months.

In addition, we will provide home-use coffee machines that can be sold in stores on a consignment basis, without any cost, so train your staff well to help increase sales…

Most franchise owners reacted negatively to the proposal from the brand headquarters.

But just one week.

In just one week, the situation completely reversed.

“Huh? Why don’t you have it here? Excuse me.”

“Yes, customer.”

“Don’t you have the Marco machine here?”

“…”

Today, for the fourth time, customers entered the store and immediately checked the display stand used for interior decoration, not the order counter, and asked about the Marco machine.

“This promotion is only available in select stores.”

“Then, which stores are running the promotion? Please tell me the stores with the promotion.”

The promotion, aggressively pushed not by Goldline brand headquarters but by Daeyoung Distribution headquarters, started to catch fire.

Even the community board where coffee shop entrepreneurs gather began to buzz with talk of the promotion.

An anonymous member, who runs a Goldline franchise, floated the idea that they had traded in their old machine for a Marco machine, resulting in a payment difference of about 8 million won.

However, the main content of the post was that the promotion was extremely generous from the franchise owners’ perspective.

When the 8 million won difference was spread over 36 months, it resulted in a little over 200,000 won in additional operating costs per month, but the daily average sales of the home-use Marco machines, introduced as ETC products in the store over the past week, were significantly exceeding 200,000 won in store revenue.

A simple calculation showed that the difference could be offset within a month, and from the next month, it would be pure operating profit.

“This is Gwangmyeong Store No. 3.”

-Yes, owner.

“When can I get the Marco machine replaced if I apply now?”

-Ah, you’re going for the replacement?

“I think I was a bit short-sighted. It seems like a promotion worth trying.”

-But, owner.

“Yes.”

-The Marco machine-related content is not a promotion. Other owners also thought it was a promotion, but it’s an ETC product that headquarters plans to provide continuously.

“Is that so…?”

-And as I mentioned during the initial explanation, for new franchisees, it’s an inclusion without exception.

“So if I apply now, when can the replacement be done?”

-You said Gwangmyeong Branch No. 3, right? If you apply now, the replacement can be done by Friday at the latest.

“Do I have to wait that long?”

-It’s not just about replacing the machine; you have to consider about an hour for training on how to use the new machine, during which time we ask the store owners to vacate the premises.

“Then please make sure the replacement is done as soon as possible since I’m applying now.”

-Yes, understood. I’ve put in the request for Gwangmyeong Branch No. 3, and I’ll send you the technician’s contact details via text right away. You can coordinate the specific time with the technician.

***

I was reviewing the newly submitted business proposals.

Knock. Knock.

Joo Dong-jin entered and spoke from the doorway.

“Director.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Team Leader Son Jung-hyun from the group’s secretariat is here.”

“Already? Oh, please invite him in.”

“Yes.”

I had received a call in the morning.

Asking if I would be available after lunchtime.

A temporary shareholders’ meeting for the distribution company is scheduled for a few days later regarding Mr. Moon Jung’s appointment as president.

I was informed that my grandfather intended to send me as his proxy to that meeting, and that Team Leader Son would come with the power of attorney.

“It’s been a while, Team Leader.”

“Has it? I hear about you so often at the group’s headquarters that it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. Haha.”

“Please, take a seat here.”

Team Leader Son Jung-hyun handed me an envelope containing the power of attorney that my grandfather had sent.

“While handing over the envelope, Team Leader Son said this:

“My grandfather said to attend with the mindset of gaining experience. There can’t be any opposition to Executive Director Kang Moon-jung’s appointment as president, and even if there is, it wouldn’t have much influence, so just attend as a proxy with ease and vote in favor.”

“Yes.”

In my case, I’m currently registered as an unregistered executive at the trading company.

The Director of the European Division at Daeyoung Trading.

A position that must be appointed through the board of directors.

However, since the position was assigned according to the will of Pyeongchang-dong, under the authority of President Min Byung-jin, there are currently no shares held in any of Daeyoung’s affiliates.

Naturally, this also means there is no eligibility to attend the temporary shareholders’ meeting for distribution.

“That’s as far as the chairman’s words went.”

“Yes.”

“It seems a sensitive issue has arisen from the personal audit of Executive Kang Moon-jung.”

“A sensitive issue?”

That was the chairman’s statement?

A clear line is being drawn.

From now on, it means that what follows is entirely unrelated to the thoughts or stance of the chairman, but rather the subjective opinion of Team Leader Son.

“Since it’s a matter related to the division head as well, I thought you should know before attending the shareholders’ meeting.”

“Please speak comfortably.”

“Before your wedding, it was discovered that 5 billion won was transferred from Executive Kang Moon-jung’s account to the division head’s account.”

What am I hearing?

I thought it was a sensitive issue, but…

“This matter will surely be mentioned at least once at the shareholders’ meeting for the president’s inauguration, separate from the audit.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s mentioned, but is it included in the audit content?”

“The amount is significant, isn’t it?”

Seeing that he too seemed cautious about the matter, I intended to end the conversation with a simple acknowledgment and thanks for the heads-up.

But then.

“The chairman and the president are both aware of this matter.”

“I thought you knew already. If not, I assumed you would find out eventually.”

“It’s reassuring to hear that I don’t need to worry too much.”

Not really reassuring at all.

“More importantly, Team Leader.”

“Yes.”

“Is the great-aunt, Vice Chairman Kang Soon-im of Yuseong Cosmo, also attending the distribution shareholders’ meeting?”

“Having been with distribution for over three years, haven’t you experienced a shareholders’ meeting yet?”

“Isn’t this what grandfather sent me to try out? Haha.”

“No, what I mean is, even if you haven’t been inside the meeting hall… Ah, I see.”

The shareholders’ meeting was one occasion where protocol was not followed.

The owner herself.

And yet, Moon-Jung is still at the executive level.

Usually, personal secretaries are assigned from the director level as a principle.

She had always waited in the underground parking lot, never once having gone up to the shareholders’ meeting hall together.

“Yes, Vice Chairman Kang Soon-Im will certainly attend. But why do you ask…”

To that, I simply smiled lightly and brushed it off as nothing.

“Just curious.”

Chapter 46

“What do you call it? The thing women can wear on the left side of their chest when they wear suits, like a badge?”

“A brooch?”

“Ah, a brooch. Yes, that’s right, could you show me some?”

It was the day before the shareholders’ meeting.

I took a brief lunch break to buy a gift for Moon-Jung.

Rather than her taste, I pondered over a brand that would fit the image people would expect of her at tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting.

Moon-Jung Kang, a woman born with an innate glamour that didn’t need to be adorned with flashy jewels.

Preferably, instead of jewels touching the skin, a simple yet significant accessory like a brooch seemed more helpful for her image at tomorrow’s meeting.

And that… I wanted to prepare it for her.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes?”

At the waist-high glass showcase.

I was examining the brooches displayed by model when…

The store clerk approached me hesitantly.

“Is it you?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

I thought she was offering help to find a particular design, but it wasn’t the case.

“Kang Moon-Jung, the executive of Daeyoung. You’re her husband, aren’t you?”

“Ah. Yes, that’s correct.”

“Ever since you walked in, we’ve been debating whether it was you or not.”

“Really? Could you help me then? I’m looking at gifts for someone, but I’m not sure which one would suit them.”

I liked this part.

No need to laboriously explain what the recipient looks like or the kind of aura they have.

“But why come here instead of Daeyoung Department Store?”

A service worker’s joke, not too over the top, was thrown in.

“It’s not exactly a surprise, but it’s a gift I want to give spontaneously. You know, like ‘I thought this would suit you, so I picked it up on my way here.’ That kind of gift?”

“Aha! A bit of a tsundere vibe, right?”

“That seems to be the right concept. But if I bought it at Daeyoung Department Store, the story of buying the gift might reach their ears before the gift itself.”

***

I bought sushi on my way home from work.

The living room was a mess with her clothes strewn all over.

Several dark navy suits were scattered over the sofa.

High-heeled shoes that matched the suits were boxed up on the floor.

“You’re late today. What’s that?”

“I brought some sushi. From your favorite place.”

“Sushi?”

“People usually lose their appetite before important events. Sushi is the only thing you eat then.”

“Did you get late buying that?”

I was indeed late because of the sushi, but it seems she left work early to turn the house upside down.

It would be quite a task for the housekeeper to tidy up all these clothes tomorrow.

“I guess a heavier style would be appropriate for tomorrow?”

She stood in front of the full-length mirror, holding up a dark navy skirt dress, and said.

“Maybe you need a style that showcases your best attributes rather than a heavy feel?”

“My best attributes?”

“It’s about presenting who you are, isn’t it? Tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting. Youthful, chic, powerful. For tomorrow’s meeting, a sleek pantsuit might suit you better than a heavy dress.”

As if questioning why I was so actively involved in choosing an outfit, she puckered her lips.

“Personally, I think you look most dashing in a pantsuit.”

“Really?”

“It looks effortless. It clearly defines who Kang Moon-jung is, don’t you think?”

“Is my image that strong?”

“I like that image of you.”

“…”

“Rather than the image of being gentle and delicate, as if I need to protect you. Listen to me and try changing into a pantsuit. I’ll quickly go up and change my clothes and come down too.”

A navy slim double-breasted jacket that perfectly accentuates the waistline.

And the wide-legged pants that are part of the set with the jacket.

Judging by the fact that the hem of the pants isn’t dragging on the floor, she seems to be wearing high heels inside the house.

“How is it? Does it look okay?”

How could it not be okay?

Sometimes, I feel like it’s a lie that I’m living in the same space with such a person.

It seemed like a misunderstanding, the way I was lost in thought, looking at her as if I was dreaming.

“Why? Don’t you like this one? Should I try on something else?”

“No, it’s really nice.”

“Are you just saying it’s okay because you don’t want to bother checking multiple times and want to finish this quickly?”

“That’s not it.”

“No, your response just now lacked sincerity. Wait here, I’ll change into something black and come out.”

Why can’t you trust what I say?

What’s lacking in sincerity?

Just as I had hoped when I chose this brooch, she stood before me, exactly as I had imagined.

“Wait, just a moment.”

“Why?”

I stopped her as she was about to go into the room to change into another suit.

Then I stood her in front of a full-length mirror and said from behind her.

“Do you remember the Serena special exhibition at the Gangnam store this spring?”

“The Serena special exhibition? Of course, I remember.”

“Do you remember the hairstyle you had that day?”

“That day? How did I go that day?”

“You had a side parting and an updo at the back.”

“Oh, I remember. Wow… you remember all that?”

“It’s a confession I’m making now, but you were really splendid that day. You shone brighter than the models who decorated the place, so much so that it’s etched in my memory. How about trying that hairstyle again tomorrow?”

Moonjung and I were gazing at each other through the full-length mirror.

She tilted her head, pondering whether her current outfit matched the hairstyle she was wearing, as I presented her with a box containing a brooch.

“What’s this?”

“That day, you attended the event without any other accessories, just a brooch pinned on the left side of your chest. You were dressed just like now, in this style. It was splendid.”

Through her that day, with her hair elegantly swept up revealing her ears and neckline, I discovered for the first time how the wispy hairs trailing down a woman’s neck could look so luxurious.

Though not perfect, recalling that day, Moonjung swept her hands behind her neck, lifting her hair up.

While she roughly fashioned the hairstyle I recommended, I affixed the prepared brooch to the left side of her jacket.

“But is it appropriate to say ‘splendid’ to a woman?”

Moonjung asked with a slightly uneasy expression.

So, I lightly retorted as if it was a trivial matter.

“Isn’t a splendid appearance more fitting than a pretty or beautiful one for tomorrow?”

“Is this the feeling you had when you thought I looked splendid?”

“For now, I really like how you look, but what about you?”

“Why has this man been acting like this lately?”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you been attending some kind of class?”

“What class?”

Suddenly, she turned towards me, casting a suspicious glance.

“Your lines have become quite smooth lately, haven’t they? Were you always this good with words around women, or have you been practicing? Why are you like this today, making my heart flutter? Preparing a surprise gift out of the blue…”

“Is this something you can practice?”

“Were you always this good? How did you manage to hold back all this time while being by my side, not using this talent on other women?”

“Who says I haven’t used it properly?”

“Does that mean you’ve been using it secretly?”

“Why would I need to do it secretly? I might not know about after marriage, but until then, I was free, no matter what anyone said.”

“Are you joking? Don’t I know you? In the past five years, there’s no history of me seeing you with another woman.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. To my mother, I’m a son, a husband, and sometimes even a boyfriend.”

“…”

“Do you know how difficult it is to fulfill those three roles simultaneously? I’m the person who has perfectly managed that difficult task all this time without a single mistake.”

At that, Moonjung suddenly looked at me seriously, then burst into a bright smile.

“Wow… who would have imagined that I’d be receiving styling coaching from you?”

“Is it not good?”

“You said it looked nice, didn’t you? Not just nice, but really nice?”

“Totally.”

“Then that settles it. Okay, deal! No more worries. What kind of sushi did you get?”

“I got the ones that are easy to feed you. Go change into something comfortable and come out. I’ll get everything ready.”

***

On the day of the shareholders’ meeting.

Daeyoung Convention Center.

The center hall unfolded like an airport departure lounge.

Two tables surrounded by black cloth.

There, after receiving a simple shareholders’ meeting guide, I followed a makeshift corridor created by isolation belts, which led to several reception counters partitioned with acrylic panels like bank teller windows.

After thorough identity verification as a proxy, I entered the shareholders’ meeting hall.

The chairs were arranged with such precision that they reminded me of a neat checkerboard, filling the vast hall without a single discrepancy.

Near the entrance of the hall, not too far away, an enormous camera suitable for online broadcasting, like those seen in TV stations, was installed.

“You can go inside.”

A man who seemed to be a staff member for the meeting guided me to the front row near the stage area.

There, leaving a middle seat empty, my father-in-law, her aunt, and Kang Soon-im, the vice-chairman of Yuseong Cosmo, were already seated.

“Have you arrived?”

“You’re early, aren’t you?”

Even as I greeted my father-in-law, my gaze kept turning towards my great-aunt.

“It’s more comfortable to arrive early and sit down at such events. If you come late, even the way in here feels like a thousand miles. You have to acknowledge everyone you see. According to Manager Jang, you arrived earlier, why are you coming in now?”

“I was having coffee in the waiting room with Moonjeong.”

Before sitting down, I quickly greeted my great-aunt.

“It’s been a while, auntie.”

“Have you been well?”

“Yes, and you too, auntie?”

I took my seat between them, and my aunt spoke first.

“You seem to have lost a lot of weight since I last saw you?”

“Is that so…?”

She had come wearing her glasses with the ever-present red hue in the lenses today.

Auntie’s impression seemed stronger due to her flamboyant makeup.

“Yoon, you know what ‘sparkle’ means, right?”

Sparkle?

I heard it as ‘sparkle.’

But as I listened carefully to what she was saying, it seemed like she wasn’t talking about ‘sparkling,’ but just a ‘spark.’

“Doing it just once means nothing. There are countless people who just spark once and then disappear.”

“…Yes.”

“You shouldn’t just be someone who sparks; you should be someone who sparkles.”

I couldn’t grasp what she was trying to say.

“To be that kind of person, the first and second most important things are self-management.”

“…Yes.”

“Self-management isn’t something someone else can do for you. Sure, work is important, and it’s important for you, Yoon, to produce good results and gain recognition, but…”

At that moment, I caught Auntie sneaking a glance at my father-in-law.

But I pretended not to notice and nodded, continuing to listen.

“You have to look at the long term. Otherwise, you’ll get tired halfway and won’t be able to pick up the real pace when it’s necessary.”

“Yes.”

“Make time for exercise, eat well, things that are good for your body. That’s how you handle the truly important tasks.”

“…”

“Does father think a lot about you, Yoon?”

That question was directed not at me, but at my father-in-law.

“Instead of sending Manager Son as a proxy, he sent you, Yoon.”

To that, my father-in-law looked at Auntie with his usual expressionless face and opened his mouth.

“There are family members who can attend on behalf, it’s only natural.”

“No, that’s not it. When it was Youngjin’s turn, he didn’t send Yeonhee but Manager Son.”

“Youngjin was promoted to vice president before his wedding.”

“Was he? Now that you mention it, that’s right.”

Was I being paranoid?

Or had I become so accustomed to double-checking even the smallest details that I was filled with unnecessary doubts?

Strangely, even this ordinary conversation between the two felt like a subtle battle of nerves.

But the truly strange event happened shortly after.

“Pretty, isn’t she?”

That was my aunt asking.

While glancing at the screen that briefly captured her niece’s image.

An announcement came on, signaling that the general meeting would soon begin.

Simultaneously, a calibration video appeared on the massive screen that almost entirely covered the front of the meeting hall.

Cameras for the online broadcast were installed not only at the back of the hall but also on either side of the gigantic screen.

Camera one, camera two… The screen displayed a camera test, and soon, it showed Kang Moon-jung, her figure captured on the screen.

My aunt, watching her image on the screen, asked me that question with a smile on her lips.

And through the gap in her glasses, I could see an undeniable affection for her niece in her eyes.

To me, it looked like love.

“…Yes.”

“She was always smiling as a child, like an angel without equal. It’s nice to see that face from her childhood days reemerging lately.”

“…”

“I always thought of her as just a kid, but when did she grow up so much? Now she carries a certain gravitas. Yun’s husband has to treat her well.”

My father-in-law had been listening to the conversation between my aunt and me the whole time.

“In that suffocating house, without having to argue or calculate, without needing to mind anyone’s gaze, there’s only one person who can unconditionally stand by Moon-jung’s side. That’s Yun’s husband.”

Just at that moment, the chairman began presiding over the meeting.

And shortly after, Kang Moon-jung, with confident strides, was ascending the stage.

This was the person I had just come out of the green room with about 15 or 20 minutes ago, sitting face to face, exchanging light jokes to ease the tension, sharing a coffee together.

But at this moment, she had transformed back into the unyielding and confident Executive Kang Moon-jung I had always admired before her marriage.

Wearing the brooch I gifted her, the hairstyle and outfit I recommended.

Indeed, she was a remarkable person who could perfectly embody confidence and poise, no matter what clothes or hairstyle she wore.

Chapter 47

“…Along with the core businesses of Daeyoung Distribution, which are department stores, duty-free shops, and hotels, we have also seen great success in the Mongolian market over the past three years with convenience stores and supermarkets. With these experiences, we will develop and expand more of Daeyoung’s brands and business sectors through the FP Business Division, aggressively pioneering the global market.”

As the presidential candidate’s speech concluded, a thunderous applause erupted within the general meeting hall.

My father-in-law to my right, and my aunt to my left, both contributed to the applause with measured movements.

The image of her struggling to memorize the speech the night before, feigning distress that wasn’t entirely feigned, overlapped in my mind. In the end, she maintained her composure as I had anticipated and delivered the speech flawlessly, which made me feel inexplicably proud.

Shortly after, the current president of Daeyoung Distribution, who was chairing this meeting, proceeded with the public questioning of the presidential candidate.

“Yes, could we please pass the microphone over there?”

The session began very smoothly.

At the chairman’s direction, a meeting facilitator handed the microphone to none other than President Min Byung-jin of our Mulsan company.

He posed a question that was akin to spoon-feeding rice directly into Ms. Moon’s mouth.

It was as if he was saying that such talents should be publicly known through this platform, and Ms. Moon perfectly digested and responded to the question.

Subsequently, somewhat childish and thus slightly embarrassing questions were raised here and there during this shareholders’ meeting, all seemingly aimed at further highlighting the figure of Kang Moon-jung.

But just then.

“Let me ask a question too!”

From the far end of the hall, an incongruous, impassioned voice of an elderly man flowed out.

Simultaneously, the expressions of the chairman and the IR staff began to sour.

“I’ve been raising my hand like this for a while now, why do you only select questions from the front! Is it okay to ignore shareholder rights like this!”

The appearance of a general meeting disruptor.

Entities that enter the meeting hall with just one share, intent on wasting the time of busy people or trying to exert influence.

While Daeyoung had not seen much of this behavior, in some cases, groups enter with the purpose of paralyzing the meeting itself.

Their goal, of course, is money.

And perhaps they feel a great thrill when they see the company’s representative, or someone of similar influence, squirm and bow before them.

If their unreasonable demands cross a line, it’s customary for the IR staff to discreetly call them aside and hand them a sum of money as ‘hush money’ to ensure a smooth meeting.

However, if such tacit negotiations fail, it’s almost always because they have been paid a certain amount by external forces to deliberately delay or disrupt the meeting.

What could be the nature of those who appeared in today’s meeting?

Are they simply beings who make a living by roaming corporate meetings with a heart of stone, or are they influenced by external forces that have seeped into this meeting?

“…Yes, could we please pass the microphone to that person?”

Eventually, the chairman had no choice but to instruct the facilitators.

“I’m Kim Won-man, who came up from Suwon.”

Indeed, their pattern was just as I had heard.

I had never actually seen a shareholder activist before, but their notoriety was so well-known that it felt like I had.

“I hear our candidate grew up so privileged and without want, that they don’t even consider billions of won as money, having no fear of the world…”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

The chairman had to intervene.

But a few words of restraint were unlikely to stop such entities.

“What do you mean, ‘wait a moment’? We haven’t even started yet?”

The epitome of stubbornness.

I quickly glanced at Moon Jung, standing alone and isolated on the stage.

For a brief moment, she looked back at me, struggling to lift the corners of her mouth.

Yet, no dimples could be found on her face.

“I heard that since being nominated as a presidential candidate, an individual audit of Executive Kang Moon Jung has begun at the group level.”

An impossible event was unfolding.

“In the process, it was discovered that a transfer of 5 billion won had been made from Executive Kang Moon Jung’s personal account to her husband Yoon Tae-sik’s account. We need an explanation for this!”

Isn’t this strange?

Too strange to be true.

Daeyoung Group has been live-streaming all subsidiary shareholder meetings online, without distinction between regular and extraordinary, for the past four years.

How many people, how many shareholders, could check the scene of this meeting if they wished, even if they couldn’t make it to the meeting hall themselves?

Sitting between my father-in-law and aunt, I wasn’t concerned with the content spouted by that shareholder activist grandpa.

Instead, I was more curious about how he knew such confidential information.

Daeyoung Group.

A leading conglomerate in South Korea.

Not just any conglomerate, but the number one group in the country.

Would such a group’s headquarters audit office leak this information carelessly?

Or would external forces extract such information from the fortress-like audit office?

Could such a thing be possible?

Suddenly, I remembered the conversation I had last week with Manager Son, who visited the trading division.

“The matter will definitely be mentioned at the shareholder meeting, which is convened for the president’s inauguration, separate from the audit.”

How did Manager Son know that the content confirmed by the fortress-like audit team at the group’s headquarters, especially details that should never be included in an audit, like personal accounts and private assets, would definitely be mentioned today at this meeting?

His tone was one of certainty.

Thinking about it now, it was a tone of absolute assurance.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s mentioned, but does that include the content of the gratitude?”

“Isn’t it about the amount?”

Why the amount?

Whether I sent 50,000 won or 5 billion, what does the amount have to do with anything?

In my common sense, I couldn’t understand why that would be a problem, so I didn’t take it seriously, but suddenly, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was strange.

I quickly checked the expressions of my father-in-law and aunt.

My father-in-law had an expressionless face, fixated on his daughter on stage, and my aunt, too, was snickering in a way that didn’t fit the current situation, turning her gaze towards the old shareholder.

“Why can’t you answer? Try to answer.”

The shareholders’ meeting began to stir.

And then, on stage, she took a deep breath, licked her lips, and prepared to respond.

“I would like to correct just one expression from what you just mentioned.”

It was a voice with a strange power to focus the restless atmosphere of the hall onto herself in an instant.

“What?”

“Exposed. Don’t we usually use the word ‘exposed’ when someone’s wrongdoing is discovered or revealed? I have never done anything legally or morally wrong. And the matter in question is strictly my personal, private affair.”

“How can that be a private matter!”

Eventually, the chairman warned the old shareholder.

“The matter in question is not a pre-notified agenda item. And as Executive Kang Moon-jung previously mentioned, it is strictly her personal, private domain. Please stop.”

“Do you think I’m someone who has to stop just because you say so? Are you ignoring me now because I’m a small shareholder?”

“Shareholder!”

“Shareholder, what?”

The tension and embarrassment that had been felt for a moment slowly lifted, and a sense of ease finally began to appear on Ms. Moon-jung’s face.

She raised her hand towards the chairman, then gestured to continue granting the old shareholder the right to ask questions.

Then, she turned to the white-haired old shareholder with a relaxed smile and said.

“Could you please make your question a bit more specific?”

I thought it was remarkable.

It was somewhat disheartening to realize that someone could have such high resistance to stress.

Would I have been able to respond as calmly as that if I were on that stage right now?

Of course, I would have restrained myself as much as possible, but at the very least, I would have started by questioning how and through whom the matter came to light.

But then again, that would only serve to expose the vulnerabilities of the organization called Daeyoung to all the shareholders.

“If you could specify exactly what part made you so angry, and what exactly you want to ask, I will answer each question sincerely.”

“Start by telling me whether it’s true you transferred five billion to your husband.”

There seem to be too many monstrous people around.