“It’s all because of you. You—!”
Chairman Seo Yonggeon, thoroughly drunk, was raging.
Empty bottles rolled across the dimly lit study, their labels indistinct in the faint light.
Seo Jaehun, the target of his father’s fury, looked back at him with a strangely calm face.
“If you hadn’t caused that damn ss, we wouldn’t have fallen behind Joongwoo Electronics like this!”
Chairman Seo deeply regretted handing over Ilseong Electronics’ technology to save his son.
That decision had beco poison—tightening the noose around his own neck—and that made him even more furious.
Grinding his teeth audibly, he hurled the glass in his hand toward his son.
The glass whizzed past Jaehun’s face and shattered against the wall.
But despite it passing dangerously close, Jaehun didn’t even blink. His voice was cold when he spoke.
“How is that my fault? I only did as I was taught. Crush and take. That’s what Ilseong must do. That’s what a ruler should do. Haven’t you always said so? I only followed your teachings.”
“Then you should have won! Or at least not gotten caught! I was a fool. A damn fool—for thinking I should make you my heir just because you’re my only son.”
Chairman Seo’s voice trembled with regret.
Jaehun replied without emotion, his tone glacial.
“Then all of this is your fault, Father. Everything is your own karma. The feud between you and Chairman Cheon Taesan never ended—it’s simply continued to this day.”
“What? How dare you—!”
“Why? It’s not that easy to throw away now, is it?”
“You...! You dare show your true nature to too!”
Enraged, Chairman Seo shot to his feet, shouting.
But before he could continue, his expression twisted in pain. A sharp spasm struck his chest.
The dull ache rapidly spread. The pain squeezed his heart tight, leaving him gasping wordlessly, clutching his chest.
Jaehun didn’t move. He just stood there, watching.
There was even a faint smile playing at his lips.
Chairman Seo struggled to speak.
“You...”
But he never finished the sentence. His body collapsed sideways with a dull thud.
Jaehun didn’t take his eyes off him. Then, rising from his chair, he picked up the bottle on the table and smashed it against the wall.
The shattered glass clattered against the floor.
He turned his head and murmured softly,
“You won’t die, Father. But you’ll never stand again.”
Kneeling beside the fallen chairman, he spoke gently.
“Rest easy. From now on, I’ll lead Ilseong. Father.”
Chairman Seo’s trembling hand slipped limply to the floor.
After confirming that, Jaehun shouted,
“Father! Father! What’s wrong! Secretary Lee!”
At his desperate cry, Lee Seokmin, who had been waiting outside, rushed in.
He froze for a mont upon seeing Chairman Seo collapsed—and Jaehun’s trembling voice paired with smiling eyes.
“What are you doing! Call an ambulance, now!”
“Y-yes!”
Hands shaking, Lee Seokmin called Ilseong Hospital.
Jaehun’s gaze didn’t miss a single movent.
The family doctor arrived in haste, checked the chairman’s condition, and said he must be taken to the hospital imdiately.
“Will he survive?”
Lee Seokmin asked as he rubbed the chairman’s cold hand. The doctor hesitated.
“We’ll need to run detailed tests... I can’t guarantee anything. His heartbeat is extrely weak.”
At that mont, Lee Seokmin rembered Chairman Cheon Taesan—how he’d died after being injected with a drug that stopped his heart.
Clenching his eyes shut, he forced his trembling voice to steady.
“This must not—absolutely must not—leak to the outside.”
Chairman Seo Yonggeon was carried out on a stretcher.
As the doctor and dical team left, Jaehun called after Seokmin.
“Secretary Lee.”
Seokmin turned back.
“Co with to the hospital. There’s a mountain of things to discuss.”
“...Understood.”
The two left together for Ilseong Hospital.
Once in the car, Jaehun began listing tasks as if he had already prepared everything.
“First, contact the hospital and clear the VIP ward. Discharge or transfer all patients to Korea National University Hospital.”
“Those people are—”
Jaehun raised his hand, cutting him off.
“I know what you’re about to say. But we need to avoid prying eyes—for at least a few days.”
Seeing Jaehun’s icy stare, Seokmin quickly replied,
“Yes, I’ll handle it.”
He imdiately called the hospital director and relayed every word as ordered.
After ending the call, Jaehun spoke again.
“Secretary Lee.”
“Yes, Vice President.”
“Convene all the division heads in three days.”
“In three days?”
“If Father hasn’t regained consciousness by then, I’ll announce it publicly during the board eting and take command myself. Ilseong is facing an unprecedented crisis.”
Though Seokmin had expected it, hearing Jaehun so openly declare his intent to replace the chairman made him fall silent.
His words flowed without hesitation—like soone reading from a prewritten script.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
“No, sir.”
“Ilseong was going to be mine eventually. Now that Father’s in this state, I’ll take the reins.”
Even though Seo Yonggeon’s condition hadn’t been confird yet, Jaehun spoke as though he already knew the old man would never recover.
‘Vice President Seo Jaehun... could it be...?’
The thought hovered in Lee Seokmin’s mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud.
Jaehun watched him coldly.
* * *
The sudden appearance of Cheon Jisoo left my thoughts tangled, but only for a mont.
“Let her in.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Then I’ll get going,” said Eva, rising from her seat as soon as she heard I would et Jisoo.
She was deliberately giving us privacy.
“Sorry, Eva. Let’s grab a al soti soon. We’ll discuss the rest then.”
“Sure. But it’d better be an expensive one, Boss.”
Her teasing loosened the tension in my face.
After Eva and Manager Ma left, it wasn’t long before he returned, leading Jisoo in.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
She greeted with a smile.
“We’re not exactly on smiling terms. Sit.”
Despite my cold tone, she kept her smile as she sat down.
I looked at her expressionlessly.
“Did you find sothing amusing? I’m pretty sure we agreed at Grandfather’s funeral never to have anything to do with each other again.”
“Amusing? No. I’ve been keeping up with your news. You think I’d dare ignore you? If anything, I’m scared.”
Cheon Jisoo was still the sa. Even under pressure, she acted as if it were nothing.
There was no point in pressing further. I clicked my tongue and crossed my legs.
“What do you want?”
“I brought important information. Surely that earns a cup of coffee?”
“Do all Cheons live their lives with skin that thick? Impressive, Jisoo. Really impressive.”
I said dryly, then called to the man standing behind .
“That new coffee we got?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Bring two cups.”
Once Manager Ma stepped out, I turned back to her.
“I don’t intend to look at your face for long, so get to the point. Don’t tell you ca about Chairman Seo Yonggeon being hospitalized.”
The smile vanished from Jisoo’s face.
“What? You thought I wouldn’t know?”
“How... how do you know that? I barely found out myself. Even the family doesn’t know yet...”
“Well.”
So much for thinking she’d learned cunning from running hotels. Still far from it.
From her flustered tone and reaction, I could already gather a lot.
Chairman Seo’s collapse hadn’t been announced to the family yet, and soone close to him was secretly in contact with her.
“If that’s all you ca to say, I’m disappointed. I thought you had sothing important.”
At that, she blurted out urgently,
“He suddenly collapsed at ho. They rushed him to Ilseong Hospital, but he’s still unconscious. No one knows when he’ll wake up. That’s all I know.”
“Who found him?”
“I only heard he was with Jaehun in the study when it happened.”
Just as I suspected — Jaehun was involved.
I rubbed my chin, sorting through my thoughts, when Manager Ma returned with coffee.
He placed a cup before each of us, then stood behind . I lifted mine and inhaled its aroma.
‘So Jaehun really did sothing. But how to confirm it? If Seo Yonggeon suddenly collapsed, it has to be so kind of drug...’
Jisoo didn’t touch her coffee. She was staring at instead. I frowned.
“What is it? You asked for coffee, yet you’re not drinking it. Why are you staring like that?”
“Help . If we miss this chance, Jaehun will take Ilseong completely.”
“That’s what you ca here to say? I already refused you before. You have enough with the hotel and departnt store businesses. Why keep getting greedy? You barely have any shares left anyway.”
“If I combine mine with Mother’s, then—”
Still the sa nonsense. I raised my hand to stop her.
“No matter how hard you flail, you can’t tear down the web Chairman Seo built. Unless you have a way to break that tangled share structure—which you don’t.”
Only Seo Yonggeon and his secretary, Lee Seokmin, knew every detail.
Not even Han Kyungyeong or Eva had found a crack in that intricate defense.
That’s why I’d decided to destroy Ilseong Group completely instead.
“You could make it happen,” she said.
“Why should I? Why would I take the harder road when the easy one’s right in front of ?”
“Aunt’s matter—”
“Hey.”
I set my cup down. My voice was flat, emotionless. Jisoo flinched.
“Don’t you dare ntion my mother with that filthy mouth. The only reason I’ve let you and Jiwon be is because of Grandfather’s will. Say another word.”
“...Sorry.”
She apologized, but all I felt was disgust.
I loathed fools who never learned, who kept making repeat myself.
“Bring a reason why I should back you. Then I’ll ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ think about it. Otherwise, don’t ever co to again.”
“...”
I ignored her silence and turned to Manager Ma.
“See the guest out.”
“Yes, Boss.”
He stepped forward.
“Please stand, Miss.”
But Jisoo ignored him and called out to again.
“Help .”
I crossed my arms and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see her face anymore.
“Stand up. Or I’ll make you stand,” Manager Ma warned sharply.
But Jisoo didn’t move.
“Please... help . I want to live. Jaehun will kill . He won’t let live.”
Her voice, trembling with fear, filled the room. I opened my eyes.
The boldness she’d shown monts ago had vanished—her gaze was quivering.
Manager Ma stepped forward to pull her up.
“Wait, Manager.”
I raised a hand to stop him.
“What do you an by that?”
“Jaehun will kill . If he thinks I’m in his way, he’ll do it without hesitation. Please, help .”
So she had realized sothing about who Jaehun really was.
In that case, she might still be useful.
“Jaehun’s going to kill you?”
“Yes. He’s the type who’d do it.”
“And what makes you so sure? Isn’t that just your feeling?”
“Grandfather told . To give up on Ilseong. Father too. He said that even if he liked , he couldn’t pass it to —that if I wanted to live, I should stay out of it.”
I studied her terrified face.
“That warning alone isn’t enough to make you shake like this.”
“I know what Jaehun really is. He’d kill anyone who stands in his way. Please... help . I don’t want to die.”
Her bitten lips trembled as fear clouded her eyes.
I had never once seen Cheon Jisoo like this—neither before, nor in the future I rembered.
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