From dawn, the headquarters building of Ilseong Trading, where the shareholders’ eting was to be held, was buzzing with activity.
Because the battle for managent rights was expected to bring many shareholders, employees prepared with all their might.
Yet the employees’ faces showed no worry at all.
They knew Chairman Seo Yonggeon was not soone who would lose control of managent.
“How many nights do we have to work overti just for this shareholders’ eting? Damn, I’m sick of it!”
One employee setting water and snacks for the major shareholders snapped sharply.
“Just endure it. It’ll all be over today.”
His colleague tried to calm him down, but the annoyed employee didn’t stop.
“What do we care who takes managent rights? But the manager keeps taking it out on us every day.”
“Stop it. Soone might hear.”
His colleague glanced nervously around.
“No one’s coming yet. We’ve still got an hour.”
Just then, the big door at the back opened, and a woman walked in with a man.
The startled employees turned their heads. The ones entering were Eva and Manager Ma.
“Looks like no one’s here yet.”
At Eva’s words, Manager Ma looked around and nodded.
‘Today, Manager Ma will assist you.’
Seeing him quietly scanning the surroundings, Eva recalled Kim Muhyuk’s words.
He had sent even Manager Ma to support her. That alone showed how much importance he placed on this matter. Eva renewed her resolve.
She would make sure things went exactly as he wanted.
“Let’s take our seats, Madam Representative.”
“Sit with as well, Manager Ma.”
The employees stole glances at Eva, whom they had only ever seen in newspapers.
When Eva reached the section they were still setting, she asked,
“Where is our seat?”
“Ah, this way.”
“Thank you.”
Smiling lightly at the guiding employee, Eva sat down with Manager Ma.
The staff finished their work quickly and left the room.
Once the conference hall grew quiet, Eva spoke.
“Do you think Chairman Seo Yonggeon will co in person today?”
“I believe so. No one knows better than he how complicated this fight for control will make Ilseong’s structure.”
As the two talked, people began to gather into the hall.
Reporters with caras were also taking positions, proof of how much attention this eting had drawn.
“It’s about to start, yet no one from Ilseong Group is here.”
Eva muttered, glancing between the clock and the entrance.
Almost as if on cue, Seo Yonggeon appeared.
The door opened, and led by him, Ilseong’s core figures entered.
Behind him walked his son, Seo Jaehun, returned from Japan.
“Representative Eva? This must be our first eting?”
“Yes, Chairman. A pleasure to et you.”
Eva smiled and offered her hand. But Seo Yonggeon frowned at the gesture, his displeasure obvious.
“Both you and your master are equally ill-mannered.”
Eva drew her hand back. Though insulted, she replied without flinching.
“Did you say ill-mannered? Ah, right, this is Korea. I was taught here that one only shows true respect to those worthy of it. But if you insist, I suppose I could.”
“Tch······.”
Clicking his tongue at Eva’s needling, Seo sneered.
“I heard you had a rough ti in Japan. Seems you still haven’t learned.”
At his ntion of the attack in Japan, Eva’s face stiffened.
The more her face hardened, the more Seo’s grin deepened.
“Don’t misunderstand. I only said it because I was worried. Anyway, let’s hope today’s eting ends smoothly. Though of course, that won’t happen.”
His confidence made Eva sense sothing strange.
But instead of showing it, she focused on softening her expression.
“By the way, is President Kim Muhyuk not here? Is it because this fight is already won?”
“Ilseong Trading isn’t worth the Chairman coming in person.”
“Hah······. Still refusing to yield even a word. Let’s see if you can still smile once this is over. We’ll see whether this eting really ends smoothly.”
Finishing, Seo turned and went to his seat.
But Seo Jaehun lingered, staring at Eva with an unreadable gaze.
Feeling his chilly stare, Eva t his eyes. He glared at her silently for a while before turning away.
The sight made her shiver. She shook her head slightly and murmured,
“Sothing’s off. ‘If it ends smoothly’?”
But Manager Ma only kept his eyes fixed sternly on Seo Yonggeon.
Noticing the hostility, Eva softly called him.
“Manager.”
Finally, he spoke in a low voice.
“Focus only on the eting, Madam Representative. The Boss will handle everything else.”
Though short, his words carried conviction. That alone gave Eva a strange sense of reassurance.
Not long after she sat down, the shareholders’ eting began.
* * *
One day before the eting.
“You called, Boss.”
“Yes, have a seat.”
I summoned Yoo Seongjin, newly handed control of the organization, to the Myeongdong office.
Carrying an envelope, I moved to the sofa and handed it across.
“You’ve secured full control of the organization?”
“Yes, it’s completely under control now.”
“I knew you’d manage. Open it.”
Inside were dozens of photos and papers listing personal information.
Looking over them, Yoo Seongjin raised his head. His questioning eyes made explain.
“These are the shareholder thugs who’ll show up tomorrow. Make sure they can’t get into the hall.”
These so-called “shareholder thugs” existed only in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.
They were no more than lowlifes who extorted money by disrupting or aiding shareholders’ etings.
Parasites who even passed the job down to their children. Thinking of them made click my tongue.
“Just stop them from showing up?”
At his question, I nodded slightly.
“Whatever ans necessary. Just make sure they don’t co.”
“Understood.”
There was no way Ilseong could protect control by normal thods anymore. Their plan must have been to unleash these thugs and throw the eting into chaos.
In Japan, bank presidents had committed suicide after harassnt from such groups.
In Korea, retired policen and ex-legal professionals turned into shareholder thugs, disrupting etings with vicious tactics.
If they set their minds to it, proceedings could hardly # Nоvеlight # go smoothly.
Especially in Korea, a society where the loudest voice won.
“Make sure this one—Kim Seokhee—absolutely cannot co. He’s trouble.”
On the top sheet was his na: a forr police chief, known as the godfather of shareholder thugs, specially handled by Ilseong.
Yoo Seongjin studied his profile carefully.
“Tomorrow marks the beginning of Ilseong’s downfall. The day the world learns of it.”
Even if disruptions could be pushed aside, I wanted the eting finished cleanly.
Catching my aning, Yoo Seongjin’s eyes glead coldly.
* * *
The court-appointed chairman struck the gavel, opening the eting.
Minor agenda items passed quickly.
As ti went on, Seo Yonggeon’s face stiffened, and the executives around him fidgeted uneasily.
Seeing this, Eva whispered softly to Manager Ma.
“Seems sothing’s gone wrong with their plan.”
“They must have been waiting for the thugs. But the Boss already took care of it.”
At the word “thugs,” Eva’s face showed surprise.
“Those kinds of people still exist?”
“Hyenas exist everywhere.”
Raised in Hong Kong, Eva found it hard to grasp. She was about to speak again when Manager Ma gave a small signal with his eyes.
“Now the real match begins.”
The chairman struck the gavel again, bringing up the agenda of dismissing the current board.
“The next agenda item is the dismissal of the current directors.”
The hall, silent until now, suddenly grew noisy. What had been trivial agenda items until now turned into a full-blown battle for control.
After Eva’s side spoke, Ilseong’s side took the floor with long-winded opposition, trying to drag out ti.
But the chairman ignored their endless objections. Having already aligned with Future Investnt, he wasn’t about to be stalled.
“The opposition’s remarks will end here.”
“Chairman!”
“Now we will hear from other shareholders and proceed to the vote.”
A few minor shareholders gave their opinions. But in shareholders’ etings, they carried little weight.
With the principle of one share, one vote, without thugs or extre shareholders, etings usually ended quickly.
As the vote approached, Seo Yonggeon’s face remained locked in a scowl, as if already sensing defeat.
When the voting ended, the chairman struck the gavel.
“The dismissal of the current board has passed. We will now move to the agenda of appointing new directors.”
After all the buildup, the shareholders’ eting ended anticlimactically.
Even visiting shareholders muttered about the lack of excitent as they left the hall.
When the room had mostly emptied, Seo Yonggeon still sat rigid in place.
“Chairman Seo Yonggeon.”
Eva walked toward him and spoke. He turned his head to et her eyes.
“Looks like we’re the ones smiling.”
She bead brightly. But Seo only glared in silence.
“This is just the beginning. You’ll pay dearly for disturbing my Boss’s peace.”
He continued glaring. His executives looked on, dumbfounded.
“I’ll have to ask you to leave now. It’s ti for us to decide how Ilseong Trading will be run—with our new directors.”
Behind Eva stood the newly appointed board mbers. Among them were forr executives who had been ousted, as well as Seo Maenggeon’s n.
The invaders had won, and the defeated had to withdraw.
Seo’s eyes swept over each new director with seething hostility, morizing their faces.
“Let’s go.”
Showing his displeasure, he rose to his feet.
“Representative Eva, don’t grow overconfident. This ti was Ilseong’s defeat, but we’ll take it back. As you said, this is Korea.”
“I’ll look forward to it. See you at next week’s Ilseong Electronics shareholders’ eting.”
The Ilseong affiliates’ etings would follow one after another.
Thinking of it, Seo scowled deeply and turned away. His executives hurried after him.
“Representative Eva, that was entertaining.”
Seo Jaehun stayed behind, smiling as he spoke to her.
“Entertaining? Thank you for saying so.”
“President Kim Muhyuk was intriguing, and so are you.”
His lips smiled, but his eyes did not. The chill in them unsettled Eva.
Without realizing, her body trembled slightly. Sensing it, Manager Ma pressed firmly on her shoulder and spoke to Seo.
“Vice Chairman, please leave as well.”
“Ah, you’re the one always at President Kim’s side. I’ll look forward to the next eting. Until then.”
With that, Seo Jaehun turned and left. Only then could Eva steady herself.
“Representative Eva. Do not show weakness in front of others.”
At his reminder, Eva nodded.
As she let out a small breath to compose herself, the heavy door Seo had opened closed with a loud bang.
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