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Because of Min-hyuk, who was still worrying about her first even in this situation, Joo-eun couldn’t move a muscle.
“I’ll call the police. I’ll report this to the police.”
“Don’t worry. Those guys can’t lay a finger on me.”
“But still…”
“If you want an article about the son of DK Group getting into a fight in the middle of the city, go ahead.”
Joo-eun shook her head fiercely.
He mustn’t get hurt, but she didn’t want such an article to come out either.
“I won’t do it. I won’t.”
“Good girl. It’ll be over soon, so just bear with it for a little while.”
He grabbed her arms and gave her a reassuring smile that said, ‘You trust me, right?’ before heading downstairs.
I trust you. I do… but how big is the difference in numbers, exactly?
“Please…”
I hope nothing happens.
Joo-eun clasped her hands tightly together, praying fervently, when not long after, a thud rang out, making her heart skip a beat.
Joo-eun’s startled eyes reflexively squeezed shut.
Her eyelashes grew damp from the repeated dull thuds.
She had to bite down hard on her lip to stop herself from calling 112.
“Ugh… President… Are you really going to make a big deal out of this?”
An unfamiliar voice came from below.
“Who’s the one making a big deal?”
At Min-hyuk’s low reply, Joo-eun’s eyes shot open.
He’s fine. The president isn’t hurt!
A smile spread across her face, which had been on the verge of tears just moments ago.
“She’s a woman trying to extort money by taking videos that could cause misunderstandings. We won’t pursue legal action if you just hand her over, and Chairman Jung won’t make an issue of it either…”
Thud!
The heavy sound of a kick echoed menacingly, and though Joo-eun now felt certain he wasn’t the one being hit, she instinctively shrank her shoulders.
“Who’s talking about legal issues with whom? Loyalty is good, but know that your master is worse than a dog, and then stay loyal.”
Soon, another heavy impact sounded, followed by the loud thud of a large body collapsing, echoing through the entire hallway.
The sounds of a rough scuffle between the group rushing in and Min-hyuk climbed up the walls.
________________________________________
A woman with lustrous black hair held a baby who looked barely a year old as she gazed at Chairman Jung’s secretary.
“I should at least offer you some tea.”
“It’s fine.”
“Then let’s talk. I’ll put the baby to sleep and come back out. Chairman, don’t leave until I do.”
Chairman Jung sat on the sofa, leisurely sipping his drink with a smile.
“On such a lovely night, how could I leave my wife alone?”
The woman shyly smiled and entered the room, and as soon as the door closed, Chairman Jung’s expression turned cold.
“Lee Jin-sook, has anything unusual come up?”
The secretary standing by the entrance approached the side of the sofa.
“No, sir. She’s quiet.”
“Hasn’t met with a lawyer?”
“No.”
Chairman Jung’s lips twisted slightly.
“Huh. She acted like she’d stir up trouble any moment now, but this is what I expected. Typical.”
“I’ll keep watching her closely.”
“Yes, you should. Her unpredictability is concerning.”
“Uh… more importantly, Chairman…”
“I’m tired. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
“But… I think you need to hear this now…”
The irritation on Chairman Jung’s face deepened at the ominous feeling.
“What now? What’s all this fuss about?”
The fact that his usually obedient secretary insisted on reporting something late at night was enough to signal trouble.
True to form, the secretary hesitated for a moment, building suspense, before finally speaking.
“Director Jung Min-hyuk just sent over a video.”
“A video?”
Chairman Jung whipped his head around to stare at the secretary.
“What do you mean? Explain in detail!”
Startled by Chairman Jung’s sharp command, the secretary hastily handed over the tablet he had been holding.
Chairman Jung fumbled for his glasses, which had been carelessly tossed onto the table, and pressed play.
As soon as he saw the two people in the video, his expression froze, and the secretary swallowed hard.
“What is this? Why is Giman meeting with Chairman Lee?”
Chairman Jung had always been fond of President Hong Giman, addressing him by name outside formal settings.
Their relationship was that close.
But knowing better than anyone that GB Group and DK Group had crossed an irreversible point, the mere fact that Giman was meeting privately with Chairman Lee filled him with rage.
Why did Min-hyuk record this scene?
Before he could fully process the confusion, the voices coming through the speakers answered all his questions.
Though brief, the conversation revealed everything.
Chairman Jung’s thick jaw trembled with fury.
“Hong… Hong Giman, you bastard, are you daring to make a deal with GB Group behind my back? Are you stabbing me in the back?”
“It seems Director Jung Min-hyuk caused quite a stir after sending this video.”
“This damn fool…”
Still, worried as a father, he immediately called Min-hyuk.
“You brat! When something like this happens, you should tell your father right away! Why the hell did you film this? What if President Hong goes berserk and does something crazy?!”
Unlike his agitated father, Min-hyuk’s voice remained eerily calm.
[That’s exactly what I told Song Joo-eun. I made sure she understood she shouldn’t get involved in such dangerous situations again.]
“…What?”
Chairman Jung was stunned.
So the one who filmed this wasn’t his son, but Song Joo-eun, that woman?
[Regardless, we should thank her for her good intentions. Let’s calm down and stop ruining the mood.]
“Huh…! Stop joking around. Once you’ve figured out what’s happening, prepare to take over the position of DK Media president.”
[Hmm. That’s not exactly an appealing offer.]
“What… what?”
[If you’re going to give me something, make it DK Electronics. My ambitions exceed your expectations.]
Chairman Jung let out a disbelieving “Huh.”
When he had urged Min-hyuk to take power, he had refused. Now it was clear Min-hyuk had been biding his time, planning to swallow the company whole. Chairman Jung suddenly felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of his own son.
Once Min-hyuk took control of electronics—the core of the group—he would no longer be just a son but a towering figure overseeing the entire conglomerate.
This also meant he would surpass the level of control Chairman Jung could exert.
Though the company would eventually be passed down, the realization that his son was preparing to break free from his influence left Chairman Jung’s mind tangled with complex calculations of profit and loss.
[Think about it and give me your answer.]
After the call ended abruptly, Chairman Jung sat there for a moment, unable to speak.
“Hmm…”
Letting out a strange sound that was neither laughter nor a sigh, he decided to focus on immediate matters and stood up.
“Hong Giman. Call that bastard. I’ll kill him.”
It was only natural.
The secretary bowed his head and made a call somewhere.
________________________________________
“Did you talk to the chairman?”
Joo-eun, wrapped in a blanket and sitting on the couch, looked up at Min-hyuk and asked.
Instead of answering, Min-hyuk smiled and tucked her blanket in more carefully.
Though the weather wasn’t particularly cold, her body still trembled from the lingering tension, and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
“What were you thinking, doing something so dangerous?”
Min-hyuk asked in a tone that was somewhere between scolding and affectionate.
“I thought I made it clear. Is it still not enough? My ears are bleeding; take a look.”
When she playfully tilted her ear toward him, he chuckled softly.
Even so, he didn’t stop lecturing her.
“Of course. I’ll remind you of this over and over again. You fearless woman.”
“I’m scared. Terrified.”
“Then why did you run off with those big guys chasing you? You should have gone somewhere crowded. That residential area was too empty; they could’ve caught you without anyone noticing.”
“I swear I thought I saw a police station nearby… Though maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t find it.”
“It is a good thing. If the police got involved, things would’ve gotten much messier. Manipulating public authority is one of the chairmen’s specialties.”
“It almost turned into a showdown.”
“The mere thought of it exhausts me.”
Min-hyuk shook his head in disbelief.
“So… what’s going to happen to President Hong Giman now…?”
A heavy silence fell.
Within that silence lay many meanings.
“President Hong was standing at the edge of a cliff with two choices: grab at a straw or leap to another precipice. Every choice comes with consequences.”
But when he tried to jump to another cliff, it disappeared.
Ah… Just imagining what happened next sent a chill down her spine.
Joo-eun shivered violently at the mere thought of Hong falling.
Min-hyuk clicked his tongue as he watched her adorable reaction.
“Are you worried about President Hong right now? I’m the one who’s worried sick about you.”
He had covered her face with the hat he got from Jang-wook and fled with her.
Though they somehow managed to escape, Min-hyuk had been uneasy the entire time.
That’s why he brought her to his place instead of hers.
“You come first. Not the company, not me—you.”
“I know. I told you, my ears are bleeding.”
“Let me see.”
When Min-hyuk leaned in to inspect, she pushed him away awkwardly. As the blanket slipped off, she ended up falling into his arms.
His large hand stroking her back felt different from the comforting touch earlier.
And yet, it felt strange to notice the difference.
“Hmm. It’s late… I think I should go home.”
“Where do you think you’re going when you’re still shaking?”
If only she could say that she was trembling for a different reason…
Unable to voice that, Joo-eun remained nestled against him, held firmly by his strength.
“I don’t think I can leave. I’m too anxious.”
“What…?”
“Stay here until Mother is discharged from the hospital.”
“What about you… Director?”
Min-hyuk slowly created some distance, meeting her gaze.
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